Disclaimer: I do not own Angel Sanctuary or any of its characters; that honor goes to the wonderful Kaori Yuki and whoever else is involved. I do however own any original characters I may happen to slip in here.


AN: Just enjoy, and my apologies and thanks to those who have waited for this next chapter patiently -bows deeply-


' ' are Thoughts

Italics are Past events

Italics in bold are Song lyrics


Hope End

Chapter 7: Difficult Decisions


Kira left Sara with promises he'd visit her again and with news about Setsuna's reaction to him finally locating her.


"You found her Kira? You really found her?" The kid's joy was written all over his face and Kira couldn't help but smile.

Setsuna was yet again alone at his father's house. Kira had called him, telling him he had great news. Setsuna had tried to wheedle it out of him at first over the phone but Kira hung up on him and just said he'd be there in a few.

"Yeah, I did."

Setsuna immediately hugged him, mumbling thank you over and over.

Kira patted his back and laughed. Setsuna could be such a kid sometimes.

"But, she's in pretty bad shape," he added, his tone more serious.

"How bad?" Setsuna questioned fearfully, now standing back on his own.

"How about we go see her and find out?" Kira replied.

"You think she'll want to see me Kira?" Setsuna's eyes were wide with fear and guilt...his voice soft.

"I don't know. We'll have to see." Kira turned to walk out, his own expression of worry hidden from Setsuna.


All of her friends had wished Kira a warm goodbye and hoped to see him again sometime. They then talked with Sara after he had gone about their own troubles at their respective jobs, any entertaining news, and new music out by some of their favorite artists.

The two hours came to an end too soon. Sara was sad to see her friends go and all hugged and kissed her goodbyes, especially Bella, all of them a little tearful to have to leave her.

They promised to visit again soon. The nurses had checked up and attended to Sara hours ago and it was now 11:30 p.m.

Sara realized she'd been staring up at the ceiling for two hours. She could sleep but at the same time she didn't want to sleep.

She was afraid of having a nightmare about…about Kitko.

Just at the mere thought of his name Sara felt cold shivers travel down her spine. She was afraid she'd recall the horror of that recent night too soon in her dreams, since when awake she couldn't remember much.

Sara sighed, unable to move very much. This was going to be a long few weeks.

'Oh god and Setsuna will be here any day now if not tomorrow. I don't want to see him, I don't,' Sara grimaced, closing her eyes painfully.

She didn't want to feel those feelings of despair at seeing him again…especially the pain she had felt in her heart.

"Kira…", his named suddenly escaped her lips.

She didn't even remember thinking of him at all.

'Why did he have to find me? I was doing so well…'

'Were you now?' her mind asked nastily. 'Holed up seemingly alone--'

'I'm far from alone,' Sara scoffed at the evil little voice.

'Oh? Don't kid yourself Sara. You're surrounded by people that care about you, sure, but did you have that too living with your mother? Each of them has someone Sara. If you left, they would be sad, but in the end everyone has someone but you. They pity you.'

'No one pities me...I pity myself,' Sara replied dismally. The voice had gone silent. She sighed in relief.

'It's true…I do feel lonely sometimes. They each have each other. Sometimes their close affections make me so…alone. And not to mention the age difference,' she sighed once again.

'Time for bed…Demons have your fun,' she thought silently, closing her eyes and finally trying to get some sleep.


Morning came too soon. The nurses had entered her room 8 a.m. sharp. They helped her bathe and dress, a difficult and long affair. She wondered just how much longer she would have to remain in this disguised catacomb.

They allowed her to nap again after she ate the only thing she could stomach—cereal—and gave in to her lack of sleep.

A nightmare finally did come to her. She was flying through the night skies among the stars and she felt so happy, so warm.

She spun laughing, sliding the light through her fingers. Then suddenly it became pitch black.

Sara began to scream, curling her knees against her chest as she suddenly grew freezing cold. She felt her fingers numb and her teeth chatter.

She began to spin wildly, losing control of her own limbs till she stopped facing backward.

Suddenly she sped up faster and faster and she heard herself screaming again till she turned at last, a wall of blood red rushing toward her.

She woke up, her chest heaving and she let out a choked little sob. As she slowly tried to calm herself down she heard a knock at the door.

"Come in," she called, her voice raspy from just waking up.

"Miss Mudou? You have two visitors here," her nurse Emily said timidly.

Sara felt her entire body freeze in fear. She just knew who it had to be.

"Yo Sara! What's up? Beautiful day to be a live isn't it?" Kira said cheerfully, entering the room happily.

"Well, are you going to be out there all day or are you going to come in Setsuna?" Kira said loudly again, rolling his eyes.

"Nurse, I need some water please. Thank you," Sara said softly, putting a hand to her forehead and closing her eyes.

"Right away Miss Mudou," Emily said leaving the room.

Setsuna kept his eyes trained to the floor, and slowly entered the room, hands in his pockets and his hair masking a majority of his face.

Sara kept her eyes closed and finally opened them as she felt Kira's presence towering over her.

"How are you Kira?" Sara asked lifelessly, suddenly feeling very tired of it all.

"Great, great. And how are you? Did you eat breakfast? You know how wonderful hospital food is. Setsuna, are you here to decorate the room or visit?"

Setsuna finally lifted his eyes, and he froze steps away from where Sara lay. She watched him slowly run his eyes over her bound and wrapped body and she saw him flinch in pain at seeing her so.

She turned her gaze away as his eyes flicked upon her face and finally away too.

"Hey Sara."

She decided not to reply and felt once again she really didn't want to see him again.

"How's mother?" she asked, her voice falsely cheer, her head still turned to the side.

"Distressed…a little numb."

"Oh…how tragic."

"Sara, I--"

"Don't Setsuna. I don't want to hear it. Are you well?" she asked, cutting him off and finally turning her eyes upon him.

He stared back at her confused. She hardly ever called him by his name. She was acting so strange. Did she hate him now? Was he well?

No.

She even looked different too. Her hair was shorter and now a dark chocolate. She had to have contacts in as her eyes were now a deep violet.

She looked back at him with a half-bored expression, her eyes half-lidded and her dark pink mouth quirked up slightly. Her hair fell carelessly across her shoulders and across her eyes. She looked womanly and beautiful.

Setsuna swallowed hard before he spoke again.

"It's not the same without you Sara. I can't sleep, I can't eat--" Setsuna began but Sara cut him off again.

"And you don't think I couldn't sleep Setsuna? I could eat?" Her tone was soft, and her voice shook slightly with what emotion he couldn't determine.

Setsuna fell silent again. This wasn't going to work.

"I'll come back some other time Sara. Obviously you're not feeling well," Setsuna said softly, swallowing again.

"No shit Sherlock. But, no, stay. Don't you want to even know how this happened?" She indicated the "this", her injuries, with her one free arm and her eyes.

Kira and Setsuna both looked at Sara in absolute shock. When did she swear?!

Sara, blushed heatedly, realizing her own words. "Are we going to talk or can I go back to sleep?"

Kira blinked, and shook his head. "Well...let's start with you first telling Setsuna why you left."

"How about we let Setsuna ask the questions. You had your time with me Kira," Sara responded.

Setsuna blinked. "I'd like to know the same thing."

"It's obvious Setsuna," she began in a bored tone, "you made me feel like I was worthless, I had already felt worthless since I was the cause of your pain both physically from mother and mentally so I decided I didn't need to remain. Problem solved, huh?"

Sara couldn't keep this up anymore. She brought her broken hand up to her eyes and flinched but tried to cover her face as tears she'd been fighting since the night before finally escaped from her eyes.

Setsuna hesitantly stepped forward and gently took her in his arms. She sank into her arms for but a moment before pushing him away with her good arm.

"Get out Setsuna. Get out, I don't want ever to see you again!" she yelled through her tears.

"Sara!" Setsuna yelled, reaching out towards her once again.

"Out!" she commanded again, avoiding his arms.

"Hey Sara, no, you can't do that. Setsuna needs you just as much as you need him," Kira intervened, having let this escalate far enough.

"You're wrong Kira! I don't need him! I haven't needed him for a year! So if you try and interfere and keep him here, you can just forget even seeing me again either!"

"Sara. It must be the drugs. This isn't you," Kira replied, shaking his head.

"You're right; it isn't. But a year can do a lot to a person. Being beaten almost to death can do a lot to a person. And being thrown out of a car can change a girl's view of the world a hell of a lot."

"I can't do that Sara," Setsuna said suddenly, his voice low. His mouth was a thin line and his eyes looked determined.

"You'll have to Setsuna. Move on without me. It could have never worked."

"Sara, I--" his voice cracked, and he finally turned and ran from the room.

Sara sunk back into the pillows and cried and cried till her body ached with the pain then cried again once more.


Sad. Just sad. Was Sara, perhaps, a little too harsh? Will Kira attend to Sara or chase after Setsuna? What will happen now? Decisions, decisions.

Angel of Mirth