If you still care, don't ever let me know...
- Snuff, by Slipknot
"'He said he wasn't scared when he was standing there and the wasps were stinging him and hurting him and he was watching me run away. Because he knew he had to give me enough time to run, or the wasps would have come after both of us.'"
Izzy sat, stiff-backed, in the familiar and uncomfortable hospital chairs. The book in his hands was worn and old. It had been Nakayama's favorite when he was younger, demanding it to be read every night before Jaciru deemed them both "too old" for bedtime stories at the age of seven. Even then, Nakayama had still snuck into his parent's room to listen to a few pages ever so often.
It wasn't the action or the dramatics that Nakayama loved, but how happily it ended. To him, the happy ending was the only thing that mattered.
"'It wasn't brave because he wasn't scared: it was the only thing he could do. But going back again to get his glasses, when he knew the wasps were there, when he was really scared. That was brave.'"
Jaciru was on the other side of the bed, sprawled out halfway across her still brother, both her hands clenched tightly around one of his. She could feel the faint throb of his heartbeat syncing up to the monitor, his fingers pulsing with a dimmed life in hers. Her father's voice and the familiarity of the story was making her drowsy, but she fought off sleep. As long as her brother was unconscious, she wanted to remain alert for any change.
"Because,' she said, 'when you're scared but you still do it anyway, that's brave.'"
The door opened, but Izzy's didn't pause his words. He continued to read the pages, words blurry even through his glasses. A heavy hand fell on his shoulder and he leaned back into his husband's exhausted embrace.
"How's he doing?" Tai whispered. The pain in his leg was nothing compared to the pain in his chest. The words Matt had spoken to him, the tale of pain and isolation for years and years, they made him feel ten times older than he really was. How could he have never known all that and continued to call himself Matt's friend? He would have to remedy that, he knew, but not until Nakayama... "Any better?"
Izzy finally closed the book and set it next to his son's body. But he knew where he was, he knew the words he would speak next. He'd read it over and over all day, every last letter was burned into his memory. His lips were dry, but he spoke softly, gravelly, "The same. The doctor came by, said he could wake up today. Or he could never wake up at all."
"He will," Tai promised. "Kaya'll come back to us."
The machines beep and hissed. The fluids keeping the boy alive dripped and shifted. The clock in the room ticked maddeningly, over and over. Tai sat heavily in a chair next to his husband. Izzy's hands shook as he reached for the book. Even before opening its pages, he was speaking softly.
"'I'm going back for them because they are my parents. And if they noticed I was gone I'm sure they would do the same for me.'"
The sun was setting, the room changing from white to yellow as the fluorescent lighting took up the sun's slack. A nurse came and went, offering the small family food that was predictably denied. Later, once visiting hours were over, they would chastise each other for skipping lunch, and they would skip dinner together as well.
It was a pattern that repeated itself for three days.
For three days they stayed together in silence, broken only by Izzy's incessant reading. For three days, the young girl bravely fought for her family, and for three days she won.
For three days Nakayama's still form survived only on machines, fighting for his own life, and for three days his own family wondered if he would win.
Just as the nurses were going around, gently telling family and friends that visiting hours were up, Jaciru felt it. The steady twitch of her twin's fingers in her hands changed. His index moved, then his ring, then both pinkie and thumb.
"Kaya!" the girl squealed suddenly. She jumped to her feet, almost knocking over her chair.
Izzy and Tai jerked from their half-sleeping vigils as she continued to insist, "He moved, I felt it!"
Izzy tried to tell her to leave him alone, but his voice was gone, echoing silently the words of his story. Tai grabbed his cane, resting beside his chair, and hauled himself to his feet. He opened his mouth to tell Jaciru that she'd "felt" him move about three times a day.
But then she leaned over her younger brother, reaching out to touch his cheek. Nakayama's face pinched in slightly, eyebrows furrowing. His eyelids fluttered and he snorted softly around the tubes in his nose and throat.
"N-Nakayama!" Tai cried. He dropped his cane to the floor with a clatter as he grabbed his son's hand in his. The boy flicked dilated eyes to his father and there was relief in them. There was love in them.
There was life in them.
Barely a week had passed since Gabriel's arrest, and now, Matt glanced to the man next to him. He almost wished Cody could have been beside him, but the man had told him he wasn't a family court lawyer. But, this guy did seem to know what he was doing, and he had Joe's comforting presence behind him just like before.
"Charged with molesting his kids?" the judge asked skeptically. "And he wants them back?"
"Your honor," his new lawyer spoke. His voice was just as commanding as Cody's, drawing respect with a simple statement. "All evidence against Mr. Ishida was found to be nothing more than a collaboration between the former ADA Gabriel Dolphinus and the ex-Mrs. Ishida. The rape kit entered into court was not, in fact, Hanako Ishida's; and when actually inspected, her's held no evidence of any kind of sexual conduct. The child pornography websites found on his computer were only accessed once and only while he was recovering in the hospital.
"Your Honor, there has been absolutely nothing to suggest that Mr. Ishida has been anything but a good father and a victim of unfair, borderline illegal, activities." There was a stack of papers on the judge's desk that the lawyer waved a hand to. "As well, this is all the evidence and testimony in favor of my client not only getting his children back, but denying Mrs. Ishida access to the children that she has traumatized with these false allegations."
"You can't do that!" Sora yelped and her own counsel tried to shush her. But the woman continued to cry out over her timid lawyer, "Those are my children! I need them and to make sure they're safe!" She pointed at Matt as the judge called for order in the tiny courtroom. "He's a monster, why can't anyone see that?! I have to protect my children!"
"As you can see, your honor," Matt's lawyer said leisurely. "This is what Mr. Ishida has had to raise his children with."
Sora only calmed when threatened to be kicked out of the proceedings and the judge looked over the stack of papers. Matt clasped his hands together, trying to control their shaking, but it was proving hard. Yes, the charges had been dismissed, but would this judge be swayed like Judge Catherine had been? At least he didn't have a jury to worry about like before.
The judge took a breath and gave Sora a look when the woman tried to open her mouth. "I have been over these documents before, and I've even reviewed the criminal case as it was ongoing. I must agree with Mr. Drake here – I have no reason to believe that Mr. Ishida is a danger to his children. I hereby grant sole custody to Yamato Ishida."
Matt bowed his head into his hands, pressing his knuckles against his forehead. He could feel the tears streaming down his cheeks and he couldn't stop the hiccup of a sob as his lawyer patted him congratulatory on his back. It was over. It was finally over. He had his kids back...
Sora was standing, screaming something and the judge was slamming her gavel to try and regain order.
"Mrs. Ishida, sit down before I regret my next words." Matt didn't look up, but instead leaned back into Joe's comforting touch. He would be home soon... "While I am granting Mr. Ishida sole custody, I still believe a young girl Hanako's age needs her mother around. Therefore, Mrs. Ishida will have supervised visitation, a mandatory two hours a month. Any more than that can be worked out between the parents."
Sora's wordless shriek of rage was cut off by the gavel. The judge stood and left the room, leaving the redhead to turn on her hapless lawyer. Matt looked up as his lawyer said something to him, but he couldn't hear the words. He could only see the man that was now standing before him, feel the familiar hands on his cheeks that he had missed so much.
"Matt," Joe breathed. He hadn't been able to touch his lover in so long, he was terrified that it would go back to what it had been before. But the blonde stumbled as he stood from his chair, sending it clattering to the floor, and he threw his arms about Joe's shoulder's.
"Joe, oh Joe," Matt sobbed, soaking the doctor's shoulder instantly. "I... I can't believe it... H-Hana-chan and Tsuku-chan..."
"They're waiting for you," Joe whispered into silky blonde hair. He'd missed the man's scent so much. "Just outside with Aiko."
Sora was being detained, yelling at the court officer that was trying to calm her, but Matt ignored her. He'd be able to ignore her for the rest of his life now, minus two-hour intervals every month. He let go of Joe and practically ran to the door, flinging it open.
There was nothing but a blur of blonde and red as Hanako and Tsukuyomi ran at their father. Matt fell to his knees and wrapped his arms around his children, squeezing them as tightly as he could. He was crying, kissing them, hugging them. They were crying too, kissing and hugging back. They were together. They were all together again.
Aiko hurried to his father's side, gingerly taking the man's hand in his. Now that Matt was back, he knew he be able to put away his puzzles. He wouldn't need to put them together by himself anymore.
"Daddy," Hanako was crying. "Daddy, I'm sorry. I'm sorry for everything..."
"You didn't do anything wrong, sweetie," Matt promised. "You didn't do anything. I love you so much, Hanako. I love you, Tsukuyomi..." He would have spent the rest of his life on his knees, holding his children if not for a tiny touch on his shoulder. He pulled back, not standing, and still not letting go. He glanced at Joe and smiled. "Hana-chan, Tsuku-chan? Do you remember Dr. Kido?"
There was a hesitation and Tsukuyomi said, "I think I remember breakfast. It's been a while..."
"Well," Matt began and he smiled awkwardly. "I've been living with him and his son, Aiko. He's my..." What had Sora told them about him? Well, he didn't care. These were his kids now. "He's my boyfriend. We're all going to live with him. Together."
Hanako eyed the tall man. She remembered how happy her father had looked when she'd spoken about him so long ago, but... Boyfriend? "What about Mommy?"
Matt made a face. He wanted to curse, but Hanako's teary eyes made him soft. "You'll see her eventually." Soft, but not caring. "Now, c'mon, let's get you home right now."
"Matt," Joe said gently. He'd seen the way Hanako and Tsukuyomi had glanced at each other. Placing a hand on Matt's shoulder, he continued, "It's been a long day, and the apartment's a mess. Let's let Kari and TK take the kids for tonight and we'll clean up for them to come home first thing in the morning, ok?"
"But..." Matt protested, hugging his children tightly again. He'd been given them back, why couldn't he have them now?
"The third room is still a mess, and we don't have enough beds yet," Joe insisted. Hanako's eyes, steely blue as Matt's had ever been softened just enough and Joe gave her a special smile. "They're comfortable at Kari's – we don't want them to be uncomfortable with us, do we?"
"I guess not," Matt acquiesced. He looked to his kids with a smile, almost unable to see them behind the blur in his eyes. "Everything will be perfect from now on. We finally have a home together."
A/N: I was going to be completely evil and post this after my break, but I think you all deserve to know how poor Kaya fared. And now, with Snuff finally complete I get to do something completely "fun", i.e. doing dumb adult stuff: I'm going to take a two month break from posting. It'll give me a chance to move and catch up on writing.
I wanted to give everyone a special thanks for reading and and extra special thanks to everyone who reviewed! I hope you all enjoyed this and I hope you all come back when I start posting again in May!