A/N: Well, here's the next chapter~ We've finally gone over 100 reviews and so to celebrate...here's a slightly longer chapter ^^ please review~

Just Getting By,

~[Aoi-Kun]

As expected, dinner was an extravagant affair. But soon it was over and friends were chatting as the dishes were cleared away. It was during this time did Kairi excuse herself to get a breath of fresh air. She declined Yukimura's offer to go with her.

"I'll be right back Seiichi. I can take care of myself for a few minutes you know." She said, laughter evident in her tone. With a nod to the rest of the table, she stood up and snagged her bolero off the back of her chair before making her way out through one of the many pairs of double doors lining the sides.

The one Kairi had taken led out to the poolside and in the moonlight the pristine waters seemed to glow. It was also a lot colder outside than it had been inside. Kairi was quick to put her bolero back on before walking closer to the pool's edge. She took a deep breath then, turning her head slightly to glance at the shrubbery before footsteps approaching her distracted her. Instead of turning to see who it was, Kairi lifted her chin so that she could stare up at the night sky.

"So…buchou asked you to prom?"

Kairi's eyes slid shut, a sarcastic smile on her lips. "I thought that would be obvious as I walked in with him."

"Just clearing it up."

Kairi opened her eyes again and sighed, turning around. "What do you need Renji?"

Yanagi didn't respond to that. Instead he tossed a small box to Kairi. "It's finished."

Kairi caught the box and stared at it. "So I see…thank you Renji. I'll see you later?"

Yanagi nodded before re-entering the hall. Kairi watched him go, playing with the box in her hands. "You can come out now."

Niou stepped out from behind the column he had taken refuge…well behind of. Kairi turned her eyes to him and sighed again, fiddling with the box in her hands. "Did you need something?"

"Just wanted to say-"

"That I look beautiful tonight? You'd be the fourth then." Kairi interrupted with an amused smile. Niou shook his head, laughing. "Of course I always get to you last." Kairi shrugged. "Don't you have a date you should be entertaining?"

"She'll be fine."

"I hate that."

"…"

Silence. Niou blinked at Kairi's back as she raised her eyes to the sky again.

"Hate what Kairi?"

"That attitude of yours. You can't just use us the way you want Niou."

"…"

"But…I guess that's just you isn't it? I'd still love you all the same…and you know that."

"I guess I do."

Kairi let her gaze drop back to the box she held and then she turned and began walking back to the doors. "I'll see you Niou."

"Can I have this dance?"

Kairi looked up into Yukimura's face and noted his kind smile. She smiled sweetly and took his offered hand. "Of course Seiichi."

As the two glided across the dance floor they never once broke eye contact. "Why won't you tell me what you're up to Kairi?" Yukimura asked, his breath ghosted over Kairi's ear as he leaned in closer to her face. Kairi closed her eyes as she felt Yukimura press a kiss to her cheek.

"I expect the worse during this event." Kairi finally answered back, just as softly. Yukimura's grasp around her waist tightened at her words. She produced the little black box from a hidden pocket and pressed it into Yukimura's hand. "Something will happen. I'm sure of it. When it does, I need you to use this. I had Inui-kun from Seigaku and Renji help me put it together. Yuushi from Hyotei helped with the…ah, legal parts." Yukimura nodded and slipped it into his pants pocket as the dance ended.

Without a word, he led Kairi off the dance floor. "At least everybody seems to be having fun." Kairi murmured as Yukimura helped her into a seat. The music that had been playing suddenly switched tempos into more popular pop culture music and the expressions of the people in attendance brought a smile to Kairi's lips. She didn't fail to notice the glares that were directed in her direction though.

"Seiichi. Would you mind getting me something to drink?" Yukimura didn't protest when he recognized the tone of voice Kairi was using and stepped away. The girls that had been glaring chose that moment to approach, Nann at their head.

"We'd like a word with you."

Kairi stood up and nodded.

"Is it really necessary to be out here?"

Nann and her lackeys had insisted on going somewhere away from everybody else and had left the hall where the dance was being held. They had gone down a couple of hallways before the girls seemed satisfied and had stopped. Now, Kairi was staring at them with a guarded expression.

"Wouldn't want anyone overhearing our conversation now would we." Nann said. The other girls spread out and nodded. Kairi was cornered now, her back pressed against the wall and the group of girls forming a half-circle in front of her.

"I told you to stay away from my boyfriend you slut." Nann snarled. Kairi didn't even flinch at the insult.

"Did you?"

Another snarl.

"You know, we don't like your attitude." Nann suddenly said in a calm tone, straightening up. Kairi blinked.

"Is that so."

Nann pulled something out from her purse that glinted under the moonlight that streamed in from the large windows. A murmur of discomfort swept through the other girls. "Th-this wasn't part of th-the plan Nann."

"Shut up!" Some of the girls backed up, others decided they'd had enough and left altogether. Nann returned her focus to Kairi, snarling under her breath.

"You must think you're so great." She started advancing. "Always around the most popular guys in school." Her hand darted out and pulled on Kairi's hair. Before Kairi could make a sound, she found the blade of a knife pressed just under her jaw. "Why does he love you huh? What's so great about you?" By now, the rest of the girls had scattered and the hallway was deserted. The sounds of Nann's heavy breathing echoed as Kairi calmly met her gaze. She could see the glint of insanity that was buried under layers of anger in Nann's eyes.

"Put the knife down Marui-san."

"SHUT UP!" Kairi swallowed as the blade was pressed harder into her skin, a thin line of blood appearing. "It's always Kairi this and Kairi that! Even his little sister adores you!" Kairi glanced out the window, the pool…maybe she could…it was risky…

"Pay attention when I'm talking to you!" Nann pulled back slightly to see what had caught Kairi's attention. While the dark-haired girl was distracted Kairi grabbed her arm and flipped their positions, the rush of adrenaline in her system helping her to move quicker than normal. This entire plan was risky, after all, Kairi was a musician…not a fighter.

After slamming Nann into the wall and making her drop the knife, Kairi kicked the weapon away before Nann pushed back, shoving Kairi out the window. The glass cutting her skin made Kairi gasp and then she was suddenly surrounded by water as she fell into the pool. She kicked her shoes off frantically and then broke the surface of the water, gulping in air. She only had a moment to hear someone screaming before something slammed into her, sending her back under the water.

A/N: Such a nice part to end...but I won't XD

Yukimura, when he returned to find Kairi missing, searched for her in the crowd. During his search he found Fuji and from there the rest of Kairi's friends were alerted to her disappearance. They had covered most of the dance hall when the crash of glass caught everybody's attention. It was followed by the splash of somebody falling into the pool, and then the screaming started. Yukimura pushed to the front of the crowd to see Nann jump into the pool with something in her hands. He glanced into the pool and his heart nearly stopped when he saw Kairi struggling to keep Nann away from her. He pulled the box Kairi had given him earlier out of his pocket and flipped it open to find a button. He pressed it before tossing the box aside and running for the water. Other people joined him as they dived into the water that was quickly being stained red.

Kairi felt weak, the blood loss and lack of oxygen getting to her finally. Nann had jumped into the water after her, the knife once again in hand. She'd gotten a few cuts across Kairi's arms before plunging the knife into Kairi's stomach repeatedly. Kairi couldn't get the stronger girl off and the water around the two was quickly turning red. Arms suddenly appeared, pulling the crazed girl off of Kairi. Another pair wrapped around Kairi and hauled her out of the water.

Spots swam in Kairi's vision as she breathed heavily, pain making her vision flicker on and off. She could hear someone speaking but she couldn't decipher the words. There was shouting…so much screaming…Kairi's eyes slid shut, tiredly…she was so tired…

A/N: Originally I was going to end here as well but...I decided against it :)

"No, no, no, no, no." Yukimura repeated under his breath as he helped pull Kairi out of the water, brushing away the hands that tried to pull him away from her. He'd promised to keep her safe dammit! This wasn't supposed to happen! Faintly he could hear Nann shouting, yelling something about Kairi. Then… SLAP Yukimura looked up to see Niou standing in front of where Nann was being restrained with a cold look on his face. Nann stared at him with wide eyes before tears streamed down her face and she kept repeating why under her breath. A hand on Yukimura's shoulder had him looking away from the scene. He looked up and then moved away to make room for Kairi's two brothers. It was heartbreaking watching the two brothers trying to get their sister to respond to them. Nothing was working and then Kairi's eyes closed and her body went limp. Everybody gathered around froze, unbelieving. Fuji turned his eyes to where Nann was still mumbling to herself. Luckily for her, the ambulance and police arrived at that moment.

The paramedics rushed in, took one look at Kairi, and quickly moved her, the Fuji siblings following after them. Yukimura go back to his feet to find the police swarming the area, handcuffing Nann and questioning the other students. How had this happened…

"Yukimura!"

Said boy looked up to find Atobe waving him over. "Give your report to the officer, we're all heading to the hospital."

The air in the waiting room was tense. It was also incredibly heavy; the silence was only broken by the sounds of muffled sobs from the corner where Kairi's adoptive family sat together. No eyes in the area were dry, and many of them were red from being rubbed raw.

When the flood of people had entered, the other occupants had looked up startled and wondering if there had been an accident. When they heard a passing nurse telling another nurse about the situation the occupants wondered about the girl that had been able to create such a strong impact on all the people gathered in the waiting room.

"This is no good." All eyes turned to the blue-haired tensai that spoke. Oshitari pushed himself off the wall. "We're all worried about Kairi-chan, but we're not helping anything by all being here."

"Yuushi's right." Gakuto agreed, standing up.

"Please contact us as soon as there is any news." Atobe said as the rest of the Hyotei students filed out uneasily. Fuji nodded to him before Atobe left. The Seigaku students followed their example, all of them leaving save for Tezuka who stayed seated next to Fuji. The waiting room was considerably emptier now, with only the Fuji family, Tezuka, and the Rikkaidai tennis team occupying it.

"She'll be okay…she has to."

A/N: I didn't want to end with a cliffhangar but this one was inevitable :( don't hate me :(