I would like to thank everyone for their kind words and encouragement. It is amazing how fragile ones self-esteem can be when hit with a hammer cloaked in 'constructive criticism' like that. Since this was the first thing I have ever written outside of term papers, I was relying on public opinion to tell me how I was doing. I was very distraught at being blasted out of the water like that, and I had lost sight of all the good things that had been said about this story. My mother helped me to gather the pieces back up, but it was your support that supplied the glue to put it back together. I promise not to let anything like this bother me again and to finish this story for all of those that have shown a continuing interests in it. Thank you. I am very grateful to all of you. And as always, if there is something wrong, please let me know so that I can fix it.
Note: I do not own Skip Beat!
Yashiro looked at the unruffled woman bowing deeply to man with the large knife. He had definitely decided that she was the textbook definition of grace under fire. He had woken this morning from a short but restful night when the woman had slipped from his arms. She had tried to be quiet, but the sudden lack of comforting warmth had pulled him from sleep. He laid in bed and listened to the soft dulcet tones of her English words describing to the mega start in California exactly what had happened to his adopted 'son' over the course of her employment. He found himself slightly annoyed that she had not mentioned a single drop of her blood spilt as she apologized to Kuu for the harm that had befallen the girl. He was surprised that she went into a detailed description of the Kyoko's relationship that was almost as long as Ren's painfully slow courtship of the young girl. After bringing her employer up to date, she assured him that it would not happen again and let the actor go. He watched her through cracked eyes as she came back into the bedroom and stared down at him pretending to sleep. She debated for a long time if she should join him again or get on with the day, but it was the soft touch of his hand as she turned to leave that drew her back for a few more hours of sleep in his arms.
Now Catherine stood before Kyoko's land lords and apologized to them for her failings. She remained bent at the waist as the silent man laid down his knife and stepped out from behind his counter. The Taishou placed a larger hand on the woman's uninjured shoulder and raised her up to look at him. She held her ground as he sifted his gaze from one eye to the other and back. Yashiro watched him forgive the hard working manager with a pat on the shoulder and a nod before returning to his work. Catherine bowed her gratefulness to him before following the Okami up to find Kyoko some clean clothing. Yashiro placed himself on a stool to wait for the woman's return when his attention was drawn by a click from the counter next to him. His eyes swung around to take in the cup of miso soup that the Taishou had placed next to him. The two men locked eyes as the stoic man gauged the younger man's worth. Yashiro held his ground until the Taishou turned to look at the stairwell leading to the residential part of his home.
"Take care of her." The older man's quite words spoke volumes to Yashiro as the bespectacled man agreed and accepted the offered cup.
After a quick stop at Ren's apartment for some supplies for Ren, the two managers made their way to the hospital to check their charges. Yashiro was happy to see that the young actress was awake and chatting with the tall man next to her. His eyes were drawn to the bed where Ren still held the young woman's fingers intertwined with him. He had somehow suppressed the giddiness of his fan-girl, but just couldn't keep the smirk from his face. Catherine came to Kyoko's bed side and bowed deeply to the young actress.
"I am so sorry Mogami-san." Kyoko went ridged at Catherine's sudden formality. "Please forgive me." Catherine's apology completely blew the young girl's mind. She didn't think that Catherine had done anything wrong. Ren had explained to the young girl that it was Catherine that had saved her life. Kyoko pulled away from Ren's hand to push her manager up.
"Please don't Kat-chan, I don't blame you for this. In fact, I should be thanking you for your quick thinking." Kyoko tried to reassure her manager. Catherine let the girl raise her but still hung her head.
"If I had done my job properly, this would never have happened." Kyoko could see the tears on the corners of Catherine's eyes as the woman blamed herself for not being more vigilant. She had glanced down the steps when they passed, but never saw the man. She still had no idea where he had come from at all. Kyoko took Catherine's hand and squeed it reassuringly.
"Please Catherine, you have already done so much for me. Thanks you." Kyoko's forgiveness was more emotion then Catherine's battered heart could handle and the two men found something else to interest them as the strong-willed woman fell to Kyoko and cried out her anguish.
After a few minutes, Catherine collected herself and dried her tears. Now that she had taken care of the past, she turned her attention to things now.
"How are you feeling this morning?" Catherine asked as she settled in the chair on the opposite side of the bed from the tall actor. Kyoko looked at her now calm friend and smiled a little.
"My back hurts when I move, but otherwise I am ok." Catherine nodded to her before bowing her head again with a sniffle.
"I truly am sorry, but I am glad that you are not hurt any worst." Catherine let a hint of a smile creep onto her face. "Thank you for being such an understanding and amazing person." Kyoko blushed at her manager's words. Kyoko grasped around for something to bring the woman out of the depression that had fallen on her, Catherine was not acting right and it bothered Kyoko to see the strong woman so emotionally weak.
"Could you tell me what happened?" Kyoko suggested. She had heard part of it from Ren, but his mind had been addled at the time, so he could not fill in all the blanks. Neither of the actors knew exactly how the girl was saved, so Catherine started plodding the tale that was already ingrained in her soul. This time Yashiro did get indignant with her when she glossed over her pursuit of the perpetrator again.
"Like hell!" Yashiro almost yelled. "You didn't just CHASE after him. You JUMPED off that dammed wall!" Both Ren and Kyoko's eyes grew large at the manager's outburst.
"Jumped?" Ren asked in disbelief. He had carried Kyoko down those steps and knew how far of a fall it would have been.
"Yes, she jumped from the top of the steps to the sidewalk below. How the hell do you think she tore her shoulder up?" Yashiro waved angrily at the woman. He was done standing by and letting her hide the truth. Catherine hung her head and did not defend herself as Yashiro continued. "And she hasn't bother to tell anyone that that bastard shot her either." Catherine raised her hand to cover the bandage on her arm.
"Shot!" This time it was Kyoko's face that showed disbelief as she turned to take in the woman clutching her arm.
"The shot went wide and only grazed my arm." Catherine lost the withdrawn tone that had been in her voice as she picked up more of the spirit that Kyoko was used to.
"But it's still a gunshot wound." Yashiro crossed his arms and huffed at the woman. Catherine was about to fire something back at him when Ren cleared his throat and brought her attention back to the horrified girl in the bed. Kyoko was about to cry.
"Oh Kyoko-chan, it's just a scratch." Catherine reassured her as she pulled off the light bandage so that Kyoko could inspect the burn-like wound that had already scabbed over. "See it's not so bad." When the actress was done looking at the cut, Catherine returned to her story, this time with more life to her voice. Yashiro was happy to see that his outburst had shaken the woman enough for her to return to her normal mentality. Listening to her guilt-ridden voice telling the story had nearly broken his heart. Ren chuckled lightly when Catherine mentioned that she had to 'get his attention' so that he would let Kyoko go. He raised his hand to his cheek and rubbed the sore spot that strike had left, but did not elaborate how she had done so. When she finished her recount, Ren pulled her back to the Kevlar coat with the same observation that Yashiro had made the night before.
Catherine spent the next twenty minutes losing them in science before she made Yashiro hand her the duffle bag they had brought supplies for the actors in. She pulled out a plastic container with a whitish liquid in it. Yashiro had seen her add the item from Ren's kitchen, but thought it was some kind of edible treat. The four friends had a good time playing with the cornstarch and water until the nurse came in and grumped at them for the mess they were making. Catherine apologized to the cross woman as she checked on Kyoko. When she left, the four friends burst into laughing like little kid as they took turns washing the goop away. It was only a short time later when the doctor came back and released Kyoko into Catherine's care. While the actors took turns changing, Catherine called Lory to let him know that they were coming to see him. He agreed that it was time that Kyoko knew the truth about what was going on.