72 Garden Lane--The Wright Residence

[The Phantom of Paris]

Shelby Wright

”Ciel? Wait... you recognize me?! You know FMA?” This was impossible. She had thought that she was the only one who knew anything about anime around here, with the exception of those actually from Japan--what were the chances of her meeting another FMA fan anywhere, much less at her sister's birthday party? Cassie must hang out with more interesting people than I originally thought...either that or this is one of Mom's friend's bratty kids. Either way, it's great to meet another fan, but I really don't want to--

“Yep, it was my first anime actually. Though I'm more of an Edward person myself." Shelby said nothing to that. "Risembool Rangers, RED DAWN, and all that jazz.”

"Red dawn," Shelby echoed weakly, clearly overwhelmed.

“Not bad, not bad... but why the movie? Honestly? That was like.... fan-fiction for your tv.” Shelby shrugged, trying to shake off the unnerving feeling that came over her as the mysterious Ciel loomed in over her, studying her intently. You shouldn't do that, it's creepy...especially when the person you're ogling is easily five inches shorter than you are... “And you are a girl, right? Be something cute, Like Mikuru Asahina. You know, from the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya?"

Shelby gave a wordless nod. "I like that show," she said softly. "You look like her, you know."

She looked up. "Thanks."

"The only reason I'm crossplaying right now is cause my character is dressed as a girl. Anyways, you're Cassie's sister, yeah?" Another nod as the girl focused on some potato chips. "You look like her too, you know. Not that you act much like her, from what I know about her. I've only really met the birthday girl once, so I guess I shouldn't be here, but I just love parties... and I did get her a gift, so I don't feel tooooo bad."

That got Shelby's attention. "Wait...you weren't even invited." A little smirk crossed her face. "How Elric of you."

She was beginning to think she might actually like this mysterious, party-crashing crossplayer when her attention was grabbed by a disturbance across the room. Her face paled even more than usual, and she knew that the makeup she had used to mask the deep purple circles under her eyes and her waxy, almost transparent skin wasn't going to be helping much longer. Oh God no.

She stood like a statue as her sister and mother argued back and forth, all of the emotions Cassie had most likely hidden for so long tumbling to the surface. "What mother?" she shouted. "Mom, since the divorce if anyone's been acting like a mother around here, it's been me!"Oh, Cassie...I didn't realize...you're just like I am, aren't you, only different.

“What is this, an anime convention?” Ciel asked, but Shelby ignored her.

"I want you to think about someone besides yourself for the first time in your life!"

The next moment seemed to happen in slow motion, and Shelby turned to flee up the stairs so she wouldn't have to witness it. She was already in her room by the time Kristen struck. The door slammed shut, closing her off from the party and the world, just like it should be.

Just like it always has to be.


----

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"I do not have time for this. What do you want from me?" Kristen asked, obviously eager to leave. What, Mom? Worried about missing your reservation? Or about making a scene, giving them something to talk about for weeks to come? Or are you worried that if you listen to me long enough, you'll finally see that I'm right?

"I want you to think about someone besides yourself for the first time in your life!"

If Cassie lived to be a hundred, she would never forget the look on her mother's face: First shock, than pure fury as she slapped her, and then, horror as she realized what exactly she had done. Was it worth it?

Her cheek stung and felt puffy--it would probably swell. Not that it mattered. A bruise, a swollen cheek, a whispered scandal--those could all go away. Some things would remain forever.

"Cassandra..."

"NO YOU DON', B****!" a voice thundered, making Cassie's head shoot up, her hands never leaving her face. She watched in disbelief as Kagayaki slapped her mother right back, harder and with most likely more anger behind it. Kristen staggered backward, crying out in pain. Cassie screamed. Stop that! Stop it! Are you crazy?

He moved in front of her, as if to shield her. Mike looked murderous. "Ne'er... touch her... again...You an' him, jus' same! You hur' Cassiechan! No more, no more!" He turned to her then, whispered something Cassie couldn't catch. It was as if she was in a daze...her hearing was going in and out. She caught snippets here and there....a horrified, "No," from Erin, Tiger-Lily crying, someone running up the stairs. The winds seemed to pick up outside. Above their heads, the lights flickered and went out.

Mike took this moment of confusion to his advantage, moving in to attack Kagayaki with malice in his eyes, but Yukito got there first. "Hello, jack***." His fist collided with Mike's nose with a sickening crunch, and he let out a horrible howl as blood covered Yukito's hand. Cassie and Kristen let out identical screams. "Tell me, do you think about it when you're holding her mother? You ****ing ****."

"Stop it!" Kristen shrieked. "Get off of him! What is going on here?! STOP IT!"

But her mother's cries were ignored. Cassie knew what she had to do. She just wasn't sure she could do it.

"He hurt me, Mommy!" she screamed, her voice sounding high and childlike to her ears. "He did! He did! He did! You have to believe me! You have to!"

[More than Music]

Kagayaki Aidou

Everything was out of control... Everything was spinning. All he could think of to do was retaliate. To protect.

To protect Cassie.

"NO YOU DON', B****!"

Wrightosan cried out, staggering back, and Kagayaki felt his breath taken away by the sound. He would have never dreamed of being this way... Why did it have to come to this? 'No, she deserves it. She hurt Cassie. No one can hurt Cassie, never ever again. Wrightosan let that man come around. She let him hurt Cassie. I can't let anyone hurt Cassie... I love her too much. She needs someone to be strong for her, to protect her. I'll do that, whatever it takes.' Kagayaki moved to stand in front of Cassie, his chest heaving. He was scared and confused, but he wasn't going to back down, even as Wrightosan's boyfriend looked at him with so much hate that he saw Takeshi for a moment.

'No... No! I'm not the one that could get hurt this time. It's Cassie. I can let people hurt me. That's okay. But not Cassie. Never Cassie. ' "Ne'er... touch her... again...You an' him, jus' same! You hur' Cassiechan! No more, no more!" Kagayaki went over to Cassie, shaking. "Cassie... you okay?" She didn't answer, but he heard Saikochan behind him whispering, someone crying, and people sounding confused. The lights went out, and the change of tones around him made Kagayaki's vision a bit blurry. His head hurt....

He looked up to see Wrightosan's boyfriend coming in to swoop down on him and he had just enough time to tense.... Yukito rushed in for an attack, yelling English profanity into the man's face and attacking the man. Wrightosan and Cassie screamed and Kagayaki stumbled backwards.

'This isn't how this is suppose to be!'

"Stop it! Get off of him! What is going on here?! STOP IT!" Wrightosan cried, but Kagayaki didn't want to listen to her right now.

'What the hell are you talking about? You're too much of a b**** to protect your own daughter? Screw you!'

Seeing the man hurt Yukito, even after Yukito had been the one to attack, sent Kagayaki over the edge. Knowing that this was the man that had hurt Cassie, Yukito smashing the man's face was enough to give him to the go ahead. He jumped forwards and kicked Wrightosan's boyfriend as powerfully as he could - remembering to use his stronger leg - in a place he hoped would remind that man years from now never to mess with Cassie anymore. He punched Mike in the face, narrowly missing Yukito in the process, and felt himself seething just as Cassie's shrill voice reached his ears.

"He hurt me, Mommy! He did! He did! He did! You have to believe me! You have to!"

Kagayaki backed up, dizzy. The world was literally spinning and he felt about ready to pass out. Hyperventilating, Kagayaki suppressed how he was feeling. 'This isn't about me!' Managing to turn and see Cassie, Kagayaki stumbled over to her and slowly leaned forwards until he kissed her cheek, afraid to kiss her lips in case she relived the night between her and that... that man... "I sorry... I sorry..." he whispered, his voice hoarse but sincere. "I sorry... I has protec' you..."

He turned to Yukito and waved his arms. "Yukitokun. No more." Shaking his head, he raised his voice. "Yukito! Stop! We're making it worse!" Swallowing, he continued. "I want to kill him to... believe me... but we're only going to make things worse. Let's just... get that b****** out of here for now. Help me."

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Out of nowhere, Yukito had vanished from her side and was now flinging himself at Mark What's-His-Face, quite literally attempting to smash said face, and whatever else he could reach, too. Erin's eyes widened in shock as she took in this whacked-out image before her. "Yukito! What are you doing!?" I don't like him either, but god, Yukito, you'll kill him!

Then of all people Aidousan started in on him as Cassie and her mother spouted stuff she couldn't (or wouldn't) hear. Aidousan, who gave Matt-face a good solid kick so he was probably sterile now, and Erin felt like she'd just been thrown into someone's acid-induced dream. It was too messed up, too wrong and messed up for all of this to be happening. "Aidousan!" I don't understand, I don't understand, what's going on??!?

Erin was just about to go and attempt to stifle their madness when she heard Cassie crying as she got close enough to hear through the fighting. "He hurt me, Mommy! He did! He did! He did! You have to believe me! You have to!"

Hurt you...? Cassie, I hope you don't mean what I think you mean... A lead ball slammed down in the pit of her stomach. Gingerly she touched Cassie's shoulder. "Cassie... what's going on? What did he do?"

But Aidousan was back, and Erin was still confused, because he clearly knew Cassie had been hurt, with the way he anced around her. Someone tell me what's going on!!! she wanted to scream, her eyes announcing the demand to anyone who might meet them. "What happened?!"

Aidousan started using words Erin couldn't follow, but she supposed he must have been trying to pull Yukito out of his current actions... the ones she didn't understand and apparently she and Cassie's darling mother were the only ones who were in the dark.

And on top of all that, apparently the same person who had screwed over Cassie's family had done something to hurt her. "Cassie... what happened?" she asked again, weakly, the ground feeling a little shaky under her feet.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

When the lights flickered out, Yukito didn't wait. He left Erin's side to stand - metaphorically, of course - at Cassie's side, leaping on the man before he could react. "Hello, jack***." There was a satisfying crumpling noise in the man's nose. The cry of pain sent Yukito back to school in a series of adrenaline-pumped flashbacks, and he was unable to hide a dark smile. Outside of the face, the invisible circle of action surrounding him, Yukito couldn't hear much, and he could see even less. He pinned Mike down and hissed. "Tell me, do you think about it when you're holding her mother? You ****ing ****."

"Yukito! What are you doing!?"

"Stop it! Get off of him! What is going on here?! STOP IT!"

Both of them ignoring the female cries around them - and Yukito found them all equally annoying at the time - Aidousan surpassed any explanation or stupid logic, leaping in to help give Mike a taste of the trail of thoughts Yukito had been holding in. For a long, long moment, he didn't care if he killed him. For a moment that was definitely too long to be mentally healthy, Mike was his father. And that made him feel better.

At some point Aidousan disappeared, and Yukito reached for Mike's neck with a dark gleam in his eyes. It took him awhile for his head to clear through the images in his head and allow him to hear the words addressed to him.

"Yukito! Stop! We're making it worse!" Yukito froze, his hands clamped around Mike's throat. He could feel the pulse, quick and afraid, just beneath his fingertips. He raised his eyes to Aidousan, his face reproachful. He didn't need to speak. Everything was on his face. Like always. Cassie and him... it was too easy for them to show their fear, even when they tried so hard. I want to see his fear now.

"I want to kill him too... believe me... but we're only going to make things worse. Let's just... get that b****** out of here for now. Help me."

He didn't speak, but he slowly unclenched his hands from the sweaty neck. With a snarl, he stood up from where he had been pinning the man down. Once he had risen, his hands hung limply, strangely, at his sides. He stared down at Mike, then raised his eyes to the others. Cassie...her mother...Aidousan.....Erin.

Yukito discovered he was breathing heavily, and he felt the urge to run. But instead he found himself searching for the words to tell them he was sorry. I'm not sorry, though. Not for hitting him.

"I'm sorry. I took it too far." His eyes dropped to the floor even as a lump rose in his throat.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

No. This was all wrong. This was her birthday, her day. Things like this weren't supposed to happen on people's birthdays. Cassie knew that much. It was so wrong, so surreal. It was supposed to be different. It wasn't supposed to happen this way. None of it was.

She stood there, frozen, as the lights went out, as first Yukito and then Kagayaki attacked the man who had stood in that very entry hall those weeks ago and attacked her. She was aware of her mouth opening in horror, and hearing someone screaming...but that screaming couldn't be her, could it? No, it had to be someone else, didn't it? She shouldn't scream. It was her birthday. You shouldn't have to scream on your birthday, should you?

Her mother was screaming orders that no one paid attention to, but Cassie could barely hear her. The lights went out as the room spun around her. Mike was howling and groaning in pain as her friends assaulted him, giving him no doubt what they felt was a just payback for what he'd done to her. She thought she heard Erin's voice floating in and out too, but she couldn't be sure. Was any of this even real? It didn't feel that way.

It felt like a nightmare.


"He hurt me, Mommy! He did! He did! He did! You have to believe me! You have to!" She heard the words, felt her mouth moving, but she didn't make the connection in her mind that it was her speaking those words, those awful, awful words.

A small sensation on her shoulder, a whispered voice in her ear, "Cassie... what's going on? What did he do?" But she couldn't answer, even when her mother repeated the same question. Another touch, on her cheek and light as a butterfly's wings. "I sorry... I sorry...I sorry... I has protec' you..."

"No," Cassie's mother whispered, horrified. "That's my job."

Erin said something else, followed by Yukito, and Cassie crumpled to the floor, her legs giving way beneath her. Her mother caught her, cradling her against her and joining her on the floor, tears cascading down her cheeks. "Oh, my darling," she whispered. "My Cassie. I'm so sorry."

Kristen looked over at Mike, daggers in her gaze. "You," she said severely, "will never touch my family again. Get. Out."

Mike lay there, blood streaming from his obviously broken nose, seemingly in shock. Finally, he heaved himself to his feet and limped away as quickly as he could, slamming the door behind him, which Tink promptly locked. "I'm calling the police," she announced to no one in particular as the screech of tires filled everyone's ears.

Kristen nodded, gently stroking Cassie's hair in a way that Cassie could never remember her doing when she was younger. "The...the party is over. You...it's best if everyone goes home now. Please."

As the guests dispersed, murmuring amongst themselves and shooting sympathetic looks to Cassie, the lights came back on.

[More than Music]

OOC: Sorry, it was just time to wrap this up for him. Anyone can follow him if they want.
BIC:

Kagayaki Aidou

"Cassie... what's going on? What did he do?"

He moved over, his lips barely touching Cassie's cheek. 'I love you...' "I sorry... I sorry...I sorry... I has protec' you..." he whispered, shaking a little.

"No." Wrightosan's voice reached him. Kagayaki looked over at her, his jaw tight and his expression becoming unforgiving. 'Don't tell me I can't be with her! No one can take her away from me! Not that man, not you, nobody. I won't let anyone hurt her. I can't trust anyone with her. She's too special. She's too wonderful. She's too beautiful. And I can't trust you, can I?' "That's my job." His eyes widened a little, and his face relaxed a little.

"Yes. Is." he said, his voice full of emotion he couldn't even describe himself. 'My okaasan would have never let a man like that in my house.' Then he stopped. A thought hit him. 'That's... that's right... Hideosan... Okaasan wouldn't trust him if he wasn't good. I should tell him about that man that hurt Cassie... he would take that man out.'

He looked over at Saikochan for a moment just as Cassie fell. Him and Wrightosan caught her at the same time. Their eyes met, and they simultaneously sat beside their precious cargo. Cassie was enveloped in her mother's arms, and Kagayaki felt himself leaning back. 'If you're going to take care of her too, then don't shut me out. I want to be a part of this family too, someday. I do. Please... let me love her, Wrightosan. I promise I'll take care of her better. I promise.' "Oh, my darling. My Cassie. I'm so sorry."

Kagayaki took Cassie's hand in his carefully, looking up at her with tears in his eyes. He liked how that sounded. "D... Da..." He swallowed, bit his lip for a second, then continued. "Darling?"

He heard movement and he followed Wrightosan's eyes as she looked away from Cassie. Swallowing again, he returned his eyes to Cassie. If he looked at that man again, he'd flip, and he'd attack that man again... and then he'd lose Cassie. And he couldn't let that happen. He put on a trembling smile for her, touching her cheek with his fingertips, then cupping it with his whole hand, trying to distract her as Wrightosan ordered the man out. "Been okay," he promised, leaning forwards to kiss the top of her head. "Chikaou. Plomis."

Everyone was moving about and sounding very upset. Someone locked the door after the offender. Again, as Wrightosan's hand reached up to Cassie's hair, Kagayaki found himself moving back a little. 'Don't make me go away...'

"The...the party is over. You...it's best if everyone goes home now. Please."

Everyone left until it was just the three of them, Erinchan, and Yukitokun. The lights came back on, and the shine came back to Cassie's face as it illuminated. Kagayaki tried to catch his breath, but it was useless. He leaned forwards, hesitant, but unable to help himself. His lips met Cassie's in a desperate and deep kiss. Moving back, put a hand on his chest. "I... I sorry." He looked over at Wrightosan. 'She doesn't need me anymore, does she?' Kagayaki got to his feet, his lip trembling. "Don' be afrai' of me," he sobbed, stepping back. "I sorry..." He turned and ran, his heart pounded in his head. He nearly tripped next to Yukito, his eyes meeting his friend's in an instant.

'I love you... but I'm scared...'

He ran for the tree house. It was far enough he'd know if they needed him, but not enough for them to find him easily.

'I... I'm bad and good. I can't be both. If I love Cassie, she'll be afraid of me... I don't want Cassie to be afraid. I have to leave her alone. I can't protect her if I'm always scaring her.'

'I love you... I'm sorry...


Kagayaki is done here

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

She could only stand there and watch stupidly, despite the fact that everything inside was screaming to run out and pull apart the chaos, to demand an answer, for it all to make sense. Her mind's voice was screaming around in her head, but she didn't move.

She just watched in confused shock at what looked like Yukito murderously assaulting a practical stranger. But that couldn't be it, because he hadn't done anything to deserve that kind of assault, and how could it be Yukito's hands around his neck? How could it be Yukito so angrily driven that he would leave dark prints on the man's throat? He couldn't. But he was. And it was too wrong, but like the bad train wreck, she couldn't tear her eyes away, nearly forgetting to breathe.

Then he stopped. And Erin breathed again, the fresh oxygen rushing into her lungs and making her feel lightheaded. Ignoring it, Erin immediately went to Cassie's side, completely at a loss as to what to do. And a little afraid to see if that look was still on Yukito's face.

"I'm sorry. I took it too far," she heard him say. And then the words came, even though Erin kept her eyes cast over Cassie. "You think?! You looked like you were gonna kill him!" Her aversion and shock echoed in her tone. She focused on Cassie, touching her gently, remembering her words. "Cassie... what's going on? What did he do?"

She only heard Aidousan's voice saying how he was sorry, but he had to protect her. That didn't answer bull crap. And her mother's answer was irrelevant. Erin ignored it. And Cassie sank beneath her fingertips. I don't blame you...

Aidousan and Kristen Wright were already down next to Cassie, huddling around her and not giving her room to breathe, and once again Erin realized she was in utter darkness. She stood there, watching intently, avoiding looking toward Yukito. If she was honest with herself, his sudden rage against this man did more than floored her-- it scared here, and thoroughly. He couldn't really have gone farther, could he?

"The...the party is over. You...it's best if everyone goes home now. Please."

She heard the order, and it woke her up a little. "No," she muttered, displeased and surprised at the coarse sound of her voice. Then louder and more sure, "No! I want to know what the hell just happened and why she's hurt and why Yukito looked like he was gonna kill him!" Her demand started out as stubborn and strong, but it ended sounding like she was trying to hide back a sob. And maybe she was.

Out of nowhere, and totally not in response to her demands, Aidousan started apologizing to Cassie, and without warning got up and left them completely. Erin's eyes widened at the silent treachery. Who do you think you are to leave her right now?! Who do you think you are?!?! "Don't you dare--!!" she started, even taking her own quick steps to follow him, but it was too late.

Exasperated, and frustrated with being left in the dark so long, and a lead ball in her stomach from worry over the wounded creature that was now Cassie, Erin turned around to face the Wrights. "What-- happened here..." It was a plea more than anything.

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

"I'm sorry. I took it too far," he muttered, his hands hanging limply by his sides. The apology was heart-felt, but it didn't seem like the words conveyed the right meaning. As if the lump in his throat as he stared down at the bloody face of his enemy would just keep growing until he never spoke another word. His brow furrowed as he struggled to keep his expression from crumpling.

"You think?! You looked like you were gonna kill him!" Erin's voice was cutting like a knife, and he heard the fear and shock there. I would have, Erin. I really think I would have. What does that make me right now? He deserved it... "Cassie... what's going on? What did he do?"

"Oh, my darling. My Cassie. I'm so sorry."

"D... Da...Darling?"

"You," Kirstin's voice was dark and menacing, holding a trace of that tone she had used when irritated most with Cassie. But amplified and deadly. "will never touch my family again. Get. Out."

Mike took his sweet time staring at them all with a dumbfounded expression. Then, he heaved himself up and raced away. Yukito's right fist, still sore and bleeding, clenched and unclenched at his side as he let out a shaky breath as the front door locked, trying not to draw attention to himself any longer. The lock was a calming sound to me. So final. "I'm calling the police," someone said.

The conversation continued as if he wasn't there. He felt them trying not to look his way, and he didn't move, still staring at the messy spot on the floor Mike had stood so pompously, so in control until nearly the entire group had turned on him in one frantic, desperate but determined movement.

"Been okay," Aidousan said quietly, "Chikaou. Plomis."

"The...the party is over. You...it's best if everyone goes home now. Please."

People filtered past him - a couple of them brush against his arm, bare in his ruined costume. Soon most of the party was out on the lawn. And all he could think was Now the door is unlocked again.

"No," Erin's voice echoed towards him in the sudden hollow feeling in the room. "No! I want to know what the hell just happened and why she's hurt and why Yukito looked like he was gonna kill him!"

He had started to raise his head to tell her, quietly, in the worst choice of words probably, but her last comment made his head snap back down to the spot on the floor. In moments his eyes flickered upwards as Aidousan did what all the nerves in his body screamed to do - he raced out the door, a mere flash as he escaped from everything. From having to explain. From having to keep himself locked in.

"Don't you dare--!!" Erin shouted angrily after him. Yukito took the moment to start walking away. In that instant she wasn't just trying not to look his way - she really was ignoring him. So he wanted to take advantage of that and try to find a bathroom. He had to rinse all that blood off. What if the little girl sees? An image flickered in his mind of Tiger Lily, innocent to all if she had been lucky enough not to see. He thought he had seen her run upstairs right before the lights had flickered off. It had been his signal.

"What-- happened here..." Erin said as he rounded a corner, successfully ducking out of sight. He tried to cradle his right hand in his left, cupping his palm to keep most of the crimson off the carpet. His head spun while he rinsed it off, his face calm now. Even he tried to ignore his face in the mirror. Yukito stood away from the sink to realize he had locked himself in the bathroom. He stared at the handle for a long moment, not moving. There was a long sigh, and he leaned heavily on the counter. It wasn't the brightest idea, since he was still bleeding a little on his knuckles. But that would go away soon enough. His hands never scarred.

"Kuso." I have to explain to Erin if no one else is going to. But not now, if he could help it. Not right now.

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

Her world was spinning, faster and faster and out of control, and there was nothing she could do to stop it. Cassie could only watch helplessly, hold on tight, and try not to get swept away. But it was getting harder and harder as the world went round and round and round, the vortex engulfing her before she knew it.

The voices around her sounded tinny, hollow, far away. It was almost worse than the actual attack had been, this strange out-of-body experience. Cassie couldn't even be sure what was real anymore. Was this all actually happening to her? Or was it some horrible nightmare that she would wake up from any minute now, find herself safe in her own bed, with her birthday party before her and still full of possibilities to be happy? Had she even really been attacked, or was that just another nightmare? What was real? What was not? Cassie didn't know.

The lights came on, and Cassie shut her eyes to block out the harsh light. People were touching her, stroking her hair and holding her and telling her everything was going to be all right. Her mother was one of them, wasn't she? And Kagayaki? But then who were the others? Erin was standing above her, yelling. It couldn't be her. Then who was it? Was it Shelby? One of the ghosts? Cassie didn't want to know. Not anymore.

Everyone was yelling. She wished they would stop--couldn't they see that it never did any good? Couldn't they--

Lips. Forceful lips on hers, desperate and longing. And they wouldn't leave. Just like his had been. Just like his.

Cassie screamed.

"No!" she shrieked, pushing him roughly away from her. Her eyes were filled with terror. "No, no, no, no! No!" She buried herself in her mother's arms, screaming and sobbing.

"I... I sorry. Don' be afrai' of me,I sorry..." She heard running, a door slamming, poor forgotten Tiger-Lily wailing in the other room as Tink screamed into the phone. "I don't KNOW what happened, just send someone over here now!"

"Don't you dare--!!" Erin screamed, but whoever she was yelling at ignored her. "What-- happened here..."

"I don't know!" Kristen admitted through her sobs. "But I can guess!" Cassie felt another set of arms go around her--her cousin's. And still, she and Tiger-Lily kept on crying.

"He--kissed--me." Cassie screamed. "He kissed me and he touched me and he wouldn't let go and he tried to--he tried to--"

She rounded on her mother, yanking herself away from her embrace and sending her and Caroline sprawling on the floor. "You!" she shrieked hysterically. "You were supposed to protect me! You were! You were and you didn't! You didn't!"

Kristen stared at her, sobbing. Tears were streaming down Tink's face as well. "I'm sorry, Cassie," her mother whispered. "I'm so sorry."

Cassie shook her head. "That's not good enough! You promised! You promised!"

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

Everything was wrong. Cassie was hurting so bad that Erin could practically feel it herself, and there was nothing she could do to make it stop for either of them. She didn't even know what was going one, for crying out loud!

"What-- happened here..."

"I don't know!" came the sobbed exclamation from Cassie's mother. "But I can guess!"

"Well I can't guess!" Erin snapped back, all attempts at tack long out the window.

"He--kissed--me," Cassie screamed, and for a moment Erin didn't register the implications of the simple expression. "He kissed me and he touched me and he wouldn't let go and he tried to--he tried to--"

"He didn't," she said deadpan, knowing full well it had to be true. No. No, no, no, no, Cassie can't have that on her. She can't have that happen, because I don't know how to fix it, I can't fix it, people don't teach you how to deal with this kind of stuff! People don't teach you how to make your friends feel better, to protect them from these kinds of things that should never happen to someone as wonderful as Cassie. I can't do anything, I can't, I don't know what to do, I don't, I don't, I don't!

Cassie's mind was on one track, and it scared Erin almost as much as watching Yukito's hands around that man's neck. "You!" she shrieked hysterically. "You were supposed to protect me! You were! You were and you didn't! You didn't!"

And she was entirely right. Feeling utterly helpless and a giant human waste beside her, Erin slammed back the chocking lump in her throat. "How could you let such a thing in your home..." she hissed at Kristen Wright, her own eyes narrowed and jaw set defensively. If that pervert wasn't around for her to scream at then she'd get to the nearest person responsible for this... this... everything. "He could have done something worse!" she screeched.

Kristen Wright stared at daughter, sobbing. Tears were streaming down her cousin's face as well. "I'm sorry, Cassie, I'm so sorry."

Cassie shook her head. "That's not good enough! You promised! You promised!"

"Don't try to pull anything else over on her now," Erin cut in hastily, still snapping at the woman. "Cassie..." Something told Erin that she should decline the touch that she herself would find more comforting than anything. And what could she do without being able to touch her? God I'm so helpless... "Cassie," she repeated her name in a whisper, as soothing as she could. "I'm so sorry..." I didn't realize. I didn't know. Not like everyone else... "Come with me. You can cry if you want, Cassie. We can go... wherever you want..."

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

It took him too long to get back to the others. By then, Aidousan was nowhere in sight, and Cassie had turned to scream at her mother. She really took my advice all the way. Maybe I shouldn't have given her any. Then perhaps she wouldn't feel so horrible now.

"That's not good enough! You promised! You promised!"

"Don't try to pull anything else over on her now," Erin cut in hastily, snapping at the woman with venom in her words. Yukito stood just in the doorway as he watched Erin turn to Cassie, her hands starting towards her friend but staying away. This was going against every instinct in her system, probably. Yukito looked down at the floor.

"Cassie...Cassie, I'm so sorry...Come with me. You can cry if you want, Cassie. We can go... wherever you want..."

"Cassie..." Yukito voiced quietly, staying in the doorway. He didn't look over at Erin again, sure she would be ticked once she realized what all this meant. It was strange to think that this time, he hadn't just kept a secret from Erin, he'd kept someone else's secret from Erin. He kept his eyes focused on Cassie. "We've got your back, alright?"

[The Phantom of Paris]

Cassandra "Cassie" Wright

"He didn't," Erin said, horrified, but Cassie could hardly hear her over the screaming, the sobbing, the unspoken pain. She couldn't see, she couldn't breathe, she couldn't think. She could only cry and cry, so hard that it hurt, so hard that she shook and felt like at any moment whatever had managed to hold her together and keep her in one piece for this long would fall apart.

"You were supposed to protect me! You were! You were and you didn't! You didn't!" It's your fault, it's your fault, it's your fault!

"How could you let such a thing in your home...He could have done something worse!"

"I didn't know!" Kristen pleaded with Erin, with Cassie, with herself. "I didn't know! I never would have--I'm sorry, Cassie, I'm so sorry."

A hysterical shake of her head. "That's not good enough! You promised! You promised!" She took a huge breath, gasping for air that wouldn't come. "You're supposed to be my mother! You're supposed to take care of me, to take care of Shelby! And you didn't!"

Kristen's tears had slowed now--she seemed to be in a daze as she watched her and Cassie's world crumble around them. "I'm sorry. I--"

"Don't try to pull anything else over on her now. Cassie..." She refused to look up at her friend. "Cassie," she repeated her name in a whisper, as soothing as she could. "I'm so sorry...Come with me. You can cry if you want, Cassie. We can go... wherever you want..."

"Cassie...We've got your back, alright?"

Cassie ignored both of them.

"She is not going anywhere," Kristen said firmly.

Cassie looked up. "You can't tell me what to do. Not anymore," she sobbed. "You lost that privilege a long time ago. Just...just take me away, anywhere but here..."

[hanashyrexchana]

Juliet Echo Eco

”You know FMA?” The poor girl looked so surprised Juliet had to keep herself from laughing. It wasn't that obscure, so why so alarmed? They do watch anime here in New Orleans, right?

“Yep, it was my first anime actually. Though I'm more of an Edward person myself. Risembool Rangers, RED DAWN, and all that jazz.”

”Red dawn.” Poor thing sounded terrified, but Juliet was in too good of a mood to slow down. After all, even if you find a FullMetal Alchemist fan, there's always the chance they're a die-hard miniskirt, which can get awkward.

With a smirk she looked over the kids costume, noting the authenticity of the cloak and the pocket watch, wondering if it really had the famous date scratched inside.“Not bad, not bad... but why the movie? Honestly? That was like.... fan-fiction for your TV. And you are a girl, right? Be something cute, Like Mikuru Asahina. You know, from the Melancholy of Haruhi Suzumiya?” Juliet backed off a little once she realized how terrified the girl looked, giving her room to say ”I like that show.” “You look like her, you know.” Jewel added in a gentler tone.

Finally, the little Elric looked her in the face. ”Thanks.”

With a nod and a grin Juliet started up strong again."The only reason I'm crossplaying right now is cause my character is dressed as a girl. Anyways, you're Cassie's sister, yeah?You look like her too, you know. Not that you act much like her, from what I know about her. I've only really met the birthday girl once, so I guess I shouldn't be here, but I just love parties... and I did get her a gift, so I don't feel tooooo bad." It was okay to let this girl in on her little secret. Worst that could happen was Juliet being kicked out.

But the comment didn't seem to bother Little Elric. In fact, she looked rather amused. "Wait...you weren't even invited." It wasn't a question. It was a statement. ”How very Elric of you.”

“I do my best.” Juliet said with an over-dramatic curtsy. Behind her, voices started rising. She tried not to listen to the dialogue, but bits and pieces slipped through. Mother, divorce. Well, there was “Scarlet”, slapping Cassie, surrounded by a group of young adults and the man who had greeted Juliet earlier. Embarrassed, she looked away, to where her little acquaintance stood. Except... she wasn't there any more. Looking around she saw Little Elric fly up the stairs and thru a door, escaping the elevating conflict just across the room from Juliet. The way she saw it, Juliet had three choices here. One, she could stand where she was and watch the fight unfold, but that didn't sound like much fun. Second, she could go home and forget this ever happened. Third, she could go upstairs and comfort the Little Elric. Not that she could do much, but it looked like Cassie had her own friends to support her now. How did her sister have?

”I'm calling the police.” Scarlet announced. Confused, Juliet looked back to the scene to see Rhet on the floor, bloody. ”The...the party is over. You...it's best if everyone goes home now. Please." As the rest of the guests made their way out, Juliet slinked up the stairs as fast as she could, so as not to be noticed. She knocked on the door she thought she saw the girl hide behind.

“Little Elric?” She whispered knocking. “You okay?” Ugh, what a stupid question. Juliet usually found that whenever someone had to ask it, the answer was obvious. “I'm not gonna pretend I have any idea what's going on, but... hidings no good, you know?” You're so rude, Juliet. Poking your head into strangers business, bothering girls with broken families, pretending you can help. You're just rude and useless.

But I still want to help.

[GGJ5]

Erin Spenser

"Cassie..." Erin called gently. No response. God, she felt so awful. Just... awful... how could something so horrible happen to someone as wonderful as Cassie? Why? Why?! She felt the lump in her throat urging her to cry. But tears didn't come. "Cassie," she repeated her name in a whisper, as soothing as she could. "I'm so sorry...Come with me. You can cry if you want, Cassie. We can go... wherever you want..." She wanted to hug her close and protect her, but Erin knew that was impossible. She couldn't protect her friend, and she was afraid to even touch her right now. She was afraid she might break her. Really, truly break her... she looked so fractured now...

From the corner of her eye she saw another form enter into the room. It was Yukito again. She glanced back away. The sight of him in such an angry frenzy was a side of him she'd never seen, and she could have lived her life without seeing again. It scared her more than she wanted to admit to herself. Even if it was ignited by a sick freak...

"Cassie...We've got your back, alright?"

Don't speak for me, she wanted to tell him. Only she still didn't want to look over at him, still shocked by her witness, and unconsciously slunk towards Cassie more, crouching down next to her. For once she couldn't find her voice. At all.

"She is not going anywhere," Kristen Wright said firmly, until both girls looked up to send her a fierce look. Go to hell.

"You can't tell me what to do. Not anymore. You lost that privilege a long time ago. Just...just take me away, anywhere but here..."

"Okay," she promised, not having any idea what to do except bring her home with her. She couldn't keep avoiding Yukito if he was going to take them all home.. which he was....

Gingerly, Erin took Cassie's hand, lightly and loosely because she was still so afraid to see Cassie break. She could let her hand drop if she wanted and it would be fine. "Come on," she whispered. "We'll go home..."

Erin walked carefully, not leaving Cassie's side, eying her with heavy concern. And regret. Somehow... I could have helped you somehow... I could help you better now... somehow.... You deserve so much better than this....!

She sat in the back of the car, on the passenger's side, feet on the seat and legs curled up tightly in front of her. She looked from Cassie to Yukito and back too many times to count. To Cassie she thought, I wish I could take it away, and to Yukito she thought, You scared me... why did you scare me?

[Elda Forever]

Yukito Maki

Their costumes, so admired and laughed about earlier, seemed out of place with the heavy drench of emotional burden that hung around the room like a insufferable humidity. Yukito's singular, lame attempt at trying to be helpful were met with silence from the others. He still stood back at the doorway. His knuckles were bleeding again, but only a little.

"She is not going anywhere," Kristen Wright said firmly, until both girls looked up to send her a fierce look.

"You can't tell me what to do. Not anymore. You lost that privilege a long time ago. Just...just take me away, anywhere but here..." Despite the fact that she was crying, it was one of Cassie's stronger moments. She wasn't trying to keep everything okay anymore. Yukito started for the door, unspeaking but with a look on his face that was fixated on Cassie. Come on. Let me help somehow or I'm gonna go crazy.

"Okay," Erin said, taking Cassie's hand. Yukito turned the instant they had risen and went to the car. He started the car, his face still cold and tense. His fingers wrapped tightly around the wheel and he focused his mind on the sparkles of pain in his knuckles. His mind flashed to Aidousan out of nowhere. Where had he gone to? Yukito rolled down the window and called out for him, but he didn't see anyone outside. Maybe he'd gone home.

The girls followed him not long after. Erin sat in the back, Cassie beside him. He stared straight ahead when he asked Cassie in a strangled voice, "Where to this time?"