March 18th to 19th

Yuri's fingers closed before they could knock against the door. Lowering his head, he pursed his lips and let his arm drop beside him. His eyes rose once again to the name written on the small plate next to the door. Flynn Scifo. The private clinic was somehow not that different from the main hospital, except that there were no big rooms with dozens of patients being treated of the flu in there. Each patient had their own room.

And Flynn was inside this one.

Almost five minutes had passed since Yuri was standing in front of the door, unable to actually open it and cross it. Since the moment Flynn had been brought there on the previous day, Yuri's mind hadn't been able to find any rest at all and he had spent the rest of the day acting like a caged lion. His head was still a chaos of thoughts and emotions clashing against each other to the point that it had prevented him from finding a single minute of sleep. The events of the previous day kept flashing in his mind, making him almost dizzy at times; the noises, the shouts, the commotion, Alexei's mad face as he aimed at the crowd, Flynn facing him unflinching, the world crumbling at Yuri's feet the moment he saw his lover collapse on the ground.

His legs trembled lightly at the reminiscence, and he found himself taking support against the door frame for a moment, still not able to shake off the terrible agony that had torn him from inside as he had rushed to Flynn, his heart frozen all along.

"Sir? Is there a problem? Are you feeling well?" a voice behind him made him jump. He quickly got a grip on himself and shook his head.

"Yes, I'm fine. I was just... wondering if it was OK for me to visit my... friend now. He was admitted yesterday, so maybe he should need some more rest." Yuri lied to the nurse.

"Well, if the doctor said you can, then you can." the latter replied with a reassuring smile. She read the name on the plate. "Oh, Mr Scifo? I gave him some painkillers fifteen minutes ago so he shouldn't be sleeping. Do you want to check?" She was about to knock.

"Wait!" Yuri stopped her a bit too hastily. "Hm, I mean, it's fine. I'll do it myself."

The nurse looked at him strangely, but chose not to insist. "OK. If you need something, just address any of my colleagues."

"Thank you." Yuri had willingly omitted the real reason why he was so hesitant to knock on the damn door. It would have been better if Flynn was actually sleeping; it'd have made things easier on Yuri's end. But well, he couldn't run forever, could he?

Taking in a deep breath, he knocked. Upon hearing the short 'yes' coming from inside, Yuri grabbed the handle and pushed the door open.

Flynn was seated on his bed. As soon as his eyes landed on Yuri, they turned away to gaze at the window. Yuri didn't expect a warmer welcome, though it didn't change the fact that he was still hurt by it.

"Hey, Flynn." he said softly after closing the door. The blonde boy was still busy gazing outside. His right arm was wrapped in a sling. Dislocated shoulder due to gun recoil, the doctors had explained. The intensity of the relief that had swept over Yuri upon hearing the diagnosis had been of the same magnitude as the dread he had felt when Flynn had fallen.

A full month to recover, a restricted use of his arm and painkillers had been ordered by the doctors. Yuri still couldn't believe the incredible luck that had befallen Flynn, even though the pain he must be enduring right now could probably not be qualified as luck. But the fact that he could feel pain also meant that he was alive, and it was all that mattered to Yuri. The long-haired male stepped closer to the bed, pulled a chair next to it and sat down silently. Flynn was ignoring him plainly. Well, I deserved it, Yuri admitted to himself. Even if he didn't show it openly, it was clear that Flynn was furious against him, and legitimately so. But you're alive. And it was all that mattered. Even if Flynn hated him now, at least he was safe if not sound.

Still, the heavy silence was starting to get too uncomfortable for Yuri. What was he supposed to say, though? Could he simply talk about everything and nothing, as if Flynn had simply been caught in a mere accident? The sheer idea was ridiculous. Asking him if he was feeling well was probably not a better bet. Only one option remained, the one Yuri had prepared himself since he had agreed to be dragged into all this mess.

"Flynn, I'm sorry for what I did." he finally let out miserably. "I know it was stupid. I know it was dangerous, and I still went." He lowered his gaze, his cheeks feeling hot. "I'm sorry you had to get hurt because of me. If I hadn't acted so stupidly, you wouldn't have come to the lower quarters... and you wouldn't be here now." His fingers were laced tightly, to the point his knuckles almost turned white. He rose his head to Flynn again, hoping to see the latter finally looking at him, but he wasn't so lucky.

"I really regret what I did." he repeated, unsure about what else he could add. Apologies were the only thing he could offer, and yet Flynn didn't seem willing to accept them. "Flynn, please say something." he murmured, desperate.

Seconds passed. Flynn didn't move. However, as Yuri had started resigning himself, Flynn finally spoke; but his voice was cold when he did.

"Thank you for your visit. Please leave now." He still refused to look at Yuri.

"Flynn–"

"I said, please leave now."

Yuri's heart sank. He opened his mouth to protest, but no word found their ways out. What kind of reaction was that? He had expected Flynn to be angry at him, to snap at him, to tell him he had been an utter idiot and that he didn't want to talk to him anymore; he hadn't expected him to simply... ignore him. As if Yuri was but a mere stranger. A stranger, and nothing else.

He bit his lower lip and stood up, hardly able to conceal the dejection on his face. He fought the urge to snap at Flynn too. After all, he had already apologized, hadn't he? And he also had the right to be mad at Flynn for acting so stupidly. No one had asked him to come to the lower quarters, and even less to provoke Alexei like that! Flynn was also to blame!

But in a flash of lucidity, Yuri deemed it wiser not to speak his mind now. It really wasn't the best time to inflame the situation. Making his way to the door, he turned one last time to Flynn.

The latter's gaze hadn't moved from the window.

"Well, I think Flynn was actually quite nice to you. If it had been me, I'd have already kicked you to next week." Rita snorted.

"Thank you for the support." Yuri muttered.

"You deserve none." The girl replied harshly. "Given the state of this place, it's a miracle you got out of it unharmed."

"Hell yeah, you'd think there was a war here or something." Karol added, looking at his surroundings, impressed.

The three of them had come back to the lower quarters or what was left of it. Luckily enough, the damage had been centred mainly in two spots: where Raven and Alexei had been defeated. Still, the ruins facing them left an eerie feeling of a town after a bombing. Needless to say, many people were gathered there, either out of curiosity or to take pictures; there were also journalists and ambulances and nurses. Not so surprisingly, police forces were nowhere to be seen. In their stead, the army had been dispatched to insure order, while waiting for a new commandant to be appointed.

The voice of a journalist rose a bit farther away in the middle of the noise, reporting the facts of the previous day:

"–terrible clashes that left the lower quarters half destroyed. Alexei Dinoia was presumed shot by stray bullets while the whereabouts of Damuron Atomais remain unknown. Hypotheses are that he has managed to escape, but–"

Yuri frowned as he heard the words. So that was the official version of the facts?

"That's not what you told us." Rita crossed her arms.

"Well, it was such a mess yesterday, information wasn't well transmitted." Yuri replied grimly. "Or maybe they're just trying to hide the fact that it was one of Alexei's own officer who killed him."

Yuri shoved his hands in his pockets and let his gaze wander to his feet, though his eyes reflected nothing but emptiness. He shut them for a moment, remembering the events of the previous day.

Alexei raised his gun to Flynn. Time seemed to have stopped flowing for a moment. A scream died in his throat when two shots rang. Two silhouettes fell. And yet three weapons had taken aim.

Next to Alexei's lying corpse, Khroma, convulsed in pain and blood leaking down her mouth, lowered her arm which was holding a gun. Thin grey smoke was fuming out of the cannon. She silently mouthed the words 'I'm sorry' before exhaling one last time.

Alexei's weapon lay next to him, cold. Blood pooled from his temple and his shoulder.

It was over in an instant.

"Damn, I'm not sure who that Khroma was, but she sure was a great help." Karol noted. "I mean, it's thanks to her that we got Estelle back as well."

"How is she doing, by the way?" Yuri inquired, snatching himself out of his reminiscence.

"She went back to her parents', she's fine and all. Man, the face her mother pulled when she saw us!" Karol said proudly. "She couldn't believe we had managed to find Estelle, even after Estelle told her it was the truth! But seriously, I expected some kind of reward."

"Don't tell me you agreed to do it just because you thought there'd be a reward." Rita snorted, a glare in her eyes. "Estelle's our friend, it's normal that we should help her."

"I know, I know! I was joking." Karol sighed. "But hey, that reminds me... What about that Damuron Atomais? They said he's missing. You know something, Yuri?"

The long-haired male glanced at him, his body suddenly tensing up. Well, it was no use hiding the truth, he decided. They had the right to know, after helping him like that. And there was no reason for him to lie to them. Therefore he spilled everything: Damuron's actual identity, their conversation at the graveyard, and Judith's arrival. By the time he was done, two pair of eyes were staring at him the same way they would have if Yuri had announced that he was coming from another planet.

"No way!" Rita stomped her foot. "The old man actually did something that stupid! Now I need to find him and strangle him. Though I still find it hard to believe that he worked for Alexei. "

"So you left him with Judith? And now the both of them have disappeared?" Karol asked.

Yuri nodded. "That's what the guys from Altosk told me. They were pretty much pissed since they were supposed to deliver him alive to Whitehorse, but well..."

"Whitehorse is dead, so it doesn't matter anymore." Rita finished for him.

Yuri's face darkened at the mention of the man's death. That was another bitter point that he had yet to swallow. Without Whitehorse to keep order in the lower quarters, there was no saying how the remaining people there would survive.

"We could try to ask the hospital about Judith." Karol suggested.

"I doubt we'd find out anything." Yuri replied. "Anyway, I'm heading back now. Will come back here later to see how it goes with the others." He added with a tone that reflected no enthusiasm at all.

"Come to the orphanage with us!" Karol offered. "It's better than brooding alone at your place!"

Yuri considered the offer for a moment before nodding. "Thanks. I appreciate it." He replied gratefully.

With one last glance behind him, he left the lower quarters along with his friends. With Alexei dead, one could have imagined that everything would be solved; and yet Yuri had the feeling that nothing had been truly settled yet. If anything, the outcome of the confrontation between Altosk and Alexei had left more gaping problems to tackle.

Judith pulled the trigger.

The round pierced the stone-paved ground, sending splinters flying. One grazed Raven on the cheek. If he had had a heart, he could have safely asserted that the latter had stopped beating for several seconds. Even so, his jerky breathing and widened eyes betrayed him.

They remained still for what looked like an eternity; Judith standing above him, the steaming cannon of her gun still pointed at Raven while the latter was staring at her, laid on his back and still trying to understand what had happened. He allowed himself to glance on the side a bit, but he felt the hole more than he saw it on the ground, barely a few inches away from his temple.

"Raven." Judith called his name – was it really his name? – with a soft voice. "Come back to us."

Raven's face displayed surprise, then sadness. He couldn't, could he? Not after everything he had done. This wasn't the plan he had in mind. The plan was for him to die as Damuron Atomais, to atone for his sins. He would die with plenty of regrets, but at least he would die. And by Judith's hand, which wouldn't be that bad, right? It could have been worse. He had almost nothing tying him to this world anymore – almost – and his death wouldn't be mourned by many. Everything could be over here and now, he wouldn't have to bear with his heavy and tainted conscience anymore; it was the best escape possible for him. And yet... yet, Judith was giving him another chance. A chance to remain on this world which he thought had nothing more to offer him. The deal was clearly not balanced. And somehow, something buried deep inside him whispered at him that he had been secretly hoping for that chance. He found himself unable to refuse it.

Defeated, he allowed himself to smile, though it was a melancholic smile.

"I'm back." he said.

Judith smiled back, then held out a hand to him, which he grabbed. As soon as he was on his feet, she punched him without a warning, making him stagger in surprise.

"Welcome back, Raven." she replied, hugging him tightly.

Never before had he felt so much at home.

A warm hand rested on his shoulder, bringing him back to the present.

"I can leave you alone, if you'd prefer." Judith offered, but Raven shook his head.

"You don't have to."

Nevertheless, she still remained behind when Raven walked closer to the cold glass capsule where another woman was lying inside. A screen next to the capsule was displaying the words: 'Awakening process: 58% complete'.

"Are you really sure you want to do that?" Judith asked with concern. "You know putting her out of her cryogenic state will..."

"I know." Raven nodded, letting his fingers linger on the glass lid as his eyes were locked on the woman inside. He sighed heavily. "I've read the medical reports. No matter what, there was no way to save her. At best, Casey could be kept like this, but this is not a life. I knew it since the beginning. And sooner or later, this laboratory will be found out and dismantled. I'd rather take care of this before it happens. Though... I suppose I still hoped that Alexei could actually do something for her, at some point." The cold glass was slowly cooling up, making the thin crust of ice melt. The screen showed 65% to completion. "Pretty stupid, huh? Well, I'm just an old man with old dreams."

"It's not stupid to hope, Raven." Judith replied with conviction. And though she still bore annoyance at Raven's actions and wanted to hit him a few more times, she had decided to postpone it for later. Now wasn't the time for it. Now was the time for Raven to settle his matters with Casey. She'd hit him again later.

"I had promised Yeager to take care of her, and I couldn't even keep my word." Raven's afflicted tone made Judith's heart sink.

"It wasn't your fault."

"That's no excuse."

The screen displayed 78%. Raven was watching Casey's sleeping face with rare attention, as if he was trying to imprint each of her traits in his mind forever. A second screen was emitting a bipping sound at a regular interval, matched by a thin, luminous line that would spike at each bip. Casey's pulse. The bipping sound was getting quicker, getting closer and closer to the normal pace of a living human being. 85%.

Judith could have told him to stop the process, she could have told him that there could still be a chance for them to find some way to heal her completely, yet the nurse in her prevented her from telling such a lie. That's why she hated machines; they kept people alive, giving false hope that someday, they would recover entirely. A quick death was sometimes preferable to a long and dull semblance of life.

100%.

The glass lid opened slowly, and for a second Raven almost believed he was back a few years ago, on a day when Casey had fallen asleep on the grass while he and Yeager had gone to take some drinks. Except that this time, Yeager wasn't there. And it wasn't grass Casey was lying on. Raven held out a hesitant hand to her cheek, not daring to touch it yet as if she was made of china. His fingers accidentally brushed her chestnut hair and he was surprised to feel them so supple, even after spending several years in a freezing capsule. He brushed away a few strands from her forehead, and realized that her skin was still a bit cold. The room's temperature would warm her up soon enough.

He gazed almost impatiently at Casey's still closed eyes. The waiting seemed like hours to him, and yet only a few seconds passed before her eyelids twitched. Another couple of seconds, and Raven was finally treated with the sight of her dark brown pupils. She winced as light blinded her, and made an attempt at raising an arm to shadow her eyes, but she found the gesture too difficult. Many tubes were still plugged on her limbs, hindering her movements. That, and the fact that she had been immobilized for years.

"Casey, don't move yet." Raven said softly, stroking her forehead reassuringly. "Hey, do you remember me?"

The young woman didn't reply at first, still trying to let her eyes get used to the light. For a few seconds there was nothing but silence, broken only by the regular bipping sound of her pulse. Then she tried moving her head a bit, until her gaze finally met Raven's.

And then she smiled.

Oh, it was a weak smile, but a smile anyway. And when Raven saw it, he felt a knot in his throat, but it was a knot of intense happiness.

"Casey..." he repeated softly.

"...Raven." she breathed out with a hoarse voice. Raven suddenly felt warm inside, hearing that voice he hadn't heard in years. It was unchanged, still the same sweet voice he had come to like so much.

"How are you feeling?" he asked.

"...Like a corpse." Casey rasped, but as she saw the pale face Raven pulled at those words, she smiled again. "Kidding. Hey... mind telling me... what happened?"

Raven fell silent for an instant. Then he asked: "What do you remember?"

The question made Casey frown slightly as she forced her memory to function again. "I'm... not quite sure. My head feels really dizzy..."

Raven bit his lip. He had no time to explain everything to her. In a few minutes at most, she would be... He dismissed the painful thought the best he could and made his best attempt at smiling. "Casey... I'm sorry." he said. "I'm so sorry..."

"What for? Hey... Where's Yeager?" she inquired with her tired voice.

"He's... not here."

"I see." She closed her eyes, and for a second, Raven feared she was already no more, but the screen still bipped. He had no time to waste. He had to tell her everything he wanted to tell her before it was too late. But where to begin?

"Casey, I–"

"I remember." She interrupted him as she reopened her eyes. "At least... I think I do. Our mission... it turned out quite badly, right?"

Raven could do nothing but nod, averting her gaze.

"And... so I ended up here. This doesn't look like a hospital, though." Casey paused, taking back her breath. "Tell me the truth, Raven. Where's Yeager?"

He opened his mouth to reply, but no answer managed to pass his lips. But the pained expression on his face was enough for Casey to understand.

"I see... Raven... I feel tired... very tired..." she said, trying to move an arm again.

Raven quickly grabbed her hand in his. "Don't move. Spare yourself." he said. "You'll get better soon." he lied, ignoring the bile twisting him inwardly.

"Will I? Hey Raven... You said you were sorry earlier. What for?"

"Because I..." Why wouldn't words come out in such a critical time? Raven felt like hitting himself. Stop wasting time. "I did a lot of thing I'm not proud of. And I didn't manage to keep a promise to Yeager."

"Is that so? Don't worry... I'm sure he wouldn't... mind." She closed her eyes again, still breathing.

"Hey Casey." Without his noticing, his voice was somehow trembling a bit. "Will you ever forgive me?"

"For what?"

"For everything I did." Now his tone almost sounded pleading. "I did... too much to be forgiven, but I'm so glad I can talk to you again, Casey... so... can you forgive me?"

"You don't make any sense at all." Casey replied with a small chuckle. Her eyes were opened again. "But fine, I forgive you."

Raven unconsciously tightened his hold on Casey's hands.

"Raven... I feel really... tired... It's... strange..."

"It's OK, Casey. You'll be fine. You'll be fine." Raven repeated. No, please not yet. Please!

"Liar... You were always a bad liar..."

"You'll be fine." Just a bit more... A bit more time with her...

"You're... persistent... Hey, do you think... I'll meet Yeager..."

"You'll be fine." Please, not yet. Not yet!

"Then why... are you crying?"

"I'm not." Raven replied, ignoring the two cold trails on his cheeks.

"Liar... again..." Her eyelids closed again. Her breathing was getting weaker.

"Casey. Casey!"

"Raven... We really had fun... The three of us..."

"Yes, we had. Casey, hang in there!"

"...fun... being with you..."

"Casey!"

The screen gave a long, continuous bip as the luminous line turned flat. Casey's eyes remained closed.

Sorrow, affliction, despair, everything suddenly swallowed Raven up; and he found himself mute and inconsolable. He brought Casey's hand to his cheek, holding it as dearly as he'd have held her; he kissed her hand and let silent tears wet her pale skin. He had known that it would happen one day or another, he had known since the beginning. Yet, it didn't make the pain easier to bear.

He was so much drowned into his own mourning that he failed to hear soft footsteps coming closer to him. And then a hand rested on his back, stroking it slowly. He knew it was Judith, he knew she was trying to tell him that he wasn't alone, yet for now there was only Casey in his head.

Casey, and how he had failed to protect her.

There was no school on Monday due to the recent events that had shaken up the city. The whole town was still in turmoil and needless to say, the news would only talk about the clash between Alexei and the lower quarters. Two main groups had formed: those who supported Alexei's actions, asserting that he had been entirely right to crackdown on those who disrupted the city's peace and quiet; and those who were completely appalled by what had happened – they were mainly those had come to demonstrate – and were doing their best to help the inhabitants of the lower quarters. And naturally there were those who preferred to stay outside the polemic.

In any case, on that day, Yuri, Rita and Karol had been invited at Estelle's place by her parents, which had not been much to Yuri's taste, but the girl had insisted so much that he could only yield.

The reception room was more or less the way Yuri had imagined it to be: large, cosy, excessively decorated, with paintings on the walls, expensive furniture at every corner and much not to his taste, unfortunately. Rita and Karol visibly shared the same opinion as him. For now, all three of them were seated at a round table along with Estelle and her parents, with a cup of tea in front of each. Estelle's parents spent at least ten minutes thanking their three guests for rescuing their dearest daughter, and the next twenty minutes asking for details of the story. On that part, Yuri didn't feel like telling too much about how they had been able to learn about Estelle's whereabouts, therefore he let Rita make up a story about how she had found out on her own that Estelle could only be kept at her godfather's place. The fact that Estelle added that Rita was renowned as a genius at school helped convinced her parents greatly.

"We have a present for each of you." Estelle's mother finally said. "Go ahead, Estellise." She then addressed her daughter who nodded with a big smile and left the living room for a minute before coming back with three presents.

"You really didn't have to, but thanks." Yuri said gratefully as he took the one Estelle was handing him.

"Yeah, it was our pleasure to help!" Karol added, slightly embarrassed.

"Hmph well, we did risk our lives for her." Rita noted, faking to be haughty. "But thanks."

The pink-haired girl chuckled. "That is the least we could do for you. But it is really sad that it had to end like this." she added, her face suddenly losing its smile. "Uncle Alexei used to be different. I am certain he was convinced that his actions were just."

"Now, Estellise. This is not the time to talk about such depressing topics." her father scolded her gently. "This is regrettable, truly, but we cannot change what happened. So for now, how about you open your presents?"

Yuri received a recipe book made by the most renowned cooks of the world – on Estelle's suggestion, most probably –, Karol got a new mute, and Rita a bottle of perfume.

"I personally don't wear this one," Estelle's mother commented, "But I heard this has been the most popular perfume for some time."

Rita cocked an eyebrow when she saw the bottle. It was the same as the one Yuri had offered Pia. "Duke Pantarei's Elegance." she said. Too bad she didn't like fragrances. She thanked Estelle's mother anyway, out of politeness. She wondered what her hostess would have said if she told her that she knew Duke personally. Though there were also chances that those rich people already knew each other. Not that it mattered.

They parted soon after, much to Yuri's relief who still had plenty of other thoughts bothering his mind. As they exited the Sidos house, Rita asked:

"Do you plan to visit Flynn at the clinic?"

But the boy shook his head. "No, he should have been discharged already. When I asked, the nurse told me that there's no need to stay more than a day at the hospital for a dislocated shoulder. So I guess Flynn's at home and resting."

"Then are you going to see him?"

Yuri didn't answer. He had been willing to come to Flynn's place for the whole day, but the perspective of being given the cold shoulder – no pun intended – was preventing him from actually going.

"You should try." Karol advised. "Try to apologize again. He can't be sulking forever, anyway."

"What if he just ignores me again?" Yuri muttered.

"Then you'll have to try again later." Rita replied sharply. "It's mainly your fault, so fix it yourself. Unless you think that Flynn isn't worth the trouble." she added with disdain.

Yuri glared at her. "Of course he is." he protested. Rita was right. Flynn had always put up with him and his every whim and had been rewarded with a lie and a broken promise. If Yuri wanted to mend the pieces, he'd have to do more than give a mere apology. There was one problem left, though. "I've no idea what to do beside apologizing." He said, dejected.

"Oh, come on! Use your head a bit!" Rita snapped, exasperated. "Tell him how you feel, give him flowers, bake him some cakes, harass him, I don't know! You know him better than us, you should have at least a clue on what you can do for him!"

The sudden outburst took both Karol and Yuri by surprise. The latter blinked twice, before scratching his head. "I guess you're right." he finally said. He still had no clear idea what to do, but one thing was for sure: he'd do anything to win back Flynn.

Alexei's national funerals took place at the capital city and were broadcast simultaneously on the TV, yet it was the last thing Flynn wanted to see. He grabbed the remote with his left hand and turned the device off. The throbbing pain on his right shoulder was constantly there, but he had taken painkillers not too long ago and the doctor had strongly warned him about an abuse of the medicine. Therefore he bore with the pain, though not happily.

That would teach him to act on an impulse just to piss Yuri off. Because this was everything there was to it, really. The moment he had received Yuri's message on his phone, various emotions followed one after another: disbelief at first, then anger, then blind rage. If Yuri thought he could play hero, then he'd have no problem with him doing the same.

Flynn hadn't expected it to hurt that much, though. And on his second sleepless night, he had had plenty of time to ponder on his own actions. To his shame, he had realized – a bit too late – that he had been about as reasonable as Yuri. He remembered the moment Alexei pointed his gun at him all too well. At that moment, adrenaline had bound any sensible reasoning in him, so there had been more recklessness than fear from him, and he knew he had been beyond lucky to still be alive. The thought had slowly made its way to him: I could have died back there. One shot, and I'd have died. One second too late, and I'd have died. I could have died. He still had shivers at the memories.

Still, there was a tiny part in him that was nudging another thought to him. One that said that perhaps, he had simply been worried sick about Yuri and had wanted to go to find him.

The blonde boy shook his head. That idiot doesn't deserve me to worry about him. I can just forget about him.

Liar, another voice murmured to him.

Clicking his tongue of irritation, Flynn stood up from the sofa and went to prepare himself a cup of tea to take with some more painkillers.

And sleeping pills.

He'd need them a lot.

xxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxxx xxxxxxxxxxxxx

A/N: *offers handkerchief for those who want* Sorry for the slow update. It may turn even slower in the next few weeks for various reasons (including the fact that a certain someone is trying to give me even less time by making me play old video games *cough*Celice*cough*). This chapter concludes this arc. Next one will start the final arc :] Thank you for sticking with me!