This is it, the last chapter! Sorry the ending is a bit abrupt, but I don't have any more ideas :( Don't forget to review when you finished reading! I'd love to know what you thought of my fanfiction!
Chapter 8
When Touya heard how Chiyuki's condition was, his heart sank. They weren't going to discharge her. The heart attack she had just endured was the final straw in her rapidly deteriorating condition. She was dying. She wouldn't last more than a week or two, according to the doctors. It felt as if his entire world had caved in on him. Like a raging thunderstorm had settled over him—permanently.
"She probably won't recover from it," the nurse told him. "Things don't look good."
"What do you mean? Can I see her?!"
The nurse shook her head. "She's sleeping right now. It would be best for you to go home for now. She's stabilized, but we'll let you know if anything in her condition changes."
She left him standing there, feeling dejected. He walked out of the hospital, despair swirling inside him like an infinite black hole. He stared up at the windows that glowed in the darkness like beacons. Despite what the nurse had said, leaped into one of the taller trees, peering in through the windows until he had found Chiyuki's room. He sat on a thick branch and watched her sleep. She seemed so peaceful despite what had happened just hours earlier. An IV needle had been stuck into her arm, dripping fluid at a slow and steady pace. She had also been hooked up to an odd looking machine that monitored her heart. Even outside, through the thick glass, he could hear the slightly irregular beeping of the machine. He buried his face in his hands.
"What should I do…?" He was completely distraught. "I don't want to lose her, but I don't want to burden her with my curse…."
A gentle flapping sound greeted his ears.
"Master!" Yamimaru cried worriedly. "I came as soon as I heard!"
Touya looked up at him, complete and utter loss reflected in his eyes. "Yami."
"Master…is it bad?"
Touya turned back to the window. "She doesn't have much longer."
Yamimaru landed on the branch beside his master. He stared sadly at Chiyuki's sleeping form. "So it's finally come to this."
He sighed.
"You knew this would happen," Yamimaru said.
"I know!" he shouted. "I know, but…I just…."
"It's because you love her, master."
Tears rolled down his cheeks and dripped from his nose. He buried his face in his arms as he cried. He vowed never to leave her side. Not while Chiyuki was in such a state. He couldn't live with himself if he left her now. He would stay. Until the very end.
V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V* V*
Over the next week, Chiyuki's condition slowly deteriorated. And Touya never once left her side. He was with her in her room all day until visiting hours were over. And then he would silently watch her from the tree outside her window while she slept. If it hadn't been for Yamimaru bringing him meals, Touya would have never survived the ordeal either.
Finally it seemed as if Chiyuki wasn't going to make it. It was late at night and her heartbeat had slowed greatly. Silent as a shadow, Touya slipped into her hospital room. Chiyuki's eyes fluttered open. Her breathing was strained as she struggled for each breath. Her chest was painfully tight. It felt like daggers were constantly stabbing her.
She glimpsed a dark shadow lingering in the corner of her room. Touya stepped out into the moonlight. Beneath her oxygen mask, she forced a small smile.
"Touya…" she whispered.
He was at her bedside in an instant. He grabbed her hand and squeezed it tightly. "Chiyuki…please. You can't die."
"I'm sorry, Touya. I want to be by your side…I really do. But I don't think I'm going to make it to see the snow with you…."
"I don't know what to do…I don't want to lose you."
Chiyuki weakly squeezed his hand. "Even if I'm not around, I'm sure you'll find someone who can be with you until the end…." A few tears leaked from her eyes and rolled down her cheeks. "I love you."
"Chiyuki…." He took as shaky breath. He could hear her heart monitor slowing down. "Chiyuki, if I…would you, I mean…. If I were to give you life, would you hate me?"
"I could—" she winced. "I could never hate you, Touya."
"A thousand years is a long time…. Everyone else you hold cherish will die long before you do. And I don't know what will happen, but…."
Her heart rate was dangerously low—almost nonexistent. It didn't seem as if she could even hear him. Her eyes slowly started close.
"T-Touya…." She struggled to speak. "…I lo…. love you…."
She was flatlining.
"Chiyuki!"
Touya leaned over her and sunk his fangs into her neck without a second thought. Please don't be too late, he thought. Please don't die. He sucked out her blood through the plump vein in her neck. It was sickeningly warm and tasted like copper. He swallowed, a thin trail of blood dripping down his chin. There was no change in Chiyuki's appearance. The heart monitor issued one loud, solitary beep—the sound of death. Tears dripped from the end of his nose and splashed on her pale cheeks. Gently lifting the oxygen mask from her face, he leaned down and kissed her passionately.
"Chiyuki…." He was too late.
Suddenly the throb of a heartbeat rang in his ears. And then another. Then a shaky gasp. Touya glanced down. Chiyuki was breathing! She was alive! Her eyes fluttered open.
"Touya…?" She glanced around. "But I thought I…."
Touya hugged her tightly. Tears poured from his eyes and his shoulders shook as he cried. He sobbed her name over and over again. Chiyuki gently patted his back, returning his embrace. Finally he pulled away. He wiped his eyes furiously, trying to rid himself of the tears that continued to flow.
"I-I…I thought I had lost you…."
She smiled. "Not this time."
He cleared his throat. "Don't forget, you promised to stay by my side forever."
Chiyuki nodded. "Forever and ever."
"I love you."
"I love you too. And I'll keep loving you forever."
