Max: Awe, she wrote romance guys! It seems like her brain has turned to mush and fluff lately, hasn't it?
Ray: It's a bit heavy on the drama, but we hope you'll enjoy it anyway!
RTC: On an strange note, I've just noticed that it has been a year since I finished my first fic-once that was supposed to have this pairing, but somehow got lost in the works! Anyhow, that just shows you how long I've wanted to write the pairing! Now, disclaimer please!
Hilary: Ray-Tiger-Cat would really like to get Beyblade for the holidays, but unless you are the owner and are willing to give it to her, she doesn't own Beyblade!
Kai: Furthermore, the song 'Could It Be' belongs either to Disney (from the Kim Possible movie, for any of you that watched that as a kid) or Christy Carlson Romano (who sang it), but the bottom line is that Ray-Tiger-Cat doesn't own that either!
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"Oh my gosh, what am I going to do?" Mariah ranted to herself. It was the middle of the night, but with all the traveling, Mariah wasn't used to the time difference and consequently, wide awake.
"How do I tell him I like him?" she wondered. "Well, I have to tell him before I leave Japan. Maybe I should ask for help. But who? Lee would freak, Kevin is far too immature and Gary won't stop eating long enough to listen. Oh I know!"
I know we've been friends forever
But now I think I'm feeling something totally new
And after all this time I opened up my eyes
Now I see you were always with me
Meanwhile, half-way across town, another person was wide awake and trying to cope with his feeling. "How do you tell one of your best friends from childhood that you like them as more than a friend?" Ray asked out loud, thankful that he was alone in the room. "What if she doesn't like me back?" This fear was really hard on him and he was convinced she'd never care for him back. "I just know she'll find someone else!"
Unfortunately for Ray, he had his worst fears confirmed when Max answered the phone the next day.
"Oh, hi, Mariah! Yeah we're all fine! Do you want to talk to Ray?" he asked. "Kai? You want to talk to Kai? Um, well, okay then. I'll get him. Kai!"
Kai stuck his head in the room. "Max, what is it?"
"Mariah wants to talk to you. Wait, you shouldn't be out of bed!" Max exclaimed, momentarily forgetting that his captain hadn't recovered from his fight with Brooklyn yet.
"You called me," Kai grumbled, walking over to the phone. "Mariah? ... You need what?" Kai paused, looked around and spotted Ray. Ray immediately noticed that Kai couldn't meet his eyes.
'So she does like someone else-Kai. I always knew I wouldn't have a chance,' he thought.
"I'll call later. Bye," Kai finished his conversation and left the room without acknowledging poor Ray.
Could it be you and I
Never imagined
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew
Could it be that it's true
It's you and it's you
Over the next few days, Ray noticed that a) Mariah wasn't talking to him, b) Kai wasn't either and c) they were talking to each other a lot.
Then one day, Kai suddenly declared that he had to go out and was rather secretive about the details.
'I could follow him and see what they do on their date,' Ray mused, now completely convinced that the two were going out. 'But spying is wrong!' he debated. In the end, his curiosity won out and he followed Kai at a distance. Pretty soon, he saw Kai head for an old warehouse, glance around suspiciously and enter. Ray, being unable to enter without Kai noticing was forced to sit on the roof. Not long after, he saw a certain pink haired blader also enter the warehouse. He'd always know the two were together, but seeing them together crushed his last hope. Sneaking a peek inside the window, he saw them sitting side by side, talking.
'Well, I guess I'll just wait and see what happens.'
Meanwhile, inside the warehouse, Mariah and Kai were talking. Contrary to Ray's beliefs, they were not discussing their relationship, rather they were talking about how Mariah was going to tell Ray that she liked him. Having no options for advice from her team, she had gone to Kai, Ray's best friend, not to mention being someone who was very logical and wise.
"Mariah, you should just tell him. I'm reasonably sure that he likes you too. He'd never admit it, but he really misses you when you aren't around and he was a mess when he had to fight you during the Asian tournament. I say go for it."
"But what if you're wrong? I'd feel so stupid if he rejects me!"
"But he won't. We both know Ray likes you-far too much to ever intentionally hurt you."
Mariah shrugged. "I suppose he wouldn't laugh. Maybe I will tell him."
Kai nodded in approval.
"I'm heading out. You coming?"
"No, I'll see you later."
It's kinda funny you were always near
But who would ever thought we'd end up here
And every time I need you, you've been there for me
Now it's clear I've been waiting for you
Ray watched as Mariah exited the warehouse. Deciding he would confront her about her meeting with Kai, he started following her, being careful to stay out of sight.
He stopped and closed his eyes for a minute, planning out what he was going to say. When he opened his eyes, she was gone.
"Somebody help me!" Mariah's voice was screaming.
Forgetting all about his anger and hurt, Ray ran towards her voice. It led him down another dark alley, where he found Mariah cornered by no less than four guys, who were obviously trying to take advantage of her.
Mariah screeched again, thinking it was all over. Suddenly, she heard his voice. 'Ray, he came for me,' she thought.
"You bastards let her go right now," Ray commanded, sounding unbelievably pissed off.
Could it be you and I
Never imagined
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew
Could it be that it's true
It's you and it's you
Mariah wasn't quite sure how it happened, but Ray had somehow gotten those jerks off of her. He was currently trying his best to fight all of them, and having considerable difficulties because he was outnumbered. Mariah watched Ray get struck hard enough to send him to the ground with a heavy thump. She could see another thug go for him.
In a moment of pure adrenaline shock, Mariah tackled the one that was about to hurt Ray, knocking him to the ground and giving Ray enough time to get back up.
Unfortunately, it wasn't enough to let them win the fight, they quickly discovered, as the four circled around them.
"I'll take the leader, you get out of here," Ray whispered, to which Mariah shook her head.
"No way."
'Cause today is the start of the rest of our lives
I can see it in your eyes
And it's real, and it's true
It's just me and you
Could it be that it's you
Ray sighed. "Okay, you can stay. I'm attacking on three. One, two, now!" He charged at the leader and Mariah dealt a kick to another thug. Unfortunately, Mariah had left her back open, and the remaining two grabbed her. One of them pulled out a gun.
Meanwhile, Kai had finally decided to go back to the dojo, when he heard the scuffle in the alley. Ignoring that he was injured, he too rushed into the fight.
The sight that greeted him was pure chaos. Mariah was pinned down by two guys and completely unaware of the gun. She looked pretty bruised already, though she didn't look quite as bad as Ray, who had a gash on the head and a split lip among other injuries, causing him to be barely recognizable under all the blood. He was obviously aware of the gun and was glancing at Mariah rather panicky. The leader looked at Mariah with malice in his eyes.
Bang!
Ray went flying and hit a wall. He had gotten between Mariah and the leader, intercepting the bullet.
"Ray!" Mariah screamed. 'It isn't supposed to be like this! He can't die without knowing!'
"Hello, pretty. Maybe you should just play nice. Maybe we'll let you live, unlike your little boyfriend back there."
"I think not," Ray said, as he lunged for the leader again.
Kai, having finally snapped to his senses, did the same and at some point, the others leaped in, seeing that their leader was being attacked.
Bang! Bang!
Another shot shots got fired in the confusion.
As the dust settled, Mariah could see that the leader and one of his companions were down. Ray was gripping the wall, trying his hardest to stay standing.
And Kai held the gun.
The other two had taken off during the confusion.
"Ray!" Mariah ran to her crush. "Oh my God," she mumbled. The bullet had hit him in the shoulder and blood was pouring out.
"I'm okay," he mumbled, though it was evident he wasn't. Mariah grabbed her hair ribbon and tried stop some of the blood flow.
"Ray, you can't die," she whispered tearily. "I can't let you go without knowing how much I love you."
"Ma'am you need to step back," a voice said. Mariah looked up to see a paramedic. Kai shrugged and held up a phone.
"I love you too," came Ray's faint reply, his eyes shutting.
Could it be you and I
Never imagined
Could it be suddenly I'm fallin' for you
Could it be you were right here beside me and I never knew
Could it be that it's true
It's you and it's you
'I've cried a thousand tears,' Mariah thought sadly. She was in the waiting room at the hospital, along with Kai, who was currently asleep.
Ray was in surgery and it was unclear whether he would make it out alright.
Mariah herself was pretty sore, but otherwise unharmed, and Kai was simply exhausted. Seeing as he wasn't even supposed to be out of bed, it was a miracle he wasn't admitted as well.
"Are you with Mr. Kon?" the doctor's voice jolted Mariah out of her thoughts.
"Yes, we are," she replied shakily, seeing the blood on his clothes. Ray's blood. She jabbed Kai in the ribs, which woke him up quickly. "Is he okay?"
The doctor smiled. "He's very lucky to be alive. It'll take him a long while to recover, but the bottom line is that he'll be okay. I'll show you to his room, but I doubt he'll be awake before morning."
Ray woke up the next morning with his head and one shoulder throbbing horribly. As his senses awoke, he realized he had something clamped tightly around his good arm.
Opening one eye, he found Mariah, sound asleep, face covered by a mess of pink hair and clutching his arm like her life depended on it.
"Mariah?" Ray whispered, his throat hoarse from the breathing tube that they had put in for the surgery.
She awoke quickly and looked around, clearly confused from lack of sleep.
"Oh, Ray, thank goodness! I thought I'd lost you!" Tears were once again threatening to fall.
"You'll never loose me, Mariah. I won't leave you. I love you too much for that."
"Awe, that was so sweet!" she squealed. "I love you too."
'It is true.'
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RTC: Well, there's my first drama fic done! I hope you all liked and forgive me for being away so long!
Kai: Believe me, I don't think anyone noticed or cared.
RTC: (Ignores him.) Now, I might get some holiday, New Year's or just general winter themed oneshots up some point soon. If anyone would like to see something, please ask and I'll see what I can do! Until next time, this is RTC, signing off!