Disclaimer: I do not own the song or the Weiß Kreuz Glühen characters. Akane, Mari, Nici and Crissy are mine though. ^_^ Have fun.
Song: Evanescence - Hello
Intro: Hello ...
The air was cold and crisp the morning of that fateful day. A sixteen year old girl fought with her mother about wearing a sweater as the girl attempted to get out the door before she was late for school.
"Akane! Just take it with you! You don't want to get sick now do you? And do you have your cross with you?" Her mother's crystal blue eyes pleaded with the girl.
The girl sighed, frustrated "Yes mother, I have my cross!" She snatched the soft cloth sweater from her mother's hand, then dashed out the door, "Bye mom!!!" The door slammed shut as she ran down the walk, and out the front gate. She skid as she turned and headed towards the high-school down the road.
Her three friends were waiting out side as she dashed up, panting and out of breath. "Almost late again, Akane!" One of her friends prodded, the rest of her friends giggled.
Still panting, she just held up the sweater. "Mom…" was choked out.
"Ahh…"
Any more conversation was cut off as the bell sounded for them to go to home room.
playground schoolbell rings again
Lunch came around and the four piled out to eat lunch out under their favorite tree. "So…Akane…you and your mom fightin' again?" a girl with midnight black hair asked.
Akane paused from the bite she was just going to take of her sandwich. "Un…of course, Mari. Don't we always?"
"My dad and I always fight!" The blonde on the other side of Akane piped up.
The red head across from Akane poked the blonde, "Yeah…but you and your dad live by yourselves, Crissy. And…it's just different between daughters and dads than it is between moms and daughters."
"Hai! Strawberry's right!!!" Mari nodded, agreeing with the red head.
"MARI! STOP CALLING ME THAT!" The red head, Nici, reached over and playfully slapped at the other. The two argued as Crissy and Akane watched, both giggling at their friends.
The sky slowly started to cloud over, a storm was rolling in. Akane looked up at it, knowing they'd soon need to go in. But not yet…it was best to let Mari and Nici 'fight' it out first
Out of the corner of her eye, Akane saw someone standing on the other side of the fence which wasn't too far from the tree the girls were lounging under. He was a young man, yet older than the girls…probably around nineteen or twenty. Their eyes met, she could see so much loneliness and sadness in his eyes.
Crissy noticed Akane staring at something and looked, but didn't see anything. "Akane?" She placed a gentle hand on the other girl's shoulder, "Akane? Are you ok?" By now the other two had stopped fighting, having heard the concern in Crissy's voice.
"Akane?" Mari waved her hand in front of her eyes.
Akane shook her head, startled. "Ah…gomen! Guess I was day dreaming again." She smiled cheerfully.
The other three looked at each other with concern. But nothing more was said as suddenly thunder and lightning clashed over head. The girls screamed as the rain began to pour down and they ran back to the building. At the archway, Akane paused and looked back at where the man had been standing, but he was no longer there.
rain clouds come to play again
The rain continued to rest of the day. They four stood under the main archway. "Akane! I can't believe you forgot an umbrella! I thought you always kept one packed in your book bag." Nici frowned slightly at her friend.
"I cleaned it out last night and forgot to put it back in." She smiled at her friends, who all had umbrellas. "It's ok, I'll go call mom, I'm sure she'll bring me one."
"You sure? I mean…you could take mine … Crissy and I live close enough that I'm sure she'd let me walk with her…" Mari asked.
Akane shook her head, "Its ok. You know my mom…she'll be more than happy to bring me one. You guys go ahead and I'll call you tonight!"
"Ok!" The three girls set out and a moment later Akane turned to walk back inside.
The halls were empty as she made her way to the phone. Picking up the receiver, she dialed home. Three rings … five rings … seven rings … someone finally picked up, "Hello? Mom?"
The voice at the end of the phone was deep and gruff, "Is this Akane Shiguru?"
Akane blinked, not expecting a man, as her father had died several years ago. "H..hai? Where is my mother?"
"We were called to your house and arrived moments ago to find your mother collapsed, she's being prepared to be taken to the hospital as we speak." Akane dropped the phone and ran out into the rain. "It would be my advice…miss? Hello? HELLO???"
Akane ran past other classmates, not care that she was being drenched. She slipped and fell as she attempted to make the turn towards home. Ignoring the pain in her leg, she scrambled back up and started running again. Moments later she burst into the house to see two paramedics putting her mother on a stretcher. A third paramedic was pumping a device, attempting to keep her mother's lungs working.
The officer who had been talking to Akane on the phone blinked as the girl, bloody and drenched, burst in. He glanced at the phone still in his hand, at her, then back at the phone, finally hanging it up he walked over to the breathless school girl. "Akane?"
Akane's eyes were fixed on her mother's motionless form. "Mama…"
The officer looked at her, then over at the other, younger officer, "Mamoru…would you...?"
The younger man nodded and walked over to Akane, "Why don't you take a seat, let's get your leg bandaged up."
Akane blinked, looking away from her mother's form and up at the man talking to her. The man from before…
He blinked at her, startled from the voice he had suddenly heard in his head. Shaking it off, he guided her over to a chair.
She moved slowly, glancing back at the ambulance that her mother had since been loaded into. Finally she sat, glanced at the officer, then back at the ambulance. The ambulance slowly pulled away as she watched.
Mamoru looked at the wounds on her leg. "Marc, I think she needs stitches…"
The older officer looked over at Mamoru and nodded, "Alright, we'll take her in our car. It's probably better that way. Looks like she's going into shock."
Mamoru nodded and gently picked Akane up into his arms, following his coworker out to their car, ignoring the rain and setting her in the back seat. He slid in next to her and closed the door as Marc climbed into the driver's seat. Akane leaned against Mamoru. He looked down at her and could see the look on her face as shock began to fully set in.
Minutes later they pulled into the hospital and Mamoru ran Akane into the ER. The nurse looked up at him questioningly. "They just brought a woman in who wasn't breathing…this is her daughter."
The nurse saw the blood coming from Akane's leg and nodded, "Bring her this way." The nurse ushered them into a room, then shooed Mamoru out.
Marc walked in and looked at Mamoru, "Where is she?"
"The nurse has her in that room." Mamoru sat down in a waiting room chair. Marc soon copied him.
About twenty minutes later the nurse came out with Akane in a wheel chair. Akane's injured leg having been stitched up and bandaged. A warm blanket covered the sixteen year old as she just stared blankly. "The doctor says she is in shock and has given her something for it. However, I think it would do her good if we could find her mother and take her to her."
The two officers rose and nodded. Mamoru took over steering the wheel chair as the nurse went over to the desk for a moment to find the location of Akane's mother. Seconds later they were walking down the hall in the direction of an ER operating room.
Mamoru wheeled Akane up to a window where she could see her mother. A tear slid down Akane's cheek as she watched her mother just…lay there. A doctor was adjusting a setting on some of the equipment then walked out and saw the officers and walked over.
"Ah…Doctor…how is Mrs. Shiguru?" Marc asked. The doctor looked at the girl questioningly. "This is her daughter, Akane." The doctor nodded slightly then began talking to Marc.
Akane wasn't listening; she was just staring at her mother. Tears flowing from her eyes as she remembered how they fought this morning. Moments later alarms went off and the nurse and doctor ran back into the room where Akane's mother was.
Mamoru went to move Akane away so she didn't have to watch. "Iie!" She screeched. It was the first time she had said something since she had arrived home. Her eyes were glued to her mother as the doctor and nurses worked on her. Tears flowed even more freely as she continued to watch … the situation looked hopeless.
Minutes later the doctor lowered his head and pulled the sheet over the woman's head. He turned and looked at the officers and daughter, shaking his head slowly.
has no one told you she's not breathing
Mamoru sat with Akane in the waiting room as Marc attempted to contact any relatives. "….I didn't even tell her I loved her…" Akane mumbled finally after hours of silence.
Mamoru looked over at her sadly. "Gomen nasai, Akane-san…"
She looked over at him, the tears having stopped awhile ago. The way she was looking at him led her to believe she didn't recognize him. After a moment, recognition registered on her face and her eyes welled up with tears again. He quietly put and arm around her shoulders and pulled her close as she started crying again.
Mamoru looked up as Marc walked back over. The look on Mamoru's face was a question on if Marc had found any relatives. Marc shook his head and whispered, "She and her mother were all that was left…"
They both looked at her then Mamoru looked back at Marc, "It's getting late, she can stay at my place for the night." Marc nodded slightly. "Akane…Akane…" He shook her gently.
Akane looked up, her eyes red and swollen from crying. Marc knelt down beside her, "Akane, Mamoru is going to take you to his place for the night, so you don't have to be home by yourself." A mild confused/frightened look came to her eyes. "Don't worry…there are several other people at his place. You'll be ok there. They'll take care of you. In the morning we'll help you find another place to stay. Maybe with some friends from school?" She nodded slightly at that. "Good…" Marc rose and pulled out his car keys. "I'll get the car."
Mamoru stood up as Marc walked off, then picked Akane up into his arms. A nurse walked over and handed Mamoru a package. "Here's some pain medicine for her. It should help her sleep as well."
Mamoru nodded, "Thank you, I'm sure she'll appreciate it." The nurse nodded and walked off. "Ready to get some sleep?" He asked Akane. She nodded slowly and laid her head on his shoulder as he walked her out to the car.
The ride to Mamoru's home was short. When they arrived though, Akane had already fallen into a restless sleep. Marc helped Mamoru get Akane out of the car and then walked with him and held the door for him. "I'll call you around ten. I'm going to head back to the office and start writing the report."
Mamoru nodded, "Alright. See you tomorrow." The door shut behind him as he carried Akane into the house.
"Chibi? Is that you?" A man with orange-ish hair peeked around the corner, his eyes widening in surprise.
Mamoru's eyes narrowed slightly as he sighed, "Just help me get her somewhere comfortable" he paused a moment, "…and safe."
The other man just chuckled. "Around here the safest places would be Ran's or your room."
With a scowl, Mamoru pushed past him, careful of Akane's wounds. "…some help you are." He took her to his room and laid her in the bed, pulling out the medication and laying on the night stand.
The other man followed him in and actually started helping as he pulled the covers over her. "What happened to her?"
Mamoru looked up at him, "Last of her family died…" He turned and walked out of the room to get a glass of water to set with the medication.
The other man tilted his head and peeked into her mind.
hello ... I'm your mind
giving you someone to talk to
hello...
The next morning came all too soon as Mamoru was awakened by a phone ringing. He pulled a couch pillow over his head and attempted to ignore it.
"Hello? … Yes, he's here, but he's still asleep … Ok, hold on just a minute …" Youji walked over to Mamoru and shook him lightly on the shoulder, "Omi…wake up, phone's for you."
Sleepily, he stuck his hand out for the phone, mumbling, "Who is it?"
"Your partner…" Youji handed him the phone and walked back to the kitchen from whence he had come.
"Hello? Yeah…just a bit … Ok … I'll go by and talk to them, then … alright … thanks … ja ne …" He turned the phone off and sat up, stretching with a grunt.
Youji peeked out, "Late night again?"
"Yes…" Omi stood up and walked into the kitchen.
"Guess that explains the couch…" Youji chuckled and handed Omi a glass of orange juice.
Omi eyed the glass, then quickly downed the liquid. "Not…exactly…"
The other man from the night before walked in, "Hey, Chibi…is she awake yet?"
"She?" Youji blinked and looked at the telepath, then looked back at Omi.
Omi looked at the other man, "Does it look like I've checked yet?"
He chuckled, "Ok…I guess not"
"She? Who? What are you guys talking about? Omi brought a girl home?" Youji's face was of shock and confusion. Omi just shook his head, set the glass on the counter and walked out of the kitchen. Youji looked at the telepath, "Schuldig! What's going on?"
"Its related to his work…" Schuldig snatched a clean glass and poured the rest of the orange juice from the container and drank it.
Youji blinked for a moment thinking about Omi, then looked at Schuldig, "HEY! That was the last of the orange juice!!!"
Omi ignored the fight that was about to ensue and walked to his room, knocking lightly on the door. When there was no answer he peeked in to see Akane rolled onto her side, her back facing him. Quietly he creeped into the room, going beside the bed and resting a hand lightly on her shoulder and attempting to look over at her face. She was staring blankly at the wall. "Akane?"
She rolled her eyes up to look at him. "Mm…hai?"
He looked over at the night stand and picked up the glass of water and two of the pills, "Do you need something for pain?"
She nodded and rolled over slowly, wincing slightly, and then sat up. She took the medicine from him and quickly swallowed it, drinking half of the glass of water and handing it back to him, "…doomo…" He nodded and sat the glass back down on the table. "What…time is it?" She asked as she looked around the room.
"A little after ten…"
Her eyes widened, "I'm late for school!!!"
He blinked, not expecting her to think of school at a time like this. "It's ok…I think they will understand why you are absent."
"Iie!" She struggled to get up, "I have to go…there's a bit presentation today in fifth period. I have to go!!!!"
Schuldig and Youji had heard Akane's initial exclamation about being late to school and were now at the door. It's…as if she has forgotten about her mother and yesterday…Schuldig told Youji, who just nodded slightly.
Omi didn't know what to say to her, instead he helped her up. "Well, you can't go in those clothes…they are ruined…"
She looked down at her clothes, torn from the fall. Looking up at the others, "Does anyone have something I could borrow?"
Schuldig blinked and shook his head, "I don't think my stuff would fit."
Youji nodded, "Neither would mine."
"Maybe Ken has something…All I have is shorts and uniform pants for work, and you should probably wear something to cover your bandages." Omi went to a draw and pulled out a shirt, "But you can wear this…"
Youji nodded at what Omi said and walked down the hall, knocking on Ken's door. A moment later they could hear mild arguing then feet running up the hall. Ken looked around the door and his eyes widened. "….hi…" Omi sighed and Akane just blinked at him.
A second later Youji walked around Ken and into the room, tossing Omi a pair of jeans. "Those should fit."
Omi caught the jeans and laid them on the bed. "Ok, we'll let you get dressed." He turned and shooed the others out of the room, closing the door behind him.
A little while later she limped out of the room in Omi's shirt and Ken's jeans. She found everyone up front in the living room. "Would someone mind driving me to my school?" she asked with a smile.
They looked over at her and Omi rose, "If you'll give me a minute to get ready, I'll take you. I have to head in to work anyways." She nodded and sat down to wait. The men looked at her and each other. The silence in the room was intensified by the 'unusualness' of the situation. Minutes later Omi walked out of his room. "Ok Akane, lets go."
He helped her out to his car and drove her to school. Lunch had just started and various people were pouring out of the building to find their favorite eating spots. Omi parked near the front of the building and walked around to help Akane out. "Maybe we should have asked for a crutch for you."
She smiled, "I'll be fine."
Mari poked Nici in the ribs, "Look…its Akane!" Nici and Crissy looked over.
"Who is she with?" Crissy questioned. "Isn't that a police officer?"
"I'd like to know what on earth she is wearing!" Nici wailed. "That certainly isn't the school uniform!"
Mari set her lunch down and stood up, "She's limping…something must have happened…come on…" She dashed off towards the building, Nici and Crissy not far behind. "AKANE!!!!"
Akane and Omi stopped from their trek to the main office. "Ahh…you talk to your friends. I'll go talk to the office."
Akane nodded and turned to her friends. "Hey guys!" She smiled at them.
"Akane! Where have you been?"
"What happened?"
"Who is that?"
"Why are you limping?"
"Why are you dressed that way?"
Mari and Crissy turned and looked at Nici as she asked the last question. Akane just giggled. "I'm fine…I...that's Officer Takatori…I had to stay at his place last night…I had to borrow some clothes…"
The three blinked at her, Crissy finally spoke up, "Why…did you have to stay with a police officer?"
Akane lowered her head, "Mom…died last night…"
"WHAT??!?!?!!" The three girls hollered, acquiring looks from nearby passerbys. "Are you ok?"
Akane looked up, the smile on her face hardly masking the pain behind it, "Yeah…I'm fine."
if I smile and don't believe
soon I know I'll wake from this dream
"Why…why are you here? Akane! You should be resting…" Mari looked at her friend with concern.
"We have that presentation in fifth period. I'm not about to make you guys do it on your own." She smiled, a slight tone of seriousness in her voice.
"Akane! We would have survived without you…somehow…" Nici responded.
Crissy elbowed Nici, "I'm sure the teacher would have given us an extension…"
Akane shook her head, "No, I think we should do it today." She smiled, "The sooner it's over…the better."
don't try to fix me I'm not broken
Omi talked with the head master for about an hour and a half, then called Marc and told him what he found out. Hanging up the phone he turned to the secretary, "Where can I find Akane Shiguru at this hour?"
The secretary looked up from her computer, "Ahh…hold on a moment…" She turned back to the computer and pulled up another screen and typed in some data, "She is currently in fifth period, room 283."
"Thank you." He bowed slightly to the secretary then briskly turned and walked out of the office, heading upstairs. He found the room easily enough and quietly waited outside the door.
Akane and her friends were up giving their presentation. Well, 'up' was just a figure of speech. They had pulled a chair up front so that Akane could sit while they gave the presentation. Omi smiled slightly as he watched and listened. She actually looks happy right now…how…after what happened to her yesterday…how can she be so cheerful? He looked down at his hands, running a finger over the many tiny scars on his wrist, hand and fingers. How? To loose all that was left of her family he looked back up how can she just smile and continue on as if nothing happened? He looked at her friends, then back at her. Is it for the sake of her friends? No…she was acting this way earlier before I brought her here.
A hall patrol officer walked up to Omi, "Can I help you?"
Omi blinked and looked at the officer, "Ah…gomen, I'm waiting for someone."
"We don't allow loitering in the halls, I'm afraid I'll have to ask you to wait outside of the school." The officer responded. Omi frowned slightly then pulled out his badge, showing it to the other. "Oh, I'm sorry. I'll leave you be then."
Omi nodded as the hall patrol officer walked off. He looked down at his badge, running a finger over the details in the metal. The light shone off of it and he looked at the reflection in it … or, more specifically, the lack there of. Putting the badge away, he closed his eyes tightly, If I can just …help…
hello ... I'm the lie
living for you so you can hide
don't cry
The bell for end of fifth period rang. The students exited the class, Akane and her friends coming out last. Omi straightened and looked at them.
"Oh…its you…" Mari looked at Omi a bit annoyed. Akane blinked and looked at him, a puzzled look on her face.
"If you ladies would excuse us, I need to speak with Miss Shiguru in private." He eyes the other three.
They looked at Akane and she just nodded at them, "It's ok guys. I'll…talk to you all later."
"Ok…take care…"
"Call us if you need anything!"
The girls walked off and Akane limped over to Omi. "I talked with the head master" Omi started, offering her a hand to help her. She accepted the help as they went back to his car. "He thinks it would be wise if you took a sabbatical from school. They'll hold everything and you can come back and make up the work later, when you are ready."
"Oh…" she sat down in the car. "But I really want to continue…"
Omi shut the door on her side and walked around to the driver's side. "Akane, your head master, the doctors and I agree, you need some time to … heal … after what's happened." He started the car and pulled away from the school. Akane sat quietly. "Do you have anywhere to stay?"
She shook her head, "With…everything that's…been going on in the world recently…iie…My friends' families are all suspicious of taking in other people…"
Omi stopped at a red light, "I see…" Silence ruled once again as he pulled out at the green light and came to Akane's house. "Let's…get you some changes of clothes…"
About thirty minutes later Akane limped back out of the house with Omi's help. They had a bag of clothes for her, a pillow, and some other various things she might need. "We can get you a hotel room to stay in if you'd like…" He told her as she sat back down into the car.
Akane's eyes widened, clutching at the cross around her neck, "Iie! Mother told me never to go to hotels…"
Omi eyed her motions, slightly sadly and nodded, "Hai…well…I suppose you can stay at our place again until you can find someplace more suitable."
She bit her lip, really hating to impose on him like this. She looked down at her injured leg, But…I should be safe there…Omi raised an eyebrow. She looked back up at him, "Are you sure it's ok? I don't want to be imposing or anything…"
Omi nodded, "It's ok…" he tossed her stuff in the back seat and walked around, climbing into the driver's seat. "And its better than you staying with Marc…considering he almost lives at the station…" a hint of laughter in his voice made her smile and relax.
suddenly I know I'm not sleeping
hello … I'm still here
all that's left of yesterday
04/22/03 - By: Akari Kanzaki
Chapters
Hello
Life...
Imaginary
Taking Over Me
Whisper
Mistakes of the Past