A/N: Here it is, the next chapter!! I hope this chapter works out okay. This whole sequence kind of wrote itself, you know? For awhile, Takeo didn't even exist, and yet here he is in all his horrible glory. I hate him and love him at the same time, how weird is that?

Resulting Complications

Night fell, unnoticed as always. Both Kanna and the darkness found Akabane standing on the roof of the hospital watching the sun go down. He didn't seem to notice her approach, but didn't appear surprised when she paused beside him. "What are you doing up here?" she asked.

"Enjoying a few minutes of free time." he answered.

"Oh, sorry. I didn't mean to disturb you. I'll go back downstairs," Kanna said.

"No, it's quite all right. I enjoy your company." he said, smiling.

"Well, in that case, I'll guess I'll stay." she replied. She stared out at the fading sunlight, the lights of the city flickering to life in the twilight. "It's very nice out at this time of day." she said.

"That it is."

A few days had passed since the incident with Takeo. So far, he hadn't caused much of a stir. In fact, Akabane rarely saw him at the hospital anymore. He was secretly glad of it. He recalled how angry he'd gotten when he saw Takeo about to slap Kanna. She hadn't done anything wrong in showing him some secret technique that was of no use to him, anyway.

"So, how is everything for you?" he asked.

"Same old. Takeo still declares he's going to marry me and grandma still wants her toast. Nothing out of the ordinary."

"You make it sound like that's a bad thing," Akabane said.

"Really? Hm. I don't mean to." Kanna mumbled. "Maybe it's because I still can't stand what Takeo does and that grandma won't ever fully recover."

"Does your grandmother assist you in any way against Takeo?"

"Yes, for the most part. She stops him from 'punishing' me for supposedly misbehaving. That's one reason I'm so worried all the time. She's all I have. If she dies, I'll be left alone with that monster."

Akabane scowled and sighed. "Maybe not, Kanna." he said. "You're an adult, aren't you? You can decide what's best for yourself. Takeo should learn to accept that and move on."

"If I leave, he'll use his influence to bring me back."

"Influence?" Akabane exclaimed. He didn't like where this was going.

Kanna nodded. "He's friends with the leader of an immense gang. He never hangs out with them; he just pays them to do his dirty work. If someone gets in his way, he sics his gang on them. If I left somewhere, he'd send them after me to bring me back, no matter where I went."

Akabane turned sharply. "Kanna, this is getting ridiculous. This kid can't rule your life." he snapped.

"So what am I supposed to do?" she countered angrily. "When grandma dies, there won't be anything stopping him. My powers are great enough that he'll do anything to preserve them in the bloodline. The things I can do, the Miyazaki clan considered dead skills amongst its members. I'm not even blood-related, yet somehow, I was born with these unique abilities and instinctual knowledge of how to use them. Takeo wants these abilities and he knows that if I were to produce a full-blooded heir, these abilities would likely magnify and he could control them himself."

"So you have no choice, Kanna. You have to fight back."

She shook her head sadly. "I can't. I may hate him more than anything, but he's the only family I've got besides grandma."

Akabane sighed, watching her sadly. "You're very loyal, aren't you?"

"Yes. Maybe to a fault."

They fell silent, watching the last faint rays disappearing over the horizon. For the moment, everything was peaceful and quiet. It wasn't one of those uncomfortable silences where you felt like you had to say something. Nothing really needed to be said. It was truly quiet and serene during the last few hours of day. Surely it couldn't last.

The door to the roof flew open with a bang, drawing both of their attentions. One of the nurses stood there, gasping for air and struggling to form words. "Dr...Akabane, it's...Sumika Miyazaki!" she exclaimed.

Kanna felt her heart skip a beat.

Sumika Miyazaki wasn't breathing and her heart wasn't beating. The minute Akabane saw the yellowish color of her skin, his heart sank.

"Get a respirator and IV in here now!" he yelled.

Kanna stood up against the wall, shaking her head as she watched Akabane, another doctor and several nurses attempt to revive Sumika. She caught a few words here and there, mixed in with various medical jargon. She pieced it together and realized that while Sumika's lungs had survived intact, her liver was failing on her. She was dying.

The world blazed by in a haze, colors and shapes morphing and twisting into different patterns Kanna hadn't even known existed. As she felt herself sinking to the floor, she heard someone calling her name, but couldn't be sure who it was or even what the voice sounded like. Slowly, her world crumbled into a silent, black tomb and she became dead to the world.

//ooo//

Time passes slowly when you're bored, but quickly during fun times and stressful times. The days following Sumika's funeral were a blur to Kanna. She locked herself in her room constantly, barely eating, barely even allowing light inside. Once Sumika had gone, the lawyer had determined in her will that everything be left to Takeo and then to Kanna if anything should happen to Takeo. This included Kanna's care, whether she was a legal adult or not. Her greatest fears had been realized; she was now at the mercy of her monstrous cousin. This was partly the reason she kept her door locked.

Akabane knew what was going on. Takeo came in every day feigning worry and asking what he could do to get Kanna out of her room. Akabane could see it in his eyes that he was hardly innocent in this whole matter regarding her immense state of fear. This was why he'd planned for a leave of work for two days to try to resolve the matter. Today was the first day and he was determined to make a difference. He already knew the address because before Sumika's surgery, it was planned to have her treated at home with a round-the-clock nurse on standby. He kept running through his plan as he took the elevator up to the top floor. He'd first try to get Kanna to open the door without her cousin there. Knowing that this was probably going to be the most difficult part given her delicate psyche, he figured he'd cross the next bridge when he came to it and that was helping her, somehow.

Takeo answered the door with a scowl on his face, hardly expecting Akabane to be there. He grudgingly allowed him inside. "Don't get your hopes up," he sneered, "She's been acting like a baby since she came home."

"I'd hardly call her current state of mind infantile, Takeo," Akabane growled, "Given that she just lost her only protection from you, I don't blame her in the slightest."

Takeo crossed his arms. "What kinda lies has she been spouting about me?" he demanded to know. But Akabane pretended not to hear him and crossed down the hallway to the closed and locked room Kanna occupied. He could hear her crying inside. He knocked once.

"Go away, Takeo, just go away! Please, just leave me alone!"

Akabane frowned. She sounded on the verge of panic. He wondered just what Takeo had been threatening her with to get her to come out.

"Kanna? It's Kuroudo," he said quietly. She fell silent.

"Kuroudo?"

"Open the door, Kanna. I only want to speak to you."

She opened the door almost immediately and the second she did, Takeo smirked and started over. Akabane threw him a venomous glare, warning him to stay back. For once, Takeo did the smart thing and hung back in the front room, snarling. Akabane went inside and closed the door behind him, locking it. The room was pitch black except for the slits of light filtering in through the blinds. He barely made it a foot inside before Kanna suddenly threw her arms around him, sobbing hysterically. "Please," she said shakily, barely controlling her voice, "Get me out of here!"

They slid to the floor; he tried to calm her down, but she was so close to pure panic that he figured she'd hyperventilate and pass out before she was able to settle completely. He pulled her close and just held her as she vented out her fear and anxiety.

"P-Please," she stammered, "Get me out of this place, please!"

"I will, Kanna. Damn it, what has he done to you?"

"Mireille! He's going to burn Mireille!" she exclaimed as quietly as she could. Akabane frowned. "Who's Mireille?"

" Grandma's paintings, he's going to burn them!" she cried.

"Settle down, Kanna, I won't let him," Akabane told her gently. She gasped suddenly when Takeo pounded furiously on the door.

"Damn it, what's taking you so long? Get her out of that stupid room now!"

Kanna started quivering again and buried her face in his shirt. "Kuroudo, please!" she begged. Akabane scowled. "You'll just have to wait, Takeo," he said calmly. "She's a tad upset right at the moment,"

He helped her to her feet and whispered to pack a bag. In the faint light from the window, her eyes lit up, but her face was strangely darker than before. He didn't linger to figure it out, however. Kanna took a case out from under her bed and quickly began to pack it, so anxious that she dropped several items before actually getting them inside. Akabane unlocked the door and held it firmly in place when Takeo slammed into it and attempted to throw it open. "So?" he snapped, "What's the big-hey! What the hell does she think she's doing?"

He reached over on the wall and flicked on the light. Here, Akabane got a good look at her face and her arms. They were absolutely covered in bruises. He hadn't been sure about taking Kanna away before but now he knew he had no choice. This wasn't just verbal abuse anymore, this was downright cruelty.

"Kannaya, put that suitcase away, now!" Takeo yelled, struggling to get inside. Akabane lashed out and grabbed his wrist, giving it a quick but painful wrench. Takeo staggered back, hissing and grunting in pain. "You creep! How dare you do that to me?"

"Be quiet, already. What I just did is menial compared to what you've done to Kanna."

"She kept disobeying my orders. She was getting out of line!" Takeo growled as Kanna shut her case and hugged it close, staring at Takeo in pure fear and hatred.

"I believe you're the one who's getting out of line," Akabane said, "Therefore, with the obvious damage you've done to her on the outside, I find substantial enough proof of abuse. Under the Montgomery law passed in 1978, as a surgeon and or doctor treating this type of wound, I am given authority to judge whether or not this is a case of mild to severe abuse and act according to what would most benefit the victim. In other words, Kanna is coming with me and you are powerless to do a thing about it."

He motioned for Kanna to come out and stood between her and her fuming cousin as she hurried toward the door. Takeo growled furiously, "I don't know what the hell you're talking about but I'll take this to court!" he yelled. Akabane smiled and nodded.

"I look forward to my victory, then," he said as he left.

On the elevator ride down, Kanna glanced at him. "Um, Kuroudo?"

"Yes?"

"What exactly was the Montgomery law?"

Akabane chuckled. "I have absolutely no idea." he said. Kanna smiled and started laughing. "You mean that you made that whole rant up on the spot!?" she exclaimed.

"It was the only thing I could think of. I was counting on the fact that your cousin doesn't understand law at all."

"You're right; he doesn't. Not by a long shot."

"Good. In the meantime though, you really are going to need an examination, Kanna. You look horrible on the outside, yes, but there's no telling what he did to your internal organs."

"I feel okay, though,"

"I merely want to be sure. I'm taking you back to the hospital, first." Akabane said when they reached the ground floor.

"The paintings!" Kanna gasped suddenly.

"Don't worry," Akabane told her. "He'll gain nothing by destroying them. If he goes through with it, he knows you'll never come back again."

Kanna relaxed a bit and glanced up at the window far above her. "I guess you're right," she said.

//ooo//

At the hospital, it was determined that Kanna's bruises weren't substantial and would clear up in two or three days. This was an immense relief for Akabane as he sat with her in the empty lobby. She was busy putting on some coverup to hide them slightly.

"Normally, I never wear makeup," she said, "But I will go for coverup for things like this, obviously."

She sighed and stared at the floor. "I just hate to think of what would happen if he burned the paintings."

"You said they were called, 'Mireille', is that right?"

"Yeah. Mireille was my mom's name. Grandma immortalized her as a winged girl who transcends time in a series of paintings over the past four years. I often helped her with them, so I love those paintings just as much as she did. I don't know what I'd do if Takeo destroyed them."

"Nothing will happen to them, Kanna."

"You sound sure enough," Kanna muttered, "I guess I can believe you. But now what? Takeo isn't someone to be trifled with. I can't go back, but I can't easily escape him, either."

"There's one solution," Akabane said.

"Yeah? Humor me," Kanna grumbled. He smiled. "You'll either stay with me or at the hospital. Either way, someone will always be able to keep a watchful eye out for you."

Kanna just stared at him in shock. "But-but how-?"

Akabane stood up. "In fact, lets' go speak to the director, now. We should explain the situation."

Kanna wasn't so sure, especially when they arrived in the director's office. This man didn't seem like the kind who'd accept anyone's story, no matter what it was. He scowled when he saw Kanna standing behind Akabane.

"Dr. Akabane, what's the meaning of this?" he growled.

"Forgive the intrusion, director Arakawa, but we have a slight dilemma here concerning the granddaughter of our former patient, Sumika Miyazaki,"

Arakawa frowned when Akabane gave Kanna a gentle push forward. She bowed respectfully. "My apologies, sir," she said.

"So, this was the famous Miyazaki granddaughter," Arakawa muttered ponderously.

"Um," Kanna said, but the director waved her off. "Never mind. What do you want?"

"If I may," Akabane said, "We'd like permission for her to remain in the hospital boundaries. There's a bit of a problem with her cousin."

"Absolutely not," Arakawa growled. Akabane frowned. "Why, exactly?"

"Is she ill or dying? No. Hospitals are for people who actually need their help. If you want protection, go to the police. That isn't what we're here for."

"Kanna, show him your arms," Akabane said. She hadn't finished covering up the bruises on her arms yet. She hesitated and then pushed her sleeves back, revealing the purple and black blotches dotting her skin. Arakawa raised an eyebrow.

"What the devil?" he exclaimed. "What happened to her?"

"This is the problem with her cousin," Akabane said, "Up until the assistance of coverup was applied, her face was the same way. I'm afraid we're dealing with an advanced superiority complex on his part and I removed her from the situation once I saw her in this state."

Arakawa studied Kanna carefully, scratching his chin. Finally, he sighed and shook his head. "I'm sorry, but we just can't house her here," he said, "We have no way of knowing what kinds of cases will arrive in this place and we can't chance it. I'll permit her to remain here during the day only as a visitor but she must leave after visiting hours are over. From there, it's up to you."

Akabane nodded gravely. "Thank you, director," he said. He turned to Kanna. "Lets' go," he said quietly. Kanna followed him out, feeling a little too much like a zombie. Sure, she could now spend her days safely in the hospital, but nights were another matter.

"There's one thing to do."

"Huh?" Kanna said numbly.

"I have a guest room at my place. You can use that until this clears over,"

Kanna stared up at him. She sighed. "You know you're just setting yourself up for trouble, right?" she said.

"So?" he said with a shrug. "Who's to say I don't have a dark side?"

Kanna had to smile at that. "Okay, thanks," she said. "But I feel terrible. I'm dragging you into all of this. Who knows where it'll end up."

"If I cared, I wouldn't have gotten involved," Akabane told her. Kanna sighed. "You sure are stubborn," she said, "And I couldn't be happier about it."

Akabane smiled and stood up. "Well, seeing as I have today and tomorrow off, how about we go and get you situated?"

Kanna frowned. "You took today and tomorrow off? Why?"

"Because I wanted to help you, that's why. Now lets' go, then."

He pulled her to her feet and smiled. Kanna blinked in surprise, but followed him out without a word.

The drive there was somewhat quiet. Kanna just played with the fabric of her skirt and didn't say much. She still missed Sumika so much. One minute she was with her and the next, she was gone forever. She wasn't sure where she'd be if she didn't have Akabane.

"Um," she said.

"Yes?"

"So uh, what part of town do you live in?"

"The west district. I've lived there since college. It's nicer up here; less noise."

"Noise? But you're around noise twenty-four seven at the hospital." Kanna said.

"Different kind of noise." he answered.

He pulled up outside an old brick apartment building. He grinned. "I know it looks weird from the outside. They're in the middle of refurbishing the brick layers. The inside is much better." he said.

"It's fine. It looks cool," Kanna said.

Inside the front lobby, there was no signs of life anywhere. The place might as well have been dead. Kanna shivered and he placed a hand on her shoulder. "Stop worrying, Kanna. This place is perfectly safe. The doors only open to a key card used by a tenant here, so no one can get in unless permission is granted."

Kanna smiled, slightly reassured.

The elevator ride up was uneventful and Kanna cast occasional glances at him. He was reading a notice on the wall and didn't see it.

"Fourth floor, final stop," he said. He made his way down the hall and paused at the last door down. But he scowled when he searched through his different keys for the right one. "Damn it, I can never remember which one it is the first time, not since the landlord changed out the locks." he grumbled. Kanna giggled.

Finally, he found the right one and opened the door up, heading inside. "Just put your case by the door, Kanna." he said. Kanna stepped inside carefully. She wasn't sure what she was expecting a surgeon's home to look like. But surprisingly, it reminded her of Sumika's home. Akabane shared a similar taste in artwork.

He came back around the corner and found her inspecting a painting on the wall. He came up beside her and looked over the painting. "Edgar Degas," he said, "A fine painter and sculptor in his own right. He was fascinated with the human body, explaining many of his paintings featuring dancers."

"He was grandma's favorite," Kanna said. "I prefer Monet's work, though. His subtle style and trademark 'misty' look is so relaxing."

"I quite agree. I wish that I could obtain a real painting, but unfortunately, copies are all I'll ever find. They serve the purpose, though." He smiled at her. "Let me show you to your room," he said.

The entire living area and the guest room he spoke of were sparsely decorated Western style, but attractive in their own ways. Against the wall in the guest room by the closet sat a small writing desk and chair. Across from that was a dresser beside a four-poster bed. Kanna wandered over to the window and looked out. Her eyes widened. "You can see the mountains from here," she exclaimed.

"That's part of the reason I enjoy Hokkaido so much," Akabane said, leaning against the door frame.

"I know what you mean." Kanna answered. She turned, smiling. "I can't thank you enough for helping me. But I wish I could do something in return."

"I want nothing in exchange, Kanna. Having someone around to talk to is more than enough."

Kanna frowned. "It just occurred to me." she said, "I never notice you really talk to anyone at the hospital, other than when you absolutely have to."

"Like I said, Kanna, I'm not overly popular at the hospital due to my age compared to my skill level. I have an old friend from college working in America, but obviously, we don't see each other that often."

They fell silent. Kanna just stared at him as he appeared lost in his own head.

"Kuroudo?" she said.

"Hm?"

"You're...you're lonely, aren't you?"

For a split second, his eyes lost their usual amused glimmer and he glanced away. Without a word, he left and headed into the next room. Kanna stared after him, wondering if she'd said something wrong. God, she hoped not. The last thing she wanted was to say something stupid and make him not like her anymore.

She left the room and found him sitting on the sofa, reading a book. He glanced up as she approached and turned a page.

"Hey," she said, "I'm sorry. I didn't mean to offend you."

"You didn't. But...."

"But what?"

He sighed and flipped back to the previous page. "Sometimes the truth is the last thing you want to hear."

Kanna stared down at the floor as a heavy silence fell between them.

A/N: I'm seeing similarities to my other story, Of Promises and Perseverance. Maybe I should go back to work on it. 0_o But I can't just let this one go. I'll try to do both at the same time and see where I get.