DAMSEL IN DISTRESS

Kai was only a few steps away when he heard a small shriek, he turned to look at the house where he had left Hilary. It seemed odd to him that she hadn't put any lights on, maybe the power went and that's why she screamed? He stood thinking for a second then he saw something he really didn't like, there was a man in the front garden he looked like he was carrying a radio or something. Kai watched as the stranger walked to a van parked near the front of the house and placed what he was carrying into it. The man then ran back to the house and inside the front door. Kai turned back and stealthily jumped over the fence into Hilary's garden, keeping low he crept up to the front window and looked in.

Hilary was still standing held tightly from behind, her mouth was covered and she stared at the man in front of her, she could hear the other one returning, the one that had taken her mothers stereo out of the house. There were three of them all big, rough looking, and smelt really bad.

Hilary oddly had gotten over her first panic and was now waiting calmly for the ordeal to end. This actually seemed to amuse the man in front of her he watched as she glanced over at the clock wondering how long this was going to be carrying on for.

"Bored are we?" the man asked Hilary nodded slightly her head was still held pretty tightly by the man behind her. "well we don't want that, if you promise not to scream my friend here will let go of your mouth…. Would you like that?" again Hilary nodded. Slowly, cautiously the man holding her removed his hand.

"Thanks!" Hilary said sarcastically "so how did you get in? Back window the basement one, on the left?"

"Yeah!" the man stared at her smiling grimly "you ought to get that fixed"

"I know, ironically enough we're having someone come to look at it tomorrow." The man laughed at this, Hilary smiled and looked up curiously as the third man returned, he walked in and gave her a threatening glare.

"What are we doing about her?"

"Don't know yet," the man Hilary had been talking to got serious "she's seen our faces, it may be dark but she's probably seen enough to give an ID"

"She's just a kid" the man holding Hilary reasoned "how about we just leave her?" the two men in front of Hilary whispered together for a few minutes.

"Alright G let the girl go, and get that TV in the van" Hilary felt herself being released and the man behind her walked around her and picking up the flat screen left the room.

Hilary stared nervously at the two men in front of her, they were looking grim as though they were about to do something they found repellent. Hilary unconsciously took a step back biting her lip nervously, seeing the movement both men came at her with speed, Hilary put her hands up to defend herself and cried out in pain as she felt something sharp graze her hand, it wasn't a bad cut but Hilary was expecting it to be worse, she continued to move away then tripped over something on the floor. Suddenly she was pinned down by one of the men and he covered her mouth with both hands. The other man advanced with his knife ready when suddenly something or should I say someone shot across the room and tackled him to the ground. Hilary took advantage of the surprise and with a quick movement managed to bring her knee up into the groin of the man holding her down.

Kai was on the floor with the man holding the knife, the two of them were wrestling each trying to get the knife pointing at their opponent. Kai was on his back on the floor and the man above him was slowly pressing the knife nearer and nearer, Kai closed his eyes as he made one last ditch effort to push the man off him. There was a grunt and suddenly the man went limp and fell to the side, Kai opened his eyes and saw Hilary standing over him with a heavy lamp in her hand. Kai smiled as he pushed himself up off the floor, Hilary stood frozen looking at the man she had just hit. Kai looked down at the man who had been holding Hilary he was impressed she was obviously a lot stronger than he thought.

"Is he dead?" her voice trembled as she said this, Kai shook his head,

"I doubt it" he leant down and felt the mans pulse it was beating strongly, in the distance he could hear sirens heading their way "he's alive, are you OK?" Hilary was still standing lamp in hand unable to move. "Hilary?" Kai took the lamp from her and sliding an arm around her waist he firmly guided her out of the house.

"Where's the other guy?" Hilary looked around afraid, Kai smiled and pointed to where the man lay out cold on the grass,

"I sorted him out before I came in" Kai walked with Hilary out onto the pavement and soon bright lights and sirens surrounded them. Kai kept his arms around Hilary as the paramedics bound her hand, he was surprised that she made no fuss not even commenting on the pain she must obviously feeling. It was when she laughed that he asked if she was OK wondering if she might be in shock or something.

"Yeah I'm fine, it's just…."

"Just what?"

"Hiro will never let me forget this." Kai laughed as he slipped his arms from her waist, she grinned up at him "I guess I owe you again"

"Owe me?" Kai asked confused

"For saving my life, you always do."

"I will always help you Hilary" Kai looked at her a small smile in his face "but I gotta say, you get into trouble more than anyone I've ever known"

"I know, you just keep on rescuing me." she smiled at him

"Sir we want to take your girlfriend to get a statement now" a female police officer smiled down at the two of them, immediately confusion covered them and they both made stuttering protests

"I'm not...I'm... we're not" Hilary tried to say in a flustered voice

"Yeah we're just...we aren't" Kai continued stuttering

The officer smiled and nodded "I see"

"Thank you for coming!" Hilary smiled as she watched the last customers leaving the restaurant, this was one of her first genuine smiles of the day. She was exhausted, she had come here straight from school as usual only to find that they were going to be severely short staffed. Two of the waitresses were off with the flu and one of the chefs had managed to burn his arm in the fryer. Hilary pulled a chair out from a nearby table and sat down for a moment, she had been on her feet all day and the heels that she was supposed to wear were incredibly painful.

"Hey Hils" next to her the head waitress collapsed onto a chair groaning "I swear once I get the chance I am out of here, I quit"

"Bess doesn't your husband kinda own the place?" Hilary grinned as the woman pretended to suddenly remember that this was true

"Oh yeah! Only one thing for it then, tomorrow morning I'm running off with the milkman."

"Are you indeed?" Hilary turned to find the restaurants owner and head chef standing behind them, he dropped down onto a chair with them looking just as tired as they were. Bess sighed and leant against her husband smiling,

"Yep! He's been asking me to run away with him for years, tomorrow I'm taking him up on it" Hilary watched as Andrew slipped his arms around his wife and hugged her tight.

"No you won't"

"No, lucky for you I hate packing" This couple always made Hilary feel happy and slightly jealous they had known each other since they were children and had gotten married when they were 17 and 19. Twenty five years later they had two sons a restaurant and were still as in love as the day they had got married. Hilary stood to give them some privacy and went to get the mop from the supply cupboard,

"Don't do that!" Hilary turned to find Joe her boss's youngest son standing behind her "I'll clean up you get off home!"

"Are you sure" Hilary said hopefully

"Yeah! You've worked really hard today, here!" Hilary took her tip envelope from Joe and was amazed by the amount in it.

"Are you sure this is right?" Hilary counted carefully there was over 300 in there

"It's been a busy night and people have been generous" Joe smiled "see you tomorrow?"

"Sure, thanks Joe I owe you one" Hilary got her stuff from her locker and left the restaurant.

Once outside she breathed in heavily letting the cold air give her the energy she was going to need to get home.

"Tired?" Hilary gasped and turned, though she couldn't see the speaker the voice was somehow familiar

"Wh….who's there?" she was a little more jumpy today the attack from last night still fresh in her mind. "If you don't tell me I swear I'll kick your ***"

"Now is that anyway to talk to your favourite cousin?" A familiar smiling male walked out of the shadows and opened his arms to her.

"Mac" Hilary ran forward and hugged him close "what are you doing here?"

"The family heard about the burglary, a few of us are here"

"A few?" Hilary sighed "I'm not even gonna ask how many you consider a few, I guess it'll be safe to go home tonight then"

"Well we're all at your friend Tyson's that's where your mother said you'd be. I guess she thought you might take the day off work after what happened"

"I never call in sick" Hilary said proudly "I never have and I probably never will"

"Well when you drop dead at work I'll make sure I mention that in your eulogy" Hilary laughed and slipping her arm around her cousins waist the two of them began to walk home.

Inside the dojo Tyson's front room was beginning to redefine the meaning of the word crowded, over fifteen young men stood or sat talking noisily. Hiro and Tyson were exchanging worried looks it was a good thing that their grandfather wasn't around. The other Blade Breakers had escaped to the safety of the kitchen and were sitting eating dinner with Arelam.

"I had no idea Hilary had such a huge family" Kenny shuddered a little as he said this

"Well I've met her brothers before but the rest of these guys are something else" Max agreed.

"They're being very noisy, if Hilary doesn't get back soon I'm gonna have to ask them to be quiet or Robin will never get any sleep" Arelam carefully removed her chopsticks from Robin's grasp as she said this. She was a little nervous of the men in the other room but she was always brave when her sons welfare was at stake

"Hilary!" In the kitchen they could hear the cry of welcome that announced Hilary's return. Suddenly the noise next door got louder and Tyson and Hiro ran into the kitchen to get away from the family reunion.

"Hilary's back" Tyson announced redundantly, he like the others was incredibly relieved that Hilary had got back, soon the front room would be cleared of the intimidating bunch.

"Alright! Everybody out!" Hilary's commanding voice could be heard clearly over the noise, there was a rumble of footsteps and noisy voices as everyone filed out of the dojo. The kitchen door opened and Hilary stood in the doorway smiling apologetically "sorry, about them!"

"No problem" Hiro lied "what are they all doing here though?"

"They know about last nights events!" Hilary smiled "when there's trouble the 'family' are like a wagon train, they circle round protectively. Especially when it's me."

"Why especially when its you?" Daichi asked curious

"I'm the youngest of the cousins and I'm the only girl!" Hilary shrugged "I think they all get kind of protective. Look I better go I'm working again tomorrow but isn't Saturday the beginning of the next championships?"

"Yeah," Tyson punched the air triumphantly "I am going to kick ***!"

"Tyson!" Ray exclaimed as the boy accidentally knocked his drink across the table causing a mini tidal wave that engulfed Kenny's plate and came dangerously close to damaging the boy's precious lap top. Max swooped down and picked up the computer moving it to safety.

"Whoops sorry!"

"Whoops? SORRY! Tyson why can't you act your age for Gods sake your eighteen now" Kenny stood angrily "Look what you almost did!"

"Well why do you even have that computer at the table? Can't you be without it while your eating?" Tyson snapped

"TYSON!" Hilary yelled "you know that Kenny has been working really hard getting your Dragoon ready for Saturday, apologise now!"

"Sorry Kenny" you could tell Tyson didn't mean it but he knew Hilary was in the right. Kenny merely nodded accepting the apology, Max handed the computer back to his friend with a cheerful grin.

"Right, now I have to go I'll see you all on Saturday. Tyson behave yourself! And Kai can I have a word?" Kai looked up surprised but he stood and followed Hilary out into the front room, she turned to face him blushing slightly "look my cousins and brother want to thank you for last night, and that got me thinking about how I hadn't thanked you myself. So before I take you outside to meet them I just wanted to say thank you for saving my life...again!" without expecting or waiting for a response Hilary turned and led Kai outside, Kai paused as he went through the door in front of him were the fifteen men almost all older than him stood in what looked like a battle formation. He didn't show it but he felt a little nervous.

"Is this him?" Hilary laughed at the look of distaste on her brothers face

"Martin behave, yes this is the one that helped me out. Kai these are my cousins and brothers they wanted to meet you." Kai said nothing as usual but nodded politely acknowledging the introduction.

"Whats with the triangles?" Mac looked at the boys face a little confused.

"Leave it Mac"

"Hi Kai, look we just wanted to thank you for helping Hilary." the others nodded in agreement as Mac came forward, Kai smiled you could definitely tell that these two were related, Mac may have blue eyes but, they had the same hair, face shape and they smiled in almost the exact same way. Mac held out his hand and after a moment Kai took it, they shook hands

"No problem" Kai sounded cold as ever, but he was amused at how Hilary acted the same way with her family as she did with the Blade Breakers.

Suddenly MC Hammers 'U can't touch this' erupted from someone's phone, Hilary laughed as her cousins all began to slide side to side in sync to the music. Kai's eyes widened as the boys all jumped together each move perfectly timed.

"Just in case you were wondering, yes they are crazy, it's hereditary" Hilary told Kai who merely grunted and then curious asked

"How come they all dance so well?"

"Mac and Dante are professional dancers, before they made it properly they used to use us to practice choreography"

"Oh," Kai looked at Mac he had a strong handshake and was quite well built, not exactly how he had ever pictured a professional male dancer. He had always thought of dancing as a sort of girly pastime.

Hilary watched her family and for the first time ever felt a slight sense of embaressment, she shrugged it off "aren't you going to answer the phone?" she called out unsure who the question was aimed at.

"Nah, its just Denzil" one of Hilary cousins came forward and pulled her into the dance, Hilary grinned and fell in beside the boys, all the cousins knew this dance, they had learnt it as a joke to embarrass their eldest cousin at his 21st. Hilary had been six but had learnt it with ease, since then it had become a long standing tradition that as soon as they heard the words 'Can't touch this' they all started up.

"Bye Kai!" laughing harder than ever Hilary and family all danced out of the gate.

Kai watched them go an amused smile on his face, he had always known that Hilary didn't care what the world thought of her, having a family like that he could see why. They were all so free and confident so without cares or trouble, yeah Hilary and her family were definitely crazy.

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