AN: There are a lot of new challenges introduced in this chapter. I hope you enjoy and that I don't scare you off. I've been pretty burned out recently in terms of school and work

He tried to jump off a building.

He sustained major injuries in his head and in his spine.

It's very likely that he won't be able to walk again

He might have difficulty thinking. There's also a possibility that his personality will change.

We're hopeful that he'll regain consciousness.

Chapter Thirty-Seven– After Life

Kyoko stared at the space in front of her. She was exhausted and she was scared that this would happen again. She was terrified of how her husband would be when he woke up and if he would try again. She was scared that he'd fall into a depression and be unable to fight. She was scared that Kuon didn't think that she was worth fighting for anymore.

There was still one person Kuon would fight for though. Aurora.

"I've decided to resign from acting. I know that there will be a fee to pay for the agency. I can cover it, but I think it's the right option for me," Kyoko told Lory as she sat on the sofa opposite him. She felt the bags under her eyes and finally felt the age settling in. She looked at the floor. "I've decided to pursue a different career. I apologize," she said as she leaned forwards into a seated bow.

"I assumed that would be the case, but I have to ask you to reconsider," Lory said as he watched her. Kyoko looked as if she was about to fall apart. "May I ask what you're thinking about?"

"I want to take some psychology classes as well as some health classes. Maybe I won't pursue medicine as a career but I know what is really important to me," she said as she attempted to wipe away some tears.

"Are you sure that you don't want to pursue acting?" Lory asked and Kyoko nodded. "Is there any part of the industry that you'd be interested in. You started in the talent department, would that be of interest?" he asked. He knew how alive Kyoko became when she acted. He knew how much she had allowed Sho Fuwa to steal her happiness. He didn't want her to give up on a field she loved being a part of because of Kuon. He didn't want to risk any resentment.

"Maybe," Kyoko said weakly, "You mean like a talk show host?" she asked before looking down. She nodded. "Possibly, but for right now I have to concentrate on being a wife and a mother….that is if I still can be a proper wife."

"If you're giving up on acting because Kuon can't…" Lory trailed off and Kyoko shook her head.

"It's not because he can't. Maybe he'll be able to when he recovers or maybe the world will be less well off because the greatest actor was forced to retire from the industry, but I want to take care of him. I've been showing him such neglect lately," Kyoko brushed away a few tears from her eyes. "I don't want to blame him but unless I can be sure that he won't let depression win and unless I can support him in his fight, I don't want to act. I almost lost him," Kyoko tried to remind the president.

"Kuon wouldn't want you to give up on something you love," Lory attempted to argue and Kyoko looked up at him with a frown.

"I love him," she argued. She looked away and wrapped an arm around herself so that she didn't completely crumble. "I need to take some time away to think about everything. You know, I used to think that I didn't want to let any man stand in the way of my career and my future, but Kuon is my future and I would rather support him in his dreams than live my own, at least for right now."

"Then…" Lory sighed as he ran his hand through his hair. "I want you to come in every six months and tell me where you are in your decision. If you tell me that you want to act again then I'll make you an active part of the acting department. If you decide that you need more time, I'll give you more time."

Kyoko smiled and nodded, "Thank you," she told him. "Thank you for understanding."

She stood up and started heading to the door when she heard Lory call out for her.

"Kyoko, give Kuon my best wishes when you see him. Remind him that he can phone me if he ever needs to talk. If there is some mental damage in that head of his, please remind him that I care about him unconditionally. He's like a child to me," Lory told her as Kyoko bowed again and then rose her head with a smile.

"Of course," she said. "I'll keep you updated on his condition as well," she said before making her exit.

…

…..

As Kyoko entered the hospital she heard the words that she was desperately hoping to hear, "Your husband is awake."

She couldn't contain her excitement despite her knowing that there was a possibility that he was hurt worse than she had thought just looking at him. She didn't know whether he would be happy to see her. She had already hurt him so badly, but she wanted to be with him. She wanted him to know that she wasn't going to stop fighting for them and that she hoped he wouldn't stop either. As she got to the hospital room, she saw him look up at her from the bed and immediately look away.

She paused.

Did he not want her here? Was her presence making him feel worse? She didn't want to admit to such a thing, but this was a possibility. Taking a few hesitant steps towards him, Kyoko smiled gently to him. "Hi…" she breathed out in relief.

He didn't answer her.

She nervously took a step so that she could touch his shoulder and he flinched before moving away. What was going on here? Did he forget about her or something? Was he still mad at her. "Hi, Kuon. It's good to see you awake," she said softly as she wondered where her husband's mind was right now. "How are you feeling?"

Kuon didn't reply to her again and Kyoko froze.

"My name is Kyoko. I'm your -" Kyoko began but Kuon turned and looked at her, his eyes showing that he knew her and that he still loved her. Kyoko paused. "Okay, are you still mad at me, sweetheart?" she asked hoping that wasn't the case. He shook his head and Kyoko stared at him. Why wasn't he saying anything to her?

Kuon looked up at her and took her hand. He tapped on her ring and looked at her with hope in his eyes.

"Yes, we're still married." Kyoko said as Kuon tapped on her ring again and Kyoko looked at him and the bandages over his head. What was going on here? Why wasn't he speaking to her if he wasn't angry with her? "What is it?" she asked again before remembering how he had handed his ring to her. "You want yours back?" she asked and he nodded silently.

"Kuon?" she asked him nervously as she took it out of her pocket. "You know how much I love you. You know how much I will always love you. You're my prince Corn. You can tell me anything," she reached out for his cheek but saw him flinch. Was she scary to him?

"Is something - did I do something?" she asked and Kuon pointed to where she touched and shook his head as if trying to tell her something. "Am I allowed to touch you?" she asked and he nodded. "Then –" she nervously took a deep breath in. She was terrified of the answer but she wanted to ask anyway, "Kuon, why aren't you speaking to me?" she asked and Kuon looked away as if trying to decide what to say.

"Y-Yyou…" he shook his head. His voice wasn't coming out like it usually did. Usually he was so strong and charismatic and people wanted to speak to him. He was sympathetic and would talk problems out with his costars. Now it seemed that he was nervous when speaking to her. Was this the personality change that the doctors had been referring to.

"Okay, I'll what?" she asked as she wanted to hold him and tell him that because she was there that everything would be alright.

"Lllau—gh" he finished and Kyoko frowned with a confused expression on her face.

"Kuon, I wouldn't do that," she told him. "I would never. Sweetheart, it's alright. I promise that I won't laugh at you. Please tell me what's wrong." Kyoko had such want in her eyes and she saw how much pain her husband was in. It was as if every word was a chore to him. Was this the anxiety? Was he really not speaking to her because he was scared of her?"

"Iii…" he said weakly and Kyoko nodded, "sspea…" he shook his head again, seeming to give up. "Sssor-rry" he apologized and Kyoko blinked back tears.

Nervously, she reached out and took Kuon's hand, bringing it to her lips as she saw the damage that she hoped was one day reversible. She didn't want to say how he looked as if the world had already knocked everything out of him. She wanted to concentrate on him getting better and she had belief that he would get better. "I love you," she told him as she wondered what was beneath those bandages. How bad were his external scars if his internal wounds were this deep?

Kuon looked away from her and Kyoko could see shame in his eyes. He was ashamed of himself because he didn't have mobility or proper speech anymore and had an infection in his lungs? He was ashamed because she had been forced to be with the Yakuza? Kyoko felt so much pain in her chest.

"Kuon Hizuri," she said passionately. "You think that I love you just because of what you've done. I love you because of who you are inside and I know that that won't change. Maybe it'll be harder for you to get your words out, but I know that you have some good ones inside of you. Maybe it'll be hard to adapt to society, but you've always excelled when different from everyone else. As long as you don't give up on yourself then I can fight for the two of us. I love you and if I could have changed any of this," she said before looking down. "I was told that you tried to jump off of the LME building and I want to believe that you were trying to fly."

Kuon looked away and shook his head, "Nnnot … ffly" he said as Kyoko nodded.

"I know, but you've always been spectacularly skilled even super human. To think that you fell backwards off of a balcony in front of me and then you misjudged which floor would kill you," she said before shaking her head. "Do you honestly think that you should die? You are the most important man who will ever be in my life, Kuon. Don't ignore that."

Kuon looked down and closed his eyes not wanting to admit how he'd messed everything up so he just nodded slowly. Kyoko sighed and put the ring on his finger before gesturing for him to make room in the bed so he did so. Kyoko curled into him and let her head rest on his chest.

"I love you."

End of Chapter Thirty-Seven

Thank you for Reading

Thank you reviewers of Chapter Thirty-Six

Ashenvale, brennakai, Crazy4Animation, Erza, Kris, paulagato

I promise you things will turn out alright and there is a point to what I've decided to do in the story.