"Nh…Aya?"

Ther other cars had still been there when Aya had reached the parking garage. Omi had called for a helicopter to take him and Ken as soon as they had left the Esset base – Ken had needed a hospital badly and they could not have afforded to wait. Aya understood that.

But now he planned to break every speed limit in Japan.

Yohji had moaned his name several times in his pained delirium, but this time when Aya chanced a glance in the rearview mirror he found the man in his backseat awake.

"Don't try to sit up," he warned, voice shaking a little. "You…you're hurt pretty badly, Yohji…"

"Man…I hurt like hell." Yohji somehow managed a small chuckle, raising his arm to cover his eyes. "My…head…"

"Lay quiet, Yohji. I'll get you to the hospital."

Silence filled the car for a while. Aya fought to keep his hands from shaking on the wheel, fought to keep from sobbing with relief.

"I had the strangest dream, love." Yohji said at last, each word a struggle. "I dreamt that you stopped loving me…Isn't that crazy, baby?"

"Crazy," he agreed quietly.

"Stop the car, bunny thong."

"I need to get you to a doctor, Yohji."

"Don't I know it. Stop the car; I wanna sit next to you."

"Yohji…"

"Aya."

He swallowed, finding it impossible to argue.

Against his better judgment, Aya pulled over and got out of the car, hurrying to the back and pulling the door open.

His eyes widened at the sight of Yohji.

The man was deathly pale, his hair matted and red with blood – much of it looking fresh.

"Yohji…I'm not sure I should move you…" he whispered.

"You don't help me, and I'll move myself."

The words were typical Yohji, but now it was clear how much speaking was costing him. He was too pale, his lips nearly white.

But he would argue until he got his way.

As quickly as was safe, Aya helped the man he loved into the front passenger seat and, once there, used the opportunity to examine the wound on the blonde's head.

"I don't like this, Yohji."

"Yeah," he breathed, leaning back in his seat. His hands were shaking, his skin deathly pale. He was having more difficulty speaking now. "Yeah…me neither."

"Don't speak anymore, Yohji, please."

Yohji stared into his eyes a moment before nodding. Aya brushed his lips quickly against his lover's before hurrying to get back into the car.

The moment he was back in the driver's seat, he reached for Yohji's hand.

They drove for a mile or two in silence, Aya gripping Yohji's hand and chancing a glance at him every moment or so.

"Don't go to sleep, Yohji!"

The blonde's eyelashes fluttered.

"You're so bossy, bunny thong…"

"Yohji…"

A quiet laugh. Yohji briefly, weakly, squeezed Aya's hand.

"Talk to me and I won't fall asleep."

"Yohji…"

"What? You…can't think of anything nice to say?"

Aya was silent for a moment.

"The problem is that there's too much to say…" he answered at last, quietly. "Yohji…Yohji, I love you so much…"

"Shit. Now I know I'm dead."

"I am so sorry, Yohji."

"Don't…don't say things you'll have to take back later."

Aya's hand tightened on the steering wheel.

"I won't take it back," he swore. "I love you. I'm sorry. No more lies, Yohji. I love you. I never stopped loving you."

"Tell me something I don't know." Yohji gave a laugh, but it was strained and weak.

"We'll talk later." Aya promised. "You need to save your strength."

"No. I want to talk about it now. Give…give me a reason…a reason to keep fighting."

He chanced another glance at him. Yohji was still too pale and his hand had grown cold.

"I don't have a reason, Yohji, except for the selfish desire to be with you. I love you. I'm sorry for hurting you. I…"

"You were trying to protect me."

"Yes."

"Stupid."

Despite himself, Aya felt tears fill his eyes.

"You're right!" he agreed with a weak laugh.

"I'm gonna…remember this…next time we fight. You're gonna…have years of 'I told you so's'…to look forward to."

"I'll gladly take every last one of them, Yohji, but you have to live, okay?"

A harsh laugh.

"I said I would…didn't I?"

"Yohji…I…"

He glanced at his companion and felt all the warmth drain from his body.

"Yohji…"

"It's not…that bad…love."

A small smile, eyes filled with love.

Still, Yohji looked terrible. He was too white, too cold. He'd lost too much blood.

"Don't talk anymore, Yohji. You need to rest and conserve your strength. Concentrate on fighting for your life…think of all the things I'll let you do to me out of guilt."

Yohji opened his mouth to comment, then thought better of it. He tried to nod, and that didn't work out very well, either.

Finally he managed a small smile and waggled his eyebrows.

Aya felt like crying.

Only Yohji Kudoh could come on to someone while hovering at death's door.


"Aya? Thank the gods. You're all right? Where's Yohji? Where are you?"

Aya blinked tired eyes, his mind taking a moment to catch up to Omi's – no, Mamoru's – questions.

"Are you at Magic Bus Hospital?" he asked at last.

"Yes; Ken jut got out of surgery. Ayan – where are you?"

"I'm about two miles away; I've got Yohji with me. Omi…it doesn't look good."

"Oh, Ayan…"

"Can you have everything ready by the time I get there?"

"Consider it done, Ayan."


Mamoru stopped short in the waiting room doorway, staring at the man within.

He'd never dreamed it was possible for Aya Fujimiya, the strong and dependable leader of the white hunters, to appear so bowed, broken, and weak.

He sat with his elbows on his knees, head in his hands. Though he had been told that Yohji could be in surgery for hours, he had refused to go home and sleep, or even just go home and clean himself up.

"Ayan…"

Aya jerked, looking up. He was paler than usual, his eyes red-rimmed and haunted.

"Omi…" he rasped, rising quickly.

Mamoru bit his bottom lip. Aya truly loved Yohji – that much was clear. Members of Weiss had been injured before, but this was the first time it had affected Aya this way.

"Ayan…I'm so sorry…"

"No!"

"…There was nothing they could do."

"No!"

Aya rushed for the door, but Omi caught him, holding him as his former leader collapsed into desperate sobs.


Mamoru entered the room quietly, closing the door softly behind himself and leaning against it. He took a deep breath to calm his nerves.

"Omi?"

Doctors had had to come in an d give Aya tranquillizers just to calm him. He was now three rooms over, sleeping peacefully.

"Omi? What's wrong, chibi?"

Opening his eyes, Mamoru Taketori looked at the figure in the bed and reminded himself that his work wasn't finished yet.

Yohji's surgery had been a complete success; the doctors said that they had never seen a body so willing to heal. Even now it was miraculous how much color had returned to the blonde man's skin, how strong his voice sounded.

"Where's Aya?"

"Aya is…resting."

"Good. Yeah…man doesn't know how to take care of himself." Somehow Yohji managed a small laugh. "Help me sit up, will you, chibi?"

"The doctors said that wasn't a good idea, Yotan."

"Quacks."

Despite himself, Mamoru smiled. He crossed the room and took a seat in the chair next to the bed.

"I know I'll be in a hell of a lot of pain once these meds wear off, but don't let them give me anything else, all right, chibi? I don't want to sleep until after I've seen Aya."

"Yohji…I've come to say goodbye."

"Omi?"

"You have to understand! You and Ayan hurt each other so much…! You love each other, I know you do, but it will never work between you! You'll just keep hurting each other worse and worse forever and ever!"

"It's the sweetest torture I know," he answered with a small, boyish smile. "One day, you'll fall in love. Then you'll understand."

"No, Yohji. You've suffered long enough. You both have."

"We'll decide when to call it quits, chibi. We're grown-ups."

He shook his head.

"Ayan will be able to survive losing you…he's strong. I know he'll be all right."

"Omi? What…what's going on?"

"I'm going to give you what you wanted, Yotan. So…this is goodbye. You'll never see me – or Aya or Ken – again…and if you do, you won't know who we are. You'll finally have the peace you deserve. The chance to forget."

"Omi, what are you…?"

Mamoru rose as he heard the door open.

"Yohji, this young woman is one of Krittiker's strongest telepaths," he informed him as the woman entered the room.

Rina Willans was tall and darkly tenned, with long, sleek black hair and cool gray eyes. She presented a very professional figure as she took the chair Mamoru had vacated.

"Omi?"

Gods, this was painful.

But it had to be done.

It was the only way his beloved family could find happiness.

"Make sure he remembers nothing, Rina." Mamoru requested, ignoring his friend's plea.

"No! Omi! No!"

"Yes sir, Taketori-san." Rina agreed, bowing her head.

"Omi, you can't do this! Please! Don't make me forget him! Omi!"

Mamoru paused in the doorway, fighting tears.

"I'm sorry, Yotan. But this really is for the best."

"Omi!"

"Goodbye, Yotan."


The End

(Wince) You can start sending in the hate mail now. This was actually one of my favorite chapters.

Be sure to keep an eye out for the last fic in this arc, Flood, coming soon. Unless you're too furious at me to read it. Thanks for coming this far, anyway.

Kit