Disclaimer: Obviously, I don't own Ouran Host Club, just my own characters.

"Shizuko…Shizuko darling wake up! Please get up, quickly!"

I rolled over in my bed, trying unsuccessfully to get away from the sound of someone whispering in my ear. It was the middle of the night and all I wanted was to be asleep. Unfortunately for me, whoever had come to disturb my peaceful slumber was now forcefully shaking me in an attempt to rouse me.

"Shizu sweetie, please we must go now!" the disembodied voice called once again, starting to pull my small 9 year old self out from beneath my purple flowered sheets. I mumbled softly, "please just 5 more minutes," before wrapping myself back into a cocoon made out of my blanket. Suddenly though, a loud crash emanating from a room just down the hall jarred me out of my sleep. I sat bolt upright, panicked by the sound, and leapt out of bed only to run headfirst into my mother. I looked up to see her face molded into a worried expression with tears slowly streaming down her face, and that was when I knew something was terribly wrong.

"Mommy what's wrong?" I squeaked out, terrified by my mother's fear. She took my hand and started pulling me towards my closet, opening the door and pushing me into the back corner. "Mommy?" I repeated, as she started to close the door on me, but before she could bolt it shut I shot my hand out blocking her.

She looked at me lovingly before simply replying, "Mommy loves you my little princess. Everything will be fine as long as you stay perfectly silent, alright?" I nodded my head, tears starting to pool in my eyes, as she leaned forward and kissed my forehead. Then she turned back, shut the door, and locked it.

I pulled my biggest coat off a hanger and wrapped myself in it for I was trembling both from the chill of the winter night as well as from the feeling of dread that was washing over me. I huddled as far back in the corner as I could, trying to be as quiet as possible. I couldn't hear much of what was going on outside, just the sounds of doors thrown open, hitting the walls behind them. Finally, it was the door to my bedroom that was shoved open.

Even though I knew better, I leaned forward trying to get a glimpse of all that was happening on the outside through the small crack where my doors didn't meet. I heard voices, two men I didn't recognize, and the sweet voice of my mother. I could tell she was trying to be strong, but there was a slight quiver as she spoke. The men started yelling, asking where it was. I didn't know what it was that they were looking for, but they seemed eager to get their hands on it.

"You'll never have it so long as I live," my mother vehemently shouted back at them.

One of the men darkly chuckled before pulling something out of his jacket pocket. "That can be arranged," he spat before shoving his hand towards my mother's chest. I watched in horror as my mother collapsed backward, stumbling and gasping for breath, before falling still, lying on her back on the floor. The men nodded to each other before starting to pull open all my drawers, ransacking my room. Sirens could be heard faintly approaching in the background as the men hurried their search. Finally, the wail of the sirens was loud enough to drive the men to end their hunt, running for my window as they quickly threw it open and shimmied down the large tree just outside.

They never heard a peep from me, hidden in my closet, bundled up in my too large puffy pink jacket. The police found me almost an hour later, still locked in. I didn't know until they pried me from my corner and I saw my mother's body still lying where it had fallen that she had been stabbed and had since then been pronounced dead. The police loaded me into the back of an ambulance and ushered me to the closest hospital for care, coming back later to question me, but I was too terrified to say a word. They never did catch the men responsible.

This was all 8 years ago.

My name is Shizuko Koi. I'm now 17 years old, a permanent resident of the Azumi Children's Care Center, and I was still keeping my promise to my mother after all these years. Everything will be fine as long as you stay perfectly silent, alright? I could hear her saying clearly in my mind. And I had stayed silent, just as she had asked, for the last 8 years.

A/N: This is my first story...ever...so review and tell me how I'm doing. This was just an idea that had been nagging me for such a long time that I finally gave in and decided to write it.

So ya...hope you enjoyed it so far. I'll try to get the next few chapters up soon.