~Disclaimer: I don't own these sweet and innocent characters that we've all come to shape and mold like clay... but, as always, they don't belong to me. Just have fun reading and enjoy the moment.

~*~ Authors note: Alright. I apologize for the wait, but I had mass school work these past weeks. But now that I'm finally done, I could update! Thanks for waiting AND reviewing guys!

~*~

Sage woke up, squinting as bright lights shone in his face.

"Do you think he'll be okay?"

"I hope so. A psychiatrist is supposed to come in and talk to him when he is awake."

Sage groaned as he listened to the conversation, wishing he was in his own bed at home. Wishing Rowen was here. Rowen would always make everything better.

"Rowen..." Sage mumbled, wrestling in his sleep. He opened his eyes, this time focusing on Ryo's face. "Where am I?"

Ryo smiled faintly, "In a hospital."

Sage tried to sit up, but he felt lightheaded, "Agh... What the hell happened?"

"Sage, you passed out from blood loss. We took you here. We've been here for about," Kento paused, glancing at his watch, "2 hours."

Sage rubbed his temples, "Where's Rowen?"

Kento sighed, looking at everyone with something close to annoyance. "Um, Sage..."

"Rowen," Sage brought his hands into his lap and looked up at his friends, "Rowen is here. I can feel it. Haven't you guys seen him yet?"

Kento arched his eyebrows as he, again, looked at everyone else. He bit his lip and rudely shook his head, "No, Sage."

The door to Sage's room knocked and opened, "Hello?" A doctor asked as he helped himself inside. "This is Sage... Sage Date, right?"

"Yea, and we are his friends." Ryo replied.

"I'm Doctor Murphy. I presume I'm going to talk to him about-"

"Rowen Hashiba." Kento interrupted. "You do know what is going on..."

Dr. Murphy nodded, showing his understanding. "Why don't the rest of you go and grab something to eat. Sage and I should be finished in about an hour or so. "

Ryo watched as all the guys left the room, but Mia stood by the door, waiting for Ryo with a sort of concerned but impatience look. "Are you coming, Ryo?" She asked.

"Yeah, just a minute." Ryo pushed her forward with a wave of his hand. "I gotta talk to the doctor for a second."

"Oh," she sighed, "Okay." She slowly left the room, closing the door behind her.

Ryo stood by Sage's side and started to stroke Sage's head. "Dr. Murphy, please take care of him. He's been through a lot and all of us are willing to help him." Ryo pierced his worried eyes into the doctor's.

Dr. Murphy nodded, showing his concern and understanding. "I know. Mr. Date and I are just going to chat. Get some things settled."

Ryo looked to ground as he started to head out, "I'll see you in an hour, Sage, okay?"

Sage pried his heavy eyes up to Ryo's, "Alright."

-~-~*~-~-

Ryo ran out the hospital door, meeting the rest of his friends in the all to familiar red jeep.

"Is everything okay, Ryo?" Cye asked, looking behind him from the drivers seat.

Ryo put on his seatbelt, nodding. "Yeah, I just needed to make sure that the doctor knew everything,"

Cye smiled and put the car into drive, "Where do you guys want to go for lunch?"

"Pizza Place!" Kento replied, "I'm hungry for pizza."

Cye smirked, "Is pizza alright for everyone else?" A monotone of 'yeahs' responded. "Okay, then we're going to pizza place."

-~-~*~-~-

Kento kept his burp to himself as he set his empty plate back on the table, "Oh, that pizza was good!"

Cye smirked, "Yeah, it was pretty good," Cye wiped his mouth and glanced over at Ryo, who was staring into nowhere, still a half of piece of pizza left on his plate. "Are you okay, Ryo?"

Ryo jerked a little, as if coming out of his state of mind, "Yeah... yeah, I'm fine. I was just thinking."

Cye arched a brow and looked over at Mia, "Sage is going to be alright, Ryo. Stop your worrying."

"Cye's right, Ryo. You need to relax." Mia put her hand on his shoulder, kneading his muscles with her fingertips, "Maybe we all need to go out tonight. You know, get our minds off of some things."

Ryo locked his anxious eyes with Mia, "Maybe your right, Mia." Ryo turned to his other friends sitting at the table, "Hey guys! What do you all think to a night out tonight?"

Kento eye's beamed, "Hell yes!"

Cye nodded, "I'm up for that. We could all use some fun."

Kento glanced at his watch, "Well it's been about an hour and 15 minutes... let's go back and check on Sage."

Everyone nodded and got up, following Kento towards the door.

~-~*~-~-

As soon as everyone piled out of the car, Ryo was the first to reach the entrance door. He opened it with impatience, storming his way down the hallway.

Mia's look of concern deepened. "Cye," she called, hesitating her footsteps as she followed him. She waiting for Cye to stop and look at her. "What is up with Ryo? Have you talked to him?"

Cye sighed, Mia's concern and worry trampling him. "Uh, I don't really know, Mia. I know that he seems the most concerned person about Sage, but-"

"I don't know what's gone wrong. It's like he's constantly ignoring me. Do you think maybe he'll change once Sage is better?"

Cye smiled, "Of course. At least, that's what I also think will happen."

Mia let a small smile slip onto her lips, "Okay. Thanks Cye."

Cye shrugged, "Don't worry about it. Now lets catch up to Kento and Ryo."

Cye and Mia speed walked down the hallway, finding Ryo and Kento waiting near a door.

"Well?" Cye asked, "Did you knock?"

"Should we?" Kento asked, "I mean, what if the doc's not done yet?"

"I'm going to knock anyways," Ryo retorted, pulling his hand up so he could pound his knuckles on the door. But just before he could, the doorknob turned and Dr. Murphy stepped out.

"How is he? Is Sage okay?" Ryo asked quickly.

Dr. Murphy scribbled something on his clipboard and pushed his glasses on top of his head. "Mr. Date..." he paused to sigh. "Let's just say that today isn't his best day."

Kento's eyebrow's fused together, "What do you mean by that?"

"Well, I did talk to him. We got everything worked out. But let me warn you that he's changed. His emotions and body are over their level of normal workings, so I'm prescribing him some sleeping pills until his body is back on track."

"So what should we do as a group to help him?" Cye asked.

"Well, try not to talk about Rowen. He is more than devastated about his friend's death and I figure that the best way to help him is not talk about Rowen as a living person. Talking about Rowen does help him though. As far as physically helping him, just support him in anyway that you can, but more importantly, let him sleep."

Everyone nodded.

"Now, I'm going to go and get Sage. Don't startle him because this was a rough time." With that said, Dr. Murphy turned on his heel and opened the door, slipping in behind it.

"You think he really cured Sage of Rowen?" Kento asked thoughtfully. "He was going insane."

Cye bit his lip, "I hope so. I miss the old Sage."

The door slowly opened and Sage stepped through.

Ryo felt his knees buckle from underneath him as soon as he got a glance at Sage.

Sage's eyes were bloodshot and shameful as he only glanced at the floor. His hair was flat and droopy, looking heavy on his head. His skin wasn't the lively pinkish tan as it has always been. Now it was pale and white looked as though death had touched him somehow. His body looked weak and he struggled with each step he had to take.

Dr. Murphy placed his hand on Sage's shoulder and smiled faintly. "Sage, you're alright now. Go home to your friends and get some rest. It's been a long day for you."

Sage's crackled lips parted slightly to mouth an "okay" and he nodded.

Cye gracefully put his arm around Sage's shoulders and guided him towards the exit, "Sage, its okay. We're going to go home now."

Kento nodded at the doctor gave a wave, showing his appreciation. He followed the rest of the group, glad that Sage was finally going to be alright.

~*~

Demyn: Or is he?? -.^