"…" Speech '…' Thought … Implied words

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Chapter 6: That's my secret

"This is all your fault!" Takao screamed at Kai.

They were standing by Maxi's hospital bed, he was currently unconscious but fortunately the doctors claimed that there was no brain damage. Even so, the dimly beeping heart monitor and the still form in bed made the scene seem much worse.

"Take responsibility for what you've done!" Takao sent a punch flying in Kai's direction.

Kai didn't make any attempt to block it or even dodge the incoming blow.

'You didn't have to follow me,' a part of him wanted to say but he kept silent and accepted the blows like some kind of punishment for not looking after the old team.

"Takao, hitting Kai won't help Max," Rei tried to calm the navy haired teen.

"You're right," Takao mumbled. His rage suddenly diminished and he let his arms rest by his sides.

"Do you want some time alone?" Rei asked kindly.

Takao nodded dully and watched the others file out of the door.

Outside Kenny mumbled an excuse, saying he had to check things with Dizzi and made his way out of the hospital with uncharacteristic speed.

Rei took a seat on one of the blue padded chairs in the waiting room amongst other worried faces; some people were even sobbing uncontrollably while being comforted by nurses. Rei wasn't sure what news they had received to make grown adults weep yet he could imagine it was pretty terrible.

With the exception of the silent and suppressed sobs of people around them the waiting room was deadly quiet. In the distance the wailing sirens would draw near bringing in another casualty but that was a rare event. The downcast looks, sombre of suffering people and deadly whispers of doctors made the room so depressing that it was eating at Rei's nerves.

"Don't let it bother you," Kai leaned against the wall next to Rei in his usual position with his arms firmly folded across his chest and his eyes closed.

'Don't let what bother me?' Rei wondered but didn't ask. 'Does he mean the atmosphere or Maxi's injury? Maybe both.'

The silence began to grind at both Rei's patience and his nerves. He didn't mind silence, sometimes it was a blessing but such a sombre silence was simply intolerable. He had to do something.

"Kai, those people working for Biovolt will be back, won't they? Maybe we should tell the police," Rei whispered so no one else could hear.

"No point," Kai said laconically. "Voltaire would just bribe them to go away."

'I wonder if he's got a place to stay yet,' Rei dared himself to ask. Maybe Kai could come back though Rei doubted Kai would accept what he would probably regard as charity.

"Kai…" Rei chose his words carefully. He felt as if he was negotiating with an alien country; any slight move could prove to be a serious mistake. "If they're coming back then shouldn't we change hotels?"

"There's no point, they'll always be able to track us down, they're after all of us now. Especially after your interruption," Kai cast an accusing glare at Rei. "If you're so worried then stick with me."

"W…With you?" Rei vainly tried to stop a stutter from escaping his lips. "As in going back to sharing a room?"

"If you want," Kai said, obviously bored by their fragmented conversation.

Inwardly, a triumphant grin lit up Rei's face. "I'm gonna go check on Takao, we can go once he's down." he informed their stoical ex-leader.

Kai just grunted his acknowledgement. He was secretly glad to leave the hospital, he had always hated the building; maybe it was because they reminded him of her.

Flashback

The hospital was always a confusing and sometime scary place for all children. People in suspicous white coats and masks hurried around, talking in a alien language, the screeching wails of sirens in the distance and people rushing around with injured people only added more confusing to such simple minds.

Ignored by everyone around him a crimson-eyed boy sat huddled in a corner of the hospital watching adults walk by with ever-vigilant eyes. He silently wished that people would continue to ignore him but his hopes were quickly dashed as someone's shadow fell on him.

"Kai, it's time," a harsh strict voice ordered him to his feet.

He stood up and nodded bravely, he mustn't show fear in front of his tutor. Inside his heart was beating twice as fast; this was his last chance to see her before he was confined indefinitely to Biovolt grounds but he wasn't looking forward to the meeting.

Each step seemed to take him no closer to his destination; the journey was tugging at his nerves and causing his stomach to contract.

"Five minutes," Boris ordered and shoved Kai inside the room.

Kai heard the door slam behind him. He was contemplating which was worse being in a room with a half-crazy woman or facing an angry Boris when a female voice cut through his musings.

He hadn't really noticed the two doctors in the same room with him but now he did he noticed that these two doctors were looking at him strangely.

The room was bare with a bed and chair being the only things in the poorly furnished room. The lack of furniture created a spacious feeling in the room but it made Kai's insides freeze, everything was white with no shadows to envelope him protective darkness.

"Is that the son?" The female doctor asked her male colleague.

Kai ignored their questioning and pitying glances as he made his way tentatively to the bed.

Lying on the white bed sheets was a frail woman, she hair was matted and greasy, clinging to her shoulder like lifeless tendrils, her skin was pale white and hung off her bones, her face was sunken and sickly, she looked like a zombie.

"Have you come to help me?" She rasped, her hoarse voice rattled and made Kai wince with each word she uttered.

"No," Kai stated harshly.

"No?" the woman began sobbing. "God, I don't want to die! I'm going to hell, oh God!"

"How can he be so cruel to his own mother?" The woman whispered. Kai caught her words but he chose to ignore them.

"He's been abused," the male doctor answered. "After the father left his mother turned to drugs and alcohol, she beat him everyday until social services but him under the protection of his grandfather."

"Poor guy, how can he stand it?"

'Pity, I don't want pity I'm not worthless like her! ' Kai thought angrily. He shoved his hands in his pockets in case he did something he would regret.

"Listen," the male doctor came over and patted Kai on his shoulder. Kai inwardly recoiled at such a close bodily gesture, but he didn't move away. "I know you've had it tough, you're very brave to have made it this far but you don't have to always be brave. Go ahead and cry if that's what you want."

'Cry?' Kai's face contorted in disgust at the repulsive word. How dare they even suggest that he was weak enough to sink to such standards.

"I'm don't want to cry," Kai glared at the two doctors with such ferocity that they were taken slightly aback. "I will never cry!" He vowed.

It was hard to believe that he had stuck to the oath to this day.

End of Flashback

Takao sat by Maxi's silent body, the blonde boy's eyes were shut tightly, and he was so still that only the constant rising of his chest signified that he was still alive.

"C'mon Max, wake up," Takao shook the boy lightly as if he was waking a child from a rich slumber but the boy didn't stir. "C'mon, snap out of it! Dam Kai! This is all his fault!"

Takao began pounding the side of the bed not caring about the jolts of pain that snaked up his arm.

Eventually his common sense slipped in place of his fury and left him with a nagging sense of remorse.

"What am I saying?" Takao wondered. "Max was the one who took the blow for me, it's my fault," a tear slid down his cheek. Takao wiped it away but it only triggered more to fall. "Sorry Max but don't worry I'm gonna get even!"

Those Biovolt bastards had to pay for what they had done and he wouldn't allow them to get their hands on Kai either. He had to look out for the team. Even if Kai was no longer with them he was still a friend and besides, Max was always the unifier but for now he would assume that role.

"I'll do my best to keep the team together, promise."

"That's good to hear."

Takao spun round to face Rei; he quickly wiped away the damp trails the tears had formed on his face.

"C'mon we're heading back, Max will be fine," Rei reassured the dragon. Takao nodded, somehow managing to produce a smile across his features.

"Yeah, I haven't eaten in ages, I need something filling!"

Night

Rei snuggled deeper into the warmth of his bed sheets, it was good not to be alone anymore but he also felt guilty that Takao would not have any company tonight.

Rei yawned and closed his eyes, letting his ears listen to the soft noises both outside and inside the room: the sound of the bathroom door opening, Kai's soft footsteps across the room and the balcony door opening.

'Balcony door?' Rei's eyes snapped open. He sat up straight and looked towards the balcony.

Kai was leaning against the railing, appreciating the cold night breeze. He knew the phoenix wanted his privacy to muse in whatever thoughts whirled inside his brain but Rei's curiosity overpowered him.

Still dressed in his night-clothes Rei slipped silently out of his bed and made his way to the balcony.

It was a remarkably beautiful night; the full moon made the sky look so much more cheerful, stars clustered around the pale ball, shining like silver diamonds on black velvet although Rei reckoned that Kai appreciated the solitude and serene atmosphere to the moon.

'The night certainly makes him look more impressive,' Rei mused. The golden aurora from the moon shone down onto Kai's pale skin, giving the impression that he was glowing while the stars shimmered in his blood red eyes and the night's breeze rustled his slate bangs. He seemed almost angelic if not in personality than in appearance.

"So what are you thinking of?" Rei asked curiously as he placed himself next to Kai.

Kai's only reaction to the Chinese boy's inquiry was no tense his muscles.

"Beautiful night, huh?" Rei attempted to make any sort of conversation but he knew he wouldn't get much of an answer from Kai; it would be easier to have a conversation with a wall.

'What does he want?' Kai's mind groaned. He wanted to be left alone with his thoughts for awhile but it seemed to prove impossible for him.

"Kai, did you really mean it when you said that you hated us?" Rei asked intently.

"Maybe," Kai refused to give him a straight answer. "Maybe I do hate the team and maybe I was just using it as an excuse to get away."

"Why?" Rei probed further. "Why don't you like being with us? Why did you want to get away from us?"

"Why do you ask so many questions?" Kai countered.

"Curiosity can't kill this cat," Rei smirked. "So tell me, why do you do these things? Are you afraid of something?"

"It's possible," the reply took Rei aback. Everyone was afraid of something but he never thought Kai would admit it.

"So what are you afraid of?"

Kai spun around to face Rei; they were so close he could see himself in crimson eyes. Rei was too shocked to do anything so he just bit his lip in case he did or said anything stupid.

"Isn't it obvious? You should learn to open your eyes more," Kai smirked and returned to the room leaving a stunned Rei to ponder over his words.


There, sorry if Kai was OOC in that last part but when I wrote this it wasn't.