Hey all! New chapter coming your way. Sorry for the cliffhanger before. I just needed a good setup for this one. I apologize if this chapter sounds a little dark. Either way, I hope you enjoy it. I had fun writing this one especially. :)

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What exactly have I done?

I guessed that the reality of my actions would haunt me in my dreams. That shouldn't have surprised me much, considering that I knew full well what I did. I knew full well that my actions from last night thoroughly pissed off Haruhi beyond imagining.

This life felt like some sort of huge practical joke right now. The most normal guy in the world ends up being thrust into the most abnormal circumstances. I got stuck with an esper, a time traveler, an alien and most of all, a loud-mouthed girl with the ability to potentially destroy the universe.

Where did I go wrong? What kind of heinous act did I perform in a past life to be put in this situation?

My thoughts felt a bit jumbled and incoherent, and the ability to not think so clearly at the moment was probably stemming from the fact that I was probably asleep. I've experienced this inner monologue on my way to school, in the SOS Brigade clubroom, and now I'm experiencing it in my sleep. I'm sure this is a problem that probably requires prescription medication. No sane person would talk to themselves in their head this much, and over such ridiculous subjects.

In my partial dream state, I had the urge to awaken, so I acted upon that urge. I may or may not have actually opened my eyes, but I still saw that I was in neither my room nor my bed any longer.

I was sitting on some surface, surrounded by a singular and clean white.

I stood up, bedazzled by the notion that I was once again in this infamous white space. The same white space where the entire SOS Brigade engaged in battle with the Suzumiya-san Antithesis. The same white space where I declared my love for Haruhi Suzumiya.

I didn't want to think of any of that right now, but it was a time like this where I was able to realize the consequences of leaving the SOS Brigade. Essentially, I may have very well doomed every being in this universe. I must be one selfish ass.

God! Why did these things have to drop on me right now? And why the hell am I in this white space again? I felt like this place was trying to mock me or something. All I wanted was to get some sleep, goddammit! I knew full well that tomorrow was a Saturday, and I might actually get the chance to sleep in for once.

But of course, I never got a rest, did I? How angry was Haruhi with me? Was this why I'm in this space?

Idiot girl! Maybe if I she'd been nicer to me, we'd still be together! Maybe then I wouldn't be indirectly obsessing over her, and secretly wishing to myself that I do in fact want her back! Maybe she wouldn't be turning into someone so goddamn normal and boring!

And with all these thoughts in my head, I sighed. Damn. A lot comes out when you least expect it. I blamed these white spaces.

Nevertheless, I should probably try to find a way out of here. Haruhi could very well be in this space as well, so maybe if I found her, I could figure out how to convince her to transport us back to the real world. It's funny, you know. I've yet to find out what this random white space exactly is. I keep ending up in it, so it must have some sort of ulterior significance.

Ah, who the hell cares?

After about twenty minutes of pacing in this emptiness, I felt like a colorblind dog looking for a yellow fire hydrant. Part of me was just thinking that I should sit down and think all this over. Haruhi was able to manipulate this space, so why can't I? Well, I have no idea what the nature of this place is, and when you get down to it, I really was just another normal human being, safe for constantly being surrounded by extraordinary people.

And so I sat down, sighing as a glazed look came over my eyes.

"So I guess I'll just wait for Haruhi's anger to wear off…" I stated out loud to no one in particular, trying to get comfortable as I sat on this white surface Indian style.

"I would suggest you think of a suitable alternative. This place was not created by Suzumiya-san."

It didn't take me more than a few seconds to realize who was speaking behind me. The tone of voice was the biggest clue to the fact that it was none other than Nagato. I turned, and low and behold, the lithe alien was standing about five feet behind me, the same robotic look present on her face.

"It isn't? You must have an explanation concerning where I am, don't you?"

Yes, Nagato. You definitely have some sort of clear and concise explanation regarding my sudden appearance in this white space. As far as I'm concerned, the space seemed like it was always directly related to Haruhi.

Please give me an easy answer, Nagato. My stress limit is already on the verge of breaking, and anything beyond simple facts will just aggravate it.

"I do."

I sighed, this time in relief. At least knowing what kind of terrible situation I'm in is better than not knowing at all. Call that optimism, if you want. I think of it as reduced pessimism.

"You are no longer in what you perceive as the material universe. Instead, you are in an artificial pocket void, where the laws of space and time are as trivial as human reasoning."

You think human reasoning is trivial, Nagato? For all we know, you may very well be right.

"…a pocket void? So I'm nowhere?"

Nagato looked back at me like a disused china doll, slowly turning around so that her back was faced to me. I wondered what was going on in that head of hers. What was she thinking? It's times like these were I wished I could read minds.

"There cannot be a place in the universe where nothing exists. It's impossible, even when it comes to the kind of power that Suzumiya-san possesses. This place is simply more susceptible to data manipulation, and it remains like this when it becomes vacant for long periods of time."

Okay…I guessed I could kind of understand. All of this wasn't too hard to comprehend, and the facts are that it was taking my mind off of my current problems with Haruhi. But now there's one thing I'd really like to know.

"So why am I here?"

Nagato turned like she was powered by clockwork, staring at me with a gaze that could melt the soul. Her eyes glinted even though there was no source of ambient light in this cold white void.

"I have brought you here for a specific reason. You are here to understand the consequences of your actions from the previous day."

What? Is this your way of punishing me, Nagato? What happened to you just wanting to observe Suzumiya-san and all her data manipulation? I guessed that this was the time where Nagato had decided to drop her big Ayanami act.

"I am going to show you the possible outcomes of your actions if you were to not interfere in the situation. The concept of time in this void is skewed, so the possibility of any of these outcomes is still subject to change. Nevertheless, understanding the current situation is required." Nagato stated as she passed by me, walking farther into the blank void that surrounded us. I looked confounded, mostly because I was wondering how the hell Nagato planned on showing me "the possible outcomes of my actions".

After a few more seconds of walking, the alien stopped with her back to me as she seemed to just stare into the whiteness ahead. I watched her in utter curiosity, waiting for her to do something like a child might wait for Christmas morning to arrive.

Finally, the light-haired humanoid interface pointed towards the void, and I could see something happening to the whiteness in front of her. A whirlpool or colors appeared in the blank area like Nagato was painting on a canvas with her thoughts. Soon, it began to coalesce into a solid screen, like the same ones I had seen in my first time being in this space.

The screen was completely black, and I found myself walking closer, to get a better look at whatever Nagato planned on showing me. Curiosity had fully enveloped me now, and I was interested more by instinct than anything else.

"Watch." Nagato said quietly, and the floating screen lit up, showing a brilliant image that made my eyes go wide.

It showed the vastness of space. Hundreds of lights could be seen throughout the blackness, and as the screen seemed to drift back farther, the shapes of galaxies became apparent. It was as if I was looking out of a glass window into the universe itself. The sight was really something else.

Suddenly, the screen zoomed forward, flying by stars and planets of all sorts at mach speed. In a few seconds, the screen was now speeding through Earth's atmosphere, and the island chain of Japan was becoming more and more visible. Finally, the screen zoomed inside a home in the middle of our city, and the image of Haruhi Suzumiya on her bed in her room, head buried in a pillow, was clear as day.

We could see Haruhi look up, and her face was stained with tears. Her words were broken and weak.

"Why does he have to be such an idiot? Why did he have to go ruining my club? Why!?!"

Haruhi looked more emotionally hurt than I have ever seen her. I could suddenly feel a terrible squeeze on my heart.

"I HATE YOU, KYON!"

Her voice wasn't that loud, but to me, it felt like it was breaking the sound barrier. With those words, the screen seemed to zoom back into the cosmos in but an instant, but this time, something was different. As the stars came into view, I noticed that they were beginning to literally…vanish.

I wanted a closer look at this phenomenon. I stepped in front of Nagato, and watched as the universe seemed to just unravel before my eyes. Space blanked out into whiteness, and the stars began to dim and turn off like someone blowing out candles one by one. As the view on the screen zoomed out even more, entire galaxies just looked like they were collapsing on themselves, as reality itself seemed to just fall apart. A few more moments passed, and I felt like time was standing still.

Finally, all that remained of space and its vastness was a blank, white void. I felt so small in that moment.

"It is just a simulated outcome. It has not occurred yet."

I could tell Nagato was trying to reassure me. I backed away as the screen turned black again, and I looked back at the alien behind me, a clearly scared look on my face. It was at this time that I truly understood what I may have very well caused. Knowing that the universe could be possibly end is one thing, but seeing the phenomenon occur is another one entirely.

"She wouldn't do that. She can't be that angry, right?" I said to Nagato in an almost joking way, but the expression that the alien showed me was telling me that it was indeed extremely possible for Haruhi to do such a thing.

"There is more."

There is? I don't know if I want to really see what else could happen…

Despite my internal protest, the screen shifted colors again, and another scene was building itself. I could see myself walking out of my house, and I looked like I was heading to school, my backpack slung over my shoulder. Everything looked normal, until I watched myself fall over onto the ground.

To me, time was standing still as I watched myself fall down face forward onto the sidewalk, my eyes having looked lifeless before I even hit the pavement. In this screen, I laid motionless, my books and papers having fallen out of my backpack and now fluttering in the air.

I was not an idiot. Clearly, this was showing me my death.

"Can we please change it?" I asked Nagato quickly. I couldn't look at the image in front of me any longer, because like all people in this world, something like this just reminded me of my eventual fate. Everyone dies, but I don't think anyone in the world wants to see their death before it comes.

Nagato said nothing to me, and the screen shifted again.

Now I could see what looked like North High. It was a view from the outside, and it showed the hustle and bustle of students leaving the school. One could see boys hitting on girls, teachers heading to the faculty parking lot, and those with after school sports chatting amongst one another before their practices started.

But one thing specifically caught my eye. Haruhi was walking out of the main entrance of North High, a smile on her face as she was hand in hand with what looked like another boy. There was warmth in her eyes that I've never seen before, and in an instant, my mind cracked when I recognized this other boy.

It was Koizumi. He had the same smile on his face, and he looked like he was really enjoying his present situation. The two of them walked along hand in hand, talking about something that I could not decipher. The sound of their voices seemed jumbled, and they continued to talk, mocking me, as they both approached Haruhi's house.

Finally, Haruhi let go of Koizumi's hand, looked back at her house, then up again at the esper I knew. My heart was beating fast, and it was as if I knew exactly what was going to happen next.

Koizumi was the one to make the move, catching Haruhi a little off-guard when he kissed her. My heart stopped for a few seconds, and it felt as if my world was falling apart. Haruhi seemed to warm up to Koizumi like he was the best thing in the world, and I was soon staring at these two in a lover's embrace.

I turned away.

"I'm done. Can we please stop this torture?"

Nagato did not respond, but the screen seemed to disappear into the void, its colors having been sucked inward into the whiteness. I was feeling terrible now. To me, seeing those things was like reminding myself of my stupidity. It did nothing to help my stress level, and as I had feared, it was only aggravating it instead.

"Why did you have to show me that? Are you trying to drive me crazy?" I asked the alien, with a discontented tone of voice. My hair felt like it needed to be ripped out, and my heart was beating fast. The image of Koizumi and Haruhi kissing like that was currently branding itself on the surface of my brain.

Nagato didn't seem to recognize my change in mood. She spoke as if nothing had happened.

"It was necessary for you to understand the severity of the situation. My duty is to observe, but there comes a point where I must act to preserve any future observation. This has become one of those times. You have caused Suzumiya-san a great deal of emotional stress, and it seems that you are the only one who can possibly calm her down. If not, any of those outcomes, if not more, could occur."

I get it, Nagato. I have to bow down to Haruhi again.

"Why do I have to keep doing this? Why do we have to keep acting like Haruhi controls our fates? I'm sick of being someone else's subject!"

My emotions were seething now, mostly because I hated thinking about the utter realization of having to be so below Haruhi. I hated thinking about the fact that we had to appease her like she was some sort of malevolent god. Damn it! I hated thinking of her as a god at all!

I could feel Nagato's stare even though I wasn't looking at her. I couldn't help but ask her a question myself.

"Haven't you ever thought of why we deal with Haruhi? Don't you ever want to be free from her? We're trapped in a world or her creation, and there's no escape from it."

It's frightening. All things I'm saying are so true.

"It is not my choice whether or not I personally want to cease observing Haruhi Suzumiya. It is my duty as an interface. And if you want to continue living in this world, then it will become your duty to satiate her anger, or you can be assured that an unfavorable outcome will occur."

I sighed. There was no arguing with Nagato, because all the things she was saying were true. I do want to continue living in this world. It's just that these things this alien showed me aren't making my thoughts any brighter. They not only scare me, but they continue to drive me to the forbidden subject.

I'm still in love with Haruhi, aren't I? The old Haruhi. The Haruhi that didn't force us to do community service all the time. The Haruhi that didn't want to suddenly become class representative. The Haruhi that still cared about her SOS Brigade and her quest to find extraordinary things.

I think I've realized what I should do now. It's so blatantly obvious. Everything became very clear to me in seconds.

My eyes opened fast, but not in a way where I felt like I was being violently thrust out of a dream. No, they just opened, and I found myself staring up at a ceiling of my boring bedroom. This has been happening quite a bit to me lately.

If that was all a dream, then I think I need some sort of help. Luckily, I had a feeling that wasn't a dream at all. When I got out of bed, I could see something lying on my desk. It was a book, specifically Frank Herbert's Dune.

I guessed it was safe to say that Nagato had been here.

I was running now, specifically to a place that I haven't been to in quite awhile. I was running to Haruhi Suzumiya's house, where I planned to do the one thing I should have done the other night.

I needed to apologize to her, and I need to apologize soon. Nagato was no time traveler, but she had obviously figured out ahead of time what could possibly happen if I just decided to let this whole thing be. I was stupid. Stupid for quitting the Brigade at a time like this, and stupid for not listening to Koizumi.

When I finally reached Haruhi's house, my breath was coming out in short bursts as I pressed Haruhi's doorbell. The anticipation of wanting to see her was greater than ever before. I was beyond wanting to see her. I needed to see her.

I waited a few seconds, and I could hear the sound of footsteps and someone beginning to unlock the door. It was about 10 AM on a Saturday, and I assumed that Haruhi would be awake at a time like this. She had told me many times that sleeping late is a death sentence. In her perspective, anyway.

Finally, the door in front of me opened, and I was greeted with the sight of an almost disgruntled looking Haruhi, clad in yellow pajamas and without her hair band on. She looked like she had just been sleeping now.

"Morning…" I said nervously, suddenly feeling a bit out of place with this Haruhi in front of me.

"You're lucky I'm the one who got up. If you had woken my Dad up, you'd probably be on the floor with a few broken ribs." Haruhi told me as if this was her usual way of greeting people.

That's nice, Haruhi. Now onto the real reason why I'm here.

"I'm sorry."

It came out quickly, and I probably sounded like a scared little kid. Haruhi's expression was indifferent at first, and it was then that she looked a bit surprised, raising an eyebrow at me like I was crazy.

"What's this about?"

"You know what I'm talking about. I'm sorry for quitting the Brigade. It was a stupid act on my part."

I had trouble believing myself as I spoke. To be completely honest, I was being Haruhi's obedient servant again by apologizing like this. However, it was only being done for the sake of the universe. That is the truth.

"So what's your point?" Haruhi shot back at me, her expression disapproving as she crossed her arms. I only felt smaller now, as it seemed like Haruhi wasn't buying much of my apology. I gulped.

"I'd like to rejoin the SOS Brigade. Make me the lowest peon for all I care. I just want back in."

Why the hell am I doing this? Why am I being such a spineless fool in front of this girl? Is this all for her love? Am I doing this to try and win Haruhi back, or am I really doing this for the sake of all that is reality?

"Acceptance denied."

Well, that's certainly a rel-

"What?!?"

"You heard me."

Haruhi narrowed her eyes, and glared at me like I was her ultimate nemesis.

"Are you kidding? Please tell me you're kidding, Haruhi. I'm being serious. I want to rejoin the Brigade."

"And I'm being serious too. I don't want you in the club anymore if you do something as stupid as quitting. When you walked out that door, you quit for good. As far as I'm concerned, you're no longer welcome in that room."

I was breaking inside. I couldn't believe what Haruhi was saying to me. This isn't Haruhi. She wouldn't tell me something like this. No. She would be jubilant that I wanted to come back. She would make me do some sort of bone-crushing labor as punishment, but she would want me back nonetheless. But this…person…this person isn't Haruhi at all!

"Please. I said I was sorry. Can't you just let me rejoin? I'll listen to your every command. Just let me back in, Haruhi." I asked her, my voice as sincere as I could possibly make it. I almost couldn't believe what I was saying.

I was begging to her.

"I said no! Your time in my club is over. You made that decision when you quit. This conversation is over. Goodbye, Kyon!"

Haruhi shouted those words in what sounded like anger, and before I knew it, she had slammed the door in my face. I was left standing there, completely and utterly dumbfounded.

I could have knocked again, but that would have probably earned me a punch in the face.

So I turned around, and began to walk aimlessly, my mind more mixed up than Picasso's Guernica.

So this is it, huh? I was out of the Brigade, and it sounds like Haruhi didn't like me so much anymore. Whatever chance I had with her is probably down the drain. Now that she's more normal, droves of guys will probably start going after her like they used to. And who's to say Koizumi wouldn't be a part of those droves? God, I almost couldn't believe this.

I sighed heavily; realizing that laughing, crying or getting mad would do nothing to help the situation. I only had one thought on my mind, and one thought only.

What exactly have I done?

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Yes. That one line is referencing Oruki from Jonbob's "Meet The Suzumiyas". And yes. I got permission to do it.