FicWad

Notes:
“Text”= Japanese People Speaking
“/Text/”= English People Speaking
“+Text+”= American People Speaking
“#Text#”= Australian People Speaking
Ando walked up to the guard in the jail.
“I’m here to pick up Inoue Katsuko,” he said.
“Wait right here,” the guard said. He disappeared down the hall. Ando took a seat and breathed out. This was just stupid. She was too old to be doing this crap. She was in her thirties in a stable relationship now. She should at least try to slow down now. Ando shook his head.
I’m done with this bullshit!, he thought. I’m done with it! Yeah, right. Something had to change. He looked up when he heard the footsteps. The guard stood before him.
“Here she is,” he said. Ando looked behind the guard’s left shoulder. Kat stood there looking rather dazed. Her son gave her a look of disapproval.
“Hello Kat,” he grumbled. His mother only let off a low, hung-over groan. This had just got to stop sometime.
Subject: Kat
Kat spend the whole morning in bed. Ando sat at the table in the kitchen. He was still pretty pissed. Fighting again? Plus she’s five months pregnant too? Ando lowered his head.
Stupid, he thought. She needs to cut this crap out! A low groan caught his attention. Ando lifted his head. His mother stood in the doorway, rubbing her head.
“I need a smoke,” she complained.
“No,” Ando said. Kat sneered at him.
“Why not?” she asked.
“You’re pregnant!” her son pointed out. His mother groaned.
“Not by choice!” she complained. “I didn’t want this baby!” Ando sat back and shrugged.
“Well, you should’ve you protection,” he said.
“We did,” Kat said. “Just… not that night.”
“See?”
“Shut up!”
Then, her phone rang. Ando glanced over at her.
“It’s ringing,” he said.
“I know that,” Kat said. The phone rang again.
“Aren’t you going to get that?” Ando asked.
“Later,” she said. The phone rang once. Her son clenched his teeth, rather annoyed.
“Answer it!” he pressed.
“Later!” Kat snapped. Her phone rang a fourth time.
“That’s it!” he barked. Ando reached over for the pink-jeweled phone.
“Don’t touch that!” she snapped.
“But…” he said.
“I will break your fingers!”
Ando quickly drew back his hand. The phone went silent. He raised an eyebrow at her.
“What was that all about?” he asked. Kat just snorted and walked away. In truth, she already knew who it was. She stopped in the hallway and shook her head.
No, you bastard!, she thought. You already took my childhood. You will not take my life now! The woman trembled as she remembered all that he did to her. He was the reason that Ando even existed in the first place.
Kat sank down to her knees. Her chest began to ache. These moments reminded that needed Alfie.
Alfie!, she thought. Why did you have to go? He was going to be home tonight.
He’s not coming back in time!, the woman thought. She groaned to herself. Then, Kat heard the doorbell ring. The woman paused where she was.
Alfie?, Kat thought. She turned down the hall. The woman rose to her feet and hurried to the front door.
“Alfie?” she asked as she opened it wide. Fear covered her face. An old man stood on the other side of the doorway. He had a cigarette hanging out of his mouth. Despite it being late spring, he wore a long black coat and matching hat. Kat silently backed away.
“No…” she murmured. The old man glanced at her.
“Katsuko,” he said. “It’s been so long.” The woman’s eyes widened.
“What are you doing here?” she whispered. Her former step-father shrugged at her.
“I just wanted to see my son,” he said.
“He is nothing to you!” Kat cried. “Get out of here or I’ll call the police!” The old man stuck up his hands at her.
“Easy now!” he said. “There is no need for any of that.”
“Get out!” Kat screamed. “Get out! Get out!” Her former step-father tried to cover her mouth. She tried desperately to fight him off.
“Let me go!” she snapped.
“I just want to talk,” the step-father insisted.
“Let go!” Kat screamed again.
“Kat?” she heard someone ask behind her. Both she and her former step-father looked up to see Ando walking towards the doorway. He blinked at them, confused.
“Uh…” he said. “What’s going on here?” The older man let go of Kat and pushed her aside.
“My son!” he said with open arms. Ando took a step back, confused.
“Who are you?” he asked. The older man grinned.
“He’s nobody!” Kat screamed.
“Your father,” he confessed. The younger man stood there, stunned. Kat trembled. The one thing she didn’t want to happen unfolded before her.
“Get out!” she screamed. “I’ll call the police if you don’t! Get out!” The former step-father threw up his hands.
“Fine, fine,” he said. “I’ll go.” The man walked past Kat.
“For now at least,” he whispered. She whipped around and he was already out the door. Ando noticed her trembling.
“Are you okay?” he asked. His mother didn’t answer. She walked all the way to her. Ando looked after her, confused.
“Kat?” he asked. She was too far gone for her to hear him.
Hours later after crying and eating, Kat headed out in the late evening. She didn’t really feel like during more. The woman sat in the back corner of the club with her soda water, watching her friends dance and party the night away. Old memories kept flooding her head.
How did he find me again?, she thought. Why? Why? Kat stared down at drink. At this moment, alcohol would be her only friend. Because of the baby in her womb, her cure wouldn’t work. She looked at her phone. Still no calls.
Alfie…
“You okay, Kat?” she heard someone ask. The mother-to-be-again looked up at her. One of her friend’s gave her a big smile. Kat nodded at her.
“Yeah,” she lied. “I’m fine. Totally fine.” Her friend raised an eyebrow at her.
“You sure?” she asked. “You look so pale. Are you sick or something?” The woman reached forward to feel on Kat’s forehead. The woman slapped her hand away. Her friend froze startled.
“Katsuko-chan?” she asked.
“Don’t touch me!” Kat screamed.
“Katsuko-chan!” her friend yelled. Kat panted really hard. She stared her friend in the eye.
“I’m sorry!” she said. Then, she raced out of the club.
“Kat!” her friend yelled. Her voice vanished in the loud, pumping music.
As she walked, Kat felt the tears form in her eyes. I can’t take this!, she thought. She stopped at a bridge. The poor woman looked down at the water. She could just end it all. No more shame for Ando. No shame for this baby after it’s born. Just disappear. Disappear in the swirling water below.
“Kat!” she heard a man yell. She turned and saw Alfie walking out a taxi cab to her. The woman stared at him for a long moment.
“Alfie?” she asked. The man walked over to her.
“Kat?” he asked. “Kat, what are you doing all the way out here? Ando said you just went off and my battery in my phone was dead. What’s the matter?” The woman didn’t speak for a long moment. She finally broke down into another round of tears and came into his arms. Alfie gently hugged her.
“Shhh,” he whispered. “I’m here now. I’m here now.”
Moments later, Alfie took her home. He put Kat straight to bed.
“Good night,” he whispered. The man kissed her on the forehead before heading out. He found Ando leaned up against the wall.
“She’s broken, you know?” he asked. Alfie nodded.
“/Yes,/” he said. “/I know that./”
“But can you handle it?” her son asked. “Do you even know about her past?” Alfie looked on at him for a moment. Ando frowned at him.
“I knew it,” her muttered. “You’re going to end up just like the others.” The man frowned at him.
“I love your mother,” he said. “And I won’t leave her!”
“But can you handle all of her baggage?” Ando asked. “Or are you just going to run off like the others?”
“No!” Alfie snapped. The younger man folded his arms across his chest.
“We’ll see about that!” he declared. Then, Ando headed back to his room. Alfie watched after him with a puzzled look on his face.
What is with him?, he thought. Ando still didn’t seem to trust him at all. What would he have to do to change his mind about him?
The next morning, Alfie ran the bath for his pregnant girlfriend. Kat was kind of out of it at the moment. Alfie kissed her on the head.
“/It’s okay,/” he whispered. “I won’t leave you, I promise.” She didn’t respond. Alfie walked her into the bathroom. He undressed her and washed her. The man settled her into the bathtub. He kissed her on top of her head.
“I’ll be right back,” he said. Then, Alfie walked out of the bathroom to make some tea. He wasn’t prepared to deal with her being this fragile. Ando wouldn’t tell him what was going on either. In fact, it seemed her son waited for him to screw this up in some way. Alfie gritted his teeth.
Little bastard, he thought. Why does he hate me so much? Can’t he see that I really love her. I’ll show him! Alfie finished up the tea and headed back to the bathroom. He knocked on the door.
“Kat-chan,” he said. “I made you some tea.” No response came from the other side. Alfie knocked again.
“Kat-chan?” he asked. Silence came as a reply. The man knocked once again.
“Kat-chan?” Alfie asked. The additional silence gave him the permission he needed to worry. The man knocked once more.
“Kat-chan!” he called. “I’m going to come in and check on you now, okay?” He counted to three in his head before opening the door. The sight inside threw him in for such a horror. Kat had sunken under in the water with both of her wrists slashed with a nearby razor blade.
“Shite!” Alfie yelled at the top of his lungs. He rushed over and pulled his pregnant girlfriend out of the water. He checked to see if she was still breathing before calling the ambulance.
Moments later, Ando, Shuichi, Lexie, and Hiro raced over to the hospital. They found waiting in the hospital.
“How is she?” Hiro asked. Alfie gave them a tired look.
“She’s sleeping right now,” he said. “She’s going to pull through.” Ando frowned at him.
“How did this happen?” he asked. Alfie looked away sheepishly.
“Well, I ran her a bath,” he began. “Then, I went to make her some tea. When I came back to check on her, I found her in the bathtub like that.” Ando gave him an icy glare.
“You idiot!” he snapped. The older man gave him a puzzled look.
“What?” he asked. Shuichi tried to hold his friend back.
“Asshole!” he shouted. “You knew what state she was in and you lost track of her for one moment! One f**g moment! What the f*k is wrong with you?!?”
“Ando!” Hiro barked.
“What?!?” the younger man snapped.
“Don’t do this here,” the guitarist told him in a low voice. “You are not helping Kat in this way.” Ando didn’t speak at first, but then he calmed down.
“Look, I’m sorry,” Alfie said. His girlfriend’s son glared at him.
“Asshole,” he muttered under his breath.
“Ando… Alfie…” they heard someone mumble from the room. Both men looked up. Kat slowly fluttered her eyes open. Her boys didn’t move for a long moment. Alfie turned to Ando.
“Do you want to go see her now?” he asked. The younger man stayed still for a long moment. He pressed his lips together.
“You go ahead,” he said. His mom’s boyfriend looked at him.
“You sure?” he asked. Ando nodded.
“Yes,” he said. “I’ll be fine for now.” The older man looked at Ando’s friends. They didn’t dare to speak. Alfie drew in a breath.
Okay then, he thought. The man walked into the room. Kat’s eyes moved over to his direction. Her boyfriend gave her a little wave.
“Hey,” he said. Kat narrowed her eyes at him, confused.
“Where am I?” she asked. “What happened to me?” Alfie walked over to her bed.
“You had a little meltdown,” he whispered. “But, Ando and I here now.” He pointed over at her son and his friends in the hallway. Kat looked deep in his eyes.
“And the baby?” she asked. “The baby?” Alfie kissed her hand.
“Baby’s fine,” he said. His girlfriend gave him a happy look.
“Please don’t leave,” she whispered. He kissed her on the forehead.
“Don’t worry,” he said. “I won’t.” Kat cuddled up close to his chest. Ando watched them from the doorway the whole time. Maybe this one would be the one; he would just have to see.
About sundown, the hospital cleared Kat to go home. The boys managed to convince the staff not to call for the psychiatrist hospital. The woman leaned on her boyfriend’s shoulder.
“Take me back to your place,” she whispered. Alfie looked at her as they walked into the parking lot.
“You sure about that?” he asked.
“Yes!” she pleaded. “Take me with you.” Alfie looked rather uncertain at first. But, what else could he do for the time being? He lightly patted her on the head.
“Alright then,” Alfie replied. Kat cuddled up close to his chest.
“Thank you,” she whispered.
“Right,” he replied. They walked all the way to his car. Alfie took his pregnant girlfriend all the way to his apartment. Kat turned to him in the doorway.
“Kiss me,” she whispered. Although reluctant, he knelt down and let his lips met hers. It didn’t take long for him to give into her desperate need. He took her into his arms and led her back to his bedroom. Kat tumbled back onto his bed.
“Please don’t stop,” she pleaded in a trembling voice. Alfie slid off his shirt and leaned down for another kiss. Her desperation and need swallowed them both up in a hazy of lust.
At three in the morning, Alfie turned to Kat in his bed.
“Katsuko-chan, marry me,” he said. His girlfriend turned to him with tears in her eyes.
“I don’t understand you,” she murmured. Her boyfriend sat up with a puzzled look on his face.
“What do you mean?” he asked. Kat shook her head at him.
“I don’t… I don’t understand you!” she wailed. “Why? Why do you even care about me so much? I’ve heard men say they love me in a club bathroom or in a love hotel. But you… why do you love a whore like me?”
“Kat…” Alfie said. She held up her hand to stop him.
“Please!” the woman pleaded. Kat climbed out of bed.
“Kat?” he asked as he watched her put on a robe. She walked out of the room without saying a word. The woman disappeared into the kitchen and turned on the sink. She couldn’t breathe; his proposal felt like a kick to her throat. What the hell?, she thought. What the hell, Alfie? Why did you just make everything more difficult for me? I don’t need this!
She froze when she heard her phone ring again. Kat tightly shut her eyes.
“Go away! Go away! Go away!” she murmured to herself.
“Now why would I do that?” a familiar voice asked. The woman’s spine went stiff with fear. Against her better judgment, she turned around behind her. Her step-father stood before his victim, smiling. Kat shook her head.
“No…” she whispered. Her mind screamed “Run away! Fight back! Move!” the whole time. “How the hell did you find me here?!?” she asked as she gripped the counter behind her. The perverted old man took a step forward.
“I followed you from the hospital,” he said.
“Stay back!” Kat cried.
“Why should I?” the old man asked. “I don’t want to hurt you, Katsuko-chan. I just want to talk. You know I love you.”
“You raped me!” Kat screamed. The man smiled and shook his head.
“It wasn’t rape if you enjoyed it,” he said. “You and I both know you loved every second of it. All those nights in your room.”
“Liar!” she cried.
“But I’m not lying,” he said in a smooth voice. “Now come on please.” The man now came within inches of her trembled five-month pregnant body. Kat tried to think of ways to calm herself down and fight back. She wasn’t going to be a victim this time. The woman could already feel his hand just at her chest.
A loud clang to the head drew her attention back ahead of her. She looked to see her step-father to the floor at her feet. Kat’s eyes moved upwards to see Alfie with his arm raised up in the position for a karate chop. The woman didn’t seem to know how to respond at first.
“Alfie…” she murmured. Her boyfriend stood, panting.
“Take a look at him, Kat,” he said. “Take a good look at this poor, pathetic excuse of a man!” His girlfriend stood there, motionless. Alfie lowered his shoulders.
“I’m going to phone the police,” he said. Then, he turned to go fetch his cell phone.
“Why?!?” Kat screamed out at last. Her boyfriend paused and turned.
“Why what?” he asked. Kat trembled as she forced herself to speak.
“Why do all of this for me?” she asked. “Just… why?!?” Her boyfriend gave her a little smile.
“Because,” he boomed proudly. “Love binds heart!” For the first time since yesterday, Kat broke down into giggling. Alfie gave her a rather confused look on his face.
“What?” he asked. Kat gave him a little smile.
“That just sounded so lame,” she said. Her boyfriend shrugged at her.
“What?” he asked. “It’s true!”