A few days later

Kaoru woke, startled by loud, screaming alarms and a long dead line. It overwhelmed him and wracked him with fear. He sat immediately with a pounding in his head as soon as he remembered what had happened.

But no one noticed the younger Hitachiin's awakening. The staff was all gathered around Hikaru. Bile rose in Kaoru's throat as he realized what was happening.

"CLEAR!" A doctor cried.

They forced down the defibrillator against Hikaru's chest. His body convulsed but yet, a pulse didn't appear. The paddles recharged with a piercing crackle.

A nurse quickly performed CPR on Hikaru. The shouts clouded Kaoru's mind. All he could see was his brother dying in front of his very own eyes. No, Hikaru would not die for someone as worthless as himself. He gritted his teeth just as they slammed the defibrillator against Hikaru's chest a second time.

Kaoru quickly yanked the tubes from his wrists, setting off his own heart monitor. The nurses looked up in bewilderment, resting their eyes on the younger Hitachiin twin. They went to restrain Kaoru but Kaoru was already pushing himself off the bed towards his older brother.

Kaoru tried to get his foothold but collapsed painfully against the shooting stinging up and down his right leg. He cried out angrily, cursing his leg. He reached out for Hikaru, fighting against the nurses' grip on his arms. "Hikaru," he said softly as he watched the doctors raise the defibrillator one final time. "HIKARU!"

Hikaru was standing by his own bed, watching in fascination. His body was convulsing against the electricity, but he felt none of it. In fact, he felt warm and content. He was at peace.

His eyes traveled to his brother on the accompanying bed. "Hikaru," he called out as he stumbled to the floor with his face screwed up in pain.

Hikaru wanted to help his brother, he did, but he couldn't. He already knew that he was about to die. "Sorry, Kao," he whispered musically.

But Kaoru didn't hear him. "HIKARU!"

Hikaru flinched at the tortured tone in which his brother yelled. But he turned his eyes away. Nothing could be done. He looked into the light. It was bright and it overwhelmed him.

But just as he took the first step into the afterlife, a girl stepped in front of his path.

"It's not your time yet Hikaru," she said softly. Her voice resonated all around him.

Hikaru tilted his head. "But the light is right in front of me. Doesn't that mean I should leave?"

She smiled sweetly, gracing her features in bright light. Her golden hair hallowed her perfectly. "Are you giving up so easily, Hikaru?" she asked quizzically. "Don't you want to be there for your brother?"

Hikaru glanced anxiously back at Kaoru who was crying on the floor with nurses surrounding him. The time had slowed to a crawl just as the defibrillator was coming down upon Hikaru's body for the final time.

Hikaru turned back to her. "Of course I do."

"So it shall be done," she whispered. A painful burst of electricity burst through Hikaru.

The next time Hikaru woke, all was quiet. The heart monitor beeped steadily. But what Hikaru noticed first was the arms wrapped around his chest.

Hikaru blinked slowly, struggling to wake. He breathed in a gulp of air and shifted uncomfortably. Looking down, he found Kaoru lying on the edge of his bed, sleeping softly.

"What the—" Hikaru began, trying to remember what happened.

"He wouldn't leave your side," a voice piped up quietly.

Hikaru's eyes shot up to the girl in the wheelchair. "Arisa, w-what are you doing here?"

"Watching over the two of you while your parents are getting coffee." A tear rolled down her cheek and she quickly pushed it away. "We really thought you were going to die," she whispered. "Kaoru woke up for the first time just as your heart was failing…" She glanced sadly at the sleeping boy. "He has been blaming himself for what happened ever since."

"What did happen?" Hikaru questioned immediately as he began to stroke his brother's hair.

"Your parents… well, your mom, she heard screams from outside. And she found the two of you beneath the tree house. She called 911 and well, here you are," she explained simply.

"The tree house," he repeated, suddenly realizing. His hand froze on Kaoru's head. "So Kaoru's okay? He's not hurt?"

She shook her head. "He has just a broken leg. He was more worried about you."

Hikaru stared down at his brother in silence. "Maybe… maybe I should talk to him now." He looked Arisa right in the eye so that she would get the idea.

"That sounds like a good idea," she said softly, straightening in her chair. She pushed her way swiftly to the door before pausing. "And Hikaru?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks." She smiled warmly. "I'm meeting my parents tomorrow." And she left the room without another word. The door closed slowly behind her.

Hikaru looked down at his brother. "Kao," he whispered. He nudged his twin gently. "Kao."

Suddenly, Kaoru shot up on the bed. "Hikaru?" he called, looking up at him. Hikaru watched Kaoru wince slightly and grasp at his leg. "Hikaru, you're awake!" He pulled Hikaru into a warm, unexpected hug, but Hikaru pulled his arms up and immediately hugged his younger brother.

Kaoru immediately started chattering; it was a habit of his when he was especially nervous or worried. "I remember everything Hikaru, our whole past. I am so embarrassed I forgot. Mom and Dad are happy about it. But I'm happier that you are okay and that Arisa is meeting her parents. Did you know the Host Club is having a welcome back party for us? The shadows haven't come back, Hikaru. But who cares about that because you are awake! I'm so relieved! Now I—"

"Kaoru," Hikaru interrupted with a smile as he clamped his hand over his younger brother's mouth. "Shouldn't you be in your own bed?"

Kaoru smiled weakly. "I was too worried." Hikaru could see the tears on the brim of Kaoru's eyes.

"Well, I'm fine now. Don't you worry." He smiled in reassurance.

Suddenly Kaoru was hugging Hikaru again. "Never do that to me ever again," Kaoru sobbed into his shoulder.

Hikaru looked and was surprised to find their parents standing in the doorway with their coffee, taking in the scene. Mom was holding a hand to her lips, crying silently. Dad was holding her with his head rested against her; a ghost of a smile rested on his lips.

Hikaru watered suddenly, abruptly realizing that… their family was finally going to be whole again. He held onto Kaoru tighter. "You did it me more, you idiot. You were the one about to jump off a tree house."

Kaoru laughed through his tears, wracking his body against Hikaru. Resuming stroking Kaoru's hair, Hikaru continued, "Everything will be alright now. Promise me you won't blame yourself for this."

Kaoru sat straight up with a frown, sniffing. "But it was my fault."

"No it wasn't," Hikaru said forcefully.

He glared into his brother's eyes until finally he said, "Okay."

Hikaru relaxed back into the pillows and strung an arm over his eyes. "Good. Now let's never fight again, okay Kao? I don't think it's worth the headache."

Kaoru chuckled softly. "Okay Hikaru."

Hikaru peaked through his fingers and promised himself… Kaoru would never be alone or scared again. He would be there for him, no matter what.

And simultaneously, Kaoru made his own promise. He would never let Hikaru take the fall for him again. Kaoru wanted to take care of Hikaru… in the same way he took care of Kaoru.

The smiled at each other; they would put the past behind them. All that mattered was that they were alive. And what else was there to do besides live?

THE END.

So there you have it. Oh, man I'm going to cry. I really like this ending I made. But hey, if you were disappointed, stay tuned for the two alternate endings I have written for "Lost Without You." Please tell me your thoughts, both good and bad. :D But don't flame me until you read the other two endings. If you don't like any of the three, then I allow you to flame me. Okay?