A/N: YEAH! chapter 4! how very exciting. So, this chapter is pretty much going to be sentimental and lovely, not much action really. but i'm sure you will be happy to hear that there will officially be a lemon in the next chapter, (i swear I'm not just pulling you leg) so stay a while, will you?

Disclaimer: I do not own xxxHolic, CLAMP does, along with a pocket full of other fantastic series.

Chapter Yon (do I dare put shi?)

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Watanuki had taken to pacing in the sterile hallway out side of the E.R. The surgeon in charge of Doumeki had come out through the omniscient swinging doors a good hour and a half after, and simply told the panicking adolescent that they had completed all necessary operations, but Doumeki's condition was still unstable, no signs of hope in the man's eyes. Watanuki took in several deep breaths, thanking the surgeon with all of the sincerity that he could muster. Even though recovery was still not certain, the fact that Doumeki's life force had prevailed this long was a huge relief.

The surgeon nodded his head, took a deep breath and then re-entered through the barren doors as Watanuki collapsed on the welcoming couch he had been inhabiting for the past several hours.

Watanuki was not aware of the fact that he had drifted asleep until he was greeted by Haruka-san, Doumeki's deceased grandfather and complete look-alike, who happily sat next to him, lit cigaret in hand.

"Konbanwa Watanuki-kun." Haruka happily greeted him.

"Haruka-san..." Watanuki was breathless as he spoke, carefully taking in Haruka's form, thinking of his struggling companion, "...you do know that smoking is prohibited in hospitals..." It then hit Watanuki that this was a dream, and he wasn't really in the hospital. "...um, never mind."

Haruka chuckled to himself, Watanuki's distress was so blatant that it was somewhat adorable. "This isn't your fault you know, it was Shizuka's own choice, and therefore it was his fate."

Watanuki turned to Haruka as he bit his bottom lip, trying to hold back his infinite supply of tears. He then turned back to stare at his folded hands, "It is my fault, and I don't just mean this. Everything, everything that's happened to him is my fault, and yet I still selfishly choose to stay with him, even though I know he will be harmed in the process." There was a long silence, as if Haruka new that there was more that Watanuki wanted to say. "As soon as Doumeki makes it through this, I'm never going to see him again, I will protect him from myself."

Haruka took a puff of his cigaret, and slowly blew the smoke from his mouth. "Shizuka won't want to hear that." He turned and stared at the quivering Watanuki, he was obviously already aware of this information.

"I know, I just...care for him too much, if he was ever lost because of me, even if it is what he decided, I would never be able to forgive myself, or live for that matter." There was a silence, as Haruka took another long breath into his cigaret.

"That however, I am sure he would be delighted to know." Haruka stood and held his hand out to the boy. "So, would you like to see him?"

"What? Can you take me to him?" Watanuki stared hopefully at Haruka.

"I wouldn't have offered otherwise, now will you go or not?" He shook his out stretched hand a little.

"OF-COURSE!" Watanuki exclaimed, readily grasping Haruka's hand in both of his.

Within that moment, Haruka and Watanuki were transported to a rather plain and uninhabited apartment room, and, on further observance, Watanuki realized that they were in his apartment.

"What are we doing here?" Watanuki was throughly confused.

"This is where Shizuka is." Haruka grinned as he pointed towards where Watanuki's dining table was placed. Watanuki turned to look where Haruka had directed. His eyes widened and he gasped loudly as he looked at a somewhat at ease Doumeki, who was sleeping on his side, using his arm as a pillow, on top of the cushion he usually occupies when visiting, looking truly radiant in his plain brown temple robes. Before Watanuki was aware of it, his legs had carried him over to his peaceful friend, where he sat on his knees next to him. He gently placed his hand on Doumeki's upturned cheek, realizing just how truly torn up Doumeki had been after the accident, in comparison to the smooth, heeled skin he now had.

"Why is he here, Haruka-san?" Watanuki slightly whispered, not even really realizing it was his voice which was speaking.

"Obviously, this is where he feels at rest, and his soul manifested here." Haruka said softly from where he stood. Watanuki barely registered what Haruka could have meant by his statement.

"You don't mean that he's,...he's, dead, do you-" Watanuki trailed off, his voice caught in his throat. Haruka shook his head, "No, but he's not alive either. He's drifting between his will to live, and his physical capacity in doing so." He noticed the relief in Watanuki's eyes, which had never trailed from his grandson's face.

"So, he is in something like a coma?" Watanuki said, as if trying to convince himself completely that Doumeki was still alive.

"You could say that." Haruka was still gazing at Watanuki when he saw that he had mouthed Thank Goodness to himself. Watanuki then buried his face in-between Doumeki's neck and shoulder.

"You have to get up, okay Doumeki? You're gonna have to wake up soon." Doumeki's sleeping soul breathed in deeply, as if agreeing to what Watanuki was saying.

...

Watanuki was lightly shaken awake by one of the smiling nurses. When his brain had made the connection of where he was, he sat up straighter, eye's wide open, staring at the nurse intently.

The women stood back and stared at the rather handsome boy. "His heart rate has become stable and we are about to move him to one of the rooms on the 3rd floor." Watanuki let out a huge sigh and stood up to thank the nurse, but she cut him off before he could say anything. "However, we are afraid that he has fallen into a coma, and we are not sure when he will wake up."

Watanuki vaguely shook his head. "I understand, thank you." A few moments passed as Watanuki collected his emotions. "Is there anything that I need to do?" The nurse then smiled slightly and shook her head in affirmation. "Just be there for him when he wakes up." She then fully smiled as Watanuki's face went red. That was already a given, he thought to himself. The nurse began to speak again, "besides that, you do need to head to the front desk and fill out all of the required release forms. I will walk you there." The nurse started to head in the direction away from the emergency room doors. Watanuki did not follow, vaguely glancing at the doors. "Don't worry, you can see him once he is moved to his room." Her smile was reassuring, and Watanuki began to follow. I'll be back soon Doumeki, I promise.

...

After completing the tedious task of filling out the mountain of Doumeki's medical papers, Watanuki surprising himself with how much useless information he actually knew about Doumeki, he was brought to Doumeki's hospital room, Watanuki running straight to his bedside upon entry. The nurse followed him and stood at the opposite side, observing the series of I.V.s and blood packages that were draining into the sleeping boy. She quickly explained all of the hospital conditions, visiting hours, and what the series of buttons on the headboard do. Watanuki bowed deeply as the nurse left, saying a repetitive chant of thank yous.

Once the two were alone Watanuki pulled up a chair next to Doumeki's bed and grabbed his relaxed hand. He stared and the stoic boys face, which was beautifully still. Watanuki's thumb was slowly drawing unintelligible designs on the upside of Doumeki limp hand when he heard Doumeki mutter something like, "Why are you taking so long?" Watanuki grinned at the funny comment the sleeping Doumeki had made, what could he be thinking about?

Just as Watanuki began to lay back into the metal chair, the phone in his back pocket began to ring. Watanuki was surprised at the sound, having completely forgotten that he had placed it in his pocket before getting into the ambulance. Watanuki quickly stood and reached for the phone, flipped it open, and placed it to his ear.

"Hai, Moshi Mosh." Watanuki already had a hunch of who was calling, I mean who else could have this number.

"Watanuki-kun, go home." Came Yuko's sensual voice from the receiver. Watanuki began to question Yuko's unusual request, "Why? I have to stay here with Doumeki."

It sounded as if Yuko was quietly giggling to herself, obviously she knew something that he did not. "You do want Doumeki-kun to wake up, don't you?"

Watanuki was flabbergasted at the question, how could she even ask such a thing, "Most definitely."

"Then go home." And with that she hung-up. Watanuki continued to stare at the phone that was now held away from his ear, as if it would begin to talk back to him in assurance to Yuko's insanity. He noticed the clock in the upper left-hand corner of the phone's screen. 5:38, visiting hours would be over in two minutes, he would leave then. Watanuki put the phone back into his pocket as he sat back down to admire Doumeki's sleeping face for another 120 seconds.

--

Yon/Shi- four (shi is an old way of saying four, but its written kanji can mean death, so its considered unlucky and isn't used.)

Konbanwa- good evening

Hai, Moshi Mosh- A japanese greeting over the phone, means something like yes, hello hello. something weird like that. (sorry I'm too lazy to look up its official meaning.)

A/N: huh, huh, (nudge, nudge), isn't Doumeki sooo K-ute? i really enjoyed writing this chapter, and I'm not really sure why, but I hope you enjoyed reading it just as much as I enjoyed writing it. So umm, yeah, (shift uncomfortably) next chapter is going to be the very first lemony scene i have ever written and I'm super nervous, I just hope I do a good job. I'll start writing it a few hours from now and it will probably be posted sometime in the wee hours of the mornin'. So that's it from me...for now. please review and comment, I enjoy them greatly. Oh, and thank you iloveatem for your lovely review!