I can't type very fast at the moment, as I cut my finger on a knife after sticking my hand in a box of cutlery, put the plaster on the wrong place, and now I can't bend it. Rawr. This took me ages. Be grateful (please?).

Disclaimer in chapter one.

Roll film!

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The prone body of a young teenager lay underneath plain hospital sheets, his deep black hair and clothes the only colours that stood out from the antiseptically clean white of the rest of the room. A nurse, young and pretty, gazed at him with awe – she had already heard his story.

As a doctor came in the door, she shook off her stupor and moved to Rei's side. She slipped her hand down to his left trouser pocket, where there was the bulge of a mobile phone. She took it out, and flipped through the menu of names. There were only four – Kai, Tyson, Mariah and Max. The nurse chose the top name. She made her way to the hospital entrance, then pressed the call button. The phone on the other end rang only once before being picked up. "If this is not Rei, Max, or Tyson, then get lost."

The nurse, good at talking to people in pain, found it hard to talk to someone who wasn't, and that sounded particularly grumpy anyway. "Er… I'm not any of those people, but it is about one of them"

The voice on the other end of the phone sighed impatiently as she paused, unsure of what to say. Well, what would you say? 'Hello, I'm afraid that one of your friends has been shot in an attempted rape, so sorry.' While she was racking her brains for something to say, the hard voice barked – "Well? What?!"

"A boy, we don't know his name yet. We got your number through his cell-phone. He was shot."

Kai drew breath sharply- in someone else less in control of their emotions it could have been called a gasp. "What does he look like?"

"Black hair, amber eyes-"

She was cut off sharply by Kai. "Rei! Where is he?"

"Domino General Hospital. Do you need directions?"

"No. I will be there in five minutes. Please wait outside the front entrance." The voice was calm now, all traces of panic gone.

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Four minutes later-

A gleaming black motorcycle skidded to a halt, throwing up a wave of gravel. A leather clad figure climbed gracefully, though hurriedly, off the vehicle.

"Kai?"

"Yes. Where's Rei?"

"This way. He's in a private room."

Kai nodded and followed her, in silence, leaving his motorcycle on the gravel to one side of the hospital entrance.

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The pair of them strode into the ward, the nurse having to struggle to even keep abreast of Kai, who seemed to be breathing no harder than before, while she was working hard not to gasp for her breath. The older boy halted as he caught a glimpse of the padded, slightly blooded bandage wrapped tightly around the top of Rei's shoulder. "What happened?"

"There… he was attacked by two men. They tried to rape him, but the police had been alerted, and managed to stop them. Unfortunately, during his rescue, Rei was shot by one of the men. According to reports, he was very brave."

Kai closed his eyes briefly, composing his face. When he reopened them, he was perfectly in control, with no emotion showing. As he opened his hand, there were four small crescent shapes marks on his palm where he had clenched his fist. He took a plastic chair from the side of the room, placed it carefully by the bed, and sat down, every muscle in his body tensing and releasing in shivers.

The nurse looked away, and then left him to his thoughts and to the soft beeping of the machines. Kai appeared out of place in the hospital setting, but oddly he seemed to fit in with his friend. His aura of calm helped to soothe her feelings of concern for the other boy. He would be alright. This boy, strange and fierce and strong, would help him through it.

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You read it, now review it. Seriously, I'd appreciate it no end.

Thanks in advance. (Ha! Now you have to do it!)

Kazuki.