Episode 82

"It all started back then"

"Back when?"

"The time he got abducted"

Who is she talking to....

Uh...where am I...my head...

"He's awake!"

What the...don't yell!! My head....

"Natsuro..."

The door opened, she rushed in with her hair fluttering through the air as she moved and slipped smoothly into my arms.

"Ao..i san..."

I whispered as she tightened her grip around me and looked up at me with those crazy blazing blue eyes that I hadn't seen look this way in a long while.

Something about her eyes made me slip my arms around her as tightly as I could.

"I'm sorry...I'm so sorry..." I found myself mumbling as I felt her stiff body relax into my arms.

"I'm sorry...too..." She whispered and moved up towards my face, stealing a kiss. 

Though a sudden realization made me stiffen up again "The baby..??!!" I asked with my heart sinking.

"About that.." She held my hands, even further scaring me, I was literally on verge of tears after guessing the worst that was to come.

"There was no movement for a while..." She barely said it and I broke down into tears

"Hey, hey stop, at least listen first.."

What's there to listen...!!!

I am responsible for this...I couldn't protect my child...because of me...

"Oh my goodness, at least listen to the woman, your baby is just fine"

Alex's voice made me freeze up

What...the kid's fine..?

"Is the baby really..???" I almost sat up holding Aoi's hand, she nodded and I just...

You know..

Grabbed her hair with both my hands

"DID YOU WANT ME TO HAVE A HEARTATTACK YOU CRAZY WOMAN, I  ALMOST THOUGHT I'D LOST OUR CHILD, I WAS ABOUT TO GO MAD!!!"

I yelled at her.

"Damn, I've always wanted to pull her hair like that but she'd never let me" Alex spoke sarcastically.

Thank goodness....thank goodness....

I ended up hugging her tightly again and she gently rubbed up my back.

"I was trying to..but you didn't listen..." She argued with a gentle smile on her face, Alex also passed a smile.

"It was...so scary..."

I spoke to my surprise...

What am I saying....?

"I'm so sorry.." She whispered.

"I was so scared...I waited for you everyday...I couldn't stop thinking if something had happened to you...why didn't you come sooner...I was thinking I'd lost the kid, I was thinking day and night that you'd hate me for losing this kid...or maybe you'd never find me...may be I'll die there without seeing you...I couldn't stop feeling it, I'd been so depressed...I couldn't stop feeling hopeless..why didn't you come for me sooner....I waited..everyday...every time the I heard the door open...I thought she came...I was starting to feel like I'd lost you...I was so scared...."

For some reason I couldn't stop ranting it out. Even though I told myself I'd stay calm if I was able to see her again in this life.... I thought I was stronger now...but maybe...I really am not...

"You're so strong" She whispered and my eyes widened, tearing up, for some reason I couldn't even keep my voice down. I ended up crying without holding back my voice.

Alex got me a box of tissues, placing it next to me.

But nah, I'm cleaning this shit on her clothes for sure, she's the one who made me cry in the first place, so..

"For real though, you've gotten stronger Natsu, you kept calm all these days" Alex also added.

"You're flattering me, I know you wouldn't have even batted an eye if you were in my place" I cried out at this too while hiccupping.

"Eh what, no I'm a bigger cry baby than you, believe me"

He tried to comfort me, sounded quite fake though...

On the other hand I was basically stuck on my crazy woman like a Koala on a tree.

Except the Koala was on bed pulling the tree on top of him.

Just let me cry this one out, I'll be stronger later....

"I'm gonna leave you two, need to check on my brother" Alex said and I suddenly remembered, even my hiccups stopped.

"Lian..." I parted from her "Where's the kid" I asked with a shivering voice as the memories flashed before my eyes.

She sat up and gently brushed her hand against my cheek.

"You saved him"

My lips puckered up on their own and I broke into tears once again

"It was so scary..." I mumbled again whilst crying "He went through so much and I could do nothing...I'm so sorry to him....I'm so sorry"

I pulled her down in a hug again.

"You protected him well, I'm so thankful" Alex said with a gentle expression.

He's so strong....even something like this, he's controlling so well...I can tell from his eyes...how much on the edge he is....

"Ow ow, I'll die" She spoke getting squished in my tight hug.

"You can handle it, be quiet" I told her taking my time to relax my heart

"Where's Father??"

"Ah, Zhuang, he went to pick Kei san and the kids since Akio san bailed on him..." Alex told me, which also reminded me of one other thing.

Why do I vaguely remember dad knocking me out or was it a dream??

"Natsu, I can't breathe" She struggled looking little a puffer fish having her face squished in my chest.

I can ignore her for now

"Are you okay?" I asked Alex and he gave me a nod with a smile.

Liar...

"I'll go check on him, Akio san has been with him, he hasn't woken up yet and Ian can't arrive until the cops are done questioning them" Alex told.

"Which reminds me, I have to go give statement too.." Aoi said and I squished her further in an arm lock.

You're not going anywhere until I'm calm you crazy woman.

Alex took his leave, leaving me and Aoi alone once again.

She lowered down with her head on my stomach.

"I'm sorry to you too" She spoke.

I let go of my tight grip and gently started stroking her hair.

"Aoi..." I whispered and she looked up at me.

"What happened back there?" I asked and it was as if her whole aura changed.

"How much do you remember...?" She asked with that same scary look in her eyes, that I hadn't seen in a long while.

"Eh..well I actually don't remember much after they started fighting...there's a huge gap...maybe it's the trauma...?" I spoke hesitantly.

Though it was true, all I could remember are a few bits and pieces...actually I don't even remember when Aoi even arrived there...it's a total blank, it's as if I was asleep through all of it...

"You don't need to remember any of it" Her tone changed back to normal.

She's lying....she's lying through her teeth....

Should I point it out? Or should I let it be....

"Natsu...in this life, anything I'll ever do is for you....and you only..." She held my hand.

Is that her way of telling me that I should accept things as it is?

I know..

Whatever she does would never be for herself, it's always ..for me...

But is this really okay...?

Ow...

Hey...

Why would you decide to move at this time...

"It moved" Aoi raised her head with almost sparkling eyes, since her head was against my belly.

"Yeah, it did" I spoke sitting up a little and Aoi rested pillows against my back.

"Mama's so sorry to you.." Aoi spoke gently caressing my belly.

"This kiddo almost gave me a shock, it stopped moving at all during those days...that Aiba woman didn't even realize I was expecting, she said my child's probably too weak to not have a presence" I told her and her expression changed

"What do you mean? She couldn't sense it's presence..?" Aoi asked as if it was something unbelievable.

"Yeah, like for an alpha, she should've easily felt my distinct scent, but she didn't" I told her and she gave me that look of disbelief.

"Really!"

"How's that possible...? I can totally feel the pheromones of this kid from far away" She said.

"Huh? But...She totally said that the scent on me was faint, but she did mention sensing a powerful alpha command...like ain't that weird..?" I looked at her, though she gave somewhat of a puzzled look, as if something was bothering her.

"Hey, this alpha command thing, what caused it?" She asked.

"Actually..." Just the thought of it made me want to puke "That Aiba woman seemingly had some grudge against Ian Strauss...so ultimately..."

Ugh this is so nauseating, even talking about it is....

"They tried to put Lian Strauss in heat didn't they..?" She spoke as if she already had her answer, as if she'd figured out something.

"Yeah...it was...." I felt nauseated by simply remembering it.

"What about it, why didn't the boy go in heat then???" She asked yet again.

"I don't know...but they kept saying the injections weren't working as his heat would wear off in less than ten minutes..." I told her "oh yeah" I remembered, she suddenly told me she was more interested in me and that I had something to do with suppressing Lian Strauss's heat"

"No..it's not you.." She spoke "You weren't the one who suppressed it....it's just..."

What's with her, she looks troubled.

"Hey, what are you thinking?" I asked her, being a little irritated as she kept making those faces without explaining them.

"It's just Akio san might be right afterall...." She mumbled.

"Uh about what?" I asked.

"What I had wasn't pheromonal sensitivity...this kid has control..." She mumbled, yet again, not making much sense to me.

"Aoi, just say it, what is bothering you" I barely had much patience. Like damn ya forgot or what? I just had this kidnapping thingy, I need time to make a witty comeback.

"Even..back then...it had control and consciousness...." She mumbled to herself.

I don't know what she wants to say  but we really should stop calling this kid "it', feels like I'm talking about a clown hidden in my food sewer called stomach.

"Well if this kid can suppress and release pheromones depending upon the time and situation, then it's obvious they have control"

I shrugged stating the obvious but she didn't really look pleased about it.

She looked at me as if she realized something.

"Natsu"

"Aoi?"

"I think this kid's been using alpha command on me..."

"Say...what???????"

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"Is he awake?"

"Yeah"

Alex replied as Akio stood up when he entered the ward room.

"Don't worry, it doesn't look like he remembers" Alex replied and Akio's frown relaxed a little.

He'd been really afraid Natsu would be mad at him and so he didn't dare go in the ward he was in. Instead he stayed in with Lian who was still unconscious and hooked up on IVs.

Alex came next to Lian and held the boy's slender little hand with a really mortified look on his face.

"He's gonna be alright..." Akio reached up to Alex's back, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Physically...yeah, mentally..?" Alex mumbled.

They both had enough experiences themselves to know how it was gonna be, there was so way to console through that.

"Lian..." A third voice distracted them.

Ian had opened the door.

He stood there frozen for a few seconds before he blinked and his eyes watered up.

"Lian..." he whispered again with his cracking voice as he saw his little brother looking like a bag of bones being laid on white sheets.

Alex moved forward and took the young guy in his arms. Ian also leaned down to hug Alex tightly as he let himself out.

Alex stood there quietly rubbing up the younger guy's back. He himself couldn't cry but he watched the younger one cry and it gave him at least some relief.

Akio decided to get out to leave the brothers to each other.

Mari was standing outside the door.

They both exchanged a dry glance as they passed one another.

He carried onto the way towards Natsuro's room.

Aoi was just coming out when he reached there.

He looked at Aoi but she avoided his gaze and gave a slight bow of the head before she moved away.

Akio peeked in looking at Natsuro being sound asleep. He entered the room and simply sat next to him, watching him sleep.

Aoi went over to Mari's side.

"Aoi, they're calling you to give statement" Mari told her.

"I'll go" Aoi answered..

"Let Ian come and we'll go together" Mari said since Ian and Mari also didn't finish the procedures as Ian urged he really had to go see his brother.

"Okay" Aoi replied turning away.

"Aoi" Mari called and Aoi looked back from the corner of her eyes.

Her blazing blue orbs had a glint of fiery craziness to them.

Mari looked back at her with quite the surprise on her face. It had been a while Aoi looked at her that way.

"Yeah?"

"Nothing"

Mari whispered and Aoi walked away looking quite distant from the back.

Her expression felt somewhat familiar yet somewhat troubling.

Mari stared at her back while she mumbled to herself.

"You're hiding something aren't you..."

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"It was Aiba????"

Mari asked with a perplexed expression, even Ian couldn't understand that explanation.

The cops were all over the motel, it had been thoroughly sealed. They had called Aoi to take her statement as she apparently arrived during the ongoing slaughter. Same for Mari and Ian.

The whole thing was captured in a mute video that was recorded on the running camera in the room.

The three people in the room fighting to death out of nowhere for some reason and Aiba killing the two betas in the most gruesome possible way.

She didn't stop even after they died.

Aoi got in there just in time as Aiba was having a realization of what she'd done.

Though while Aoi totally ignored her and rushed to untie Natsuro, Aiba escaped taking Lian Strauss with her. Aoi didn't even look back at them.

It was just as soon as Natsuro got untied, he made a run after Aiba and Aoi chased after him as well.

It all happened a few minutes before Mari and Ian came up there

She had Mari call the cops and paramedics as she saw the two entering the building while she was leaving in order to look for Natsuro.

According to her she just found Natsuro in the alley, holding the kid defensively while Aiba had escaped.

The rest was known to everyone.

"Why didn't you chase after Aiba?" Ian clenched his fists.

Aoi remained quiet and Ian got the answer in her silence.

"As long as sensei could be saved..you didn't care about my brother did you!!!?? If it weren't for Sensei, Aiba would've taken my brother and you would have let her!!!" Ian almost came at  Aoi in anger though Mari held him back somehow.

"Calm down" Mari tried to settle him."

"Why'd she let Aiba escape!!! That dangerous b--ch...to my brother..she.." Ian turned to Mari holding her shoulders tightly and lowering his head.

"Lian Strauss" Aoi spoke up "At first I thought I was having pheromonal sensitivity which was draining me out, in reality I was being drained out for his safety..."

"What are you implying?" Ian asked in confusion.

"I'm being hated by my own child" Aoi replied.

"Huh?" Ian couldn't understand a word of what she'd been talking about.

"Aoi" Mari called her name in order to break Aoi's incomprehensible train of thoughts "What exactly happened here? Why did Aiba suddenly go on a killing spree? Why'd Aiba try to escape with Lian Strauss? Where is Aiba?"

Mari asked a whole lot of questions though Aoi only blinked at the last one.

"I have to go" Aoi whispered and walked past them.

Both Ian and Mari watched her leave first.

"What'd she mean by that?" Ian asked but Mari shook her head and only whispered one thing.

"I have a feeling there's more to what we know"

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"You already know I can do anything for him"

She looked away with a painful expression on her face.

"No one should ever know about this..." She spoke turning her face away from Zhuang.

"You don't have to do this again..." Zhuang argued.

She shook her head "That time too...I told you didn't I, he's not someone who can forgive himself...."

She smiled without looking back and took a lighter out of her pocket and lit it up before throwing it over in a pile of wood pieces that were damp in gasoline.

The pile caught fire, flames rose from the burning wood, turning it to ash.

Though, the wood wasn't the only thing that danced in fire.

Something underneath the wood pieces had also caught fire.

"Aoi...."

"Don't worry, if the time ever comes, I'll burn down too without letting a single flame reach up to him..."

"How much do you even love him...."

"Enough to bury his sins in my own conscience"