Satsuki ran into the hospital and came to an abrupt stop at the receptionist's desk.
"I'm here for Ryuko Matoi! Where is she?! What happened!?" Satsuki fought to catch her breath as she waited for the woman to answer her questions.
"Please calm down Miss. We're not entirely sure what happened to Miss Matoi and she is in surgery at the moment. I can escort you down to the waiting room where a doctor will come find you once they finish the surgery."
Satsuki took a deep breath and nodded and the nurse started walking down a small hallway. She saw a familiar face walking towards her. "Ira?"
"Satsuki! Mako called me and I came as fast as I could!"
"Do you know what happened?"
"Mako said that Ryuko had a motorcycle accident."
"Damn! I told her not to ride that thing today! The roads weren't safe..." Satsuki walked into the waiting room and sat down on one of the chairs. She saw Mako on the other side of the room and nodded to her. Mako smiled and waved. "Did she talk to you at all today?"
Mako nodded and looked away from Satsuki. "She told me about the argument and why you fought."
"This is my fault. I should have never allowed her to leave home." Satsuki rubbed her temple and looked at the clock. "We've been together for a year already...and I never even thought about this being a possibility..." She sighed and closed her eyes as she thought of the events earlier that day.
…...
Ryuko was sitting on the couch yelling at someone through her headset as she played a video game. Satsuki never understood why she was so attached to those games, but it kept her happy even if she yelled at people most of the time. Satsuki smiled and sat beside Ryuko and watched her play the game.
"Where the hell did you learn to shoot? You're grandmother?" Ryuko laughed and Satsuki shook her head. Her girlfriend could be so mean sometimes. "So what if I'm a girl!? I'm still kicking your ass."
"Ryuko please calm down."
"No this jerk is saying I should leave the game because I'm a girl!" She leaned forward and continued to play. "I'll have you know that I have had a girlfriend for a year now and she doesn't care that I'm playing games. In fact she is right beside me!" Ryuko started to grit her teeth and Satsuki sighed. "Tell me where the hell you are and I'll come kick your ass in real life!" She was seething in anger and Satsuki turned the game off and took the controller away from Ryuko.
"Try to breathe."
"I'm so sick of them." Ryuko glared at the wall and Satsuki patted her back.
"Want some ice cream?"
"Maybe..."
"Come on." Satsuki dragged Ryuko off the couch and they made their way into the kitchen. Ryuko grabbed two bowls and spoons while Satsuki took the ice cream out of the freezer. "Could you go check the mail Ryuko?"
"Sure." Ryuko said as she walked out of the kitchen. A minute later she came back and dropped the mail on the counter and grabbed her bowl of ice cream. Satsuki picked up the mail and looked through it. One thing stood out above the others.
"Ryuko?"
"Hmm?" Ryuko looked up from her bowl and turned her attention towards Satsuki.
"Remember when you had to go to the hospital and got blood taken for tests?"
"Of course I do...you forced me to go and they shoved a freaking needle in my arm!" Ryuko grumbled to herself and Satsuki sighed.
"Tests are in." She opened the envelope and took out the pieces of paper, and she looked through them and smiled. "Nothing is wrong with you."
"I could have told you that."
"Wait..." Satsuki saw something else on the pages and her jaw dropped.
"What is it Satsuki?" Ryuko looked at the paper and frowned. "Isn't that...?"
"My mother's name...Ryuko...we're sisters..."
"Hell no..." Ryuko dropped her bowl on the counter and took the paper from the other girl. "This can't be happening..."
"I slept with my sister..." Satsuki slumped to the ground while Ryuko was still clenching the paper in her hands. Both girls were too shocked to do anything. Ryuko finally dropped the paper and walked out of the room. She sat down on the couch and dropped her head in her hands.
"What the hell?"
"We can't love each other like this..."
"Are you serious Satsu?!" Ryuko got up and faced her girlfriend. "How do you expect me to throw away my feelings now!?"
"Ryu...we're sisters...by blood."
"So?!"
"It isn't right." Satsuki said as she tried to put a hand on Ryuko's shoulder. The younger girl stepped away from her.
"I don't care! Satsuki it doesn't matter! We didn't grow up together so what does it matter?"
"Ryuko..."
"No...I'm going out." Ryuko turned and grabbed her jacket and stomped out the door. Satsuki ran after her.
"Ryuko! It's dangerous on the roads! Stay here!"
"I'll go to Mako's." Ryuko said as she drove off on her motorcycle. Satsuki sank to her knees and closed her eyes to force the tears away. Her entire world had just been turned upside down in less than an hour.
…...
Mako kicked her feet back and forth as they waited. Satsuki looked ready to fall apart and Ira was leaning against the wall.
"What happened when she saw you Mako?" Satsuki asked quietly.
"She was angry and soaking wet. I'm guessing that was from the rain, but anyways...I tried to calm her down, but then she started crying." Mako looked at her hands in her lap. "Ryuko never cries."
Satsuki sighed. "I never should have read those results. I thought she was going to stay with you."
"Well...in the midst of her breaking down, she slammed a fist against the ground and said it wasn't your fault this happened. She wanted to go back to you and beg for forgiveness."
"She never does that."
"She loves you a lot Satsuki. Her pride means nothing if she isn't by your side." Ira decided to join in. He sat down beside her and sighed. "I'm not that close to her, but I see the way she looks at you. Even when you two fight, she never stops caring. This is just another obstacle that you two need to defeat."
"We're sisters Ira."
"I can't tell you what to do, but it's been a year. Can you really throw away those feelings that you have for her?"
Satsuki thought about it as the room fell to silence once again. She couldn't throw away her feelings no matter how wrong it was. She loved Ryuko too much. A few minutes later a doctor walked in. Satsuki stood up.
"She is still sleeping and I'm not when she'll wake up. If everything is healing right, she should come around sometime tomorrow, but I can't tell you for sure. She was in a terrible accident and she's lucky she made it out alive."
"What kind of damage was done to her?" Satsuki asked slowly. The doctor sighed and removed his glasses to clean them.
"Concussion, right arm is broken, lots of internal damage, fractured left leg, and lots of cuts and bruises. She's going to need a lot of rest."
"Thank you. Can we see her?"
"It's past visiting hours. I can only allow family members to see her."
"I'm...her sister." The doctor sighed before nodding.
"Only for a few minutes. She needs her rest."
"Thank you." Satsuki followed the doctor out of the room and back into the hallway. The doctor pushed open a door and Satsuki clenched her jaw. Ryuko was ghostly white laying on the bed. Satsuki walked in and sat in a chair by the bed. She grasped Ryuko's hand and sighed. "I told you not to leave. Why couldn't you have just listened for once Ryu?" Satsuki stood up and placed a kiss on Ryuko's cheek and hovered above her lips. "I'm sorry." Satsuki turned and left the room. She closed the door silently and walked back to the waiting room. Ira and Mako rushed to her side.
"Is she okay?"
"She's sleeping and really pale...I'm going to go home now..." Satsuki turned and quickly left the building. The hospital smell was starting to make her sick. She made her way home and once she closed the door behind her she cried out in anger. Anger at everything that was happening. Anger at herself, and even Ryuko. Satsuki didn't even bother turning on any lights as she locked herself in the bedroom. Whatever happens between them, Ryuko and Satsuki will never be the same.
…...
Two Days Later
Satsuki pulled up a chair and looked down at the young girl laying in bed. Ryuko hadn't woken up in two days and nobody knew why. The doctors said that she should have woken up after surgery. Seeing that she wasn't waking up worried Satsuki. It meant that the damage done to the girl was more extensive than they thought. Satsuki brushed the girl's bangs away from her face and leaned down to place a soft kiss on her forehead.
"Where do we stand Ryuko?" She closed her eyes and dropped her head in her hands. "Why did I let this happen? Please wake up...I don't want you to die. I need you..." Her voice cracked as a tear slid down her face. "Even if you're really my sister...I can't erase what we've done. I can't take away all the kisses and the I love yous. We've done things sisters shouldn't do, but I don't regret them. I've been with you for a year now and I should have listened to you. You're not waking up because of me right? I screwed up."
"Satsu...?"
"Ryu!" Satsuki yelled when she heard the voice. She smiled and hugged Ryuko carefully. "You're finally awake! I'm sorry!"
"Aren't you supposed to lecture me? This isn't like you at all." Ryuko stated with a smile.
"Shut up..."
"You're blushing now? I think I'm in heaven." Ryuko teased. Satsuki flicked her nose and shook her head.
"What the hell were you thinking?"
"I actually wasn't thinking...until I left Mako's. Look I'm sorry for yelling at you...don't hate me."
"I can't hate you no matter how hard I try. I'm just glad you finally woke up."
"How long have I been out?"
"Two days."
"Damn..."
"You're hurt pretty bad Ryu. What happened?"
Ryuko closed her eyes for a moment. "It's foggy, but...I couldn't see where I was going because of my stupid tears and when it was too late, I saw the car. I guess I lost my bike?"
"You're lucky you're alive."
"Yeah...lucky." Ryuko glared at the ceiling. "Are we going to figure it out?"
"I guess seeing as you can't get up and leave."
"Shut up eyebrows..."
"Still great with comebacks I see."
"Are we going to talk or not?" Ryuko asked with a voice filled with irritation. "Before I pass out again."
"Sorry. Would you like to go first?"
"Sure." Ryuko paused for a second to gather her thoughts and to figure out how to begin. "I still stand where I did on that night. I think we can manage to be together even if we're sisters. We didn't grow up together so it's not that weird. Not everyone knows we're sisters so maybe it won't be too bad."
"I spent a lot of time thinking about this over the past few days and even when I know it's wrong and shouldn't happen, I can't change the feelings I have for you. We'll never erase what we've done in the past and it's been a year. We can get past this. So Ryuko if you really want this, I'd like it if we can remain being girlfriends." Satsuki sighed and looked at Ryuko to see her smiling.
"Of course. We can do this Satsu. Now come on. I need a kiss." Ryuko grinned and Satsuki bent down to kiss her lips. Ryuko felt pain and groaned. "This sucks."
"The doctor said you would be here at least another week."
"Damn."
"Now it's not that bad."
"The food sucks. I'd rather stay asleep."
"Get through this and we'll see about getting a new motorcycle."
"Seriously?" Ryuko's eyes lit up and Satsuki nodded. "Awesome!" Satsuki laid her head down beside Ryuko's and they spent a few moments in silence just to enjoy each others company. "Hey Satsu."
"Yes Ryu?"
"I love you." Ryuko smiled and Satsuki chuckled.
"I love you too."