Hikari said sternly, 'You have to tell someone what's going on, or I will.'

Takeru winced as Hikari treated his busted lip, and he moved the ice-pack away from his eyes so she could see the resistance in his eyes. He couldn't very well complain from his position under her capable hands - she insisted on putting various creams and such all over his face and they were stinging vigorously on his skin. When she moved her hand away, he insisted vehemently. 'You promised me.'

Stupidly, she had promised him her silence. But he'd only been ruffled that time. Things had completely changed now, and she didn't think Takeru saw the difference.

'I don't care. I care too much about you to let you get beat up like this. There's only so much bruising make-up will cover - what kind of friend does it make me if I keep helping you hide this? You're in pain!'

Takeru shook his head, and immediately felt nauseous. 'I'm fine,' he told her, stumbling, 'I just need- need a nap.'

'You know I can't let you sleep. They hit your head pretty hard... You have to stay awake until I'm sure.'

Takeru looked up, and took her hand. Hikari was distressed - that much he could still tell of her.

'Make sure of what, Hikari? They'll ignore me after a while. They do this to everybody...'

'Don't say that like that makes it ok! You could die! They aren't messing around, they're hurting you, I - I don't want you to g-get hurt anymore.'

Hikari was holding back tears. Just the thought of her crying made Takeru upset. But he couldn't tell anyone - the beatings would only get worse, he was sure of that. He could tough it out, and then when they stopped everything would be ok again.

He said softly, 'Don't. It'll get better, I know it. Saying anything to the teachers won't even solve anything 'cause it's not like they'll kick them out or something - it's easier my way. You telling somebody will only aggravate the situation - if Yamato, or even Taichi heard about it, you know they would freak and do something reckless. Honest, it will get better.'

She sniffed, and acquiesced, pulling the plasters towards her and submitting to him once more.

When he stumbled over to her, concussed and shoulder dislocated, she called for help - no hesitation, no seconds of thought to consider Takeru's wishes to keep his suffering hidden. Takeru didn't even realise what was going on. He wouldn't even be able to recall all the events several days later. Hikari had nursed him before but this she couldn't heal alone. Takeru had been grateful, but inside he was relieved, embarrassed, confused... fearful.

'Takeru, I need you to keep focused on me, ok, can you do that?'

He was lucky she could retain her composure the way she was.

His response wasn't very alert. 'Huh? 'Kari... I need to sit down, somewhere away from here...'

She grasped him tightly - she couldn't risk him tripping or simply falling to the ground with imbalance, the state he was in. His eyes were red and puffy, but he had seemingly run out of tears. As she led him to a chair left randomly in the hallway to sit and wait while the school's paramedics came, she tried, 'Takeru?'

'Uh huh?'

'Oh a scale of one to ten, how well do you hear me?'

'Eight. But you're talking quietly, too, so,'

'And how much does your shoulder hurt?'

'Eight. I think the adrenaline from the fight hasn't worn off yet. My shoulder really hurts.' Takeru replied more hazily than Hikari would have liked, and he shifted in his chair so loosely Hikari thought he was going to slide right off.

Takeru let her support some of his weight - he was too weak and unfocused to argue, and his ears were buzzing a little and he wasn't seeing totally straight. He needed to close his eyes...

'Takeru you need to stay awake! Takeru! Takeru please...'

Loud noises still made him jump. They made him remember the shouts and slams, and made him regain the clarity with which he could remember the placement and painfulness of every bruise he'd acquired just recently. He couldn't help it. Hikari took his unslung hand as they approached the school gates, and assured him that things would get better, and that he would settle quickly. Takeru wasn't as sure as she was, but he believed her. He'd let her lead him.

He sighed his hesitance away. She pulled him along. His first day back - she had promised him that the bullies wouldn't be there, but he couldn't be sure that they weren't waiting for him outside the building, or after school, or outside his house. Hikari couldn't protect him from them forever, and he wouldn't risk her by putting her in the way of anything.

But she had confidence. No one wanted to bully her or upset her or anything, and in that way she was lucky.

No one would bully Takeru anymore, she said she'd make sure of it - Hikari never lied to him.

Hikari knew it in her own heart, and so therefore he had to accept it in his too.

She wouldn't ever let him believe otherwise.

He really was safe now.