AN:Hi ya all i hope you are doing well it has been a while. The good news is chapter 13 is finally up the bad news is that I've got a test tomorrow morning and it is 11:00 pm and i am still stalling... At lest you get a new chapter ;P

hope you enjoy it and please drop me a line when your done... oh and thanx to all of you guys who are still keeping up with the story and reviewing i really appreciate it

CHAPTER 13

THE GRAVES

Usagi's POV

Misaki started freaking out; he started saying "I have to go. Now, I have to go now" over and over again.

"Misaki…hey Misaki calm down…" I was trying to get him to calm down but words didn't seem to work.

I was holding his wrists trying to stop him from running out into the street. That's when he looked at me with pleading eyes and said "please…U-Usagi-san please… you have to understand… please… I don't want to remember anymore…p-please…Usagi-san…"

"Why don't you two just wait in the car" Minami said apparently understanding what Misaki was going through, being face to face with the kid his brother died saving.

She didn't have to tell me twice "Misaki, is that ok?" I had to make sure that it was what he meant by getting out of this place.

"Y-yes…please…" that was all I needed to hear.

I turned to the two standing in front of us and said "if you'll excuse us…" with that I grabbed Misaki's hand and walked him out of the shrine and to the car.

Before we were out the door I heard the woman say "I'm really sorry I didn't mean to upset him. We just wanted to offer our condolences…"

We had walked half way to the parking lot when I heard the kids' voice behind us yelling for us to wait for him. I stopped and turned around, Misaki followed my action. As much as I didn't want Misaki to go through this, the kid might say something that might give Misaki the courage to move on.

"Please… just wait a second…" the kid was panting between his words. He stood facing us as he said to Misaki "you were the one that was there on the day of the accident weren't you? Did you know him?"

Misaki's nodded slightly, his tears still falling. The kid started again "Of course you knew him, you won't be crying if you didn't…" trailing off when he saw Misaki's gaze drift to the ground, his grip tightened around mine. "I'm sorry…I didn't mean to upset you… I just wanted to say that thanks to him I'm standing here talking to you. He is my hero; I'm alive today because of him."

"H-he will always be mine…" Misaki whispered as he heard what the boy had said.

"I really wish that he was alive so I could thank him face to face. Now I understand how precious life is and how fleeting it could be…one moment you are here and the next your just…gone."

The boy was staring at his shoes as he said that. He then looked up and with a warm smile replacing the frown on his face and said "I'm sure that he was a great person. I really believe that he is in a better place right now." With a nod he turned around and ran back inside.

We got to the car and I opened the passenger door for him and led him to his seat & shut the door. I then got into my seat on the driver's side then I took a breath and exhaled. This day was tuning out to be more exhausting than I thought.

"Misaki…" I turned in my seat to face him. He had his face in his hands as he sobbed. I placed my hand over his head and tousled his hair "will you be ok…?"

"I'm s-sorry...I ju- I just…"

"It's ok you don't have to explain" he lowered his hands and tilted his head slightly towards me.

"I j-just didn't expect to…see him again… I just…" His words were cut short by a sob. I really hated seeing him like this, in so much pain and the cause is a mere memory… and yet it's not just a memory it is what happened in that memory that shifted his whole universe. An event that made him relive a suppressed trauma that took a very long time to get over.

I couldn't take the look of suffering that was on his face any longer, so I pulled him into my chest and held him tight as he sobbed "It's going to be ok…"

5 minutes later Minami and her sister were walking towards the car. I opened the window, Misaki still wrapped in my arms and she said "it's time to go; the monk is waiting for us at the grave yard"

"Alright, you go ahead I'll follow you there." I shut the window and said to Misaki "are you ready?" he only nodded. With a quick peck on his soft lips I let go of him, started the car and followed Minami to the grave yard.

When we got there I parked the car and turned off the engine. Misaki still not saying a word opened the door and quietly got out.

Misaki's POV

Once I got out of the car, Usagi-san followed me. This was all too familiar; it was the same grave yard that nii-chan and I used to come to together to visit our parents. The same one we were going to when…

I walked the all too memorable path to the entrance of the grave yard. I followed Minami-nee-chan and her sister into the grave yard after she had gotten the urn from the monk. Usagi-san was walking next to me with an arm around my back.

We walked for a while between the graves until nee-chan finally stopped. The path we took was the exact same one I memorized from all the times I've been here before. I tuned to look at the grave stone that nee-chan was kneeling before.

It read:

TAKAHASHI TAKAHIRO

DEVOTED HUSBAND

LOVING BROTHER AND FREINED

1983-2013

Nii-chan…

My heart felt heavy and I couldn't breathe. For the whole twenty years of my life on this earth this is the worst day. Minami-nee-chan still kneeling in front of the grave turned around and looked at me, she raised one arm towards me and said with a soft voice "Misaki-kun, come here"

I hesitated for a second, I didn't want to leave Usagi-san's side, but then I just gave in and grabbed the offered hand. She pulled me to her and I kneeled next to her. My eyes settled on the urn that she was still holding close to her heart.

"Takahiro my love…" she started, her sad eyes settling on her lovers ashes "I am really happy that I meet you in this world… the last two years were the best years of my life…" her voice chocked on the last words "I was already planning on a life time of that happiness with you my love…at least I got those two years…I will remember them and cherish the days we spent together for the rest of my life… I promise you… I-I love you now a-and forever…"

My hand was already on her back comforting her as she started crying. The first time I ever saw her crying was at the hospital, it was the first time since I've known her. Nii-chan really loved her as did she. They were the perfect couple.

It shouldn't have ended this way…

She wiped the tears from her cheeks with the back of her hand then turned to me. Her tears still flowing and said "Misaki-kun, would you like to say something to him?" I didn't really know what to say. People don't normally think about the things they are supposed to say at times like this… do they?

I looked back at what was left of him… my nii-chan was gone for good but…but if he really could still hear me what would I want to tell him…?

He already knows everything I want to say… he always somehow knew…

For some reason my voice was close to a whisper when I said "He already knows…He already knows how much I love him and that I will never stop loving him… nii-chan was a really great person…all I can do is to hope that one day I could be…just like my nii-chan…" my hand creased the side of the urn.

Nii-chan… I love you…

I retreated my hand when nee-chan raised her head towards Usagi-san to ask him if he wanted to say something. I already knew that he wouldn't, he doesn't like to talk about what he feels in front of anyone. With his answer she crouched forward and started to lower the urn into the ground.

This was it… the last time I'll ever see my nii-chan… It really hurts to think about it… that this will from now on be his last resting place…

My eyes raised slightly from the urn that was on its way to the ground to see the grave stone that was right next to it. The grave was my mum and dad's, it's the one nii-chan and I have been visiting all these years together. Each year on the…same…day…

Oh god…this can't be real… the world can't be that unfair…No…

My head shook in denial as realization hit me and the words just floated out of my mouth "Wait!" this can't be real… it can't be… there is no way that I would lose them all on the same day…just…twelve years apart… it just could be true… fate can't be that…cruel…

Usagi's POV

When Minami asked me if I wanted to say something I just shook my head. Misaki's words still stuck in my head. I knew how much he loved his brother, his word only conforming it. He did say the truth about his brother already knowing how he felt.

Minami had turned back to the grave and started lowering the ash filled urn into it only to be stopped by Misaki's voice when he said "Wait!" his voice sounded a bit strained. I lowered my eyes to him but he was still facing Minami, or I thought he was. His head was slowly moving between the grave in front of him and the on the left of it.

The one on the left had Misaki's parents' names on it. I was still confused to why he had asked Minami to wait apparently so was she and her sister that was still standing behind her. She paused for a moment and then lowered the urn and placed it in the center on the grave.

I walked closer when I heard Misaki crying softly, Minami had turned to look at him. I placed a hand on his head as she asked him "Misaki are you ok?" she placed a hand on his left shoulder. I ruffled through his hair. His body was trembling; his head shook in a "no" to answer her question.

Her concerned eyes rose to meet mine. I heard him whisper something, I only caught a few words from what he said "…same…day…" was all I heard. He then repeated the same words again this time a little louder, voice still shaky. His hands raised to hold both sides of his head as his head shook again.

It can't be that he just realized that they died on the same day…Misaki…

I looked back at Minami and then heard her sister say to her "Minami-chan, how about we give him some time with his brother…" Minami's eyes fell back on me and I just nodded. She nodded back at me and stroke Misaki's hair once and then got up and started walking the same way that we came from.

I kneeled down next to Misaki, right where Minami was and looked at Misaki. His face still had the same trails of tears from this morning, his eyes wide as if in shock. With his hands holding his head like that it looked as if my doubt was right. So I asked "Misaki what's wrong?"

My hand was over his hand at the sides of his face. He looked into my eyes and just chocked out "…everything…" his eyes carrying the pain of the world in them. And then he repeated the words from earlier and said "…same day…all of them… on the same day…" as if it was the last string his sobs got louder and he lowered his hands into his lap, his shoulder slumped as if giving up.

He said with the most hurt look on his face "…just twelve years apart…why so cruel…?" his body wrecked as his sobs got even louder. I pulled him to me and held him close, his loud sobs now heard almost throughout the cemetery. It was heart breaking to see him cry like that but all could do at the moment was hold him close.

Minami by now had reached the path that led straight to the parking lot. I saw her pause and look back when Misaki's pained sobs got louder, she looked really concerned and was about to walk back to us. As she started coming towards us again I just shook my head, her being here will not change anything.

Misaki was pretending to be ok all day, his act only being betrayed by the tears on his face. He just figuring out that they all died on the same day was too much for him. He was falling apart in my arms. I held him closer to me when he clutched my left sleeve with one of his hands.

I let him cry, didn't try to stop him, his tears soaking up my shirt. I let him cry for his brother... I let him cry for his parents… I let him cry for losing his family, the most important people to him... I let him cry for himself…

Time passed with us just sitting there, kneeling in front of his brothers' grave. Misaki was still crying even an hour later. I thought that it was time for us to head home. "Misaki, come on. It's time to go…" his hand clenched my shirt tighter but he didn't say anything. "Misaki…" he shook his head, his sobs not faltering, not even once.

This was the worst breakdown he had had since this whole thing started. "Misaki we can't stay here forever. Come on. Let's go home." The sky was getting darker with clouds; it looked as if it would rain. Knowing Misaki he would freak out and not get into the car if it did. Still not getting an answer I stood up and pulled Misaki up with me. He didn't fight me much. Although he was reluctant he still turned from the stone that stood in front of him.

I guided him down the path and then down some steps before we finally got to the car. I placed him in his seat then took mine. Misaki was still sobbing and hiccupping when I started driving us home. I just reached over and held his hand till we got home.

I parked the car and walked with Misaki till we got into the apartment, only holding hands. Once we got in Misaki stepped in before me. I reached for the light and turned it on. Misaki was standing near the door, his eyes looking around the penthouse.

I came closer to him and said "Misaki, are you…?" I paused when he leaned back into my chest.

"…why…" was what he said before his sobs started to get heavier. I wrapped my arms around him and just stood there holding his shaking body as he cried hoping that all of this would just pass. Misaki didn't deserve to be in so much pain… He didn't deserve any of this happening to him or his family.

"…Usagi…" I wrapped my arms tighter around him as I felt his arms wrap around mine.

"I don't know Misaki… I don't know…." I whispered in his right ear and then kissed it, placing my head on his shoulder.

TBC