Chapter 7

And when we look why can't we see
All the riches that are free

Ken sighed.

"Aya, go get the first aid kit." He said. Aya left.

"Does he have to be on this couch?" Yohji asked, running his hand through his hair. Ken blinked. It was true, that was the same couch on which he'd lain Omi's body hours earlier. Ken leaned over and felt Omi's neck. There was still a pulse. He sighed again.

"Let's take him to his room." He said quietly. Yohji nodded and picked the boy up. Ken turned away, trying to avoid looking at the limp body. They passed Aya in the hallway and motioned for him to follow. They entered Omi's room and Ken's eyes automatically traveled to the computer desk, no longer bloody. He turned away. That must've been an illusion as well. Yohji had placed Omi down on his bed and was leaned over him, his eyes wide.

"Omi?" he breathed. Slowly, as if it pained him, Omi opened his eyes. Ken rushed over to the bedside and leaned over Yohji. Omi blinked slowly, then opened his mouth and closed it again.

"What- what's going on?" he asked quietly. Ken knelt beside the bed and smiled a little.

"You're home, Omi. We came and got you." He unconsciously ran his fingers across Omi's hand. "We're going to fix you up and you'll be good as new."

Omi's eyes flittered around a moment more before fluttering closed again.

"Omi!" Yohji cried, starting forward.

"Leave him." Aya said calmly. "He just needs to rest." He moved forward and pressed between Yohji and Ken. He reached down and began gently drawing a wet rag over the lines of blood on Omi's chest. Omi whimpered and tried to pull away. Ken moved forward.

"I'll do it, Aya." He said, watching as Omi turned from Aya. "Someone needs to contact Manx." Aya looked up at Ken, then down at Omi, and wordlessly handed the rag to Ken. He walked out of the room, closing the door behind him. Ken walked over and inspected the bite wound.

"Could you get me some peroxide, Yohji?" Ken asked, gently poking at the wound, which was all ready becoming red and inflamed. Yohji nodded and went to Omi's bathroom. Ken knelt and began gently swabbing the blood off Omi's chest. Omi cringed, but soon became still again. Yohji returned with the peroxide and Ken's eyes narrowed in concern when he stumbled.

"Yohji…" he began, "You're hurt too. Go on downstairs and you and Aya tend to yourselves. I've got it covered here."

Yohji opened his mouth, looking as if he wanted to protest, but thought better of it. "Thanks," he said, and left the room.

Ken turned back to Omi.

"Omi…" he said quietly. Omi stayed still on the bed. "I… I wish I could've been there. I'm sorry, Omi. You didn't deserve this." Ken looked down and poured some peroxide onto a cloth. He gently applied it to the bite wound. The peroxide bubbled and Omi hissed and tried to pull away again. Ken reached up and held him down. Omi's eyes flew open and he tried to pull away from Ken. He was whimpering low in his throat and his eyes flickered from side to side.

"Omi!" Ken called. Omi stopped moving for a moment and stared at Ken, his chest heaving.

"K- Ken…" Omi began, breathing hard. "I can't see. I can't see anything." Ken's eyes widened and he passed his hand in front of Omi's face. His eyes didn't follow, and now that he was looking, Omi's eyes looked blank and pale. Ken's heart began beating faster.

"Stay right here, Omi," Ken said, "Don't move. I'll be right back." Omi nodded and closed his eyes again. With a start, Ken realized it didn't matter. He turned and nearly ran out of the room. He could hear low voices coming from Aya's room, so he quickly knocked and opened the door. Aya had his shirt off and Yohji was swabbing at his wounds. They looked up expectantly.

"Omi's blind." Ken said, surprised at the confidence in his voice.

"What?!" Yohji cried, standing up. "What do you mean?" Ken shook his head.

"He just told me. We've got to talk to Schwartz again." He said. Aya nodded.

"I'll contact Kritikar." He said, and walked out of the room.

"Is he… is he all right?" Yohji asked Ken quietly. Ken shrugged.

"He seemed a little shook up." They began walking back to Omi's room when they heard a loud crash. They ran ahead and Ken burst into the room, looking around frantically.

"Omi?" he called.

"Ken?" Came a small voice from the corner. "I'm here." Ken looked over and saw Omi on his hands and knees near an overturned box. He ran to him and helped pick him up and walk him to the bed.

"Sorry," Omi said quietly. "I wondered where you were and I went to look for you, but I guess I got a bit disoriented."

"It's okay," Ken said, patting Omi's hand gently. "Just don't try it again so soon, all right?" Omi nodded. In a few moments, Yohji was joined at the doorway by Aya.

"I called Kritikar." He said. "They're looking for Schwartz, and they said that Omi could come by for blood tests at any time. I told them that he may want to take some rest and go tomorrow."

Ken smiled at Aya's thoughtfulness as Omi nodded in agreement.

"Listen," Ken said, standing up. "I'm going to stay in here tonight if it's okay with Omi, so if one of you could get my sleeping bag and pillow, that would be great." Yohji nodded and left the room. Aya hesitated at the door.

"Good night." He said. "Good to have you home, Omi."

"Thank you, Aya." Omi said softly. "Good night."

"Night." Ken said, and Aya walked out. Yohji returned in a bit with the sleeping bag and pillow, and while Ken set them up he walked to the bed.

"Sweet dreams, chibi." He said, ruffling Omi's hair. "See you in the morning."

"Aa. Sweet dreams, Yohji."

Yohji gave Omi's hand a quick squeeze before leaving.

"If you need anything tonight, just call me, okay?" Ken asked. "I'm on the floor right beside you." He kissed the top of Omi's head and tucked the covers in around him. "Good night, Omittchi. Pleasant dreams."

Omi smiled slightly at him. "You're so motherly, Ken-kun." Ken laughed and cuffed Omi lightly across the side of his head.

"This is what I get when I try to help…"

Omi laughed quietly, then yawned. "G'night, Ken-kun."

"Night."

Ken tossed and turned for a few minutes, thinking. He felt like he hadn't slept in days, yet his mind just kept turning over the facts. The relief he had felt only a few hours earlier still lingered on the edge of his mind, and with it the relief of hearing Omi's voice and seeing his smile. However, a new panic was rising in him- the fear that Omi would be forever changed by this night, and he could do nothing to stop it. The thought of Omi living the rest of his life blind was disturbing, and the thought that the chemical put into his system had only begun to work was downright frightening. Ken frowned and tried to put a nice thought in his mind. He concentrated on the look of Omi's smile and the way he said 'Ken-kun,' but could not stop the image of Omi spread eagle and bleeding on a medical table from entering his mind. Ken pulled his sleeping bag tighter around his shoulders and sank into a fitful sleep.

A couple of hours later, Ken woke up suddenly to the sound of muted whimpers from the bed beside him. He jumped up immediately and looked down at Omi. The boy was crying into his pillow. Ken reached down and touched his uninjured shoulder. Omi yelped and recoiled against the wall, his eyes wide and unseeing. Ken realized his mistake.

"It's me, Omi! It's just Ken."

Omi sighed and slumped back onto the bed. He tried to hide his face from Ken by pressing it into the mattress. Ken reached down and took Omi's hand.

"What is it?" he asked, though he felt it was a stupid question.

"I'm so scared, Ken. I feel so helpless, like I wouldn't know if I was back there or not. I can- I can still feel him on top of me, that madman…" Omi began to sob softly. Ken lowered himself on the bed and began to stroke Omi's hair.

"It's okay, Omi, I'm here. I won't let them take you again. I won't let anything happen to you. I promise."

Omi cried quietly into the mattress for a few more moments until his tears dissipated. He leaned his head against Ken.

"Promise you'll stay with me, Ken."

"I'll stay with you as long as you'll have me." Ken said quietly, gazing down at Omi.

"I'll have you forever. Sleep with me tonight, Ken." Omi said sleepily. Ken's eyes widened, then he relaxed and smiled.

"All right." He said, and joined Omi under the covers. They lay facing each other, Ken holding Omi's hands lightly in between them. "You'll be all right, Omi. I know you will be."

Omi murmured something unintelligible back. Ken smiled. "Sweet dreams…"

He waited and listened until Omi's breath became deep and even before leaning forward and burying his face in Omi's hair. He breathed in his scent and was appalled to find it tainted by the dirty smell of Schwartz, Farfello in particular. He kissed Omi's hair lightly and felt a tear run down his face.

"I love you, Omi."