A/N - Man, I'm on a writing spree!!  Three chapters in one day, what could be better?  (Takato: Don't know, maybe me not being tortured?)  Sorry… No can do!

Chapter Sixteen:  Alone and Beaten

Insecurity and hope are mixed together
Unable to go against fate
I waited for the time to come
Both angels and devils
Whisper inside my head
I'm the only one who can choose between them

~Only One

                Takato woke up on the floor.  His eyes opened slowly, blurring in and out of focus.  He blinked, trying to clear things up.  Pain worse than anything ever before shot through him.  He let out a gasp, as the pain began creeping slowly through his body.  I can't move… The pain…  Please, why won't anyone help me…?  He slowly struggled up.  He let out a whimper of pain.

                He grasped the wall for help.  He looked around, still in a daze.  No one was here.  They had beaten him, and abandoned him.  Typical, if not cruel.  He slowly staggered to the sink.  The cold water hurt his bruises, but it felt good.  He stared at the calendar.  Today was school  He wanted to groan again.  He was in no shape to go to school.  But I have to…

                  He caught a glimpse of himself in the window.  He was covered in bruises, cuts, and basically very beaten looking.  I wonder what else happened last night?  I can't remember much…  Just getting beaten up.  Maybe I'll stay home today…  I really don't feel well…  He shut his eyes, but resisted the urge to collapse right here by the sink.

                I'm so tired… More than before, even…  Maybe I'll just close my eyes right here… It would feel so good to never wake up…  I'm so weak…  I want to go to sleep…  Takato slowly dropped to his knees.  It would feel good…  His weary eyes wandered around the kitchen.  They fell on a knife, lying nearby.  He slowly got up and grabbed it. 

                It would feel so good…  He held the knife above his wrists.  He slowly lowered it, gasping every now and then for pain.  Doing this would end it all…  Yes, this is the best thing…

                No, Takato-sama, you cannot die.  Takato glanced up.  A ghostly illusion of Yami stared at him.  You know what you are, and you cannot die.  You can try all you want, but all you will do is cause yourself more pain.  It will not end your suffering, but elevate it.  Yami's ghostly eyes looked sad.  Please, Takato-sama… 

                Takato stared at him.  His eyes never before seemed so weary and jaded.  "Maybe not, but I can try…"  He sliced the knife into his veins, and watched a trickle of red slowly flow out. 

                What do I need to do to prove that this is pointless!!  Please, please, I'm begging you, please don't…  Yami's eyes were welled with tears, that dropped and faded away. 

                Takato slashed his other wrist, knowing Yami's words were true, but refusing to listen, and thinking now, that maybe the pain was almost relieving.  As he sat in a pool of blood, he felt, through the pain, a bit of comfort.