~*~ LOST AND FOUND ~*~

Akane Wilson emptied the drawers that had held her mother’s clothes for so many
years. Serena Wilson had died three weeks earlier, her husband Rick along with
her. Their lives snuffed out thoughtlessly by a drunk driver. The air in the
bedroom seemed to be choking Akane, it’s soft lavender and roses scent reminding
her painfully of her mother. Her eyes misted over painfully, knowing that the
smell would fade in time but her grief never would.

“Akane!” A deep masculine voice called through the house. Akane stiffened
instinctively, putting down her mother’s shirt and rising slowly. Her
step-brother was home. At 28 years old, ten years her senior, Darien had never
tried to get along with Akane. Despite having been a Police Officer for almost
six years he still lived at home with the family in their country manor.

It was common knowledge that although Akane had not been Rick Wilson’s
biological daughter he had adopted her and given her his name. A fact that had
not much pleased her step-brother.

“What, no warm welcome for your favourite brother?” Darien asked, leaning
against the door jam.

“You’re not my brother.” Akane answered stiffly.

“Do you want me to finish this for you?” He asked, ignoring her snub.

“No thank you.” She replied, turning her back on him.

“Akane, you don’t have to do this yourself.” Darien snapped, lowering a hand
onto her shoulder.

“Don’t touch me!” She hissed spinning way from him.

“Why are you doing this? Are you really so angry that father… I mean that
father’s will-.”

“Yes! Why should you get everything? I can’t live in this house anymore- you own
it.”

“There’s no reason why you can’t stay here Akane. This is your home.”

“Not with you here. I’m surprised you’re even suggesting it. I know how you feel
about me, I don’t think I could stand your dislike 24 hours a day.” Akane
trailed off inaudibly.

“Can you blame me for resenting you? I always came second in father’s affections
and you weren’t even his child. We both know he loved you more than he could
ever love me. And yet now- he leaves me everything? It doesn’t make any sense.”

Akane hesitated. “Guilt.” She mumbled, “They probably felt guilty.”

Darien laughed, only there was nothing funny about the situation and there was
no humour in the laughter, only a sort of embittered hatred and Akane wondered
why he wanted her to stay.

“Let me go then.” She whispered. “Let me go if you hate me so much.” She didn't want his hate. She'd always wanted his-.

“I’m not holding you here.” He answered taking a step towards her.

“Aren’t you?” She asked, unable to move. Some part of her desperately hoping
he would beg her to stay. To let her know he wanted her with him.

“You can leave anytime you want.” He assured her, moving to stand silently in
front of her.

“I never wanted to hurt you, neither did they.” She pleaded for some sort of understanding from him. He was all she had now...

“Leave then.” He repeated, still unmoving.

“Stop saying that.” She cried desperately.

“Why?”

“Because then I’ll have to- I’ll have to go.” Her lip trembled.

“Isn’t that what you wanted?”

“No.” She whispered.

“What do you want?”

“My family.” She answered. “You.” That was all she'd ever wanted. Him.

“I’m not your family.”

“You’re all I have.”

He laughed again, the same hard, hate filled laughter and Akane shivered. “Then
you don’t have much.”

“Stop it.” She begged. “Stop talking like that.”

“How?”

“As though you hated me.”

“Maybe I do.”

“Stop it! Why are you trying to hurt me…” She asked, her voice loaded with
pain. Hadn't she been through enough?

“I don’t have that power.”

“You do, of course you do. You always have.” Akane could feel herself
trembling. “I’ll go then, if you want me to, I’ll leave.” It was the hardest thing she'd ever said.

“I don’t want you to. You’re the one who wanted to leave.”

“No.” She whispered. “No.” She’d wanted him to ask her to stay with him.

“Then stay.”

“What do you want me to do?” She cried, desperately.

“Stay.”

Akane stared at him suspiciously. “You don’t really want me to.”

“I do. Stay.”

“Do you hate me?” She asked, afraid of the answer.

“No.”

“Then I’ll stay.”

“Do you hate me?” Darien asked her, his voice sounding almost as desperate as hers suddenly.

“No.” She answered, wanting to reach out and comfort him. “Do you love me?” She
asked, her voice pleading. “Even a little?”

“Yes.”

“Thank god.” She whispered, moving for the first time into his arms.

“You’ll stay?” He asked, holding her tightly against him.

“For as long as you want me.” She promised.

“A lifetime." He replied, his laughter so genuine Akane couldn’t help but laugh
along with him. “Happy?” He asked. “You got want you wanted?”

“Oh yeah, and what’s that?”

“Me.”

THE END

Author's Note: I wrote this when I was in Grade 11 (so uhm, 7 years ago...) Wow... It's not really all that great but I figured what the heck, why not upload it? My other, newer stories are MUCh better... But this did bring back memories!
Love all around, Elisa