HiME... chapter 3: Rude Awakening

I'm dead. I knew it was going to happen eventually but damn... This sucks. I always figured I would go down in some heroic battle. Ya know all epic and stuff? Instead someone gets a lucky shot on me and I die while on the run.

Damn that's pitiful Kuga!

Hm,.. It smells good when you're dead. Smells kinda like lavender and tea. Lavender and tea? Okay.. Why is my stomach growling? Dead people don't need food! Uh, wait a minute.. Dead people don't talk to themselves either.

What the hell is going on here!

Startled jade eyes popped open and Natsuki immediately launched herself upward from the bed she had been lying on. Confused and alarmed she pressed her back up against the nearest wall and began surveying her surroundings. Immediately she was relieved to find she wasn't locked inside of a laboratory again. This was just a bedroom and a sparsely furnished one at that, just a bed and one tall dresser. Her brows furrowed the slightest bit. Just whose bedroom was she in anyway and how the hell had she gotten there?

Questions began swirling in her already pounding head. She put a hand to her temple, trying to silence them. From outside of the room rustling could be heard and that caused Natsuki a bit of unease. Anyone could be on the other side of that door. Slowly and silently she crouched down, focusing her attention on the handle of said door.

Her eyes narrowed as the door handle began to twist. 'Okay... Here we go...' She said to herself, tensing each muscle until she was absolutely ready to pounce on who or whatever came through.

The door was pushed open and upon seeing the first crack of light Natsuki sprung into action. She grabbed the door and ripped it all the way open with one hand while reaching out and jerking the person from the hallway into the room with the other. With the ease of a dancer, Natsuki gracefully spun the person around and pinned them against the dresser. One hand was on the back of their neck and the other held the persons arm painfully behind their back.

"Who the hell are you and where am I?" Natsuki hissed into the darkness, her eyes narrowing dangerously. When an answer wasn't forthcoming she yanked upward slightly on the captive arm, eliciting an almost sensual moan from the person on the receiving end. That sound caught Natsuki by surprise. She had been expecting a yelp, a cry, hell even a whimper, but a moan? Slowly her eyes began wandering over the person she had pinned. She couldn't see much, there was only a bit of light breaking through the blinds covering the lone window in the room.

'Breath Shizuru.. And whatever you do... Don't say anything stupid.' From underneath the weight of Natsuki, Shizuru's body was frozen stiff against the rough edge of the dresser. She had been coming in for a simple check up when she suddenly found herself in this position. "Ara..." Should I tell her my name? "My name is Shizuru Fujino. I believe you saved my life tonight." It was funny how she had to clear her throat before she spoke. At some point her mouth had gone dry. Not hard to imagine WHY.

Natsuki blinked suddenly and then once more before allowing her muscles to slacken. "Uh..." Her cheeks went a bit red as she promptly released the woman underneath her and took a couple steps backward. "Shit, I'm uh.. I'm sorry about that." She rubbed the back of her head while glancing to the floor. 'Wow nice one there Kuga.'

'She's fast... But I knew that already. Quite the fighting prowess... But.. I knew that too.' Shizuru pushed herself off of the dresser and slowly turned around. "It's alright; I didn't mean to frighten you."

"You didn't frighten me." Natsuki immediately said with a snort, crossing her arms over her stomach loosely. "I'm just always prepared."

A well manicured brow perched high on Shizuru's forehead. "I see." This woman was interesting to say the least. Slowly she let her crimson eyes roam freely over Natsuki, soaking in the visage she hadn't focused so much on before. "Oh..." Her brows suddenly furrowed and she stepped forward, reaching out toward Natsuki's mid-section.

"What?" Natsuki jumped back slightly, moving instantly away from the would be touch.

Shizuru pulled back and blinked. "You're bleeding." She gestured to Natsuki's shirt where red had become visible through the thin fabric. "It must have re-opened when you..." She searched her mind for the right words.

Natsuki looked down to her side, just now registering the pain throbbing there. "Ow!" She hissed, touching upon the wet fabric before pulling it up. Her brows dipped questioningly at a bandage now taped across her skin.

"I noticed you were hurt after you blacked out in the alley. Rather than risk too many questions at the hospital, I brought you to my apartment instead." Shizuru tried to reach out again, this time meeting the gaze of a wary Natsuki. "Just let me see..." She spoke softly, allowing a gentle smile to pass her lips.

There was something about those eyes. They seemed almost... Familiar. That was impossible though, she had never met this woman before tonight. A cool calming sensation washed over Natsuki, sending goose bumps along her arms. 'Who are you and... What is this... Pull...?' Natsuki furrowed her brows while asking silent questions with her eyes.

Shizuru licked her bottom lip, taking the strange look from the woman opposite her as a go ahead. Her hand came to rest atop the bandage and slowly, carefully, she eased Natsuki backward until she was seated on the edge of the bed. "Lie back."

For a moment Natsuki merely sat there, locked in place by those oddly colored eyes. Finally able to register the request she laid back, blankly staring up at the ceiling. Shouldn't she have felt a little more unease about simply trusting the woman in front of her? Strangely her normally guarded nature seemed to be on hiatus.

Shizuru moved over Natsuki with ease and precision, removing the bandage without even an ounce of discomfort as the tape pulled away from the skin. Quite remarkable, usually Natsuki complained every step of the way when it came to being prodded. She was most definitely the type to yell 'ouch!' before the needle had even pricked the skin...

"Ah... You tore some of the stitching. I'm going to have to fix this." Shizuru quickly exited the room, grabbing some needed items from her own bedroom. "It's going to hurt." She said as she kneeled back down beside Natsuki upon re-entering the room. "But not much, I promise." She again offered the same warm smile as before.

Normally Natsuki would have already bolted; she hated feeling like an experiment, no matter how nice the person conducting it. She'd gotten enough of that from her former captives. Now though she seemed relaxed about the idea. This woman had been kind enough to take her in and tend to her wounds the first time, which in itself was surprising. She was more accustomed to the people that just kept on walking when they saw someone in trouble. "Okay." Was all she said before allowing her eyes to close. Maybe if she didn't watch it wouldn't hurt so badly.

Shizuru watched Natsuki's face for a moment longer after those radiant eyes closed. Something inside of her screamed familiarity but for the life of her she swore she'd never seen this woman before. "So.. Do you want to tell me your name?" She asked quietly as she began cleaning the re-opened wound. She could feel the muscles twitch beneath her fingertips.

"You want to talk now?" Natsuki said through clenched teeth, trying not to give way to the fact the wound was stinging quite painfully.

"Why not?" Shizuru replied quickly, a smirk tugging the corners of her mouth. She always wanted to talk during the most inconvenient or awkward times. Chie would have agreed to that assessment

Briefly Natsuki opened her eyes, meeting those crimsons once again. She wondered if she should even be allowing this woman to be this close to her. Everyone around her normally ended up dead... Or worse, and yeah, there were MUCH worse things than death. "Natsuki... Natsuki Kuga." She blinked as the sound of her own voice filled her ears. Her mouth had betrayed her! Inwardly she groaned, but it was too late to retract.

Carefully Shizuru weaved the needle in and out of the skin, re-stitching the wound. It only took a few moments but to Natsuki it seemed like an eternity. "There, all done. Can we try not to ruin these?" Shizuru stood gracefully, wiping her hands on a face cloth. Once the blood was off of her she un-wrapped another thick gauze pad and covered the wound, taping the bandage in place.

Natsuki sat up slowly, wincing while pulling down her shirt. "You do this kinda thing often?" She mumbled between her still somewhat clenched teeth. She got a questioning gaze in return that caused her eyes to roll. "The stitching."

"Ah.. Actually yes, I do it on a daily basis." Shizuru replied with a polite smile. It was now her on the receiving end of a questioning gaze. "I'm a trauma surgeon."

Jade eyes widened the slightest bit. This woman was a surgeon? "Wow, really?" Natsuki seemed a little in awe. "Guess I got lucky running into you." She chuckled momentarily before grimacing at the major discomfort in her side.

"I can give you something for the pain if you like." Shizuru offered.

"Um no... No thanks, I'm not great with pain meds." Natsuki shook her head to further the protest. With all of the shit those wacky scientists had injected her with she didn't need to add anything else to the list. The last thing she wanted or needed was to have another reaction like she'd had in the woods after escaping. Her skin burned in remembrance.

Shizuru nodded but then thoughtfully added... "At least let me get you a different shirt to wear."

"I'm not planning on being here that long." Natsuki swung her legs off the edge of the bed and slowly stood up, easing her weight onto the uninjured side of her body.

"You'll still need a clean shirt, no matter where you're going." Shizuru smiled politely and exited the room, once again into her own where she rummaged until she found a clean white t-shirt. She tossed it to Natsuki upon re-entering the guest room. "There."

Natsuki looked down at the bunched cloth in her hand. It was soft and it smelled of lavender. Her nose twitched slightly as she pondered whether or not to put it on. Finally she shrugged off her leather jacket but as she lifted her arms to tug on the new shirt a sharp pain shot through her entire body.

She winced, staggered sideways and slammed shoulder first into the wall. Shizuru was immediately by her side, helping hold her upright. "Easy.. I got you, easy... Come on lets' get you back to the bed."

Unable to argue, Natsuki leaned into Shizuru and allowed herself to be eased back into the bed she'd just come from not that long ago. It wasn't but just a second before her eyelids became so very heavy, though she fought to keep them open. "Relax, you're safe here. Just... relax..."

Those soothing words found their place inside of Natsuki's head but still she struggled to keep her eyes open. It was futile because in the end darkness consumed all. Shizuru watched as those beautiful eyes dipped and eventually closed, and then she sighed heavily. What the hell was she going to do?

"I don't know..." Shizuru spoke softly into her cell phone while brushing a few stray strands of tawny hair from her eyes. "I couldn't leave her there; she had just risked her life for mine."

She uninterestedly stared out across the vast city, eyes of a hawk scrutinizing each insect scurrying below her apartment window which was a staggering ninety-six stories up. Along the horizon the first rays of the still unseen morning sun were beginning to peek out, casting a soft gold hue across the ocean just beyond the city.

It was utterly breathtaking, but Shizuru hadn't peered out of that window to admire the beauty in quite a long while, let alone venture out onto the small balcony that extended from it. She used to spend most of her time out there, relaxing late into the evening without a care in the world. Now even looking at it simply made her feel like a butterfly in a glass jar yearning to feel the breeze again.

…

"I lost count..." The dark haired girl smiled warmly and then released a beautiful laugh into the cool night air. "Somewhere around two hundred." Her forehead wrinkled slightly as she bit playfully into her own lower lip.

Beside her, wrapped in the opposite end of the same blanket sat a much less haggard looking Shizuru. She had a most captivating smile situated upon her plump, kissable lips. "Yumi... You always lose count around two hundred."

They were sharing the papasan again, the one thing they had managed to actually fit on the small balcony. Of course it was the only thing out there because of its size! That didn't matter though because having only one chair out there meant they had to snuggle up together... And let's face it that was better than two chairs any day!

The woman identified as Yumi grinned wildly and retorted without hesitation. "Well you see... That's really your fault."

Shizuru's brows furrowed at the accusation. "Excuse me?" She questioned, her voice coming out as more of a chuckle.

Yumi nodded profusely as she slowly leaned her face a bit closer to Shizuru's, effectively silencing the mini-giggle fit. A more serious looked filled Yumi's eyes and she tenderly pressed her lips to her girlfriends. Upon pulling away she simply smiled. "Your eyes shine brighter than any of the stars I count up there..." She nodded toward the heavens looming over them. "So I keep sneaking glances and when I try to go back to counting... I've already lost my place."

Warmth blossomed in Shizuru's chest, causing her breath to hitch the slightest bit. This woman... Always knew what it took to melt her heart completely and render her... Ensnared. "Yumi.." She began but it was nothing more than a whisper on her girlfriend's lips as they melded into one another for the second time that evening.

…

With a sigh Shizuru turned from the window, snapping herself out of memories passed and focusing back on the conversation at hand. "This isn't about me not sleeping over, Chie and its low for you to make it seem as such." Her voice carried a razors edge as it cut through the phone and straight into Chie's ear. Seriously, the woman would say the most outlandish things at the worst possible moments sometimes.

"I'm tired; I think I'll try to sleep now... I will see you tomorrow." Shizuru didn't even bother to say good-bye as she clicked her phone shut and tossed it carelessly onto the kitchen counter. Turning to her left she disappeared into the hallway, tapping her nails quietly along the wall as she walked toward the door at the end and entered.

Shizuru's bedroom was just as sparse as the guest room. In the center there sat a queen sized bed with a simple iron frame, a night stand on both sides and a medium sized leather trunk at the foot. Off to the left of the bed was a bathroom complete with bath, and to the right was a large closet. On the wall facing the bed there looked to be an outline of something on the wall. Perhaps something had once hung there, but had since been taken down.

Sluggishly she made her way toward the bathroom, stripping out of clothing with each step. Something in the back of her head screamed for a hot shower but her body was just too tired. She promptly made a u-turn and instead stretched forward across the bed, allowing her creamy naked body to be lapped by the silken sheets and plush down comforter. With a purr she reveled in the feel, sliding underneath and nuzzling down into two oversized pillows.

Sea of Blue - Take me away..

Seconds bled into minutes which transformed into hours, or so it seemed. A sweet surrender into a dreamless sleep had been what she wished for, but alas she was left wanting. Underneath the embrace of heavy covers Shizuru's body twitched and mildly convulsed at random intervals as she slept. Now and again small whimpers would pass her lips and carry through the air like beacons announcing her pain. Vivid recollections of the night her lover was brought into the hospital filled her mind. Memories and dreams ran together to form an entire new monster of regret and helplessness, amplifying her guilt tenfold.

Just as all the nights before, she suddenly sat upright with a gasp. Her heart pounded inside of her chest, leaving her panting for her next breath. Her skin was damp from sweat, causing the silk sheets to stick to her limbs. Slowly her eyes focused on the darkness and silently she prayed it would just go ahead and swallow her up. A hand came to rest against her chest as she tried to calm her breathing. It seemed to help...

Her nose twitched slightly and then suddenly she leapt from the bed, stumbling to her knees and crawling straight into the bathroom. The sickness came quickly, emptying into the porcelain bowl for what seemed an eternity. When she finally sat back on her heels her stomach felt as if it were made entirely of knots. With a sigh she calmly stood and once at the sink allowed cool water to pool in her hands. She sipped and swished the taste from her mouth, spitting it into the sink afterward.

"I guess I'm awake..." She uttered helplessly as she turned and retreated back to her bedroom. From one of the dresser drawers she took a pair of comfy light purple pajama pants and pulled them up over her legs. Then down came the small, white t-shirt over her upper half. Satisfied with being a little less naked (under garments were often overrated!) she exited the room all together for the living room. A glance to the clock as the exited confirmed it was morning but not yet time to get ready for work. Six thirty... Hadn't she slept longer than that? With a soft groan she resigned to calling upon the early morning info-mercials for company.

It was better than being alone, right? However when she entered the living room she noticed there was a dim light coming from the otherwise dark kitchen and a shadow cast from said light danced across the adjacent wall. Instantly panic arose in Shizuru's chest, constricting the muscles and leaving her slightly breathless. Her immediate thought was that her attacker had somehow found where she lived and was now back to finish what he hadn't been able to earlier.

'There's no way he could have known where you live, calm down.' Her mind was screaming at her to be rational about her fear, but this night had been anything but rational. Slowly, and silently she made her way around the living room furniture, keeping low and unseen. Stealthily she blended with the shadows, creeping around side the counter that separated the kitchen from the living room. Careful not to make a sound she wrapped her hand around the end of a fireplace poker and brought it close to her side. With a final steadying of her nerves she leapt from the floor and darted into the kitchen, poker stick above her head. Unable to help herself she let out a little "war cry" (if it could be called that) as she landed right behind the figure, ready to strike.

"Ah!" Natsuki yelped and jumped, effectively bashing the top of her head against the second shelf inside of Shizuru's refrigerator. "Son of a... Ow!" Both hands found their way atop her head and she rubbed furiously while slowly turning around. Jade eyes narrowed when they fell upon the lady of the house in mid fighting stance holding a fireplace poker above her head.

Shizuru blinked and then blinked once more for good measure. "What..." Was all she was able to squeak out.

Natsuki sighed and crossed her arms over her chest, turning her head slightly so she didn't have to meet Shizuru's eyes. "I woke up..." Her stomach suddenly decided to very loudly chime in. Red instantly spread across her cheeks and she dropped her arms across her stomach as if that would hide the sound.

Every bit of fear and anxiety ran from Shizuru's body, melting out through her feet. She lowered the fire poker, setting it aside on the counter top. After a second a slow smile spread over her lips and then not being able to contain it, she just laughed.

Natsuki glowered, her cheeks still tinted red. "What's so funny?" She demanded, suddenly feeling more than a little embarrassed.

"Ara... I thought you were... Nothing, never mind" She waved a hand dismissively. For a brief moment she eyed the girl in front of her, looking her over a couple times. As she'd previously thought, this girl was beautiful, and that word probably didn't even do her description justice. "Nn.. My heroine is hungry." The same smile played on her plump lips.

"Hey don't call me that okay, I'm no hero. I just... Did what any decent person would do." Natsuki seemed a little touchy about labels. She simply turned her nose up a little more and huffed.

Shizuru softened her gaze and gave an understanding nod. "Well why don't I fix you something?" Without waiting for an answer she turned and reached underneath the cabinet, grabbing a pan and setting it aside on the stove.

"You..." Natsuki began, "Don't have to do that, really. I should just get going anyway, I'm feeling much better than before."

"Nonsense, at least allow me to make you a proper meal. You risked your life for me, a complete stranger. It wouldn't be right to let you leave hungry." Shizuru turned to meet Natsuki's ever elusive eyes after lighting the pilot on the stove. Her intense gaze made it hard for the blue haired girl to decline. Finally she just gave a nod and stepped aside, allowing Shizuru to move about the kitchen freely.

I never knew food could taste so good..

The scent alone had my mouth watering but actually tasting it on my tongue was a whole new sensation all together. There was nothing overly special about the dishes that woman prepared... But they tasted better than anything I'd ever put in my mouth.

There isn't even a single drop of mayo on anything..!

Natsuki sat back in the chair with a sigh and placed a hand on her slightly expanded stomach. She had just devoured four bowls of rice, two bowls of miso soup, and a large portion of pan seared tuna all in around ten minutes after it was sat down in front of her.

From across the small table Shizuru watched in awe. She'd never seen someone eat so quickly and enthusiastically. It was oddly entertaining. "Would you like anything else?" She asked with a smile.

Natsuki blinked at the sound of the voice, lifting her eyes to meet the crimson ones already locked on her. "No thanks, that was..." She fished around a moment for the right word. "Delicious." She smiled contently.

"Hm,..." Shizuru hummed a moment. "I don't think anyone has ever said that about my cooking before." She laughed.

"Come on, you gotta be lying! That was the best meal I think I've ever had." Natsuki sat up some, rather serious about her confession. Food was always serious.

Shizuru's brows rose atop her forehead at such a proclamation. She ventured to say something but before she could her dinner guest was speaking again.

"I normally live off of fast food so... A home cooked meal is a really nice treat." Idly, Natsuki picked at a couple rice grains still stuck to the side of the bowl. Each one was popped into her mouth, not to be wasted. Shizuru simply watched, still smiling.

'She lives off fast food? Could have fooled me with a body like that...' Slowly Shizuru licked over her lips, a predatory like gleam momentarily finding its way into her eye. Natsuki raised a questioning brow and the little look instantly fell from Shizuru's face. Mentally she reprimanded herself for checking out the woman that had probably... No, definitely... Saved her life.

Natsuki twitched her nose and slowly pushed back from the table, standing and stretching the full length of her lithe, well toned body. Shizuru couldn't help but watch as each muscle flexed from the movements.

"Ow..." The blue haired girl grimaced and tenderly covered the bandage on her side. Stupid, remember those are there? Can't be ripping them out for a second time! By chance she glanced over in time to see the worry in those beautiful crimson eyes. Beautiful crimson eyes? She mentally scolded herself for even thinking that way. "Uh, still tender but I'm fine." Might as well put the woman at ease before she got out her medical bag again. She really hated feeling like a lab rat... But somehow she knew this woman wasn't like those psychos from before.

"Are you sure... You don't want anything for your pain?" Shizuru bit the inside of her cheek, fighting the sudden and strange urge to get up and coddle the girl in front of her. Seriously, where had these feelings come from? She saw thousands of patients ripped up from head to toe and never felt these types of urges before. It was all a little confusing, but then again this woman had risked her life for HER... That might have been what made such a difference.

Natsuki waved a hand while stepping away from the table and pushing her chair in. "No, I will be alright. Look.. Thank you for the hospitality and medical attention. Not everyone would have been so kind as to take a stranger into their home." She began heading toward the guest room in which she'd been 'staying' for the last few hours.

Shizuru watched from the table as the girl disappeared into the room. Curiosity got the better of her as she stood and followed behind, watching Natsuki who was tugging on her leather jacket. A sudden feeling of anxiety flooded through her core. "You're leaving?" She asked quietly.

The leather crinkled slightly as it fell across its owner's upper body. Natsuki pulled those long, silken blue locks from the back of the jacket and then nodded. "I have to get out of town." Was all she said before walking to the window on the other side of the bed.

It was opened up and Natsuki stuck one leg over the opposite side, much to Shizuru's surprise whose eyes widened as she stepped forward. "Wait!" She cried out just as she caught eyes with the mysterious girl. "We're almost one hundred stories up!"

A small, almost devious smile turned up the corners of Natsuki's mouth. "I better be careful then..." And with that she was gone from sight.

Shizuru's heart caught in her chest as she ran forward and peered out the window. When she looked down though, there was nothing to be seen. The world below carried on and there was no body splattered on the concrete. "How..." She murmured eyes still very much so wide. "Who... Are you?" Her only answer was the wind howling off in the distance.

Situated on a perch above the city a figure scanned the horizon, processing every detail. Two pink eyes suddenly locked onto the silhouette of the fugitive HiME as she dropped from a high story window and vanished amidst darkness of the city streets.

"Gotcha."

A/N

Another chapter complete...

This story is actually progressing better than I had hoped :) I hope you guys enjoyed the update! Thank you all for the comments and reviews, it really does keep the creative process pumping. Looking forward to fleshing this story line out and revealing more to you guys in the next installment ^_^