One Last Breath
~By: Lauren~
C H O I C E S
There were just some days when you wished you could close your eyes and find out everything from the time you woke up had just been some horrible, twisted dream. That you were really still tucked into a soft bed, the alarm just waiting to go off and tell you that it was all a nightmare. Nothing that bad could possibly happen in real life...
This just happened to be one of those days. But fate and whatever else had decided to take a hand in controlling Meimi's life this month were being remarkably uncooperative.
Tammy was unsuccessfully trying to scramble down from her safety perch while Tony waited for her at the bottom, worry lining his face. Rei slouched down, dropping his bloody knife into the dirt while he fell onto his knees and he stared forward with a blank expression. Behind them, Aaron and Marie were just arriving to survey the scene.
Asuka Jr. had dove towards Meimi when she wavered, catching her back when she fell after releasing Rei from her embrace. Her back and head rested gently on his lap while he fretted over what to do. Blood was staining her black vest and her white under-shirt while her face was etched with pain. His senses all focused down onto the girl huddling in his lap like a terrified child, his voice murmuring soft words in an instinctive effort to soothe her enough to speak. Meimi had managed to tuck in on herself, lifting her knees to her chest and curling up, making herself smaller than Asuka Jr. ever thought she would be capable of achieving. He could feel her body trembling as he bit his shirtsleeve. With a quick action, he ripped the sleeve off and proceeded to tie it tightly around Meimi's wound. He had to stop the bleeding somehow.
"Some call an ambulance!! GET HELP!!" Tammy yelled with horror, looking around frantically for some kind of phone.
Very slowly, Asuka Jr. moved one hand away from her wound, sliding it up and around to her chin. Cupping her face in his hand, he leaned back so he could tilt her face up to search her eyes. Meimi was still shaking, her face pale and her eyes wide as they focused on him. There was a mix of sadness, regret, fear and longing in those expressive eyes as tears continued to seep slowly down the soft curve of her cheeks.
It was a combination Asuka hoped he would never have to see in her again after tonight.
His heart lurched painfully at the sight and, keeping his own face carefully blank in an effort to ease her fear, he again brushed away the tears on her cheeks with his thumb. He did his best to pour every ounce of calm he was capable of faking at the moment into his touch as he tried to fight the possessive protection that flowed through him naturally whenever he thought of someone hurting her.
"Asuka..." Was the choked whisper that emerged from Meimi's throat. She tried to steady her hand as she unconsciously reached up, fingering her sunglasses as if to make sure they were still there. "I...I....I'm s- sorry...I r-ran away..."
He looked at her with care and worry at the same time. "Don't worry...Just hang on...I'll get you help..."
And that was the last thing Meimi remembered.
Asuka Jr. supported her body with his own, as he stood up, careful not to waver. Around him the four other teenagers had gathered, staring ahead wide- eyed with concern. They didn't dare step forward with the glare Asuka shot at everyone around him. He still wasn't sure who was friend or foe and all that mattered was Meimi's safety at the moment. The detective carefully checked Meimi to see how bad her wound was. It seemed that the knife had been pushed all the way in, a full five inches he guessed. And not only that, it had to be in a bad spot. The knife had been pushed into Meimi just above her stomach and just below her heart. He breathed out a sigh of relief. At least the knife hadn't hit her heart. The rest of her exposed skin had a few tiny cuts and scratches, nothing big to worry about. She had a small cut near her cheekbone though it wasn't deep enough to make a scar. Asuka Jr. then retied his shirt around her tighter, trying to stop the seemingly endless flow of blood. Strangely, somewhere between jumping down, being stabbed and then falling to the ground, Meimi had broken the left side of her sunglasses. Asuka Jr. slowly took them off, or what was left of them. He was afraid that if he left them on the shards might damage her eyes or worse, that they had already been damaged. Lucky her eyes hadn't been hurt, at least not on the outsides. He carefully and tenderly slipped one of his arms under her back and the other under her legs, lifting her light figure up with ease. Why was she bleeding so profoundly? Asuka's only conclusion was that Rei had managed to somehow hit a vital or important vein.
"I'm taking her to the hospital." He murmured the words to anyone who was listening.
"Then we're coming too." Tammy stepped forward determinedly yet a bit uneasy. She was attempting to keep Tony standing but with her own strength being nearly completely drained; they both depended on each other heavily. "Tony's been injured too. So we're coming."
Asuka Jr. only nodded while he hugged Meimi's form close to him to help keep her warm; it truly frightened him with how cold she felt and the trembles that kept shooting through her body. Quickly but carefully, he walked forward to what he believed was the exit from the dump.
"Call the police. Tell them Asuka Jr., no, we caught the robber and a murder. Tell them to get an ambulance and get the police to the city dump." Asuka Jr. muttered back to Aaron while using his left had to produce a cell phone from his pocket. He tossed it to the young boy who caught it with ease.
Asuka Jr. appeared to be pale and drawn while he stumbled across the garbage dump and all but collapsed when he reached the edge. He was now soaked with blood, a thick trail marking his passage on the ground. Meimi lay limp in his arms, her skin a ghastly white and her breathing shallow. She was the one who looked like she'd been through hell. She was cut, bruised and filthy but it was the blood that caused the major concern. It was soaked in her shirt, on her face, tracking down her arms, darkening her clothes...
Fear gripped the four teenagers as they trailed behind Asuka Jr. and Meimi. They were afraid for their friend. For the person who meant so much to them. Zoey and Joey were both tied up so they didn't need to worry about them getting away and with the state of shock and guilt they left Rei in, they had a feeling the boy wouldn't be traveling far. It took every ounce of willpower in each of them to hold back and not run over to beat up the gang.
"Will she be all right?" Tammy nervously questioned Tony, tears brimming her eyes. Tony nodded, catching Tammy's hand and giving her an encouraging squeeze as their eyes were drawn to Meimi's limp form in Asuka Jr.'s arms. "She's strong, she always has been."
The girl looked impossibly fragile, her chest barely rising with each breath and her skin nearly as white as the clouds above them. Her red hair was a strange contrast to her pale skin and the only other color was the dark scarlet of her blood coating her in disturbing quantities. Above them, they were unaware of the setting sun.
For Asuka Jr.'s lack of injuries, he didn't look as though he was in much better shape. He was just as pale as Meimi, his breathing shallow as he panted as through from great exertion. He walked almost perfectly straight, his suit dark and stiff with Meimi's blood, only moving his hands to stoke her while he stumbled forward or to press light kisses to her forehead and temple. Tony doubted he was even fully aware of those telling actions, so intent were the detective's eyes as they followed Meimi's every slight move. Sweat beaded Asuka Jr.'s face, running down his skin in rivulets, but he ignored it stoically as he walked impatiently towards the hospital. A hint of scarlet tinted Asuka's vision when tears slipped silently from beneath Meimi's tightly closed eyelids, her face twisting to press against his chest. Unconsciously she was seeking comfort, release from this new pain and she was turning to him. Asuka Jr. had never felt more useless. The only way to help her was to force to her bear the pain until they reached the hospital.
~*~
Meimi could hear three quiet voices soothingly talking to her but they seemed to come from two different places. A pair of voices sounded right there with her but strangely, as if they came from within her while the other single voice seemed to call to her through the darkness. She couldn't make out what they were saying but they were...comforting... and gentle, something she needed with all the pain that swamped her at that very moment. Meimi looked at her surroundings to discover she was floating through an eerie void of blackness. Of darkness. Nothingness. She was clad in her Saint Tail outfit but there were no blood stains, no rips in her clothing or cuts on her skin and her sunglasses were missing. Strangely, she felt naked without them but what did it matter, it wasn't like she was surrounded by people. She was all...alone. The darkness around her melted away slowly, much to her relief, only to reveal images all around her of the people she loved. Everyone from her parents to Tammy. And of course, Asuka Jr. Memories played as if Meimi was merely watching a home movie. Memories of her childhood, all taking place in this city she once called home. The redhead suddenly realized something as she stared at an image of her and her parents in Seika City. This was where her fateful journey had begun. Everywhere she went, there were memories which led her back to this place.
It hurt her.
So much.
She wanted to let go, to let herself fade away into the darkness just like the images were doing. They melted away until she was left again to float in the black void.
~*~
"Will you please leave sir?" A doctor clad in a pasty green outfit pushed Asuka Jr. back towards a pair of double doors. They were bringing Meimi into a surgery room.
"I won't leave her side!! What are you going to do to her?!" Asuka Jr. was near hysterics now while the other four teenagers somberly looked on.
"Can I see you both?" A woman wearing a white jacket and a nametag walked over, smiling calmly at Tammy and Tony. "Let me just take a look at your injuries and we can get you all fixed up."
Tony and Tammy both nodded mutely, letting themselves be finally torn away from Meimi and led down a dimly lit hallway.
Marie and Aaron stood there, a vacant look filling their eyes while the double doors finally closed, shutting off their view of Meimi.
Marie blinked, taking in a deep breath before she plastered a smile on her face and spun to face Aaron. "Want to get something to drink? We'll probably be here for a while." She tried to hide the tremble in her voice but it was so hard.
Aaron looked up at Marie, biting his lip while he fought the tears that welled in his own eyes. "Will she be all right Marie?" He questioned the older girl. "Meimi won't die, right?"
"No." Marie snapped at Aaron angrily. "Meimi WON'T die! She WON'T leave us!! Now come on...let's get something to drink." She snatched up Aaron's hand, pulling him behind her. Suddenly, he yanked his hand free of her grip. Marie spun around, ready to glare at the blonde boy and pull him along again, but instead she simply froze.
Hot tears streaked down his face in a steady river. "Stop pretending to be strong Marie! Stop putting on this act! I'm so sick of your stupid acts...just...just STOP IT!"
A few passing people paused, glancing over at the boy who had screamed loudly.
Marie's jaw ever so slowly dropped open in shock while she stared wide-eyed at Aaron. Tears filled up her eyes while she shut her mouth and looked down at the floor. A few droplets of liquid slipped out of her eyes, falling to land in front of her feet. Two surprisingly strong arms wrapped themselves around her motionless form until they carefully enveloped her into their hold, stroking her back, holding her close against a warm body. If the situation weren't this dire, Marie would have been wondering when Aaron had grown so tall, had matured so much and turned into such a tender, handsome young man and she'd be wondering why she hadn't noticed this sooner. But Marie couldn't hold onto her act any longer as she lunged deeper into his embrace, burying her face into his chest while she sobbed quietly. Aaron rested his chin on the top of her head, rubbing her back to calm her down while a few crystal tears aimlessly wandered down his own cheeks.
~*~
"We're going to have to survey the damage incase anything needs repaired before we give her a blood transfusion. She's loss too much blood already and if you don't leave right now young man, I'll have to call in security." The doctor lectured Asuka Jr. while pulling gloves onto his hands and tying on a white smock.
"Doctor we're losing her!!" A woman wearing clothing much like the doctors yelled over while scrambling around Meimi's limp form.
"Shit!" The doctor cursed loudly as he ran over towards Meimi, completely forgetting about Asuka Jr.
Behind him, Asuka Jr. could hear a faint, steady beep coming from a black monitor but...it wasn't like it should have been. It wasn't beeping at intervals. The green line on the monitor was flat. His eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat as he swore his heart was ripped out of his chest at that very moment then torn into two.
The doctor pulled out two metal squares, preparing to press them down upon Meimi's chest. Asuka Jr. ran towards her figure, pushing back the woman doctor while he grabbed onto Meimi's shoulders, shaking her limp form. His tears dripped down to mingle on her cheeks while he screamed at her. "I'm going to catch you Saint Tail!!" He yelled at her. "So don't you DARE die on me! DON'T YOU DARE!! DAMMIT I FINALLY GOT YOU BACK MEIMI!! YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY AGAIN! STOP BEING SO SELFISH! I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!"
A burly man pushed his way into the room, grabbing Asuka Jr. roughly by his shoulders as he pulled the wriggling detective out of the surgery room.
Asuka Jr. fought against the man but the security guard was just too strong. But he kept fighting, pushing forward as his broken voice screamed out, "DON'T RUN AWAY LIKE A CHICKEN! DON'T DIE ON ME MEIMI!! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!!!!!!!!"
~*~
Meimi paused, her eyes searching the welcoming darkness. She swore she had heard a voice calling her. It was the same outside voice she had heard before but this time it sounded stronger, more self-assured and closer to Meimi. She heard it again and this time it was distinct.
The red head strained to hear the words. "I'm going to catch you Saint Tail!!" The voice screamed at her. "So don't you DARE die on me! DON'T YOU DARE!! I FINALLY GOT YOU BACK MEIMI!! YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY AGAIN!! STOP BEING SO SELFISH! I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!"
It was that detective again. Asuka Jr. He was calling her...but why? Meimi frowned in confusion. Everything she did with Asuka made her feel safe, loved...like she was really home for the first time in her life.
The two voices from inside her suddenly returned. They spoke tenderly and quietly, their voices filled with love.
"It's not your time little one. Don't worry, we'll always be here. We'll wait even if it takes forever and...we want it to take forever."
And abruptly the darkness around her exploded in a flash of white and golden light. All around her was warmth and radiating light while she relentlessly fought the throbbing pain in her chest. She had to fight because...Meimi Haneoka wasn't going to run away ever again.
~*~
Let's make a dream, always and time after time.
Rather than count the number of sorrows,
Let's sing softly with the same lips.
In the closing memories,
~*~
Lauren: Sorry if the chapter was a bit short. I felt I should have added a bit more to it so it would be the same length as the others except I just feel like this is the perfect place to stop. Hehe, cliff hanger!! And no, I didn't stop there just to annoy you all and be evil (well, that wasn't the entire reason ^_^) but, I don't know, it just seemed to fit and to keep writing what I have planned to happen next would kind of ruin the whole feeling of this chapter. So what do you think of the chapter? Thanks for all the great reviews! I love you all so much! Just curious but what is everyone's favorite part/scene from the whole story so far?
~By: Lauren~
C H O I C E S
There were just some days when you wished you could close your eyes and find out everything from the time you woke up had just been some horrible, twisted dream. That you were really still tucked into a soft bed, the alarm just waiting to go off and tell you that it was all a nightmare. Nothing that bad could possibly happen in real life...
This just happened to be one of those days. But fate and whatever else had decided to take a hand in controlling Meimi's life this month were being remarkably uncooperative.
Tammy was unsuccessfully trying to scramble down from her safety perch while Tony waited for her at the bottom, worry lining his face. Rei slouched down, dropping his bloody knife into the dirt while he fell onto his knees and he stared forward with a blank expression. Behind them, Aaron and Marie were just arriving to survey the scene.
Asuka Jr. had dove towards Meimi when she wavered, catching her back when she fell after releasing Rei from her embrace. Her back and head rested gently on his lap while he fretted over what to do. Blood was staining her black vest and her white under-shirt while her face was etched with pain. His senses all focused down onto the girl huddling in his lap like a terrified child, his voice murmuring soft words in an instinctive effort to soothe her enough to speak. Meimi had managed to tuck in on herself, lifting her knees to her chest and curling up, making herself smaller than Asuka Jr. ever thought she would be capable of achieving. He could feel her body trembling as he bit his shirtsleeve. With a quick action, he ripped the sleeve off and proceeded to tie it tightly around Meimi's wound. He had to stop the bleeding somehow.
"Some call an ambulance!! GET HELP!!" Tammy yelled with horror, looking around frantically for some kind of phone.
Very slowly, Asuka Jr. moved one hand away from her wound, sliding it up and around to her chin. Cupping her face in his hand, he leaned back so he could tilt her face up to search her eyes. Meimi was still shaking, her face pale and her eyes wide as they focused on him. There was a mix of sadness, regret, fear and longing in those expressive eyes as tears continued to seep slowly down the soft curve of her cheeks.
It was a combination Asuka hoped he would never have to see in her again after tonight.
His heart lurched painfully at the sight and, keeping his own face carefully blank in an effort to ease her fear, he again brushed away the tears on her cheeks with his thumb. He did his best to pour every ounce of calm he was capable of faking at the moment into his touch as he tried to fight the possessive protection that flowed through him naturally whenever he thought of someone hurting her.
"Asuka..." Was the choked whisper that emerged from Meimi's throat. She tried to steady her hand as she unconsciously reached up, fingering her sunglasses as if to make sure they were still there. "I...I....I'm s- sorry...I r-ran away..."
He looked at her with care and worry at the same time. "Don't worry...Just hang on...I'll get you help..."
And that was the last thing Meimi remembered.
Asuka Jr. supported her body with his own, as he stood up, careful not to waver. Around him the four other teenagers had gathered, staring ahead wide- eyed with concern. They didn't dare step forward with the glare Asuka shot at everyone around him. He still wasn't sure who was friend or foe and all that mattered was Meimi's safety at the moment. The detective carefully checked Meimi to see how bad her wound was. It seemed that the knife had been pushed all the way in, a full five inches he guessed. And not only that, it had to be in a bad spot. The knife had been pushed into Meimi just above her stomach and just below her heart. He breathed out a sigh of relief. At least the knife hadn't hit her heart. The rest of her exposed skin had a few tiny cuts and scratches, nothing big to worry about. She had a small cut near her cheekbone though it wasn't deep enough to make a scar. Asuka Jr. then retied his shirt around her tighter, trying to stop the seemingly endless flow of blood. Strangely, somewhere between jumping down, being stabbed and then falling to the ground, Meimi had broken the left side of her sunglasses. Asuka Jr. slowly took them off, or what was left of them. He was afraid that if he left them on the shards might damage her eyes or worse, that they had already been damaged. Lucky her eyes hadn't been hurt, at least not on the outsides. He carefully and tenderly slipped one of his arms under her back and the other under her legs, lifting her light figure up with ease. Why was she bleeding so profoundly? Asuka's only conclusion was that Rei had managed to somehow hit a vital or important vein.
"I'm taking her to the hospital." He murmured the words to anyone who was listening.
"Then we're coming too." Tammy stepped forward determinedly yet a bit uneasy. She was attempting to keep Tony standing but with her own strength being nearly completely drained; they both depended on each other heavily. "Tony's been injured too. So we're coming."
Asuka Jr. only nodded while he hugged Meimi's form close to him to help keep her warm; it truly frightened him with how cold she felt and the trembles that kept shooting through her body. Quickly but carefully, he walked forward to what he believed was the exit from the dump.
"Call the police. Tell them Asuka Jr., no, we caught the robber and a murder. Tell them to get an ambulance and get the police to the city dump." Asuka Jr. muttered back to Aaron while using his left had to produce a cell phone from his pocket. He tossed it to the young boy who caught it with ease.
Asuka Jr. appeared to be pale and drawn while he stumbled across the garbage dump and all but collapsed when he reached the edge. He was now soaked with blood, a thick trail marking his passage on the ground. Meimi lay limp in his arms, her skin a ghastly white and her breathing shallow. She was the one who looked like she'd been through hell. She was cut, bruised and filthy but it was the blood that caused the major concern. It was soaked in her shirt, on her face, tracking down her arms, darkening her clothes...
Fear gripped the four teenagers as they trailed behind Asuka Jr. and Meimi. They were afraid for their friend. For the person who meant so much to them. Zoey and Joey were both tied up so they didn't need to worry about them getting away and with the state of shock and guilt they left Rei in, they had a feeling the boy wouldn't be traveling far. It took every ounce of willpower in each of them to hold back and not run over to beat up the gang.
"Will she be all right?" Tammy nervously questioned Tony, tears brimming her eyes. Tony nodded, catching Tammy's hand and giving her an encouraging squeeze as their eyes were drawn to Meimi's limp form in Asuka Jr.'s arms. "She's strong, she always has been."
The girl looked impossibly fragile, her chest barely rising with each breath and her skin nearly as white as the clouds above them. Her red hair was a strange contrast to her pale skin and the only other color was the dark scarlet of her blood coating her in disturbing quantities. Above them, they were unaware of the setting sun.
For Asuka Jr.'s lack of injuries, he didn't look as though he was in much better shape. He was just as pale as Meimi, his breathing shallow as he panted as through from great exertion. He walked almost perfectly straight, his suit dark and stiff with Meimi's blood, only moving his hands to stoke her while he stumbled forward or to press light kisses to her forehead and temple. Tony doubted he was even fully aware of those telling actions, so intent were the detective's eyes as they followed Meimi's every slight move. Sweat beaded Asuka Jr.'s face, running down his skin in rivulets, but he ignored it stoically as he walked impatiently towards the hospital. A hint of scarlet tinted Asuka's vision when tears slipped silently from beneath Meimi's tightly closed eyelids, her face twisting to press against his chest. Unconsciously she was seeking comfort, release from this new pain and she was turning to him. Asuka Jr. had never felt more useless. The only way to help her was to force to her bear the pain until they reached the hospital.
~*~
Meimi could hear three quiet voices soothingly talking to her but they seemed to come from two different places. A pair of voices sounded right there with her but strangely, as if they came from within her while the other single voice seemed to call to her through the darkness. She couldn't make out what they were saying but they were...comforting... and gentle, something she needed with all the pain that swamped her at that very moment. Meimi looked at her surroundings to discover she was floating through an eerie void of blackness. Of darkness. Nothingness. She was clad in her Saint Tail outfit but there were no blood stains, no rips in her clothing or cuts on her skin and her sunglasses were missing. Strangely, she felt naked without them but what did it matter, it wasn't like she was surrounded by people. She was all...alone. The darkness around her melted away slowly, much to her relief, only to reveal images all around her of the people she loved. Everyone from her parents to Tammy. And of course, Asuka Jr. Memories played as if Meimi was merely watching a home movie. Memories of her childhood, all taking place in this city she once called home. The redhead suddenly realized something as she stared at an image of her and her parents in Seika City. This was where her fateful journey had begun. Everywhere she went, there were memories which led her back to this place.
It hurt her.
So much.
She wanted to let go, to let herself fade away into the darkness just like the images were doing. They melted away until she was left again to float in the black void.
~*~
"Will you please leave sir?" A doctor clad in a pasty green outfit pushed Asuka Jr. back towards a pair of double doors. They were bringing Meimi into a surgery room.
"I won't leave her side!! What are you going to do to her?!" Asuka Jr. was near hysterics now while the other four teenagers somberly looked on.
"Can I see you both?" A woman wearing a white jacket and a nametag walked over, smiling calmly at Tammy and Tony. "Let me just take a look at your injuries and we can get you all fixed up."
Tony and Tammy both nodded mutely, letting themselves be finally torn away from Meimi and led down a dimly lit hallway.
Marie and Aaron stood there, a vacant look filling their eyes while the double doors finally closed, shutting off their view of Meimi.
Marie blinked, taking in a deep breath before she plastered a smile on her face and spun to face Aaron. "Want to get something to drink? We'll probably be here for a while." She tried to hide the tremble in her voice but it was so hard.
Aaron looked up at Marie, biting his lip while he fought the tears that welled in his own eyes. "Will she be all right Marie?" He questioned the older girl. "Meimi won't die, right?"
"No." Marie snapped at Aaron angrily. "Meimi WON'T die! She WON'T leave us!! Now come on...let's get something to drink." She snatched up Aaron's hand, pulling him behind her. Suddenly, he yanked his hand free of her grip. Marie spun around, ready to glare at the blonde boy and pull him along again, but instead she simply froze.
Hot tears streaked down his face in a steady river. "Stop pretending to be strong Marie! Stop putting on this act! I'm so sick of your stupid acts...just...just STOP IT!"
A few passing people paused, glancing over at the boy who had screamed loudly.
Marie's jaw ever so slowly dropped open in shock while she stared wide-eyed at Aaron. Tears filled up her eyes while she shut her mouth and looked down at the floor. A few droplets of liquid slipped out of her eyes, falling to land in front of her feet. Two surprisingly strong arms wrapped themselves around her motionless form until they carefully enveloped her into their hold, stroking her back, holding her close against a warm body. If the situation weren't this dire, Marie would have been wondering when Aaron had grown so tall, had matured so much and turned into such a tender, handsome young man and she'd be wondering why she hadn't noticed this sooner. But Marie couldn't hold onto her act any longer as she lunged deeper into his embrace, burying her face into his chest while she sobbed quietly. Aaron rested his chin on the top of her head, rubbing her back to calm her down while a few crystal tears aimlessly wandered down his own cheeks.
~*~
"We're going to have to survey the damage incase anything needs repaired before we give her a blood transfusion. She's loss too much blood already and if you don't leave right now young man, I'll have to call in security." The doctor lectured Asuka Jr. while pulling gloves onto his hands and tying on a white smock.
"Doctor we're losing her!!" A woman wearing clothing much like the doctors yelled over while scrambling around Meimi's limp form.
"Shit!" The doctor cursed loudly as he ran over towards Meimi, completely forgetting about Asuka Jr.
Behind him, Asuka Jr. could hear a faint, steady beep coming from a black monitor but...it wasn't like it should have been. It wasn't beeping at intervals. The green line on the monitor was flat. His eyes widened. His breath caught in his throat as he swore his heart was ripped out of his chest at that very moment then torn into two.
The doctor pulled out two metal squares, preparing to press them down upon Meimi's chest. Asuka Jr. ran towards her figure, pushing back the woman doctor while he grabbed onto Meimi's shoulders, shaking her limp form. His tears dripped down to mingle on her cheeks while he screamed at her. "I'm going to catch you Saint Tail!!" He yelled at her. "So don't you DARE die on me! DON'T YOU DARE!! DAMMIT I FINALLY GOT YOU BACK MEIMI!! YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY AGAIN! STOP BEING SO SELFISH! I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!"
A burly man pushed his way into the room, grabbing Asuka Jr. roughly by his shoulders as he pulled the wriggling detective out of the surgery room.
Asuka Jr. fought against the man but the security guard was just too strong. But he kept fighting, pushing forward as his broken voice screamed out, "DON'T RUN AWAY LIKE A CHICKEN! DON'T DIE ON ME MEIMI!! DON'T YOU DARE DIE ON ME!!!!!!!!"
~*~
Meimi paused, her eyes searching the welcoming darkness. She swore she had heard a voice calling her. It was the same outside voice she had heard before but this time it sounded stronger, more self-assured and closer to Meimi. She heard it again and this time it was distinct.
The red head strained to hear the words. "I'm going to catch you Saint Tail!!" The voice screamed at her. "So don't you DARE die on me! DON'T YOU DARE!! I FINALLY GOT YOU BACK MEIMI!! YOU CAN'T RUN AWAY AGAIN!! STOP BEING SO SELFISH! I CAN'T LOSE YOU AGAIN!!"
It was that detective again. Asuka Jr. He was calling her...but why? Meimi frowned in confusion. Everything she did with Asuka made her feel safe, loved...like she was really home for the first time in her life.
The two voices from inside her suddenly returned. They spoke tenderly and quietly, their voices filled with love.
"It's not your time little one. Don't worry, we'll always be here. We'll wait even if it takes forever and...we want it to take forever."
And abruptly the darkness around her exploded in a flash of white and golden light. All around her was warmth and radiating light while she relentlessly fought the throbbing pain in her chest. She had to fight because...Meimi Haneoka wasn't going to run away ever again.
~*~
Let's make a dream, always and time after time.
Rather than count the number of sorrows,
Let's sing softly with the same lips.
In the closing memories,
~*~
Lauren: Sorry if the chapter was a bit short. I felt I should have added a bit more to it so it would be the same length as the others except I just feel like this is the perfect place to stop. Hehe, cliff hanger!! And no, I didn't stop there just to annoy you all and be evil (well, that wasn't the entire reason ^_^) but, I don't know, it just seemed to fit and to keep writing what I have planned to happen next would kind of ruin the whole feeling of this chapter. So what do you think of the chapter? Thanks for all the great reviews! I love you all so much! Just curious but what is everyone's favorite part/scene from the whole story so far?