Hi there. This is something I've been working on for a while and it should be a little longer than my last Saiyuki fic. I'm hoping that this one will turn out a little better now that I've heard from the readers (that's you!) and my skills have improved. Do enjoy my works!

Disclaimer: I do NOT (and I emphasize the do not) nor have I ever owned Saiyuki or any of the characters involved. Please don't sue me!

This banner is silly! (oi Render-sama…)

ONWARD!

Gojyo sat with his forehead pressed to the cold glass. He almost wished he was on the other side of the window, in the rain. Almost.

"Hey Gojyo…" a voice said from behind him. The kappa peeled himself off the glass and turned to face Goku.

"Yeah?"

The monkey bit his lip. Everyone had been edgy since the accident, but no one as much as Gojyo… It had been three days since then, hardly enough time for all of their injuries to heal. No one would forget that particular day…

It had been a normal day; sun shining and the Sanzo-ikkou had just taken care of a band of youkai. As usual, Hakkai was driving, Sanzo sat next to him and Gojyo and Goku were arguing about food in the back. The usual seating arrangements.

"That's mine you hentai kappa!"

"Hands off midget-monkey!"

"Don't call me midget you cockroach!"

"Cockroach! Why you--!"

"Would you two shut up!" Sanzo yelled. Hakkai chuckled.

"Now, now Sanzo, they're just hungry," he said with a friendly smile. Sanzo growled deep in his throat.

"Well, how long until we reach a town?" he grumbled. Hakkai kept one hand on the steering wheel and with the other he grabbed a map.

"Well, here, take a look. Try and see if you can try and find out where we are," he said. Sanzo sighed and took the map, unfolding it violently.

"Where are we then?" he grunted. Hakkai looked around, still smiling.

"Three days ago we left the small town there," he said as he pointed to a small dot on the map. "We're, of course, heading west. Well, not exactly. We're actually heading northwest. So, you do the math," he managed to say as they drove into a rather sudden dust cloud. Sand whirled around them. Sanzo squinted at the map, trying to make out the paper through the blinding sand.

"I suck at math," he growled. Hakkai chuckled and sped up, eager to get out of the sand storm.

"Try about an hour," the brunette said. Instantly they broke out of the dust cloud. "Phew. I'm glad we got outta—OH SHIT!"

As the Sanso-ikkou got out of the sand storm they started to speed towards a cliff edge. Hakkai slammed on the breaks and everyone lurched forwards. Even with Hakkai's attempts to stop the car it plunged over the edge.

Hakaryu transformed with a screech, spilling his passengers into the air. The ground beneath them was coming closer. And you can bet that contact with it would not be a pleasant experience.

Gojyo sighed and rubbed his forehead. His worst injury had been a concussion, leaving him with a pounding headache, but that was something he could deal with. He was used to headaches after all. But hangovers were just a little different…

"How's Hakkai?" he asked Goku. The monkey shook his head.

"No change," he answered sadly. Their tumble over the cliff's edge had left Gojyo with his concussion, Goku with a sprained ankle and broken wrist, Sanzo was bruised severely but otherwise unharmed and Hakkai hadn't yet awakened. He was alive, but in a coma.

Gojyo looked back outside. He was starting to hate the rain, like Hakkai. It had poured constantly since the accident. He was getting sick of it.

"Is Sanzo with him now?" Goku nodded.

"Yeah."

Gojyo nodded and headed out of his and Goku's room, making his way to Sanzo and Hakkai's.

When he reached the door it was slightly ajar so he pushed it open and walked inside.

Sanzo looked up and gazed at Gojyo. Hakkai's face was extremely pale and his mouth opened slightly.

"There's no change Gojyo," Sanzo said. The kappa's shoulders slumped.

"I guess I didn't really expect one," he whispered.

"How's your head?" Sanzo asked after awhile. Gojyo shrugged. He and Sanzo had been on friendlier terms since the accident, but only because both were worried about Hakkai.

"Nothing I'm not used to. Why don't you take a break? I'll watch him," he said, referring to Hakkai. Sanzo nodded and gave Gojyo his seat, then left the room.

When he was alone with Hakkai, Gojyo sighed and rested with his elbows on his knees and his chin in his hands. From there he just gazed at Hakkai, ignoring the constant throbbing pain in his head. Slowly he slid out of his chair and sat on the floor, with his arms resting on the bed and his head resting in the crook of his arms.

He must have dozed off eventually because he suddenly felt a hand gripping his own. The kappa looked up and blinked at Hakkai, who was writhing in pain.

"Go…jyo…" he gasped. The red-head shifted to his knees and gazed intently at his friend.

"I'm here Hakkai," he whispered. The brown-haired youkai's face flushed suddenly and Gojyo reached up to touch him. Hakkai was burning.

"Go…jyo… it… hurts… so… bad…" he gasped. The kappa glanced nervously at the door and back down at Hakkai. He was helpless. He didn't know what to do.

"H-hold on Hakkai. I've gotta get help. Hold on," he said as he started to stand. Hakkai shook his head violently and yanked Gojyo back down.

"No! You can't leave me!"

Gojyo gazed at his friend sadly.

"I'm sorry Hakkai but I've gotta get Sanzo!" he said as he yanked his hand free. Hakkai shrieked, quite odd for him.

"Gojyo! No… don't… go!" he gasped. The kappa glanced at his friend before dashing for the door. He yanked it open and screamed down the hall.

"Sanzo! Get in here NOW!" he yelled. Instantly Sanzo and Goku's heads popped out of the room next door.

"What is it? Is Hakkai okay?" Sanzo mumbled. He had apparently just wakened up.

"No! He's not okay! Get in here now!" Gojyo commanded. The priest and monkey wasted no time to get into the room.

Hakkai was still writhing on the bed, but now was moaning loudly as well. The other three ran to the bedside and gazed at the youkai. As they did so Hakkai's hand shot out and grabbed the chest of Gojyo's shirt.

"Help… me!"

"Hakkai! You gotta tell us what's wrong man!" Gojyo said. The brunette coughed, choking up blood. Sanzo shoved a sputtering Goku out of the way.

"Gojyo, move it," he commanded. The kappa moved willingly, to distressed for Hakkai to worry about Sanzo. "Hakkai, you've got to tell me what's wrong," the priest said. Hakkai coughed up more blood and gazed at Sanzo.

"My… ngh… chest…" he coughed. "It hurts… so… bad…" Sanzo laid a hand on Hakkai's chest and felt several ribs protruding at different angles under his skin.

"H-Hakkai, I think you've punctured your lungs!" Sanzo gasped. Gojyo shoved a peering Goku out of the way and dropped to his knees next to Sanzo.

"We gotta get you to a doctor 'Kai," he said. Sanzo agreed and told Goku to follow him before he ran from the room. Gojyo meanwhile picked Hakkai up carefully and headed from the room. As he was walking down the hall he saw Sanzo close the door the Gojyo and Goku's room.

"Goku is going to stay here. We've gotta get to a doctor," he said as Gojyo carried a moaning Hakkai out of the inn that they were staying in.

When they had stepped into the gloomy street. It was still pouring but they ignored the rain and headed towards a clinic at a brisk pace. Hakkai writhed in pain and Gojyo tried to hold him still. In minutes the clinic came into view. Sanzo ran ahead and pounded on the door.

A young man around their own age opened the door and blinked out at them.

"Can I help you?" he asked. Gojyo ran up beside Sanzo and looked to the shuddering man in his arms. Blood was pouring from Hakkai's mouth as he coughed up a storm that could rival the one around them.

"Please! Try and help him!" he pleaded. The doctor looked at Hakkai in surprise.

"Oh my! Bring him inside and lay him on that cot," he said as he stepped aside and pointed to a surgery bed. Gojyo obliged and laid Hakkai down. Sanzo said he was going back to Goku. Gojyo nodded and sat on Hakkai's bed.

"Please say you can help him?" the kappa begged. The doctor washed his hands in a basin under the window and gazed out at the rain.

"I'll do my best," he said. "But you may wish to leave. I'll have to operate on him to repair his ribs. But it'll be tough to help a punctured lung."

Gojyo gazed at the shuddering Hakkai and bit his lip. He didn't even notice that the doctor had somehow known of Hakkai's lung without examining him.

"He's a youkai with healing powers. If you fix his ribs and get him to fall asleep, I think he can do the rest…" he finally said. The doctor froze.

"A youkai?"

Gojyo nodded.

"And you trust him?"

"Yes."

"Then I will also. I'll do my best…"

Gojyo nodded and headed out of the room to an adjoining waiting lobby. There were calming pictures on the wall but they didn't bring any comfort to the kappa half-breed. He was too upset over Hakkai.

Gojyo sat down and put his head in his hands. Pictures of the hurting Hakkai kept flashing across his eyes. Blood running down his pale chin, shuddering shoulders, a clenched jaw. Gojyo snapped his head out of his hands, breathing hard. The worst scene possible had flashed across his mind. Hakkai, smiling up at him but holding Sanzo's gun to his chest, aiming it up through his chin.

"I'm sorry Gojyo, but I can't stand it anymore… The pain is too much… I'll be with Kanan again…"

"Hakkai! No! Don't do this to me!"

"I'm sorry Gojyo-sama… You came close to me… like Kanan… But the pain… It's unbearable…"

"HAKKAI!"

"I'm sorry…"

Gojyo gripped his shoulders as if he was cold, but he was burning inside. Hakkai would never do something like that, would he? The kappa felt a warm wetness sliding down his cheeks. He quickly brushed away the tears but more came.

"Hakkai… don't leave me…" he whispered.

Hakkai's back arched unconsciously in pain as the doctor stitched the last cut on his chest. It had been four hours since Gojyo and Sanzo had showed up and there had been a lot of repairs to be done. The only thing left now was to wait for Hakkai to heal himself.

The doctor leaned close to his ear.

"Can you hear me?" he whispered. Hakkai's eyes were half-lidded, showing just slivers of green.

"Yes…" the brunette murmured, barely audible. "I can hear you…" The doctor stepped back and examined his work.

"You need to rest. The man waiting said you would heal better yourself with sleep," he said. Hakkai blinked slowly.

"Man… waiting?" he asked.

"Yes," the doctor said as he nodded. "He had red hair." Hakkai smiled softly.

"Gojyo…" he managed to say before slipping from the conscious world. The doctor set aside his surgical tools and reached into the pocket of his lab coat. From there he produced a small vial filled with a clear liquid. He quickly grabbed a syringe and filled it with the liquid before inserting the needle into Hakkai's arm.

"Now you just relax Cho Hakkai. My mistress will be interested in you… and your red haired friend…"

"Sanzo, where's Gojyo and Hakkai?" Goku asked as he looked at the meat bun in his hands. Sanzo had given him food, hoping it would get his mind off Hakkai.

"They're still at the doctor," the priest said as he took another long drag on his cigarette. Goku nibbled at his meat bun.

"I hope they get back soon," he said. Sanzo looked out the window and into the rain.

"Yeah, me too."

"Should we go check on them?"

"No."

"What's wrong with Hakkai anyways?"

Sanzo desperately wanted to say that he didn't care. But the innocent look in Goku's large golden eyes would not allow him to lie. Instead he gave a gentle smile, trying to soothe Goku's worries.

"He's just got a couple broken ribs. He'll be fine. He is Hakkai after all," he said instead. It wasn't exactly a lie, but it wasn't exactly the truth either. Hakkai was in much worse condition than he made it sound. "I'm sure that he and Gojyo will be back very soon," he finished. God, he thought, I'm starting to sound like Hakkai myself aren't I? Sanzo shook himself and went back to staring out at the rain. Those two had better hurry up, for all of their sakes.

Gojyo must have dozed off because the doctor was gently shaking his shoulders. The kappa looked up at the man through tired eyes.

"Is… Hakkai okay?" he managed to ask. He hoped he didn't look like he had been crying. The doctor smiled comfortingly.

"If what you say about him healing himself in his sleep is true, then yes, he'll be okay. He just needs rest. I suggest that you leave him here for the time being," he said. Gojyo nodded and stood up.

"Fine. I've got to run home and tell the others but can I come back?" he asked. The doctor nodded.

"Of course."

Gojyo smiled weakly and headed back to the house, ready to tell Sanzo and Goku that Hakkai would be alright.

As the kappa rested his hand on the doorknob he sighed every so softly. The inside of the house was silent, meaning that Goku and Sanzo were barely talking. No arguing, no yelling. Odd really. It almost freaked Gojyo out.

He opened the door silently and walked inside. He was instantly met by a large pair of golden eyes and a whack from a paper fan.

"OUCH! Dammit Sanzo! That hurt!" Gojyo shouted.

"Well, you shouldn't have taken so damn long!" the priest yelled. "Now out with it! Where the hell is Hakkai?"

"He'll be fine, but he's still at the doctor's place," Gojyo said, keeping an eye on Sanzo's fan. "He's sleeping now." There was a sigh of relief from both Sanzo and Goku.

"I'm glad he's okay," the monkey breathed. Sanzo didn't say anything but it was obvious that he was too. What would the group do without Hakkai's friendly smiles, or cooking or driving? They couldn't have gotten even this far without the brunette.

"Me too Goku," Gojyo said. "Me too."

"Hey Sanzo…"

"Yes Goku?"

"I'm hungry!"

WHACK!

The doctor gazed down at the sleeping Hakkai with an odd expression. Psycho? Hungry? Hard to describe. He reached under his white lab coat and pulled a strange jewel out of his belt buckle. Instantly his ears became pointed and his eyes blood red. He was a youkai.

The demon doctor set the power limiter aside and studied the slumbering Hakkai. Another figure appeared out of the shadows behind him. It was a rather tall woman with crimson hair and eyes, not unlike Gojyo's.

"He can't be the one," she said sharply as she looked down at Hakkai. "There's no way he's a taboo with eyes and hair that color." The doctor chuckled deeply.

"It's not him, it's the man that brought him. He had red hair and eyes," the man said. The woman's face suddenly changed to a more sly appearance.

"Oh really?" she sneered. The doctor nodded and the woman laughed mercilessly. "This could work to our advantage," she said after a moment of thought.

"My sentiments exactly," the doctor said. "If the red haired man is indeed close to him, then we can use our injured friend as bait to lure him out of hiding."

The woman thought for a moment.

"Did this taboo say that he was coming back?" she asked. The doctor nodded.

"He said he was going to tell the others that this one would be okay and then come back. I'm expecting him soon," he said as he picked up the power limiter up and placed it back in his belt buckle. Instantly he looked like a normal human again.

"Alright. I'll disappear for the time being but don't let this man leave your sight. And if the taboo comes back and wishes to bring him home, tell him that there were a few minor complications and you have to keep him another night," the woman said as she stepped back into the shadows and disappeared. The doctor nodded and looked to the door just as Gojyo walked in again. His face wasn't as gray as it had been before. He was definitely in a better mood than before.

"Welcome back," the doctor said with an innocent smile. Gojyo raised a hand in quick greeting.

"Any change with Hakkai?" he asked with genuine concern. The doctor shook his head.

"Not anything drastic. But I'm afraid that he'll have to stay here over night. I'd like to keep an eye on him to make sure that he heals properly," he said. Gojyo nodded and looked down at Hakkai.

"Just as long as he's alright," he said as he pulled a pack of cigarettes from his back pocket. "I'll be back in the morning to get him," he continued as he stuck the unlit cancer stick in his mouth. The doctor nodded in understanding and Gojyo left.

Just as the door closed behind the kappa the woman appeared out of the shadows again, but this time she was holding a roll of parchment. She held it out to the doctor.

"Leave this on the table. We're leaving now," she stated. The youkai doctor nodded and tossed the roll aside. "Bring him with us," the woman commanded. Again the doctor nodded and picked the rather light Hakkai up in his arms. The woman grasped the doctor's upper arm and Hakkai's pale hand and then they all disappeared into the shadows that engulfed them.

So this was chapter one. I do hope you enjoyed it and that you'll keep your eyes open for any future ones that may exist. It started out a little slow but I needed an excuse so you'll have to forgive me… I would love to hear from you so review!