Kisame heard the scuffle as Ritsuko scrambled to retrieve the phone. "Suko!" He cried out.

"G-Get help!" She choked out. Then he heard a sickening crack followed by silence.

"SUKO!" He screamed into the phone but then the call disconnected. He immediately turned the car around, flipping a U-Turn in the middle of an intersection. Cars screeched to a stop as they slammed on their brakes. Angry shouts mingled with beeping horns. His car nearly rolled with the momentum but he didn't let up on the gas. Ritsuko was in danger and his adrenaline ran wild. He quickly called Itachi. "Send the police go to Ritsuko's apartment!"

"What? Why? What's going on?" He murmured sleepily. Kisame must have woken him up.

"Someone broke in," he said through gritted teeth. He was having a hard time keeping his anger and panic in check. "She called me for help when she was suddenly attacked. I'm on my way there right now."

Itachi was silent for a moment. "Should I call for an ambulance too?"

"Good idea," Kisame smirked. "Because if she doesn't need it, I'll personally see to it that the other guy does."

"Be careful," Itachi warned just before he hung up.

Please be safe Suko, Kisame thought desperately as he sped up past the speed limit.

Ritsuko groaned softly as she regained consciousness. Her head was splitting, her mind felt heavy and fuzzy and when she opened her eyes, she realized that she was blind-folded. Her body tensed with panic, her heart still raced as she had the feeling that something was wrong…but…she couldn't remember what. She was lying in bed and tried to get up but something tugged at her wrists and ankles. After struggling a little she realized with horror that she was handcuffed to the headboard and her ankles were tied to the sides of the bed, forcing her legs wide open. Thankfully she wasn't gagged. "Help! Someone please! Help me!"

Then she heard the door swing open slowly and deliberately. The heavy sound of footsteps seemed to echo as someone entered the room. Then the door locked with a loud click.

"W-Who are you?" She stammered, convinced that it wasn't someone coming to her rescue.

"We were meant to be…y-you and me," a whispery soft male voice sounded. Boots squeaked as he approached.

She felt panicky as she recalled painful memories of soothing tones followed by penetrating pain. She couldn't go through that again. Anything but that! She couldn't live with that stain on her soul again. "Take whatever you want, take it all! But don't touch me!"

The bed creaked and shifted as he climbed on. She struggled against the bonds and flinched as his fingertips ran along the inside of her thighs. "You've been unfaithful," he continued in his gentle tone. "You belong to me…remember?"

There was something strangely familiar about that voice but in her blind-panic she couldn't think straight. She shook her head firmly. "No I don't! Stay away from me!" She screamed. "Someone help!"

Then she coughed as a gag was forced into her mouth. "Hush my angel…d-don't speak." He stuttered slightly.

Then she gasped as he stroked her clit, just stimulating the outside before moving up along her flat stomach. She was more sensitive as a result of being deprived of her sight. His touch seemed to penetrate her skin. She trembled as a pair of hands cupped her breasts. His lips gently ran along them, teasing and tantalizing. She screamed against the gag, the sound muffled through the cloth. She strained against the bounds until they cut into her skin. This was just like her childhood, once again being powerless in the hands of another. She had worked so hard and long to forget that part of her life, to rise above that humiliation, and now the nightmare returned in full force. Tears trickled down from the blindfold as she knew that the worst was yet to come. "Oh my love…" he whispered as he licked away her tears. "T-This is no time for tears."

Suddenly the window shattered as Kisame broke through it, spraying shards of glass everywhere. The intruder looked up in surprise, his cerulean eyes widened in horror just before Kisame's fist struck him in the face. He flew back against the closet door, making it crack. Kisame grabbed hold of the leather straps across his chest and punched him in the face over and over, effectively breaking his nose and bloodying his face. Then he heard Ritsuko scream through the gag and he quickly let go. Revenge would have to wait. He let go and the pervert crumbled to the floor, whimpering like a baby as he clutched at his bloody nose.

Kisame hurried to her side and quickly unlatched the cuffs. "It's alright Suko, I'm here," he reassured her as he pulled her into a tight hug. The fact that she was naked barely registered. He was just relieved that he had come in time to save her. He had to hold her close to prove that she was safe now. She clung to him with trembling hands and cried hard into his shirt. She shook like a leaf in his arms. "It's going to be ok, I'm here now. Everything is gonna be alright," he said soothingly.

Just then the police arrived along with Itachi. He reddened modestly to see her bare backside as Kisame held her tightly and discreetly draped a blanket around her shoulders to cover her up. He gazed down at her with a devastated look. It felt so surreal. This was the sort of thing you read about in the newspapers happening to some girl somewhere else…never in your own town…not to someone you actually know. It left a terrible feeling in the pit of his stomach. At least they'd gotten here in time, before she'd been killed. The police hand-cuffed the pervert and wrenched him to his feet. He panicked at the sight of Ritsuko in Kisame's arms. "No don't leave her with him!" He protested. "N-No! He'll turn her against me!"

Kisame glared fiercely at him as a growl sounded in his throat. Ritsuko yelped fearfully so he quickly settled down and rubbed her back. "It's alright," he repeated softly. "I'm here."

Two officers dragged the pervert away while the rest surveyed the crime scene. A nurse carefully approached the two. "Miss Ryoku? I'm sorry for what happened, my dear," the lady said sympathetically as she sat beside them. "But you're safe now. If you'll come with me to the hospital-"

"No!" Ritsuko cried out as she clung tightly to Kisame. "I'm not going anywhere!"

Kisame looked down at the nurse. "Can I come with her?" He asked quietly.

She nodded. "It might be for the best. She could really use some emotional support. Perhaps we can contact her parents and-"

"She has no parents, only a foster mother," Kisame explained. "And they are not on good terms."

"I see," she said sadly. "Very well, let's get her to the hospital."

Kisame carried her in his arms, keeping the blanket wrapped around her. She wrapped her arms around his neck, sniffling softly still. He absent-mindedly kissed her forehead. "I'm so glad that you're alright." He said with relief.

Alright? Far from it. She felt violated, disgusting, and dirty but she knew what he'd meant. At least she was still alive. Once at the hospital the medical staff carefully and delicately examined her. DNA samples were extracted from her skin since no semen was present. She was then allowed to shower and given a change of clothes. Afterward an investigating detective came to collect an official report. Kisame was allowed in to provide emotional support. He took her hand and reassuringly squeezed it. She wore a small grateful smile and then answered their questions as well as explained what had happened. Kisame was shocked to hear about the items that had been turning up in her apartment. Why didn't she tell him about it? Why didn't she tell anyone about it? Still the detective didn't find that unusual. "Some stalkers have been known to leave "reminders" in the homes of their victims. In their minds it's proof of a connection."

She lowered her gaze. "He said that we were meant to be…and that I was unfaithful."

"Did you know your attacker?" She delicately asked.

Ritsuko frowned for a moment. That whispery soft voice sounded familiar…but it didn't make any sense so she shook her head. "I'm not really sure."

"Do you?" The detective turned towards Kisame.

He blinked in surprise. "Should I?"

"At the scene was a photo of you scratched out with blood. And he was quoted as saying, 'No don't leave her with him. No, he'll turn her against me.'"

Kisame bristled. "Are you saying that this is MY fault?!"

"No, no, of course not," she reassured him. "It's just that it may have been a motive. He felt threatened by your association and attempted to gain control of the situation."

Other questions were asked but Ritsuko was fast running out of energy. She was exhausted and emotionally drained. The detective was sensitive to that and quickly wrapped it up. "You can't return home until the police have finished their investigation. Do you have a place to stay in the meantime?"

Ritsuko grimaced as she dreaded the possibility of returning to Niigata's. "She can stay with me," Kisame quickly offered.

Ritsuko blushed but nodded. Once she was discharged from the hospital, he wrapped an arm around her shoulders as they walked outside. She was strangely silent and subdued as she got into his car and they drove off. He didn't know what to say either. His heart still raced at the memory of Ritsuko chained down as she struggled hard to break free. Meanwhile the pervert was poised to penetrate her…He shuddered. It would take some time for that image to go away. Meanwhile Ritsuko rested her head against the window pane and wrapped her arms tightly around herself.

This was just like last time…when the abuse had finally come to light. After the hospital she had been taken away to be placed into the foster care system. In spite of all that she'd been through, the thought of leaving home forever terrified her. She was young, too young to understand what had happened, and she wondered if she had been the one who'd done wrong. If not, then why was she being sent away? It didn't make sense to her. Then she had screamed and cried, begging the police to bring her home. She pleaded with them and promised to behave. It reduced one of them to tears. "We're not doing this to punish you but to protect you. You're going to a better place," he'd promised.

He was partially right. No place had ever been as bad as home, but none of the places she'd stayed at ever felt like home to her. Just more of a temporary living situation. Until she met Shizako who'd been the first person she'd ever been accepted by and loved in spite of her dark past. Only Shizako knew the truth…oh what would she say if she knew what'd just happened? How the nightmare had started all over again. She heaved a sigh as her expression crumpled. How could this be happening to her? Just when things were starting to go so well?

To her surprise Kisame pulled the car over to the side of the road. "What are you doing?" She asked worriedly. Then she gasped as he pulled her into his arms and hugged her tightly. "Oh Suko…" he murmured. "I was so afraid that I was going to lose you."

She stiffened as she felt something wet drip on her shoulder. Was he…crying? "Kisame?"

He silently held her as he sniffled softly, finally giving release to the built up hysteria he'd been unable to let go of until now. "Why didn't you tell me what was going on? I could have protected you…kept you safe…"

She was tempted to ask how he could have gone about doing that but she knew what he meant. He was just trying to be a good friend and friends look out for one another. She hugged him back. "You saved my life." Her voice cracked with gratitude. "Thank you."

For a long time they just held each other and she felt the hurt inside start to fade in the warmth of his comforting embrace. "Thank you," she repeated.

He pulled away with a gentle smirk. "I'll always come to your rescue."

She giggled softly at that. "Like my own personal knight in shining armor huh?"

"More or less," he winked and carefully steered the car back into the road. Once they arrived at his apartment, his cat mewed loudly. She wasn't used to her master being away from home for so long. Her ears perked up at the sight of Ritsuko. It had been a long time since he'd brought home a guest.

"Aww, you have a cat?" Ritsuko cooed as she knelt down to look at her.

"Her name is Chie."

"Hey there pretty girl," she cooed as she held out her hand.

She curiously sniffed her hand and Ritsuko gently scratched behind her ears. Thoroughly pleased Chie purred loudly and rubbed against her. Kisame went to refill her food and water. Now it was close to three o'clock in the morning. "You should get some sleep, use my bed," he offered. "Let me see if I can find any pajamas that might fit you."

Ritsuko went back to petting Chie as she looked around. She'd never seen Kisame's apartment before…no matter how many times he'd been to hers. There just…never seemed to be a reason to come here. It was simply furnished and not as messy as she'd expected a bachelor's place to be. Then again Kisame was older; perhaps he was more practical than he looked. He returned with a pair. "They're gonna be big," he warned her. That didn't surprise her; after all he was much taller and broader than her. She went into the bathroom to change. The shirt went down mid-thigh but the pants were way too large so she went without. She walked into his room to find him making the bed. He had already changed for the night, wearing pants without a shirt.

"Where will you sleep?" She asked softly.

"On the couch, though Chie might be in here with you, she's used to sleeping on the bed."

She nodded silently as she nervously rung her hands as she felt panicky and embarrassed. "Kisame?'

"Yes?" he said as he turned to face her.

"Could you…that is would you…uh…" her face went red and she shook her head. "Never mind, forget it."

"What is it?" He asked as he approached her. "Please tell me."

She looked up at him with child-like embarrassment. "I…don't want to sleep alone. I'm…I'm scared," her voice was barely audible by the end.

He smiled softly, knowing just how hard it was for her to admit weakness. She was always so rough and tough, scared of nothing and no one. "Would you like me to hold you until you drift off to sleep?" He offered.

She blushed and nodded. "I know I'm being ridiculous," she cursed herself.

"Not at all, it makes sense," he reassured her as he pulled her in for another hug. He couldn't help himself, it still scared him just how close he'd come to losing her. "I'm here for you Ritsuko. I want to help."

So with the lights off they climbed into bed together. In her mind it was a good thing that he wasn't attracted to her or this would be really awkward. As it was, she greatly enjoyed the feeling of his strong arms wrapped protectively around her. His musky scent, the gentle rise and fall of his chest against her back, his breath in her ear…warmed her heart. It hurt a little that she was only his friend; still she was very grateful to him. Kisame meanwhile enjoyed it more than he should have. To have her in his bed thrilled him, excited him, and he fought hard to keep his hormones in check. There was NO WAY he was going to take advantage of her again, especially after what she'd just been through. Besides he only had to do this until she fell asleep, then he could leave. But he had underestimated how exhausted he was combined with how soothing it felt to hold her close beneath the sheets and soon drifted off to sleep himself.