Lirin: Sorry about the short delay with the update. No excuse for it except I totally zoned on um sorry.

Tala: She's hopeless when it comes to this stuff nowadays. But more on topic is that Lirin still does NOT own Beyblade or the characters. Nor does she profit from the work she puts in except by getting reviews from you readers.

Lirin: Speaking of reviewers I'd like to thank Beywriter and LovelySinner7 for leaving comments. And mention that cause of the delay and this being short there's a double post :) Enjoy the read.


Chapter 8: No Escape

Kai woke up an hour later to see Tala sitting at Tyson's desk reading a manga and Bryan was twiddling away on a stick making a nice sharp point. When he tried to sit up he realized he was cuffed to the bed and growled.

Tala looked up with a sly smile. "Morning Kai. How are you feeling?"

Crimson eyes narrowed into a threaten glare. "Undo these Tala."

"Why? So you can run again?" Bryan was now standing next to the red head with his arms crossed over his chest. "Not going to happen."

Kai thrashed on the bed hoping it would get the cuffs undone. He knew it wasn't going to work but he did have to try.

"At least tell me that this are clean." Kai huffed as he settled back on the bed.

Tala and Bryan both laughed. "Yeah Kai, I personally cleaned them before packing them," Tala assured him. "Now can we talk?"

"That depends on what you want to talk about," Kai replied icily.

"Let's start with Kitty," the Wolf answered sitting on the bed next to Kai.

"Let's not."

"Then how about your drinking problem?" Bryan asked.

"Personal business that's not your concern."

Tala's lower lip slipped out in a small pout as he turned to address Bryan. "Falcon, do you mind leaving. Kai's got no escape so it's alright."

"Hn." Bryan turned to leave his friends alone for sometime. However he wasn't going to go far, he'd sit in the hall ready to run at the first sign of trouble.

Neither boy spoke until they heard the door click closed. And when they did Tala was the first to speak.

"Kai, how long have we known each other?" He was being quiet and sincere working on Kai like only he could.

Kai swallowed hard. "A while. What's the point?"

Tala reached out and cupped Kai's face with his right hand making sure that they had unbroken eye contact.

"My point Kai, is that I know you well enough to know when you're hurting. I know that the drinking was a cry for help without you using words. You had drunk because of what Voltaire did when he was like that, it was something you swore you never do. So whatever hurt you it was really bad. I came here to help. Please let me do this."

Before Tala's small speech ended Kai was crying and the red head was wiping the tears away with his thumb.

"You wont let me go until I talk?" Kai asked to make sure.

The red head nodded. "You're stuck here with me. Kai, we always helped each other out before. There's been a lot of crap we got through together, this will be just on more on that pile."

The Phoenix nodded. "Tal, I'm not gonna run. Can you undo the cuffs please."

Blue stared into crimson. Tala could only see honesty and hurt buried deep within Kai. So he leaned over and easily undid the locks.

With his hands finally free, Kai shot up and wrapped his arms tightly around his friend and cried his heart out. The whole time whispering 'it was my fault'.

Tala was silent as he returned Kai's hug. Memories from bad times flashed in his head. Each was of the two boys holding each other after something horrible had happened.

Yeah this was going to be one more time added to their list.