Disclaimer: I own none of the characters, except doctors and staff.

I'm terribly sorry for taking so long to update. I had a minor writer's block and I had a pile up of projects due. Anyway this chapter won't be as long as the others, but it will be exciting, or at least I hope it will be.

Anyway enjoy!

Chapter Ten – Birthday

"Happy Birthday Kai" came Selene's voice as she entered the room. Kai, who was at his usual spot at the window, turned his head towards Selene's direction.

"Huh?" asked Kai confused.

"Pardon, Kai. It's pardon, and I was saying Happy Birthday to you. You're 17 now. How do you feel?" she asked not moving from her spot. Over the past few weeks they had been working on trying to get Kai away from the window and to get him to come to them. Also he was learning to speak properly grammar-wise.

Noticing that Selene didn't move Kai slid off the windowsill and padded quietly over to Selene. She smiled as he walked over to her. Lifting a hand she brushed his bangs out of his face in a motherly way. Kai's eyes closed slightly at the affection causing Selene to chuckle.

"So do you remember that today is your birthday?" she asked again.

"Yeah, now that you reminded me. It slipped my mind for awhile" answered Kai. "Why are you so happy about it?" asked Kai confused.

"No reason. It's just it's not every day you turn 17."

"And?" asked Kai knowing that Selene wasn't telling him something.

"Well..." she said slowly. "Since you've been progressing very well and it's your birthday, Dr. Conway thought it would be nice if you got out for the day" finished Selene, watching the expressions change on Kai's face.

"So I can go out as in downstairs?" asked Kai, naïve to what Selene was really saying.

"No Kai, you can go out as in outside" she said.

"Really? I can go outside for real?" Kai asked eyes slightly wide.

"Really" answered Selene.

"Really, really?!?!?!" asked Kai still unsure.

"Yes. You can go out. Now no more questions. You have to change. Rei will be here soon and you are leaving in a little while" said Selene, ushering Kai to the drawers. Opening the top drawer she pulled out the clothes Kai received from Rei for Christmas. Handing them to Kai she pushed him into the little washroom in his room. Kai put on the blue sweater with red lining on the upper arms, blue cargo pants and walked out of the washroom.

"Very nice!" said Selene walking over to Kai. She turned him around pulling the sweater, straightening it out. "Rei really knew what to get you. It looks wonderful."

"Yes it does" came a voice from the door. Selene and Kai turned towards the door to see Dr. Conway standing at the door with a smile on his face.

"Good morning Dr. Conway. How are you?" Selene asked.

"Oh, fine. And yourself?"

"Good."

"That's good. Well Kai, excited to be going out today?" he asked.

"Very" replied Kai, excitement evident in his voice.

"That's great. You deserve it. Well, hopefully you'll enjoy seeing the art gallery with Rei. Selene told me he's quite an artist. You'll both love it" he said.

All three occupants turned to the door when they heard someone knock. Dr. Conway motioned for the person to come in. The door opened and Rei walked in.

"I hope I didn't interrupt anything" Rei said, spotting Kai and was slightly taken aback at how normal and nice Kai looked in the clothes. Tearing his eyes away he only caught the ending of what Dr. Conway said.

"Selene will take you two down to where the bus is. You two have fun" he said before leaving.

"Well, you two still have about 10 minutes. I'll let you two talk for a bit. I will be back in a few minutes" said Selene, walking out of the room. Rei turned back to Kai.

"They look really good on you" said Rei.

"Thanks for getting me them" replied Kai, pulling at his sleeves. Rei nodded and then knotted his eyebrows together. Kai noticed and was worried he did something wrong.

"What's wrong Rei?" he asked quietly. Rei noticed that he must have gotten Kai nervous. Shaking his head a smile returned to Rei's face.

"Oh nothing I was just wondering where the scarf I got you is" said Rei.

"Oh, it's in the drawer" Kai said walking over to the nightstand table. Opening the door he pulled the white length of silk out. Kai held it out to Rei, who was now standing beside Kai. Rei took it and gave Kai his thanks.

"I'll put it on for you" said Rei. He took the scarf and walked behind Kai. Putting the scarf around Kai's neck he tied it and pulled the strands so that there was only one tail that flowed out behind Kai. Rei then turned Kai around and hesitantly put his hands on the part of the scarf that circled Kai's neck making sure that there was enough space so that Kai didn't suffocate. Smiling he looked up at Kai and finally realized that there wasn't a lot of space between him and Kai.

Giving Kai a gentle yet nervous smile Rei took a step back and looked at Kai. Rei thought that Kai looked more stunning with the scarf like that around his neck. He scanned Kai from toe to head looking into the scarlet orbs that stared back at him.

"You look really nice" commented Rei quietly. A rose hue came to Kai's cheeks as he pulled at his sleeves nervously. Rei chuckled and did something Kai never expected. Rei took Kai's hand and held it gently. The two stood there for a minute or so just staring at each other. Deciding that this wasn't going to get anywhere Rei stepped back and tugged gently at Kai's arm.

"Come on Kai. We'll go meet Selene outside" he said walking over to the door, Kai in tow. Kai followed slightly confused at what he was feeling and what Rei had done. No one other than Selene ever touched him affectionately. He wasn't the best sport for physical contact but, he wasn't complaining when Rei touched him.

The two teens walked over to the reception desk and nodded to the 'hello's they received. Walking over to Selene they saw she was filling a few forms out. Lifting her head she smiled.

"Glad you two came. I was just going to get you" she said finishing writing whatever she was doing. Closing the folder she took three cards and a form that were lying next to her elbow on the counter. Dividing them, she gave one card and the form to Rei and the two other cards to Kai. Both boys looked at them reading what they said.

"Those two that you both have allow you to leave and the other card Kai has, shows that he is a registered residence here. Basically it's his health card. Oh, and that form is just for you two to read over. It explains what is going on during these trips. Well now, come on let's go down to the bus. I'm sure you to are anxious to get going" she said before walking over to the elevator. The elevator brought all three down. Selene walked over to the front with Kai and Rei following. The security guards admitted Kai out of the hospital and for the first time in 7 years Kai was actually out of his cage. He raised his head and looked at the sky and his surroundings. Rei looked up at Kai and noticed what he was doing. The black- haired boy smiled.

"How do you feel Kai? It's a big step for you. Must be hard" asked Rei. Kai closed his eyes for a minute but then opened them and stared down at Rei with a small smile on his face.

"I've almost forgotten what it's like to be outside. I've missed it so much. You don't understand how wonderful it is to finally be out of there, even if it's just for a while. It's amazing!" Kai said. Rei smiled brightly his heart flying as Kai said those words. Taking Kai's hand once again he led Kai over to the bus. Stepping up the stairs Rei and Kai entered noticing that there were a bunch of other patients, varying in age. Looking at the seats left, Rei pulled Kai to the back of the bus.

"Sweet. We get the back. It's weird how they are all at the front. For school the backseats are like luxuries. Anyway window or isle seat?" asked Rei. Kai nodded his head towards the window and Rei stepped out of the way so Kai could sit down. Rei then sat down next to Kai and looked around the bus. He saw that there were a vary of people around Kai's age, and the rest were a vary of people between 20-65 years old. They all looked normal. Rei remembered that these people weren't seriously challenged. Enough that they could communicate with the outside world. Rei turned to Kai and noticed that Kai was pulling on his sleeves.

"What is it?" he asked. Kai turned away from the window and looked at Rei. He didn't answer. Rei's eyebrows knotted.

"Kai?" He asked again.

"It's just..." Kai didn't finish the sentence. Rei cocked his head wondering what Kai was trying to say.

"Are you nervous?" Kai was stationary for a moment but then nodded slightly. Rei smiled at Kai's childlike behaviour.

!Don't be. Nothing's going to happen. If you want you can pretend that the others aren't there" Rei smiled when he finished watching the expression on Kai's face. It was an emotionless one that asked Rei what the hell he was thinking. Rei laughed, ignoring the looks he got from the other patients. One of the nurses from a different ward got up and walked over to the two.

"Um, sir?" she asked Kai. Rei stopped laughing and turned to face her as well. Kai looked up at her.

"Is he all right?" Kai and Rei stared at her; Kai smirking in his mind that Rei was now thought to be the patient.

"Kai?" Rei said pointing at Kai. The nurse shook her head.

"No, you. Are you okay? I just want to make sure. I'm sure your nurse wouldn't want you acting up now outside of the hospital" the nurse said. Rei just stared at her.

"No, he's fine. He just finds random things funny" answered Kai. The nurse seemed to believe this and nodded before going back to her seat. Rei just stared at Kai, a not so happy expression on his face.

"You had it coming" said Kai before looking out the window again. Rei huffed and slid down in his seat.

'Well at least he's not nervous anymore.' He thought smugly to himself.

Arriving at the art museum Rei and Kai followed the group inside. Kai and Rei looked at the assortment of busts, statues, portraits, frames and abstract art that was filtered around the museum. Art from the Byzantine, Renaissance, Ancient Egypt and, more from all around the world.

"Wow. I could live here. Look at all the art" Rei said giddily. Kai was happy to see Rei so happy. They followed the tour guide around as he explained the different works. Coming to the more abstract art, they passed a picture that made Kai stop and stare at it [1. Rei came to Kai's side and peered over his shoulder. Rei cocked his head staring at the picture.

"Kinda morbid, don't you think?" asked Rei. Kai didn't answer only continued to stare.

"Yeah, but he seemed to put all his emotions in it. The negative ones at least" Kai said.

"I never would have guessed with that hanged man in the middle of the picture" said Rei sarcastically. "Come on Kai. We don't want to lose the group. Trust me. It's not good." Rei began to walk away stopping in the intersection of the hallways. Kai stared at the picture for a while, a shiver running up his spine as he stared deeper. Giving one last look he turned away and walked back to the group with Rei.

A few hours later, Kai and Rei were back on the bus. They sat at the back of the bus in silence. Kai again sat at the window staring at the scenery of metal and rock. He had gone into thought the moment he left the museum. He was filled with so many feelings. Being able to come out, there were no words to describe it. But also there was a dark line that lingered on the edge of his mind. He wasn't going to hide and say he wasn't afraid, but he didn't think anyone needed to know.

Kai was pulled out of his thoughts when he felt something rest on his shoulder. He turned his head and was welcomed with a mass of black. Rei had fallen asleep on Kai, something he was very new to but with Rei it was something he wasn't uncomfortable with. A smile gracing his face, he placed his cheek on top of Rei's head and closed his eyes welcoming the warmth and security that was shared between the two. They remained like that for the rest of the trip home.

'This is the best birthday I could ever want.'


So there's your chapter people. It took me a month to get an idea. That's bad on my behalf but I'm glad you all stayed and waited throughout the time.

[1 If anyone wants to see the picture, leave a message. Either in the review or email me know the yaoi seems slow, but would you really believe a patient in a mental ward, with Kai's symptoms to be sex-crazed or all touchy and proclaiming love?? I don't think so, or at least I hope you don't think that. Besides good things come in time. I'm in no mood to rush this.

Hope you enjoyed the chapter.

And Happy Easter! I will have Feelings Progress updated later on today.

Please Review

Devlinn Reiko