Me: Wrapping this story up with a few more chapters, maybe two unless we're all
wondering how everyone fairs after a few months.

Picup: They might you know.

World: That sounds like an idea, but really long.

Me: (shrugs)

GS: (smiling) Angie's mom kicks butt.

Me: (laughs) Totally! Ack, to the typing! To the typing!

Disclaimer: Trauma Center and Phoenix Wright belong to Atlus and Capcom, not me.
If it did, there would so be a kissing still shot god dammit!

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Trauma Center: Treacherous Meetings

Chapter 25: Rebirth

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"Hold on Michael... help's on the way..." Kimishima whispered, more to herself for
comfort, as she held his cooling hand. Her other hand tried to stop the bleeding with a
small towel, but it was quickly dying red. Michael took shallow breaths, grasping
Kimishima's hand lightly. His lips parted slightly, "Naomi..." "You're not supposed to
talk..." she replied, trying to keep cool, but she couldn't help it as apprehension entered
her voice.

Michael smirked slightly, "I can feel it... right next to... right next to..." "Your heart?"
she asked, voice breaking slightly. He looked at her, unfocused, "Is that what it is?"
"Heh... you're in no position to joke mister..." she laughed though it was a forced one,
"Now stop talking... you have to save your strength..." "... Is this my judgment Naomi?"
he whispered. She looked startled, but shook her head quickly, "No, don't think like that
Michael."

She wasn't about to reveal that inside, she was in mental turmoil, 'He's ready to give up!
He can't!' "Come on, you have to stay with me," she whispered, grasping his hand
tighter. Off in the distance, ringing through the walls, she could hear sirens drawing
closer to the building. He chuckled, "I wouldn't be... at all surprised. Joining Caduceus...
wasn't enough to clear my sins." "Don't say that! They're almost here!" she exclaimed.
Kimishima was forced to discard the reddened towel as it could no longer absorb
anything, removing her coat instead.

She could feel through the clothes his heartbeat, strained, slowing down. It wasn't
receiving any blood by now. Michael closed his eyes, letting his head rest against the
floor, breathing labored greatly. "Come on...! Michael!" she hissed, "You can't give up!"
"It's punishment... I killed so many..." he replied, voice fading. Kimishima looked up,
around at the other occupants, "Help me!"

Angie stepped away from Derek's arms, seemingly realizing everything once again. She
walked over, kneeling next to Kimishima and taking over bleeding duties. Sirens were
wailing louder and louder outside of the courtroom walls. Kimishima touched Michael's
face, feeling the clammy skin under her fingers. "They're almost here... hold on just a
little longer..." she knew her voice was breaking, but she didn't care. He just nodded.

Wheels screeched to a halt and shouts could be heard outside. Blackwell rushed out the
doors to meet the arriving medics. With a bang, the doors opened once again, police
flooding the room, followed closely by doctors with stretchers. "Oh thank god... they're
here Michael..." she smiled, relieved but then realized that he didn't answer. She looked
down. His eyes were closed, head rolled to the side and his hand lifelessly grasping hers.

Kimishima stared, unsure of who was before her, eyes wide in shock. "Michael?" she
whispered. She reached to touch his face but was taken aback as the doctors lifted his
body onto the stretcher and took him away. She watched silently as the door swung shut,
slowly turning her gaze towards her dark red hand.

"Is this the guy?" an officer asked in the back, staring at Donovan. Ms. Thompson
nodded furiously, glaring at Donovan's unconscious body, "This is the little son of a
bitch. I hope you get him taken care of as quickly as possible..." The officer stepped
back, frightened by the woman's tone and sharp tongue. She just glowered at the officer,
"Get a spine you fool and take him away! We have somewhere else to go..."

oOoOoOo

"Oh my baby! I can't believe what happened!" Ms. Thompson threw her arms around
Angie, pulling her into a tight, almost strangling, hug. Angie gasped slightly, "Can't
breathe...!" "Oh, sorry dear!" her mother released her hold at once. They had left the
courtroom about 45 minutes ago, arriving at Caduceus by around noon. Everything had
calmed down a bit, but not enough for normality to return.

"How'd you find out anyway? I thought you were in the hospital?" Angie asked. Ms.
Thompson gave a side glance to Blackwell, who coughed and looked away. "Well," her
mother started, "I had allowed your father to visit but... we started arguing. I was chewing
him out for leaving years ago and he... I think started cowering in the corner..." "No I
wasn't..." Blackwell started, "I was trying to tell her why I left." "Oh what ever, it's all
the same, you still cowering in that corner," Ms. Thompson said, laughing lightly behind
a hand. Blackwell frowned.

"Well, while we were arguing, the news came on, interviewing some reporter why she
cut off the camera during some police investigation. That's when they mentioned a
kidnapping, a rape, and almost two homicides. They ended by mentioning you and this
Derek Stiles fellow," her mother finished. Blackwell nodded, "As soon we heard that, we
decided in a truce and hopped the first possible plane over. How do you feel?"

Angie closed her eyes, "... I would say fine... but the memories keep coming back... Dr.
Stiles has been helping me though." "Ah," Blackwell looked up at the young surgeon
who had just been listening quietly. Derek shook his head quickly, "Wha?" "..." Ms.
Thompson didn't look amused. Her emerald eyes peered at him closely and she looked
him up and down, walking around him in a circle. Derek looked nervous. Ms. Thompson
stopped in front of him once more.

"So you're Derek Stiles... the one my husband has mentioned on several occasions..."
she said, still leering at Derek. Angie shot a glare at her father and hissed, "I thought you
didn't tell mom!" Blackwell laughed nervously and looked away. Ms. Thompson smiled
warmly, "Thank you... I know you've been trying your best to watch out for my daughter.
You even take injury to save her." "Ms. Thompson... I couldn't keep her safe in the end...
I'm sorry," Derek muttered, looking at the floor, but she shook her head, replying, "If you
hadn't done what you did... my daughter wouldn't be with us..."

"..." Derek remained silent, taking in the information. Angie brushed her hand against
his bandages, "Derek... she's right and you know it." "But Angie..." he started, but she
grasped his hand lightly this time, "You did your best... I know..." Ms. Thompson and
Blackwell beamed. "You know... I'm expecting grandchildren," Ms. Thompson said,
grinning.

While their faces turned red, someone remained silent, sitting on a chair not too far away
and gazing at the floor, trying to maintain their composure. Kimishima looked at her
hands, the blood now brown, dried against her pale palms. She could still feel his skin,
cold and clammy, under her fingers. 'Why... why couldn't I save him?' she thought
angrily, clenching her fist, 'I couldn't keep him from losing blood long enough! And I call
myself a surgeon!'

She wasn't aware that her hand was completely white, her nails puncturing her skin and
drawing blood. 'Maybe this was my judgment... not his...' she unclenched her hand,
'Maybe we just weren't meant to be...' She remembered hearing his voice, the way her
heart thumped when he brushed her hand when they worked for Delphi, the day he finally
got enough courage to kiss her in public even if it was night. Her chest ached like
someone had ripped her own heart and was now squeezing it in their hand while it still
beated weakly.

"Dr. Kimishima?" a soft voice pulled Kimishima from self-reprieve, silver eyes blinking
slowly. She came face to face with Leslie. "Ah... yes Nurse Sears?" she asked quietly,
careful to keep her calm demeanor outside. Leslie shifted on her feet nervously, "Uh, you
have a phone call from Hope Hospital..." Kimishima let reality seep in, heaving a deep
sigh, "Right... I'll get it..."

Rising to her feet, the silver-haired surgeon strolled towards the office counter, noticing
the phone laying abandoned and off the hook. With little hesitation, she picked up the
phone, bringing it up to her ear.

"Hello? Dr. Kimishima speaking..."

"Ah, Ms. Kimishima. This is Greg Kasal from Hope Hospital..."

"Yes, I'm listening..."

"Get right to the point don't you... well, it about the gunshot patient... you know him?"

She started to feel her stomach plummet, "Yes, I knew him..."

"We need you to come and give us all his information..."

"You mean, ID him correct? What time?"

"Well, as soon as possible..."

The phone that had been slipping through her grasp finally hit the counter top.
"Ms. Kimishima? Hello?" Dr. Kasal called through the phone. She closed her eyes,
feeling like she had been shot instead, 'So... he's truly gone... forever...'
Kimishima refused to break down as she grabbed the phone again, "I'll be over soon...
how serious was the damage?" Silence answered from the other side of the phone but
then she heard Dr. Kasal come back.

"Very serious... but, he's a lucky one at that..."

"W-What? Lucky?"

"Quite lucky... I would say an inch from death on arrival... massive blood loss but
he should heal nicely... not many survive a bullet right next to the aorta and
pulmonary artery."

"Heal... he's alive?"

"Alive and resting for now. What ever you did kept him from taking that final step."

Relief flooded throughout her body, a small smile gracing her lips. "Oh... thank god..."
she whispered. Her complexion was breaking quickly, "I'll... I'll be over in a bit."
"Alright," Dr. Kasal replied and the other line clicked off. Kimishima felt her eyes start
to sting, something wet rolling down her cheek. 'Oh damn... I'm crying...' she thought,
but smiled all the same.

"Dr. Kimishima?" she looked around, facing Angie, Derek, Ms. Thompson and Pro.
Blackwell, all standing there, watching her closely. Kimishima just smiled, a few more
tears racing down her face, "He's alive... Michael's alive..."

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Me: Nyah, the reason behind the crimes will be revealed next chapter and also we'll
check up on Leslie and Tyler. I've decided as a treat for (dun dun) 100 REVIEWS! (dun
ends) if there was any chapters you wanted more on, I'll edit and repost, just tell me
which ones.

GS: Wow, that's sacrificing time

Me: T.T I know...

Picup: Hehe... I like that, kinda revenge for last chapter... laughing evilly... scared World
out of her mind.

World: Yeah! What's the big idea?

Me: (stares) I dunno...

World: ... STOP IT! (hides in a corner)

Me: Nyah, Ms. Thompson will be more described later. And GS, Picup, keep debating
cuz like, I might do this or that or blah...

REVIEW!