An update. *gasp* I would like to apologise in advance for this sorry excuse of a chapter. This one is short and set in the past OTL. Please do not kill me. I just felt like this needed to be added in. Anyway, please find a way to enjoy.

"Mama, why is it night time already?"

"Mama, how did I get here? I was with Papa."

"Mama, how did I get hurt?"

"Mama, where's Papa? Why are you crying?"

Akashi Shiori knew there was something wrong with her son long before anyone else. At first it was just memory lapses and as it progressed she realized that sometimes the child she was speaking to was not the same as the one she gave birth to. It was small things. The way he walked and his speech patterns. Whether or not he wanted to be around his father. Even what foods he liked and what toys he played with. She didn't see a problem. So what if only half of her baby boy remembered terrible things? It was probably better that way.

But when she saw her Sei-chan with blood on his hands, standing over the mutilated body of his new dog, she knew that she could no longer ignore what was going on.

"Hey, Sei-chan?" she asked after he woke up from his nap. She'd already disposed of the corpse in the yard and cleaned all the blood. Well, as much of it she could get with the hose.

"Yes, Mother?" He rubbed the sleep from his eyes and took the water she offered. She was sitting on a chair beside his bed. She could have chose to sit on the bed with him, but decided that if they have to have this conversation, they might as well keep it as professional as possible, even if he is only five.

"You know what happened with your dog?" she started, not exactly knowing how to go about this.

He swallowed a gulp a water quickly and tightened his grip on the glass. "Yes."

She needed more than that though. "Um... What do you know about it?" Silence. Sei-chan fiddled with his shirt a bit and drank down the rest of his water before returning his gaze to her.

"I killed him." He said it so casually that Shiori almost swore that she misheard him. Sei-chan placed the now empty cup on his bedside table and sat up completely and threw the blankets off. He pulled his left pant leg up, revealing purple marks on his ankle. Bruises, small and round. "He bit us, Mother," he explained calmly. "He was still little, but he would have grown and his teeth would be this big." He held his fingers a few centimeters apart. "If we let his teeth get that big, he could really hurt someone. I don't want to be hurt."

"Honey..." She didn't know what to say. What could she say? "W-why didn't you just say something?" she asked, voice shaking, as he smoothed his pant leg back down. "We could have taken care of it. We could have given him to another home."

Sei-chan gripped his sheets hard between his small fists. He kept his eyes down as he replied, "That's what happens to things that get in an Akashi's way. They don't get to live." He let go of the sheet and brought his arms to his chest, curling into himself. "That's what Father says." His eyes seemed to unfocus as he stared into his knees.

Her hand flew to her mouth as she let out a sob. Her tears pooled on her hand and spilled down her fingers. Sei-chan's blank expression turned into one of alarm when he glanced up at her. "Mama?" he chirped, quivering slightly. "What's wrong? What happened?"

She bounced out of the chair and threw her arms around her son. "I'm so sorry, Sei-chan," she wept into his soft hair. "I'm sorry things have to be this way." She pulled him closer, pressing him tight against her chest. "It'll get better. I promise, love, things will get better."

"It's okay, Mama," his small voice said into her blouse.

Things did not get better. If he tried to put off going to bed, he was punished. If he took too long to get to the table, he was punished. If he asked someone to repeat themself, he was punished. The punishments took place in the guest bedroom next to the master bedroom. Close enough that Shiori could hear every smack, every shout, every plead, every sob.

"Honey, maybe you shouldn't be so hard on Sei-chan," she tried one day. Her husband just scoffed.

"I'm just toughening him up, dear," he claimed. "The real world isn't so nice. It's best Seijurou learns that sooner rather than later."

"Maybe think about easing up a little?" she suggested. "He's just entered school. It would be bad if the teachers started to talk..."

"Seijurou knows where his loyalties are. He'll keep his mouth shut. He knows what will happen if he doesn't."

That night he was in a particularly bad mood. Sei-chan didn't finish his dinner. Usually he would have to stand against the wall with his arms raised above his head until everyone else had finish, but tonight he was brought into the guest bedroom. She tried her best to block out the yelling from her husband and the small cries of pain from her son.

"Conditioning, dear," was the only thing he said when he returned to the table.

She wanted to leave. Just to pick up her son and walk out the front door, never to return. But she couldn't. She had no money and no family of her own. Where would they go? They would starve on the streets. She had started to discreetly sell her things. She hid the money she made behind the thin wood of the back of a cabinet in the kitchen. Neither her nor her husband had any need to go in there, but no one would ask if she was seen. The maids were paid enough to never question.

She planned to leave May 1st in the middle of the night. She had saved up enough money for a few months rent and food, plus travel costs, seeing as they would have to leave town. Since it would be warm, they needn't have heat. She'd find a job while Sei-chan was in school. Sei-chan might not get the most privileged of lives, but they'd be okay. Everything would be okay.

She was shaking when midnight rolled around. She was in the sitting room, pretending to read. Her husband had left a couple of hours ago. To go to bed or to work in his office, she didn't know. It didn't matter. The overnight maids had gone to their quarters and the house was silent. She set her book down and stood quietly. Her fluffy slippers cushioned her footsteps as she tiptoed through the hall and to the empty kitchen. All she needed was her money and Sei-chan. No clothes. They could buy new ones.

After retrieving her cash, she set off to get her son. She was worried, but she knew she was doing the right thing. As soon as she turned the corner into the hall Sei-chan's bedroom was in, she froze. There was a shadow standing at his doorway, peeking in through the crack.

Her breath caught in her throat. What is going on? She took a few angry steps forward to tell whoever was spying on her baby off, but she recognised the figure. It was her husband. She relaxed slightly, but then recalled the wad of cash in her hand. Tactfully hiding the bills in the waist of her skirt, under her shirt, she walked the remaining steps.

"Cute, isn't he?" her husband whispered without turning around. "I'm glad he has your hair. It looks good."

"Wh-what are you doing?" she inquired, ignoring the unusual conversation.

He sighed and glanced down at a paper in his hand. "I just found this. He didn't even tell me." Curious, Shiori walked closer and turned her attention to the page. A first-grade pretest with a bright red 100 and a smiling sticker. "He's only been in school for a month and he's already doing so well. I came to praise him, but of course he's already asleep." He folded the paper and stuck it into his pocket. "I..." He paused, trying to gather his thoughts. "I know I lose my temper with him sometimes, but I couldn't have asked for a better heir. I really couldn't."

The pure adoration in his voice brought tears to Shiori's eyes. Why is this happening? Now, of all times? "He really is perfect," she agreed quietly.

"Yes. Just like you." He turned, smiling, in her direction and worry immediately filled his eyes. "What's the matter?"

She didn't answer. She couldn't without outright sobbing. Biting her lip hard, she brought her hands to cover her face and shook her head. Warm arms soon wrapped around her body and pulled her in close. "How about we go for ice cream tomorrow?" his soft voice asked. "Just the three of us."

"That sounds nice," she managed to choke out, tears now falling freely. She lowered her hands from her face to return the hug. They stayed that way for a few more seconds, before he pulled away slightly and gently kissed her forehead.

"I love you," he told her, wiping her tears with tender fingers. "I hope you and Seijurou know that."

It was then that she knew she could never leave. It wasn't just the money and security. She loved him way too much.

I feel the need to say this: This story is not a complete accurate depiction of DID/MPD. Do not take it too seriously. This story started as me playing with the stereotype set by the manga, but now it has gotten quite a few views, I don't want people thinking that everyone with this disorder is like this.