AN:I do not own Ouran.

0o0o0

Tamaki picked up on the sound of the door being pushed open but he didn't bother to sit up or open his eyes. His head felt heavy from the medications that were flowing into his arm from the IV drip attached to his bed. He listened to the sound of dripping coming from the IV bag.

He focused on the sound of the heavy footfalls of his father coming to visit him before he went home for the night. He could tell it was him. The pace at which his feet hit the ground and the way his shoes clicked against the smooth hospital floors were evidence enough. He knew the only one who would be coming to see him this late would be his father as the nurses let him sleep unless they were called for.

The moonlight peeked in around the blinds that seemed to be permanently pulled closed these days. It gave the scantest amount of light that was quickly choked out by the hot glow of the exit sign that hung above the entrance of the room. It made his head pound just peeking his eyes open to see the sad expression on the man's face. It appears there was a now permanent scowl that never left…

He hated it. He appreciated that his father went so far out of his way to be near him but it left him with a heavy guilt, knowing that he was the cause of his own father's distress.

"I know that you're up, Tamaki." He spoke in a hushed tone, edging with exhaustion. He sat in the only chair in the room. The deafening sound of metal against tile as he pulled it forward, causing him to grit his teeth as the pounding in his skull intensified.

"It's too bright…" The blonde's voice came out much rougher than he had expected. He swallowed a few times to moisten his throat. He craved water.

"The lights are turned off, son." Yuzuru Suoh sighed, shutting his eyes. He looked away for a moment, the wall becoming a much more interesting sight. It wasn't easy to see his baby boy like this.

A single violet eye peeked open but was immediately shut. He didn't know why that type of light was so hard on him. The lights from the exit sign were far too bright for his liking. It didn't seem to bother anyone else but it was a serious distraction and discomfort to his gentle eyes. "What about your business trip? You said yesterday-"

"Don't worry about it." Tamaki's father replied, laying a hand on his forehead and rubbing his temples, a headache of his own forming. He shifted in his chair, making it squeak again.

"A little birdy told me that your meeting is with the Tonair family… That's not something you want to do on no sleep dad." His father sighed and the blonde continued. "I'll be fine for a few days on my own, you know."

When Tamaki had lived in France with his mother, he had only seen his father a few times a year. Even after he left his mother and moved to Japan, he would still only see his father a few times a month. Most often when he stopped by the second mansion to have dinner with his son when his schedule allowed him that luxury. Since his health had started failing, it had become a twice a day ritual.

"You shouldn't have to be alone." Tamaki turned his head to face his father and opened both of his eyes. He ignored the stabbing sensation that started up in the back of his head and focused on his father's tired face. Observing him closely, he could see that he was clearly exhausted. His once perfectly kept hair was disheveled. His suit that was always crisp and clean, was wrinkled. His father was always in tip-top shape no matter what was happening. Last few weeks he began to slowly lose focus of himself. He focused all of his attention on his son.

"I have friends you know. We have friends… our family does… We don't have to deal with this all on our own." He tried to smile but he wasn't sure if he had quite pulled it off. His father stood and paced across the room and he felt himself beginning to worry about the man's wellbeing.

"I know son. But your grandmo-"

"You didn't care what grandmother thought when you took over the company. Why do you care now?" Tamaki cut his father off mid-thought. Yuzuru stopped his pacing and stared at the covered window. He could see his son's expression out of the corner of his eye. The hopeful look that had just painted his face only moments before had changed to one of frustration.

"Tamaki… She's right about this." He had tried his hardest to explain to the boy what something like this could do to their stock prices. They were still taking measures to lessen the blow.

"It's not fair," Tamaki said, careful not to raise his voice. Throwing a fit like a child hadn't worked so far and he doubted it was going to start now. There were a few times in his life where he was legitimately angry with his father. He had always found it easier to let those feelings go and simply forgive people. Usually, they never meant to upset him… His father hated seeing him lonely and scared.

He was so damn lonely though, and he had far too much time to ponder on the feelings of isolation and pin the blame onto others.

He loved his father but there was only so much comfort he could give. "I hear you and grandmother talking about the rumors going around… People are going to find out eventually."

"Yes." He said while he started to pace around the room again. Tamaki was getting annoyed. He closed his eyes again and started to fiddle with the edge of his blanket. "I think the best thing for you right now is to get some rest. I should be going, son."

Without turning to look at the fragile boy, who laid in the plain white hospital bed connected to countless wires and needles, a heavyweight of dread and guilt rested on his shoulders. He couldn't bring himself to look back in his direction. Yuzuru Suoh stopped at the door with his hand on the knob.

The hot light of the exit sign was hard for Tamaki to look at and so he rolled onto his side facing away from the door. He closed his eyes and took a deep breath; his shoulders shook and tears threatened to fall from his once princely eyes. The blonde wouldn't let himself cry though. He pulled the thin blanket close to his body.

Biting his bottom lip, he muttered a simple "Night dad." While he waited for the agonizing sound of the door clicking shut and for the loneliness to overwhelm him.

"I'm sorry... I know it's hard right now." There was a long silence and Tamaki didn't bother to lighten the mood or think of anything clever to say. His lack of answer left them with a suffocating silence. Yuzuru lowered his head in defeat and grabbed ahold of the silver handle. Stepping into the brightly lit hallway he left the dim quite room behind.

Tamaki was achy and tired and upset and knew it was going to be another long night. After his attempts failed to drift off into the world of dreams, he called for the nurse and asked for sleeping pills.

Usually, he was so exhausted from his illness that he could sleep all day if he was allowed, but he was on the verge of hysterics. Panic attacks, the doctors called them. Whatever they were, he had never suffered them until a few months ago. The woman took one look at the teens shaking frame and walked back out of the room. The blonde knew it would take a while so he focused on his breathing.

Tamaki wasn't sure what was causing him to feel this way, this terrible heaviness of anger and frustration. For the last few days his pain had been very minimal compared to the what the bad days were like, and he was sure that was going to be discharged soon. If he could keep his emotions under control that is.

It had been 7 months since the had started to notice that he wasn't feeling quite like himself. 6 months since he had been in school. 4 months since he was diagnosed with the same illness that had eventually led to his mother's death. It was devastating news for the Suoh group and they were doing a hell of a job keeping it a secret.

Tamaki understood.

He was the only son and he was hardly considered to be the legitimate heir. The blonde was a bastard child, but he was Yuzuru's only son. The Suoh group has been working hard for 4 years to groom him into a man worthy to take over the family's fortune.

Now he was dying so he pretty much flushed all their efforts.

Oops.

He wasn't married. He had no children. He wasn't even out of high school. he was a young child with a beautiful face and a love for making people smile. Unfortunately, that didn't count in his favor as smiles didn't run companies or make good business decisions. So, when the news got out, things were going to get turbulent very quickly.

Tamaki understood. But he was lonely and he hadn't seen any of his friends in months. He was overwhelmed and exhausted and he had no one to lean on or talk to except for his father.

He missed the host club, his home away from home. Where he could steal the hearts of young girls but also find himself in the middle of another one of the devil twins' schemes of trouble. The Host Club and his fellow friends and members that had been there for him through the hardest parts of his life.

They were the first real friends he had made when he moved to Japan. They were the ones who stopped him from agreeing to marry Éclair. They had made sure he had gotten to see his mother one last time. They had also been the ones who had been with him when he had gotten the call that his mother had passed away. They had gone to the funeral with him.

They were his family and he needed them. He would feel so much better if he could just be with them.

He kept himself up late at night thinking about if Haruhi was all right. If the twins were pestering her or if there was still tension between the two even now after all this time. He worried about Hunny and Mori in there last year of school. If they were stressed about finals.

He missed Kyoya especially.

Kyoya was more than just his best friend and his confidant. Kyoya was always on his mind, a constant tug-of-war on whether or not he was okay, getting along with his father. If he was focusing on his studies, burying himself in books and the club budget. He was worried that the Shadow King was going to be mad about not telling him all that was going on... He knew that he hated being out of the loop.

It was silly, Tamaki knew, to think that Kyoya would be upset with him for being sick. But he just couldn't help it. The isolation of being in such a small room, lying in bed all day, gave him far too much time on his hands.

Soon the nurse walked back into the room with the two little pills that were going to help him not think any longer. He slowly took the little plastic cups that the medication was always dispensed in. He drank the entire glass of water before giving the woman a warm smile.

He settled back and she closed the door behind her with a soft click. Tamaki was left sitting in the not quite dark enough room, alone. Again.

0o0o0

Yuzuru practically threw himself down in his chair on the plane. Yoshio and his mother had been waiting for him for over an hour. He, of course, was the one making them all run late. Again.

No one dared to say anything to him, however. They knew why he was running late.

As the jet made its ascent into the late-night sky of Japan, they watched from the windows as the structures and roads of their beloved country grew smaller and smaller. Yuzuru paid close attention to their surroundings, watching as the jet made its way higher into the cloudless sky and took in the bright stars and the shining half-moon. However, as he looked at that very same moon, it had reminded him of his wife, of her always shining eyes, the way they dazzled him. And of Tamaki, who shares his mother's beautiful eyes.

The seat belt sign of the luxury jet chimed at the passengers as they were now free to move about the cabin. They quickly began to spread out. It was going to be a long flight to France. Yuzuru's first time being back there since his wife's funeral. He watched as Yoshio chose a seat closer to the front of the plane. While his mother, with her allergy to any sort of emotion, made sure to leave the other two occupants alone and sat further back.

Yoshio was also allergic to feelings, but he was not about to leave his childhood friend alone. He too had a son Tamaki's age and could imagine what he must be going through.

Yoshio had been smart however, he had had three sons before his wife had passed.

If all he had to worry about was passing on the business to a different child, he wouldn't be anywhere near as stressed out as he was now. This horrid secret, keeping and isolating Tamaki, was making him feel guilty. He wished he could just crawl in a hole and sleep for years. He wanted to make Tamaki happy. As happy as he could be with all that was going on. Yuzuru was doing the opposite by keeping him locked away like some prisoner.

He was the worst father.

The silence hung over the room like a heavy smoke, even the flight attendant was reserved and quiet. It wasn't until he got through one and a half bottles of wine that Yoshio cleared his voice.

"Drowning yourself in wine won't help. You are only going to be hungover and depressed." He was looking at his laptop, the glare of the screen reflected off his glasses effectively masking his eyes.

"You say that now, but you're not the one drinking," Yuzuru replied, his voice a bit angry. He ran his fingers through his slightly greasy hair and sighed. He was a hot mess.

"I will be saying it tomorrow morning too when you are looking for the aspirin," Yoshio stated. His observation had been snarky like every other medical practitioner he's encountered in the last few weeks. "I personally would rather be just depressed without the hangover."

He closed his laptop and placed in on a nearby table. Yoshio crossed the jet and placed himself across from Yuzuru and looked into his eyes. He was obviously drunk. Kyoya's father leaned across the table and poured himself a glass of wine. "Talk."

Yuzuru didn't speak for a moment as he watched Yoshio pour red wine into a tall glass. "I don't want to leave him all by himself."

"Is that all?" Yoshio responded immediately, his tone as emotionless as his facial expression. As if the situation irked him in some way.

"My poor boy is sitting in a hospital bed all by himself and I won't be back for a week. He won't have anyone to talk to. He will be completely alone."

Yoshio didn't even bat an eyelash as he sipped his wine.

"You know, Suoh. My two older boys are aware of the situation. Kyoya has been reporting on the rumors going on at school. He isn't entirely aware of what's happening, but he has an idea. It takes one phone call and I am sure he will be in that hospital room in a heartbeat. He is quite fond of your son." He takes another sip of wine as he watched Yuzuru think for a moment.

"Your boy can keep the secret?"

"He is my son. He knows the Ootori group will suffer if this news gets out prematurely."

"Thank you."

0o0o0

Kyoya wasn't sure why there was a maid in his room at 2 am but it took everything he had not shout at the elderly woman. Having finally finished with his exams he was excited to have the chance to catch up on some much-needed sleep.

"Your father is calling for you. He is on hold in your office and he says that it is very important." She says, her voice gentle but also fearful at the same time. The house knows the legends of the Shadow King and his vengeful outbursts when awoken. Getting out of bed, it took every ounce of will he had to march over to his office that was connected to his bedroom.

Kyoya picks up the phone and held it up to his ear, stifling a yawn. "Hello, father."

"Tomorrow at noon I have arranged for you to visit with Tamaki. Your eldest brother will fill you in more at breakfast." Yoshio explained, getting straight to the point. As he listened to his father's instructions, Kyoya felt his stomach drop. As of now, he had been cut off from knowing the blonde's whereabouts for months. He had not been able to see Tamaki since the accident and his family had been doing a wonderful job of keeping him out of the loop.

"Yes, father." He replied, his fingers gripping the phone tightly.

"Good. Now get some rest. You're going to need it." The phone connection cut out and Kyoya was standing in the dark room in complete silence.

Laying the phone back down onto the receiver, he patted back out of his office and over to his bed. He pulled the covers over his head and clutched one of his over-stuffed pillows to his chest. Sleep wasn't going to come easy for him tonight with the way his mind was racing.

Kyoya hadn't received a single text or email from the blonde. Tamaki had effectively and efficiently fallen off the radar and that was not an easy thing to do with Kyoya. After the night of the party when the King of the host club was carted away in an ambulance, none of them had heard a thing.

They didn't know if Tamaki didn't want to see them. If he had been sent off by his grandmother to a reformatory as some sort of punishment. They had never gotten any confirmation that Tamaki was ok or if the seizer had caused some sort of permanent damage.

He wasn't sure why his father was sending him to go and see his best friend but he was not going to turn this opportunity down.

0o0o0

Please review