So Let Me Get This Straight...(Chpter 22)

He sat back in his office looking out the window of the top floor. He chuckeled with delight.“Wonderful, just wonderful!” He spun around in his leather chair and slammed his hands on the great mahogany desk. He pressed his left index finger on the intercom. “Bring In A bottle of champagne and three glasses, Today we are celebrating!” He took back his hand and crossed his fingers together to create a support for his chin as he supported it by putting his elbows on the desk.“You must be very excited indeed...only 4 months left.”

“I can get my part done by the end of this month, only if you guarantee this is the end.”

Behind the desk he tilted his head to the side letting some long blonde strands of hair fall infront of his face. “Would I lie to you?”

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Leom sat outside thinking, he had a feather in his hand that he was using as a pen. His wings wrapped around him like a blanket and he felt safe as he wrote down his thoughts and everything that was going on around him.

The sky begang to sink into darkness, the moon took over...and the sun died down. Everything that seemed so innocent and sweet was now dark and scary. Alot of things were like that. He no longer believed in the word perfect or happyily ever after. It wasn't even his story that was lost. It was Ryou's story. Maybe that was what got him so mad, that it wasn't his story with the princess. But what was the evil step mother's part in everything? Did Mrs.Iyoko just happen to be there? Who was she talking with on the phone? Whats almost over?

“What...what, what, what, what, what...” He constantly asked himself that question, hoping for someone to answer. It was a foolish thing hope for, no one ever did answer. He couldn't even answer half the questions he wanted to know. Everything was a big jig saw puzzle- all the pieces are there but they are just waiting for someone to put them together-to claim victory.

In the middle of his thoughts, Leom's feathers started to rustle. He figured that a animal must be on the outside trying to figure out what he was so he slowly withdrew his wings.

He was half right to what was there....It was Ryou.

“Writing in your journal again?” Ryou sat down next to Leom and tried getting a glance at the paper to see what “secret” stuff was writen on it.

Leom shuffled to the side. “Yes, you know I think better when I can look back on the facts and thoughts.”

“Pffttt..” Ryou layed back with his hands behind his head. “Journals are for sissy's....” He stared at the clouds. “And also what's there to think over? Everything is obvilously that human girls' fault.”

Leom stood right up and looked down at Ryou, his eyes narrowed (he had practised to get the scary look that Kime had given him the day before). “Don't you DARE talk like that about Suki!”

Ryou supported himself up slightly by resting his arms on an angle behind him. “What are you taking about Leom? I know everything that happened, its pretty obvious that it's her fault and besides why are you taking her side on-”

Leom kneeled down to be at Ryou's eye level. “And tell me Ryou, what exactly do you know? Because you don't know the half of what happened or even whats going on.”

Ryou's ears flickered, he remained calm. “And You do?” He layed back down on the ground staring at the sky waiting for a smart responce from Leom but it never came. “It's weird, usually i wouldn't even be talking to you like this, i'll even admit that lately....I..argh Just NEVER MIND!”

Slowly Leom took his spot on the ground again. “Your acting more human, with emotions.” he slicked his hair back. “It's good for you, to vent things in a different way then just violence.”

They both sat there for awhile. Neither of them said anything but both of them knew what they were thinking. They both knew they agreed and they both knew that they were on different sides.

“I'm going to bed I think.” Ryou jumped up. “I don't know if this will help but its what my father used to tell Kime and I...” He looks down at his collar. “No one promised days without pain, laughter without sorrow, sun without rain, But we all have the strength for the day, comfort for the tears and light for the way.”

Leom looked at Ryou. “Can i ask a question?”

Ryou nodded approving for him to ask.

“I've known you and Kime...for as long as I can remember but, i never learned what happened to your father.”

“...To be honest, I'm not sure, my mother told me that he just died, it was his time.” He scratched his head. “It was after that, that my mother started working and she was changed.”

Leom looked down at his note book and back up and Ryou was on the roof crawling into his bedroom window.

Pitter Patter. Pitter Patter.

Rain started to fall and Leom took one last look at his notes. “Comfort for the tears?...Tears for the comfort...laughter without sorrow...” He repeated words to himself that he couldn't even comprhend, but yet in his mind he felt as if he was making progress. He shut his eyes tightly and within 10 seconds they shot open.

“.........”

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Kaleb leaned in the doorway that lead to the garden. He watched as Suki sat in the only dry spot under a dead cherry blossom tree. He didn't want to look at her but he couldn't help but watch her. He watched her run her hands over her belly. He watched as her damp hair hung infront of her face. He watched as her eyes got droopy. He watched as she.....deteriorated.

A hand placed itself on Kaleb's shoulder. “If you hate her so much, why don't you just rid of her?”

Kaleb shrugged away and he stepped out of the dry door step onto the wet ground. The puddles beneath his feet squished beneath him as he made his way to his soaked maiden. He walked by all the flowers as they glistened in the light of the moon and by the mist of the rain. Suki didn't even raise her head and he walked over. He placed his hand on her head and smoothed her hand and tucked it away from her face.

“Go Inside now..” Those weren't the words he wanted to use but they were the ones that came out.

Suki slowly raised her head and looked at him- she nodded and made her way back to the house.

She stopped to look up at the rain and let it wash over her. “You know my favourite part about being in the rain is...you can't tell if I'm crying..”

He kept the same cold look on his face. She didn't expect a responce from him, she said it because it was appropriate for this moment. As she walked away Kaleb sat where she had.

“Why are you here father?” Kaleb glanced back at his father.

Sven just smiled and tilted his head to the side and smiled as some long wet blond strands of hair fell infront of his face.