Disclaimer: Need I say it again?

Warning! Vague description of rape and torture ahead.

Part 2: Kai - My Last Breath.


'We won ...'

Kai still couldn'y believe the fact that the worthless team he had, at first refused to join, was now the world champions. Tyson ... Kai shook his head at the thought at the loudmouth. Tyson had actually managed to defeat Tala, probably the best blader that the Abbey had ever produced. The BladeBreakers had shown their worth last night during the heart stopping final match.

However, something was still bugging Kai about Tala. He didn't seem concentrated on the match as much as he should. At first, Kai hadn't remembered Tala, but as he ventured deeper into the mysterious Abbey, more and more pieces of his fragmented memory was falling into place. He had remembered that once upon a time, he too had been trained at the Abbey. That he had befriended Tala and the other Demolition Boys, in fact, he would go so far as to call them best friends. Something more then he would ever call the BladeBreakers.

He liked his team; they were a good bunch of people, however, Kai just didn't feel the same connection to them as he does to the Demolition Boys, especially to Tala. He understood why he was the person he is today, what changed him from the carefree kid that he had been once upon a time. Tala and him have always had a kinship with each other.

'Tala ...'

Kai just couldn't keep his mind away from the redhead. He loved Tala, but he had always known that his feelings for Tala runs deeper than brotherly love. Kai loved Tala. Kai never said it aloud though, not knowing how the boy would react to his confession. But deep down, he knew that Tala felt the same way. Then why has he never said it before?

The truth of the whole matter was Kai was scared ... yes he was scared of rejection.

After the circus incident, Kai had been absolutely sure about his hidden feelings. He had promised himself that he would confess to Tala that night, but the moment never came. The last thing Kai remembered was Black Dranzer.

When they had come to Russia for the tournament, Kai knew something was missing ... but he didn't have the slightest clue as to what it was. Then they ran into the boy, Alexander, and everything started from there. He had met Tala again, but he couldn't remember who he was. He could see the rejection shining in the other boys' eyes, and felt a pang of guilt deep in his heart. He wanted to apologize, but his team was close so he did the only thing he could ... he walked away.

He regretted it now.

As the time passed after Kai had rejoined the Demolition Boys, he discovered that the longer he stayed in the Abbey, more and more things started to look a lot clearer. He remembered things and people. He remembered ... Tala. God, how he regretted what he had done to Tala. His own heart broke as he remembered the sadness in those icy blue orbs of his love. He wished he could take it back, the rejection, the words he had said to him. Tala had confronted him about how he acted but Kai just blew him off, asking instead who he was. People would say that he could not be blamed for that for he had truly no memory of Tala. But Kai blamed himself.

After most of his memory returned, he had tried to talk to Tala, but the redhead avoided him, and the only time they were together, there was no privacy. Kai knew as he left, that he was leaving the bad blood between himself and Tala unresolved, but he could not help it.

'Forgive me, Tala.'

Kai was shaken out of his thoughts by the voice of Rei's. Only then had he realized that the others had returned from lunch, and were now cluttered in front of the television set. The other teams had returned home and the BladeBreakers were set to catch their flight at three o'clock, so they were spending their time eating and catching a last glimpse of the landscapes and buildings.

Kai didn't feel like indulging in Tyson's idiotic antics today and decided to take a walk. As he was about to leave he noticed Tyson surfing the channel and as he passed through the News, Kai caught a glimpse of red. He hurriedly told Tyson to turn back to the channel.

There, on the screen in front of him, was a picture of the Captain of the Demolition Boys. Kai told Tyson to turn up the volume. Kai listened intently as the Newscaster read out something he had feared; Tala was badly injured and had been admitted to the Russian International Hospital. Kai waited expectantly for the person to continue, but she didn't mention why Tala had been injured and how, but deep in his heart ... Kai knew.

'Boris!'

Kai didn't realize when Rei limped up and put his hand on his shoulder. He never told his teammates about his feeling towards the Demolition Boys captain, but he had suspected that they had found out by the way he threw glances Tala's way during the tournament. Kai had felt uncomfortable to tell them that he's been harboring feeling for another boy, but on day, Rei had come up to him and told him that he too has been having feelings for someone. He didn't say it in that way, but it came down all the same.

Kai didn't realize it, but the next thing he knew, they were all on a bus headed towards the hospital.

'Tala ... please don't die ...'

----

Kai sat impatiently as Mr. Dickinson talked with the doctor who was treating Tala. He had come together with Tyson's father and grandfather as soon as he heard the news on TV. Kai sat solemnly on the stiff chairs. His gaze once and a while traveled to the chairs opposite him where Max was sitting next to Tyson. Kai's keen eyes didn't miss the fact that Max's hand was gripped firmly in Tyson's, who sat there not a spark of joyfulness shining in his eyes. Tyson kind of liked Tala ...actually, respected was more the word. But he also liked his captain, and it pained him to see Kai's impassive face showing signs of sadness.

Rei was sitting in the far corner, alone. When Kai doesn't notice, Rei's gaze would sometimes linger on him. Kenny on the other hand, was sitting two seats from Max and Tyson, gripping Dizzi close to his chest.

Kai's head shot-up when he heard Mr. Dickinson and the doctor walk into the waiting room, his eyes showed signs of age and his expression ... one of distress. He motioned to the doctor to explain the seriousness of the situation.

Boris had been outraged by the loss of his team, and decided to take matters into his own hands. All four of them were punished brutally, but Tala, whom Boris had been expecting to win with flying colours, was the worst off. The doctor had given him a thirty percent chance of survival. And even by the slightest possibility that he would make it through the ordeal, who knows in what state his mind would be.

Kai couldn't bear to listen as the doctor described the grueling details of what had been done to Tala. In his mind, he tried to block out the voice, but succeeding instead to imagine every single torment Tala had gone through.

'Beaten ... whipped into unconsciousness ... serious head and spinal injuries ...'

Kai squeezed his eyes shut as the doctor said the one thing he had been dreading to hear.

'Sodomized ...'

Kai could not keep it all in. He shouted to the doctor to stop, his aura glowed of anger as the tears flowed freely down his cheek and falling to the floor in tiny droplets of anguish. All the mental images were too much for him to bear. Imagining his love being tortured in such a cruel and inhumane way was unbearable. He asked the doctor to let him see Tala. The doctor looked at him with sympathy and nodded his head.

He followed the doctor out the door, not bearing to look at the others.

Kai stood stiffly at the entrance to the ICU where Tala currently lay, comatose.

Kai felt a hand on his shoulder and looked up to the face of the doctor, who Kai only now realized was a woman. She smiled warmly at him and gently nudged him forward into the room.

Kai inhaled and walked in, what beheld him brought tears to his eyes.

In the middle of the white room was Tala. His already pale face was even whiter, giving him a surreal look. He had a bandage wrapped around his forehead and over his left eye, which was now soaked in blood. The only part of his face that was visible was his right eye and cheek. Kai could clearly see the marks and bruising on his face that was caused by Boris' whip.

Leading out of his mouth and throat was a tube, which was connected to the ventilator machine by a clear blue hose. It was held in place by three strips of surgical tape. A tube had also been entered down his nostril and into his stomach to keep him nourished. His neck was held rigid by a stiff looking neck brace that prevented him from moving his head. His left arm was in a white cast by his side, an IV needle protruding from his inner elbow.

He wasn't wearing any clothes and the blanket only covered him till his waist so Kai could see all the scars, new and old that littered his chest and side. His stomach and ribs were taped up and over his heart was a pad that monitored his heartbeat. Half his side was black and blue, and Kai could only imagine the pain he could have been feeling if he was conscious. The only sounds heard in the room were of the ventilator and the heart monitor.

Kai choked back a sob at the fragile state of his love. He went over and grabbed Tala's right hand in both of his.

'He feels so cold.'

He kneeled down on the floor still gripping Tala's hand firmly but gently and leaned his head on their clutched hands.

"I'm sorry, Tala. I'm so sorry," He said quietly as he stroked Tala's right hand, "don't leave me. I need you Tala; I want you to be here to love me, like I've loved you for so long. Please ..." He lowered his lips onto Tala's hand and kissed it before burrowing his head into the redheads' chest. His shoulders shook slightly with suppressed sob's as he stayed by his love's side.

He quietly called out Tala's name.

Oblivious to Kai's woes, Tala didn't stir, nor did he seem to notice the presence beside him. But deep inside, he felt Kai's pain. From the corners of his closed eyes, a single tear shimmered in the light before rolling down the side of his face and sunk into the pillow ... into nothingness.

--Flashback--

Tala could only stare into the raging eyes of the feared director of the Abbey. Both his hands were chained high above his head and he had to painfully balance his weight on his toes. Blood was streaming down corners of his mouth and from below his hairline. His left eyes had a long tear at the side and stretched out until his ear, making him unable to open it. Boris had decided to let the guards have a hand at him first. His shirt was torn off as the result of the perverted guards who found pleasure with most of the boys of the abbey. Of course, non-could compare to Tala, so it had been a privilege for the guards to have a go at him.

Tala took in painful gasps of air, making it clear that a few of his broken ribs had punctured his lungs. His throat felt raw as he coughed up large amounts of blood.

Boris smiled evilly. He raised his whip high in the air and brought it down with brutal force upon Tala's back, splitting open a the flesh and causing a massive amount of blood to rush out. Tala bit back a scream, and in the process, biting his lip causing a new wound to open.

This went on for another few hours in which Tala would pass out from agonizing pain and exhaustion and Boris would wake him using smelling salt. Boris showed no mercy, and Tala showed no fear. This angered Boris, causing him to use even more brutal force. By the end, Tala could no longer stand, and was only held up by his arms. It was only three hours later that Boris relented and ordered the guards to release him.

Tala collapsed to the ground in a heap, not moving because of the horrific pain that was shooting through his body. The excruciating pains that breathing caused, made his body shudder with every breath he took. He could vaguely hear Boris order the guards to leave.

He no longer had any strength to move any part of his body, so he just lay there, waiting whatever that was to come. Tala now lingered in between conscious and unconsciousness. Before he passed out completely, he felt Boris flipping him over; earning him a sharp gasps of pain, and saw that Boris was completely naked. He felt Boris loom over him and when he started kissing him passionately. He could do nothing to stop it, so he just closed his eyes, waiting for death to finally come for him. As his eyes dimmed, he called out one last time for someone to save him from his fate, for someone he's been dreaming of for so long.

'Kai ... help me ...'

Tala felt Boris' hands venture lower down his body and found it between his thighs. He stroked Tala, causing him to moan in pain and discomfort. Tala could only barely keep himself awake. He realized that no one was coming, that he was all alone in his suffering. Kai wasn't there ... he wasn't coming. Tala finally closed his eyes. Drifting off into his dreams where Kai was, waiting for him. Praying that this time, he wouldn't wake up from it.

If Tala had stayed awake for a little longer, he would have realized that someone had indeed come to save him. Someone he would have never expected ... it seemed that Kai couldn't make it, and he had sent some messenger of his blood to save his one true love.

--End Flashback--

Three hours had passed.

Kai still had not moved from his position at Tala's bedside, his hands still intertwined with Tala's.

Mr. Dickinson had stopped by to see how Tala was doing, and asked Kai to get some rest, but was only replied by silence. He gave up after a few tries and left the two of them alone.

Kai raised his head a little. His left hand let go of Tala's, the other still holding firmly to the other. He reached over and brushed the lose bangs out of his eyes. Kai looked intently at Tala, his hand moving unconsciously to stroke the other boys jaw with his thumb, up his cheekbone and lingered near his closed eyes. He used the back of his hand to caress his cheek a few times more and moved to his hair.

"Tala ..." he ran his hand through Tala's red hair. "You don't have to be afraid anymore. I'm here ... I'll protect you from now on," he smiled warmly as he comforted the unconscious boy.

All of a sudden, his heart skipped a beat when he felt Tala gripping his hands, light as it was, but Kai felt it.

"Tala?" Kai called out to him, but Tala didn't respond. However, Kai's heart was feeling a whole lot lighter than it hand been in the past few hours. "Tala ... I'll always be here. I'll wait for you to wake up, no matter how long it takes, I will always be here by your side, I promise," he stroked Tala's hair gently, and whispered into his ear, "I love you."

With that, Kai leaned over and kissed him on the cheek, while his free hand started caressing Tala's handsome face. Kai finally understood why Tyson was always the way he is ... now, he too had something to live for. He felt himself drift off into peaceful slumber, dreaming of the day that they would finally be together with nothing keeping them apart. Not human nor mechanical ... that would truly be the day that Kai Hiwatari, high fidelity grump extraordinaire, would finally admit that he was happy.

'Tala ...I love you.'


End Part 2.

Who do you think saved Tala?