Hey guys! It's been such a long time! Sorry it's been years since I last posted, but I'm kind of back now! It's been such a long time since I've worked on this story, so I apologize if some things don't really collate well with previous chapters, or if some characters are OOC, or if my writing seems a bit different. I'm always open to constructive criticism, so don't hesitate to let me know what I need to work on! Thank you so much to all the people who posted reviews for the previous chapters! Please enjoy!

Chapter 6

"He's fine." The bespectacled man stood up, firmly snapping his bag shut. He glanced down at Okita, who was lying shirtless on the bed. White gauze was wrapped around his torso. Even through the bandages, his chiseled muscles were visible. "A flesh wound he says…" He muttered with a wry snort. "Luckily the bullet didn't hit any vital organs. He's suffering from severe blood loss, but he should be perfectly fine after the transfusion I gave him. Make sure he rests for at least a week though. I know he enjoys getting into dangerous situations, but keep an eye on him." The doctor gave Kyrie an expectant glance.

Saito strode forward to stand next to her. "It'll be taken care of, Sannan-san." He reassured.

After a moment's pause, Sannan-san nodded. His lips pursed. "Alright, I'll be back again in a few days to check on him then."

"Thank you." Saito dipped his head. He and Kyrie walked the doctor to his car.

"If anything happens, be sure to call me." Sannan-san added as he slid in behind the wheel.

"Yes, of course."

With a final glance at Kyrie, the doctor drove away. "Is it just me, or did he not seem to like me very much?" She turned to Saito hoping to confirm her suspicions.

"He's wary of everyone, especially those he does not know-" his long fingers curled into loose fists by his side. "-as he should be. You can never tell who your enemy is. There's a saying: 'keep your friends close and your enemies closer.'" There was a hint of pain on his face. "Well, they wouldn't be sayings if there wasn't a bit of truth to them."

Something about that last part unsettled her. It might have been the light casting shadows on Saito's face, or weariness in his voice, or the stiffness in his shoulders, but she couldn't quite put a finger on it. "Are you and Okita-san-" She began, but he cut her off, as if he did not wish her to complete the question.

"You should go and sit by him." He glanced up at the clouded sky. "I'm sure it would make him happy if your face is the first he sees when he awakens." With a murmur of finality and a hint of bitterness in his words, he turned and got into the shiny, black car that had just pulled up.

Kyrie plopped down in a chair that had been placed next to Okita's bed. She stared at his face for a few moments. His constitution was still very sickly, and his skin still bore an ashy, pale tinge. The steady rise and fall of his chest was indicative of his slumber. She pulled out the picture of the three kids from her back pocket. She studied the girl in the center. She didn't remember Okita or Saito ever mentioning a girl, but from the picture, it seemed like the three of them were very close friends. "What are you looking at?" A hoarse voice startled her, and she tried to stuff the photo back into her pocket. "Give it to me." Okita commanded, holding out a hand for the photograph. She reluctantly gave it to him. "Where did you get this from?" His face darkened noticeably.

"The room at the end of the second hallway on the first floor." She responded begrudgingly.

"Didn't anyone tell you not to go in there?" His emerald-colored eyes narrowed dangerously. "Shinpachi must have when he gave you the full tour after I left."

"It must have slipped his mind…"

"That bastard," Okita hissed, "I'll make sure it never slips his mind again." The tone of his voice was ominous, hinting at possibly a severe punishment.

Kyrie sprung out of her chair. "I'm sure it was an honest mistake! This house is very large."

With one hand, Okita pushed himself up in the large bed. He stared at her for a moment before smiling. But it contained no warmth, and it sent shivers down her spine. "An honest mistake is still a mistake, and mistakes yield punishment." He dropped back down onto the soft mattress, pulling the stark, white comforter up to his chin. "Now leave. I don't have the energy to argue with you. Oh, and I'll be keeping the picture." With her hands balled into tight fists, she stormed out of the room. He knew he had upset her, and he knew she would find out the truth sooner or later. But he'd rather it be later than sooner. Okita was a man who got what he wanted, even if it meant cheating and playing dirty for it. As soon as the echoes of her footsteps had died away, Okita grabbed his phone, lying on the nightstand beside his bed. It rang twice before the other line connected.

"What's wrong?" Saito's quiet voice was barely louder than a whisper.

"She found a picture of us."

"I see." His brief response offered nothing else.

"Is that all you have to say? Don't you maybe find this a little worrisome?"

"What else do you want me to say? You're the only one who finds it worrisome."

"Don't you remember the deal we made at the hospital?" His voice was cold. "She's going to remember eventually." Again, he was met with silence. "I'm going to get what I want in the end. I'm not giving up for you, Saito Hajime, or for anyone." His hand tightened around the phone. It felt as though his heart was pumping out shards of ice rather than warm, liquid blood. He knew. He knew why Saito wanted her to remember, but he couldn't let that happen. He wouldn't let her go. Not when she had literally fallen right back into his arms. "I know you would like it if she remembered. You want her to remember…because you loved her…and she chose you. But now, I get a second chance, and I won't waste it." The corner of his lip twitched. "And Hajime-kun, I'll make sure you're there when I make her mine."

"Mommy, what's wrong?" She tugged against the hand of the woman who was dragging her down the long hall.

The lady looked back and smiled at her. "Don't worry Kyrie, it's just a game. Don't you want to play a game with mommy?"

She perked up happily. "Yeah!"

He mother slid open a door and pulled Kyrie into a small closet. "Listen to me carefully, Kyrie. You have to stay in here. Don't make a sound and don't come out until someone opens this door. If you listen to mommy and do that you'll win the game!"

Her head bobbed up and down excitedly. "What about you? Are you hiding in here with me?"

A tender smile was accompanied a shake of her head and tears in her eyes. "No, I have to hide somewhere else. It'll be harder for them to fine us!"

"I see…mommy, you're so smart!"

"Remember, don't open this door until someone finds you, and don't make a single sound okay? If you do, mommy will be very upset with you." After a nod of consent from Kyrie, the black-haired woman firmly slid the door shut. As the sound of her mother's footsteps faded, silence fell. The imposing silence only served to make the darkness more threatening. Seconds turned into minutes; minutes turned into what seemed like hours, and suddenly, the heavy silence was broken. Faint screaming and yelling filled the air. Kyrie held her breath, lest her breathing give her away and she lost the game. She could hear what seemed like porcelain being shattered, then an acrid smell wafted into the tiny closet she was hiding in. It faintly resembled the smell that filled the kitchen and dining room whenever the chef would mess up. Kyrie's hand unconsciously reached for the door, but she caught herself before it touched the handle. No, she mustn't make mommy upset. Even so, a part of her was curious as to what the situation was outside. But before she could muster another thought, the door flew open, and a bright light filled her vision, blinding her.

Her eyes flew open. The intensity of the light from her dream lingered for a moment longer, and it took a moment for her eyes to adjust the still-dark room. She rarely dreamed, but on the few occasions she did, it was forgotten shortly after awakening. This dream she had just woken from, though, was so vivid it seemed almost real. She had had this dream many times before, and each time was clearer than the last. "Hide-and-seek, huh?" She scoffed. She had always hated that game. The sense of urgency in the beautiful woman's voice in her dream had seemed to indicate something imminent. Kyrie wished the dream had continued on just a little longer as she would have liked to see what happened afterwards.

She glanced at the clock on her night stand. The hands showed a little before seven. She rolled over onto her side in an attempt to resume her slumber, but her mind was wide awake. It had been months since Okita had fully recovered, and while there had been a few skirmishes here and there, there had been very few incidences since then. She had eventually learned that going to the restaurant with Saito and Okita had been a huge set up to lure out the leader of the Oogami faction, Oogami Hiroto. The rest of his clan had either gone into hiding or been hunted down. Since then she had practiced her shooting and sparing on almost a daily basis. Every time Saito came over to help her with her training, there was a tense air between the leader of the Okita faction and the leader of the Saito faction, but the atmosphere they emitted barred her from prying any deeper.

She threw the bed sheets off of her and swung her legs over the bed. She slipped on her sandals and headed to the kitchen in search of breakfast. Afterwards she could possibly delve into something from the library she rarely ventured in. The mansion was dead silent save for the faint ticking of the grandfather clock in the foyer at the very front of the house. Something about the darkness and the silence unnerved her. Perhaps she was still feeling the after-effects of the dream she just had. In the kitchen, she threw together a bowl of cereal and scarfed it down. As soon as she finished her meal, she headed towards the library. Upon leaving the kitchen, she remembered the mysterious room with the boxes in it. As if her body had a will of its own, she made her way to the door at the end of the dark hallway. She tried the doorknob but to no avail. It had been locked. Suddenly, a loud bang right next to her head made her heart leap out of her chest and her knees buckle. If she hadn't been holding onto the doorknob she would have fallen to the ground.

"If I recall, I'm sure I warned you not to snoop around here." He hissed.

She turned around to face him. His face was inches away from hers, and his green eyes seemed to glow in the darkness, like a cat. "What's s in here that's so important that you don't want anyone to see?"

His fingers slithered around a lock of her hair. He brought his face close to her ear. "Don't push your luck." He whispered. He ran his hand down the length of her hair, tugging on it slightly before stepping back. With a smirk he turned around and melted into the darkness.

As soon as the sun had risen, Kyrie made her way purposefully down to the garage. In the garage, one of the drivers was busy wiping down the car, making sure no speck of dust was left on its glossy surface. He turned as she approached him. "Take me to Saito-san's place." She demanded.

He turned back around to continue his monotonous wiping. "I don't know if I'm authorized to do that."

She flew towards him, whirled him around, and pinned him to the car with the front of his suit. "Take me to Saito-san. I have something important to discuss with him." She growled through clenched teeth. "Unless you want me to make up some excuse to have you fired?"

"F-fine." He stammered, and he tugged on her forearm. She let go and he stumbled over to the driver side. "Get in."

With a satisfied nod, she slid into the passenger seat. "Thank you." She was met with no response. The car pulled out onto the main road, and the engine hummed quietly as it sped towards its destination.

As they reached Saito's house, Kyrie was awed by how different it looked compared to Okita's. He lived in a vast Japanese-style house – the complete opposite of Okita's western-styled mansion. The driver pulled up to a security system and pressed a button on the pad. After he informed the person who answered of who was visiting, the large gate slowly slid open. The driver stopped at the end of the driveway. Kyrie got out of the car, and as she started to close the door, he stated, "I did what you wanted. Find a way back yourself." She rolled her eyes and walked up to the front door, but before she could ring the doorbell, it slid open. Standing in the doorframe, Saito greeted her. He had discarded the jacket of his suit, and he had left the top two buttons of his crisp, white dress shirt unbuttoned.

"What are you doing here?" His dark-blue eyes held a hint of concern.

"I need to talk to you. It's about that room in Okita-san's house that no one's allowed to enter." A hint of recognition flitted across his face. He turned around and inclined his head slightly, signaling her to follow him. He led her down the narrow hallways of the house. Through the outside-facing windows of the hallway, she spotted an immaculately maintained garden. A giant pond lined with large stones stood in the center of the garden. Kyrie could only assume it was filled with koi fish. They stopped in front of Saito's study. He let her in first before he closed the door behind them.

"I thought I told you to stop asking questions." His voice was hard.

"You did, but, I need to know what he's storing in that room. He gets mad every time I go near it or bring it up. It's driving me insane. I figured you might know."

Saito leaned against the back of an armchair. His fingernails dug into the fabric. "It's where he keeps his memories. He clings to them because they're precious to him, yet he hates himself because he can't let go of them."

"But what's in there?" Kyrie pleaded. "Please, Saito-san." She grabbed his wrists.

"I can't tell you any more…" He tried to pull away, but she held on tight. There was a faint commotion somewhere in the house, Saito glanced around, his senses on high alert.

"I've been having dreams." She whispered.

Saito's eyebrows furrowed. "Dreams? About what?" He seemed distracted by the commotion that was getting louder.

She opened her mouth to tell him, but before she could get a word out, the door flew open. It rattled slightly in its frame from the force. Okita stood in the hallway outside the study. He looked livid. His eyes dropped to Kyrie's hands encircled around Saito's wrists and his face seemed to darken even more. He strode over to them and ripped her hands away. He then proceeded to drag her out of the room.

"Souji-" Saito started forward, but before he could take more than a step, Okita whirled around and punched him in the face. Saito staggered backwards, catching himself on the armchair. Kyrie tried to free herself from Okita's grip, but his hold on her forearm was too strong. He glared at her and proceeded to pull her down the hallway to an empty room. He threw her onto the ground and locked the door.

"W-what are you doing?" She stammered.

"One of my drivers was kind enough to inform me of where you were forcing him to take you." His voice was like ice.

"I thought I was free to go where ever I wanted?" She could feel the palms of her hands beginning to sweat.

"Of course, depending on where you go and who you see." He stepped forward closer to her. She pushed herself back to get away from him, but he kept getting closer and closer until she was backed up against a wall.

"Then that means I'm not free to go where I want. I've been stuck in your house for the past year, I'm like a prisoner there!"

Okita knelt down and straddled her on his knees. "Every time I think I almost have you, you run away from me." His grin was almost maniacal. "But not this time. This time I won't let you escape. You're mine. Not Hajime-kun's. Mine." His rough lips pressed against hers. She let out a startled cry and tried to push him away, but he held her hands still. He bit down on her lower lip, hard, and the second her mouth opened, she felt something enter her mouth. It was wet, it was disgusting. There was a faint metallic taste of blood. She felt his hand press against her stomach and move upwards slowly. Suddenly, there was a crash. Okita tore himself away from Kyrie. The locked door had been kicked down, and there Saito stood, flanked by several men.

"Souji, enough. You might be my best friend, but you're forgetting that this is my house." Saito's blue eyes seemed to glow in the shadows. "I've made up my mind, Souji. I'm not standing down for you. Starting today, Tsukino-san is staying with me. I doubt she'll want to go back with you, so if you want her back, you'll have to fight me for it." Saito's expression was the angriest Kyrie had ever seen it.

Okita stood up slowly. "What is this, Hajime-kun. Are you betraying me? I thought we were brothers?" An insane laugh escaped from his lips.

"Souji, can't you see how deep you've fallen?" Saito glanced at his men. "Get him out of my house." He ordered. The men rushed forward, dragging Okita away from Kyrie.

"Hajime-kun," Okita's green eyes bore into his indigo ones. "You have no idea what you've just started. Don't regret this later." His lips curled. He grunted as Saito's lackeys hauled him away.

Saito bent down next to Kyrie. "Are you okay?" He brushed her hair out of her face. She nodded. She was shaken, but besides that she was mostly fine.

"Are you sure that was okay? Are you sure it's okay for me to stay here?" She tried to push herself up, but her legs were too shaky and wouldn't support her weight. Saito wound an arm around her torso and assisted her.

"Yes, I'm sure." He said quietly. He glanced at her. There was a longing sadness in his eyes. "I'll help you with that dream of yours. We've come too far to back down now. I too hope we don't come to regret this."