How You Gonna See Me Now

Song By Alice Cooper
Story By Christochi Ishida: The Crown Prince of Hardcore


Dear darling
Surprised to hear from me?
Bet you're sittin' drinkin' coffee
Yawnin' sleepily

……..Jesanae slowly rose from her sleep, her thoughts muddled by sleep and pain.
…….. It was today, the three year anniversary since Yamato had walked out on her.

Just to let you know
I'm gonna be home soon
I'm kinda awkward and afraid
Time has changed your point of view

……..She remembered it perfectly; they had had an enourmous fight when he came home late…again, and he was drunk…again. They had screamed such terrible things at each other, things like "I hate you" and "I hope you die" and other horrible things that no husband and wife should say to each other.
…….. Jesanae fixed herself a cup of strong black coffee, the only thing that seemed to wake her up nowadays. She smiled woefully to herself. Well, the only thing that wakes me up before my little Nakki does…
…….. Suddenly she heard the sound of a key entering the front door's lock. She straightened up, old reflexes stirring, the same reflexes that had helped her work her way to her level ten blackbelt.
…….. The door opened slowly…and he stood there.

How you gonna see me now?
Please don't see me ugly, babe
Cause I know I let you down
In oh, so many ways
How you gonna see me now
Since we've been on our own?
Are you gonna love the man
When the man gets home?

……..Yamato.
…….. For a moment there was silence, then…
…….. "Hello, Matt." Jesanae snapped stiffly.
…….. Yamato shuffled his feet slowly on the welcome mat. "May I come in?"
…….. Jesanae sighed. "Whatever you want be quick about it!"
…….. Yamato slowly stepped into the apartment. "I just wanted—"
…….. "You wanted what?!" Jesanae shouted. "To come the fuck back into MY home and waste MY time with YOUR petty shit excuses!?!"
…….. "Jesse—"
…….. "DON'T YOU DARE CALL ME THAT! YOU CAN CALL ME MS. TEKANI, BASTARD!!!"

Listen darling
Now, I'm heading for the west
Straightened out my head
But my old heart is still a mess

…….."Jesanae, please—"
…….. But before either of them could continue, a small voice said from the hallway, "What's wrong, Mommy?"
…….. Both adults turned to see a small boy stumble into the room. He was barely old enough to walk, with dark black hair and bright blue eyes.
…….. Yamato gasped.
…….. Jesanae turned her dark, cold stare back to him. "Yes Yamato…that's your son."

Yes, I'm worried honey
Guess that's natural though
It's like I'm waiting for a welcome sign
Like a hobo in the snow

……..Yamato felt like the world was pressing down on him. He reached out a trembling hand to touch the boy's forehead. The little boy looked curiously up at him.
…….. "Who's he, Mommy?"
…….. Before Yamato could open his mouth, Jesanae replied sharply, "He's nobody, honey. Just a man who shouldn't be here. He's going soon. Go back to bed, son."
…….. "Okay, Mommy." Before he left, the little boy turned to look at Yamato again. "Please go away and don't hurt my Mommy."
…….. Then he was gone, back to his bedroom.

How you gonna see me now?
Please don't see me ugly, babe
Cause I know I let you down
In oh, so many ways
How you gonna see me now
Since we've been on our own?
Are you gonna love the man
When the man gets home?

……..Yamato gaped at Jesanae. "You won't even let me tell him who I am?"
…….. "No! Never!" Jesanae snapped. " I don't want him to have anything to do with YOU! I never want you around him! I never want you back here again! Now, for the absolute final time, before I vent my rage and put myself in jail for beating you to death, GET THE FUCK OUT OF MY HOME!!!"
…….. Yamato walked towards the door, pausing at the threshold.
…….. "You shouldn't distance yourself from the others anymore."

And just like the first time
We're just strangers again
I might have grown out of style
In the place I've been

……..Jesanae turned a hatful eye towards him. "What are you talking about?"
…….. "You know damn well what I'm talking about!" Yamato snapped. "You think the others are helping me? Lending me money; a place to stay? Guess again, babe!" He laughed, the laugh itself a mere shadow of the former happy cry that once used to leave his mouth. "My own brothers slammed the door in my face, Ken and Davis double-teamed me on the street one day, Yolei slapped me right before Koushiro gave me a black eye…they all hate me now."
…….. "And you deserve their hatred." Jesanae muttered through clenched teeth. "And so much more. But even I have a heart. I won't tell Nakki that his father's a worthless nothing, who refused to work things out when they got tough and instead turned his back on us when we needed him. You left me…at eight and a half months, knowing full well I couldn't work or do anything for myself…I had to trouble the others so much…I had to scrape just to get buy. And now I've finally built a happy home life for my little boy and me. We're happy now, I have a good job that pays the bills and then some, and we don't need YOU ruining everything for us! Now…LEAVE!!!"
…….. Yamato cried. "I'm so sorry, Jesse. But I still love you—"
…….. "Save your bullshit for yourself, Yamato Ishida! After all these years, Jesanae Tekani doesn't want any part of it!"
…….. Yamato sobbed as he ran away from the apartment, leaving his past behind.
…….. Again.

And just like the first time
I'll be shaking inside
When I walk in the door
There'll be no place to hide, ah

……..Christochi came to call on Jesanae later that afternoon. His seven year-old daughter skipped along beside him, happily racing him down the sidewalk.
…….. "Are we almost to Auntie Jesse and Nakki's house, Daddy?" Julia asked.
…….. Christochi smiled down at his little girl. "Yes honey, it's just around the block." To himself, he thought, "That was the first call from Jesse I've gotten in two years. I wonder if something's happened."

How you gonna see me now?
Please don't see me ugly, babe
Cause I feel I let you down
In oh, so many ways

……..Jesanaae opened the door for them.
…….. "Auntie Jesse! I missed you so much!" the little girl cried, jumping into her aunt's open arms.
…….. "Oh, and I missed you too, Julia!" Jesanae said. "Why don't you go play with Nakki in his room?"
…….. "Yay!" The two adults watched Julia run down the hallway. Christochi turned to Jesanae…only to stumble backwards as she threw herself into his arms, sobbing.
…….. "Jesse, what is it? What's wrong?"
…….. "Oh Chris, he came back today!"
…….. Christochi stiffened at the mention of his prodigal twin. "What did HE want?"
…….. "Get this: he wanted to apologize."
…….. "Oh that's rich. Really good of him now to try to make amends!"
…….. Jesanae sobbed. "I've lost him permanently, Chris. Now he's gone forever."
…….. "Good." She looked up at him. "You deserve better than Matt, Jesse. You'll find someone else, or you'll always have your son."
…….. Jesanae smiled through her tears and kissed Christochi softly on the cheek. "Jaina's so lucky to have you…"

How you gonna see me now?
Please don't see me ugly, babe
Cause I know I let you down
In oh, so many ways
How you gonna see me now
Since we've been on our own?
Are you gonna love the man
When the man gets home?

……..Nakki was trying to stack his blocks as high as he was, but they always fell down before he could finish. He stamped his little foot, getting very frustrated.
…….. "Here, let me help you."
…….. Nakki turned around to see a girl come into his room. That's not Mommy… "Who are you?"
…….. The girl giggled. "You don't remember me? Of course not, you were still really little. I'm Julishki, but you can call me Julia. I'm your cousin."
…….. "Really? Neat! Can you help me with my blocks please?"
…….. "Sure."

Yeah-hey-yeah
In oh, so many ways

"Hate is only truly terrible when it hurts and affects those who are innocent."

The End



Back to the Saga
Back to Archives
Back to My Fanfiction
Back to Hikari Roivas's Fanfiction
Back to Guest Fanfiction
Back to Main