Chapter 4 Please review!
Nakamori felt the world tip under his feet. The Kid he knew and chased for so long wasn't Kid anymore. He looked at Kid's confused expression, searching desperately for something, anything that told him that this was all a joke. That none of this ever happened. That Kid was still fine.
"Oi, what are you talking about, Kid. Stop joking around!" Nakamori reached out to shake the thief. Snap out of it. He thought. Kid's puzzled expression turned into one of fear as he watched the inspector's outstretched hands. He hissed softly, inching away.
"N-no, stay away!" He stammered slightly and slapped Nakamori's hand away. His breathing became erratic as his eyes grew wide and terrified. The heart monitor began beeping furiously quick. He stared down at his shaking, bandaged hands, hyperventilating.
"Inspector." Nakamori turned to see the doctor glaring at him with a stern face. He made a motion for the inspector to step aside. The man complied silently, unsure of what else he could do in this situation.
"It's alright, Kid-san. Calm down." The doctor said gently, injecting something into the IV and watched the new liquid enter the thief's system. Immediately, the drug started to take effect. Kid ceased his shaking significantly. Swaying slightly, the thief relaxed and fell back against the pillow, his eyes beginning to lose focus.
"Sensei, what….." Nakamori trailed off and watched the heart monitor as the thief's heartbeat began to slow back down to a normal pace. The doctor followed his gaze and stood in silence. Hakuba stared into Kid's eyes. They were always so bright and full of mischief, now…they were as dead as his memories.
"This is most likely a case of psychogenic amnesia." The doctor finally said.
"A-amnesia?"
"That's correct, it is a type of amnesia that is characterized by abnormal memory functioning. Rather than a result of a physiological cause, psychogenic amnesia is a result of severe stress or psychological trauma. His mind couldn't handle the memories of the case and went into emotional shock."
"B-but...th-...this is Kid we're talking about." Nakamori hissed and glared at the ground. He didn't want to believe it. He didn't want to acknowledge the fact that even the Kaitou Kid had a limit. Had a breaking point.
"...Even Kid can have a limit to how much stress he can take, inspector...Maybe it's be a form of self-preservation...to save himself...save himself from other alternatives...like overwhelming anxiety...maybe even suicide." The task force leader glared at the doctor in anger.
"He would NEVER!...No matter how fucked up in the head he gets...he would never..." He trailed off after his initial biting attack. Because, honestly, he didn't know anymore.
The doctor nodded his head in a silent apology. Hakuba stood back, watching and listening without a sound. The British teen knew he really didn't have any say in this.
The three didn't speak for a while, choosing to watch the sedated thief in silence.
"...Will they come back?" Nakamori asked awkwardly after several minutes. The thief has to return to normal. It was….heartbreaking to see the forever teasing look on the thief to disappear. He had chased this bastard for almost two decades of his life. He wasn't going to let it disappear over a span of a week and a half.
"It's hard to say, inspector. According to Freud's theory, unwanted memories that are psychologically dangerous to him are repressed from the conscious mind. But they don't disappear forever. They remain dormant in the unconscious mind. The best way to help him recover these memories is to present him with familiar items from his everyday life. That will be difficult since we don't know his..." Nakamori flinched inwardly as he understood what the doctor was hinting at. The most reasonably decision was to unmask the white clad phantom. However….
"No, we will not reveal his identity. It's….it's not fair." He finished quietly. The doctor stared intently at the inspector's face and nodded.
"It's up to you. He will be able to leave as soon as he is stable, which will be three or four more days. After that, what happens is in your hands." The doctor gave a smile and left the room.
"Thank you…." Nakamori whispered to no one in particular.
Four days later, Nakamori was outside Kid's room again. He stifled a yawn with his hand, muttering softly. He hadn't reported to the higher ups yet, and was pretty sure when they find out, he would get fired. Maybe even arrested. But he didn't care. It was way too early in the morning to think about things like that. The only thing on his mind right now was the internationally wanted thief. He had forgotten the reason for helping the thief, heck he didn't even know if he hadn't a reason at all.
The only thing he knew was that he couldn't leave him alone. He couldn't let the police arrest a thief that knows nothing. It's not fair. Even after chasing him for twenty years, Nakamori knew. He knew the thief barely fits into the category of criminals. Kid never injured anyone. Any injury ever accounted for during a Kid heist had either been unintentional, the work of another or just the task force's own mishap. The only thing closest to violating the law was trespassing people's property. Hell, the bastard had done many things in the interest of the public. Sometimes, even in the interest of the police force. He didn't deserve any of this.
It wasn't a police officer wanting to help a criminal regain his memories to help investigation; it was a friend who wanted to help another. His decision was made.
He had told Aoko about his intentions and she surprisingly agreed. His daughter had admitted to feeling sorry for the thief and wouldn't mind helping if Nakamori didn't mind. That made things a hell lot easier.
He opened the door and walked in with a small smile. Kid was looking a lot better than he did four days ago. His eyes have gotten the sly look back, but they were still dull to the inspector. Blank and dead, never the same as before. The thief has also learned to trust Nakamori a bit more. He still flinched when the man got to close but it was still a vast improvement.
Many of his physical wounds were healing well. Nakamori noticed that many of the bandages he saw a few days ago were gone. He flinched when he got closer. A few missing bandages didn't make the other bandages look any better. The thief was still looking more like a mummy rather than a phantom.
"Nakamori-san!" Kid grinned and waved a bandaged hand. Nakamori felt his heart ache each time he called him that. It didn't suit the thief at all.
"Oh…um hey... So you ready to leave yet?" He asked uncomfortably. Kid raised an eyebrow, puzzled.
"...Leave?"
"Yeah, you can come to my house and stay for awhile. It will be easier to watch you. Wouldn't it be fun to get away from his boring place?" The older man smiled as brightly as he could. It was like talking to a five year old.
Kid pondered his words. He had to admit, the hospital was getting quite boring. He wasn't allowed to go outside of his room a lot for unexplained reasons and the nurses looked at him strangely. And he just didn't like the feeling of being stuck to a bed. Having weighed the pros and cons, he nodded happily.
"Okay…." The inspector sighed in relief; at least they passed the first stage. It would've sucked to drag a thief out of the hospital, kicking and screaming.
"Okay, can you take off that monocle and put on a cap or glasses? I...um won't look." Nakamori suggested, holding out both. It would be obvious to spot the thief if he kept that on. Kid's eyes widen and his hands went for his right eye protectively.
"N-no. I don't want to take it off. I'm fine." He shook his head, his hands starting to tremble again.
"Okay okay! You can keep that on but at least wear the cap." He held it out. Kid wondered what the big deal was with his monocle. The first two days after he woke up, the nurses seemed bent on having him remove it, holding cell phones and cameras in their hands excitedly. They stopped after the doctor scolded them though. He nodded slowly and took the cap in shaking hands.
Moments later, the doctor was inside and checking over Kid one last time. He nodded in approval and turned to Nakamori.
"I may have said he could leave but don't do anything drastic. Even if you want to help him regain his memories as soon as possible, you cannot rush it. If you do, the mind might suffer bigger shock and shut down completely. "He nodded and the doctor turned to Kid.
"Don't overdo it." He warned with a half-smile. After only a few days, the thief had found a place in the good doctor's heart.
"Hai, thank you for all you've done Aoshi-sensei!" Kid flashed a grin. The doctor gave a small smile in return before nodding to Nakamori.
"Let's go" Nakamori motioned Kid to follow him.
"Yes, sir!" Kid grinned pulling his cap down, shadowing his monocle and eyes. If it weren't for obvious reasons, Nakamori would have thought the Kid was back. But sadly, reality is a cruel maiden. The inspector smiled sadly.
It wasn't really that hard to sneak out of the hospital at four am in the morning. Most patients and visitors in the waiting rooms were either asleep or close to dozing. The nurse at the reception desk was more interested in her manicured nails and paid no attention to the pair. Nakamori had called off the patrol officers two days ago, assuring them there wasn't any accomplice. They would be more useful investigating the mansion than standing around the hospital doing nonstop shifts.
He suddenly felt guilty from not telling the British brat his intentions, even though he was pretty sure the teenager could have guessed. He was in the room four days ago too, after all. He toyed with the idea of bringing the teen into this mess. But he thought better of it. He didn't want to get the boy in trouble if they were ever caught.
The inspector glanced around the parking lot for any sign of people. Even if it was early, some people could be early wakers. The thief was pretty damn noticeable in his dress pant and blue shirt. They didn't have time to be picky about wardrobes.
He glanced back at the thief as they sneaked towards his car. The shirt and pants had been cleaned and no traces of blood were found on it. However there were still many tears and bullet holes in them. If Kid had noticed, he didn't say anything. The shirt didn't do much to cover up the bandages but it would have to do. At least the cap hid the wrapped wounds on his head.
The two reached Nakamori's car without distraction and they were soon driving towards his house. Nakamori glanced at Kid. This scene felt all too familiar. He wondered if the thief remembered sitting at that very same seat during the night of the incident nine days ago. Even if he did, Kid showed no sign of remembering anything and sat in silence, content with looking out the window.
Nakamori turned and drove down the familiar streets of his neighborhood. He parked in front of his three story house.
"We're here." He said, turning to look at the thief. He froze at what he witnessed. Kid was clutching his seatbelt tightly and looked frightened.
"What's wrong?" Nakamori asked immediately. Flashes of memories could come and leave quickly. After a few tense seconds, Kid shook his head and smiled weakly.
"I-it's nothing." His voice was quivering. The thief unbuckled his seatbelt and opened the car door.
"If you say so." Nakamori grumbled and did the same.
They walked up the gravel driveway; he could hear Kid's breath getting quicker and shallower but said nothing. Reaching into his pocket, he pulled out the keys and opened the door. Kid's breath was coming out in raspy gasps now. He turned around to see the thief's forehead covered in sweat and his entire body trembling.
"Oi, are you sure your alri-"He was interrupted by the soft sound of footsteps coming down the staircase. His daughter was rubbing her eyes, dressed in pajamas as she walked down the stairs.
"Otou-san?" Aoko yawned. Her father had told her about Kid and how he forgot his memories. She found herself feeling sorry for the thief. Even if she resented him for stealing her father, murdering more than thirty people in front of his eyes was too cruel. She sympathized and agreed to let her dad hide Kid here. But seeing the thief in person at her door was tough. Her hands were itching to grab the nearest mop and swing some sense into him. Maybe some blunt trauma will help the guy remember.
The inspector and his daughter jumped when they heard a strangled yelp coming from the thief. She looked up and saw Kid on the floor trembling in earnest while staring up at her in horror. Those deep blue-violet eyes…Kaito's eyes…no they can't be. There is more than one person with that color eyes you idiot. Aoko told herself before rushing down the stairs. Why was the thief so scared to see her?
Nakamori didn't understand why was Kid so spooked to see Aoko? He barely knew her...right?
"K-kid?" He began; he could feel his daughter tugging on the back of his jacket with shaking hands. Kid let out another cry. In a flash of blue and white, the thief was out of sight. Nakamori blinked and backed away, bumping into his daughter in surprise.
"Kid!" He yelled, seeing the thief's running form turn around the driveway and into the streets. Shit! This wasn't good. An internationally wanted thief running around the streets was going to attract a lot of attention. He needed to go after the thief but his daughter's trembling hands was still latched onto his coat. He turned to see her near tears but trying to hide it. His expression softened as his heart was torn between choosing what to do. He swallowed bitterly and glanced out the door and back at the girl repeatedly, unable to decide. Aoko looked up and watched her father's inner conflict before she forced watery smile on her face, deciding for him.
"Go after him." She whispered, letting go and looking away. Nakamori's eyes widen. He pulled his daughter in for a quick hug before running out the door. Aoko stood in shock before letting the tears fall silently.
Kid ran through the quiet streets. It was only four-thirty and the streets were still quiet and empty.
But he didn't really care anymore. The teen bit back tears as he turned another corner. No matter how much he thought, he didn't get it. It was so frustrating.
He woke up in the hospital confused and terrified of something he couldn't explain. The doctor had seemed very surprised when he couldn't recall anything that happened or who he was. Judging from his confusion, he had lost his memories….important memories.
The next thing he knew, a man with a mustache came in. The man recognized him, but he sure as hell didn't. And when the man reached out to him, he was terrified once again. He felt like he was suffocating and near death. But after some time, he figured the man whose name was Nakamori Ginzo, was a friend.
He wanted him to come to his house and it didn't seem like a bad idea so why did it hurt so much? As they got closer to Nakamori's house, his head throbbed more. He was remembering something. The whole way to Nakamori's house seemed familiar. He had been there before. When he saw his daughter, he felt his head explode in pain. Get away; get the hell away from there. Was all he could think of. He felt if he stayed any longer, something bad would happen. Something horrible would happen to the people helping him.
He paused for a moment and leaned against a wall, panting hard. In the quiet streets, it felt like his gasps were echoing everywhere. He took a deep breath, willing himself to calm down. The last thing he needed right now was being spotted by something or someone terrifying.
The cap he was wearing was lost at some point during his sprint, allowing his monocle to swing around freely. He never did understand why he had one on and why he didn't want to take it off in the first place. But something in his mind told him that it would be a bad idea to take it off. He would be exposed to something terrible if he did. So he hadn't once thought about removing it.
The teen didn't know how long he had been running or where he was going, but he had a feeling he need to keep going. It was better than stopping and getting caught by something. After catching his breath, he continued.
His legs ached and his head throbbed painfully. Every now and then, his vision flashed white and he felt the overwhelming sense of nausea, making him want to pass out. He turned into another street that was strangely familiar, but he couldn't quite place it. He ran pass house after house, none of them perking his interest until he saw a mansion. There! Go in there! Safe. Safe. Safety. It's safe in there!
His legs moved automatically. Without hesitation, he ran towards it. He vaguely remembered seeing the address plate 2-2-1 and fumbled to open the gates. Surprisingly, they weren't locked. He pushed through them and ran up the long driveway. Within seconds, he slammed into the large double doors tiredly.
"Please…open." He moaned softly as he waited. His head was throbbing too much, and he closed his eyes, wishing the pounding would just stop.
The minute passed by in agony before someone swung the door open. Without the door to support his weight, he felt the world sway before him and landed into someone's arms.
He didn't know who it was, but it was warm. He made him feel tired. He wanted to sleep. To sleep away the throbbing. His head hurt. His eyes hurt. His entire body ached. Sleep sounded so inviting.
He looked up shakily and squinted a bit. He could barely make out the person's face. His vision was blurry but he saw a man with glasses staring down at him. The man's lips were also moving but the teen could barely make out the words.
What's wrong?...Is that what he's asking?...What's...wrong...is there something's wrong?...something...wrong...Yeah...something's... wrong...something's wrong! I...I have to warn him...warn...something's wrong...da...danger...It's dangerous...danger...people...there are people...after...me...scary...scary...t-they're... they...are...
"The b-black….organization." He didn't know what it meant or who these people are but he could care less as his vision turned black.
End of this chapter! I hoped you enjoyed!
EDITED: 8/2/13 Added information on amnesia from human-memory .net and my newly acquired knowledge on psychology from summer college classes :3
