I'm not usually a fan of single-paragraph formatting, but I thought it helped to set the tone for this one. Other chapters may not use the same formatting, if I continue this, and I only will if people like this chapter, so let me know! Inspired by Mumford & Sons' "Reminder," but not a songfic.

Kisa is with the others in the dining room when Kyo's servant, the one who brings his food and takes his trash, rushes in, her eyes wild and desperate as she cries for Hatori. There's a sharp knife in her hand covered in blood, only a few small openings in the red liquid that shine brilliantly from the reflected light against the blade. Everyone pauses in their dinner to stare at her and the knife, mouths hanging slightly open. "Hatori, please!" she cries. "It's Kyo!" About half of the Zodiac rise in shock as Hatori, already looking determined, rises as well, saying, "Yuki, Hiro, get some bandages from the infirmary and a gurney just in case and bring them to his room. Haru and Momiji, come with me." The four boys do as they are told, rushing as they follow Hatori and the woman outside. "Wait!" Kagura cries as she runs for the door, Shigure catching her just in time. "Let me go! What's going on?! Is he hurt?!" Her cries are the only sound in the room as the rest of the Juunishi sit in silence. Kisa glances at Akito, seated at the head of the table like always. He is staring out the wide window to his right, hands in his lap, just staring, seemingly deep in thought. It seems like an eternity before Yuki and Hiro rush past the open door to the dining room, each with a tight grip on one end of the gurney, and each with bandages stuffed in his pockets. Yuki is in the front, looking as determined as Hatori had. Kisa wonders if he really hates Kyo as much as he says. Hiro only looks rushed and worried, and she hopes he doesn't see anything that scars him. And then, they're gone, and the rest can only wait once more and listen to Kagura's soft cries as she weeps into Shigure's shoulder. Her comforter's expression is unreadable. Many of the Zodiac move outside, knowing that the door to the dining room opens to the safest trail to the main house's hospital, knowing that Hatori, the others, and whatever is left of Kyo will be making their way down it very soon. Kisa goes outside as well. It's freezing in the dark, winter evening, and as the chill nips at Kisa's straight nose and rosy cheeks, she is thankful for her long sleeves but still aches for a coat. She can't bring herself to venture back inside. Nearly everyone else must feel the same way since they're out here as well. The only ones remaining in the dining room are Akito, still thoughtful, Shigure, still holding Kaura, and that same girl, still too distracted by her own despair to notice that everyone else was allowed to go outside. After several anxious, nearly silent minutes – the only sounds being the wind or the woods or the sobs from inside – Kisa catches sight of a group of people awkwardly hiking down the trail. Yuki is in front, facing forward, carrying the gurney, a hard look on his face. Hiro and Haru are at the back, each carrying one leg of the gurney. Hatori and Momiji are at the sides, their hands pressing down on the torso of the person who lay atop of it. An orange head of messy, unkempt hair lay at Hiro and Haru's end. Kisa's breath catches in her throat. This is really happening. It's really real. Kyo might not make it. As they grow nearer to Kisa, she is able to make out Hatori's pleas. "Don't go to sleep, Kyo, I need you to stay awake, do you hear me? Do not go to sleep, you son of a-" "Oh, my God," Rin mutters beside Kisa. Kisa's breath catches again, and a painful lump forms in her throat as the sight of Kyo's bloody torso comes into view. Hatori and Momiji's hands are covered in the red fluid as they press down on the bandages. Hatori was able to bandage Kyo's arms and shoulders – so many bloody bandages – but Kisa can only assume that Yuki and Hiro didn't bring enough because the doctor and the rabbit are pressing dirty rags on his chest. Kisa wonders if those were the only cloths they could find on hand, if they were the only cloths that Kyo had in that room. As they get closer, Hatori glances around frantically at the Zodiac that are waiting for them. When he sees Kisa, he locks eyes with her, sets his mouth, and says to her, "Kisa, I need you to be strong right now, okay?" Kisa wonders if her incoming tears are really so important to him that he would pause in his focus. "I need you to come with us to the infirmary and keep him awake. Can you do that?" They pause in their walk in front of her, and she stands shell-shocked. Me? "Kisa, I need you to hurry, we don't have much time. You have the most comforting presence of all of us. I need you, Kisa. Hurry up! He needs you." She glances at Kyo. His brow is scrunched together, his lips moving just slightly, almost twitching, as if he's trying to say something important. She glances at Hiro. His eyes are encouraging when he looks at her, but his mouth is set. "Kisa!" Hatori barks. It's so unlike him. "Come here," Hiro says, "In between me and Haru. Just talk to him." Kyo gasps a little as if he's just now feeling the pain, and Kisa rushes behind his head, where Hiro told her to go. "Alright, let's move!" Hatori says, determined once more. As they continue down the trail, Kisa wonders what exactly she's supposed to say, trying her very best to focus only on his face, obsessively ignoring his wounds. "Good luck," Ritsu whispers as they pass. Although she gives no indication that she heard, she appreciates it. "Um…" she mutters. "Just talk to him," Hiro advises beside her. "Keep him awake." "Okay… um, Kyo…"She takes a shaky breath. "Oh, God… Did you do this to yourself?" His face starts to relax. Kisa begins to panic and smacks him lightly on the cheek. No change. She smacks him harder, and his eyes flutter open before drooping again. "Atta girl," Haru says from her other side. She would smile at his approval if the situation were not so dire. "Kyo… Kyo, look at me! Look!" His tired eyes trudge open and stare at her. "Hey…" she tries, "Hi… are you tired?" She thinks she hears him whimper slightly. "Yeah, I bet you are. I bet you're tired of that room. Tired of this life." His eyes begin to droop again and she taps his cheek repeatedly until they open once more. "Can I tell you a secret?" He only stares. She leans down over his head and whispers, "I'm tired of this life, too." Her voice catches, and the tears that were threatening her since she first saw him on the trail finally spill over, a few drops landing on Kyo's cheeks. His eyes turn from tired to agonized as he watches her cry. His mouth opens slightly and she thinks she hears him mutter, "Don't…" She raises her head and looks at him, pained. From the corner of her eye, she sees his hand begin to rise until Hatori smacks it back down before it can get anywhere near to comforting her. Kisa chokes back a sob and takes another shaky breath before stroking his cheek. "It's okay…" she mutters. "Just please stay awake…" Then he tries to say something that she can't make out. "What?" she mutters. "Toh… Tohru…" His eyes flutter closed. "No!" she yelps and smacks him again with more force than she thought she had in her. His eyes go wide for a moment before muttering again, "Tohru… wh… why are… you here?" Kisa is stunned. "Uh…." "Holy crap, he thinks you're Tohru," Haru says. "Um…" "Hey," Momiji says from the side, "if it keeps him awake, go with it." "But… but that's the worst kind of blasphemy!" "Who cares about blasphemy right now, Kisa?" Haru urged, "Just keep the guy awake." "Uh…" Kisa looks down at Kyo. His eyes are closed again. She smacks him once more. He doesn't move. In a moment of desperation, Kisa exclaims, "What does she call him?!" "Kyo-kun," Yuki answers in a steely voice from up front. "Kyo-kun!" Kisa yells as she slaps his face. "Kyo-kun, please, I'm worried about you!" That's not just how Kisa thinks Tohru would feel but how she herself feels as well. His eyes flutter open, and Kisa sighs in relief. "Hi, Kyo-kun." The corners of his mouth turn up. "Hi…" he replies. "Um, Kyo-kun… will you do something for me?" His lips move silently as he tries to say something that looks like, "Anything." "Will you try to stay awake? I want you to stay with me right now, Kyo-kun. I need you to stay with me." His chin moves just the slightest bit, just enough for her to know that he's nodding. "Okay. Okay, thank you." She strokes his hair as the tears start coming once more. When he sees this, his own eyes brim with tears as he mutters, "No… don't…" and Hatori has to smack his hand again. He closes his eyes tight, tight enough that Kisa knows he's not asleep. After a moment, he begins to mutter something else, his lips moving silently. She can't tell what it is this time. But as long as his eyes stay tense and his lips keep moving, she knows he's awake and continues to stroke his hair and his cheeks. As their rescue party continues down the trail, Kisa remembers how intimidated she used to be of him. That seems a bit silly now as she stares down at his pale face with the tears that spilled over running down his temples. His muttering gets just slightly louder until Kisa can pick out a few words here and there. "… find her… light the way… I'm... without her… fade away…" As he grows louder, she realizes he's repeating himself. He grows louder still as if he's gaining strength. She's not sure how that's possible, but it doesn't matter as long as he stays awake. After a few minutes, Kisa knows they should be nearing the infirmary. And Kyo's mutterings get that much louder. A few more rounds of repetition and she – and everyone else – can hear him as clear as day, though he's still quiet. "A constant reminder of where I can find her – a light that might give up the way – is all that I'm asking, for without her I'm lost. Oh, my love, don't fade away."