A/N- Here's an update for you. If you think it's confusing, I'm sorry. Hopefully everything will become clearer next chapter. I know this chapter is all over the place. But I had to do it that way, or it won't make sense later. :-)
A Shadow Reborn- Chapter Eleven
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Ayame stepped out into the hospital hallway and shut the door behind him. Leaning his back against it, he looked up at the ceiling and heard the quieting crying of his brother, still inside his room. Ayame had waited until Yuki had regained some of his strength before talking to him, but now wished he had gotten it over with sooner. Ayame had conquered the initial horror over losing his mother, but he wasn't sure how to help Yuki deal with his own shock and grief.
Now Hatori was coming down the hall, having noticed Ayame. Seeing how tired his cousin looked, and hearing nothing from Yuki's hospital room, Hatori's expression became serious.
"You told him?"
Ayame nodded. "Just now."
"Shouldn't….That is, don't you think you should be in there with him for a little bit?"
Ayame shook his head. "I think he'll be okay."
Having been very uncomfortable telling Yuki of his mother's passing, Ayame's visit meeting with his brother had been a short one. Ayame hated to see his brother crying, and was somewhat relieved when his younger brother told him he just wanted to be alone for a while. Yuki had told him he was fine, and just needed a minute, but Ayame suspected his brother remembered more about his mother than he let on, and was in more pain than he showed.
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The next day, Yuki was discussing matters with the last person he'd expect. But it was better than sitting with Ayame, who tended to worry twice as much over Yuki as necessary.
"I feel bad, though. But really, this should really hurt a lot more than it does. But I can't help it, I just don't remember much about her."
Kyo searched for what he thought his cousin wanted to hear. "So, you mean, you don't think this is bothering you as much as it should, but it's not exactly your fault?"
Ouch. "Yeah, I guess. I don't know. That came out wrong."
Kyo had absolutely no clue what to say, but anything was better than the threatening awkward silence. "But ….you miss her?"
"I've missed her for that last eight years. But as stupid as it sounds, I….."
"Yeah?"
"Nevermind. It's dumb."
Kyo shifted uncomfortably, but said, "I don't mind. Go ahead."
Yuki sighed. "Well, I don't know. I think I just always held some sort of fantasy of my own. I kind of hoped that maybe Ayame and me would eventually get back to her. That things would get back to how they were before." He glanced at Kyo, embarrassed, but his cousin looked serious.
"Before Akito?"
"Before Akito, and before our father left…." Suddenly feeling self-conscious, Yuki laughed, turning red. "But that's kind of stupid. It doesn't really matter."
"It's not stupid. I'd probably want the same thing…" Then, not wanting to be accused of having a sentimental or considerate side, Kyo changed the subject. "So, when do you get to come home? You've been here a while now."
"Oh, I don't even know. To tell you the truth, I think Hatori feels better with me here, instead of at home. He doesn't like not knowing where Akito is and what he's up to."
"Please. If Akito was still on his crazy go-fight-kill rage, he'd be just as able to get to you here than at the Sohma House."
"I don't know. Of course I want to get out of here, but I think Hatori does have a point. Really, what are the odds of Akito getting in here?"
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Dear Sir/Madame,
We are sorry to inform you of the passing of your friend and/or relative, Aikama Sohma, on this day, November 20, 1995. Please inform any of his/her associates. Funeral arrangements have been set for November 27, 1995. Your friends at The Aoyama Almshouse offer their deepest sympathy and services.
Regretfully yours,
Nurakumi Aizawa, Secretary
Tear stains splotched the entire letter, from recently and from years before. Upon receiving the letter, he had stared at in disbelief. Surely there had been a mistake.
But there hadn't. How could this have happened to Aikama? How could she end up in a poorhouse, and how could she die? Wasn't she the strong one? None of this was supposed to happen. She was supposed to always be there. He had planned to go back to her, to be everything she wanted him to. Not that he had ever given her reason to suspect any of this.
But after the letter came, everything changed. And now there was unfinished business. Loose ends. Things could never turn out how they should have, now. But maybe the boys should finally have their explanation at last.
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"Can I?"
"I don't think so, Yuki."
"Please?"
"No, damnit."
"Why not?"
Shigure rubbed his eyes. "Because Hatori said so."
Yuki quieted. It was hard to argue with that. "But I've already stayed longer than they said I had to."
"They said that a while back. No one's told you to leave yet, so you're staying here."
Yuki wasn't used to Shigure standing his ground like this. Hatori must have threatened him not to give in while he was out. Damn. Kyo, who was sitting in the corner, smirked at Yuki's failure.
Dropping the syrupy-sweet voice, Yuki asked Shigure flatly, "Where's Ayame?"
"Look, Ayame won't let you leave either. Anyway, it's not like you can just hop up and leave the hospital before you're told to. Suck it up," Shigure said cheerfully.
Just then Ayame came in, holding what seemed to be an oversized carton of ice cream. Yuki's face brightened, as he put on his sweetest little-brother face.
"Oni-chan!"
"Hey, Yuki. Look, I brought ice cream," answered Ayame, holding it up.
"Yay! Oh, and Ayame, I was wondering…"
Ayame raised an eyebrow. He had never in his life heard his little brother say 'Yay' about anything. "Sorry Yuki, but I can't tell them to let you out early. Hatori said you should stay here as long as they think you need to."
From his corner, Kyo laughed. Yuki sat back against his pillow. Of all times for Ayame to use common sense. "You suck."
"I know," said Ayame happily, pulling out a cup and spoon. "Strawberry or chocolate?"
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Later, Ayame met Hatori in the hall.
"How is he?" Hatori asked, leaning against the wall.
"Good, I think. He seems to be in pretty high spirits, but he wants to come home."
Hatori shook his head. "Not yet. What did you say to him?"
"That he couldn't go anywhere yet."
"Good," Hatori said, heading into Yuki's room. Upon entry, he nodded a greeting to Shigure, Kyo, and Yuki and sat down, whipping out a medical novel. Shigure stood up, announcing he was going to find Ayame, and left. Kyo was still sprawled out sideways in his chair, looking uninterested in the situation.
Yuki was still bent on leaving as soon as possible, but he needed a better strategy. And that included a more tactful approach. "Hatori…"
"Mm?" he replied, not looking up from his book.
"When am I going home?"
"I don't know."
"The doctors haven't said?"
Hatori closed his book. "Well….Technically, you could have gone home today. But," he added, seeing Yuki start to speak, "They'd prefer if you'd stay for just a short while longer. I think they want to be able to keep checking on you periodically, with your medicine and all. They did say, though, that if we want you to, you can go home. Provided that you keep on these medications and follow their other instructions."
"So…I can go?"
"I don't think so."
"But what are we getting out of staying here? We're just spending extra of your money. You said yourself we could take care of the medication and stuff at home."
Hatori paused a moment, thinking. "Money isn't an issue here. We just think-"
"And you said this nurse doesn't give adequate service, right? You don't like her."
Hatori rolled his eyes at the mention of the nurse. "That's because she's an incompetent *~*~* who can't even do her job worth sh-"
"And Shigure and Ayame said that you could handle things better than some of the doctors here. Said that I'd be better off at home in your hands than being taken care of by these people."
From his corner, Kyo snorted, but Hatori cocked his head to one side.
"They said that?"
Yuki nodded solemnly, and Kyo rolled his eyes. Hatori raised both eyebrows, looking thoughtful.
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~Later that day~
"I can not believe he fell for that."
Yuki shrugged in response, apparently relatively pleased with himself.
"That wasn't even all true, " continued Kyo. "If you had fed his ego any more, it'd have exploded."
"Who cares. The important thing is, I'm going home tomorrow."
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Akito had watched them. Every day, as each of the four of them left and returned, in and out of the Sohma House. Hatori had been staying there- he hadn't returned to the Main House once. Akito heard them talking to one another, and it wasn't very hard to pick up on the situation. Where Yuki was, how he was doing….but how long was he to stay at the hospital?
Akito had one more task, then it'd all be over. Too many things had gone wrong. In a sense, his life ended over four years ago. For almost half a decade, he had done nothing but wallow in his own desolation and cause hell for others. Akito hated the feeling of regret, among others. Emotions were burdens, always reminding him he was human. But he needed tonight. And this time, he couldn't be seen- getting caught was out of the question. If anyone saw him, there would be consequences of the other night, and worse- questions. Akito had answers, but he had to let them go in his own way, and his own time.
Oddly enough, this was probably the safest business Akito had endeavored in a while. He'd have to get there by tonight; then he'd have access to nitrous oxide, cyclopropane, anything he needed for precautionary measures. All he had to do was deliver his message without being noticed. There would be no confrontation this time, if everything went according to plan. Sitting down by himself, Akito now prepared to do something he had never done before- explicate the whole truth.
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That night had been the easiest of Yuki's entire stay at the hospital. Knowing he was finally going home the next day made everything at that damned hospital more bearable. After going through his new routine of having his nightly battle of wits with Kyo, dishing out his hospital dinner between his three younger cousins, and taking his medication, Yuki waited patiently until Hatori kicked Shigure, Ayame, and Kyo out, before giving his regards and leaving himself. Yuki was somewhat relieved, as his medication was kicking in, and he was getting tired. Thinking only of going home, he turned over and went to sleep.
~Later--2:30 AM~
It was almost pitch black when Yuki woke up in the middle of the night. He had no idea what had wakened him, until he heard it again- an almost imperceptible clicking. As his eyes adjusted to the dark, Yuki looked over and saw the door handle turning, and the door opened silently, casting in a widening patch of gray light, from the hall, onto the opposite wall of the room.
A dark figure stood in the doorway. Yuki quietly caught his breath- it didn't look like a doctor. Yuki saw it was a male. The man was holding some things in his right hand, and he closed the door with his left hand as he walked forward. Yuki saw him move towards the window across the room, stepping forward slowly and silently. The man was slightly shorter than average, and walked lightly.
"Ayame?"
The figure froze, and Yuki felt, rather than saw, him turn from the window and look at him. Yuki tried his hardest to make out the features on the face, but it was too dark.
Yuki's voice shook now, but he asked, louder, "Kyo??" The man did not answer, but started to unfold one of the two objects in his left hand. Eyes widening, Yuki sat up and groped the side of the hospital bed for the Patient Assistance button to signal for someone, anyone, to come help, but he was too late.
Before he could locate the button, before he could call out, the man was upon him. And before he could react, Yuki felt himself being pushed back down on his bed, and a cloth was placed over his nose and mouth- not painfully, but firmly.
Almost immediately, Yuki recognized what it was- anesthesia. "Damn." Looking up one last time at the man, who was now right beside him, Yuki finally recognized him. "You…" But Yuki knew it was too late. There was nothing to do but dread what was to happen to him, as he felt himself slipping into insensibility.
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A/N. K. There it is. Review, please??? Be nice. And I WILL wrap everything up later. So don't worry if some of it doesn't make sense, k? :-) thanks.
Don't forget to review!
