Aftermath

By Robin Gurl

Chapter 3

(Zorra, I'm glad you like this story, I was so afraid people wouldn't. ^_^ thanks for your review. Here is chapter 3 with 4 and maybe even 5 close behind! Once again, I write RW not YST so Cye's the youngest in my fics. This isn't yaoi …and yeh. Enjoy! Remember to review if you read! )

Disclaimer: I own nothing.

Downstairs Kento walked into what he guessed was the living room to see Sage and Rowen talking. Cye was a dead weight in his arms, fast asleep now that he felt safe and warm. "Oh, good mornin' Ro. Didn't know you were up. I see Sage got you clothes as well. They look good."

"Thanks. Same with you." Rowen immediately noticed Cye's weakened state and he jumped up off the couch running to Kento's side. "Is he alright?"

Sage stood up a little more slowly and waltzed over as well. "I was afraid of this. He's still exhausted."

"You mean you knew this would happen?"

"Not exactly. I had a feeling it might. Cye's younger than all of us and smaller as well. I was surprised he lasted as long as he did when we were fighting. His will is strong."

"Just wish his body would follow suit." Kento grumbled gently laying Cye down on the couch making sure his friend's head was cushioned by one of the throw pillows.

"But he's not sick right?" Rowen piped up sitting back on the couch. "He's jus' sleepeh?"

Sage nodded crossing his arms and leaning against the wall. They all sat in silence all three seemed to focus on Cye for a lack of what to say next. Just then Mia walked in wearing jeans and a blouse. They all looked up and smiled. "Well good morning, boys. How is everyone?"

"Weak an' tired." Rowen replied. "Some a'us more dan others."

Mia followed his gaze to Cye and she went over and bent down. "Aw, poor Cye. He looks so pale. Oh! You all haven't eaten for awhile. Let me go cook something for breakfast."

Kento's face lit up and he followed Mia into the kitchen like a puppy dog on a leash. Rowen laughed. "What a ham. Mention food and everything else disappears."

"That's Kento." Cye said softly sitting up wiping sleep out of his eyes.

"Well good mornin'! I was afraid you were goin' to sleep all day, did ya 'ave a good rest last night?" Rowen asked sitting beside the water bearer.

Cye pulled his knees to his chest staring at the table in front of him. "Cye? What's wrong?" Sage asked kneeling down, his healer instincts taking over. Cye had no visible battle wounds so it had to be something psychological. It was then he noticed slight chills were making the small body shiver. He gazed into Cye's eyes and noticed they were glassed over and his cheeks were flushed.

Rowen didn't wait for Sage to ask, he reached over and placed his hand against Cye's forehead. "Burning up." The youngest didn't respond or try to pull away, worrying the other two even more. "When did this pop up, buddy?"

"This is too high to be a normal fever." Sage whispered pulling out his armor orb, it glowed green with the kanji for Wisdom glowing gold.

The ball of green light left Sage's hand and hovered in the air in front of Cye, he put his knees down and heaved nervously unsure of what was going to happen. Rowen wrapped an arm around his shoulders pulling him close, "It's alright, this is Sage's way of findin' out what's wrong. It's like a doctor visit without the doctor!" His bad joke went unnoticed but he felt Cye curl closer to him.

The green light started to pulse into a steady beat moving closer to Cye glowing brighter with each beat. "No, I'm ok, really." The light dulled slightly before flaring up as if answering him. "Well you can't make me now can you?" Cye replied back.

"What are you talking about?" Sage asked opening his palm letting his orb float back to his hand. "Were you just talking with my armor?"

Cye glanced blankly before shrugging but saying nothing more. Rowen raised his eye brows giving Sage a confused look. "What does the orb say?"

Sage closed his eyes and let the information be relayed back. His one visible eye re-opened and they narrowed, "What did you do, Cye?"

"I just helped Ryo out a bit is all, really that's it."

"If you did what I think you did you've got to undo it immediately." Sage stood up to his full height and bent down pulling on Cye's arm. "You'll kill yourself otherwise."

"Let go of me, I can handle this myself thank you very much." Cye fell back into Rowen causing the other teen to let out a surprised gasp.

"Am I the only one who 's missin' the entire point o' this conversation?" Rowen asked moving one of Cye's elbow's out from digging into his side. "What happened?"

"I'm not even sure how this is possible but Cye took a fever that Ryo must have caught last night and is trying to sustain it himself so Ryo won't suffer."

Cye crossed his arms trying to contain the chills running through his body. "He needs to rest and he won't if he's ill. I heard him crying out last night so I went to help."

"Cye, Ryo's body is made for fever's like this. Yours isn't." Sage tried to explain taking a deep breath and kneeling back down. He realized very quickly that being upset with Cye wasn't going to fix anything. "Your armor can't take heat like his can."

"Yeh, he wears the arma of wildfire afta all." Rowen offered.

"Alright, here is what is going to happen," Sage started. "Rowen and I are going to help you upstairs to Ryo's room and you are going to give it back to him then I will try and heal the rest of the damage you did unintentionally to yourself."

"I most certainly will not give it back. I am not going to let him suffer if he doesn't need to." Cye's voice raised slightly and he tried to sit up. His voice cracked and he reached out for something steady as his vision swam in his eyes. "Oh, my.."

"Cye? What's wrong?" Sage caught the flaying hand and used this opportunity to check the teen's pulse. It was beating fast, "You need to calm down." He gently pushed Cye back into the couch and stood up, "Watch him, Rowen."

"Where are you goin'?"

"To get a compress then to get Ryo."