Omi came down to the mission room to find them all quietly waiting for him.

"Omi?"

"It's-- done. Takatori Hirofumi is dead." He told them in a dead voice.

"Omi, come over here and sit down." Aya told him softly though he didn't turn around to look at him as he stood on the stairs. Aya was still seated with his arms around his knees, staring at his wrists.

The boy blinked in surprise to see Aya in that position. But he complied and walked over to take one of the remaining seats around the coffee table.

"Omi--" Aya still didn't uncurl from his position or look up. "Now-- that you have some idea of your past, have your memories returned?"

"My memories?"

"Of your time with your family before the kidnapping of Takatori Mamoru."

"I am Tsukiyono Omi!" He snarled defensively. "Takatori is not my family."

"I don't believe that Takatori Reiji is your Otosan, Omi."

"Huh?"

"I know-- that Takatori Reiji used to love his sons. And he loved his youngest son, Mamoru most of all." Aya uncurled himself and rested his arms on his knees as he finally looked at Omi. "Ten years ago, something changed that. Something that made him reject this youngest boy as his son. Perhaps-- it was because you were not the son of Takatori Reiji."

Ken and Youji were staring between Aya and Omi in confusion. Aya regarded Omi calmly.

"I-- I don't-- I don't--" Omi was starting to tremble.

Aya rose to his feet and reached out to grip Omi about his arms. "Remember, Omi. This is for your own good. Remember, so that you can move on."

Omi's teeth started to chatter as he fought an internal battle within himself. His memories flooded back into him. "He-- he called her a whore. Said-- said I was not his-- I was-- he was grabbing me-- I didn't-- didn't like it-- He frightened me."

Aya pulled him into a gentle hug when he stopped speaking. "So you ran away?"

Tears escaped Omi's eyes in torrents. "Yes-- Oh god-- oh god-- My Chichi was-- was-- molesting me-- so I-- I ran away-- straight-- into the arms of those-- kidnappers-- "

"Shit--" Ken cursed under his breath. "That-- bastard. And that's why you couldn't remember your past. You were blocking memories of-- Bastard!"

"Oh god, Aya-kun." Omi clutched at the shirt he was pressed against.

"It's okay, Omi. He can't hurt you now." Aya told Omi soothingly as he let the boy cry in his arms. "He isn't your Otosan, Omi. You are not a Takatori."

It was some moments before Omi could get himself under control again enough to stop crying. "Aya-kun, thank you. I'm all right now." Aya released the younger boy and let him take a few steps away.

"Aya?" Youji cocked his head towards him in curiosity. "How-- did you know about Takatori Reiji and his sons?"

Aya had to take a deep breath before he answered. "I-- was Takatori Mamoru's whipping boy."

"Whip--?" Ken's eyes widened to their physical limits in shock as recognition of the term's use came to him.

"Over ten years ago-- to save my Chichi's business and-- to spare Mamoru from the attentions of his Otosan-- I let Takatori Reiji take me as his lover." Peripherally, Aya could sense that Youji and Ken had come flying to their feet now. He couldn't look at any of them as he talked. "That is why I know he used to love his youngest son. He claimed that it was a lesser sin to use me, rather than commit incest with his son."

"Aya-kun--?" Omi stared at him in alarm as he started to tremble again, new tears of horror spilling from his eyes.

"After you were gone, he continued to take advantage of me because he claimed he like me-- and that I would carry on helping my Chichi that way." Aya went on as he stared at his feet. He noted that his face neither felt flushed red with embarrassment and shame, nor was it white with fright or anxiety. He felt as if he was in a sea of calm as he spoke. Finally finding release in sharing his secrets at last, instead of hiding like he had done for the last 10 years. It felt good to, so to speak, 'lay the cards on the table'.

"My Chichi only found out when I was 17. He-- he tried to free me. Our family was going to leave Japan but Takatori found him out and arranged an accident. He thought-- he thought that left alone I would cling to him since I had no one else. I refused-- he-- he left me for dead and Kritiker found me later."

"Aya--" Omi stumbled forward to take one of his hands. "Aya-kun-- I'm-- I'm sorry-- I-- it's my fault-- I--"

"I hated you then." Aya looked kindly into the younger boy's tear-filled eyes. "But I was wrong to feel that way about you, Omi. It is *not* your fault. I cannot blame you for the sickness within Takatori Reiji. You didn't know. And there was nothing you could have done anyway had you known."

"Aya-kun--" Omi pulled slightly on the hand he held. Aya sank to his knees and let Omi take him in his arms. Giving him comfort in the same way he had earlier offered it to Omi.

"I'm glad you managed to escape him, Omi." Aya murmured against him. "I would never wish-- what Takatori had done to me on another person. He is not your Otosan. I don't believe that you have any blood relation with him, so you cannot claim guilt by association. This is my cross to bear, not yours."

"Aya-kun--"

"I don't hate you, Tsukiyono Omi. What problems I have-- is only between Takatori Reiji and me."

"Aya, *don't* think of it that way."

Aya looked up from where he had been leaning his head on Omi's shoulder to see Youji approaching them.

"You are not alone in this. This isn't a vendetta between Takatori and you. We care about you and Omi, and this-- he hurt you." Youji knelt down beside them and rested a hand on his shoulder.

Aya felt the chill start within him at this gesture. Previous words of assurance that were once spoken to him surfaced in his mind again. //"It's okay, Ran. We're not going to hurt you-- We just want to help. We're not going to hurt you--"//

"We will bring him to justice, Aya." Ken moved to kneel on his other side. "We'll give you and Omi our solemn vow. We will meet justice on to Takatori Reiji."

Aya started to stiffen as fear wrapped its fingers around him again. //"We will leave Japan, Ran. I will take you away from him."//

"You are not fighting alone, Aya-kun." Omi murmured to him gently. "You don't have to face this on your own when we're here for you."

The wave of panic crested over him. "No!" Aya flung himself away from them violently and scrambled backwards. "No, you can't be involved in this! It is between Takatori and me *alone*!"

"Aya-kun--? Wait we--" Omi stared at him in surprise from where he had fallen after Aya pushed him away.

"You don't understand. " Aya knew the terror that filled him was clear in his voice. "They died! They all died! Everyone who ever knew-- and who have tried to help me. They all *died*!"

"Aya." Youji's hands were in front of him in a placating gesture. "We won't--"

"Three teachers and their families commit suicide-- two of my team mates took their own lives-- my parents-- Shion-- It was all my fault!" Fresh tears welled up in his eyes. "They died because they were in the way-- because they tried to help me to fight back." Aya backed away from them towards the stairs. "The school tennis team suffered abuse-- One of my sempai had to be institutionalised-- I'm sorry. I'm sorry-- I forgot! I don't want-- I didn't want-- never wanted anyone to get hurt... Don't-- don't get involved in my affairs."

"Wait, Aya--"

"Stay away from me!"

"Aya!"

"Aya-kun!

He fled up the stairs and ran back to his apartment, refusing to answer their calls.

Joining his first team in Sendai was-- difficult. The four men were much older than he was, making Ran almost instantly distrustful. He was fortunate that they were patient with him. Having sensed the deep pain within him, they worked with him carefully, eventually gaining his trust.

"Ran, you've become rather-- proficient, I see."

Ran took his eyes off the Ikebana arrangement before him and turned towards Shion as the older man came closer.

"It-- cries, Ran. Quite masterful, but--" The man drew a hand over one of the long leaves of the Ikebana arrangement thoughtfully before he looked towards Ran again. "You'll only harm yourself if you continue to dwell on your pain. Ran, it shows in everything that you do. Especially this."

"No emotions... You don't know what you ask of me, Shion. My-- reason for living--"

"Ran, if you allow your feelings to colour every thing you do..." Shion interrupted him. Ran barely stopped himself from flinching as the man's hand reached out to rest over his. "Vengeance brings no rewards. It only clouds your mind, makes you act in haste... Lay it to rest, Ran. It is the only way you can be free."

"Still my heart-- throw away my feelings-- I don't know if I can, Shion."

"Ran-kun, put away your desire for revenge." He turned in the direction of the second voice to see Kikyou approaching them and stepping up to him to take his hand. "It does not fit the gentleness of your character. It is killing you."

"How can you kill something that is already dead?"

"Train my abilities... no, not my abilities... what I should train... is not my abilities!"

Ran was aware of Erika staring at him in alarm and confusion as he cried and laughed to find himself alone again. Shion, Kikyou-- all dead-- His curse once more struck down those who he was close to and who tried to help him.

//"No emotions."// He thought he suddenly understood what Shion had said to him.

[End Flashback]

He let his heart turn to stone, unfeeling and unreachable. He swore never to let anyone get close to him again. To protect anyone who he might love, he would push them away first. He had tried not to care but he had failed.

He had walked out on Weiß, intending to finish his business with Takatori Reiji on his own, only to be confronted by Crawford and Farfarello. Aya had been fortunate that Persia was kind enough to snatch him from Schwartz and take him along in his mission of mercy to help his comrades after they had fallen into a trap.

"Aya, Weiß--"

"I will not let them be slaughtered." Aya accepted the machine gun from a grinning Manx and prepared to step out of the sedan to climb on the roof. A long time ago, he had been powerless to save his loved ones. Now he had a chance to intervene and this time, he wasn't going to lose them. Aya was determined that his friends would not die.

"Aya-- Ran?"

Hearing himself addressed by a name he hadn't heard in nearly two years, Aya turned to look at the former Police Commissioner, Takatori Shuuichi.

"For what it's worth--" The man looked down in shame before he raised his head again to look into his eyes. "I'm sorry."

"What do you expect me to say to that, Persia?" Aya's eyes hardened at the apology. "The pain doesn't ease with just a word. And-- I cannot feel grateful for how you guided my development after I left your Oniisan."

"Believe me, I understand. What ever I tried... it can never make up for what my silence cost you. I know that-- but I still felt-- that it must be said."

Aya nodded to him and climbed on the roof of the car. He readied the machine gun as Persia steered the car into position and prepared for the charge into the battlefield to save the other three members of Weiß.

There seemed little time left to think or brood over past memories. Weiß had joined him, determined to take the fight to Takatori Reiji and bring him down once and for all. Though much of Tokyo was in chaos from the enforcement of martial law, they still managed to evade the SDF guards and get into the building. The real challenge, however, still lay ahead with Schwartz.

As luck would have it, Ran was alone when he came face to face with Crawford and Schuldich. Strangely, neither took up a defensive stance on seeing him.

"Mr. Fujimiya."

With the recent awakening of his past memories-- seeing these two men standing together-- recognition slammed into him.

"Knew you were conscious then. Finally remember us now, heh?" The German smiled at him wryly.

"You-- had green hair once--" Aya looked from one to the other. "You-- you foresaw this. Why--?"

"I am a murderer and an assassin, Mr. Fujimiya." Crawford admitted to him. "My superiors insisted I attend to Mr. Takatori in my training. But I did not-- I am not proud of what he made me do. I-- know no apology can be enough." The American waved him down the hall. "My superiors have decreed that we not interfere."

"On your suggestion?" Aya asked suspiciously.

"Perhaps."

"Don't look a gift horse in the mouth." Schuldich unconsciously reached up to twine a lock of red hair around his finger. "Just go finish what's between you and the old geezer."

Ran paused as he stood before the door to Takatori Reiji's private office. "Schuldich--when you--?"

"Hey, even a bastard like me has limits to his perversions." The German walked away without looking back. "Good luck, boy."

//"Good luck, boy."// Aya remembered Schuldich using those same words in parting when he had green hair. But it felt like he really meant it this time.

"Who are you?"

Aya never thought that Takatori could ever hurt him that acutely again, but he did with that question. He rage within for the man's forgetfulness. "An avenger for one of your victims. The family of Fujimiya."

"Fujimiya? I don't recall--"

Their swords matched and clashed again. Ran was wild with fury. /Nearly eight years! Was it so insignificant to you?/ "You may have forgotten, but I remember it very well!"

The two men whirled around as their swords rang against each other. Aya desperately tried to control himself. Takatori Reiji was in no way a match for him in swordsmanship. Grabbing the decorative katana from his office was a show of desperation. Aya knew he was making amateur mistakes that a better swordsman would have easily taken advantage of. Had Takatori been more skilled with a sword, he would have died five times over since their blades engaged. //"No emotions"// Shion's words were coming back to him.

"Fujimiya--? Fujimi-- Little Orchid?"

Aya froze for a split second to hear that address again before he flung himself out of reach of the slash.

"You've grown." Takatori Reiji's tone became more sure as he faced him. "I've missed you."

"I haven't." Aya gritted his teeth as he charged again.

"Ran! I love you."

"Love?" The shock at that pronouncement made Ran pull up slightly, causing his sword to miss taking off Takatori's head by millimetres. "You dare claim that what you did to me was out of love?!"

"It is the truth! I took no lovers after I had you. I remained celibate once you left--"

"You used me! You left me for dead!" Ran was out of control, swinging his sword wildly in his desire to slash his opponent to shreds.

"That was a mistake! You don't know how much I regretted it. I was angry, Ran!" Sweat poured down Takatori's face as he frantically held off the fevered attack. "I would have made it up to you. I swear I wanted to, but you left for Sendai--"

"I never want you to touch me again!" Ran flung himself back barely avoiding a slash as Takatori's blade got inside his guard.

"You liked it!" The older man protested. "I always made sure you'd feel goo--"

"I *hated* every moment!" Ran hissed between his teeth between panting breaths as he faced the desperate man. "I *never* felt 'good' about anything you did to me. Your lies-- my Chichi-- when he found out-- you lied to me-- He still loved me-- he *still* *loved* me-- your lies kept me-- kept me from going to him sooner--"

"Little Orchid--"

"I *hate* you!" Ran charged but Takatori easily side stepped his wild rush and sent him tumbling.

Ran rolled back on his feet and held his sword before him. He tried to calm his breathing. Not flinching from the fire and heat around him even as a wall of flames separated him and Takatori Reiji. He had made enough mistakes. Only luck and Takatori's meagre skill with the sword allowed Ran to live after his frenzied unrestrained attack. If he had been facing someone who was better with a sword...

//"No emotions."// Shion's words rang in his mind again. Ran emptied his mind of all other thought except for the strike. It had taken the death of his first team to teach him control. He was so close to the consummation of his vengeance, he could not fail now. He would not fail now.

/No emotions-- don't act in haste-- See the strike in your mind-- and move!/ He charged through the wall of flames.

Ran stared at the body at his feet. It was over. His vengeance-- Takatori Reiji was finally dead. But-- Ran started to choke, his mind suddenly flooded with questions and realisations. /I still feel so empty-- so-- What has changed? My imoto is still in a coma. My parents are still dead. Coach Kodashi-- Shion-- His death brought nothing to me. History doesn't change with a death!

/What did I accomplish?! Nothing's changed!/ Ran flung his head back and started to cry and laugh at the same time. "Even with his death, I feel no release! Nothing's changed!"

He twirled Shion's sword in his hand and reversed the blade, resting the sword point over his heart. A length of wire lassoed his wrist before the blade could breach his leather trenchcoat.

"Aya!" Ken caught his other hand before it could reach up to catch the sword and complete the thwarted down stroke.

"Let me go!" Ran tried to struggle free. Bereft of support, Shion's blade clattered to his feet.

"No! That's not the answer, Aya!" Youji yelled as he rushed in to grab Ran's wire entangled hand and kick his sword out of reach.

"I can't take it any more! It hurts!" Through his tears, Ran stared at the two men who were now holding his arms. "I thought killing him-- I thought it would stop the pain. But it doesn't! It still hurts. I want it to stop! I want the pain to end!"

"Aya-- Ran, dying isn't the answer."

"What is?! I endured for my family's security. Then-- Vengeance-- that was the only thing that kept me going. Kept me from-- thinking of the pain. It's over. Takatori Reiji is dead! There's no need for me to go on."

"How about your imotosan?"

"Trust funds-investments--Sakura-chan has the key to my box. It's all there." Ran laughed. "Like it or not, I did learn some things from Takatori Reiji. She's well taken care of. I've squirreled enough money away to keep her hospital bills paid until she dies of old age, if necessary. If she wakes up, then she'll have more money than she can ever think to spend."

"Money is no substitute for an oniisan!"

"You don't understand!" Ran looked at them desperately, still trying to pull free. "I am just a murderer-- a murderer and a whore! She's better off without me. Let me go!"

"No, Ran--"

"Don't you see? He killed me a long time ago." Ran pleaded with them. "Let me finish it! Let me end it!"

"All that bastard did was to make you hide." Youji told him firmly. "He did not kill you!"

"Ran, don't let the bastard win. Don't let him drag you after him into death!" Ken hissed to him urgently. "You don't want to die, Ran."

"Yes, I do!" He struggled to wrench his arms free. "Let me go!"

"Look at this, Ran." Youji forced the sleeve of his leather trench coat down to reveal the scars on his wrist. "Isn't this enough evidence for you that you didn't want to die, even when he was abusing you?"

"What?"

"You've always cut *across* the wrist." Youji told him urgently. "If you were serious you would have cut *down*. This was a cry for attention! You may have flirted with suicide, but deep down you really want to live!"

"Youji's right, Ran. We know you!" Ken joined Youji in his pleas. "If you were determined to die, you would have succeeded in killing yourself *before* we came on the scene!"

He stopped struggling, feeling suddenly confused. "But it-- it hurts. It's been so long-- I can't take the pain anymore. It hurts so bad-- I want it to stop. I want to stop hurting."

"Ran, sometimes it helps to share the pain." Ken told him gently as he shifted his posture so that he could slide an arm around Ran's waist while maintaining a grip on his arm. "We want to help you. Don't turn us away. We care about you."

"By the sound of it, you've spent most of your life living for someone else, Ran." Youji spoke softly pulling his attention towards him as he moved in front of Ran so that they were face to face. "For Mamoru, to spare him from Takatori Reiji's perversions; For your family, to keep them safe and secure; For your imotosan, to revenge her on the one who put her in a coma. Have you ever done anything in your own interest? Have you ever tried to live for yourself?"

"My own--?" Ran blinked at them. "I-- I've-- never thought--"

"Won't you try, Ran? We'll be here for you." Ken whispered to him gently as he hugged Ran closer to him. "You broke the curse remember? We're still alive. You won, Ran. It worked out."

"You're not alone, Ran." Youji kissed his gloved hand and leaned his head against him, forehead to forehead. "We won't give up on you."

"We can't promise that the pain will disappear, but it will lessen over time, Ran. It will be better." Ken told him firmly. "We want to be a part of your life, Ran.

"Persia's dead. Takatori's dead. We don't need to continue to exist as Weiß. That's one chapter of our lives that we can close. It can be a new beginning for you. For us."

"Won't you give us a chance?"

Ran's teeth began to chatter as he closed his eyes and slumped against them in exhaustion. He let himself cry. Dimly aware that the two men had adjusted their positions so they could embrace him between them. Trusting this time that the arms holding him in comfort would not be wrenched away like before.

"Ran?"

He hadn't met his counsellor since that dark day in the hospital so many years ago, but her elation at seeing him again was unmistakable. Ran rubbed his wrists nervously as he sat on the sofa and faced the woman again.

"Are you ready?" She asked him gently.

"Yes-- I-- I guess I'm ready to give it another try, Doctor." Ran took a deep breath before he spoke again. "My-- my name is Fujimiya Ran and-- I was a victim of childhood sexual abuse. I've-- I've held this secret from family and friends for nearly half my life, but I'm not-- I'm not going to hide anymore."

Ran looked to one side at where Ken and Youji were seated on the sofa near him; Where Omi stood leaning against the wall just behind them, waiting now that his turn at speaking with the counsellor was over. They smiled at him reassuringly.

He turned back to face his counsellor. "I-I'm ready to move on-- and-- learn how to be a survivor."

"I'm glad, Ran." She smiled at him warmly.

/And perhaps,/ Ran thought as he felt the faint tugs of an old friend on his lips. /I'll eventually learn how to smile again too./