So I kinda realized that chapter 19 wasn't the greatest, but it had to be done, so I'm not taking it down or re-writing it. It had important information in it. This chapter, however, should make up for it. YAY! Tell me what you think, okay?

Hikaru stood on his tiptoes to see over the heads in front of him. Tamaki, Haruka, and Haruhi all leaned against the fence, completely silent as they watched through the small opening, hidden behind the bush.

"Is he-?" Hikaru began.

But he was cut off by Haruka's harsh, "SShhh. We don't want him to notice us. You three aren't immune, remember?"

Hikaru shrugged and continued to watch the slow-moving elderly man, limping his way down the dirty street. He was merely ten feet away from them, so they held themselves still. The old man had wispy white hair on his balding head. His tired eyes were rimmed with broken glasses settled on his nose. And lesions covered his body. The old man coughed roughly into his loose-hanging shirt and blood spattered up onto his white and red checkered sleeve. Haruhi flinched away, averting her eyes.

"Can't we find another way around?" Tamaki hissed under his breath as he looked at the man in horror.

Hikaru shook his head. "This is the only road that we need to cross and it's the safest route anyways. Right Haruka?"

Haruka nodded. "Yes, just be quiet. I think I hear something else."

Hikaru glanced behind them, making sure no one was sneaking up from behind. The sun was gleaming in the horizon from where it was rising, casting a bright twinkling light they had stayed in the night before. They were lucky; really, to have found a house that hadn't been looted and still had clean beds and a stock of food. There hadn't even been any bodies lying around! That was always a plus.

Kneeling down, Hikaru pulled up the right leg of his jeans, revealing the knife wedged into his sock. He couldn't help checking to make sure it was still there. Hikaru glanced at the others, seeing the flash of metal beneath Haruhi's sweatpants as she shifted on her feet.

As Hikaru stood, Haruka began to speak, "Maybe I should just put him out of his misery." He fingered at the gun in his waistband, pulling it out slowly to not startle the other three.

Haruhi gasped, putting a hand in Haruka's wrist. "What are you saying? You can't shoot people!"

"The Red Plague makes you suffer for days! Can you imagine how much pain he's in right now?" Haruka hissed lowly.

Haruhi placed her hands on hips threateningly. "Do you even know how to shoot a gun?" she asked, furious.

Haruka looked away. "What else do you suggest? This guy has been pacing outside this fence for the last 15 minutes, just moaning to himself. Do you see him going away anytime soon?"

Haruhi just stared in disgust. "You still won't shoot him. You'd probably miss anyway."

Groaning, Haruka looked over Tamaki and Hikaru. "Have either of you ever shot a gun?"

Tamaki shook his head frantically but Hikaru stayed quiet, biting his lip. Suddenly everyone was staring at him. "What?" Hikaru asked defensively. "Kaoru and I have been hunting before. It's no big deal."

Haruka took a step forward, bringing the gun up for Hikaru. But Haruhi held him back, saying, "No way. There is no way you are going to make Hikaru shoot that old man. He's a human being!"

"He's a human being on the verge of dying. He's got to be in so much pain," Haruka argued back. He turned back to Hikaru and gestured for him to take the gun. "Think about it, Hikaru. The longer we have to wait here, the longer we hesitate, the closer Kaoru is to dying. Seriously, Kaoru is probably in as much pain as this old man. The difference is that you can save Kaoru. This old man… he's going to die either way. So take it. Take this gun. We need to save your brother and we're only wasting time." Haruka held the gun out farther.

The group watched in silence as Hikaru raised a shaking hand. Could he really do this? This wasn't really the same as shooting a soda can or deer… this was a human being. But Hikaru reached over and grasped the cold metal, feeling the terrifying power he held in his hands.

"You wouldn't…" Haruhi gasped, exasperated.

Hikaru looked at her brokenly. "My brother…" were his only words.

"Let's go," Haruka said softly, placing a comforting hand on Hikaru shoulder, leading him towards the opening in the fence. They brushed by Tamaki and Haruhi but Hikaru did not dare to look in their eyes. He didn't want to see the disappointment written there.

The two stumbled into the street behind the old man. Haruka gestured for the other to stay behind. "Hey, you!" Haruka hollered, practically making Hikaru jump out his skin.

The old man turned slowly, catching them with his wild eyes. "Help me," he wheezed, taking a step towards the two boys.

"Okay, here you go, Hikaru. Don't let him get too close or he could infect you and don't listen to his words. At any moment he could jump you and take a chunk out of your skin with his teeth," Haruka hissed, stepping back.

Hikaru glanced at his friends in bewilderment before raising the gun. His hands were shaking so he forced himself steady. He breathed, trying to think of the old man limping towards him as just another target practice. But as Hikaru stared over the barrel of his gun, he felt a pang of remorse. This man was just like him, wasn't he? He was just sick where Hikaru was not. Couldn't the four of them just run past him and leave him be? The old man certainly did not look fast enough to catch them.

Hikaru faltered and began to lower his gun, when suddenly the old man had abandoned his limp and was rushing Hikaru at full speed. Hikaru let out a strangled cry before re-raising his gun and squeezing his eyes shut. One! Two! Three bangs rang into the air. And when Hikaru opened his eyes, he found the gun shaking and smoking in his hands and dead man lying yards away from him. Three bullet wounds bled from the man's head. Hikaru was going to be sick.

Haruka let out a stuttering breath before patting Hikaru on the back. "You did well, Hikaru," he said shakily.

Hikaru dropped the gun numbly and dropped to his knees, hyperventilating. He'd shot someone. He's a murderer. "He was going to attack me," Hikaru whispered, trying to reassure his self. "I had to." Two pairs of arms wrapped around Hikaru. It was Tamaki and Haruhi. He leaned into their touch, seeking comfort.

"You did it for Kaoru," Haruka said somewhere above them. "It had to be done."