Part three – Descent into madness

Chapter twenty nine

A/N:- Thank you for the reviews and onwards with the next chapter.

Izaya grinned pressing his phone to his lips. Tomorrow he would see the blond again. "Why do you look so happy? Your boyfriend is a wreck. He can't even leave the house. Shizuka is losing her mind. I'm not even sure of how much I said to her got through." With a sigh he slipped the phone into his pocket glad that the blonde had remembered her promise and that Mikado had already added the numbers for him.

"Are you giving up? You know what Shizuka-chan has done and why. Are you going to run from this?" Kanra kicked the table in frustration. "Or are you going to hand her over to Mikado because of her mental state? You two did break up after all." His sister slumped against the sofa.

"I don't know. I wanted her to be happy, I wanted to be with her. Its not that easy. Every time I see her slip I remember that this is on us. We did this."

"Which is why we fix it. I'll be with Shizu-chan every step of the way. What about you? Think it over, I'm going to get some sleep." With that Izaya stretched keeping his phone close already thinking of ways to keep the blond occupied. For the first time since his lover had gone missing, the raven slept like a log.

x-x-x

For Shizuka it was the worst night of her life, she knew it was the case for Shizuo as well. All along their lovers had been hiding a secret. A dangerous secret. Kanra Orihara, the one she loved was a thief and even worse a forger making a mockery of the art that she had loved so much. "I-I-" Her words were gone lost in the maelstrom of despair. Everything felt darker. Her body heavy, the brief glimmer of hope vanished.

How was she supposed to trust Kanra now? How was she supposed to trust Izaya with Shizuo? Oh dear, looks like you got what you've deserved. Yeah, she had. Pushing herself up Shizuka swayed crashing to her knees scattering the documents further. There was no question whether or not she was okay. Glancing up she could see her brother's eyes cold and empty.

But maybe it was a mistake. Maybe the documents had been...forged? Maybe someone else had set Shizuo up. Maybe...maybe..It wasn't Kanra...maybe she-they hadn't been betrayed. Shizuka clasped her hands together pleading that it wasn't true but she knew Kanra's art. Whether the raven knew it or not, she had a habit of including her initials in everything she did. If she checked the forgeries...Shizuka let her head drop her limbs becoming numb. Even with the glasses she could smell the acrid smell of blood getting stronger at every moment. Glancing at her feet she could see a pool of blood around her calves.

x-x-x

Shizuo clenched his fist in anger wanting to pound the flea. Instead his anger drained making him feel empty at the raven's betrayal. Hearing a thud next to him, he could see his sister had collapsed staring into space. "...only ones..." That was when Shizuka clutched her head screaming. Reaching out slowly his hand was slapped away the sunglasses going flying.

"Shizuka." They were too late, the madness that swirled in what used to be one loving and innocent eyes were too much to handle. There were only a few people who knew what they had been through and the only ones they trusted. The only ones that could be trusted. Izaya, the one he loved, the one that had offered to help him recover, the one that had created the situation in the first place. Kanra, the one Shizuka loved, the one that could've helped, the one that had helped create their own personal hell and that guy. The one that had known everything all along, the one who had acted like their saviour.

"I-I-its dark." Shizuo couldn't do anything his own hand trembling as it recoiled from comforting his sister. With Izaya's betrayal came the knowledge that no where or nothing was safe. Even here in the house he had been raised in, Izaya had managed to wound him. Lifting his legs as if the floor was out to get him, Shizuo clutched his legs rocking forward slightly. "M-make it stop."

x-x-x

The night went from bad to worse, Shizuo and Shizuka alternating in screaming fits as each one fell into a fitful state only to be woken by the other. For Shizuka, her brother's screams reminded her of her victims. For Shizuo, his sister's screams reminded him of his own and what he had been forced to endure. It was the worst night of their lives and with no one to help pull them free from the cruel tricks their minds played...

Shizuo held onto his phone, wanting to crush it and end his connection with the traitorous flea but he couldn't do it which made it all the more worse. Looking over the back of the sofa he could see Shizuka humming creepily to herself carrying the paint tins from the kitchen placing them along the bottom of the walls. "...too late..." Occasionally Shizuka would mutter a few words. "...tired..." His sister had given in and he didn't blame her. "...Izumii..."

Dawn was approaching the night of hell was almost over but nothing would change. There was no longer anyone to trust. On the stairs he could see Shizuka rocking back and forth biting her nails whilst speaking rapidly on the phone. "...time up...all over..." Shizuo could only catch snippets.

x-x-x

Izaya woke up early fresh from his shower and dressed to see the blond. Kanra was currently soaking herself in a long hot bath which would hopefully improve her mood. Crimson orbs lit up seeing his lover's name flash up on his ID display. With a grin the phone was in his hand. "Good morning, Shizu-chan. Did you sleep well?"

Not really. Came the solemn reply. It looked like it had been a bad night full of nightmares and memories that wouldn't be kept at bay. Again Izaya found himself wishing he had been the one to realise what was going on. The one that had gotten revenge instead of the one being the last to know.

"Oh. Do you want to talk about it?" Izaya grimaced slapping himself in the head. Of course he wouldn't want to talk about it. How tactless could he be? "Or not. Never mind that was stupid. Do you want to talk about something else?"

...Sure. Izaya, I was thinking back to before I went missing.

"What bit do you mean?" Izaya asked narrowing his eyes. Why would the blond be asking about that? Unless...no there was no way.

I mean the night I went missing. The dinner Shizuka was planning. Did it all go okay?

"I guess." The raven responded slowly growing suspicious. "Shizu-chan, what's going on? Do you want me to come around?" A deafening pause sounded over the phone.

No. I don't want you to come round. I don't need your help either.

"Shizu-" Izaya blinked unsure if he had heard right. Wasn't it just yesterday that he was declaring his love and the blond had said it was mutual? What had happened in the short amount of time after he had left?

Izaya Orihara... I wish I never met you. Crimson orbs widened staring blankly at the phone, the call cut on the other end. Not accepting what the blond had said Izaya rang back not getting an answer. "Come on, protozoan. Pick up. This isn't over. Redialling over and over he received the same response.

x-x-x

Kanra sighed drying her hair as she reached for her clothes. This morning she would go back and see Shizuka. Izaya was right as much as she didn't want to admit it. She was giving up, trying to get Mikado to deal with everything. She was running away. Her brother would stand by Shizuo even knowing what the blond had been through.

The ravenette sighed again trudging back into her room. Wrapping her hair in the towel, Kanra picked up her phone seeing three missed calls and a voice mail, all of them were from Shizuka. Taking a seat on her bed, she pressed play holding the phone to her ear. I should hate you. Thinking back its so clear. The way you acted at the dinner, the way you avoided me. Part of me is glad that you weren't there to pick up the phone. I guess by the time you get this message it will be too late. I know what you and Izaya did to my brother. Kanra, I'm sorry. I love you. But I can't forgive or trust you. Goodbye.

Kanra ripped the towel from her head bolting from her room. "Izaya!" Her steps faltered seeing her face on the television screen that had captured her twin's attention. Slowly making her way down the stairs, the ravenette numbly joined him.

I'm here outside Ikebukuro police station, here to meet the new chief of police. The previous chief Kazuhiro Shiratori was found dead. Chief, how was the police not aware of a missing officer, let alone the head of the station? Is this connected to the...

"What is this?" Kanra turned away. Kadota was talking to the news woman not looking the least bit happy. The words scrolling across the bottom of the screen turned her stomach. Two mug shots appeared on the screen showing the Heiwajima twins as suspects.

"Looks like Shizuka-chan's crimes couldn't be hidden any longer." Kanra glanced down seeing Izaya's new phone cracked, knife sticking out of it. She was already trying to get through again to Shizuka, a bad feeling in a gut that only got worse. That was when they heard aloud thud against the door.

"This is the police! You have one minute to give yourselves up." The twins ran.

After the fire

Reaching the bottom of the road, their destination came into view. The old house that belonged to their lovers. Behind them sirens screamed, drawing everyone's attention. Next to him, his sister ran with equal speed, the years experience of their chosen job helping them with the burst they needed.

At first everything looked okay, although the tone of the messages had rang like an alarm that something wasn't right. "SHIZUKA!" Kanra. I'm sorry. I love you. It was his sister that alerted him that something was wrong, yanking him back. Izaya Orihara... I wish I never met you. Both of them hit the ground, as the windows exploded outwards, the house catching alight. Dread flooded through him. "SHIZU-CHAN!"

The windows exploded outwards, the house consumed in pillars of bright malicious orange and yellow. Thick plumes of black smoke covered the sky. Izaya froze knowing he would never rid himself of the image permanently burned into his retinas. He could hear sirens, see thick hoses being unravelled as bright coloured trucks pulled up. "...Shizu-chan..." Running forward someone grabbed his arm.

He didn't block the oncoming fist that slammed into the side of his jaw. He didn't have to look up to see the fire-fighters battling to put out the fire before it spread. The hands that snapped the cuffs cruelly over his wrists were trembling. Glancing up Izaya could see the tears running freely down Kadota's cheeks. Lowering his head he held out his hands his eyes dry. "Izaya Orihara you are under arrest for the robbery..."

x-x-x

"Shizuka!" Kanra screamed until her voice was hoarse fighting the police officers who were trying to arrest her. Running towards the house she could feel the awful heat coming from the flames. An arm looped around her waist pulling her back. Kanra coughed stumbling back tears running down her cheeks knowing this was what she and her brother had caused and this was the twins' answer to what they had found out.

The ravenette clawed her way through trying to see what was going on. "My lover is in there!" She screamed breaking into a coughing fit. "Sh-" Kanra cried out in pain her arms pinned behind her back, cold metal clicking around her wrists. Glancing behind her she could see the woman officer for once not looking hyper and happy.

Kanra struggled keeping her gaze on the burning house even as she was led back to the police car and shoved into the back seat, her brother next to her, neither one saying anything. She was still staring out of the window even as the siren rang loud and they were taken away.

x-x-x

A few hours later and Kanra was sitting in a small room wearing orange overalls. Her clothes and possessions had been taken away. She had no idea where Izaya was and she found that she didn't really care. The thick metal door opened, Kadota standing in the doorway. "...Is she..." Her voice faltered whether it was due to being choked up with tears or an effect from smoke inhalation she didn't know.

"Two bodies were found in the wreckage." Bodies. That meant... "They're dead." Kanra nodded numbly confirming what she had thought all along. The one she loved was gone. Everything was over. "Your trial-"

"Doesn't matter. I deserve what I get." Turning away the ravenette curled up on the bed new tears falling.

"Your lawyer-" Kadota tried again.

"Don't need one. I drove her to this." Massaging her sore throat Kanra closed her eyes seeing flashes of red, yellow and orange. "I-its my fault."

"The funeral will be held this afternoon. Do you want to attend? We have to arrange everything before things get messy. Shizuka killed more than a few popular people. The media won't keep quiet about something like this." Kanra nodded knowing what he was talking about. This was it. She would have to say goodbye.

x-x-x

A few hours later and Izaya was sitting alone in a small room with nothing but four walls and a bed. Thick bars covered the windows, a steel door kept him from walking out. His clothes had taken away leaving him in disgusting orange overalls. Holding onto his knees, his head slammed forward into bone.

His jaw hurt as much as his chest did. Things were going so well and now- now it was all over. It felt like there was a gaping hole in his chest and for once Izaya realised he had nothing since the blond was his everything. Hearing the door open empty crimson flicked up seeing the childhood friend walk into the room.

Izaya braced himself for the punch that didn't come, the police officer glaring at him angrily, brokenly, fists clenched arm raised high. "Did you care about him? He loved you. Did you care about him?" Hanging his head his bangs flopped down covering his eyes.

"Care? I love Shizu-chan. I was going to stay beside him helping him to get better. Were they in that fire?" He didn't have to look up to see Kadota nod his head. "...oh. Anything else?"

"The funeral will be held this afternoon. I'll let you see him off, then you're going away for a long time." Izaya said nothing remembering how cocky he had been as a thief. "We have-"

"I know why. Don't turn on the television or go on media sites any time soon. Humans have their own views of right and wrong. This was the way it was always going to end. Nothing can be hidden forever all it takes is a whisper to be heard. They'll blame Shizuka-chan for the deaths of their beloved idols not giving a damn about the truth. Humans are disgusting creatures."

The police officer said nothing turning to leave the room, the thick steel door scraping against the floor as it closed with a final clang. Izaya turned away trying to make his new attire presentable for his Shizu-chan.

x-x-x

The childhood friend was the one that drove them. His sister was sitting next to him but not once did she look at or acknowledge him. Looking out of the window he could see the burnt out shell that had held so many happy memories for both them and the blond twins. The house that he knew was so important to the Heiwajimas, the house that they had grown up and died with. It was all gone.

Apparently they had seen enough the police car driving past. It wasn't long before they reached their destination. The sky horribly bright without a cloud in the sky. Not a single drop of rain fell. Their loved ones had died and still the world continued to move on. "Don't try anything." The police officer warned. Izaya shrugged. Where was he supposed to go? There was nothing left now.

The door opened and he was dragged out the handcuffs biting deep into his wrists. Looking up he could see the open gates to the cemetery. The two cops led them through trailing them like dogs, the few people around giving them wary looks. Closing his eyes he tried not to think about what they were about to see. Glancing to the side he could see Kanra shaking. As expected his sister dropped to the ground clutching her knees as she sobbed.

Kadota looked back at him accusingly. Shrugging his shoulders, Izaya made no move to comfort his sister. Anything he touched became corrupted or ruined. Because of him the best thing that had ever happened to him had died. Judging by the phone conversation and the timing he knew it hadn't been an accident. The fire had been deliberate.

"Shizuka!" His sister wailed at the gate. There was nothing he could do or say to make it better, nothing he could do to make things right. They had ruined everything, there was no second chances. But maybe it was for the best. The blonds' nightmares had finally stopped. Shizuka would no longer see hallucinations. The blonds' had escaped reality. For them it was over.

Izaya knew it wouldn't be over for them. After they said their goodbyes both of them would be carted off and locked away. Deep down underneath his own ego, he had known Kadota would be the to catch him. The childhood friend who had put a wall up between him and the blond. Hearing another car pull up the raven looked up recognizing the new comer.

Mikado and Kida stepped from the car opening the doors to let out Anri and another girl. All four walked towards them. "Kadota-san, I believe that's everyone." The raven walked straight past him crouching down to help Kanra. It was obvious that the twins had found out about his and Kanra's past. The question was how. Was it the childhood friend? Or the informant? After all he was the one that they had left Shizuka with.

Anri looked upset, Mikado looked like he had been crying. As for the other two, Kida looked torn between being happy and sad and lastly the girl at his side looked happy. He was missing something. "Come on, almost there. This will be your only chance to say goodbye."

x-x-x

"...Did you tell her?" Kanra lifted her head glaring at the raven. "I left her with you. . ?" She grit out. It was pointless being angry with Mikado even if he had. This was their fault, their mistake. The wreckage of the twins' lives was thanks to her and Izaya.

"No. I didn't." The raven sighed softly, resting a hand on her shoulder. "I didn't tell them anything. Shizuo asked for a background check but I changed his mind. He wanted to know if he could trust you. They were happy with the two of you."

"Makes sense." Izaya muttered. "Shizu-chan didn't know who he could trust, why didn't you tell them?"

"It wasn't my place to. If they had asked in the beginning then I would have." Mikado sighed lowering his own head. "They were happy, Shizuka finally had someone she truly loved. It wasn't my place to interfere." Kanra bit her lip trying to stop her tears. She knew it wasn't Mikado. "The file is missing. I had a file on everyone dangerous or close to Shizuo and Shizuka. The file on you two is gone."

"It doesn't matter what happened. These two are criminals, for now I'm allowing them to pay their respects. Its the least they can do." Kadota stepped in pulling Kanra up.

"Jealous because you didn't get your own way?" Izaya sniped playing with the handcuffs. Both of them could get out of them with ease. For Kanra she had chosen to face her crimes, it looked like her brother had chosen to do the same thing.

"Excuse me? I'm a police office-"

"You were in love with Shizu-chan, how many others have you chased away for your one sided crush?" Kanra blinked seeing Izaya hit the ground, Kadota grabbing him by the throat. "Not that it helped. He didn't choose you in the e-" Crimson orbs widened seeing the police officer's fist slam into her brother's face.

"Shut up! Shut the fuck up! You don't know anything." Kadota screamed. "You don't know anything! He was better off without you. Are you happy? You did this! Their deaths are on your hands." Kanra didn't move as her twin was pummelled.

"Dotachin, we're going to be late." It was Karisawa that pulled Kadota away. Kanra watched Izaya sit up wiping his bloody nose on his sleeve. No one said anything, she and Izaya were led towards a small section where chairs were set out. Two of them were already occupied. In front of them were two coffins slowly being lowered into the ground.

Shaking her head Kanra broke down into a fresh wave of tears. Staggering forward her hands rested on the smooth oak wood. "I wouldn't do that." The first occupant stopped her. Tom Tanaka the Heiwajimas' guardian. "Both of them are beyond recognition." Kanra slumped feeling sick to her stomach. Beyond recognition? Had her lover died quickly or suffered further? It was all her fault.

With Mikado's help she was back on her feet led back to one of the chairs. Slumping in her seat she listened absent-mindedly to what was being said. Shizuka was gone. What was left for her now? The gaping hole in her chest would never be filled. Through her own eyes she could see Mikado crying his blue eyes icy. Anri had her head bowed hands in her lap. Kida was staring up front the girl with him holding his hand.

Izaya...she couldn't tell. Her brother was sitting next to Kadota, his face set like stone. His cheeks and eyes were dry. Kadota was sitting silently tears streaming down his cheeks and Tom was sitting with his head in his hands. That left the one sitting right at the end. The bastard that was smiling away as if it was some sort of comedy.

Pushing herself up Kanra stormed over to the stranger seeing the thick white bandages wrapped around the man's neck, more bandages on his cheek. In his hand was a pencil, a pad of paper on his lap. He was drawing. "Why are you smiling? This is a funeral." Wait hadn't she seen him before? It was hard to tell with the bandages...

"I know its a funeral. Boring things aren't they?" The voice confirmed it. Izumii Ran. She hadn't even known he could draw. Looking down Kanra could see a bouquet of flowers standing out from the page. "Who are you saying goodbye to?" Kanra blinked. Didn't he even know that?

"Izumii-san, it was you, wasn't it?" Mikado was at her side keeping her from hitting the dangerous man. "You took the file."

"Yeah. It was me. I did as I was asked. You know how she is. Your problem is that you're blind. So stuck in the smaller details you can't see the bigger picture. Oh well. I'm done here." Kanra stepped back as Izumii stood. Now everyone was staring at the bandaged man.

"I-Izumii? What the hell are you doing here?" Kadota stood up staring in shock.

"...Kadota, I'd say it was good to see you but I'd be lying. I have a meeting to get to, if you'll excuse me." No one stopped him from leaving. Kanra was more interested in the sketchpad that had been left behind. The flower drawing had been dropped on one of the coffins. Leaving a detailed drawing of a tall building on the front.

Flicking the page she could see another drawing this time of the inside of an elevator one of the buttons had been shaded more than the rest. The next page showed a closed door the number on it clear. Kanra blinked eyes widening as she turned to the next page. It was a drawing of two beds, in the left one was a girl with hair splayed out against the pillow, a mask covering her face, wires and tubes leading to machines.

Immediately Kanra knew the one on the left was Shizuka. Meaning the one on the right was Shizuo. Wiping her eyes she handed the pad over to Mikado. "Which building is this?" She whispered feeling the smallest glimmer of hope. The last time she had seen Izumii he hadn't had those wounds, meaning they were recent and could have been from say...a fire. She kept her voice low not wanting to give the others false hope until she knew anything.

"This is- couldn't be..." Kanra blinked in confusion seeing Mikado stare back at the girl she didn't know. "If this is true...the bigger picture...I get it. Get ready to grab Izaya." Clutching the pad to her chest the best the handcuffs would let her, Kanra nodded. If it was true, if Izumii had saved them from the fire, then they were still alive.

Mikado stood slowly walking past the coffins. After he had passed through the gates, Kanra clasped her hands together glad she kept bobby pins in her hair. In a matter of moments the handcuffs fell from her wrists. Taking a deep breath Kanra stood and ran past the rest grieving for the twins. Her hand snatched Izaya's wrist pulling him after her.

x-x-x

Izaya could hear noises around him but he couldn't bring himself to care. Usually he would be the first to get involved and satisfy his curiosity, instead his gaze couldn't look away from the coffins in front of him. His protozoan would hate being underground where it was dark. It would be lonely... His nose still itched where Kadota had hit him. The sleeve of the disgusting orange uniform was smeared with his blood.

Tugging his hands the cold metal bit deeper into his wrists, thick red lines circling his skin. They hurt but not enough to cover the ache in his chest. He couldn't find it in himself to cry for the one he had lost. There was nothing left but a cold dark emptiness. It was no better than what he deserved. His mouth wouldn't open, the words goodbye wouldn't leave his lips. It didn't matter, once his lover was buried he would be sent to prison for who knows how long.

Locked in a cold cell for the rest of his life. Was that enough punishment for the blond to forgive him? Izaya didn't believe in god or religion but there had to be something after death, didn't there? His lover was a warrior maybe Valhalla or somewhere nice where there would be no more nightmares.

Seeing a hand on his wrist Izaya glanced up being pulled along by his sister. Why were they running? There was nothing for them any more. "I told you not to try anything" Kadota shouted after him. Kanra kept running pushing him into Mikado's car before climbing in herself. Izaya blinked seeing how determined both of them looked as the car raced away from the cemetery.

Within moments Kanra had his handcuffs off shoving something in his face. "What is it?" What reason could they possibly have to walk out of the blond's funeral?

"Present from Izumii-san." Mikado spoke from the driver's seat. "I told him to watch over Shizuka and to do whatever she asked. I didn't think she would try and kill herself. I thought there was something strange..." Izaya shook his head. What was so special about a drawing of a building? Flipping the page again and then again his eyes widened seeing what looked like his lover.

"..."

"Izaya, Shizuka and Shizuo are still alive." His sister grinned urging Mikado to drive faster.

"...Is that true? We saw the fire, no one could survive that." Clutching the drawing he could see the machines, the details of bandages. If it was true...if they had been given a second chance...

"Shizuka told me that everyone had been killed except for two. She asked Izumii to take care of it. I think the burnt corpses belong to the last two that hurt Shizuo. Those drawings are a message from Izumii leading us to where Shizuka and Shizuo are." Mikado explained to them. "From the looks of it Kadota-san knows Izumii, if its from when they were younger then it means Izumii knew Shizuka. No wonder he agreed to help so easily."

Izaya said nothing as Mikado sped through a red light. There was no loud sirens wailing through the air, meaning Kadota hadn't come after them yet. Both Mikado and his sister believed the twins were still alive. Izaya Orihara...I wish I never met you. His lover's final words still rang through his mind. "If they are alive...what changes? They know now. What says they aren't going to push us away or try to kill themselves again?" I wish I never met you. What was he supposed to do if the blond rejected him again?