Panic.

She kept telling herself that things would be OK, that Hatori would fix her, but that word still rose like a ghost, transparent and almost unnoticed, behind her every thought. She could envision that word dripping in blood, pieces of death flaking off of it. Her mind was screaming for an off button.

Her legs were like the wings of a humming bird; they worked fast and didn't hesitate for anything. She practically crashed into the wall when she turned in another direction down a different hallway, but she couldn't stop. She couldn't stop running so hard because she was dying.

Her body rushed through the family doctor's open door. Ignoring the fact that Shigure was in the room as well, she skidded to a halt in front of Hatori, the only man she ever trusted. "Please, please Hatori! Help me!"

The man in question expertly flicked his burnt out cigarette into the trashcan, forgetting whatever he and Shigure had been talking about. He picked up Akito's small and pale form easily by hooking his hands under her shoulders and placed her on a chair. She was so skinny for her age it was amazing she stayed as healthy as she did. "Akito what's wrong? Where are you hurt?" His eyes scanned her body quickly, searching for any signs of blood, open wounds, or black and blues. He found none and returned his gaze to hers, waiting for an explanation.

Tears fell from eyes that looked so black at the moment. Shigure was even surprised when the tears fell crystal clear instead of a dark coal color. She sniffed and rubbed at her eyes, swiping away the wetness. "I'm bleeding on the inside of me."

Hatori's eyes widened considerably. In the dimness of the office Shigure stood from his seat and wondered if he should call the hospital. "How do you know? Show me." The doctor patted the younger's knee reassuringly.

"Watch." Akito moved her brittle hand into the folds of her kimono. Hatori followed her hand with his calculating eyes, watching the bulge it made in the cloth. When he finally realized the hands destination, he blinked a few times and blushed slightly. His position of leaning over Akito became a little less tense and the room seemed to calm down a bit. Akito pulled her hand from the blue clothes, revealing red-stained fingertips. "I'm bleeding from the inside and now it's leaking out!"

Hatori made a sort of half smirk motion with his lips before taking her thin wrist to lead her over to the sink. She washed her hands, glancing at the dragon every now and then, wondering why he wasn't getting any injections or medicine for her illness. When she dried her hands, she looked at him expectantly.

"Akito, I think it's time we have a little talk." His voice rang hollow on her ears. So she was going to die after all, huh? There was nothing to save her this time. It was the end.

She stayed quiet as Hatori sat her down in a seat next to Shigure. Her eyes were trained on the ground, waiting for the news of her demise. "I need to tell you about the menstrual cycle of females." And she was handed a package wrapped up safely.

After about an hour of questions and answers and Shigure butting in occasionally to make some obscene comment, Akito finally understood.

She was still going to die.

Her mother was going to murder her when she found out.

Tears spilled out again, falling on her open hands and robes. Through her sobs, both Jyuunishi could make out the words 'mama, mama'. They both knew how disappointed Ren was with her daughter. Shigure could picture that woman standing over Akito, glaring with all her hatred and malice. The poor girl just went on bawling.

A maid suddenly came into the room, wearing the required uniform. The older woman acted as if the scene before her didn't exist, like there was a wall in front of Akito blocking her from sight. "Hatori-sama, Ritsu-kun has hurt himself again during one of his apologetic fits." Her voice was emotionless and her features conveyed the same. Hatori stood from his spot kneeling in front of Akito, nodded at Shigure, and left with the maid.

Shigure looked down to Akito. His arm was coiled around her shoulders, stroking her short raven hair. It was so silky, he realized. If only Ren would let her grow it out…

"Argh! My stomach…" Her frail hands held her middle painfully, like she was trying to rip the pain through her skin and out of her body. She leaned over slightly, covering her face with her hair. Shigure did what his first instinct told him to do. He put his hand over hers, holding it slightly, and guided it over her stomach. The rubbing sensation soothed the girl as she simply stared down at his hand moving over her and she sat back up.

"Akito-san…" Up until now, his relationship with the girl had been a bit scrambled. It was like some puzzle that was hard enough to fit together, but then something would come along to mess it up again. They weren't on bad terms, but they weren't on good terms either.

She trembled before lifting her head to stare at the wall ahead of her. "I'm no God. Someone intolerably cruel must have decided to make me a girl…and whoever that person is, they are truly God." She wiped her nose and went to stand up to try and get some, no doubt, nightmarish sleep.

The dog tightened his arm on her shoulder, pulling her back to him. He slid out of his seat and slowly, so Akito could see what he was doing, he embraced her. His one hand cradled the back of Akito's head while the other rested on her protruding hipbone. She seemed utterly shocked for a moment, a deer in headlights, but she gradually relaxed, pushing into the touch. She let herself be hit by the oncoming car.

She couldn't cry anymore, her eyes were dry and her throat felt sore. The Head just continued to hold Shigure tightly to herself, her hands clinging to his upper body. The older man smiled genuinely and whispered, "I'll accept you just the way you are. I like Akito as a girl."

A great weight lifted from her chest. Suddenly she felt stupid about the way she starved herself just so she could hide away the fact that she had breasts. It seemed idiotic to keep her hair so short and wear men's clothing. She wouldn't do that around Shigure anymore. She would be a girl around him.

Her hands loosened and Shigure felt her body slump against him, alerting him that she was asleep finally. He sighed, picking her up to carry her to her room. Her long robes trailed behind him as he walked and hummed an unknown tune.

Hmm. I didn't really know how to end it...is it that obvious? Well anyway, this idea was formulating for a long, long time. Sadly, I don't think it amounted to much in that time. I'm in the writing mood, but I have nothing to write! Tell me what you think of this one-shot anyway. And if anyone has any suggestions or ideas for another story, I'm all ears. Thanks!

-PL