I'm so so sorry T.T. I know I promised to update at least once every month but school hit me harder than expected and even though I got over 120 Hits for the last chapter (Thanks for that and *Yay*) inspiration somehow didn't come to me... Thanks to Crystal-Wolf-Guardain-967, LovelyLittleShadow16 and StarGazer though, for the reviews for last chapter.
But e, I'd rather let you enjoy the next chapter:
Chapter 6: Returning To The Place Once Called Home
When she opened her eyes she was surrounded by darkness. The street lamps had been turned off. Here, outside of the city, they weren't needed because there wasn't anyone outside throughout the night.
Her even breathing was the only noise in the otherwise silent room.
Why had she woken up? There hadn't been a noise to startle her or a bad dream.
Now that she thought about it there hadn't been any dream she was able to remember.
She shoved the thought aside. Probably she had just forgotten about it the moment she woke up.
Feeling still slightly tired but not tired enough to go back to sleep she sat up in her bed.
The room, which was usually painfully white, was completely covered by the darkness which made everything look a different shade of gray.
She wasn't even able to recognize the color of the flowers that stood in a vase on her bed table.
A faint smile graced her lips as she gently touched the soft petals. Rua and Ruka had brought her these flowers after their first bouquet had withered.
Suddenly she felt something pull on her insides. At first she wasn't sure what that feeling meant but as her gaze fell on the window, the pull intensified. As if in trance she stood up, her gaze locked to the window, and walked over to it. Turning the handle she opened it to inhale the cold, fresh night-air deeply.
The whole sky was plastered with stars. The lack of light caused them to shine even brighter.
But there was another source of light: Neo Domino. Situated in quite some distance the city still was clearly visible due to its lights which seemed to make it glow.
Surprised she noticed that the pull inside her was longing. It was only a faint feeling, fear and uncertainty still kept her from going enthusiastic, but she definitely wanted to return to this city. Or perhaps not the city but to the twins. And to Yusei.
She didn't know what it was on him that always captured her attention but she felt herself growing addicted to it. Could this indescribable something be what triggered her memory?
For the first time since awaking in a world foreign to her, she smiled while thinking about her lost memories, her lost past. For the first time there wasn't only the regret, the helplessness or the uncertainty but an eagerness to find out what she had experienced. Her heart started beating faster with excitement as she imagined what she would remember.
She stood there for god knows how long, only gazing at the city and letting her thoughts roam free.
Finally it was a shiver that made her break away from the view. Unnoticed by her the cold of the still quite chilly spring-night had crept into her bones, eventually forcing her body to signal her that she better closed the window soon and got back under the warm covers of her bed unless she wanted to be stuck in hospital any longer with a serious cold.
Obeying her body's orders she reluctantly pulled away. One last glance then she made sure to not get distracted by the world behind her window again that night by drawing the curtains close.
Back in the admittedly comforting warmth sleep caught her faster then she had expected it to and she soon was fast asleep.
"Sela." a voice disturbed her sleep. "Wake up."
She grunted and just turned around, burying her head in her pillow. But the urging didn't stop and as a hand started to shake her shoulder she groaned loudly and shot up into sitting-position. Even though the sudden movement made her head spin she didn't take the time to look at the intruder before harshly snapping: "What?"
The male youth in front of her looked at her, his eyes glistening apologetically.
"Sorry for waking you but Dr. Kano said it was time for you to get up or you'd miss your CT-appointment." Yusei explained.
For a few seconds she just stared at Yusei as if her brain still had to catch up with the former action, then a crimson blush started to cover her cheeks as she noticed she had just snapped at him.
"Sorry." she said, averting her gaze in the hope he wouldn't notice the full extent of her blush.
"No problem." he replied and something in the way he said it made her face him once again. "Actually it's good to see you still not like being woken up." he added and she thought she might've seen a little smile play around his lips.
And even though it was no real smile it made her smile back at him.
A few moments passed in silence where they just looked at each other before she finally broke away, embarrassment already painting her cheeks pink again.
"What time is it?" she wondered, shifting so that her bare foot were touching the floor. "I thought my appointment was sometime around midday?"
"It is." Yusei assured her, having moved to her side to support her as she stood up. "It's almost 12.30h by now."
At that statement she almost gaped at him.
"It's past 12pm? How's that possible? I never slept longer than till 9am by now!"
"Well, actually you did quite often." he told her, a faint amusement audible in his voice, mixed with something she couldn't identify. "You always were more of a night owl, spending the nights, going to bed at 4am to sleep till 4pm, if you're schedule allowed you."
"Oh. I have difficulties imagining that. In the past weeks I've been feeling half-dead if the time ever passed 10pm." she admitted quietly.
Yusei seemed to feel the topic was making her slowly feel uncomfortable for he didn't reply anymore but instead led her outside.
They met Dr. Kano at the counter.
"Sela, good to see you finally awake. How are you feeling?"
"Okay, I guess. A little dizzy but I guess that's due to being awake for mere ten minutes." she summed up.
Dr. Kano acknowledged the answer with a nod and took a last look at the patient-record. "Then please sit down." she finally suggested.
The girl eyed her questioningly. Where should she 'sit down'? But as she shifted her gaze to the young doctor's left side she understood: There stood a black wheel-chair.
"I don't need that thing." she declared slightly offended. She had stood through the day before without any problems. She wasn't that weak. "I may still be a little sleepy but I guess I'll still be able to manage the way to the CT."
Dr. Kano raised her hands defensively. "I have no doubt in that. Still it's better for you to rest whenever you're able to. And I'm afraid you'll have to leave your support behind: There's something I've got to discuss with Yusei."
The girl still eyed the wheel-chair with suspicion, wrestling with her pride. Should she give in? There wasn't really anything she could loose. And it was more than understandable to be weak after lying in bed for two weeks. So what was the matter?
As she was on the edge of refusing the wheel-chair again Yusei gave her a slight nudge.
She heaved a sigh as she reluctantly pulled away from him to sit down in the wheel-chair.
Dr. Kano gave her a grateful smile. "Good, Akemi..." the nurse who had stepped behind the wheel-chair waved her hand in greeting. "...will bring you to the radiology. I'll be there in a sec."
The nurse was about to roll her away yet the girl stilled her movement by raising her hand, telling the nurse to stop.
"You know, you can talk about everything concerning me while I'm present. I want to know about my condition as well." she reminded Dr. Kano. It made her feeling a little left out if they knew more about her than she herself.
Dr. Kano just flashed her a reassuring smile. "Sure, no problem but you're already late so you'll better get going soon." With that she gave the nurse a mandatory nod, urging her to finally go.
The nurse obeyed without any complaints and turned around, taking the girl with her.
The girl's first impulse was to glance over her shoulder. She restrained from doing so though, keeping her gaze locked on the floor. She knew she should trust them. They wouldn't decide on something that would be bad for her. They hadn't given her any reason for distrust so far.
And where will I end up if start I distrusting everyone... I'm only gonna get paranoid!
"So," Yusei said after Sela's figure had vanished behind a corner. "what is there to talk about?"
"Can we talk while walking? I still have to check on one patient urgently." Dr. Kano inquired and picked up the needed patient-record, already starting to move down the hall.
"Sure." he answered and followed her.
"Okay, Sela's condition's getting better and better. Actually she's probably as healthy as she'll get in quite some time. Physically."
Yusei raised an eyebrow questioningly, noticing how the young doctor put special emphasis on that last word.
"That CT-Screening. I scheduled it to be her last examination. If we won't find anything—and I highly doubt we'll find something—that means we're through with her physical treatment." she explained. "The only reason to keep her here is her psychical state. You yourself told me how intimidated she was by the city. This hospital is the only place she really knows and we can't risk to worse her condition by straining her psychically. Still, we can't keep her in here forever."
So she is physically in the state to return home but they're worried about her psyche, Yusei summed up for himself.
"When do you think she'll be stable enough to come home?" he asked.
"I do hope in a few days at the most. She's been making great improvements over the last week she spent with the twins."
"That's good to hear."
They had reached the radiology by now. "I suggest you wait here. It's gonna take round about half an hour, then I'll be back with her."
Yusei just nodded in affirmation before he went to the plastic-chairs to sit down.
They weren't exactly comfortable. Still he had the feeling he had sat in them for much to long over the last weeks. It wasn't only in the hospital—after all he had firstly been to the hospital the day before yesterday—no, in the stadium he also had sat on such stupid plastic-chairs while he waited for his next opponent. It had gotten quite normal for him.
Even back in Satellite they had had better chairs. They had picked up an old swivel chair from a scrapyard. He kinda missed that chair.
He inwardly smiled at how his thoughts had digressed over a simple chair. He instead forced himself to think about what Dr. Kano had told him. Sela was at least physically healthy again. A good message. And she would be able to be released as soon as her mental state allowed it.
Maybe Rua's plan wasn't as bad as it had sounded at first...
"We're gonna stay here today." the little green-haired boy announced right after Yusei came out of his room this morning. His bafflement didn't show on his face, he knew. It never did.
"Okay, and why? I thought you visited her everyday since you heard she was in hospital." he inquired and made his way to the kitchen to get a mug of coffee. He had grown quite addictive to caffeine over the last weeks. He highly doubted he would've been able to stand through them without it.
Rua followed him right on track. "Yep, but we're still gonna see her today."
As he didn't continue Yusei turned and raised an eyebrow.
"You're gonna bring her home." the boy explained with a proud smile plastered on his face.
"Rua, I'm very sorry, but she isn't in the state to be released yet." he replied. He had thought the twins were aware of that fact.
But instead of looking taken aback Rua vigorously shook his head. "No no. You misunderstood. She isn't going to stay here. You're just going to convince her to come over for a few hours. Just like the lunch yesterday."
Yusei resisted his first urge to answer that wasn't possible. Because actually that wasn't such a bad idea. Perhaps it would help Sela to see her old home, her old room. Perhaps it would get her home faster.
"You know, that doesn't sound bad." he finally told Rua after sitting down at their breakfast-table. "But why are you gonna stay home?"
"To prepare the house." Ruka answered. She stood at the foot of the stairs, grinning.
"Prepare?"
"Hmm." Ruka nodded. "We're gonna clean a little..." Yusei noticed Rua wince. "...and we're gonna decorate it. Buy some new flowers, put on new table-cloths, and so on."
Yusei considered it for a moment, then he carefully nodded. "You know, I think we should try it. But I can't promise you she'll come. She was quite exhausted yesterday."
"Oh, if she doesn't want to come tell her I'm sick or something like that." Rua suggested, earning glares from both, Ruka and Yusei. "What?" he asked defensively.
"Yusei's definitely not going to lie to Sela. If she's to exhausted she's to exhausted. No arguing." Ruka chided her twin-brother.
"Okay, okay. It was just a suggestion." Rua sulked.
Yusei sensed the atmosphere in the room growing more tense so he changed the topic by standing up. His mug was empty by now. "I'm sure I'll be able to convince her to come here without lying. I bet she's anxious to see her home." He intentionally phrased it so, that the twins would understand the positive meaning while he actually meant the negative one. Because yesterday Sela had been rather intimidated than thrilled by the city.
Still, he hoped the best as he shrugged into his jacket and left the flat, bidding the twins goodbye.
The 30 minutes passed disturbingly slowly. If he had had a clock Yusei was sure he would've checked it every single minute.
As his brain had almost gone blank the doors finally reopened and Sela in her wheel-chair and Dr. Kano appeared. Sela still looked very sleepy.
"How are you?" Yusei greeted her as they reached him.
"Not feeling exactly more awake after lying in a humming tube for roughly 25 minutes. But apart from that great." she answered and smiled. "So, what did you have to talk about?"
"We were talking about your condition." Dr. Kano said before Yusei could. "You're in a rather good physical state."
"So I may go home soon?" Sela turned her head to look at Dr. Kano who was currently moving her wheel-chair. The hopeful tone of her voice surprised Yusei.
Dr. Kano obviously seemed to be taken off-guard as well. "'May'? You wanna go home?"
Sela averted her gaze, facing the ground instead and fumbled with her fingers as if she was nervous. "Somehow. I woke up this night and watched the city." she confessed. Well, that explained why she had slept that long. "And I suddenly wanted to go back. That's a good sign, isn't it?" She sounded uncertain. And her smile had vanished.
"Yes, indeed. A very good sign." Dr. Kano hurried to reassure her. "I was just so surprised. After yesterday I thought you'd be... I don't know, frightened."
The corners of her mouth lifted. "At first I was but now... I somehow want to go back."
"Well, then even though that comes a little unexpected, you can be released today if you want."
Sela almost gaped and Yusei had to fight a little to keep composure as well. Sure, he had planned on taking her home for a few hours today but her being actually released? That was—yeah, just like Dr. Kano had said: 'unexpected'.
"Really?" Sela asked dumbfounded but happy nonetheless. "Just like that?"
Dr. Kano nodded. "The CT was the last examination to do. Since you're through with that there's no physical treatment you need anymore that binds you to the hospital. You're still gonna need to come here for check-ups regularly, especially for you mental state, but otherwise you're free to go."
At hearing that Sela literally started beaming. "Are you okay with that?" she asked, facing Yusei.
"Why shouldn't I? I'm sure the twins would love it if you came home." he answered.
She nodded once, mostly to herself before she turned to Dr. Kano. "Then I want to go home."
"Okay, that's a very good development. If you feel like it, it's the best for you to get back into familiar environment since it might spark your memory." She passed Yusei the wheel-chair. "You can already go ahead to Sela's room to pack up her belongings. I'm gonna fetch the release-papers meanwhile."
With that she already hurried down the hallway and had disappeared a few moments later.
Yusei instead took off towards Sela's room.
"By the way, where are the twins?" Sela inquired.
"At home." Yusei answered. One moment he considered telling her they were decorating the house but then he reasoned Rua would probably want it to be a surprise. "They were quite tired yesterday and decided to relax a little today."
"Oh, okay" A few moments she was silent, before adding with a grin: "Well, seems I'll still get to see them."
"I'm sure they'll be very happy." he repeated what he'd told her before already. After all that was the truth. Especially Rua would probably burst with happiness. He had played strong but Yusei knew he missed Sela.
His thoughts were interrupted by their arrival at Sela's room. She instantly lifted from the wheel-chair to go over to her bed table. The little cabinet in its body was filled with Sela's belongings, mostly consisting of her duel-disk, her deck and tons of books.
"Can I help you?" Yusei asked. He felt quite useless the way he stood there in the doorframe.
She didn't even turn as she answered. "Not really. I haven't got that much here after all."
So he just stayed motionless.
"How is it?"
"Huh?" he had spaced out for a moment.
"How is it at home?" She still was busy packing the things into the backpack she had lent from her nurse.
"It's big. And bright. In the living-room one wall consists of floor-to-ceiling-windows. The bedrooms are on the second floor. There's a pool on the terrace." he answered, trying to sum up the most important points of the twins' mansion.
"Sounds like a nice place to live."
He nodded in agreement. He never had felt the need to lead a fancy life but still, after having grown up almost on the streets it definitely was a change for the better.
Just as Sela zipped the backpack close Dr. Kano reappeared, armed with a stack of papers and a pen. "So. I just need a few signatures."
She laid the paper down on the table that still stood in one end of the room and waved Sela to her side. Yusei followed her. Dr. Kano read out a few of the most important sections and gestured to the fields where Sela had to leave her signature.
"Okay." she finally announced, rose and picked the papers up. "I guess that's it. With that you're officially released. Congratulation."
"Thanks." Sela replied and shook the offered hand.
"I'll accompany you to the exit." Dr. Kano announced and gestured for them to follow her as she started ahead.
With a shy smile towards Yusei Sela started to lift the backpack but he took it from her in one swift movement. "I'm gonna carry it." was the only explanation he offered her.
He didn't wait for her answer and instead followed Dr. Kano.
The girl watched how Yusei left the room but instead of rushing right after him she turned, studying the room one last time. She had woken up in that room. It had been the first thing she saw.
She had hated it.
Its painfully white painting, its plain, colorless furniture. The uncertainty, pain and loneliness connected to it. Still, now that she was about to leave it—hopefully for forever—she felt a little melancholic. She stroked over the bed with her hand, before sighing once. Then she finally broke away.
Yusei waited in the doorframe, studying her silently. He didn't say anything as she passed him, just followed her.
Outside Naomi was awaiting her. The nurse seemed a little sad. "I can't believe you're actually leaving Fate. It's so sudden!" she announced, hugging her tightly. "I wish you the very best."
"Thanks for the good treatment." the girl responded.
"Well, I guess we'll still see each other when you visit for the check-ups." Naomi noticed as she finally released the girl.
"Sure. Then see you. I bet you've still got a lot of work waiting for you."
Naomi waved her a last goodbye before she entered a room on their left.
"Okay, so your first check-up is in three days at 2pm. If there should be any reason you're not able to keep that appointment please call. Otherwise, don't strain yourself. You have to rest regularly. If your head starts hurting, if you feel nauseous or anything else contact us at once!" Dr. Kano reminded her as they went for the exit.
"Of course I will." the girl replied with a smile.
"Good. Then I guess this is goodbye for now." Dr. Kano shook her hand one last time. "We'll see each other in three days."
"That's the plan."
Then she turned to shake hands with Yusei as well. "You'll look after her, won't you? Her wounds aren't completely healed yet and you have to make sure she won't overdo it."
"Of course I will." Yusei answered.
The girl waved her goodbye and then stepped through the electronic doors, to the outside.
It was the second time she left the hospital and she already was leaving it permanently.
Nonetheless she couldn't bring herself to feel as melancholic as she had felt in her room a few minutes ago. The joy and anticipation dispersed all negative feelings.
In the parking lot she saw Chiaki's car and the chauffeur himself standing beside it, waving.
She hurried over to greet him.
Yusei got into the car beside her and after she had fixed her seat-belt they took off.
To the place she had once called home.
