trigger warning: homophobic slurs during a flashback, mentions of abuse, slight cursing, and car wrecks

As Nevaeh was dragged in to the house, she contemplated taking her wrist out of the other girls grip and running out of the house. She honestly wanted to go home and lay in her bed, maybe eat a light snack. But as she lightly shook her arm, she realized she had no chance. Gankyō's grip was much to tight, and she had more of a chance popping her arm out of its socket than she did of getting away. Kanashimi led them through the house, past the front room where the memorial had taken place, where Kibō sat on the sofa, and in to a small kitchen. There, she opened the small white refrigerator and pulled out a metal tray. From behind Gankyō's shoulder, Nevaeh looked at the contents laid out on the pan.

It was chocolate, or atleast some of it was. A graham cracker piece was the bottom of the small treat, chocolate resting on top of it, with marshmallows resting on top of that. It looked delicious and Nevaeh's thoughts of getting an apple when she got home, or going home at all, slipped her mind.

"Tachiōjō doesn't want any, and Kibō can't eat all of these," Kanashimi stated softly. She pushed the tray to the girls, who each grabbed one, Nevaeh regaining her wrist from Gankyō. Kanashimi picked one up herself, slowly taking a bite, chewing on the right side of her mouth, something both girls registered. However, only one of them had the courage to ask about it.

"What happened to your mouth, Kana?" Gankyō asked. She noticeably was trying to sound nonchalant, but the slight undertone of anger gave her away.

Kanashimi seemed startled, as if she hadn't even noticed her left cheek was swollen. She sheepishly smiled, her cheeks dusting red. "It's nothing Amara, don't worry about it."

"Your cheeks swollen, it isn't 'nothing'. What happened?" Gankyō said, making air quotes with her fingers when she said the word nothing.

"Um, Kanashimi, it might benefit your cheek if you were to rest an ice pack on it. You really shouldn't even be eating." Nevaeh stated while averting her eyes. She wanted to be helpful, but didn't feel it was her place to be giving a grieving mother advice. Much less advice about something everyone knew about. The more Nevaeh thought her words over, the more likely it seemed that she'd just made a fool of herself. Kanashimi's cheek didn't look very swollen. She'd probably already placed ice on it. Nevaeh outwardly cringed, stopping herself from slapping her palm to her forehead. She debated whether or not it would be a good idea to turn and leave the house. Walk home and forget this ever happened.

Before she could convince herself that turning and running would be the best option out of the ones she'd thought of, Kanashimi laughed. Nevaeh took that as fair evidence that she'd just made a huge mistake, then Kanashimi spoke.

"Your right, silly me, I forgot!" She turned fluidly, growing an inch or two in height as she spun on her toes before lowering herself back down to her regular height. Reaching in she pulled out a plastic bag, the kind used to hold Kibō's sandwhiches for school. It was full of ice. "I put it in earlier, and silly me forgot to take it out and use it!" She laughed gently before pacing it agianst her cheek. She continued to eat, and made small talk with Gankyō, continued to reassure her that she was fine. That nothing was wrong. With her, or her cheek. Gankyō didn't look convinced, but dropped her loudly boiling rage to a soft simer, burning just beneath the surface.

"Okaa-san," Kibo peered into the room, only her head poking around the edge of the door frame.

"Yes, Kibo?" Her mother answered.

"Onee-san needs help." She blushed under Nevaeh's stare and Gankyō's smile. She hadn't seen Gankyō- Onee-chan since the school year had started, and Kibō wasn't sure whether to hug her or run away. So, she decided she'd back away for now and hug her when the other girl wasn't there. The other girl didn't seem to blink. At least, she hadn't when she looked at Kibō. When she'd later remember that unattached stare it would make a shiver run up her spine and her small feet walk a little bit faster. She didn't like it.

Kanashimi put down her treat and icepack before rushing off with her youngest. Now that they were alone, Nevaeh, with her back turned to Gankyō, still facing the now empty doorway, asked something that had been on her mind since she first entered. "Is Kibō truely Kanashimi's daughter? Her hair is blonde naturally, and Tachiōjō's blonde is artificial, isn't it? Kanashimi is a red tinted brunette, and Ikari's hair is black. Put together, it is highly unlikely that they'd be able to produce a child with Kibō's bright blonde hair. If I didn't know any better, I'd have thought she was your sister."

Gankyō chuckled dryly again. She didn't make an effort to have Nevaeh face her as she spoke. "Kana and Ikari are her godparents. Her real parents died in a car crash. Ikari was wanting to drive."

"Ikari you really don't have to drive. I got it," Kibō's mother, Mayu, tried to persuade the man away from the wheel. She could faintly smell alcohol on him, she was worried. Kana had dropped him off at her house after they had had a fight. And although she had claimed that it was only verbal, her black eye and purple wrist made it abundantly clear that it was a physical fight as well. Ikari was always angry about something. Always had a reason to validate his abuse. Always had an excuse. Mayu really counld't stand it. She couldn't see why Kanashimi put up with him.

Mayu had gone through something similar with her ex-husband, Genjiro. Mayu was infertile, unable to bear children, though to be a mother was all that she'd ever wished for. When Genjiro had learned of this, he'd been furious. He started abusing Mayu, although never physically, he was smart. He played his cards well, striking agianst Mayu's insecurities and weaknesses. Making her feel worthless, and that she should feel lucky that he was still with her, for no one could love an infertile woman.

Mayu believed him. She stayed. She felt worthless.

But, no situation is ever without hope.

Mayu's best friend, Kanako, never left her side, not even as Mayu drew into a shell of her former self due to Genjiro's words. Kanako was a few weeks pregnant, due to become a single mother. Her boyfriend of three years had been cheating on her, with the validation that Kanako didn't make him happy anymore. The two had split and when she learned of Mayu's situation by accident she was furious. She called the police and provided them a video she'd taken of Genjiro telling Mayu horrible things and Mayu agreeing. Kanako was appaled at the polices first responce to her report, blatantly ignoring the problem she'd brought up. But she was determined. She took more and more videos. Capturing him yelling at her as Mayu cowered in fear, wondering if this was the day she'd be hit. After months of Kanako not relenting in her quest for justice, the police finally really looked into the videos she'd showed them. Mayu was granted a divorce and from then on lived with Kanako, entering a romantic relationship with her but a month later. Kanako, four and a half months pregnant with her ex-boyfriends daughter, seemed to be refilled with energy when her and Mayu got together.

Mayu proposed three days after Kanako gave birth to her daughter, Kibō, meaning hope, something they'd given to each other. Everyone around them could tell how in love they were. The fact they were the same gender flew out of everyone's minds when they saw how they interacted with each other. They seemed like they were high school sweet hearts. Laughing, blinding smiles taking over their faces. It was a whirlwind of love that niether could have escaped, though neither wanted to escape.

"I got it Mayu, I got it. Kana was exagerating when she said I was drunk," Ikari slurred. He waved her hands away, sitting himself in the front seat, even shakily pulling the seat belt across him, looking at her with raised eyebrows, as if saying, "Happy now?". Kanako looked over from the side door, having finished strapping in Kibō. Tachiōjō, who had stayed at the women's house the night previous sat in the seat next to Kibō, fawning over the young girl. She had stayed at the ladies house to babysit Kibō the night previous, as Mayu and Kanako had gone out on a date and needed someone to watch their daughter. Tachiōjō seemed much to preoccupied  with Kibō to put on her seatbelt, but no one seemed to notice.

After a few minutes of  Ikari trying to convince Mayu and Kanako that he could drive, he finally gave up. Kanako had threatened to throw him out of the seat, and even drunk, he knew she was serious. But they gave him a comprimise, Kanako would drive and Mayu would sit with the kids so that Ikari could sit in the passenger seat. He agreed and they started their drive.

It was goign to be a simple drive. Go to the nearest fast food restaurant and get food for everyone. After that, drop Tachiōjō back off home, and maybe Ikari too. It wouldn't take long, twenty minutes at the absolute most.

But, nothing can be that easy, espescially when alcohol is mixed.

As the group passed through an intersection, Ikari spoke and moved for the first time that ride.

"I could have driven, Kanako!" He exploded, everyone jumped. Then he moved, he reached over, grabbing at the wheel as Kanako fought to shake him off. The car was moving jerkily, Ikari fighting to take Kanako's place as driver. "Faggot, move the hell out of the way! Let me drive!"

The fight continued and Kanako pressed the gas accidentally. The car jerked forward suddenly. The light for them was red, but the other sides light was green. It shouldn't have suprised them when another car plowed into them, but it did suprise them. The car started to flip, the damage would be severe. Every one would be damaged, no one would be able to escape without scars. And little Kibō, so young and soft, might not have been able to survive.

"Protect," that was the only word that ran through Tachiōjō's mind when the car hit them. "Protect," her body, seeming to run on autopilot, curled around the young girls chair, she didn't have control over herself. "Protect," Kibō curled up in Tachiōjō's arms, fully engulfed by the older girls body. "Protect," it ran through her mind, and she could not comprehend anything other than that word. Not even the splitting pain that would engulf her enitre lower half as her legs were crushed.

Kibō would come out with a fear of cars, but unscathed. Tachiōjō would come out of the hospital known as a hero, with her legs becoming useless. Ikari would come out with scars and a broken arm. Kanako and Mayu, wouldn't come out.

"Kibō was adopted by Kana and Ikari, and Ōjō dyed her hair blonde so that Kibō thought that her blonde hair was normal. I don't think Kibō knows that Mayu and Kanako were her parents, I think she remembers them as Kana and Ikari's friends that she used to spend a lot of time with."

"So, does that mean Jin-Onee-Chan isn't really my big sister?"

Neveah opened the eyes she hadn't realized she'd closed. A head of blonde hair stared at her with unblinking emerald eyes.