Title: Live

Timeline: Last episode of Kapitel

Pairing: none

Summary: While escaping from the collapse of the Esset stronghold, Ken reflects on what has given him the will to live.

Disclaimer: own nothing, make no profit.

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Live

The building was giving way. I heard Aya shout for everyone to get out. Catching Omi as he nearly stumbled over some debris, I grabbed him by the arm and ran.

How many times have we had to escape from buildings that just seem to want to fall on us? There was that one time that Schwartz boy brought that place down on us. And there was that one time Musafami's lab came down on us. Yohji would probably make some bad joke about our presence always bringing down the house if I mentioned this to him.

There's water around our knees now. Omi is ahead of me leading in the direction that hopefully leads out.

Out. You would think that would be the easy part of any given mission. It isn't. That's the part where you have to get past all the guards who you slipped by on the way in. The guards that are now after you and in between you and the exit. Oh and sometimes the building's on fire too.

Like when we took out Takatori. All the guards we snuck past before didn't magically vanish. There was a fire that time. That one time after we were tricked by the special forces was all one big escape gone wrong. Escapes are never easy.

We can see the outside now. Just a bit more. Omi is by the exit, he pauses and looks back at me. I manage a weak smile and tell him to go ahead and jump out. It'll just take a minute for me to get there, I'm not far behind. He goes ahead through the exit into the water outside. My head is pounding from where it was slammed into the column. I guess the adrenaline from the fight is wearing off. Gathering my focus, I slog through the water.

Luck is not with me today.

The building rocks and a chunk of rubble falls. Narrowly missing me on the way down, it blocks the exit.

I stare at the rubble for a second before wearily beginning to look for another exit as the water continues to rise.

I was trapped once before. It was after I found Koga dead at the hands of Kase. Kase had me there trapped with a gun both literally and metaphorically pointed at my heart.

The water's rising faster now. It's already at my chest, stinging at my wounds. I hope Aya and Yohji got out okay. I keep searching for an exit, not ready to give up just yet.

After Kase's death, I wanted nothing more than to die. Yuriko managed to distract me from these thoughts, at least for a while. It was long enough though, for me to remember that even if I couldn't live for myself, I could live for others.

I'm swimming now, the water has almost reached the ceiling. I dive under the water, looking for an exit. Not finding any on that breath, I come up for air before trying again. Aya and Yohji had been ahead of us, I'm sure they got out okay.

After the death of Kase, I had lost my reason to fight., but I was too bloodstained to ever turn away. There was nothing to return to anyway. So I fought for my teammates. I fought for Aya, so he could continue to protect his sister. I fought for Yohji, because he still held hope for his heart. I fought for Omi, who may still one day have a bright future. Who will guard the guardian? Well that would be me. Someone who has nothing to loose. It's for them I live.

There's only an inch of air left. I gulp as much as I can before it disappears.

I'm sorry guys. I wish I could have protected you for as long as you continued to fight.

The blood from my wounds flows past my vision like a bloody red veil. My lungs scream for air, but all that is left is bloody water.

My strength is fading, I don't have anything left to fight with anymore.

I'm sorry Yohji.

The cold water rushes in.

I'm sorry Omi.

My lungs scream in protest.

I'm sorry Aya.

The bloody water vanishes as my vision fades.

I'm sorry...

End-