Authors Note ~ I'm not sure what to say here but I really do feel incredibly mad at myself for writing this. I don't know how I could do this to Ryoma. He has enough to deal with in one of my other stories. Well I hope you enjoy reading this rather depressing chapter. Oh, and I have two more story's I'm thinking about writing
Disclaimer ~ I do not own Prince of Tennis. I wish I did but I don't. The story line and any OC are mine though.
Pairing ~ Undecided at this moment, most will be Yaoi though
Warnings ~ This Fanfiction contains violence, mature content in later chapters, Yaoi (boy x boy), Mpreg, and many other things I will address when we get there.
Q&A ~ This is where your questions will be answered. If you have a question just ask. You will always get an answer.
______________________________~Prologue~______________________________
A woman stood with a small infant in her arms. A sad expression settled on her face. She wiped a tear that was sliding down her face that seemed pale in the moonlight. The lady opened her brownish eyes as a man approach "Nanjiro, are you sure he'll be better off this way"
"Hai Rinko" Nanjiro said to his wife, brushing the stray strands off her reddish brown hair from her face "I'm sure" He tried to stay tough for the both of them. He knew it wouldn't be easy for Rinko to basically give up the baby in her arms.
"I guess we should get going then" Rinko said as she gently rocked the baby in her arms. They walked down the road, listening to the river as it splashed against the banks "I'm sure Ryoga will want to see his baby brother for what may be the last time" Tears streamed down her face, she was barely able to say the words.
The pair arrived at a small house. They opened the gate to the white picket gate that surrounded the two story house, before slowly approaching the door. The soft click of the door as it unlocked would forever stay in there memory. It would probably be the last time they'd enter that house with their precious Ryoma.
"Ryoga, were back" Rinko said quietly as a small boy with emerald tinted black hair wrapped his arms around her waist.
"Please don't let them take him again Okaa-san. They scare me" Ryoga cried, not wanting his baby brother to leave.
"I'm sorry Ryoga, but we have to. It will be better for Ryoma this way" Rinko said softly as she tried to calm down Ryoga by running her hands through his hair.
Ryoga sniffled slightly as he tried to stop cry "Will I get to see him again" Ryoga said through his small sobs.
"Of course Ryoga" Rinko gave a small smile. It was fake, but Ryoga wouldn't be able to tell the difference at his age. They wouldn't see Ryoma again, or at least the chances were against them.
Rinko unwrapped her sons arms from around her "We have to go now Ryoga. I wasn't going to allow this but do you want to come with us" Rinko said trying to hold back the tears that were threatening to pour out.
Ryoga simply grabbed a hold of Rinko's shirt and followed her to the door, were her husband watched the whole scene. Tears were starting to leak from his eyes, he wanted to be strong for them, but he just couldn't help but let the tears escape.
The family left the house, locking the door behind them. They entered the car parked in the small garage by the house. The car ride was filled with few noises, all that could be heard were small sobs, and the soft sound of Rinko whispering, hoping, for everything to turn out ok.
The car pulled up to a hospital and the family stepped out, Rinko still trying to figure out if this was right. They walked into the hospital, a sight all too familiar. The lady at the front counter didn't even have to be told anything; she directed them toward Ryoma's doctor.
"It started acting up again" Rinko stated through tears as the doctor took Ryoma from her. She fell to her knees and Nanjiro wrapped his arms around her trying to held ease the pain.
"We'll be sure to try our best Echizen-san" The doctor said, leaving immediately.
"Nanjiro are you sure it's ok to put him through all of this. Sometimes I wonder if a person is better off not living" It killed her too say it but sometimes death was better than living your whole life in pain. No parent wanted their child to die, but Rinko couldn't help but wonder if her Ryoma would be better off not having to live through this.
The small family sat in the waiting room, waiting to see how Ryoma would be. If they were lucky, Ryoma may survive. Unfortunately he would probably spend most of his life in the hospital. Though, if they were really lucky Ryoma's heart could be repaired.
"Jiro" Rinko whispered since Ryoga fell asleep on her lad "Why did Ryoma have to be one of the few percent of kids that are born with heart failure" Silent tears fell.
"I don't know Rinko, but let hope he can pull through it" Nanjiro pulled Rinko as close to him as he could without disturbing Ryoga.
A doctor approached Ryoma's family "Ryoma is fine but he'll have to stay here for a couple of weeks while we start his treatment. Since he is still in infant years, his condition will be very hard to deal with, though with the right treatment his heart my repair itself. If that happens, Ryoma will still have to stay on medication to insure that his heart problems won't come back. There is also a chance that it could get worse. The worst case scenario will result in Ryoma's death" The doctor sighed. He hated giving bad news, especially about kids.
"Hai Atsuma-sensei" Nanjiro said since Rinko couldn't say anything through her tears.
"I'm very sorry Echizen-san. Since Ryoma is still an infant, and your close friends with many of the workers here, we have decided that you may stay here with Ryoma for as long as you like. We may be a small hospital, but we have a great staff and facilities. There is an empty room next to the infant center that Ryoma will be staying in. You are welcome to sleep there if you'd like. This is a small town, and we don't get many patients, so I'm sure it will be free for a long time" The doctor gave a small smile, though sadness could still be seen.
"Thank you Atsuma" Nanjiro said picking up Ryoga, so they could move to the room. IT was going to be a long night.
A five year old Ryoma was getting prepped for heart surgery. His condition seemed like it was getting better but it took a turn, a hard turn for the worst. Ryoga was trying to comfort Rinko. He felt he had to be strong for them both, and Ryoma as well.
Nanjiro had his arms wrapped around his wife, whispering to her. With Ryoga's he finally got Rinko's crying to shallow. The room was quiet, other then the soft sobs that were escaping Rinko.
The scene was much like the night they had brought Ryoma there.
After what seemed like ages, Atsuma walk toward them "Surgery was a success. We don't what will happen with Ryoma but everything looks good. I'm sure everything will be just fine"
The whole family let out a sigh of relief "Thank you Atsuma" Rinko said. She was happy that the surgery was a success; this meant that Ryoma could make a full recovery.
"We'll take a chest x-ray in a week to see how he's improved. I have even more great news" Atsuma smile "If everything checks out ok; Ryoma will finally get to go home."
Ryoma looked across the net at his dad. He was now seven, and the doctor gave him the ok to do sports, as long as Ryoma didn't overexert himself.
Nanjiro kept the training light, so he wouldn't push Ryoma to hard, but Ryoma was strong willed. His son never backed down and was always determined. A hit a ball over to his son, which was returned, a small rally began.
Ryoma had improved his tennis skills greatly in the short time they had been training. He was a quick learner, though he wasn't allowed to go to school. He was home schooled, and since he learned how to read at a young age, he also began reading a lot.
The only down side to being home schooled was that he never really was socially active. He didn't get to play around with kids his age. Instead he grew into an antisocial, snaky, cocky, over confident, etc., brat with good tennis skills.
Ryoma's condition improved greatly, though he still had to take medication. If he didn't, problems could occur. He was now twelve, and his family was moving to Japan where there was a hospital that supplied the new medication he would need.
He would soon be going to a new school call Seishun Gakuen. He was allowed to join the tennis team too. The doctor gave him the ok since his condition improved.
New opponents were always welcomed in Ryoma's book.
Reviewers get cookies