It was the next day, after Fox's birthday. Miyu slowly opened the door to the bedroom that she and Fox shared. She saw his figure lying on the bed, his back towards her; she slowly walked over and sat on the bed, trying to not wake him up. She just looked at him for a moment, slowly edging her paw to lie on his shoulder.

"I'm not asleep." Fox suddenly and quietly called out, Miyu retracted her paw for a second, then edged it forward again and set a gentle paw on his arm.

"Are you alright?" Miyu quietly asked. Fox didn't answer right away, he instead at up and turned his body to face her, she saw his face. He looked so sad and hurt; the simulation sure did a number on his mental health. Sleeping in till 12:10 in the afternoon sure wasn't Fox.

"I don't know." He silently answered her, turning his head away from her, so she couldn't see him slightly tearing up. Miyu laid down onto the bed, leaning on the bed frame. She slowly grasped Fox's head and gently set it down onto her stomach, her fur getting a little damp. She closed her eyes; she loved having Fox close to her, stroking the white hair on top of his head. Miyu slowly let a soft smile flow across her muzzle.

"Do you still love me?" The sudden question caught Miyu by surprise. She opened her eyes, and looked down to the vulpine; he was looking up to her. She didn't answer, she just slowly sat up, Fox lifted himself off of her. Miyu quickly hugged Fox to the bed, falling back on top of him. She smiled warmly to him.

"What do you think?"

"I don't know what to think anymore." He turned his head away from her. Miyu felt some heartache, seeing him so confused and saddened. She slowly turned his head to face her, and quickly placed her lips on top of his. After a moment, Fox reacted, closing his eyes. Their kiss was quick, but passionate, reassuring and most importantly, soothing. Miyu pulled back, looking at him, slightly blushed.

"How about now?" Fox could feel the smile flow across his muzzle. He wrapped his arms around Miyu and brought her close to him, her head resting on his chest. Fox gave a soft chuckle.

"You always know what to say don't you?" Miyu picked up her head from his chest, and gazed at him, he was smiling warmly now, most of his tears gone, she brushed the last one away from the corner of his left eye.

"More like, what to do." A bit later, the foxy couple decided it was probably time to get dressed for the day. Fox went ahead of Miyu, telling her that he was taking an afternoon run, to clear his thoughts. Fox went out the front door, crossed the street and began running around the city. About thirty minutes later, he stopped to catch his breath, and found himself over a bridge in the local park. He looked around him, it was a pretty sight. The bridge was arched upward in a half-oval shape, there was a small river stream flowing under the bridge, that later would flow out into the ocean. He looked around him and saw many other people strolling around today. He looked to his left and saw a small family of foxes walking around. Fox looked warmly at them, they seemed happy. It reminded him of his birthday wish. A son, probably no older then eight and a slow but steady young girl, probably around four. The two children saw Fox and ran up to him, tugging onto his legs. The two parents tried to stop their kids, not wanting to be rude.

"Wow, are you Fox McCloud?" The young girl asked with much wonder in her tone. Fox couldn't help but to smile down to her, he took a knee.

"Why yes I am little one." Fox answered, slightly patting the top of her head.

"Wow!" she seemed amazed somehow.

"Can you teach me how to fly like you do?" Fox looked over to the young boy, jumping up and down all excited. The two parents's interrupted.

"Uh, were terrible sorry Mr. McCloud."

"Oh please, don't worry about it." He sent a reassuring smile to the parents, they didn't want to be rude and take advantage of his generosity. Fox turned his attention back to the young boy.

"Maybe someday, when you get big and strong like you're daddy." He sent a warm smile to the young boy, kin dove disappointed.

"Okay, I will then!"

"That's good." His mother interrupted.

"Thank you. Mr. McCloud." Fox turned his head to face the mother.

"Please, call me Fox." The small family paid there regards one last time, and continued there walk through the park. Fox waited a little bit longer until he would continue his run. But couldn't help but over hear the two parents'.

"Isn't he such a good role model for the kids?" The young lady asked her husband as there two children frolicked about in front of them.

"Yea, he's a great man. I'm sure there going to benefit from this." Fox couldn't help to put on a warm smile, it was nice to know there was people who held him up with such regards, even with the type of work he does. Fox was about to continue his run, until he stopped in place suddenly. His strength was suddenly leaving him and he began to get drowsy.

"What's, happening to me?" he quietly talked aloud. He started getting weaker and weaker, as if suffering from heat stroke. He grabbed a hold of the bridge with one paw, while buckling to one knee. A male tiger walking by noticed and stopped.

"Hey, Mr. McCloud. Are you al right?" he made a hand gesture for Fox to get back onto his feet, but he never took it. With the last of his strength leaving him, Fox fell head first onto the cold hard pavement.

"Hey!" The tiger called out, getting onto his knee's to look onto Fox. Everyone around them were now looking, some drawing there phones to call for help. Right before Fox blacked out, he heard the voices of the fox family, and felt the two young children shaking his body.

"Mr. McCloud, what's wrong? What's gotten into you?"

"Wake up! Wake up!"

"Someone, call an ambulance!"

"Help is on the way! Hang in there!"

The darkness took him away.

X

"What's wrong with him?" Miyu asked the doctor in a quiet and saddened tone. A young, female blue heeler, with a shining blue and red coat. Miyu had a small tissue to wipe away the tears that were forming in her eyes as she looked over to Fox, now lying down in a hospital bed, hooked up to a machine. The entire group (Minus Slippy and his family, they already went back to Aquas.) looked through the window to Fox McCloud. How could there proud and faithful leader turn to this? After studying the notes one last time, the doctor turned to Miyu and the rest of them.

"It seems he was emotionally unstable, and after prolonged exposure to the amount of stress that he had, it resulted into Fox entering a coma. His stress level was off the charts when we first brought him in." she pointed to the chart that she was holding in her paws. The group could see it clearly, The average line of someone stressed out compared to the line of Fox's stress level. Fox's line was easily 5 xs's that amount. Falco interrupted.

"So, does this mean, he's going to be asleep forever?" Falco let his head drape down.

"No, he will wake up, eventually. But it's not unheard of people being in comas for many months, even years. The longest recorded time of someone entering a coma, and the time to get out of it is, 18 years." The group was shocked; Fox could be in this state for a long time to come. Peppy walked forward to the front of the window, he laid his paw onto the glass, staring sadly at his foster son's state of health. He turned to face the doctor, a tear forming in his eye.

"What's wrong with him exactly?" The doctor took a moment, and then answered after thinking it over.

"We don't quite know. But it looks like he's in a state of turmoil. Some emotions like, guilt, hatred, shame, or anger, are locked within his heart and mind, swirling around. These cases happen frequently, like between husband and wife, or close friends. Until his turmoil is cleansed, it's not likely he will escape his attuned sleep." She gave them a moment to take it when he just told them. No one said anything for the longest of times. The doctor interrupted their thoughts.

"Tell me, has something happened within the past day or so that could have lead to his emotional break down, and result in this coma?" The group turned to Pepper, wanting him to answer since it was practically entirely his fault for Fox's state. He didn't answer though, after seeing so, Miyu stepped forward to answer the doctor's question.

"He saw some, horrific scenes." She said quietly, not wanting to bring back the memories, even if they were just day old.

"You mean like, in a dream or physically seeing them upfront?" She began writing down the information.

"Physically seeing them."

"I see what scenes exactly? What did he see that was so horrific?" Miyu took a moment to answer, wiping away another tear.

"He saw, all of us, being killed. By our old friend and his old love interest." Miyu then extended her arm in a circular motion to show the entire group. The doctor was partly off center.

"I…see. And, why was he seeing these? What were they for?"

"They were part of, his training."

"Training? What kind of training is that?" The doctor was lecturing Miyu, she just took it, not bringing up that it was Pepper's fault. The doctor calmed down a little.

"I'm sorry, but that is the most stupidest training method I've ever heard of. It's no wonder he's in this state of health now!" She turned to face the window. "Was he forced to see these images?"

"Yes." Miyu drooped her head down. Not wanting to look the doctor in the eyes. The doctor continued, still looking to her patient, feeling sorry for him.

"Do you have ANY idea of what that does to a person? Seeing loved ones and friends being brutally murdered?" No one answered her. Miyu just wiped away more tears, her tissue, getting moderately damped with tears. The doctor explained.

"If someone was to witness a murder first hand. They freak out, fearing for there life and what the killer is capable of. No matter how brave or headstrong the watcher is. When loved ones are killed through violent ways, it sends them in a state of rage, knowing that their loved one is gone forever. If the murderer is a loved one, or from past memories and experiences, it launches the watcher into another state of hatred, and guilt for not stopping them from doing what they did." She paused for a moment.

"If you're having trouble following, this means it puts more and more pressure and stress on the witnesses, constantly adding up and multiplying their stress level, and thus result's into having an emotional breakdown, and becoming emotionally unstable. And prolonged exposure to this kind of pressure warps and weakens the mind." She stopped, being somewhat angry with them, of what her patient was going through, a victim of emotional cruelty. She turned quickly and angrily towards them, pointing her pen at them. Her tone was even angry, baring her fangs.

"I hope you know you could be charged with mental torture and/or man slaughter, and be sent to prison for this. If the patient does not wake up within a certain period of time."

"How long exactly?" Fay asked nervously.

"One week. If Fox does not wake up a week from today, you will all be charged with mental torture, and man slaughter. Which will result in 5-10 years of prison time. With chance of parole after 5 years. But for putting the great hero Fox McCloud in this condition, even if you are close friends. I doubt the judge will give you that chance." The group was shocked; their lives could be ruined from this incident. Everything was at risk now. The doctor began walking away from them, she called out to them despised and disgusted with them.

"Good day." Miyu immediately turned around and punched Pepper across his muzzle, falling him to the ground.

"I hope you're happy!" Someone should have tried to stop her, but they didn't, why should they? It was his entire fault that Fox was in this state, and they could pay the price now. "Because of you, and forcing Fox to see all of that, he's in a coma! This is all you're fault!" Miyu was screaming at the top of her lungs, probably loud enough for the doctor to hear her. Falco picked up Pepper, from the collar of his shirt, suspending him in mid air. He brought their face together; Falco was glaring angrily at him.

"And now that Fox is in a coma, were being charged practically as his murderer's. IF he doesn't wake up in 7 days, were all going to prison!" He was violently shaking Pepper that entire time, and threw him across the room, embracing the wall. They were all disgusted with the blood hound, and doing what did. He picked himself up, and brushed off his uniform.

"I did what I had to do." Fay mocked him.

"What do you mean, what you had to do? You didn't have to do anything!" She was fighting back a few tears, she felt Katt's reassuring paw on her shoulder, though she didn't really know Fox personally. Katt still felt sorry for him, and angry at Pepper for the situation they were in now. Fay continued. "And now look at him." Fay extended her paw to the window, which revealed Fox in the bed. She turned back to face Pepper. "Look what he's become."

"Do you know the chances of waking up in 7 days, after what he's been through!?" Falco was practically threatening the general.

"Approximately 8.57 per-"Fay was interrupted by Falco's blunt response, quickly covering her face.

"I don't want to know the odds! That just makes me worry more!" Falco grabbed his head with both his arms, and turned his back to the group for a moment, he spun around, yelling violently.

"So you're saying there is less then a 10% chance that Fox will wake up in 7 days? And were all going to be charged as his killers and sent to prison for the next 10 years!? We practically did Krystal's job for her!" Miyu stepped forward, talking in a threatening tone.

"Don't say that. Don't you ever say that." She turned to the window, placing a paw on it, wanting to be close to Fox, but wasn't allowed right now. After a moment of silence, she continued, barely above a whisper.

"Fox will wake up."

"How do you know!?" Falco asked angrily.

"Just watch, he will wake up, I know it." A few tears escaped their eyes. She placed her second paw onto the glassy window, then her muzzle, staring endlessly at her beloved Fox. They wanted to argue against it. The odds of Fox waking up within that 7 day period were very slim. But it was the only hope they had going for them. They had to believe in Fox, believe he would wake up before it was too late.

The doctor quickly walked up to the group.

"You can go inside now, only one of you are allowed inside at a time, except for this first time." She quickly turned her back and started walking down the hall. Slowly everyone walked in the room, and headed for the bed that contained Fox. The ladies took a seat while the men stood behind them; Miyu scooted her seat closely to the beds side, and picked up Fox's paw, rubbing it along the side of her cheek. Fay put a paw on her shoulder, trying comfort her dear friend. This was probably the hardest for her. They all small tears streaming down there eyes, even Falco, Katt thought it was cute that he was showing his emotional side and wrapped her arms around his arm, he never did. But Fox was a life long friend, who could never be replaced.

Miyu unwrapped one of her paws from Fox's paw, and squeezed it with the other, she got up from her seat and leaned forward and planted a small kiss on his forehead. She whispered to him.

"I'm here for you, hon." One of her tears drooped down her muzzle and landed on Fox's face. She squeezed his paw a little tighter.

"Through better or worse."