Kaoru's POV

(Flash back)

My eyes fluttered open. Everything was bright and I couldn't feel a thing. Was this what it felt like to be dead? If this was death, where was Hikaru? I had imagined he would be waiting for me when I died at the gates to where ever we would go. At least we'd be together.

As my vision began to clear, a figure came into view, but it wasn't my brother standing over me.

"Kyouya," I say weakly.

"Kaoru, it's good to see you awake. How are you feeling?" He asks looking over me.

"I feel..." I start to push myself up, but stop. Pain rips through my body. I stay down. "I should be dead. Hunter shot me. Why am I alive?" I ask Kyouya.

"Hunter and I planned it this way," Kyouya responded quickly. I'm shocked. They planned this?

"Why wasn't I let in on this little plan?" I ask narrowing my eyes. If I had my strength I might've punched Kyouya.

"We needed your reaction to be genuine. Plus Kaoru, you were so quick to volunteer to give your life that I was afraid you'd do something to ensure you actually died. You don't think I've forgotten your attempts, do you?" He asks me. I shake my head, or at least try.

"What exactly is the plan?" I ask chosing to ignore the fact that he brought up something I didn't want to think about.

"The plan was to have Hunter shoot you in a place that looked convincing, but you wouldn't die from. He was nervous, but I sat him down and showed him where to aim. Once you were shot, he would carry you through the woods where there aren't any cameras. I met him in the woods where we switched bodies. I had one from the morgue ready. We put your hoodie on it and pulled up the hood, so that the face was concealed from the park camera where he crossed out and rolled the other body off the cliff. We needed HARC to believe you were dead, so that they would take Hunter back to the base. I brought you back here where you're getting private medical care and where you'll stay while you're supposed to be dead. We have a legal search warrent out for you right now, so once this is over you'll just show back up having taken a vacation and very sorry for the worry you caused everyone. In the meantime, Hunter is back at base with a flash drive I gave him containing a kill code to wipe the system of the computer with all the research on it. When he's done, he's going to get back here or give me a sign. We have a time limit in place in case things go wrong and he doesn't make it out," Kyouya explained to me.

"So you're telling me, you're sending Hunter in there to fight against his own kind and trusting him to come out?" I asked. Kyouya was smarter than this. You can never trust a reboot.

"He doesn't want the reboot population growing anymore than we do. We have to trust him, Kaoru. Hunter is not the enemy," Kyouya sighs.

"He came here to kill me!" I try to raise my voice.

"But he didn't kill you. I don't think you're mad that he didn't tell you that he is a reboot," Kyouya says flatly.

"That's exactly why I'm mad. He lied to me," I snap.

"I think you're mad that you've found out reboots aren't as evil as you thought they were. I think you're upset that he didn't kill Hikaru and you aren't getting your revenge. Most of all, I think you're scared to ask if your brother rebooted," Kyouya says to me. I can feel the anger bubbling under my skin.

"Of course Hikaru didn't reboot! If he did, he would've found me and told me," I start off angry, but end in a sorrowful tone. "He would've found me," I repeated.

"What if he didn't remember?" Kyouya asked.

"It wouldn't be fair. I've been killing reboots since Hikaru died. If he rebooted, what if I killed him? I couldn't live with that. You wouldn't understand," I tell Kyouya sadly truthfully, the thought had crossed my mind.

"You're right, I don't understand, but there is one person out there that does understand," Kyouya points out to me. I shake my head.

"Hunter? No, he wouldn't understand," I say trying to dismiss any idea Kyouya may have. Unfortunately, Kyouya is as stubborn as an Ox.

"Actually Kaoru, I talked to him when we were planning. He didn't have any memories until recently when they came back to Ouran. Look, I know how you feel about reboots, but he has a family too. He's afraid that if he comes back to his family, they won't forgive him or accept him," Kyouya said. I rolled my eyes. It was hard to imagine a reboot feeling any type of emotion.

"Well then, he's a coward. Any parent would take their kid back. It's selfish of him to have the chance to go home and to not take it," I respond. It was as simple as that.

(Present time)

I laid awake the rest of the night in my bed. I couldn't get the look on Hunter's face when I told him he was a coward out of my mind. He looked so genuinely broken. I almost pitied him. Something about that face reminds me of Hikaru and the way he used to look at me during our hosting act. Except, it was genuine.

As the sun rose and was filtering through the windows, I knew that I'd have to go back down there with Hunter. I wonder though, what became of Kazukiyo? I'm sure that Kyouya made out ok. He had doctors on call that had been working on a cure to the KDH virus and the rebooting after effect. They just weren't sure what condition the human would be in after waking up from that.

I stand and slowly walk down the stairs. I was mostly recovered from the bullet wound, but it still needed a little more time. Time that I apparently had since I was supposed to be dead, missing, or whatever.

Kyouya and Kazukiyo hadn't reappeared, but I did see Hunter laying asleep on a couch in the living room. He was obviously having a nightmare. I sat on the coffee table right infront of the couch just watching him.

"Don't go near him. I'll only do this as long as you stay away from him," Hunter mumbled in his sleep. Then he pulled his knees into his chest and started screaming at the top of his lungs. I stand and start shaking him.

"Hunter, wake up," I say until the screaming stops and he's staring at me.

"Kaoru," He mumbled sitting up fast. He's covered in sweat and wearing long sleeves. I can't imagine that's doing him any favors.

"What the hell was that Hunter?" I ask him wondering if there were any other reboot surprises I should be informed of.

"I... Nightmare, well memory," Hunter says quietly. I stare at him waiting for him to elaborate on that. "I was remembering my first encounter with HARC. They told me if I didn't let them inject me with the KDH virus that they would hurt my little brother. That first injection... It was the most painful thing I can recall," He said looking at me.

"You had a little brother? Where is he now?" I ask.

"He's around. He doesn't know I'm around. I don't want him to. He's alright though. I'm proud of him," Hunter says with a shrug. It's one of the most selfish things I've ever heard. If my brother rebooted, I would want to know.

"I'll never understand that," I sigh. Before Hunter can ask what, Kyouya comes into the room.

"It's done. Kazukiyo is human again. It worked," He said looking over us both. "One visitor at a time. You first Kaoru. I need a word with Hunter," Kyouya says, so I get up and go to see Kazukiyo.

He isn't awake, so I sit at his bedside, but he certainly is human again. The ticking of a heart monitor confirms that.

So this was a filler chapter.

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