Tamaki sat down on the bed defeated. He was in Kyoya's room. He had called a catering service and had them deliver some food. Tamaki insisted on bringing it into the room himself. They left Ranka with the card and told him to order whatever he wanted at any time and put it on the Host Club's tab. The now hollow man had nodded. Had their gesture touched him? Probably not. He wasn't there right now. More likely than not, it was recorded on a little answering machine in his heart. He would listen to the message when his soul came home. If it ever did.

Kyoya moved about the room efficiently. He pulled some pajamas out of a drawer and picked up the phone. It was equipped with a direct line to the maid station.

"Yes, I would like to have some fresh towels sent to my room. Also have someone move in another bed. I have a guest tonight." He hung up.

"I shouldn't have left her." Tamaki said somberly. His head hung from his neck like it would fall off any moment. He did have the weight of the world crammed in there after all.

"Don't be silly. You're not a doctor. There's nothing you can do for her there. Besides, you're forgetting that my family owns the hospital. I've put everyone tending to her under strict orders to call me with any updates. If anything changes we'll be one of the first to know.

Tamaki nodded. It certainly helped but he still felt like he failed his duty somehow. He was always annoying Haruhi in little ways. Even with his remarkable self-esteem which bordered on narcissism he occasionally question whether or not he could do anything right when she was around. Now he had let her down when she needed him most.

"Stop making that face. She's being taken care of, being given the best care possible if I have anything to say about it."

"I was supposed to take care of her. I'm her daddy." Tamaki grasped his hair in fistfuls and pulled. Kyoya crossed the room and gently removed his hands.

"And I'm the mommy. It is the mommy's job to take care of the daddy." Tamaki looked up at him in wonder. "Now go take a shower. You smell terrible." As he headed into the bathroom he saw Kyoya reaching for this phone again.

"Who are you calling now?"

"The hospital. I'm having that woman fired."

"Don't do that. Please. I'm not mad. I don't want anyone else to get hurt."

Kyoya smiled. "Very well then." He returned the handset to the receiver. How very like Tamaki.

Tamaki let the water pour over him. It was too hot and it was making his skin red. He was numb. He was replaying the day in his head. He had insisted that she take him to a commoner's video arcade. She grumbled about it initially but once there they had had so much fun. He could still hear her laugh. They were headed home and…

Tamaki reached for his face. He had allowed some shampoo to drip into his eye while he was thinking. It burned like hell. He cupped his hands and splashed water on it. It helped but only marginally. He decided to skip conditioner. He didn't think he could stand anymore.

He stepped out of the shower and saw towels folded up nicely on the counter next to a pair of pajamas, some floss, a toothbrush and mouthwash. Tamaki dried himself off and cleaned up for bed. As much as he felt he didn't deserve it, he felt better.

When he stepped back into the bedroom Kyoya was sitting in bed and reading. The room was illuminated by a small reading lamp on his bedside table and that was all. At some point during his shower the Ootori household staff had set up a second bed next to Kyoya's. Kyoya looked up at him.

"What did you do to yourself?" Tamaki paused then remembered his pink irritated eye.

"It's nothing."

"Wait here." Kyoya stood. He was wearing a pair of silk boxers and no shirt. He went into the restroom and rummaged in the medicine cabinet. When he came back he led Tamaki over to the bed. "Sit." He had a bottle of eye drops in his hand. He tenderly tilted his friend's head back. Holding his eyelids open with one hand, he dispensed the medicine with the other. The effect was instantaneous. Tamaki blinked a few times as the drops rolled down his cheek. They were soon joined by tears.

"It's all my fault."

Kyoya knelt before him.

"Why do you say that?"

"When…when we left I off-offered her a ride home with me. She said she was going to walk. She…she…said that it her house was cl-close by." His confession was chopped up by bouts of sobbing. Kyoya just listened. "I should have insisted! I should have walked with her! Then that car would have hit me instead! It should have been me!" His scream left a large silence in its wake.

"Tamaki." Kyoya placed a hand on his knee. He wanted to choose his words carefully. "You're an idiot and you're a pain in my ass sometimes but you have more kindness in you than any person I've ever met and ever will meet. It. Was. Not. Your. Fault. I swear." Tamaki cried more forcefully than before. "Now, you should get some sleep." Tamaki sniffled

"Can…can…I stay with you?"

"What do you think the other bed is for?"

"N-no. I want to stay w-w-with you."

Kyoya was startled but not that much.

"Sure." He climbed into bed and removed his glasses. He set them on top of his book. He hadn't marked his place. Oh well. The lamp clicked off. Kyoya lay on his bed and adjusted his pillow a little bit. He heard Tamaki climb in beside him. He squirmed over to Kyoya's side. He rested his warm head on his chest. His cheeks felt feverish from exhaustion. Kyoya wrapped his arms around and held him close, wishing he could protect him from everything that hurt.

"Good night, my sweet prince."

Tamaki opened his eyes slowly. He had never been hung over in his life but he'd swear he had all the symptoms. When he rolled over Kyoya's side of the bed was empty. The tall teen was fully dressed and on the phone. It sounded like the tail end of a conversation.

"Good. We'll be there right away." Tamaki sat up and stared at him. Kyoya smiled.

"She's awake." Everything about Tamaki's mood shifted. He leapt out of bed and frantically ran about dressing himself in the outfit Kyoya had laid out for him. Kyoya watched him slyly from the doorway. He couldn't be gladder about Miss Fujioka's progress but he wondered what would become of that night they spent together. Would it be forgotten? Was he nothing more than a tool of comfort that Tamaki turned to when his world was falling apart? Tamaki buttoned the last button of his shirt and started for the door. He stopped and stood in front of Kyoya. Without any warning he kissed him. It was a different kiss than the one he gave Haruhi. It was longer, deeper and full of promise. He pulled away having left Kyoya breathless.

"Let's go. Our little girl needs us."