"Hey you two." Haruhi greeted as the hosts entered the room.

"Hey Haruhi." The twins replied in unison, Kaoru did his best to appear to feel better than he actually did, his stomach ached and he felt hot.

"Hikaru, you look tired, do you want to lay down?" Tamaki asked.

"No, I'm fine, Kaoru needs me."

"That's right Hikaru, I do. That means you need to take care of yourself too." Kaoru explained

"You come first Kaoru. You're the one who needs looked after now."

"You can't look after me if -"

"Kaoru, don't worry about me, I'm getting better, I feel a lot better now, you don't need to worry. I'll never leave you."

"Walking a couple steps to your bed isn't leaving. It's taking care of yourself."

"He's right Hikaru, you can't be there for him if you don't follow doctor's orders." Tamaki said.

"I'll be okay if you want to rest." The older twin shook his head.

"I almost lost you Kaoru, I can't leave you, the doctor said you only responded to me, if I leave you-"

"Hika, I know you're scared. I'm sorry, that's my fault but you promised me."

"Yeah, if something happens to you."

"Something did happen, you have to do this for me. If you get sick again and-"

"Rest Kao, please."

"How can I, I'm stopping you from doing what you need to, I'm a terrible brother."

"Kao, that isn't true. You're the best little brother ever. There's no one I'd rather call my twin. If I could pick, it'd be you everytime. " kaoru smiled faintly.

"It scares me to see you lying in a hospital bed Kaoru, and I was so close to losing you. I love you." Hikaru's eyes filled with tears. He looked at Kaoru's pale face, he heard the weakness in his voice and his heart was breaking.

"You'll really be okay?"

"Yeah."

"Promise me something."

"What?"

"Promise me, if I go to sleep, you'll be here when I wake up." Kaoru reached up and brushed the tears away.

"I promise. It's not like I'm alone, everyone's here with us."

"Hika-chan, we'll take care of Kao-Chan if you want to sleep." Honey offered.

"See, I won't be alone, It's okay." It was another several minutes before Hikaru moved. Finally, he made his way over to his bed and laid down. He drifted off slowly into an uneasy sleep.

"How are you feeling Kao-Chan?"

"I feel Okay honey senpai." The shorter boy seemed unconvinced.

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"I do feel okay, it isn't that bad." Kaoru said.

"I find that hard to believe Kaoru, considering how pale you are, and there's just something in your eyes that-" Haruhi reached out to touch his head only to have Kaoru take hold of her hand gently. He smirked as he caught sight of an annoyed Tamaki from the corner of his eye. He would have continued to irritate him, had he felt better.

"I'm fine."

"You're sweating, you have a fever." She said with concern. " does Hikaru know?"

"If he does, he didn't mention it."

"So you're not denying you have a fever?" Kaoru shook his head.

"No. You notice a lot of things Haruhi."

"Friends usually do when they take the time to really care. The fever isn't the only thing though is it Kaoru?"

"Isn't it enough?"

"More than enough, but you know what I mean." She said sternly.

"It's nothing to worry about, I just have to use the button a little more."

"Kaoru, what about your test results from the other day, I heard they took you for imaging." Kyoya lowered himself into the chair.

"It slowed down, but doesn't seem to be stopping soon."

"What slowed down Kao-Chan?"

"It doesn't matter honey senpai, I'm okay."

"I'll fill you in later."Kyoya promised. Kaoru closed his eyes.

"Are you okay?" Tamaki asked.

"Yeah Boss."

"You don't have to hide things from us you know." Kaoru didn't answer, he was focused on the button he was currently squeezing tightly.

"You're in a lot of pain, I'm so sorry Kaoru." Tamaki said softly.

"I'm not. It's better than what would have happened if I didn't have the operation. I'd rather be a little sick and have some pain, than let that happen."

"Hika-Chan is lucky to have you. Not everyone would feel that way."

"You guys keep saying that. I'm just being a brother. He'd do it for me." Kaoru closed his eyes.

"I'm sorry, this pain medicine makes me so tired."

"You need your rest, It's nothing to be sorry for. Sleep if you feel like you need it." Kaoru didn't need told twice, he drifted into what he hoped would be a peaceful sleep.

"What's wrong with Kao-Chan?" Honey asked turning to Kyoya.

"Kaoru's bleeding internally, that's why he's so weak and in pain. He could potentially- well it may not end in his favor. Not a word to Hikaru." The hosts were stunned by this new information, no one wanted to believe it.

"He's having another test tomorrow but-"

"They can stop it right?" Haruhi interjected.

"Some cases stop on their own and the patient gets better, sometimes surgery is the answer, but Kaoru wouldn't survive a second operation. I've met with the doctors privately. " Kyoya explained.

"Can't they just give him some?"

"No. Not while he's still bleeding."

"This is all so hard to believe. Yeah I know it has to be true but-" Tamaki put his arm around Haruhi.

"He's going to be just fine."

Kaoru woke to find himself in a different room. He didn't know what was happening but he wasn't afraid.

"Kaoru, you're awake, how do you feel?" The doctor asked leaning over him.

"Tired of answering that question."

"I understand, but It's important, in case you're wondering, we're going to do an ultrasound, it could have been performed in your room but I thought it would be easier on you if we came in here. Normally It's pretty painless, the gel is fairly cold. Because of your stomach pain, you might find it causes some discomfort. When we get done here, I'm starting you on another IV drip for fever and pain.

Kaoru felt himself begin to give in to sleep but was soon forced out of it by the cold gel, he shivered.

"Just relax now, this will only take a few minutes." Kaoru felt the pressure of the small device on his stomach and moaned painfully.

"I know, I'm sorry. Just lie still and rest."

"Who can rest with this much pain?"

"Try." The doctor instructed. Kaoru did his best to handle his pain until finally the doctor was finished.

"I was hoping that it would have stopped by now since the GI bleeding slowed."

"Am I going to die?"

"If things keep up, It's-It's likely. I'm sorry. Likely isn't definite though. There's still a chance." Kaoru knew this news should have been devastating, but he felt strangely calm. He thought that maybe it was a sign of some kind, was he ready to die? Maybe that was the reason for his lack of fear. Whatever the reason, Kaoru knew one thing for sure, he couldn't go, for Hikaru's sake. He had to keep going, fight it to his last breath if he had to.

The thought of what could happen to Hikaru was far too difficult for him to take. He could hear his twin's words playing in his thought.

"Damn it Kaoru, why did you do this, you lied, said we'd always be together. I'll never forgive you for this!" He would shout. Kaoru sighed. He wouldn't allow himself to be that selfish, no matter how weak or how much pain he had. He had no right to be.

"Are you okay Kaoru?"

"Yeah, I guess I shouldn't be after what you said, but I'm okay for the most part."

"Would you like me to take you back now and set up the medicine?"

Kaoru nodded. "Hikaru's probably awake by now. He'll wonder where I am. Do you think you could give me something for pain that isn't strong enough to make me really tired, just take some of it away, like before?"

"You're going to a lot of trouble for your brother. What is it you want, if you didn't have a twin,-"

"Then we wouldn't be talking now."

"For argument sake, you have no brother, you're lying in the hospital, in this same condition, what would you ask for?"

"Nothing. If It's just me, I would have stopped trying by now. But I can't, not now."

"So you would have let yourself go?" Kaoru nodded.

"Things are that bad for you and still, It's about him. Can't say I could do the same, and I do have a twin. A sister though we've never shared the bond most twins are said to. We're night and day, fought all the time. I look at the two of you, Hikaru's willingness to protect you, yours to die for him, to keep it from him, that's really something." The doctor took Kaoru back to the room where Hikaru was talking to a nurse.

"I understand, thank you." He said.

"Hey Kao, how are you?" He asked turning his attention to his little brother. Kaoru put on a smile.

"I can't complain, are you feeling okay?"

"I'm fine. I haven't been tired or hurting like I was. I'm just worried now, when you're better, and we're both home, I'll be more relaxed."

"No you won't, this is going to bother you a lot longer than that and you know it." Kaoru said.

"You'll be with me and we can-"

"I'm with you now and you're not doing any better."

"You're still in the hospital Kao, how do you expect me to feel?"

"I'm not worried, you shouldn't be either." Kaoru laid still as the nurse began the Iv, she laid the button beside Kaoru who was able to press it without his brother seeing, but the action didn't go unnoticed by everyone.

Kyoya shook his head, it amazed him how fair Kaoru would go to protect his older brother from his true condition. Kyoya whispered something to Tamaki who nodded and turned to Haruhi, sharing the information.

"Hey Hikaru, you know how the doctor said you were alright to talk if someone was with you?"

"What about it?"

"You remember those machines we went to earlier?"

"Yeah but-"

"Can you walk with me?" Haruhi asked. "I know I'm asking a lot-"

"You're asking too much, I have to be with Kaoru."

"Hika, It's just down the hall, I'll be okay." After quite a bit of convincing, Hikaru agreed leaving Kyoya free to speak.

"Kaoru, I understand that you want him to feel better about this but I'm not sure that in your condition It's the best for him."

"You want me to tell him I'm dying, do you have any idea what that's going to do to him?"

"What will happen if you do and he -"

"He's going to hate me anyway when I do. I just want a little more time before that, is that too much to ask?"

'Kaoru, I'm just saying to let him know It's possible. Sometimes It's best to be prepared."

"Tell me senpai, how do you prepare yourself to watch someone you're this close to die?" There was a long silence as Kyoya and Kaoru looked at each other.

"You really can't. But if Hikaru knows it won't be such a big shock." Tamaki's voice showed his own pain. The club was a family, each host was important to it, vital to the group. Tamaki himself had never before witnessed someone die, the thought of his family being torn apart by something so final scared him beyond words.

"M-maybe It's better for both of you to let him know while you two can talk about it together."

"I don't want any of you to cry for me, I'm not upset, yeah it would be nice to live, there are things I wanted to do, but what I did was much more important than any of those." He said noticing the tears in Tamaki's eyes.

"You talk about this like It's not a big deal. It's only a possibility and yet- you're ready for this aren't you?" Kyoya sounded hurt.

"I think so."

"You're fifteen, how can you be so ready to-"

"I really hope you don't find out what that feels like anytime soon." Kaoru said honestly.

"I'll talk to Hikaru, but not yet, right now, I need to rest, I already know how he's going to take it. I have to be ready for it."