Colored Stones

Colored Stones

By: Satrana

*****

Chapter Four
Surprises

*****

Disclaimer: Don’t own ‘em, you all know that.

Author’s Notes: *mysterious chuckle* I have my reasons for all of the oddities you have found here! >: D Anyway ... *reverts to relatively sane self* this chapter is a bit longer than my previous ones, although from the lovely reviews I’ve gotten, that should not be a problem for any of you ^^ Also, I’d like to warn you now that this is the chapter where I start killing people. So you’ve been warned. This is not really a death-fic, but there will be death in this chapter.

Also, being a new author, I’d like to let you all know something about my writing: Yohji and Aya/Ran are my favorite couple. Not just in Weiss or in anime but of all time and creation. I love them to death and beyond. You can be assured they will not be the ones to die. Anyway, the reason I’ve put off dealing with their relationship so long is that I just adore them and am trying very hard to do them justice, so I hope you all enjoy chapter 4!

Finally, I shall warn everyone now: I have introduced Tot, under her real name, and have taken what are probably extreme liberties with her personality. I don’t like her and try to ignore her, so I just wrote her to fit the scene.

*****

Ran left the little gift and novelty shop he had just patronized, heading back to his car. It had been two days since that unpleasant dinner at Omi’s house. So far, there had been no problems for Ran or his family. And his sister’s birthday would be coming up soon. He had stopped at this shop after school to pick up the present he had ordered for her.

He had just gotten within a few steps of his car when he felt a strong arm wrap his own behind his back. His eyes widened and he tried to kick backward out of instinct. The man behind him sidestepped the kick as he pushed Ran toward the alley between the shops. Ran would have shouted but the man had covered his mouth too quickly. The shade of the alley enveloping him felt suddenly ominous. What did this man plan to do to him? Ran had already decided it was probably something to do with Reiji Takatori, but whether he was being kid-napped or about to be killed, he was not sure.

The man shoved Ran against the brick wall of the alley, hand still firmly over his mouth.

“You’ll keep quiet, or you’ll die here.” The man said, leaning in close. Ran caught a glimpse of dark auburn hair, then the hand began to move from his mouth.

A sudden loud crack made Ran jump, and then the man behind him seemed to be gone. He turned immediately and found his would-be captor lying in a heap on the ground. A hand reached out and took his and he looked up to find a familiar face framed by wavy blond hair.

“Yohji?” Ran asked.

“C’mon, we should leave.” Yohji said, helping Ran over the body blocking his path. It was then that Ran noticed the large cast iron skillet Yohji was holding. Yohji tugged on his hand, leading him from the alleyway and down the street.

“Why do you have an iron skillet?” Ran asked, still a bit in shock.

“Huh?” Yohji asked, then looked at the hand holding the pan. “Oh, my mother needed a new one. She works a lot, so I had to get it.” the blond explained as they stepped up to an old brown sedan.

“Wait, my car,” Ran said.

“Ran, the guy grabbed you right in front of your car. Whoever he was waiting for probably knows it.” Yohji told him.

Ran paused in his attempt to return to his own car. Yohji was right. The auburn-haired man probably had intended to meet someone with a car, and they would recognize Ran’s. He walked around to the passenger side of Yohji’s car and got in. He missed the small smile on Yohji’s face.

“I can take you to your house, just tell me where to turn.” Yohji said as he backed out of the parking space.

“Okay.” Ran said, nodding.

The ride was not long, as Ran only lived fifteen minutes or so away. It was a quiet ride, though. Ran, who did not talk much to begin with, felt no desire to speak. When they pulled up to the gate, however, he had no choice. Yohji rolled down the window to speak to the guard on duty. Ran leaned over him enough to face the man.

“Marcus, it’s okay, he’s giving me a ride home.” Ran said.

Yohji tried not to let his joy show. Ran was touching his shoulder to lean over him. But this was a serious situation. The redhead had nearly been kid-napped.

The guard nodded, opened the gate and waved them through. Ran directed Yohji to his driveway and the blond pulled in.

Ran sat for a moment, then spoke. “Uh, thank you, Yohji. You know, for-”

“I know.” Yohji said quickly. “Uh, it was ... no problem.”

Ran nodded and got out of the car. Perhaps he should invite Yohji in? His father might want to meet the person who had saved his son’s life. He stopped by Yohji’s door. He had expected Yohji to roll down his window or crack open the door. He did not expect the man to get out of the car.

Ran was when Yohji stepped closer and hugged him, but after a moment he nervously hugged back.

“I’m glad you’re okay.” Yohji said. He stepped back, releasing Ran, dropping his hands to his sides. “I, uh, I have to go, though. My mom, you know?”

“Uh, right.” Ran said, nodded. “I’ll see you at school tomorrow.”

“See ya.” Yohji said, before closing his door and driving off.

Ran watched him go until he couldn’t see the car anymore. He let out a short breath, almost a very soft growl of frustration. What the Hell was wrong with him? He wondered about it as he walked up to his front door. Yohji had just saved his life. What better time would there ever be for Ran to tell the man he liked him? But he still couldn’t be sure that Yohji even liked guys. Although it had been Yohji who had hugged him ...

Ran’s father was sitting in the living room when he walked in, talking with Aya. Ran waited as they spoke.

“-was following us all day. I think if we hadn’t asked Mr. Crawford for a ride, he might have tried something. That guy was creepy-looking.” Aya was saying.

“I see.” Kojiro said. “I’ll take care of it. Ran,” Kojiro said, turning to his son. “You’re home late, are you all right?”

“I’m okay ... Now.” Ran said. “I stopped by a store after school and someone tried to drag me off to a car.”Kojiro stood, as if to walk to his son, but not sure if he should leave Aya yet. Ran saw and walked closer to his father. “A friend of mine saw and came after us. He hit the guy over the head, knocked him out. He gave me a ride home.”

“He gave you a ride?” Kojiro asked. “Where’s your car?”

“In front of the gift store on Oakwood.” Ran said.

Kojiro nodded. “I’ll speak with Shuichi and see what I can do. Neither of you will go out unsupervised from now on.”

Aya did not look happy but agreed. Ran nodded as well.

*****

“Of course. I’ll send Jei and Schuldig over.” Shuichi said.

“Thank you, Shuichi, I truly appreciate it.” Kojiro said. “How is Mamoru, by the way?”

“He’s fine. As I said, Nagi is more than capable of watching over him.” Shuichi tried and failed to hide a tiny smile. He had rather enjoyed hearing about the way the man who had tried to abduct his son was crushed against a brick wall by an invisible force.

“Again, thank you.” Kojiro said. “I do have to go now, though. I’ll see you and Erika Friday evening, then?”

“I wish I could say I look forward to it, my friend.” Shuichi said, seeing the man to the door.

*****

Ran glanced over at Jei, sitting in the passenger seat of his retrieved car. For some reason, the punky-looking, one-eyed, near-albino felt the need to make conversation as he trimmed his nails with a knife. Ran really had no problem with Jei, actually he rather liked him. But this odd need to talk on the drive to school was starting to wear on him.

“Do you know anything about blades, Ran?” Jei asked, continuing on about his favorite subject.

“I know how to use my father’s katana.” Ran replied, hoping to end the conversation soon.

“A katana? Nice. I’ve never handled on of those before.” Jei said. He glanced up at Ran’s face. “You don’t really want to talk about blades, do you?”

“Not really.” Ran answered, making a left turn.

“Hm. That’s okay.” Jei said, returning his attention to the knife he held. He was quiet for a few minutes and Ran almost thought they might to school with this pleasant quiet. Then Jei spoke up again. “You know Yohji really likes you.”

Ran whipped his head toward Jei and almost ran a red light. Jei chuckled as he readjusted his seat belt.

“I take it that means you do too.” Jei said, still quite amused.

“What makes you think he’s interested in me?” Ran asked, hating the way it sounded. It sounded so childish, but he wanted the answer.

“Are you serious?” Jei asked. “You don’t know that you’re the reason he broke up with that Lilla’s sister?”

Ran was glad that they were pulling into the school’s parking lot now. “No.” he answered. Of course he hadn’t known that.

“Well, everyone else did. That’s why most of the girls in school have stopped hanging all over him.” Jei said. “You must have noticed that?”

“Now that you mention it.” Ran said. “Why are you telling me this? Shouldn’t it have been bad for you, Yohji dumping Asuka?”

“Nah,” Jei laughed a little. “Lilla thought it was funny. She doesn’t like her sister.”

“Hn.”

“Look, I just want the guy to stop whining about how you’re so damn pretty and untouchable and whatever. Talk to him or something. Make him shut-up.” And with that Jei got out of the car, grabbed his bag and waited on the sidewalk. Ran sat there for another moment, then kicked himself into gear. He was not going to swoon over Yohji like some girl. He grabbed his own bag, got out of the car and locked it.

Ran’s first class gave him a chance to think about this new information. None of his friends were in the class and he had read more than the teacher on the subject, so he didn’t have to pay close attention to her. Ran had never known Jei to lie to him. Although he was a skilled liar when he wanted to be. If he wasn’t, he probably would not have still been at the school, even with all of the strings that could have been pulled on his behalf.

But this was not the sort of thing Ran would expect to be lied to about. And, after all, Yohji had hugged him yesterday. He still wasn’t quite sure if he could believe that Yohji really thought he was pretty. Of course, he wasn’t sure if he wanted Yohji to think that either. Weren’t girls supposed to be pretty? Guys were supposed to be handsome or something like that.

Well, there were two ways to find out. He could just ask Yohji, which would end up being very awkward if he was wrong. Or he could test the theory and, if it didn’t work out, say that Yohji was delusional. That shouldn’t be too much of a stretch.

*****

Yohji was nervous. Carrying his lunch, two slices of pizza and a soda, to the table he usually sat at, he wondered what had been going on with Ran today. The redhead had sat next to him in both of the morning classes they had together. At one point Ran had asked to borrow a pen and touched Yohji’s thigh when he leaned over.

Yohji had been thrilled when that had happened, but confused as well. Ran had always seemed sort of shy or reserved around him before. He was usually quiet but ... well, this was different. He really hoped he wasn’t misinterpreting things. He hoped Ran really was flirting with him.

Yohji sat down at his table and started eating his lunch. He was halfway through a slice of pizza when he felt a hand on his shoulder. Looking up, he found Ran sliding onto the bench beside him. Jei, Aya and Ken sat down across from them.

“Hey ... guys.” Yohji paused as Ran scooted up next to him, pressing their legs together. Yohji tried to suppress a grin. At this point5 it almost didn’t matter if Ran was really flirting. The most beautiful guy in the whole school was pressing up against him in the cafeteria! Yohji missed it when Aya hid a giggle but Jei’s laughter was far more obvious.

“What?” Yohji asked. “Did I miss something?”

“Considering the lack of a mirror, yeah.” Ken said. “You probably missed that big stupid grin on your face.”

Yohji kicked Ken under the table. “Shut-up.” He said, maturely. It wouldn’t do to let the jock tease and have Ran move away from him.

*****

Okay, this was about all Yohji could take. Ran was leaning over his lap to dig through the bag he had left on the other side of Yohji’s chair. This put Ran’s lovely ass right in prime viewing, not to mention all the wiggling that was going on right over his lap. There was no mistaking this, was there? Ran was big on personal space. If he was allowing Yohji into his, and that was exactly how Ran would see it if what Yohji had seen over the four years they had been at school together was true, then this was most definitely flirting.

When Ran finally moved back into his seat, which he had moved right up next to Yohji’s, Yohji had decided that he was going to have to talk to him. This could not continue unexplained. When the bell rang, signaling that classes were finally over, Yohji breathed a quick sigh of relief.

“Hey, Ran,” he said, touching the redhead’s arm. “Ah, you wanna come down to the vending machine with me? Get a soda or something?”

Ran seemed to consider for a moment. “Sure.” he said. The walked down to the vending machine outside the cafeteria. Yohji chose this one because there was usually no one here. He bought sodas for Rand and himself, then decided to just ask the question that had been running around his brain all day.

“Ran, uh, why have you been flirting with me all day?” Oh, good job, that sounds like you’re offended. “I mean, don’t get me wrong, I liked it, I just ... well, you never seemed interested in me before. I’ve never seen you look interested in anyone, but-“

Yohji stopped talking when Ran moved in and kissed him. Yohji gave a happy sort of moan and kissed back, gingerly wrapping his arms around Ran’s waist. When the kiss finally broke, Ran blinked violet eyes at him.

“Did ...” he started. He was barely whispering. “Did you really tell Jei you thought I was attractive?”

Yohji grinned. “I told him you were beautiful.” he replied. “And I still think that.”

Ran gave a small smile, squeezed a bit where his hands were on Yohji’s shoulders. Somehow it no longer mattered if guys weren’t supposed to be beautiful. It didn’t even matter that he was acting like a silly teenager. It didn’t matter that he had probably made a fool of himself with all the flirting that he had done today. At the time he had told himself that he had committed to the plan and it would be cowardly not to do it, but the lap thing ... well, he could think about that another time.

“Wow, I think I must be dreaming.” Yohji said after a minute or two. “I mean, you’re still here.”

“Why not?” Ran asked. “Besides, shouldn’t I be the one wondering about that? After all, you date girls.”

“Er, well yeah. And no.” Yohji said, suddenly appearing a bit uncomfortable. “Ran, I’m bi. I mean, I hope that won’t be a problem for you.”

“That’s up to you, Yohji.” Ran said. He didn’t step away, but he did drop his hands to his sides.

“What does that mean?” Yohji asked.

“Are you really that dumb, Yohji?” Jei’s voice floated over from the door that led back into the school. Ran stepped away from Yohji to turn and see their friend. “It means that it doesn’t matter whether you like men or women, because if you’re gonna date him then there’s only gonna be him.”

“Oh,” Yohji made a sound that could have been a laugh. Ran turned to him with a glare.

“Yohji,” he warned. He’d had a crush on the blond since their first week of high school, and now they finally had a chance, He did not want it ruined so soon. Besides, Yohji couldn’t be that dumb ... could he?

“No, I didn’t ... ! Ran, I mean ... I don’t think I could ever cheat on you.” Yohji said. It sounded sappy, but Ran hoped it was true.

“You’d better not.” he said.

“Well, then, would you like to go out? Dinner on Friday night, maybe?” Yohji asked.

Ran’s face softened just a little. “Sure.” he answered. He took a scrap of paper and a pen from his bag and scribbled something on it, then handed it to Yohji.

Yohji took it and looked curiously at Ran. “Isn’t it a little late for secret love notes?”

Ran reached out and smacked Yohji’s shoulder. “It’s my phone number you idiot!” he said. “Call me tonight.”

“You have to leave?” Yohji asked.

Ran nodded. “Call me tonight.” he repeated, then turned and left with Jei.

Yohji had nodded when Ran left, but he didn’t think Ran saw it.

*****

Nagi was sitting beside his boyfriend outside the ice cream shop they had stopped at. Omi loved the cold treat, although Nagi was not terribly fond of it. He preferred pastries, but he did like to watch Omi eat his ice cream. It wasn’t anything sexual. Nagi just loved seeing how happy the ice cream made the blond.

Omi had chosen banana ice cream and pistachio ice cram, one on top of the other. He had made it half-way through the first half, which had been banana, and had begun switching between the two flavors.

As Nagi watched Omi enjoying the ice cream, he did not see the bane of his existence creeping up behind him. In fact he had no idea until a high-pitched squeal sounded. Suddenly Nagi couldn’t breathe and his vision was blocked by curly turquoise hair.

“Naaaaagiiiii!” The earsplitting cry went up. “Why don’t you buy Nanami ice cream?”

“Keh!” Nagi choked. Nanami’s arms were wrapped tightly around Nagi’s neck.

“Let go of him, you hag!” Omi shouted, managing to smack the girl without dropping his ice cream.

Nanami suddenly let go. The second he was free, Nagi moved to Omi’s other side so he could be close to the blond and keep his enemy in sight.

“He doesn’t buy you ice cream because you’re annoying and need to go home.” Omi told the girl in a uncharacteristic bout of meanness. Nagi rather liked it.

“But, Nanami likes Nagi!” she wailed. “Omi’s always so mean to Nanami!” a pout this time.

“Nanami.” Omi said, attempting to be calm. “Let me make this clear for you. Nagi is my boyfriend. Not a boy who is my friend, my boyfriend. We date, we kiss, we have sex. You can’t have him!” After a moment Omi blushed, as if realizing what he had just announced, but did not back down.

Nanami sort of blinked a few times. “What?” she finally asked.

“Nanami,” Nagi said, staying as close beside Omi as he could. “I love Omi.” It was times like this that Nagi rather wished he had some of Schuldig’s power, then he could just mentally suggest that she leave.

Nanami gave a sort of pout and crossed her arms over her chest. “If Nagi doesn’t want to go out with Nanami, he could just say so!” Then she flounced away, looking every bit like a six-year-old throwing a tantrum rather than the fifteen-year-old she really was.

“There is something wrong with that girl.” Omi said. “Let’s go home.”

“Yeah.” Nagi agreed, nodding. They stood and Nagi put his arm around Omi’s waist, slipping his hand into the blond’s back pocket. Omi bumped his hip into his boyfriend’s and continued to eat the ice cream he had managed not to drop during the confrontation.

*****

Friday evening arrived, pleasantly cool with a light breeze blowing. Yohji picked Ran up in his driveway at six o’clock. He was dressed in jeans, a deep green t-shirt, and a black suit jacket, with his hair pulled back into a loose ponytail. Ran wore black slacks and a dark brown button-down shirt that made his hair stand out.

At dinner they discovered that they both liked those yaoi manga, although neither would ever tell anyone else about it. That neither was terribly interested in sports, but that they both enjoyed martial arts, and that they both liked mushrooms. Ran was intrigued by Yohji’s ability, demonstrated on the paper tablecloth in purple crayon. Yohji could not understand Ran’s love of reading simply for the sake of reading, but he admired the ability.

After dinner they decided to go to a movie. Ran, who did not watch TV much, let Yohji choose the movie. He chose some fantasy action movie that Ran probably would not have seen otherwise. During the previews, Yohji pointed out which movies were sequels and which were re-makes, since they all seemed to be one or the other. Ran actually enjoyed what he saw of the movie. However, after the first twenty minutes he was distracted. Yohji had moved his hand to Ran’s knee, began rubbing it.

After a little while, he moved it up and laid it across Ran’s shoulders. Ran was not naive of Yohji’s intentions, and did not feel like going through all the maneuvers. Instead he turned and whispered to the blond.

“If you’re planning to kiss me, then do it.” Ran said.

Even in the dark of the theater, Yohji’s grin was evident before he leaned over and kissed the redhead.

*****

Jei and Lilla had gone out that night as well. They had tailed Rand and Yohji, keeping an eye on them, until they had gone to the movie. Jei had called Crawford then to find out if the precog had Seen anything happening. With the all-clear given, Jei and Lilla had decided to go back to Jei’s room in the Tsukiyono house.

They had just reached the front door when it burst outward, throwing them back. Jei landed hard on the asphalt in front of what used to be a house. He was scraped, bruised and bleeding, and he had hit his head, but he was mostly all right. His breath had been knocked out of him on impact, but once he was able to breathe again, he picked himself up and looked around for Lilla.

He found her laying on the ground a few feet away. A large piece of door had buried itself in her chest. He knelt beside her, touched her face. She was already dead, but he remained near her.

Not long afterward, Crawford and Schuldig made their way around the side of the burning wreck, dripping wet. They had been in Crawford’s bedroom, which had an exit to the back yard. Only seconds before the explosion, Crawford had finally Seen it, and dragged his lover outside where the blast pushed them into the pool.

Once far enough from the fire that he could find a place for him and Schuldig to sit, which happened to be across the street on the sidewalk, Crawford pulled out his cell phone. He shook it out, finding that it did still work. He dialed the police.

Schuldig barely listened as his lover told the operator about the explosion in Cherry Hills, the need for an ambulance, and the fact that his employer, the man’s wife, and his neighbor had both been inside the house. Schu felt cold, and not just from the combination of night air and being soaked from their dive into the pool. He was scared. Not scared of whoever had planted the bomb in the house or how they had done it, as most people would be. What scared him was the fact that Crawford had not explosion until it was almost too late. That should not have happened.

Crawford should have Seen whoever was going to plant the bomb. It never should have been there. Thinking about it now, Schuldig realized that Crawford’s abilities seemed to have been failing him more often lately. Schu was probably the only person who would have noticed until now, considering his close relationship with the man. The explosion, though, was something Crawford should have been able to stop. Schu pressed himself against Crawford’s side, hoping the man’s loss of power was not permanent.

The police cars, ambulances, and fire trucks arrived within ten minutes. There was something to be said for living in a wealthy area. As the fire fighters went to work on the flames, the paramedics immediately made their way to Jei and Lilla. Schuldig and Crawford had both noticed them, laying in the street as they were. Neither had felt it necessary to interrupt Jei’s grieving. The paramedics seemed to feel differently.

They seemed desperate to treat the cuts and scrapes Jei was covered in, although they at least seemed to have the tact not to try to pry him away from his dead girlfriend. Schu looked up when he noticed one of the police officers walking up to him and Crawford. Crawford stood, Schu did not. Schu had never liked cops.

“Officer,” Crawford said, holing out his hand to shake the other man’s.
“You’re the ...” The officer checked his notepad quickly. “Mr. Crawford who contacted us?”
“I am.” Crawford answered. “This was my employer’s house.”
“And what did you do for him, sir?” The officer asked.
“I coordinated his security. Obviously, I was not doing my job well enough.” Crawford said. Schu blinked for a moment before he realized that Crawford was trying to gain the officer’s trust.

/Schu, can plant the suggestion in as many minds as possible to keep things brief?/ Crawford asked.

/Of course. You want me to keep doing it after more people show up?/ Schu replied.

/Yes./ Crawford answered. He continued speaking with the officer for a moment before mentally speaking to Schu again. /Are all three of them dead?/

/Yes. The explosion was somewhere very close to them. Erika was farthest from it. She was still partially alive until five minutes before the foremen got here./ Schu said. It was really too bad. Shuichi and Erika had been good people. He had not known Kojiro as well, but ... well, Ran and Aya would be devastated.

*****

The blaze was visible from several blocks away, so when Ran and Yohji pulled up the gates of Cherry Hills they were not surprised to find police there, instead of the usual guard. Once they proved who they were, they were allowed onto the street. Ran told Yohji to park in his driveway. When they got out, Ran spotted Aya Ken across the street, standing in the middle of the horde of flashing lights.

Forgetting about Yohji for the moment, Ran hurried to where his sister was standing, her arms wrapped around Ken’s chest as she cried into his shirt. What the Hell had happened? Ken looked up when he saw Ran making a beeline right for them.

“Aya?” Ran asked, gently. “Aya? What happened?” Ran patted his sister’s back and looked up at Ken.

Ken took a deep breath, holding Aya closer as a particularly large sob racked her. “Ran ... Ran, I’m so sorry.” Ken started.

“Spit it out Ken.” Ran said, barely registering Yohji’s presence as the blond stepped up beside him.

“Ran, tonight your dad went to visit Toshi and Erika,” Ran had to think for a moment before remembering that Ken only knew Shuichi by the name he used publicly. “He was in there when the bomb went of and ... I’m so sorry, Ran.”

Aya’s chest hitched in another sob. Ran stood there, completely shocked. He jumped when he felt Yohji place a hand on his shoulder. He looked at the blond and shook off the hand.

“We never should have gone to that damned movie.” Ran said. “If we’d just come back then maybe-“

”Ran,” Yohji said, lacing his hand back on Ran’s shoulder. “I am so sorry this happened. But if you’d been here, what would you have done? Could you have stopped your father from going?”

Ran immediately narrowed his eyes and slapped Yohji’s hand away. “Of course I-“

”Ran.” Yohji did his best to remain calm. He could sense Ran’s pain and Aya’s crying was only making this harder. “Ran, there was nothing you could have done. Even if you could have stopped your dad from going, why would you have thought to do it? You had no idea something like this might happen. Neither did he.”

“But ... If ... “ Ran tried, but he knew Yohji was right. If he had been home he would have only seen the disaster happen. Or gone with his father and died as well. And where would that leave Aya? He needed to be here for Aya. He took a deep breath, determined not to cry. He would shut down so he could be strong for his sister and maybe later he could cry over his father. “You’re right, Yohji.”

Yohji nodded, deciding that Ran was all right for the moment. He placed both hands, this time, on Ran’s shoulders. “You’re gonna be tired of hearing this soon, so I’ll say it now. I’m really so sorry for your loss. But I want you to know, I’ll be here for you. Whatever you need.”

“What if I need to get away from everything connected with this life?” Ran asked. His face was stony and his voice cold.

“Then I’ll understand.” Yohji said, although his tone of voice made it clear that he hoped that was not what Ran needed.

“I ... Don’t think it will come to that.” Ran said, then he turned to Ken and Aya and put a hand on his sister’s shoulder. That touch spurred Aya to switch her hold from Ken to Ran. Ken continued to stroke her back, though, and Yohji kept one hand on Ran’s shoulder, just to let them know they were there.

“I hate to interrupt,” Crawford’s deep voice cut through the haze of emotions, and other noises on the scene. “But the police want to talk to each of you.”

Ran suddenly realized he had not seen Omi yet. He looked around, not moving. “Ken.” he said. The brunet looked up at him. “Omi, where-“

”He’s okay.” Ken assured him. “Omi and Nagi were out, just you guys. Crawford got Schu out of the house okay. Jei is all right but ... he and Lilla were at the door when the house ... went up. She didn’t make it.”

Ran felt only a glimmer of sympathy for Jei at that. It was far out-matched by his own grief and the icy sheet he had pulled around it for the time being.

“You’ll all be going to a hotel tonight,” Crawford said suddenly. “As soon as you’ve all spoken with the police, we’ll leave. You two,” he gestured to Ken and Yohji, “Should go too. Whoever did this is probably still watching the scene, so you may be targets now.”

“Targets?” Yohji began. “Didn’t whoev-“

”I’ll tell you later, Yohji.” Ran interrupted him. Yohji stopped, looked at Ran, then nodded. “Aya?” Ran asked, gently, looking back down at his sister. “Aya, can you move? We have to go speak with the police officers.”

Aya looked up from her brother’s shirt, looked into his face. Even doing his best not to feel, the look on Aya’s face made Ran’s heart want to die. His poor sister should never have to feel such pain.

*****

It was nearing three o’clock in the morning when they finally left the smoldering remains of the Tsukiyono house behind them. Crawford had come up with a van from somewhere, although no one asked how he had gotten it. No one really cared.

Jei sat in the front passenger seat. Schuldig sat immediately behind Crawford, still feeling a little clingy. He did not want to admit, even to himself, that he was affected by all this. He had, at least, decided that he would not like to lose Crawford. Of that, he was certain.

Omi and Nagi were in the seats next to Schuldig. Omi looked sadder and was quieter than anyone had ever seen him. Nagi remained just as quiet, holding the other boy’s hand. In the very back seat, Yohji was pressed against the window to allow Ran and Aya to sit beside each other, with Ken squeezed in on the other side, at Aya’s insistence. She really did love Ken and he had been there for her before Ran had arrived, so she wanted to be near both of them. Ran seemed to find some comfort in Yohji’s presence, as well, since he leaned against him as he held his sister, who was now no longer able to cry but still as miserable as she had been earlier.

The hotel that Crawford took them to looked expensive and was well-guarded. He checked them into three rooms: one for Ran, Yohji, Ken and Aya, who were obviously going to stay together as long as they could, one for Omi, Nagi, and Jei, and one for Schuldig and himself.

Hopefully the morning would see the group more able to listen to plans for the future, as the future was closing in fast.

*****

So, how was that for a long chapter? I really hope I managed to do this justice. And, be assured, CH5 is in the works. Thanks for reading.