Notes: Here's the next chapter of Closer to the Edge, nothing really to
warn you about so here's the next chapter!
Closer to the edge
Part five
The wind rushed through his hair. Tai dared to open his eyes. He saw the ground below him, he seemed so far away. He was standing precariously on the edge of the rooftop. He was surprised to feel a smile touch his lips, something inside him was enjoying this. Something was getting a hell of a kick out of doing this. "Hi Tai" Something disturb Tai's train of thought, he recognised that voice. Turning around, Tai discovered the owner to be Ken. Ken smiled slightly even though fear flashed in his eyes. "Hello Ken" Tai replied.
"It's going to sound pretty stupid, but why are you up here"? Ken asked, he approached Tai with caution. "Flying lessons" Tai muttered bitterly.
"Forgive me for saying this Tai, but flying lessons are a bit stupid without the equipment"
"Stupid people do stupid things" Tai replied, staring at the ground below.
"Good thing you're not stupid then" Ken shot back.
Tai turned around again and looked at Ken, he smiled and started to giggle a bit, then without warning, he burst into tears. Ken rushed forward and embraced Tai. Tai simply sobbed on his friend's shoulder.
**
"I wonder when he's going to wake up" TK whispered. He and Masaru were standing in the exact same place that he and Tai had been standing only half an hour ago. "I don't know son, but when he does we'll be here for him" Masaru said gently.
"Daddy, what if Matt...dies"? TK asked quietly. "The doctors, they didn't say he had much of a chance".
"Matt's strong TK, he'll pull through, he has to. After all, he's got a music career to fulfil". Masaru smiled at his younger son.
"Daddy, do you think Matt knows I love him"?
"Of course he does TK, he's known since you were born. He's always been there for you and believe me, he always will, whatever happens"
"I wish I could've told him before that bus went over the edge" TK felt tears in his eyes.
"I wish I'd been a better father to the both of you, but we can't change the past. It's the present and the future that's important".
"For what it's worth Dad, we both think you're a great dad" TK smiled up at his father. Masaru returned the gesture and pulled his son into a tight hug. He turned to look at Matt through the window, tears came to his eyes as he saw his son lying in the bed. Suddenly, Masaru blinked, had his son just moved? Masaru's arms went limp. TK pulled away from him and looked up at him. "Daddy"? He asked.
"I think he just moved" Masaru replied, indicating Matt.
"Oh god really"? TK asked sounding excited. He opened the door to Matt's room and ran in. "Matt? Can you hear me? It's me TK. Dad's here too"!
Masaru followed close behind his younger son. "Son? Come on it's time to wake up, we're all here" Masaru said gently.
"Wait, what about mum"? TK said.
"She'll be here as soon as she can, come on Matt, wake up" Masaru urged.
Matt twitched slightly. His eyes opened and focused on the faces of his brother and father. "Hey." He whispered.
**
"TK totally blames me for what happened today" Tai replied as Ken placed the hot chocolate in his hand. Ken had managed to convince Tai down from the roof and into the family room where Joe and Izzy were sitting. "I'm sure he doesn't really Tai" Joe replied.
"Yeah, we all say things we don't mean when we're grieving" Izzy added.
"What about you? You were blaming yourself" Tai said, staring at Izzy. Izzy nodded and looked a bit uncomfortable. "I did, but Ken said something that made me realise that it wasn't my fault" He replied.
"What was that"? Tai asked, he shook slightly as he sipped his coffee.
"That I did what I could in the circumstances and no-one could expect me to do anymore than that. Tai we're your friends, we don't hate you and we certainly don't blame you for this. Like Ken said, if anyone does blame you, we'll physically harm them" Izzy smiled.
"TK slapped me, he really believes it's my fault" Tai said sadly.
"I bet if you talk to TK he regrets what he did. It was the heat of the moment Tai. Emotions are pretty high today, and no wonder after what's happened. We've all suffered a trauma, but we owe it to Matt and especially Cody to stick together and get on with our lives. Do you really think that Matt would want to see you in this sort of state? When he wakes up he'll be so pissed that you're beating yourself up like this over something you couldn't have possibly helped". Joe said gently.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, he would be pretty mad" Tai smiled a bit. "That still doesn't solve things with TK though"
"You should find him and talk to him, I'm sure he's feeling as bad as you over this" Ken suggested.
"You're right, thanks guys, I have to go and find him. If there's any news let me know" Tai replied standing up.
"Of course" Joe flashed his friend a smile.
**
"How are you feeling"? Masaru asked.
"Shit.." Matt whispered croakily. Masaru smiled at this.
"Still got that attitude I see" he joked.
"Does it hurt much"? TK said, looking at his brother with concern.
"Yeah, did..did..the doctors say anything about my legs"? Matt looked up at his father.
"Not yet son, but don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to walk" Masaru was trying to stay optimistic for the sake of his son. "I hope so Dad.." Matt whispered. Tears shone in his eyes. "Dad..where's Tai"?
Masaru simply looked at TK.
**
Tai wandered down the corridor that led to Matt's room. He hoped to find TK there so they could talk over what happened. Although his talk with Joe, Ken and Izzy had made him feel somewhat better, he still couldn't quite kill the guilt that was eating away at him. "TK"! He called out to the small blonde figure at the end of the corridor. He was standing outside Matt's room looking through the window.
"Tai." TK replied quietly.
"What's going on"?
"He's awake, the doctors are just in there with him and dad, I guess they're telling him about his legs" TK said solemnly. Tai breathed a sigh of relief.
"TK...I'm sorry" Tai said gently.
"For what"?
"For suggesting this stupid trip, for not listening to Matt when he said turn back. You're right it is all my fault" Tai fought back tears.
"No Tai, I'm the one who's sorry, I didn't mean what I said. I was just...hurting and I lashed out at you. It's not your fault, you weren't to know that this would happen". TK replied.
"Does he hate me TK"?
"Who"?
"Matt.does he hate me"? Tai asked. He looked directly at TK.
"I don't think so, he hasn't said anything about you. I'm sure he doesn't though, he knows like I do that it isn't your fault. I just messed up and hit you..sorry.."
Tai pulled TK into a tight hug. "It's alright, we need to think about Matt now, and what the doctors are saying about his recovery"
"You're right Tai". TK sniffed. As the pair held each other, they looked in on Matt's room where the doctors were about to tell Matt about his legs...
Closer to the edge
Part five
The wind rushed through his hair. Tai dared to open his eyes. He saw the ground below him, he seemed so far away. He was standing precariously on the edge of the rooftop. He was surprised to feel a smile touch his lips, something inside him was enjoying this. Something was getting a hell of a kick out of doing this. "Hi Tai" Something disturb Tai's train of thought, he recognised that voice. Turning around, Tai discovered the owner to be Ken. Ken smiled slightly even though fear flashed in his eyes. "Hello Ken" Tai replied.
"It's going to sound pretty stupid, but why are you up here"? Ken asked, he approached Tai with caution. "Flying lessons" Tai muttered bitterly.
"Forgive me for saying this Tai, but flying lessons are a bit stupid without the equipment"
"Stupid people do stupid things" Tai replied, staring at the ground below.
"Good thing you're not stupid then" Ken shot back.
Tai turned around again and looked at Ken, he smiled and started to giggle a bit, then without warning, he burst into tears. Ken rushed forward and embraced Tai. Tai simply sobbed on his friend's shoulder.
**
"I wonder when he's going to wake up" TK whispered. He and Masaru were standing in the exact same place that he and Tai had been standing only half an hour ago. "I don't know son, but when he does we'll be here for him" Masaru said gently.
"Daddy, what if Matt...dies"? TK asked quietly. "The doctors, they didn't say he had much of a chance".
"Matt's strong TK, he'll pull through, he has to. After all, he's got a music career to fulfil". Masaru smiled at his younger son.
"Daddy, do you think Matt knows I love him"?
"Of course he does TK, he's known since you were born. He's always been there for you and believe me, he always will, whatever happens"
"I wish I could've told him before that bus went over the edge" TK felt tears in his eyes.
"I wish I'd been a better father to the both of you, but we can't change the past. It's the present and the future that's important".
"For what it's worth Dad, we both think you're a great dad" TK smiled up at his father. Masaru returned the gesture and pulled his son into a tight hug. He turned to look at Matt through the window, tears came to his eyes as he saw his son lying in the bed. Suddenly, Masaru blinked, had his son just moved? Masaru's arms went limp. TK pulled away from him and looked up at him. "Daddy"? He asked.
"I think he just moved" Masaru replied, indicating Matt.
"Oh god really"? TK asked sounding excited. He opened the door to Matt's room and ran in. "Matt? Can you hear me? It's me TK. Dad's here too"!
Masaru followed close behind his younger son. "Son? Come on it's time to wake up, we're all here" Masaru said gently.
"Wait, what about mum"? TK said.
"She'll be here as soon as she can, come on Matt, wake up" Masaru urged.
Matt twitched slightly. His eyes opened and focused on the faces of his brother and father. "Hey." He whispered.
**
"TK totally blames me for what happened today" Tai replied as Ken placed the hot chocolate in his hand. Ken had managed to convince Tai down from the roof and into the family room where Joe and Izzy were sitting. "I'm sure he doesn't really Tai" Joe replied.
"Yeah, we all say things we don't mean when we're grieving" Izzy added.
"What about you? You were blaming yourself" Tai said, staring at Izzy. Izzy nodded and looked a bit uncomfortable. "I did, but Ken said something that made me realise that it wasn't my fault" He replied.
"What was that"? Tai asked, he shook slightly as he sipped his coffee.
"That I did what I could in the circumstances and no-one could expect me to do anymore than that. Tai we're your friends, we don't hate you and we certainly don't blame you for this. Like Ken said, if anyone does blame you, we'll physically harm them" Izzy smiled.
"TK slapped me, he really believes it's my fault" Tai said sadly.
"I bet if you talk to TK he regrets what he did. It was the heat of the moment Tai. Emotions are pretty high today, and no wonder after what's happened. We've all suffered a trauma, but we owe it to Matt and especially Cody to stick together and get on with our lives. Do you really think that Matt would want to see you in this sort of state? When he wakes up he'll be so pissed that you're beating yourself up like this over something you couldn't have possibly helped". Joe said gently.
"Yeah, I guess you're right, he would be pretty mad" Tai smiled a bit. "That still doesn't solve things with TK though"
"You should find him and talk to him, I'm sure he's feeling as bad as you over this" Ken suggested.
"You're right, thanks guys, I have to go and find him. If there's any news let me know" Tai replied standing up.
"Of course" Joe flashed his friend a smile.
**
"How are you feeling"? Masaru asked.
"Shit.." Matt whispered croakily. Masaru smiled at this.
"Still got that attitude I see" he joked.
"Does it hurt much"? TK said, looking at his brother with concern.
"Yeah, did..did..the doctors say anything about my legs"? Matt looked up at his father.
"Not yet son, but don't worry, I'm sure you'll be able to walk" Masaru was trying to stay optimistic for the sake of his son. "I hope so Dad.." Matt whispered. Tears shone in his eyes. "Dad..where's Tai"?
Masaru simply looked at TK.
**
Tai wandered down the corridor that led to Matt's room. He hoped to find TK there so they could talk over what happened. Although his talk with Joe, Ken and Izzy had made him feel somewhat better, he still couldn't quite kill the guilt that was eating away at him. "TK"! He called out to the small blonde figure at the end of the corridor. He was standing outside Matt's room looking through the window.
"Tai." TK replied quietly.
"What's going on"?
"He's awake, the doctors are just in there with him and dad, I guess they're telling him about his legs" TK said solemnly. Tai breathed a sigh of relief.
"TK...I'm sorry" Tai said gently.
"For what"?
"For suggesting this stupid trip, for not listening to Matt when he said turn back. You're right it is all my fault" Tai fought back tears.
"No Tai, I'm the one who's sorry, I didn't mean what I said. I was just...hurting and I lashed out at you. It's not your fault, you weren't to know that this would happen". TK replied.
"Does he hate me TK"?
"Who"?
"Matt.does he hate me"? Tai asked. He looked directly at TK.
"I don't think so, he hasn't said anything about you. I'm sure he doesn't though, he knows like I do that it isn't your fault. I just messed up and hit you..sorry.."
Tai pulled TK into a tight hug. "It's alright, we need to think about Matt now, and what the doctors are saying about his recovery"
"You're right Tai". TK sniffed. As the pair held each other, they looked in on Matt's room where the doctors were about to tell Matt about his legs...