Okay guys! I’ve disabled the anonymous reviews. Sorry if this inconveniences any of you but I don’t really care because I’m not going to let history repeat itself. Honestly, if it does I’m going to be beyond pissed. Some of you know the history of this story, others don’t and it always amazed me how, no matter what, some people are just assholes. So! Yeah, enjoy this chapter, review or don’t but I ask that people only review if they genuinely want to.

Oh, and a short note on reviews… traditionally reviews are meant to give input to the writer. You know, things like “Hey, great story! I really like…” or “So… I read this and it just wasn’t my thing. This is why…”. They’re not meant for popularity, or flames. Frankly… nothing makes me angrier than flames because what’s the point? Thank you to all of you out there who genuinely take their time to write reviews.

Say Goodbye

Sex. Such a small word should never have such meaning in it but it does. Why is it that some nations shun it and others admire it? When did such a natural occurrence turn into a controversial ritual? Derrick sat on his bed pondering such questions when he heard a noise in the living room. It had only been a day since she and Derrick had shared their sentiments and first kiss and so far, she hadn’t let him forget it.

Standing he crept to his door, lightly cracking it open to see Peruru moving through the living room, towards the bedrooms. He walked casually but Derrick felt his defenses flare. Peruru was in their cabin, quietly stalking around, and now walking towards the bedrooms.

Taking a deep breath he opened the door causing Peruru to stop in his tracks. “What are you doing here Peruru?” Derrick stepped out of his room and moved towards Seriah’s door as if to protect her. Peruru seemed to loosen and smiled.

“Why are you so concerned?” The ghost-like teen asked slyly and stepped towards the door. “Besides, I can do what I want, you couldn’t stop me if you wanted to.” Those words, spoken so casually, scared the hell out of the young man standing in front of his cousin’s door. “Just step aside Derrick, my business is not with you.”

“Make me!” Derrick, against his better judgment, stood in front of the door protectively and glared at the pale freak in front of him. Smiling, Peruru shrugged then advanced on Derrick, walking purposefully. Each step taken was carefully calculated making Derrick wonder if this was a good idea. “What do you want?” He finally asked as Peruru reached him.

“Nothing much.” Peruru’s tone was calm as he put his hand on Derrick’s shoulder. “Just move out of my way so I can talk to her will you?” Derrick shook his head. If Peruru wanted to talk to Seriah then he would have knocked on the front door. Not snuck in at two in the morning. “Move or I’ll force you to.” Peruru waited for a few seconds, waiting for Derrick to show some resolve. “Fine, make this difficult.”

Before Derrick realized what was happening he found his front being pressed into a wall with Peruru holding his arms painfully behind him. “Ow! What the hell?” Derrick shouted then quieted as Seriah opened her door and stared at the two young men with shock in her eyes. “Run Seriah! R…” Peruru slammed his elbow into the back of Derrick’s neck causing him to fall to the ground while Peruru rushed to Seriah and grabbed her forcefully, placing his hand around her mouth to prevent her from screaming.

“I’m not going to hurt you.” The pale teen whispered softly into Seriah’s ear. “I’m here to tell you to do something. Will you scream if I let you go?” She shook her head from side to side, staring at Derrick as he slowly began to stand. “Okay…” Peruru released her, allowing the girl to move to Derrick and help him up. “I have something I need to tell you…”

Seiya admired her from the doorway of his bedroom. The day they had returned from dropping the kids off he’d taken Serena home, and shackled her to the bed. She hadn’t left since and he loved it. It was so nice not to have to worry about others in the house that would try and stop him from treating her like this. Stepping into the room he peeled his shirt off, throwing it onto the floor before moving to the bed. “Hey sweet face. How are you feeling today?” He grinned and grabbed her bruised face, forcing her to look at him. “I asked you a question.”

“I heard you.” She whispered and looked up at the ceiling. She didn’t want t look at him any more, she wanted to leave him, to run away. She couldn’t leave the kids though. With the way he’d been brought up she especially didn’t trust him with Seriah.

“Then, you refuse to answer?” He squeezed her jaw tighter until she felt as if he might crush it. “You like being difficult don’t you?” He laughed and released her choosing instead to gaze at her. “Serena… will you please play along with me? I miss you being playful.”

“I miss you being nice… what happened to you Seiya? Why are you doing this to me?” His face grew blank and his eyes cold as he moved his face closer to hers. She could see the utter amusement in his eyes as he opened his mouth to respond.

“It’s revenge Serena. You left me, spent years with another man, even after he was gone you didn’t come back to me. No, you had to lose your precious brother in order to even think of me.” He sneered at her. “I gave you my heart and you stomped on it. So, you tell me why I do this.”

“Because… you’re sick Seiya… please… get some help. I don’t want to live like this anymore.” She wanted to cry but refused to give him the satisfaction. She wouldn’t let him see her cry, not now, not ever.

“Then stop trying to fight against me! Stop trying to bring Darien into your life! I will stop treating you like this when you stop treating me like a flea-ridden dog!” The way he hissed into her ear made her wince.

“I can’t… I won’t let him go. He was my brother, my life…” Seiya seemed to roar as he marched to the door and threw it open leaving her alone. She shook as she realized why he’d left the room and began to pull at her bindings. He kept them tight because he knew she could escape them if she really tried. Examining the cuffs she realized that, in order to get out she’d have to break her hand. Then again, a broken hand was far better then what Seiya was going to do when he got back.

She desperately tried to pull her hands through the cuffs, as a result the metal cut into her skin releasing a nice flow of blood. “Serena… give it up you know better.” Seiya growled from the doorway. “You’ve gone and bloodied your wrists.” He tilted his head to the side then laughed. “One last chance Serena. Tell me you’re going to stop your games. Tell me that you’ll throw away those pictures and get rid of that piano.” She shook her head then stopped moving. She’d enraged him to the point of no return and now, she was just hoping to make it through the night. “I am your fucking life now Serena!” He flicked his wrist letting the long leather tale of a whip fall to the ground. “Last chance.” He’d never hurt her as severely as he was about to and for a moment she wondered if he was rethinking his actions. “I don’t want to do this… just do as I say.”

“No.” I whispered and closed my eyes to wait for the first lash of the whip. It would undoubtedly hurt but she was ready, so very ready to die it almost hurt to live. After she was gone Derrick could go live with his grandparents and Seriah, well, she only hoped Seriah didn’t suffer the same fate she was about to.

“You give me no other choice then Serena…” Seiya gripped the whip, raising it in the air and readying himself to truly beat his wife. The first lash was always the hardest for him, and as he snapped his arm the whip flew through the air, then connected with the flawless skin of Serena’s thighs. To his surprise she didn’t scream like he thought she would; she only bit her lip and squeezed her eyes shut as her split thighs began to bleed. Seiya pulled the whip back and readied for another lash when the phone rang. Growling he grabbed it and held the object to his ear. “Yes?”

“Daddy?” Seriah’s voice hit his ears making him lower the whip and look at his wife cautiously. “Are you still there?”

“Yes honey. I’m still here… what’s the matter? Are you okay? Everything going well? Why are you calling me?” His questions were a welcome change to the threats he’d been shouting all day and night. “Seriah, what’s going on?” Serena watched Seiya’s face change from angry, to worried, then to determination. “Put him on the phone.” His tone was short and seemed to cut through the air. “Who the fuck are you?” Serena’s eyes widened as Seiya’s eyes immediately swung to hers and he closed his eyes. “Really? Why should I trust you? How do I know it’s not some trap?” He was silent for a while longer before he snorted and hung up the phone. A sudden flick of his wrist found the whip snapping against her thighs again as he growled. “I’m going to get the kids.” He finally said and released her cuffs. “Clean yourself up, lock all the doors and windows. I need to go and get the kids.”

“What’s going on Seiya? Are they hurt? TELL ME!” She shouted and grabbed him roughly smearing the blood from her wrists onto his chest.

“Fine, Diamond’s resurfaced and brought with him a son named Peruru. I bet this little bastard knows where to find both his father and his uncle…” Seiya then seemed to think deeply about something. “Anyway’s I’m going to go and get the kids.” Seiya turned on his heels and walked out of the room leaving her alone so that she could attempt to bandage herself in a way the kids wouldn’t notice.

Peruru sat by the door with Derrick as Seriah slept in the bed. The two teenage boys had been sitting in silence, neither wanting to talk with the other. “So… why is your dad after Seiya?” Derrick finally ventured making Peruru sigh.

“My dad hates him because he used to be the top CIA agent until Seiya appeared. Sapphire, my uncle thought Seiya was the next legend, the next double o seven if you will… anyways… dad got jealous because Sapphire showed Seiya everything he knew. Seiya was just too good though. So, when Seiya wouldn’t leave your aunt Sapphire asked my dad to kidnap her. He did but when Seiya came to get her… dad lost the fight. It was humiliating.” Peruru sighed. “He went into hiding then… that’s where he met my mom. She died giving birth to myself and my twin brother… dad didn’t want both of us so he kept me and sent Helios away somewhere… I don’t know where… anyways, so yeah. That’s why my dad hates Seiya.”

“Oh… okay then… what happened to your uncle?” Derrick couldn’t help but ask the question. He was just too curious.

“Seiya betrayed him. He attempted to kill him so Sapphire also went into hiding… but… he won’t stay there much longer. Seiya’s reign will end soon because… Sapphire has a secret weapon now. It was really strange actually. Sapphire called dad one day to tell him that you two were going to camp and that we could use you to draw Seiya here… That’s fine but I don’t want you guys getting hurt. That’s why I asked Seriah to call Seiya. I won’t let dad win this… not that way.” Peruru sighed. “He’ll kill me for this most likely.” Derrick paled and wondered how any father could kill his son.

The sound of the cabin door opening made the two teens jump up and look at the door. Peruru opened it slightly then sighed and pulled it open the rest of the way. Seiya stood in the living room looking at Peruru cautiously then looked at Derrick. “Let’s go.” Derrick nodded and turned to wake Seriah who sleepily blinked her eyes.

“Come on Riah.” He held her hand, helping her up then walking into the living room still holding her hand. Seiya’s eyes immediately locked onto them and growled internally.

He didn’t really mind the two holding hands. Handholding was innocent enough for him; Just as long as it didn’t graduate into something more. “Peruru, I don’t know how you turned out to be such a decent person with all the nut jobs around you but… I applaud you for that.” Peruru nodded, a humble smile stretching his face. “If you ever need me, just give me a ring.” Seiya grabbed the kids’ bags and walked out of the cabin with them close in tow. They walked to the car where he put the bags in the trunk and stepped to the driver’s side door, watching the teens as they moved for the back seat. The two got into the car, both silent as a mute, then buckled themselves it. That’s when Seriah leaned her head onto Derrick’s shoulder, content and ready to go to sleep.

The entire car ride home Seiya watched Seriah and Derrick carefully and came to the conclusion, that, history was certainly beginning its repetition. He could see it in the way Seriah was so damned comfortable with Derrick. It wasn’t until Derrick leaned his head onto hers that Seiya felt the need to do something. Pulling over to the side of the road he turned and looked at the teenage boy with anger in his eyes. “What?” Derrick looked at him wondering if this was the beginning of what Andrew had called “a tyrade”.

“Up front. Now.” The icy eyed man hissed making Derrick shrug and remove himself from Seriah who promptly whined. “Seriah, just lay down will you?” She cringed at how cold her father sounded. Derrick got into the front seat with barely enough time to buckle his seat belt before Seiya pulled back onto the road. “Fucking kids.” Seiya muttered under his breath and eyed the boy he’d “raised” as his son. “Get some sleep, Serena’s going to freak out when she sees you. She’s going to want to look you both over carefully.”

Sure enough, the moment they pulled into the driveway Serena rushed from the house and grabbed both teens, pulling them into a protective hug. “You’re both okay? That son of a bitch didn’t touch either of you right?” She looked each teen over then looked at Derrick who had a strange glint to his eyes. “Someone hit you.” She moved to him and circled him seeing the bruise Peruru had left on the back of his neck. “Seiya! Someone hit him!” She hugged Derrick tightly and looked at her husband who was glaring at the boy. “What? What’s wrong? Why are you looking at him like that?”

“I’m not sure yet.” Seiya mused and turned to go into the house. Once he was out of sight she turned Derrick to face her and stared into his eyes then looked at her daughter.

“Oh… my…” She looked towards the house. “So, we have a romance do we?” She whispered as the two nodded. Seriah grabbed Derrick’s hand. “Please, not around Seiya. He’ll…. I don’t know what he’d do.” Derrick shrugged and walked into the house pulling Seriah upstairs.

“Go to bed now okay?” He whispered and gently kissed her lips before parting with her and going to his room. Seriah smiled and followed him, standing by the door as he crawled into his bed. “You can sleep here just, don’t molest me.”

“I won’t.” She sighed and crawled into the bed next to him. While, in the hallway Seiya stood silently seething. They hadn’t seen him standing there as they’d kissed but he sure as hell had seen them.

That little bastard! He’s just like his fucking father! Not my little girl, no way in fucking hell am I going to let that happen! He stormed downstairs to his office, throwing the door open violently as he trudged to his phone. He had to do something about this before it was too late. Then it occurred to him, this was Serena’s thought. By constantly romanticizing about Darien then attempting to transform Derrick into him… Seriah had no choice but to fall for an illusion of what Serena said was “perfect”. He grabbed the phone and dialed a number. “You want to be like your dad you’ll fucking wind up like him you little prick.” He’d had it, he’d rid the house of Darien once and for all. “Hey, I need a pick up here in two hours or so.” He said menacingly into the receiver then slammed the phone down and marched into the kitchen to grab a garbage bag.

“What are you doing?” Serena asked, now alarmed as he marched to the mantle where the largest picture of Darien sat. He grabbed it and violently smashed the glass against the fireplace, causing a cascade of broken shards to little the floor. “SEIYA!” She screamed and jumped to her feet. “Don’t!” She rushed to him, trying to grab the bag and save the remnants of Darien. “Please don’t take him from me!” She screamed desperately only to be thrown down and into the glass. “SEIYA!” He continued, walking around the house and smashing each photo before shoving it into the garbage bag. Between him smashing photos and Serena chasing after him crying in despair the house was full of noise thus waking the two teens.

“What’s going on Ricky?” Seriah held onto his torso as he sat up and looked at the door. The two stood and stepped into the hall just as Serena screamed bloody murder. “Mom!” Seriah ran down the hall and stopped short at the top of the stairs. In the living room Seiya stood with a sledgehammer in his hands, in front of the piano. Serena had draped herself over it and was crying, trying desperately to plead with the crazed man. “Mom! Daddy!” She rushed down the stairs, Derrick following closely. “What’s going on?”

“No more. I’m done. This ends today Serena! Now, move or I swear I’ll smash you along with it!” Seiya was glaring at his wife dangerously. “I said MOVE!” Derrick rushed to Serena, pulling her away from the beautiful grand piano just as Seiya slammed the sledgehammer down, sending a loud crack through the house. Serena and the kids watched in horror as Seiya continued to obliterate the piano, blow after blow until it existed as a pile of rubble. Serena was hysterically crying on the ground.

Throwing the sledgehammer down Seiya grabbed large pieces out of the rubble and dragged it outside to the back yard. He continued to drag, piece after piece until a large pile was made which he promptly topped off with the bag of Darien’s photos. Serena rushed to the pile and, ignoring the jagged edges that pierced her skin, she lay on it. “STOP!” She shouted pathetically.

Seiya only smirked and turned around to return to the house. It wasn’t over, everyone knew that much. Finally he returned carrying a large gas can. “Serena, get away from there.” He began to pour the gasoline over the pile, including her. He then stood back and held up a match. “Don’t make me do this to you.”

“Please Seiya… I wish you would.” She closed her eyes and lay her head on her arm making Seiya’s mouth twitch. “Just do it already… I don’t care.”

“Serena… no!” Derrick rushed to her, wrestling with her to try and pull her from the pile. “Please don’t…” He felt tears in his eyes. “You’re all I have.” He whispered, pulling her out of her sobs. She looked at him, her make up smudged enough for him to see the dark bruises on her face. He felt himself grow angry. “You!” He turned on Seiya who was smiling sadistically. “How can you do this to a woman you claim to love?”

“You are just like your father aren’t you?” Serena jumped up, her gasoline soaked body latched onto Derrick’s in a protective hug as she moved away from the pile. “Certainly is.” Seiya laughed, lit a match then threw it onto the pile engulfing it in flames. “I assume you know what I’m going to do next… you would be latching onto him so tightly otherwise.” Seiya stepped towards them while Seriah stared in terror.

“No… you’re not. You won’t touch him! You can do what you want with me, I’ve taken your abuse for so long I’m numb to it but not him. He’s only a boy!” She screamed angrily and held him tighter. “I swear to God I’ll hurt you if you take him from me. You CAN’T!” Derrick suddenly realized what Andrew had meant. In order to help Serena, he had to be away from her so that Seiya couldn’t use him as leverage.

“Let me go.” He said softly and looked into Seiya’s furious eyes. “You can’t get out unless I leave.” She looked at him sadly then released his strong frame. “Do what you will with me Seiya. I really don’t give a shit.”

“Daddy! What are you doing?” Seriah asked, finally finding a voice as her father grabbed Derrick violently. “Daddy? Wait!” She shouted chasing after them. Seiya drug him through the house, silently, the out the front door where a large black van was waiting. “RICKY!” Seriah screamed as Seiya stabbed him in the neck with a syringe rendering him immediately limp.

“Here, you know where to take him.” Seiya shoved his body into the hands of two large goons who hauled him into the van nodding to acknowledge his order. Seiya grabbed Seriah as the van began to drive away. “You’re never going to see him again understand me young lady?” Seriah turned from him and ran to the house, passing her mother who was now bleeding from the injuries the glass and piano had caused. “If you ever say his name again… you’ll regret it.” He hissed and drug his wife into the house.