Chapter 32

A Sky of Stars

Rei could hardly keep her feet on the ground and her head out of the clouds as she walked home from school. It felt like a major weight had lifted from her shoulders, a huge painful knot had untangled in her stomach. Diamond had been expelled. Mrs. Harris had called everyone in (except Darien and Serena as they couldn't seem to be found) and between herself, Mina and Malachite the principle and Mrs. Harris had learnt the full story of Diamond's abuse of Rei and the manipulation and hold he had over Serena. Concerned they had wanted to call the police but Rei had asked them not to. Her family and Serena's family didn't need to get roped into the shame of a police investigation. She knew that the principle would call her parents and definitely Serena's family to let them know about the situation and probably urge them to get a restraining order against Diamond. They had reached a decision fairly quickly after that. With Diamond's handsome face taunt with rage he had been formally expelled from the school and the incident was to go on his record. He had been escorted off the premises by the principle and Mr. Haywood, the gym teacher.

Reaching the steps leading up to her house Rei smiled truly happy for the first time in months. Seiya was coming for her soon. She flew up to her room and into her closet, ripping through it, pulling out outfit after outfit and not finding anything she liked. Why when she was going on a date with a guy she liked could she not find anything to wear? Annoyed she flipped through her clothes again searching for different combinations she hadn't seen. She managed to separate three different outfits. Then after putting them on she chose one that was feminine and comfortable; a floaty summer dress that had a tight bodice and a loose skirt that brushed her tanned shaped calves, elegant but sexy. Perfect for their first date. She ran a brush through her hair and let the thick shiny waves fall around her shoulders and down her back. She would leave it long tonight. She removed her makeup and reapplied it, paying special attention to her eyes and lips, making both stand out beautifully. A spray of perfume on her wrists, a touch on her throat and a hand through her hair spreading the subtle scent through the black strands, even a small breeze would shake the scent loose adding more allure. Ready she looked at herself in the mirror.

"I will be pleasant tonight." She told herself firmly in the mirror, "I will not distrust everything he says and I will above all not ruin my chances by getting oversensitive and angry."

She held her gaze in the mirror for a few more moments wondering what Seiya saw inside her. She only saw an angry coward. Maybe he was just pretending to like her for her so he could sleep with her. It had happened before when Rei had been young and trusting. Maybe… she shook her head and reaching out her hand touched her face in the mirror. Her brown eyes hardened and her face became still. "I will not mess this up." She told herself coldly. The doubts in her head were getting old, it was time to trust and if she got hurt again at least she had tried again.

"Rei!" Yuki, the housekeeper, knocked on her door. "Your visitor."

Butterflies erupted inside her and her lips broke into a grin without her even realising it. She flew out of her room, Hannah close on her heels and into the lounge only to stop short the butterflies becoming snakes coiling and twisting around her heart.

"Rei, you look lovely." Diamond said casually. He looked terrible, the right side of his face was swollen from Darien's fist and already the soft skin around his eye socket was turning purple.

"Thank you, Yuki," Rei said to the housekeeper without taking her eyes off Diamond. Yuki took the dismissal with grace.

"Would you want refreshments?"

"No, thank you, Diamond won't be here long." Rei said with a forced smile to the older woman.

"Very well." Yuki said and left the room.

The friendly look in Diamond's crystal eyes froze into the predator gaze of a snake watching a small defenceless mouse.

"Very clever plan this afternoon, Rei." He said and moved forward into the room. Sitting himself uninvited into a comfortable couch. Rei remained standing watching him with apprehension. "Really, it was perfectly executed." His lips twisted in a self-mocking smile. "I even helped seal my own doom by losing my temper." He glanced at his fingernails indifferently and released Rei from his poisonous gaze.

"What do you want?" Rei asked coldly.

"Revenge," He glanced up at her and dismissed her in the same second. He stood and wandered around the room poking into drawers and decorative boxes, "Naturally."

"Of course," Rei nodded and turned so he was still in front of her when he came a little too close to her back. "It's only natural."

"It was. Even for you until you grew a bleeding heart." He stopped wandering around and stood directly in front of her. Not close enough to grab but close enough that Rei felt the full force of his presence. "What happened to you, Rei? You used to be fun." He was too composed to whine but a small lilt tipped his words childishly.

"I grew tired of bruises." Rei snapped at him, inwardly she wondered what was keeping Seiya.

"A pity, purple suits you very well." He returned maliciously.

"As it does you," she replied sweetly and hurriedly stepped back as his face darkened at the mention of his bruised face.

"Yes," he conceded with another self-mocking twist of lips, "Darien got in a lucky shot. He won't be so lucky next time."

"What are you going to do?" Rei asked worried for her friends. The question was also implied for her and Diamond knew it.

"Oh, Rei. What is with the inane questions? What are you going to do? Why are you here?" He stepped forward and she stepped back, "You know exactly what I'm going to do to you."

"No, please." She heard herself say pathetically before Diamond lunged at her. She shrieked with surprise and jumped back. Her knees hit the edge of the couch and she fell, scraping her back against the edge of the coffee table. He was on top of her before the hazy cloud of pain had left her body. He ruthlessly pulled her hands above her head.

"No!" She screamed and he cuffed her cutting her lip. She spat at him and he put his hand over her mouth.

"Shut up!" He hissed into her face, his hand leaving her mouth to push her skirt up roughly, the soft carpet felt like Velcro against her thighs. Suddenly he was pulled brutally off of her and through her tears she saw Seiya restraining Diamond's arms behind his back.

"Seiya!" She sobbed and pushing her skirt back down she sat up and ran an unsteady hand through her hair. Her lip stung but the relief she felt at seeing Seiya surpassed all the pain.

"Saint Seiya?" Diamond laughed and wrenched himself free from Seiya's grasp. Seiya was by no means small but Diamond's body was just as muscular and they were about evenly matched.

"Diamond, I presume?"

"Good guess. Here is another little mystery for you to solve. What's blond, pretty and dead?"

"Nice try." Seiya said with a pitying smile. "My bodyguards have been watching over Mina and Serena since this morning. I dismissed them from Rei only so I could do the job myself."

"Well Seiya, you really suck at your job." Diamond remarked casually, "I almost had her."

Seiya's smile fell. "I have been here almost a full hour."

"What?" Rei said confused from where she sat on the floor watching. "How?"

Seiya grimaced. "I got here early and the housekeeper knew you were getting ready still so showed me to the lounge. I waited here for you until I heard Diamond come in. The housekeeper agreed to keep my presence a secret."

"Why didn't you stop him?" Rei demanded tears of betrayal swimming in her eyes.

"I'm sorry." His eyes softened in apology, "I wanted to stop him the moment he came into the room. I needed to get this." He held up a video recorder. "We can now get him charged with attempted rape and assault. I promise I was coming to stop him before you fell. All I wanted was the confession I never wanted you to get hurt."

Rei felt her heart twist. He had let it happen! Diamond had hit her again and had almost raped her and Seiya had just let it happen. Yuki burst in, her face red with anger.

"The police are on their way." She reported and with a soft gasp ran to help Rei with her bloody lip.

"Well I guess that's my cue." Diamond said and tried to step around Seiya.

"You don't honestly expect me to let you go, do you?" Seiya said his fists clenching in readiness.

"I have a lot of money. They won't charge me."

"I have a lot of money too. Believe me," he waved the video-recorder, "Hard evidence. You aren't going anywhere."

Diamond stared at Seiya for a long moment as if trying to call his bluff. Suddenly without warning he lashed out and Seiya blocked Diamond's fist sloppily but managed to return a well aimed right hook. Diamond's head snapped right as the fist connected with his cheek and something audibly cracked. It was the same side weakened earlier by Darien's fist. Blood poured out of his mouth. He laughed through the blood.

"Now I can bring my own set of charges against you." Diamond grinned bloody teeth at Seiya and Rei. There was a commotion outside the room and four police officers entered the room. All four took the scene in carefully, their faces not betraying anything.

"Who phoned us?" One of the officers asked carefully not taking sides in the situation before them.

"I did officer." Yuki stood and faced the men. "That young man," she continued pointing at Diamond, "has just physically assaulted and attempted to rape the daughter of this house." She indicated Rei who was sitting with tear smudged eyes and a bloody lip.

"What happened to his face" Another officer asked moving forward.

"Officers!" Diamond spoke up, "This man hit me, he has broken my jaw. I demand to press assault charges."

"He attempted to hit me and I blocked it and hit him instead." Seiya informed them, "Furthermore. Here is a videotape of Diamond trying to rape Rei." A policeman stepped forward to take the camera. In silence the four men watched the digital screen as the situation unfolded itself. It showed everything steadily up until Rei fell, then it jerked and rolled as Seiya ran forward to save her and then he dropped it, it landed on the floor still taping the scene. Unsteady as it was Diamond's guilt was still undeniable.

"Okay then, I guess that's all we need to see." One of the officers said with a glance at the others. He moved forward and ignoring Diamond's protests wrapped his hands behind him and clasped them in handcuffs. They led him cursing and arguing out of the room. The first officer remained and looked at Seiya. "I need that memory card." He held out his hand. Seiya looked at Rei and she nodded tiredly. He gave it to the policeman. "You will also need to come to the station to give a statement and press formal charges."

"Can that happen tomorrow?" Seiya asked with a meaningful look at Rei who was looking miserable and battered. "He won't be able to get out before then?"

"We will hold him without bail until tomorrow night. A 24hour hold until we get formal charges. We treat rape seriously and therefore he will be treated seriously. Goodnight."

He motioned the housekeeper to follow him and they both exited the room.

Rei's heart twisted when she looked at Seiya. He had been there the entire time and he hadn't saved her. She began to cry again. It looked like Seiya had been too good to be true.

"Don't cry." Seiya rushed forward and tried to hold her but she moved away from him on the couch her hand up to keep him away. Seiya knew she felt betrayed by him and he grieved. He had dropped the camera and dashed forward when Rei had fallen "I'm sorry. I was just watching the confession and then I was going to step in. It happened so fast I couldn't get to you in time. I'm sorry, please Rei. I'm sorry I didn't get to you before he hurt you again."

Rei sniffed and shifted her position her hands twisting in her dress. She looked at him coldly assessing his words and his demeanour. He looked stricken as if he had hurt him himself. He had in a way; her knight in shining armour was only human after all.

"Please don't cry, Rei." He collapsed to his knees at her feet and took her hands kissing them franticly. "Please forgive me for not saving you." His warm eyes were caring and worried and they were truthful.

She felt her heart melt and she relented as she watched the warm honesty in his eyes. She analysed the situation from above desperate to believe him and realised it had felt like minutes when Diamond had her but in reality had only been seconds.

He had gotten to her in time. Diamond hadn't hurt her badly, Seiya had pulled him off before he could truly harm her.

"You did save me." She said to him softly and she smiled at him, "Thank you."

His eyes jerked to hers hopefully and wary. Seeing her smile at him he got up and sat beside her grabbing her into a hug. He kissed her gently on her sore lip and whispered "I love you," against it. She relaxed against his body and felt safe for the first time in a while. He had not only saved her body, he had also saved Serena and Mina as well as secured their safety for a while.

"Thank you, Seiya." She said against his chest.

00000

It took Yuki only a few moments with Rei in the bathroom to ascertain that Rei's lip wasn't badly injured. The cut was small and hardly noticeable without the blood. It still hurt a little but Rei was just glad it wasn't maiming. She reapplied her makeup again, her eyes and nose were still a little red from crying but they would fade and her makeup would be flawless. Seiya was still in the lounge sitting on the couch, Yuki had whisked her off as soon as the police officers had left. Yuki wanted Seiya to leave and Rei to go to bed and was making no effort to conceal her thoughts.

"Please stop, Yuki." Rei said to her housekeeper as she bustled around her. "I'm fine and I want to spend more time with Seiya."

"You should be in shock!" The housekeeper exclaimed her hands on her hips, "Not gallivanting all over the place."

"I just want to be with Seiya. Maybe he won't want to go out anymore." Rei said to placate her but inside she hoped he would take her far away.

Rei left the bathroom and headed for the lounge. Inside her heart was beginning to race with excitement again. The same euphoric feeling she had when she had been walking home. She would spend the evening with Seiya and get to know him a little more.

Seiya was sitting on the sofa, his head lying back his long dark hair over the edge almost touching the floor. He was flipping through a magazine lazily his eyes half closed.

"Seiya?" Rei said suddenly embarrassed she clasped her hands in front of herself nervously.

Seiya look up from the magazine and smiled at her his eyes raking her form in appreciation. Happily he noticed that her lip wasn't badly hurt, if he hadn't known it was there he wouldn't have seen it. He jumped up off the couch and was in front of her in two strides. He took her hands and looked at her intently.

"You look beautiful."

She couldn't look away from his deep blue eyes as he raised her hands to his lips and kissed them softly. A blush made its way to her cheeks. How long had it been since she blushed? Seiya seemed to be able to bring it out in spades.

"Are you ready to go?" He asked smiling, watching her blush was one of the highlights of being with her. She was lovely.

"Yes, let's go." Rei smiled playfully at him, "Where are we going?"

"For me to know and for you…" he gave her a significant look.

"I know, I know" Rei laughed and allowed him to take her hand, "For me to find out."

0000

What Seiya had planed had taken Rei by complete surprise.

"This is beautiful." She sighed happily as the sky of stars twinkled down above them. She relaxed against his chest and he put his arms around her, holding her securely against him as they stood on the grassy hillside. The lights of the city were behind them and all she could see was stars and sea. The picnic blanket underneath her feet was soft and Seiya's chest was warm against her back.

"You said you wanted to see the stars." He said pulling her even closer and lowering his head he nuzzled her hair flowing over her shoulders and kissed her neck. She let her head fall back but he didn't push his advantage. He withdrew his head and rested it on the top of hers. She turned in his arms and looked up at him.

"Why are you so nice to me?" Her eyes searched his intently in the light of the moon. In this light his blue eyes were fathomless.

"Because I love you, Rei." He bent his head and took her offered lips. Liquid fire laced through their veins. It doesn't get better than this. He thought as he held the woman he loved in his arms and kissed her without reservation.

They broke apart and smiled at each other. "I will keep you safe, forever Rei."

"I know." She replied and tipped her face to his again.

"I don't want to pressure you, so if you ever feel anything for me, you can tell me, in your own time."

"I'm confused about how I feel. But if you keep going the way you are I will definitely fall for you."

"Promise?" He said and kissed her softly again.

"Promise." She whispered against his lips.

A/N: So that concludes the Rei and Seiya part of the story. I am still planning on writing Malachite and Mina's Wedding.

Thank you to everyone who has read and enjoyed this story.

Please review and let me know what you thought.

Cassee