When The Sky Fell
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Takumi swished the fluid around in the glass and gulped it down. It burned his throat.

He was in a reminiscent mood tonight. He was sitting on a chair in the verandah staring at the distance in the night sky as if trying to catch a glimpse of the unseen future.

He wasn't perturbed but was more thoughtful than usual. He had just woken up from a dream, which reminded him of his past. . . . With Reira.

So many years have passed since he first met her, ... the number one priority of his life.

Though he never showed it, almost all of his decisions in his own life were surrounded around this little imouto of his.

He heard the woman in the dark bedroom stir at which he soundlessly willed that she would not awake. He was not in the mood for making conversation with this random woman he picked up from one of the parties that night. On that note, he made a mental check whether he had received any mail from Hachi that day.

Remembering his wife always brought in a feeling of mild amusement in him. Her dedication to ignore his mistakes and shortcomings was so close to a loyal dog, nonetheless he could never stop being surprised every time, he found her still with him after all he did. ...Not that he cared about it that much...though sometimes, he just needed to keep her...he would tell himself, it was for the heck of it and nothing more...until he saw her leaving.

Practically, he saw her as a home to come back to from the world that he had to be as attentive as he could, to his work, sometimes his image, to the problems that others caused him, to progress the purpose of his band…. Hachi was like a stress relief to him, maybe a game where he could play house and see how it goes. Not that he wasn't aware that he had to be the man of the house, taking care of all the needs of his pregnant wife but he knew…he knew, what Hachi wanted, and as long he could provide, she would remain. Compared to what others wanted, she didn't want much. So far, she stood his bullshit for 8 months, and Takumi knew, he had etched a permanent leash on her.

Sometimes, he thought about the consequences of his 'other' actions but his personal life is where he made the balancing sacrifice for what he gave to his career to thrive.

He was, however, practical enough to know that the cold shoulders he got from Hachi for his misdeeds, with as much as she knew, was less than his deserved punishment.

But he didnt sweat it. Never felt the need to be thankful for it. Like he never felt thankful that Reira was still beside him, despite the fact he had rejected her for all time.

He was used to women being all over him, he never faced rejection from the fairer sex. Perhaps, fate had given him this in exchange of his lousy childhood and home life. It wasnt in him to think about stuff like this. He just worked with what he had and saw.

That was it.

He presently thought that there was something he was forgetting. It was mid April and summer was still 2 months away in London.

-------

Nobu rushed frantically bumping his Guitar case on the wall at every corner he turned. Today, his strings were not his priority.

He panted, half cursing at how confusing the numbering of the hospital wards were.

After several minutes, he took a breather taking in all sides of his present location. Nothing pointed at the right direction or offered any clue as to where he should go. He should have guessed when he heard the ward number -707. It was the Devil's curse! Was he even on the right level of the building?

"Nobu-saaaan", he turned around when he heard a shrill voice. It was Misato or to be precise, Mai.

He let out a huge sigh of relief. He was saved!

Mai mildly rebuked him, " Nobu-san, where were you? We were all waiting!"

"Waiting? What about Nana? And Yasu and Shin? And Miu?"

Misato pulled his arm and led the way, " Yasu is waiting and calming Nana down. Shin is tensed also but Hachi is .."

Nobu stopped, stricken, " Nana? What about her? Is she alright?"

Misato pulled him into movement yet again, saying, "No, she is okay, just that...she is a bit distressed that the baby's coming two weeks early and Taku-" , she stopped and took a quick glance at Nobu.

She was in time to notice the passing spasm on Nobu's features but he quickly replaced with a somewhat unconvincing smile. Even, he knew, a woman would naturally ask for her husband at this stage.

He look forward and said , "Let's hurry."

-----

Honjo Nana was pacing while Yasu with a calm voice was trying to pacify her.

"That IDIOT!", Nana roared, " She's suffering for HIS mistake and he isnt even here for her."

Hachi was inside the ward waiting for her cue to enter the OT in a few minutes. Apparently, she was quite sensitive to pain so with as much energy that she had, she was also breathing in and out rhythmically to stall the baby a bit, gritting her teeth, she was asking for Takumi. The doctor had told off Nana H who seemed as tensed as Hachi, so for now Shin was holding Hachi's hand while she sort of spoke between breaths. Miu had an accursed job it seemed.

This is the scene that met Nobu's and Misato's eyes, when they reached ward 707.

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Ren peeped into Reira's room as soon as she opened the door.

Reira looked at Ren, puzzled.

" What are you looking for?"

Ren looked at her distractedly and then around again. As if hoping a second glance might reveal something, "Do you know where the leader is?"

Reira widened her eyes, why would he be here? He never isin her room this late at night.

" Ren?"

"I tried to call him, but apparently his cell phone is out of range. "

Reira replied, " He might be with Stella."

Ren gave her an inscrutable look and came inside to sit on the hotel room couch.

Lighting a cigarette, he couldn't hide the fact he was bit... worried.

Reira was intrigued as she followed him to sit beside, " What happened now? I didn't do anything and didn't step out of line."

Ren smiled wanly, " Silly, I would tell you first if it was about you. This is about Hachi."

Reira bucked up, " Hachi? Oh! Does she know that Takumi isn't being a good boy?"

Ren let out a puff, " I dunno but he's gotta know, she's giving birth right now."

Reira opened her mouth in surprise, " Ah? Ah! Ahh!"

" She wasnt due today", Ren explained, " so he might not have expected that she will deliver today."

"That Takumi! What do we do??? Have you texted him?"

Ren replied after a moment of thought, "I have. But its upto him to check it. I don't think he has realized that his mobile is out of network. I will try again...", he took out his mobile and redialed Takumi's number.

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"Nana! Nana!"

Hachi felt a very familiar voice call her, but she was shutting her eyes in pain. Her bottom seemed that it would burst any moment and she could feel movement in her pelvic region. She could hear the pain like thousands of voices screaming in her ears.

"Nana! Nana!"

How long had it been since she had been called by that name...that voice...she felt too muddled to recall whose voice it was...but she felt a bittersweet feeling sweeping her body, somehow, the texture of this voice seemed the perfect kind to calm her down.

She felt someone wiping her forehead, as she was sweating profusely. She gradually opened her eyes.

Her vision cleared to show Nobu's face...bending on her, worry was written all over his face. his eyes, oh how she had loved his earnest look,...the pureness of his persona... she was in pain...and his blond head was hallowed by the overtly lights on top. She hadn't realized she was being wheeled in the OT.

" I am sorry", a nurse spoke in haste, " But we cant allow you in unless you are her spouse."

Nana who was looking at Hachi struggling with a stricken face suddenly awoke to these words, " That ..", she pushed Nobu through the OT doors," is her husband!"

There was a momentary silence among the BLAST band members while the staff took her word for it and Nobu reverted from his shock at Nana's words first and followed Hachi in.