I do not own the digimon franchise. And that's probably a good thing, judging from this story..

"I've arranged for your family to visit you today." Dr. Kido announced to his patient when he first entered the room.

"My family?" Kouji stares, eyes wide.

"Yes," Kido replied. "In fact, I'm sure they're on their way right now." He smiles.

"Kouji!" Satomi cried out, hugging her step-son tightly. "I missed you so much."

"I missed you too, Satomi." Kouji says as he embraces her back. They settled themselves at a table in the common rooms.

"Kouji, how have you been?" She asks.

"I've been fine, Mom." He reassures. He wasn't sure weather or not to call her 'Mom' or 'Satomi' like he's always been doing.

Satomi looked at him nervously, it was the first time she's seen him since he was committed. He looked so fragile and pale. Almost like a doll.

"You don't blame us do you?" Satomi asks, wiping away a tear from the corner of her eye. "For putting you here?"

The expression on his step-mother's nearly killed him. He had caused her to feel this way. He looks into the eyes of his step mother's again.

"No." He said. That was the truth, too. He had no reason to blame his parents. They put them in here because they cared. They wanted him to get better.
"I'm sorry," He apologizes.

"There's nothing to apologize for." She placed a hand over his.

"Where's dad?" Kouji finally had the courage to ask.

"He couldn't make it today,"Satomi said with a frown.

"He couldn't make it or he didn't want to make it?" Kouji couldn't help but ask.

"It's not because he doesn't want to see you, Kouji. And he doesn't think work is more important either." Satomi quickly tells him. "Kouji, your father loves you."
She reassures him. "It's just that he's finding it hard to accept everything, that's all. When Kouichi died and you became ill, it really took a toll on him." She explains. Kouji nodded his head, remaining silent.

"Kouji."

"Hm?" Kouji looked back up at his mother.

"Do you still see Kouichi?" She eyed him anxiously.

"Not that much anymore."

Now that was a lie. Because Kouichi was right next to him on the couch.

"Get better soon," Satomi smiles.

"I'll try."

"What's wrong?" Kouji asks as he stood in the middle of their room.

Kouichi didn't reply, and only continued watching the blank wall in front of them. He was feeling lonely now that his step mother had left. To have Kouichi not talk to him only made things much worse. "Tell me." Kouji demands.

"I miss my mom." Kouichi confesses, his voice was full of sadness and sorrow.

"Kouichi.."

"I want to see her so badly. But I can't." Kouichi took his eyes off the wall and looks at Kouji. "Because she can't see me. No one sees me. It's just you, Kouji. And even you ignore me sometimes. Even you deny my existence."

"I'm..I'm sorry.."

"It's not fair!" Kouichi states and glares at him with jealously. "Why do you get to see your family but I don't? Why did I have to die?"

Kouji could only hang his head down with guilt as Kouichi blamed him. He felt so guilty for being able to indulge if only for a little while on the love of his family. Or his mother at least. Why wasn't he allowed to see his family and enjoy his time with them, just because Kouichi can't. That's unfair.

His face turns into a stern and determined look. He could no longer afford to indulge in his fantasies anymore. He had to escape this somehow. Not just for his sake, but for the sake of the people that love him.
No matter how sad and depressed or angry Kouichi looked..it wasn't real.

He has to get better.

Kido entered into Kouji's room, a small smile on his face. "How was the visit from your family?"

"I didn't realize how much I missed Satomi," Kouji says, trying to ignore Kouichi beside him. "Will I be able to see her again?"

"Of course," Kido assures him. "They'll come back and visit you again."

Not really what Kouji meant.

"Will I ever get out of here?"

"You can. If that's what you want."

Kouji nodded his head, determined. "I want to." He says, trying to ignore the glares he was getting from Kouichi. "Thank you," Kouji whispered.

"What for?" Kido tilted his head at him. As far as was concerned, he hasn't been able to do anything for Kouji. Except for maybe being an annoying nagging doctor.

"For letting me see my family. And for always being patient with me despite how unbearable I can become." Kouji gave him a smile. He won't mention the fact that his dad never showed up.

"It was the least I could do."

The next person to visit Kouji was Takuya. It was as if Kido was trying to remind him of reality and keep him with thoughts other then Kouichi. Besides, as much as he hate to admit it, he missed Takuya.

Takuya smiles warmly at Kouji as he sees him for the first time in ages. "So..Do you like it here?" Takuya asks. Kouji frowns at him, "What kind of question is that?"

Takuya looks around the room, "Yeah, I guess you're right. But it ain't so bad." Takuya states. "Hey, look they even have board games you can play!"

"Who am I going to play with?"

Takuya gasps exaggeratedly, "Don't tell me you've gone back to being a loner!"

Kouji rolled his dark blue eyes. He wasn't really annoyed, that's just how their friendship worked it seemed. "Say.."Takuya looked at him very seriously, "I..Is Kouichi here?" He couldn't help but ask. He secretly wished Kouichi really was here. But he couldn't tell Kouji that.

"I missed you too, Takuya."Kouichi says beside Kouji as he leans his elbows on the table. He looked at the brunette with a sad smile. Kouji sighs as he watches Kouichi. He never completely ignores Kouichi. It was kind of hard to do so when Kouichi was with him all the time. Kouji still talked to him every once in awhile, trying to not to do so too much. Kouichi seemed peaceful and happy today, much to Kouji's relief.

"Yeah. He's here."Kouji replies. "He's looking right at you."

"E-Eh?" Takuya looks around. Kouji smiles amused. It's not like Takuya can see him even if he tried.

Takuya breathed out a laugh before turning serious again. "But you're getting better, right?" Takuya asks him.

"I guess so." Was he? He wasn't quite sure, but he was currently trying now.

"Well keep working hard at it!" Takuya nods his head encouragingly. "I'll come visit you whenever I get a chance to. And I'll get Zoe to come visit you with me sometime! And I'll tell the doctor to keep you company more often. Do you want me to ask him to come play games with you?"

"I'm not a child! I don't need you to make friends for me!" Kouji pouted, crossing his arms and let out a 'hmph!'.

Takuya laughed and soon Kouji found himself laughing with him.

Kouji's body shook as he sat in his bed at home. His heart raced in his chest, pounding. He closes his eyes and he sees his twin brother. He opens his eyes and he sees his twin brother.

He died.

Those words just had to play over and over in his head. He was there when Kouichi's heart finally stopped. He kept replaying that memory in his head over and over.

Kouichi died.

He remembers staring at the bloodied cloth that laid on his head. The area of his hair was tangled and had blood on it. He imagines that if Kouichi wasn't in that coma he would've been screaming in pain.

Kouji blinks back the tears. It has already been a week since he heard the news but he still couldn't believe it. He didn't believe it because Kouichi was right there. Looking at him. Looking real. Looking hurt.

"I didn't die, Kouji."Kouichi kept on reminding him. "I'm not dead."

Kouji let out his shaky breath.

"Who are you going to believe? Them? Or me?" Kouichi asked accusingly at him and he sounded angry.

Kouji wasn't sure how to reply to that. He watch Kouichi die right there on the operating table. He was there when the doctors pronounced him dead. But, there he is. Right here.

"How do I believe you when no one else can see you?" Kouji had to ask. Despite his brother being right in front of him, despite looking so real, that fact isn't something he could ignore either. It could only mean that he was going insane.
"Who are you?" Kouji asks, because if Kouichi was truly dead, then the person in front of him was only a stranger in Kouichi's form.

Kouichi looks at him angry, frustrated and annoyed by his words. "Do you really have to ask me that?" He shouts.

"I'm sorry."

"Stop ignoring me, Kouji." Kouichi sighs exasperatedly beside him but Kouji continued with what he was doing. "I know you can hear me Kouji. I know you can see me Kouji. Do we have to play this game? Please. I miss talking to you." But Kouji kept on ignoring him. Kouji lets out another sigh before giving up and remaining silent. When Kouji's step mother finally left the room, Kouji turned around to face Kouichi.

"Stop talking to me," Kouji whispers.

"Why?"

"Because you can't be real."

"Not this again, Kouji. How many times do I have to tell you I'm real?" He asks in frustration. "Your funeral is tomorrow!" Kouji exclaims. "How can you expect me to believe you're still alive?"

"But I'm right here."Kouichi cried out.

"Who are you talking to, Hun?" Satomi asks as she peeked her head into the room. Kouji turns away from Kouichi and a calm expression is on his face. "Just mumbling to myself."He tells her. He refrained from talking to Kouichi when other people were around But he knows his family was beginning to suspect. However he's managed to convince them all that his hallucinations were gone and his mental state was 100% perfectly healthy. The only person he couldn't convince was himself.

And Kouichi.

When Satomi leaves Kouji turns around again. Kouichi had his arms crossed.

"Don't be angry with me." Kouji tried to calm Kouichi but the truth is that Kouichi had no idea what he was doing. He was starting to talk to Kouichi as if he's really real again.

Soon his reality would be shattered completely. Tomorrow he'll have to face the reality. Tomorrow he'll have to bury his twin.

Kouichi looks up at him like a scared child. "What if I am dead Kouji? What would that mean?"

Kouji swallowed, "I don't know.." He whispers. He sat on his bed, running his fingers through his hair.

Just a heads up, folks. The next two final chapters will be depressing as hell. :(