((SXH: I am so sorry for the late update. My internet has been out for weeks and so I've been typing and writing as fast as I could to get you people to read it. It's been hard to get these done but here they are. My internet had been down for quite a while so please bear with me. I am just getting things set back up.

You, my wonderful readers, might not like this chapter due to a small time skip. I came up with the idea last minute and completely recreated this chapter. This was also the reason this chapter was late. I must apologize to all of those who might not like the idea and to those who waited patiently for this chapter. Otherwise, enjoy.))

Warning: TIME SKIP! Diao and her bitchiness, mild cursing, a little blood...

Disclaimer: I don't own anything except Little Ying and the storyline...

Chapter 7: The Awakening

Lu Bu felt something drop onto his face and run down into his mouth. Tears. He really didn't care who it was now. As long as they stopped crying, he wouldn't let go. Lu Bu did the only thing he could do. He locked that person's hand into a death grip and wouldn't let go...

Unfortunately, Lu Bu did let go. He didn't realize when, but the hand just slipped out of his grasp. To say that he was disappointed would have been a severe understatement. He missed it's gentle, warm touch, the softness of the skin, and something that held the smallest possible hint of love. It seemed silly to think, but it was there. No matter how small, the love was there.

Now that Lu Bu thought about it, he realized that the hand did not just slip away. It was more like pried out of his but another hand. It was taken away by a very different hand. This one felt cold, harsh, with no love at all, and the nails of it were long and sharp. He did not know anyone who had such a hand.

Though, the fact that this hand took away his angel's, was one of the reasons why Lu Bu was not in a good mood as he forced himself to wake up. He didn't know how long he was asleep, but it didn't take a genius to know that it was way too long. It had taken all his will power just to open his eyes. Although, he could tell that was a bad idea. The sun in his eyes only made his mood worse. Add the nearly blinding headache, fatigue, and dull aching in his back; you would have a normally very pissed off Lu Bu.

Lu Bu noticed how he had been sleeping on his stomach. He tried to move onto his side but failed miserably. Pain had shot through his back. It was enough to him visibly cringe and fall back down.

Lu Bu's eyes scanned the room, finding that no one was there. He turned his head to the door, as best as he could, to see if anyone was coming in. Luckily for him, someone was just getting in the door. He couldn't see their face because the person seemed to be speaking to someone just outside the door. He could tell the person was male because of his clothes. But there was only one person with that height and hair color.

Zhou Yu seemed to be carrying a pot with water in it. Lu Bu tried to see who he was talking to but couldn't lift his head to see anything because of the damned crick in his neck. Although, he did catch a little of what the feminine man was saying. He said something like, "We can only hope..." With that, Zhou Yu turned around and headed in, kicking the door closed behind him.

"I really hope so," Lu Bu heard him whisper. He went over to the cabinet and got a few common herbs, grinded them up and put them in the pot. Then Lu Bu asked himself: 'Since when had he become so familiar with this place?' Lu Bu stared at the man as he came towards his bed. Sadly, he only took about three steps before Lu Bu decided to make it know that he was awake.

"Hello, Zhou Yu," LU Bu cursed at his raspy voice. He wondered when it had become that way. Zhou Yu stopped in his tracks and looked around. Then his eyes landed on the only other occupant in the room, his eyes locked onto Lu Bu's. In an instant the pot clattered to the floor, water sloshing everywhere. Lu Bu saw the man stare at him in complete disbelief.

"Y-You're awake," Yu whispered. "You're really a-awake..." Lu Bu frowned at his words.

"Of course I'm awake," he rasped, frowning at his voice again. Before he could say anything else, Ying poked her head in the door.

"Momma? Is something wrong? I heard a loud noise," Ying said. Lu Bu saw her look toward him. He watched as her eyes watered up with tears that overflowed as she ran over to him. He grunted in discomfort as she latched onto his arm, hugging it hard and crying. She tried to speak Lu Bu couldn't understand anything she said.

"Calm down, Little Ying," Lu Bu said putting his hand on top of her head. "Calm down," he repeated, softer than before. Ying hiccupped and nodded. She stopped crying the best she could and spoke again.

"You-You were asleep s-so long, L-Lord Lu Bu. W-We thought y-you would never wake up again!" she stuttered. Lu Bu's eyes widened. Before he could say anything, Yu was already speaking.

"I will go notify Lady Diao Chan of your awakening, Lord Lu Bu," he said hastily. Lu Bu didn't think before he spoke next.

"No! Don't" he said loudly. Yu stared at him strangely. Lu Bu thought quickly so to not make the situation seem awkward. "Not yet. I need to speak with you." Still giving Lu Bu a strange look, he nodded and sat down next to the bed.

"What is it?" Yu asked. Lu Bu then thought quickly again.

"What is going on?" he asked. "What does Ying mean by me sleeping 'so long'?" Yu hesitated before speaking. Even then, it wasn't what Lu Bu wanted to hear.

"Lady Diao should be the one to tell you, Lord Lu Bu. After all, she is the one you-" Yu tried to say. Lu Bu didn't want to hear it.

"Keep stalling and it won't be a question; it will be an order," he said stoically. Zhou looked away uncomfortably. He sighed and looked down.

"Sir, please stay calm when I tell you this," Yu said, his hair hiding his face. Lu Bu's eyebrows furrowed. What the Hell was going on? None the less, he agreed to stay calm, waiting for Zhou Yu to continue. "Lord Lu Bu... Since the accident, you've been asleep. Not once did you come close to waking up... Not at all." There was silence. Lu Bu was still confused.

"Zhou Yu," Lu Bu said carefully. "How long was I asleep?" Zhou Yu looked up.

"A month," he whispered almost to where Lu Bu couldn't hear him. Almost. Lu Bu was shocked at what he had just heard. A small part inside of him hoped Zhou Yu was pulling some sort of sick lie and had Little Ying in on it, too. Sadly when he stared into those sapphire pools, he knew Zhou Yu was telling the truth. He just didn't want to believe it.

"What has happened while I was asleep?" Lu Bu asked, still in his shocked state.

"Lady Diao Chan took charge and has been working since then. She has been preparing for something, I'm not sure what it is," Zhou Yu explained. Zhou Yu turned away from Lu Bu and cleaned up the mess he made. Lu Bu's mind processed this new information while Yu refilled the pot and cleaned up the mess.

"Whatever she's doing, she will have to talk about to me now," he said and tried to sit up. Zhou Yu and his own back protested immediately. Zhou Yu rushed over to him.

"No! You need to rest, Lord Lu Bu!" Yu said. He gently pushed him back down, not that he needed to since Lu Bu was too weak to keep himself up. Once Lu Bu was back to just lying on the bed, Yu went and got the refilled pot along with more gauze and set it on the bedside table. Lu Bu did not notice this.

"You may go and get Diao now," Lu Bu grumbled, hating that he couldn't even get up. So this is what I have been reduced to? A sick man in a hospital who can't even sit up...: Lu Bu thought. Yu sat in his seat, rummaging through the bedside cabinet. When Lu Bu noticed this he said, "What are you waiting for? I said-"

"'You may go and get Diao now,'" Zhou Yu copied. He retracted his hand from the drawer with a small knife in it. "I know what you said. After all I was listening. But I have my orders..." Lu Bu's expression hardened when he saw the knife and looked back at Zhou Yu.

"What are you talking about?" Lu Bu asked. Zhou Yu only shook his head like Lu Bu was stupid and unsheathed the knife. Ying did nothing in this situation. Lu Bu felt a small spark of panic when he saw Yu stand up and get out of his line of eyesight.

"Ying go get some wash cloths and put them in the water for me, will you?" Yu said. Ying ran over to another cabinet and pulled out two cloths and put them in the water.

"There you go, Momma," Ying said and wiped away her tears.

"Thank you, Ying," he said. Lu Bu felt the cold tip of the blade go under his gauze.

"Zhou Yu, What are you doing?!" Lu Bu asked. Then he heard a ripping sound and expected pain. But the pain never came. Lu Bu turned his head to look at you saw the he had cut right through the gauze that covered his back.

"Ying, bring that oil bowl over here, please," Yu said. Ying did just that and Lu Bu watched as Yu put the bloody gauze into the bowl and burned the blood covered gauze. "Lord Lu Bu, to answer your question, I am changing your bandages. Lord Liao knew that all the other medics were busy so he personally asked me to change them," Yu explained.

Zhou Yu went over to the pot and picked up one of the rags. He quickly showed Ying that he wanted her to ring out one cloth and hand it to him after he was finished with the other and to clean the cloth before handing it to him. Yu picked the cloth up and gently laid in on, Lu Bu's back. Lu Bu relaxed instantly.

Lu Bu had to hold himself back from sighing at the gentleness of his hands. He just laid back as the man worked. Lu Bu guessed that the herb that Yu put in the water.

"You seem experienced in this," Lu Bu said casually. Yu didn't even hesitate; instead he seemed to work even better. Was he used to conversation?

"Yes. My childhood friend, Sun Ce, always ended getting hurt terribly hurt by the end of any battle we had. He wouldn't accept anyone to care for them except for me," Yu laughed. "He was an idiot even when we were children." Yu seemed to hesitate at this.

"I am sorry to bring that up," Lu Bu apologized. Then he frowned at himself. Why am I apologizing?

"No. It is quite alright. I just wonder if they had to strap him down by now to make him accept medical treatment," Yu laughed again. Yu's hands stopped working. "I'm done..." Lu Bu now found the strength to sit up.

"Thank you," Lu Bu murmured. The two stayed in silence as Yu dumped the pot out and set it aside for washing. Yu then broke the silence.

"I would like tell you something, Lord Lu Bu," Yu said as he sat down by the bed again. Lu Bu at the man.

"Speak then," he replied calmly.

"I wanted to thank you, for saving me... again," Yu confessed. He looked to the wall on the far left and away from Lu Bu. Lu Bu raised an eyebrow. He put his hand on Little Ying's head and spoke as she crawled into his lap.

"I didn't save you," Lu Bu found himself saying. "I was merely repaying you for saving Little Ying." For a minute there, Yu had thought he was going to say that he himself saved Ying.

"Either was, thank you," Yu said without protest. "I will go fetch Lady Diao-"

"Lord Lu Bu!" a high pitched, innocent sounding voice yelled. The trio all turned their heads to the door. Diao was there... again. She always seemed to just appear when you least expect her to.

"Speak of the devil..." Yu murmured and stood. "Lady Diao, I was just about to come and tell you. The reason I hadn't sooner was because I had to tell Lord Lu Bu the status of the castle and finish changing his bandages," Yu half-lied. Diao stood there for a moment more when suddenly she burst into a sprint toward Lu Bu's bed, nearly knocking Zhou Yu off his feet.

"Lord Lu Bu, I'm so happy you are all right!" she exclaimed. Ying got up off Lu Bu and backed away slowly, so Diao didn't notice, when Diao neared the bed. But it didn't go unnoticed by Lu Bu. "I thought you were never going to wake up!"

"Lady Diao, I must ask you to keep your voice down. Lord Lu Bu is awake but he still needs his rest. So please lower your-" Yu tried to tell her.

"Shouldn't you be doing something?" Diao had interrupted. Yu was getting sick of being interrupted today. He could take it to a certain point and she was already nearing said point.

"I beg your pardon?" Yu asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be preparing the horses?" she asked.

"I received no such order," Yu bit out.

"Well, now you did," she spat back at him. Lu Bu took his chance to cut in.

"Calm yourself, Diao" said Lu Bu. "Zhou Yu was only trying to help." Yu stared at Lu Bu like he was crazy, only for a moment before it turned appreciative.

"Yes, my lord," Diao said after a moment's hesitation. "Zhou Yu, please prepare the horses for departure."

"Yes, Lady Diao. And would you please finish bandaging Lord Lu Bu's wounds?" Diao nodded and Yu left without even a good bye. Lu Bu watched as Zhou Yu left, curious as to what it was Diao was planning.

"May I ask why you are having the horses prepared?" Lu Bu inquired. Diao smiled at him, sitting down in the chair that previously held Zhou Yu. She took the fresh gauze from where they laid on the bedside table.

"I am leaving for a little while to see if Wei is willing to make an alliance with us," Diao said happily, gently rapping Lu Bu in the gauze. Though, it didn't compare to Zhou Yu, Lu Bu noted. "They have agreed to meet with us and set up their terms. I promise you, Lord Lu Bu, I will come back with good news!" Lu Bu smiled at her, he was happy to see her smile. Although, he still needed to know some things.

"Why choose Wei? Why not Wu or Shu?" Lu Bu asked.

"We are still not on good terms with Wu since we still have their best strategist. Shu is already in an alliance with Wu and very close to them," Diao explained as she tied bandages off. Her smile faded as soon as she saw the look of disgust on Lu Bu's face. "Is something wrong with Wei, milord? Have I made the wrong decision to try and for an alliance without asking you, lord Lu Bu?"

"No, Diao," he reassured her quickly. "Don't doubt yourself... I just don't like their ways. They are too cunning and sly for my tastes," Lu Bu spat. "But I cannot deny that they are perfect to make an alliance with for now. The only bad part about it is that they know it, too." Diao brightened at his words.

"Shall I stay here and keep you company until the horses are ready?" Diao asked. Lu Bu nodded and listened to Diao talk to him. Though, Little Ying went unnoticed by Diao as she poisoned Lu Bu's mind with lies he would never knew about. Ying stayed where she was memorizing every word Diao spoke, knowing they were lies, but was too scared of Diao to say anything while she was around.

SXH: Wow... I am tired... I just finished typing this and it's 3:30 a.m.

Lu Bu: You shouldn't stay up so late.

SXH: Hey! It's not my fault I can't sleep! I hate the dark!

Liao: You could always sleep in my room.

SXH: *shivers* I think I would be more scared if I did...

Liao: Why do you say that?

SXH: Stay away from me, Creeper.

Liao: Why?

SXH: *yells* Lu Bu, help he's scarring me!

Lu Bu: *stands in front of SXH looking down menacingly at Liao*

Liao: H-hey, come now. I-It's me, L-Liao. I'm your best friend.

Lu Bu: *continues to look down at him and starts to step forward*

Liao: *gulps* Uh oh... *runs*

Lu Bu: *chases him with his halberds*

Zhou Yu: You really need to stop doing that. You could get him killed one day...

SXH: *mumbles* Trust me, Yu; you won't be troubled by that idea in later chapters...

Zhou Yu: Hmm? Did you day something?

SXH: No, no. Nothing at all!

Zhou Yu & SXH: Thank you for reading! Tell us if you liked it by REVIEWING!

P.S.: Stay tune for the next incredibly dramatic chapters of To Hell & Back Again. Chapter 8 starts the CHI BI SAGA! In this, Zhou Yu faces dramatic, but not exactly bad, changes in his life! I hope you keep reading!