Sorry about the late update only about one chapter left since I've been trying to finish all my fic things. Special thanks to darkarc for the idea!

"…" Speech '…' Thought … Implied words

Disclaimer: I own nothing and gain no money by writing this.


Chapter 10: The beginning of the end

Rei was unable to move as he watched Kai walk away. He barely noticed the presence of another person in the area until he was tapped lightly on the arm.

"Rei…are you okay?"

"Huh?" Rei looked down slightly at the brown haired boy who was tugging his sleeve. "Um……yeah……Kenny, I'm fine…….fine," Rei zoned out again, looked back at where Kai had been.

'……Life isn't an anime show and good doesn't always win….…'

What was it about that sentence that got Rei? Was it Kai's tone of voice perhaps? Rei couldn't shake the feeling that something important was going to happen.

'…….Life isn't an anime show and good doesn't always win…….'

'……Good doesn't always win….…'

Rei knew.

"Kenny!" Rei suddenly sprang into life, startling Kenny. "Go to the hospital and get Takao, meet me…" He paused, where would Kai go to meet Voltaire? "There's an abandoned building a little way west from the alleys meet me there!" And with that Rei took of at full speed into the distance.

Kenny wasn't too sure what just happened but it had seemed urgent so he obediently ran to the hospital.

Maxi's mind

Max looked around yet he could see nothing except the light glistening of the black surface of the stream. Who was it who was talking? Why did they call him a liar?

"Who are you and what do you mean?" He said, shocked.

"You know who I am, and you can tell me exactly what I mean."

Max looked shocked. What was going on? And how could they know? No one knew.

"I don't have a clue what you mean, just let me go back!" he pleaded with the darkness but it just laughed again.

"What's the rush? You're not gonna be missed," the voice spoke maliciously. Do you really want to live? Go through the heart-ache and suffering of everyday life, if you pass on you'd be much happier."

"What do you know?" Maxi's anger rose.

"I know what you long for whether you choose to deny it or not," the voice replied. "You're that kid that listens to everyone's problems, the kind kid that always helps and comforts others but what about you? Why should you be burdened with their problems? Do you think they'd be so kind to you when you want to talk about your problems?"

"I like helping others," Max answered lamely.

"But you'd be happier if you passed on yet you can't because you'd feel bad about making the others upset. Can't you be selfish just this once? Do something for yourself, be a little selfish and pass on?"

Max pursed his lips. Why couldn't he be selfish? If he was to be happier if he passed on then why not go ahead and pass on? Why should the thought of his team hold him back?

"Come with me," the voice beckoned.

The earth began to shake under his feet as if yet another black abyss was opening its mouth to swallow him.

"No! I don't want to go, even if the life on the other side is better I still don't want to go!" Max called but it didn't help.

He had nowhere to run and so he plunged into more darkness, it seemed like he would fall forever into an unending darkness. Around him he could hear a familiar voice whisper to him and then fade out in little, incoherent sentences.

'Wake up…….'

'Don't leave me here…….the team…….falling apart…….we need you……I need you……'

'The team is falling apart….…someone to help….…please……open you eyes...wake up……wake up……'

'MAX!'

Maxi's eyes widened as light flooded in.

"AHHH!"

Max looked around, gasping as if he had not taken in a single breath since the incident.

He was in a white room, incredibly clean and bare but peaceful and tranquil at the same time. It was a welcome relief from the darkness of his dreams but what was even more relieving was seeing a familiar face grinning with happiness.

"T….…Takao?" Max rubbed his eyes to make sure he was not just imagining things.

"Max……" Takao's eyes were on the verge of tears. Suddenly Takao gripped Max into a tight bear hug.

"Err…….Takao…….I need air!" Max gagged.

Takao pulled away meekly, apologising while blushing furiously.

"Max……I'm so glad you're back, the team's just gotten worse and worse, it's never been this bad before!"

Max smiled, preparing himself to do what he did best: listen.

"Takao!" Kenny burst into the room panting. "Max?"

"Hi!" Max waved cheerfully.

"What's wrong, what's going on?" Takao asked.

"Rei….…" Kenny began to explain.

Abandoned building

Kai stepped in the building Rei had been caught in, behind his back he fingered a cold metal object.

Stepping in cautiously he saw Tala and Voltaire standing there already. A nod passed between Tala and Kai, knowing the ambush was almost in place.

"Well here I am," Voltaire said impatiently. "And I see Kai is here like you said he would, Tala," he turned to address Kai. "Drop that gun behind your back, Kai, you're out numbered."

Kai looked at Tala with furious rage as Tala and Voltaire quickly drew their guns.

"I should have known you would be too dumb and spineless to go against him," Kai snarled at Tala.

"You definitely have gone soft; letting your guard down like that," Tala retaliated. "You should never trust anyone!"

"Kai; I'll have that data even if I have to force you!" Voltaire warned. "But if you're willing to the cause then I'll take you back, of course you'll have to prove your loyalty."

"How?" Kai's eyes narrowed.

(Rei's POV)

I race through the crowded streets of Russia, my heart pumps with each movement. As I rounded the corner I reach the building and fling the unlocked door open. I was gonna run in further but something stopped me from proceeding onwards, namely the long revolver aimed straight at my forehead.

"I thought I said goodbye," I hear Kai hiss as the gun clicks.

"Kai?" I ask confused, I'd probably be shitting myself right now but I know Kai and I know he would never kill someone.

Behind me I can hear the door open again and Tala and Voltaire raise their guns too. Crap, it doesn't take a genius to figure out who's behind me; it has to be Takao and Kenny.

(Normal POV)

"Kai…." Rei breathed. "You won't kill me."

Kai pointed the gun at Rei's forehead so the cold metal nozzle was pressing against his head. "What makes you so sure?"

"I know you," Rei replied confidently. "This isn't the way you want it to be, you don't want to go back and let Voltaire get that data."

"There's no other way, I've given up trying to cross the stars," Kai shrugged.

"No, don't ever give up," Rei ordered. "You're stronger than all of us put together, you can defy fate if you want and if you can't seem to make that final push then feel free to borrow some of our strength."

"Yeah Kai, we won't screw you over like your grandfather!" Takao piped in.

"Shut up!" Voltaire growled then turned to address Kai. "Kai, do what you have been ordered to do."

"Kai," another voice called. It was Max. Both Rei and Kai were evidently shocked, wasn't max supposed to be in hospital?

"Kai," Max called again. "When I was in hospital I was told that I would be happier if I passed on but I couldn't, do you know why? Because we all share a heart, we're only complete when together and when one tries to leave it's like only a having a small fragment of a heart. We can't survive like that, that's why we always end up back together!"

There was silence after Maxi's little speech.

'Is it true?' Kai wondered. 'Can a combined heart defy fate?'

"Kai!" Voltaire's harsh voice brought him back to earth.

'Can I feel something more than hate? I never thought I could experience something like friendship, it was meant to be weak, it was meant to be unreal!'

"Kai……" Rei looked at the crimson eyed boy cautiously. "Come back to us."

'If I go back what will happen?' Kai's mind continued to argue with him. 'How do I get us out of this mess? I can't believe I even got so far but now we'll never get out of it and it's my fault for getting them messed up in my problems.'

"Rei.…" Kai finally spoke. "You're not wrong. Fate can be defied but there's gotta be a sacrifice in order to avoid the inevitable." He turned to Voltaire, "You're not getting this data!" He yelled.

What happened next was hard to describe in chronological order but what most of them thought happened first was Kai taking the gun away from Rei's head and spun it round to face his chest.

Voltaire ran to stop Kai and prevent loss of valuable data while Tala and the rest of the Bladebreakers stood too shocked to do anything.

Then the blast came and Kai was on the floor covered in his own blood.

"Kai!" Rei ran to the side of the fallen boy, kneeling in a pool of blood by Kai.

Voltaire growled with anger at loosing the data that was fading away with the slate haired teen and turned and ran out the back door.

"Kai!" Takao, Max and Kenny rushed over but gave Rei some space and didn't kneel down.

'They still care?' Was the one thought that passed through his mind.

Tala was uncertain of whether he should follow Voltaire or stay here. In the end he decided to follow but not before he tossed Rei his mobile. "Call for an ambulance on this," Tala ordered and then he too left out the back.

Rei grabbed the phone and began rapidly dialling but a gloved hand clasped firmly around his and a weary voice said "No, it's better this way."

"I'm not gonna sit here and watch you die!" Rei cried as tears began to rain down on Kai.

"Crying…….I still don't understand why you do that," Kai smirked. "Think of it this way, I'm finally free, I'm not gonna be used or manipulated anymore. I can be myself."

"But you can't die," Rei whispered, he lifted the boy to him, he was surprisingly light.

"Why not?" Kai's voice was cracking.

Leaning down Rei placed his lips to Kai's. The others looked away but whether because they were sad, disgusted, ashamed or just thought it would be polite Rei didn't know or care.

"Because I love you," Rei murmured. "You belong with us, you always will,"

"Rei……" Kai was no good at expressing how he felt with words so instead he used all his strength to pull Rei closer and kissed

Rei felt Kai go limp in his arms, he pulled apart to see his crimson-eyed phoenix lying as if only sleeping.

Just like the phoenix that burns itself to death Kai had taken his own life but would he rise again from the ashes?


And there you have it. Don't worry, it's not gonna end how you think. My reviewers have all seemed to disappear so please, if you read my fic R&R or E-mail me or do something to let me know that someone out there reads this. I need you to vote on the ending.

A) An angsty funeral in Rei's POV

B) Kai's recovery in hospital in Rei's POV