Chapter Two

Dangerous Plans

"Mamma? How are you feeling today?" Nao asked as she walked into the hospital room where her mother lay beneath the sheets.

With tired eyes, the woman lifted her weary head an inch to smile a welcome to her daughter. "Come in, dear. I'm so glad to see you."

Nao took the same seat at her mother's bed and kept up the beaming grin on her face for as long as she could, fighting back the pain that cloaked her everytime she looked at the machines whirring around her mother that seemed to be multiplying each day.

"How was school today?" her mother asked, taking note of the tired rings around her daughter's eyes. "Did you see the flowers?"

Nao bit her lip and nodded. "Yeah, I ate my lunch around them."

"Alone?"

Nao sighed.

"Dear Nao, I just worry for you. I don't want you to have to eat alone." Nao's mother reached out and took Nao's hand, squeezing it in her own. "I feel a little better today, so that means that tomorrow you have to try and make a friend."

The sound of her words was a blessing to Nao's ears and she smiled honestly this time. "You really feel better? Than I guess I could try," she said with a nod. "I promise!"

Nao's eyes opened almost willingly as another dream began to settle in. Already she could feel her heart aching and she rested a hand over her chest. When will this pain end?

"Ah, Nao, it's good to see you're finally awake." Yhoko pulled back a sheet somewhere from beside Nao's nurse bed and peered over her. "You're looking a lot better than yesterday."

"Yesterday," Nao echoed in a weak voice, tyring to remember everything from the previous day. Of course, the first thing that came back was the dream and she felt her tears welling up again.

Luckily, Yhoko saved her. "You almost had a breakdown in Midori's lesson, and you ran out of the class and right into Shizuru. After that you apparently ran into the toilets where Shizuru followed you, and after being sick in the sink you fainted into her arms." She paused as Midori appeared at her side, her face filled with worry. "Shizuru and Midori here helped carry you to me, and you were out all night and for most of today."

"That long? So today is…" Nao mumbled, closing her eyes to try and remember the days of the week as she forced herself to ignore the anger of falling weak in front of Shizuru.

"It's Saturday night," Midori filled in helpfully, but she still looked sad for the girl. "You need to stay in here for another hour at least, as well. I know you probably want to get away to be by yourself again, but you're not well." Midori made it obvious she knew that something was going on with Nao, but she also didn't have the look of understanding, so Nao knew her secret was still safe inside.

"Okay," she muttered uncomfortably. "I'll be here for another hour, but then I'm gone," she said rudely before flipping onto her side and pretending to sleep when in reality she was sifting through her thoughts and pitying herself for fainting in front of her enemy.

Damn you, Shizuru…

******

On the final second of the hour, Nao was getting up and dressing behind the sheet that separated her from Yhoko whom she could hear tapping away at her laptop. Luckily it seemed Midori wasn't there who would have been chattering away, so she threw on her school clothes after she had been changed into a warmer nurse attire whilst she had been unconscious, and gathered up her bag.

"The hours up," she announced as she stepped out in front of Yhoko with her arms crossed boredly. "Which means I'm out of here." She started towards the door without backwards glance, but Yhoko's urgent voice stopped her.

"Wait, Nao. What exactly happened yesterday?" she asked, swinging around on her office chair. "I know a little of it from Midori, but she didn't know why you reacted like you did."

Nao hesitated. She wanted to tell someone, but she was afraid of the way people would view her. She had always dealt with things on her own, and she didn't want that to change. She hated relying on others, so she couldn't let the words out.

Yhoko sighed at her silence. "I understand if you don't want to say anything, but please talk to someone. I don't want to have to see you carried in here unconscious again. You looked dreadful." There was a real sadness in her voice that made Nao twitch, wishing again that she wasn't so stubborn to the core.

"Sorry Yhoko, but I'd rather keep it to myself," she said with a hint of anger in her voice that she used to tell others how serious she was. "If that's all, I'll be on my way."

Knowing there was nothing more she could do without prying into business that wasn't her own, Yhoko let the matter go. "Alright, take it easy out there, okay? And don't forget what I said about telling someone. It's important."

Nao didn't reply. She disappeared through the door and shut it hastily, heading down the hall with a tight feeling in her chest. I've never had something this hard to keep to myself before, she thought. It was true. She had never had a problem with fighting through things on her own. She always found a way to cheer herself up by finding pathetic males to torture, but even that wouldn't make a difference, she knew. It was like a wound was dragging inside of her, getting bigger the more she left it unknown to others, and she didn't know how long she could last.

Clearly the red head wasn't in the mood for surprises. She just wanted to get back to her room and deal with Aoi's annoying begging to know what was going on. She knew she wouldn't cave into her. After all, they didn't often share secrets, let alone words. She did still feel a little guilty though, but now wasn't the time to give her the impression that she was shallow.

"This'll still be hard though, either way," she muttered to herself as she reached the door to her dorm and rested against it for a moment. She was still tired and decided she would go straight to bed after telling Aoi that she was fine to shut her up, but as usual, things weren't going to go her way.

As soon as she opened up the door, she was faced with the very nasty surprise she wasn't prepared to face.

Inside of her room were some of her fellow HiMEs: Mai was on the floor beside Mikoto, both tickling each other and roaring with laughter as Aoi was left giggling along with them with half closed eyes beside Midori, whom was looking surprisingly tense. On the second half of the couch was Natsuki, her body leaning comfortable against her.

Shizuru.

Nao shallowed down a choking fear and faced them all as their eyes lifted to her own in expectance. Mai and Mikoto looked apologetic, and Aoi looked suddenly more tired than before. Natsuki was trying to hide a scowl, but Shizuru was smiling. The most obvious expression, though, was Midori's. She looked both disappointed and serious to the point where she actually looked like a teacher.

"Nao, we need to talk," she said emotionlessly.

Nao's hand gripped the edge of the doorframe. It wasn't a discussion. It was an interrogation.

"Don't be scared," Shizuru said soothingly as she saw Nao panicking. "It's going to be okay. Come on in."

Nao's knees were beginning to buckle. She couldn't do this right now. She couldn't admit it to all of them, especially not her, not her enemy.

Midori lifted her head a little as she saw the state of the girl. "You're not going to faint again, are you?" Immediately all of them looked alarmed, and Nao backed away a little more.

"I can't do this," she gasped, clenching her teeth. "This is my problem!"

This time, to everyone's surprise, Aoi spoke in her shy voice. "Nao, you need to share with us what's happening! You've been so depressed and sick, it's not just worrying me anymore! It's worrying all of us!"

"Why!?" Nao cried, banging her fist against the doorframe in anger. "Why would any of you care?"

Mai answered as she swivelled around properly to look at Nao face to face. "We were all HiME together, and in a way we still are. We're a team, so of course we care about you, Nao. Look at everything we did together!"

It was true, and it hit Nao in the heart, adding to the emotions that already filled it to the breaking point. But it had already broken those weeks ago, all because of the smiling woman that faced her now, trying to give her encouragement.

Nao knew what she had to do. She needed to run again. It felt like a weak way out and she wished she didn't have to, but she wouldn't be able to face all of them like this. She didn't know what would happen, but it wouldn't be good. She already felt like she was suffocating and the tightness inside of her became too much to handle. With a final glare at Shizuru that could penetrate any weaker soul, she turned and fled.

She ran through the halls without another thought filling her head. She only knew of one thing at that moment, and it was getting away from that group and those red eyes. Everything around her was a blur as she passed room after room. When she reached the stairs, she didn't stop. She jumped the length of it, and landed before the doors of the building. Without slowing or stopping, she pushed it open and sped off into the night like a frightened animal.

******

Back in Nao's room, Aoi was in tears. Mai and Midori were trying to comfort her as she cried into her hands, but there was nothing to be done. Nao had hurt her with her secrets, and she felt like she had to do something for her all of this time. Now she just felt weak and helpless.

"There's nothing we can do while she's like this," Midori told her gently. "She needs to calm down, and when she has, we'll try again."

"I thought you said she was calm enough tonight?" Mai pointed out, rubbing Aoi's back as she wept.

Midori let out a sigh and threw up her hands. "My mistake. I was sure that after seeing her yesterday passed out in the bathroom that she would be ready to spill as soon as she woke up. Guess she hasn't reached that point yet."

"I don't think she will."

All eyes turned to Shizuru as the fell into a deep thought, her thumb pressed to her chin intelligently. "It seems she is too used to being on her own with problems. We have to force ourselves into her head, or she won't say a word, but she might lash out." She let out a deep breath. "This is a very delicate situation when you think of who we're dealing with."

Everyone nodded in agreement, but Natsuki simply frowned and stared across the room.

"Something wrong, my dear Natsuki?" Shizuru asked with a touch of lust in her voice despite the situation.

Natsuki glared at her for making their relationship obvious in front of company, but she let it pass for the moment and instead asked, "Why am I helping that girl, anyway? She was rude to me during the entire Carnival and might I remind you that she also tried to kill me on more than one occasion?"

Shizuru clucked her tongue sadly. "Natsuki, you were the one who stopped me from killing her during my…" She let out a fake coughed. "Rampage, let's just call it. Why have you suddenly changed your heart again?"

Natsuki felt an angry twitch in the corner of her eye. "I pitied her and saved her from getting killed once! It's not like her life is being threatened at the moment!"

Another sob wracked through Aoi as the possibility hung silently in the air between them all.

"Oh, come on! She's not that stupid!" Natsuki argued angrily as she realised they were all thinking of Nao killing herself. "Surely she has more sense than that!"

There was no time to argue about it further for the door was thrown open with such a sudden force that it shuddered on its hinges. In the doorway stood a seething Haruka before the predicably timid Yukino.

"Shizuru!" Haruka roared, rounding on the woman. Everyone knew she was serious the moment she used Shizuru's first name. "Why aren't you helping me deal with all of the council matters! You haven't been in there since yesterday morning!"

Shizuru looked so bored that if she had a cup of tea before her, she would have sipped from it painfully slow. Instead, she met Haruka's gaze with her own steady grin. "Why Haruka, I apologise for my missing presence. I am afraid that there have been events that have kept me from heading back to the council room."

Haruka rolled her eyes and stamped a foot in the perfect mimic of a child having a tantrum. "I am sure then, that there is nothing pressing on you at the moment seeing as you seem quiet relaxed in here with a nice little get-together!" she growled, each word coming through clenched teeth.

With a shrug, Shizuru gave in. "I guess you're right," she said, glancing around at the group. "Is everyone okay if I leave things as they are?"

They all nodded, but Aoi looked troubled. "What about Nao? She isn't safe out at night," she sobbed.

"That's true," Midori said, but she let out a deep exhale. "Unfortunately I'm up to my eyeballs with work, and Mai and Mikoto have a catch up test to take for missing it conveniently the other day," she said, her eyes boring into the pair as they went red.

"This late?" Aoi asked helplessly, but unfortunately it was a part of the punishment for the girls, and one only Midori would dare to pass under the principles nose. So the saddened girl looked to the remaining pair, Shizuru and Natsuki.

"I was going to go and look for her, but it seems I have to return to the council," Shizuru said as Haruka glared at her impatiently. "Perhaps you and Natsuki could go."

Natsuki's eyes widened and she choked on her words. "W-what? Are you kidding me?"

"Oh, please, Natsuki!" Aoi begged, standing up and clasping her hands together. "Please come with me?"

Natsuki could barely believe the task was getting pressed into her hands when she liked Nao the least. She turned to Shizuru again, but the woman gave her an apologetic look that slowly worsened until she looked like a puppy, and Natsuki, naturally, couldn't exist.

"Arghh! Fine!" she growled, punching a fist into the couch. "But I'll go alone. No offence, Aoi, but I don't think your sobbing will help us find her if she is trying to hide away."

Aoi nodded understandingly and almost made the mistake of embracing the girl. Instead her hands fell stiff at her sides and she gave an awkward but formal bow. "Thank you so much, Natsuki!"

With a sigh, the girl flipped her dark hair back and frowned. "I'll bring her back, but don't expect her to be unscathed. I doubt she's going to leap into my arms to come back."

Shizuru laughed at the expression. "I wonder what you would do if I attempted that my dear Natsuki."

"Shut up, Shizuru…"

******

Night had well and truly fallen by the time Natsuki stepped into the town entrance. She hadn't bothered to take her bike as she knew that Nao couldn't have gotten too far, but after she had realised she had wondered further than the school lawns she understood that the girl was definitely in a hurry to get away.

Now the search began, and she wanted nothing more than to get back to the school and go to sleep beside Shizuru. That meant she wasn't going to waste time finding the annoying red head, even if it meant rendering her unconscious and dragging her back.

"I can't believe I'm doing this," she muttered to herself as she began wandering the streets, her eyes scanning through the small crowds of late shoppers. "I couldn't care less what happens to her."

Inside, Natsuki's stomach clenched in protest and she realised she couldn't deny it. She wasn't as heartless as people thought she was, for she did hope that Nao was alright, and she had been wondering about her depression over the days. When she had heard about her fainting yesterday from Shizuru she hadn't been able to hold back a gasp and prying for more details. There was no point lying to herself anymore. She worried about her, even if it was only a tiny bit.

"Come on, bitch! Stop cryin'! Ya look pathetic!"

Natsuki turned in the direction of the yelling voice. She knew it was a thug. She had had too many run-ins with them in the past to mistake that clueless voice. A sick feeling seeped through her like poison and she followed the sound of the male's voice.

"Get up! You're makin' this harder than it has to be!"

Rounding another corner, Natsuki caught a visual on the man. He was dragging a kicking form deeper into an alley, but the victim wasn't making it easy for him. She screamed as loud as she could, swearing at the man, but there was no one around in the area to hear her.

I should help her, Natsuki thought, her eyes boring into the brutes back. She started forward into the area, her hands balling into fists, but the next sound she heard made her breath catch. It was a cry that sounded so familiar that there was no doubting who it was. "Nao!"

At the sound of her name, the girl's head turned to Natsuki and she could see her bloodied face and the sheer terror in her eyes. Unfortunately the man wasn't as stupid as he looked and he threw Nao behind him to face Natsuki.

"What do we have 'ere, ay? Another lil' student to play with, huh?" The thug bent his head back and guffawed. "It's my lucky day!"

Natsuki struck before he had time to react. She elbowed him in the stomach, and then as he doubled over, she lifted her fist and struck him in the jaw. His head jerked back and struck the brick wall where he slumped to the ground.

Clasping at her aching fist from the man's rock hard stomach, Natsuki let out a little moan. "Man, that hurt!" she growled, messaging it as her eyes searched quickly down the rest of the darkening alley. "Nao?"

There was no reply, so she travelled further down.

Nao was lying in a motionless heap beside a pile of trash bags. Blood pulsed down the side of her head in a thin line and her eyes were firmly shut. Fearing the worst, Natsuki bent down at her side and rolled her onto her back, being as gentle as she could.

"Nao?" she called tensely, peering down at her pale face. "Nao, can you hear me?" There was no response, and Nao had to press her fingers to her neck to make sure she was still alive. She let out a sigh or relief as the located the light throbbing of her heart, and started to slap her in the face softly, willing her to wake. Unfortunately her eyes did not open, and Natsuki was left with no choice but to sling her over one shoulder and carry her back.

"Damn it, Nao," she muttered as she started towards the school. "You're always causing trouble, you know that?"

Her only reply was a lifeless murmur.

******

"Oh, Natsuki! You must have been so scared!" Shizuru practically flung herself into Natsuki's lap as she explained her story.

Rolling her eyes, the raven haired youth shook her head. "You know thugs are easy to deal with, having that low brain capacity and all."

"Hmm… I suppose so, but you were still very brave," Shizuru muttered as she straightened herself up and peered into Natsuki's eyes. "I am very proud of my Natsuki."

Natsuki had returned with Nao hanging over her shoulder twenty minutes ago, and had been greeted at the gate by Aoi and Yhoko whom both hurried her into the nurse's office. That left her to wander back to her dorm where Shizuru was more then delighted to see her.

The feeling of Shizuru sitting beside Natsuki with her head on her shoulder was so peaceful that Natsuki was beginning to forget about the nagging worry she felt for Nao. She had been beaten pretty badly by the thug, and she couldn't get the image out of her head. Seeing her fading distress, Shizuru took her hand and squeezed it gently to rid the last of it.

"Lay down, Natsuki," she said gently, guiding her down so she was lying her head in her lap. "You look tired."

"I'm exhausted," Natsuki admitted, smiling at the comfort she found in her love. "It all feels a little better when I come back to you though, you know."

Shizuru stroked her face softly. "I am glad I make you feel so, Natsuki. I was so worried about you out there tonight that I was going to abandon Haruka to find you."

Natsuki snorted. "She would have killed you."

"That is why I remained in the council office with her," Shizuru said truthfully, running her stroking hand through Natsuki's shining hair. "But I still couldn't keep my mind off of you."

A knock at the door ended the conversation that was only just heating up between the two. Natsuki scowled and stood to answer, but Shizuru caught her wrist.

"Rest," she repeated, nodding her head at the waiting covers of the bed. "I'll deal with whoever it is. It's probably Yhoko coming to tell us Nao's condition."

That only made Natsuki want to open the door herself to learn of the girl, but she brushed the worry aside easily as she stared at he comfort before her. With a deep exhale that dragged out all of her restlessness, she collapsed onto the mattress.

"Oh, good evening, Midori. I thought you were busy with Mai and Mikoto."

Natsuki's head snapped up almost as soon as it relaxed into the pillows.

"Sorry to bother you this late. I've just finished up with the pair of them and decided that I was too tired to bother with the papers I had to fill out anyway," Midori explained.

"I see," Shizuru said, keeping her composure despite her time with Natsuki being interrupted. "So what is it that brings you here then?"

Natsuki was listening intently, expecting her to say that Nao's condition had worsened or something else that played on her mind.

"I'll get straight to the point seeing as it's this late. I've just been checking on Nao with Yhoko and it seems that stress is making her not only ill, but as we saw tonight, it is also pushing her to make stupid decisions. Because of that we think she should be with someone other than Aoi who will try to pry into her thoughts when she obviously doesn't want to open to her."

"So what have you decided?" Shizuru asked, giving a tiny yawn that she hid behind her hand.

Midori gave a weak smile of apology which definitely had Natsuki's attention. "We have decided that she seems to have a grudge against you, Shizuru, judging by her behaviour. Because of this, we think that it will benefit her to be under your protection over the next few days so she will cave in and let out what has caused her to be so depressed." She finished with a sharp intake of breath. "It is your decision in the end, but I think it will definitely help her."

Both Shizuru and Natsuki glanced at each other, sharing thoughts as though telepathically. Natsuki was the first to react in the silence. She let out an angry growl and sank her head into the pillows. Sure, she had worried, but dealing with the beast personally was a totally different thing. Still, though, she wanted her to be okay…

"Fine!" she muttered, her voice muffled but understandable. "She can stay, but she is so dead if she starts anything with me!"

Shizuru let out a small laugh. "Let's hope it doesn't come to that. You would leave her as a very messy body."