Chapter 182: True Heroes

DISCLAIMER: I do not own Skip Beat, for if I did, Kyoko's father would be overprotective.

"I want them in the shadows, Sota. They are to neutralize any threat before it becomes one. I don't want her to get wind of any possible danger again. Kuu-san hired bodyguards for them, but if they need to be used then it's already too late."

It was good to hear that the actor had the same idea he did and was going to great lengths to ensure the safety of their kids. He was still debating whether to tell them that he also had men in place just in case they happened to cross paths; however, if they were as good as Sota claimed, the possibility of the bodyguards meeting would be highly unlikely. If they were caught, his daughter would be pissed at him for not telling her. Tadashi didn't want to upset her after the ordeal she just went through.

"Relax Tadashi, my best guys in L.A. are already in place. The princess will never know they're there."

"Where is Spectre with locating the thugs that attacked them?"

"He's working on it. He hacked into the DOT's traffic cams. I expect he'll have something relatively soon if they're traveling by car. It would take more time "

Tadashi hummed his approval. If it wasn't for Spectre's particular set of skills, the imbeciles at the LAPD would still be searching for the suspects' last names. The hacker provided the media and police with detailed background information on the criminals that fled the scene. After watching the CCTV footage Spectre provided from the hotel's security cameras, Tadashi was filled with rage. He had come too close to losing his daughter and her boyfriend that night. If the justice system failed to do its job, he would have to take matters into his own hands. Scum like that deserved to be locked up. He had a feeling he would never get his shot since Cedric's family had dibs on them.

"I already have men staking out their homes and hitting up locations and people they frequented recently that Spectre found on their social media," Sota added.

"Give my thanks to him," Tadashi replied. They were doing everything they could to catch the criminals. He made a note to wire over a hefty bonus to the hacker separately from Sota's fees. He was doing even more than Tadashi could have expected.

"I'll let him know. Oh shit, are you watching the news? Looks like the media made the princess."

Tadashi paused in his stride. He had been wearing a path on his floor, pacing back and forth in his living spaces as he talked to Sota to work off some of the anxiety he was feeling from being utterly helpless. Twirling on his heel, he made a beeline for the second bedroom that he used as his home office where he left his laptop sitting on his desk. He never had guests so it only made sense to use the room for more practical purposes.

Twisting the computer toward him, he tapped in his login information and waited impatiently for the screen to come up. He had closely followed the news on the west coast incident to keep tabs on the hunt for those men so the screen was still open. He raised the volume and watched the video anxiously.

The anchor's voice was somber as he reported context for the video. "-nett were recent co-stars in the Japanese period drama, the Sacred Lotus in the Mire, slated to be released this summer. In a recent interview, it was obvious to viewers that the pair had become friends while working on the film so her presence at the scene was not completely out of the ordinary. The footage provided by…" The anchor paused briefly before stating the name of the source "at your hot service…" He pursed his lips and shook his head slightly to keep from laughing then continued, "shows her with beau Ren Tsuruga and our very own Kuu Hizuri talking to police before leaving the scene. It's no secret that the young couple have been spotted on more than one occasion spending time with the A-list actor and his beautiful and talented wife, Julienna. Kuu Hizuri is a beloved son of Japan, hosting celebrities and key figures from his homeland is something we often see. Tonight, the Hizuris were holding the third annual charity gala in the ballroom of the Beverly Wilshire which would explain why they were all at the hotel; however, the question remains, what was Cedric Bennett doing in the back alley? Hopefully, we'll have more answers for you soon while police continue their investigation."

When the anchor began rehashing Cedric's earlier confession and the facts shared with the public about the incident, Tadashi muted his computer again.

"The gossip rags are going to have a field day with this one. I predict one or two of them suggest Bennett-san and the princess snuck out to have a tryst," Sota's voice was laced with annoyance.

Tadashi snorted. He wouldn't put it past the tabloids to get creative when it came to reaching their quota.

"It's too bad she doesn't want us messing around with the sites. Spectre would love nothing more than to make the trash posted disappear."

"You and I both, but we have to respect her wishes." He dragged his fingers through his hair in frustration. There wasn't much more he could do. His daughter's chosen profession would always try to sniff out the bad. Tadashi wanted nothing more than to be physically present to support her during those trying times.

Something in his mind clicked. What he needed to do was finish his work here as soon as possible, pack up the few items that held any sentimental value to him, and sell everything else including the place. He planned to start fresh in Japan. If his daughter was willing, he would appreciate her help shopping to fill the new apartment.

The interior designer he hired before leaving, kept him abreast with the progress of the renovations. She already had the place stripped to bare bones. He could only hope it would be done before the holidays. It would be nice to decorate the place for Christmas. In all his years living in New York, he never once put up a tree. Having Kyoko in his life made him want to begin new family traditions. He may not have made any effort to celebrate alone, but he always joined Mya and her family for Thanksgiving and Christmas dinner. Because of her generous invites, Tadashi witnessed firsthand the warmth of spending the holidays with family. He had reason to believe that since Kuon was an American, she would be open to starting western traditions. Maybe he could even convince her to have a small celebratory dinner for her birthday aside from the Grateful party she and Maria had planned.

"Hey, don't beat yourself up about this. You're doing everything you can. Things could have ended up so much worse if it wasn't for you trusting your gut and following up on her text." Sota pointed out, pulling Tadashi from his happy thoughts of the future. He must have been too quiet for his friend's taste.

Sota was right. The moment he saw the text from Kyoko stating that she found Kuon, but thought there was trouble with Cedric, his daddy senses began to tingle. The crime in Los Angeles was nothing to sniff at and since Cedric had just finished pouring his heart out to the public, it was only a matter of time that someone from his past lashed out. He just didn't think it would happen immediately. When she didn't respond to his text or answer his call, he tried Kuu's cell. The actor didn't answer his phone either which led him to call the hotel asking to speak to him due to a family emergency. At first, those damn bastards at the front desk refused his call at first thinking he was a crazed fan, eventually, Tadashi was able to convince them that he was legit.

It felt like an eternity before Kuu got on the phone. There was no pleasantries or friendly banter, Tadashi cut to the chase and demanded, "where are the kids?"

"Tadashi? What do you mean? What's going on?" Kuu asked as panic rose in his voice.

"I talked to Kyoko not long ago and she told me she was looking for Kuon then I, no, we, got a cryptic text a few minutes ago stating that she found him but there was trouble with Cedric. She's not answering my calls, Kuu. I think something happened to them."

"Get me your head of security and call 911. We need police and an ambulance," Kuu snapped at the other end of the line to someone. Tadashi was relieved that he was taking this seriously. If they were overreacting, it would be easy enough to apologize and pay a hefty fine for their mistake. God, he prayed that he was wrong. He would happily pay good money to have his daughter and Kuon safe.

"I turned my phone off for the night so I didn't receive her messages. I saw her just before she went off to find Kuon. I told her he walked out through the do— I think I know where to find them. I gotta go security is here, we're going to find them. I'll call you back." The call went silent when Kuu cut the line.

Not one to wait around for news, he immediately called up Sota and issued new orders to Spectre. He needed to locate floor plans of the hotel, particularly the area surrounding the ballroom where the gala was held, and tap into the live security feeds around it. With the aid of facial recognition software, Spectre was able to identify the suspects that fled and provided the info to the American police.

"Thanks, Sota!" It was nice to hear that he wasn't a complete failure at this parenting thing. "I'll let you go. Call me if—"

"Yes, yes. I'll let you know as soon as Spectre has something."

"Thanks, again."

"You got it, boss. Talk to you soon," Sota replied then hung up.

Tadashi glanced at the clock on the wall. Doing the math, he calculated that it was nearing one o'clock in the morning in Los Angeles. Which meant it was nearly four a.m. here on the east coast. In a few hours, he would need to leave for work. He wanted to call Kyoko just to check in but wasn't sure if he would be disturbing her. Not able to relax until he confirmed she was safe, his thumbs flew over the keyboard on his phone and fired off a quick message. If she responded in less than five minutes he would call, if not, he would send another text wishing her a good night.

He smiled when no more than thirty seconds later, his phone buzzed indicating a new message.

Why are you still awake? Please don't worry and get some sleep.

He made good on his decision and proceeded to call her.

...

Kyoko rolled her eyes and smiled when she spied who was calling her so late.

"Do you mind if I take this call? It's my dad." She had to ask because they were in close quarters and didn't want to be rude.

"Oh, sweetie, don't mind us. I'm sure he's worried sick right now," Julie said from the seat next to her.

They had just left the hotel riding in one SUV as they headed for their first stop. The bodyguards Kuu hired sat upfront with one driving and the other in the passenger seat. The hired men were intimidating and professional with a no-nonsense attitude that would surely scare the bad guys away. It certainly worked for the press that was still staking out the entrance of the hotel. Aside from the presence of the media, there was no sign that an incident of great magnitude had taken place at the fancy hotel only hours before. The hotel staff and security had managed to bring the chaos to heel. Their clientele was the rich and famous. They couldn't very well have a media circus running amok at their hotel, disturbing their guests. When the family exited the hotel in the wee hours of the morning, they didn't have much to contend with and easily ignored the media's attempts to get them talking.

"It's fine," Kuu winked over his shoulder from the second row where he sat with Kuon. It had the most legroom to comfortably sit the men while the ladies sat in the third row. Yashiro stayed behind to field calls from Japan as news of the incident traveled overseas.

"Thank you," she nodded and answered the phone in a low voice.

"I thought I told you to get some rest," she said, bossily.

"I will, Princess. I just wanted to see how you were holding up," Tadashi replied with a soft chuckle.

The sincerity and lightheartedness of his laugh made her feel loved and protected. The truth was she was ecstatic to hear from her father. To most, he may come across as overbearing and suffocating, but to her, it was a dream come true. It felt amazing to be fussed and worried over by a parent after so many years of neglect. Her time spent in America was rubbing off on her because her old self would have never disrespected her father in the manner in which she answered his call.

"Are you sure you don't want me to fly out? I can be there by the time you finish filming."

"What?! No?! I mean, I like having you near, but you have responsibilities, work, and people who depend on you. You can't just up and leave for every small thing that goes wrong in my life."

"Sweetie, what you experienced tonight was not a small thing. Bennett-san was severely injured. I could have lost you if it wasn't for his bravery."

She had been doing so well keeping her mind off the horrific events that transpired earlier. The idea to provide comfort food for the staff at the hospital and Cedric's family— if they were up to it— had kept her from sinking into her mind. She had tried to sleep, but couldn't. Every time she closed her eyes, she saw the maniac with his pistol trained on Kuon. To her horror, her boyfriend had selflessly used his body to shield her. It wasn't until that moment that she realized the danger they were in. He was right; it wasn't a small thing. She had come so close to losing Kuon at that moment. Thank goodness Cedric's heroic efforts had made it impossible, but the interference had left her former co-star fighting for his life.

Kyoko pushed back her swirling thoughts, choosing to block out the night and focus on the little good they were trying to do.

"I'm sorry to have worried you, daddy." That one magical word did the trick. She could practically feel the relief radiating from her father through the phone as his breath hitched, ready to forgive her anything.

"Since I can't be there, I want you to know that I've hired extra bodyguards."

She tried to protest as she glanced at the two muscular men sitting up front in their crisp black suits. They had to be more than enough.

"I know Kuu hired some already, but it will put me at ease knowing you had more. They've been hired to shadow you guys and stay out of the way until they catch those men. You will never know they're there, I promise. Can you let me have this one, princess?"

"Okay." She choked back a sob. If it would make him feel better she would indulge him.

"Thank you, can I please speak to Kuu-san for a second?"

"Otou-san," Kyoko whispered, holding out her phone. "My father would like to speak to you."

Kuu turned with a smile, retrieving the phone from her.

"Hello, Tadashi-san, how are you?" Kuu nodded as he listened to whatever her father was saying on the other line.

She caught the questioning look Kuon sent her and leaned forward to tell him about the additional bodyguards. Her father had not specified when they would start, but she wouldn't put it past him to have them already in place.

"I agree, it doesn't hurt to be safe," Kuu answered. More head nodding ensued as Kuu continued to talk with her father.

"That's a good idea, Tadashi. I'm glad we're on the same page. We can never have too many. I promise to take good care of them."

Before she was able to lean back, Kuon caught her lips in a soft, but longing kiss that had Kyoko aching for more. Their time in the shower after the incident was much too rushed for her taste as they quickly came together in a heated embrace. It was enough to confirm that they were both still alive and reassured Kuon that none of the dried blood coating her skin belonged to her. Seeing the water tinted pink as it ran down the drain didn't make them want to linger any longer.

They pulled apart when Kuu cleared his throat loudly. The kiss was more of a soft caress of closed lips than the vulgar kind they often resorted to, and yet they still got carried away, lost in the moment of feeling each other alive and well. Blushing, she ducked her head and sat back in her seat.

"Your father would like to talk to you again," Kuu smiled, returning her phone.

"D-dad," Kyoko stuttered into the phone.

"I won't keep you any longer, Princess. I just wanted to say good night, be safe, and I love you."

"Good night, daddy. I love you too," she replied without missing a beat. The words flowed from her lips so naturally now. She owed it all to the love and care she had received thus far from Kuon and her friends. It felt good to say the words and know that the person on the receiving end felt the same way about her too. She never thought she would ever regain those feelings after the way Sho treated her, but here she was flourishing.

Kyoko hung up the phone, her smile drooping as she focused on the now.

"Here we are," Kuu announced as the SUV pulled up to a mom-and-pop donut shop. They all got out of the vehicle while the bodyguard driving waited with the car. The owner of the shop had been expecting them. Boxes of donuts sat on the counter, along with bags of bagels and other pastries, a few cartons filled with coffee, and paper products. After paying and thanking the older couple, they brought their haul out to the SUV.

They stopped at two more locations, buying everything the shops could part with without shutting down the business for the morning rush. At the hotel, Kuu had given a heads up to each 24-hr bakery and café he found that wasn't too far out of the way to the hospital stating his intentions. Each store was eager to help and made good on providing fresh items to their cause. When the SUV was saturated in the aroma of freshly baked goods and coffee, they finally headed to the hospital.

Kuu directed the driver to a side entrance avoiding the fans and news vans that congregated near the emergency room, waiting to hear the news, good or otherwise, about Cedric. A man and woman dressed in business suits stood at the curb with a few employees in scrubs. Beside them were a couple of empty rolling carts that were usually used to transport medical equipment. She would have to thank the Hizuris for coordinating this whole endeavor. They had handled many of the minute details that never occurred to Kyoko.

"Here we go," Kuu chirped opening his door first while balancing cartons of coffee that he held up front. Kuon was in the same state since they couldn't leave the hot liquid unattended in the back of the vehicle for fear of spillage. The people waiting at the curb moved forward immediately to help.

The second-row passenger seats were eventually pulled forward for Kyoko and Julie to get out with both ladies handing off the coffee they held between them to the men. Kyoko held a separate bag of the food she and Kuu cooked in hopes that Cedric's family would be hungry.

With a deep breath, she scrambled out of the car, hoping that this idea of hers would be welcomed and not seen as bribery. She thought it was a nice way to show their appreciation to the healthcare workers for all their help with Cedric and the other patients.

Thankfully her fears were dashed during introductions. The woman shook her hand warmly and smiled genuinely at Kyoko as Kuu announced that it was her idea to come bearing refreshments. It turned out the woman, Kelly Warren, was the hospital director while the man, Jude Petterson, was the CEO. Kyoko had no idea hospitals had CEOs, but since it was still a place of business it only made sense that they would have a corporate structure. Jude mentioned that having a high-profile patient like Cedric trumped any sleep he thought of getting tonight. Kyoko refused to think that he was only there to do damage control in the likely event that Cedric died in his hospital.

"Wow," the hospital staff marveled as the SUV was unloaded, overflowing the carts with boxes of food and paper products.

"The night crew is going to be ecstatic when they take their breaks," Kelly smiled. "This is a wonderful surprise. Thank you for thinking of us."

Kuu was quick to respond with the right words that had the staff beaming with pride. They were the true heroes of the world. Their giddiness made Kyoko eager to follow them inside and thank the rest of the personnel for their hard work.

A small smile played on Kyoko's lips as she walked down the vacant hallway, enjoying the way Kuon held her hand, mimicking his parents in front of them. It was admirable that after twenty years together, the older couple was still so in love with each other. She wished that for her and Kuon in the future.

When they entered a large empty break room, Kyoko pulled away from her boyfriend and helped set the tables. This was her element. A few minutes later, the first person that trickled into the room was the hospital's PR director. He got a kick out of having the celebrities serve him.

"I hope you don't mind if we take some pictures," he asked, brandishing his phone. They consented, knowing they wouldn't be able to deny this small bit of happiness for the people that save thousands of lives daily. For the next half hour, employees began trickling in by twos and threes as word of their presence made its way around the hospital. The health professionals were excited to meet them and grateful for the sugary carbs. Kyoko and Ren made it a point to bow respectfully to each person they met, take pictures, sign autographs, and thank them for their service.

The foot traffic into the conference room eventually slowed, giving them a good excuse to leave and check on Cedric. They said their final goodbyes and were escorted by Kelly and Jude to the private room where Eltra and the Bennetts waited for news.

"Eltra," Kuu engulfed his old friend in a bear hug. "We couldn't sit around any longer."

"Thanks for coming," Eltra rasped as his eyes watered. He hugged Julie when Kuu released him to greet Cedric's parents. He smiled weakly and returned the bow that she and Ren offered in greeting.

"How are you two holding up?" he asked Kyoko and Ren. Shouldn't she be asking him that question? His only grandson was fighting for his life at the moment and here he was asking about them. "I'm sorry you had to experience something so terrible on your first trip to L.A.," he continued, addressing Kyoko. She could only nod as emotion ceased in her throat. Maybe she was in shock and didn't know it.

"And you Tsuruga, thank you for trying to help. No one would have blamed you if you didn't, but I'm grateful."

Kyoko thought she noticed something in Eltra's eyes, but it was gone in a flash before she could pinpoint its meaning

"I'm sorry I couldn't do more, Duris-san," Ren answered casting his head down

"You did more than enough, my boy. Thank you for accepting his apology," Eltra replied quietly with a reassuring squeeze to Ren's shoulder.

Kyoko gasped and Ren's head shot up in shock. Eltra gave them both a knowing nod. How long had he known? Judging by their previous encounters, Cedric seemed clueless, meaning Eltra never informed his grandson of Ren's true identity.

Eltra winked and moved to join the conversion with his kids and Kuu and Julie.

"Are you okay?" Kyoko asked taking his bandaged hands in hers. He nodded stiffly and planted his lips on her forehead. She felt the tension in his body melt away.

"Come on, let's greet Cedric's parents and offer them the food before it gets cold."

Rather than argue, Kyoko nodded in agreement. She would have to coax him into talking to her once they were alone.

"Hello," Kyoko followed Ren's lead and greeted them with a bow. The awkwardness from her last encounter with Cedric's parents made her nervous at first, but one look at the grieving couple alleviated her fears. She could tell that they cared about Cedric deeply even if they had a terrible way of showing it. Please, kamisama, let him pull through so he can see how much he means to them.

"The police said you were both there when it happened. Is that true?" Callister croaked while hugging his wife tighter.

Ren nodded.

"Could you tell us?" Karina whispered. It was strange seeing the feisty woman look so broken.

"Kuu and I made some stir-fry, would you like to eat some," Kyoko offered, pulling out boxes of the still warm meal from the insulated bag.

Karina shook her head but her stomach growled in protest making the woman blush crimson. Kyoko could relate.

"That's a sign if I ever heard one," Callister joked, sitting his wife up. "I think you should eat a little honey. Thank you, Kyoko."

"I'll go and grab some drinks from the vending machine," Kuu offered. "Anything, in particular, you guys want?"

"Water and coffee for us," Callister answered. Kyoko and the rest gave similar answers.

"You got it. I'll be right back."

"I'll come with you. Go ahead and get started," Julie said catching up with her husband.

Once Kyoko handed out food and utensils, Ren took the lead in beginning the story from the service hallway at the hotel. The retelling took about fifteen minutes with Ren and Kyoko both sharing their point of view. By the end of it, Karina was sobbing hysterically.

Kyoko couldn't help the tears that spilled from her eyes. Despite their differences, even Julie was crying uncontrollably.

Over an hour later, the head surgeon walked into the waiting room and was accosted by two very distraught mothers.

"Cedric is out of surgery. He flatlined twice on the table but we were able to bring him back. There was a lot of internal bleeding. We had to remove his left kidney and a section of his large intestine. He's stable but not out of the woods. The next twenty-four hours will be critical to his recovery."

"Can we see him, doctor?" Callister asked anxiously.

"Yes, but please limit the visit to one person at a time. He's still in a coma but talking to him would help. Patients in his condition are most likely to fight if they know they have loved ones pulling for them."

"You can go first, honey," Callister nudged his wife toward the door.

Kyoko watched the woman pull up to her full height and bravely follow the doctor through the double doors in search of her son. They didn't wait for her return and chose to give the family some privacy. They left Callister and Eltra in the waiting room with promises to return in the morning. The offer to call if they needed anything in the meantime was extended before their departure.

AN: Ahhh! Thanks for sticking with me! I underestimated the writing time I would have over this memorial holiday weekend. Rest assured my darlings, I am not losing interest in this mayhem of mine; however, I am annoyed that I can't pull my schedule back. Lately, I have had more time at the end of the week to write. In the past, I used to write during work hours (shhh don't tell my boss) but they have me earning my paycheck right now...LOL. I also have three very needy boys (my husband is included) that have been taking up the rest of my time.

More Cedric in the next chapter…I promise...for sure...maybe… it's my mind...it writes what it wants.

Thanks for always reading and for the reviews of the last chapter. I appreciate it.

Until next time, ja ne! ^_^