When the Past Comes Back

Chapter 2

by Kasey Sanada and Madame Ruby

"Let me go!"

"Adrianne!' Nikolas ran over to where Adrianne was screaming, but stopped dead in his tracks when he saw who it was.

Adrianne looked up, fear all over her face. "Nikolas! Get away!" she cried, trying to get away from the guy that was holding onto her.

The guy in question only tightened his grip on Adrianne, leering at Nikolas with an ugly scowl on his face. "Well, fearless leader, long time no see."

Nikolas' hands tightened into fists. "Hiroshi, I'm only going to tell you once to let her go."

"Or what, Nikolas? What will you do to us if we don't?" Nikolas turned and saw a man with red spiky hair and piercing blue eyes walking up to him, smiling coldly.

"Kenji." A low growl escaped from Nikolas. "What the hell do you want?"

"Nikki-kun! Wha's goin' on?" Ken asked, running up to Nikolas' side and tugging at the taller boy's sleeve.

Nikolas looked down at Ken angrily, making the other boy step back slightly, but still not letting go of him. "Ken! I thought I told you to stay back!"

"Well, well, Nikolas. Have a thing for Kens now, do we?"

Nikolas looked back up at Kenji, moving in front of Ken protectively. "Shut up, you bastard."

Kenji pretended to look offended. "Now, is that any way to talk to an old flame?"

Ken looked at the exchange between the two taller boys, confused. This whole thing was beyond him, and he couldn't comprehend why the flame-haired boy had said his previous statement. That would imply that they were in a relationship, wouldn't it? Whining as he clutched at his head, the boy tried to make sense of what was going on. "Nikki-kun, who is he?"

Not answering him, Nikolas continued to glare at Kenji. "Tell me what the hell you want and go."

Hiroshi spoke up, his grip on Adrianne still like iron. "Shouldn't it be obvious, oh fearless leader? We want you back in the gang."

"Gang? Nani? What gang? Nikki-kun, what're they talkin' about? TELL ME RIGHT NOW, NIKOLAS!"

Still having that cold smile on his face, Kenji said, "Yes, Nikolas, tell your girlfriend what we're talking about."

Seeing that Ken was about to snap, Nikolas turn to face him, something unreadable in his expression. "Ken, I... I..."

"Nikolas NO!" Adrianne tried to struggle out of Hiroshi's grip, glaring at Kenji angrily. "Why can't you leave us alone! Nikolas and I aren't going to come back, now get that throught your brain, you asshole!!"

"Why don't you shut up and learn your place?" Hiroshi growled, backhanding the girl that had just escaped his grasp.

"ADRIANNE-CHAN!" Ken cried out, launching himself at Hiroshi, his long hair flying out behind him as he tackled the bulky teenager to the ground, sending a volly of kicks and punches at him.

"Damn you, you stupid girl! Get off me!" Hiroshi yelled, trying to protect his face from Ken's attacks.

"Ken-kun, stop!" Adrianne screamed, a hand to the cheek that was slapped.

"KEN!" Nikolas went over and grabbed the smaller boy, holding him tight.

"LEMME GO, NIKOLAS! HE HURT ADRIANNE-CHAN!"

When Nikolas pulled Ken away, Hiroshi backed away slightly. "Damn, what kind of demon girl did you get involved with, fearless leader?"

"I'M NOT A GIRL, YOU STUPID BASTARD!" Ken screamed, trying to break free of his boyfriend's hold.

"KENICHI! STOP IT NOW!" Everyone stopped moving at the sound of the commanding voice.

"He hurt Adrianne..." Ken whispered, tears starting to fall down his face.

"Oh, and you think that was the first time?" Ken looked over at Kenji, who was walking up to Adrianne. "Believe me, this pretty little thing has been through far worst." He grabbed the back of Adrianne's hair and yanked it back, making her cry out. "Haven't you Adrianne?"

"Kenji, stop it!" Nikolas growled, taking a step forward, but not letting go of Ken.

"Then you better explain to your girlfriend your past..." Kenji suddenly had a pocket knife in his hand and pressed it against Adrianne's neck. "Or I'll add another scar to Adrianne's body." A small whimper escaped Adrianne's mouth.

"I don't care about Nikolas' past! You hurt Adrianne, an' you're gonna PAY!" Ken yelled, twisting free of the taller boy's hold and running towards Kenji.

Kenji pressed the knife closer to Adrianne's neck, until blood started to roll down her neck, making the girl cry out in pain. "Move one more step and I'll slit her throat, you stupid little brat!" he hissed.

Ken stopped dead in his tracks, tensing up in anger and readying himself for an attack on the redhead. "Let her go..." he growled, blowing a few stray bangs from his eyes.

"Shut up, little girl. You shouldn't have gotten involved in a man's fight in the first place, and if you keep it up, you're gonna get hurt worse than that bitch," Hiroshi sneered, standing up and wiping blood from his lip.

Nikolas placed a hand on Ken's shoulder, making him look up. Staring at Kenji evenly, Nikolas said, "What do you want from us?"

"Oh, you should know," Kenji replied, the cold smile returning. "We want our fearless leader back, and we'll do so by any means necessary." He leaned forward towards Adrianne's ear. "And the boys miss our pretty girl here. Remember all the fun times you had with them Adrianne?"

Adrianne squeezed her eyes shut, trying to keep her tears at bay. "Kami-sama, no...."

"I suggest you let her go Kenji, before I decide to do something I won't regret," Nikolas said in a calm, even voice, taking a step forward.

Kenji blinked before grinning. "Well, there's the fearless leader that I know and love." Shoving Adrianne away, he put his knife back in his pocket. "Very well, I'll leave for now, but don't think this is over Nikolas." He smiled before walking away. "It isn't by a long shot."

After Kenji and Hiroshi had left, Nikolas ran over to Adrianne, helping her up. "Are you okay?" he asked softly.

Shaking slightly, Adrianne forced a small smile. "I've been through worse."

Grabbing Nikolas by the shoulders, Ken made the taller boy look at him. Green eyes filled with unshed tears, the auburn haired boy said in a low, threatening voice, "Tell me what's goin' on, Nikolas. I dun wanna ask you again, and I definitely dun wanna see Adrianne-chan get hurt any more."

Nikolas saw the anger in Ken's eyes and knew he couldn't hide the truth anymore. "Adrianne and I.... used to be part of a gang. In fact, I was their leader."

The scowl never left Ken's face as he continued. "An' who was that jerk that I was ready t'kill?"

Nikolas' cheeks filled with shame. "Kenji was my second-in-command.... and my lover."

"... I see," Ken said shortly, turning his back on Nikolas. "An' how come you let him do that to Adrianne? Huh, fearless leader?"

Before Nikolas could reply, Adrianne spoke up softly. "He didn't. Nikolas would never have let them hurt me. They were doing it behind his back. When he walked in on someone hurting me.... he killed him." Tears spilled down her cheeks. "He killed someone to save my life. After that, he left the gang."

"Nikki-kun... I think it's time I brought you over t'my place," Ken said softly, turning back to his boyfriend with a sad, fragile smile on his face.

Chapter 2 finished on November 13, 2004