Disclaimer: Seriously. No. I do not own any famous characters. Sadly (or maybe luckily) enough.

AN: This story was only meant to be this long, but due to popular demand mainly on lj I'm contemplating a continuation.

Chapter 2

Branger, the crime lord responsible for the gun shipment, was not pleased. He had spent millions of dollars on those weapons, and everything was running smoothly like icecream on a sunny day when suddenly that thrice damned Hornet and his tiny sidekick the Black Mosquito or whatever decided to ruin the party. He had been forced to let hem butt in on the deal, but if that wasn't bad enough, suddenly Batbloodyman shows up like some surprise piñata, taking out his men like they were nothing.

And frankly, Branger had had it up to his neck of men with costume fetishes ruining his day. So, really, it was quite a logical thing to grab one of his expensive rifles and take them all out, ridding himself and the rest of the crime world of some serious nuisances.

He loaded the rifle and carefully took aim, letting the butt of the long range weapon rest on top of some crates coincidentally hiding him from his enemies view. It didn't take him long to decide who to take out first; one should always eliminate the biggest threat first.

Only, this time the biggest threat was the smallest… he chuckled at his own wit, deciding to save that pun for when he retold the story for his awed minions later. Blinking the sweat out of his eye he squinted into the scope, his finger trembling on the trigger, slick from his nervous grasp with moist hands.

There.

His target was in his sight, almost completely still for a moment, hovering on the edge of attack against his opponent but not letting go quite yet.

And that's when Branger pulled the trigger.

…..

The gunshot echoed throughout the large room, and for a moment nobody moved, confusion apparent on all faces. Then, slowly, Kato's knees buckled and he fell to the floor. Abandoning all thought to everything else Britt rushed forward, catching his friend before he could hit the unforgivingly hard concrete floor.

"Kato… Oh, shit, Kato…"

He cradled his best friend in his arms, too shocked and numb to really grasp what was happening, as bright red blood began to pour out of the corner of Kato's mouth.

"No… No!"

Watching the dark honey eyes slide shut he shook his friend violently, trying to rouse him somehow.

"Come on… Dammit, Kato, don't do this to me... Don't you dare do this to me!"

He was vaguely aware of batarangs flying through the air and expertly knocking out bullets, but the only thing that mattered to him was the slowing heartbeat and choked breaths of his best friend. His gloves were slick with blood, smearing onto pale cheeks as he gently stroked them, trying to coax the asian man back into consciousness.

Suddenly the slight form tensed and arched in his grip, violent tremors shaking the body before a loud, gurgling breath was let out in bloody airbubbles from the slightly open mouth, the coiled up muscles suddenly relaxing allowing the body to fall completely limp.

Britt froze.

This couldn't be happening. No way this was happening. Kato wasn't dead, he wasn't, no way, this was just a nightmare, a nightmare… he let out a loud sob and buried his face in the soft hair, eyes on the cap that should have been covering it but now laid uselessly on the floor. He couldn't feel any more breaths struggling to supply the ailing body, no hearbeats to transport the blood that still seeped from the slack mouth.

His whole body trembling he lowered the still form of his friend to the floor, placing a gentle kiss on the smooth forehead before rising in one long, graceful move that betrayed a power fueled by hate.

If anyone had been looking into his eyes at that moment they would have shied away in horror; the completely black and dead stare was more fearsome than the burning red eyes of a demon. Moving on auto the Hornet picked up his gun, striding over to where the crime lord was covering, his attention fixed on the two men cornering him. He didn't notice the looming presence before it was too late; whirling around he was met by a facefull of gas and fell to the floor. The Green Hornet stepped up to the prone body and levered his gun with the stubbled face, fingers curling around the trigger over and over again, the green bursts of gas throwing the head back and forth, the gas pellets bruising the face due to the close range. Even when the gun was long emptied he stayed where he was, squeezing the trigger and wishing it was a real gun.

Suddenly he felt strong arms zeize him, and he bucked out of their grasp, growling fiercely at the two men advancing on him. Looking into the masked face of Gotham's dark protector he was stunned at the almost regretful look upon the strong features, and suddenly realised his own cheeks were wet. He raised a hand to wipe them, but choked at the sight of the blood drenched glove, his gaze immediately drawn to the still form on the floor.

"Kato…" the name was barely whispered as he slowly made his way over to the body of his friend. What was left for him? What could he possibly do, when Kato wasn't there with him? The Green Hornet was nothing without his sidekick; his partner. He didn't care if he was thrown in jail, nothing could hurt as much as this. He was… empty.

Staring down with unseeing eyes he didn't even notice the shape moving past him and kneeling on the floor, one glove coming off to feel a slender neck for a pulse.

"He's alive!"

The shout startled him out of his grief, his head snapping up in shock. The two crimefighters were carefully manipulating the smaller body onto its side so they could reach the profusely bleeding wound, a balled up cape pressed against it.

He frowned in confusion. Why were they helping them? Why didn't they just let Kato die, he wasn't more than a criminal in their eyes. Shaking his head he quickly moved forward, following the other men as they moved towards the famed Batmobile, carefully laying Kato against the seats and gesturing for Britt to hold him. He went in without a protest, his arms tightening around his friend as the car smoothly burst forward. Kato would love to examine this car. God, he would be so pissed he missed it because he was unconscious.

Almost before they had even started they pulled up beside a hospital entrance, and Batman twisted around in his seat, giving Britt an indecipherable look.

"Take off your masks and coats. And hurry up."

"What, Batma-"

Robin was cut off with a stern look, and he glared angrily at Britt before turning back in his seat. Unable to understand the reason behind the other man's request he nevertheless followed what was clearly an order. Batman's gaze seemed to sharpen when Britt pulled off his own mask, no doubt recognising the newspaper owner from the news. Pulling off Kato's mask he reflected on how young he looked, wondering if the frown on Batman's face meant he was thinking the same. If he was wondering what had made two such young men choose a second life as criminals when they had no need for money; well, Britt at least.

The sudden opening of the door broke him out of his reverie, and he stared at Batman as he stayed in the driver's seat, making no move to stop him from getting out.

"Take the boy, and hurry. He's in a bad shape. We will meet again, Britt Reid, or do you prefer Green Hornet? I believe there is more going on here than I know right now, that is the only reason I'm not taking you straight to jail. I want answers, and when I return I expect them."

With that he turned around in his seat again, ignoring Robin's indignated grumblings. Britt didn't need a signed invitation; he grabbed Kato and lurched out of the car, stumbling up to the entrance screaming for help. Without their coats, masks and hats they were safe in the paradoxally well-known anonymity of Britt Reid and his executive associate, and the faces around them were only filled with horror and sympathy for the two innocent men caught in a gangwar.

As they spirited Kato away from his hands he backed down until he reached a chair, sinking down in it with his whole body trembling. It had been a long night, and it was far from over. Lenore and Mike showed up barely an hour later, frantic with worry and fluttering around him like nervous butterflies. He ignored them. Normally Lenore's bed-ruffled hair and obviously bra-less upper body under a way too big shirt would have had him leering, but not tonight. Tonight nothing else existed beside him and his friend, his brother; his xiong-di.

When the surgeon finally emerged from the inner bowels of the emergency room, framed by the peach and golden lights of the morning sun and told him that Kato would make it, he was sure nobody had looked more angelic than the wrinkled old man in the stained scrubs.

Feeling an enormous weight lift from his shoulders he almost floated into his friends room as soon as he was allowed, planting himself in a chair next to the bed to wait for him to wake up.

After all, nothing could be better than to wake up to Britt Reid's handsome face, right?

...

TBC?