Hi All,

I want to start off by apologising for the hiatus this story took.

Due to a number of IRL factors changing all at once for me, on top of some serious writer's block on this story, I have left it far longer than I would have liked for an update.

However I have managed to bypass the block now and will hopefully keep some momentum up with this part of the story as I'm excited for some of the next parts I've had figured out for ages now :)

Thank you to all who have stuck with me on this story. I truly appreciate all the ongoing and new support I have received throughout this!

As I filled Shizuru in on the dream over lunch, I couldn't shake the feeling that the presence was still lingering.

It felt like it was waiting for an opening.

My head was still aching so I took some painkillers and made sure to keep drinking water, as I hoped I was just dehydrated after my dream.

We tried to figure out why I might have had that dream that seemed to fill in gaps in the puzzle I was still trying to put together.

As I described the man who left me with my father again, it suddenly clicked that he was the same guy who I saw take me away from my mother, saying I'd be a distraction to her.

I still had no clue how he tied into everything but I was beginning to form a theory and the more I put in, the less I liked the picture it was painting.

Noticing the time I swore, jumping up and running through to the bedroom to collect my bag before racing through to say goodbye to Shizuru as I was going to be cutting it very close for getting to my lecture on time.

I ran the whole way to the university and managed to slip through the doors just as Miss Maria was shutting them to begin.

I felt like I was only half there as Miss Maria went on about laws and regulations.

My head was still aching but the pressure felt like it had lifted slightly.

Miss Maria called my attention as we all filed out and Nao hesitated as we'd planned to go to the library together to kick-start the essays we'd just been set.

I told her she could go find us a place to set up camp as we both knew we'd be there a while.

Nodding, she set off as I went up to Miss Maria, who was clarifying a few points from the lecture for one guy who always seemed to get confused when we talked about anything more complex than the basics of any topic we covered.

Once he'd left the room, Miss Maria turned to me with a look I would almost describe as motherly concern, or as close to it as I could imagine.

"I just wanted to check on you after the events on Saturday".

"I'm fine, I've been dealing with stuff like this almost my entire life so I'm used to it".

"I'm sorry, no one should ever have gone through so much to be able to say that so calmly, especially not at your age".

"Really, it's fine. Before I met Shizuru I was dealing with things completely on my own so to be honest, it's much easier now with her support".

"I'm glad to hear that. Please know that you can come to me for help or to talk if you ever need to. I thought I understood you, but now I see there's a lot more to you than meets the eye, so if you need a confidential ear just let me know".

"I will, thank you".

We both knew it would be unlikely I'd open up to her about what I'd gone through but for things looking forward, I wasn't entirely against talking to her.

"I also heard you are trying to file for a restraining order against your father".

"That's right. I want to make it easier to get him away if he ever comes after me again without having to resort to violence. I feel like being able to just call the police on him would be much simpler in the long run".

"I understand. I'm more than happy to put in a word for you to support your character if they need any additional evidence seeing as that's already pretty thin on the ground for your claim".

"If you could that would be great. Anything to help keep him away".

Miss Maria nodded and I took that as my cue to leave.

Just as I reached the door, she called out after me.

"Please be safe Natsuki, you have a lot of potential and I'd hate for something to happen to you".

I thanked her as I left, not quite sure how to feel about yet another person knowing so much about my past.

The number seemed to be growing rapidly and I hoped this would stop, as I didn't need everyone to know what I'd been through.

The next few hours passed quickly once I joined Nao in the library.

Eventually Shizuru joined us so she could also get some work done before we made our way home.

Nao had made it clear as we left however that Shizuru was banned from working with us ever again as she managed to get a first draft of one of her assignments completed in half the time it took me and Nao to get close to that point, which had clearly struck a nerve with Nao, much to mine and Shizuru's amusement.

Tuesday passed both too quickly and too slowly as I remembered we had our trip to talk to Mr. Marguerite the next day.

Shizuru could sense my unease, though it wasn't like I was making any effort to hide it from her.

She also seemed a bit on edge but her reminder of why we had to go helped to keep us both grounded.

I barely slept that night, thinking over what I should say and trying to plan for any arguments he might try to use.

The worst of the damage was already done but I didn't need any more attention drawn to myself through the website.

Especially considering the unsure waters I was treading with all these parts of my life coming together in what looked like a collision course on the route to pure chaos.

Morning came around as I found myself half asleep, just coherent enough to recognise the sound of Shizuru's alarm but not awake enough that I could do anything about the torturous bleeping.

Shizuru seemed oblivious to the noise so I wrestled myself into an upright position so I could actually look around to find her phone.

Spotting it immediately on the bedside table, I decided Shizuru was going to have to wake up with me at this inhumane hour so I shifted around to straddle her as I reached out to finally shut off her alarm.

Beneath me, Shizuru stirred, clearly not appreciating the extra weight but she was still mostly asleep.

Being the adult that I was though, I followed the only appropriate course of action and started to bounce heavily on my knees, making sure I jostled Shizuru as much as possible with the movements.

Sure enough, her eyes snapped open as she rolled onto her back to glare heavily at me.

I grinned and carried on for a few more bounces before the world shifted around me and I was suddenly the one being straddled.

Not wanting to surrender I wrestled with Shizuru until we were both panting and it took us both nearly falling off the bed head first for us to call a truce.

We both needed a shower and neither of us really wanted to be alone so we shared it, gently helping the other wash as we tried to distract from the day ahead.

Breakfast was quiet and by the time we reached the station, I could feel the mess of nervous energy starting to bubble up.

Sitting down, it took a few seconds before my leg started to jack-hammer, creating an outlet of sorts for all the emotions I wasn't sure how to process just yet.

I started slightly when I felt Shizuru's hand rest on my thigh, though I was able to still my leg as I curled into her side, letting her warmth settle me.

The ride was still silent, broken only by the train guard checking tickets and a group of kids that decided the train was the perfect place to play a game of tag for a few stops.

We both paused on the platform before I bit the bullet and started walking the familiar route to the high school I had never planned to return to after graduating.

Shizuru's hand was firmly in mine as we approached the reception desk and I felt like I was watching events on a screen rather than being part of them until the door to Mr. Marguerite's door clicked shut behind us.

Everything rushed to catch up to me as we sat down and he asked how he could help us.

"Really there's only one reason we're back here. You violated my privacy and went against my express wishes to not have my results published, never mind the fact that you didn't even bother to keep me anonymous".

It was strange watching his face pale.

He had once had so much power over me but now that I knew he was on even ground with me, I found my filter from the years I'd spent here was practically non-existent.

"You asked permission, which I clearly denied you and yet you still went ahead with it. You posted a photograph of my face, with not only my name, but also my university, which led a very dangerous person from my past right to me. This has put not only me, but Shizuru, my coursemates, my friends and staff that interact with me at University at risk".

"I did not know…"

Shizuru piped up and you could tell despite her calm facade, that she was furious, her eyes blazing scarlet as Mr. Marguerite quivered.

"That is no excuse. Simply the fact that she clearly denied you any permission with a witness, myself being present is enough for her to have grounds for legal action".

The fear in Mr. Marguerite's eyes was clear to see and I almost felt bad for him.

Almost.

"I will refrain from legal action however if you remove the photo from your site as well as all details and information regarding me and my results permanently. You never had permission in the first place so if it's not done immediately and the information kept confidential from now on then I will be forced to bring this to court".

"O-Of course… I need to call the IT department to see if they can manage it".

"I suggest asking them when today as opposed to if they can manage it".

"You... You said the person already found you…? Is the damage not already done…?"

I don't remember moving but my hand slamming down on his desk sounded off like a cannon as he went white in his usually bright red face.

It took all I had not to upend the entire desk so I could rip him apart and you could tell he knew the ice he was on was paper thin at best.

"You set a man after me that has no morals or conscience, who has no problem hurting people to get what he wants. The damage has potentially only just begun and if he goes after people I care about to get to me then I will make sure you are held accountable. And you knew where I lived when I was a student here, do you really think there's only one person out there who wouldn't like to get me back for one reason or another when I did what I had to to stay safe and survive that area?".

He looked about ready to cry as he picked up the phone and made it very clear that the changes had to be made today and that all the information had to go.

About an hour passed with us staring silently at him as he fidgeted nervously, trying to distract himself with whatever he had on his desk before a call came through telling us it was done.

Shizuru checked the site on her phone and sure enough the picture was gone off the main page.

She did a quick search through the site to make sure there were no other mentions of me or my results and when we were satisfied, we got up to leave.

"Why are you doing this...? You were a great student here".

"Yes, but this school was not a great place for me. I made it clear I wanted nothing to do with you or this school after I left, and that I didn't want you to publish anything about me. Clearly expecting you to be a decent and honest enough person to respect someone's wishes was too much to hope for".

He shrivelled up into himself as we left, both surprised the other hadn't actually gone for his throat when he'd had the balls to comment about the damage already being done.

On the train back, I was much more relaxed, though the frustration that a whole lot of trouble could have been avoided if he had just listened to us still lingered.

"Are you okay?"

Shizuru's voice broke me out of my thoughts as I twisted to look up from where I was nestled beside her.

"Yeah, more frustrated than anything".

"I'm surprised you let him off that easy".

"He wasn't worth anything more. And honestly I don't trust him not to post them back up again considering how little respect he has for others if he thinks it will make the school look better".

I could feel Shizuru's hum of agreement through her chest as we fell back into a more comfortable silence.

Walking out of Garderobe station, I couldn't help but go on high alert, making sure there was no sign of any trouble waiting around.

Shizuru was closely tuned to my emotions today and gently thread her hand in mine as we walked, helping me relax when I found no-one following us.

By the time we arrived home, I felt like a coil let loose as I slumped onto the sofa, grunting in response to Shizuru's comment about getting us some food, not feeling entirely up to it but knowing I had to eat, especially as I had a pretty active day set for tomorrow.

Bowls in hand, Shizuru slid next to me, curling protectively around me as I shifted to lay against her, taking one of the bowls so she could fire up the TV.

She started 101 Dalmatians, which happened to be the first Disney movie she found, to help us both detach a bit as we ate.

I was still trying to figure out if I felt any better, or even just what I was feeling at all.

I felt like my mind was coiling around and in on itself repeatedly, and it would twist in a new direction every time I felt close to landing on any answers.

By the end of the movie I felt a wave of exhaustion set in, finding myself able and willing to move only when Shizuru did, and even then only because I was leaning on her.

I made it through to the bedroom and used my final reserves to strip down before climbing into bed, already mostly asleep.

It was only when I felt Shizuru's warmth that I was able to hone into that I felt the tug of sleep set in fully, glad to find I was too tired to dream at all.