Kimiko's POV.

"My name is Zack." He said.

"Well my name is Kimiko, bye Zack." I called as I walked back home.

I got home and sighed because the lights were on which means that someone was still up. "Where have you been young lady?" My foster mom asked when I walked in.

"None of your business." I said calmly trying to walk past up into my room. I felt her hand grip my burnt arm and she threw me to the ground. I screamed at the pain as a tear excaped my eye.

"Oh, did that hurt you little brat?!" She yelled at me grabbing my arm again and pulling me up. I gasped again and ripped my arm out of her grasp. "You little... What do you think you're going!!" She yelled at me raising her hand and slapping me across me face and making me fall. She huffed and walked away. I took this moment and run to my room and closed the door. Once the door was shut and locked I slid down to the floor gripping my arm in pain as tears fell from my eyes. Well I now one thing for sure, I'm not sleeping here tonight. Normally I would go to the cave because it is closer, but Zack lives their now so I have somewhere else that is a bit farther away. It's a treehouse in the woods that I made and that no one knows about that I go to when I don't feel safe at home. It is cold but it is better than nothing. I grabbed my book bag and put all the things I would need and climbed threw my window. My feet landed softly on the ground and I ran into the woods.

Zack's POV.

When Kimiko walked to her house I followed her. She seamed lost in thought when she reached her house. She hesitated before entering. As soon as she shut the door I heard some yelling, a scream, and a slap. It took everything that I had to not go inside. I went closer and I could hear crying. I followed the sound and found it coming from a small room. I looked inside to see Kimiko crying, holding her bandaged arm. I growled quietly and ducked back down when she looked up. Their was a bit of shuffling then the window opened, and I quickly hid behind a bush. Kimiko jumped out of the window with a backpack on and landed with a soft thud before taking off into the woods. Following her again she ran past my cave home and up to to a tree house.

Once the door to the treehouse was closed I walked closer to the tree and she started mumbling to her self while she unpacked her bag. Shortly after she entered the treehouse her breathing slowed telling me that she fell asleep. I looked up at the side of the treehouse to find a window. Finding one I opened my wings and flew up to the window looking inside. There I saw Kimiko fast asleep on the floor with nothing except a small pillow and a thin blanket. I sat on the windows edge watching her for a couple of minutes and as I turned to jump back down I heard her teeth start chattering. Looking back I saw that she was shivering uncontrollably. I slowly stepped into the treehouse and looked around to see if there was anything else I could cover her up with, but it was completely bare. I could try using fire but I would have to be carful. I walked up next to her and sat down. As soon as I sat down she scooted a little closer to me. "She must feel my body heat." I thought. I took a deep breath and breath fire out of my mouth slowly warming her up. After a while I started to get tired so I went to a corner to fall asleep.

Time skip

My eyes snapped back open when a heard something walking in the woods. I got up and looked out the window to see a woman that smelled of alcohol with a bottle of what smelled like gasoline. "Kimiko!! You little b*** (sorry for the language) get down here now!!" The woman yelled almost falling on her face. She came up to the tree and opened the trapdoor. I hid in the darkest corner watching the woman. "There you are." She hiccuped opening the bottle of gasoline that she was holding. "This is what you get for being the little brat you are." She said dumping the gas all around. She reached in her pocket and pulled out a match and lighting it before she dropped it causing a fire and leaving.

Once she closed the door I ran over to Kimiko, who was still somehow sleeping. "Kimiko!" I yelled she didn't move, "Come on Kimiko!"I yelled again. I looked back at the fire that was coming close fast. "I can protect her from the fire, but I can't protect her from the smoke." I thought "Looks like I have no other choice, sorry Kimiko." I said. I slowly reached down to her and touched her arm. She yelped and whipped her head in my direction. "What are you doing here, and how did you find me?!" She asked, "Well I sorta followed you home to make sure that you got home safely." I said uneasily. "Why would you care if I am safe or not?" She asked. "Well you are kind of the first person that has ever been my friend." I said.

Suddenly their was a loud pop from behind me causing her to jump. "Umm... what was that Zack?" She asked getting up. I sighed and lowered one of my wings showing her the fire behind.

"What?! When did this happen?!" She yelled over the raging flames.

"I will explain later, you just need to get out of here!" I answered. She started coughing and nodded in response. I turned around towards the fire looking for a way out. "Follow me!" I called looking over my shoulder. I started walking towards the window. Looking back to make sure Kimiko was following me.

I heard a loud cracking sound and the roof of the treehouse came crashing down. Thinking quickly I jumped back nocking Kimiko down protecting her from the falling debris.