SPECIAL ANNOUNCEMENT!!!
On Wednesday, March 19th, 2003, at 3:06am, I gave birth to my son William. He is a beautiful child and a true blessing. ^_^

Now that I've got my maternal gloating out of the way...Thanks bunches for all the feedback and reviews. We're nearing the end of the story. I'm thinking I'll write maybe two more chapters. It may take awhile, though. I don't have much time for myself anymore. So, until I get a chance to write the last chapter, you're just going to have to deal with the fact that I ended this one with another cliffhanger. Yes, I am evil. Muwahahahaha!

Codes:
'thoughts'
((Schu talking telepathically))

Happy reading. :-p

~Koyasu

~~~~~~~~~~

Schuldig looked away from Ran's pleading eyes. Of course, he deserved to know about Omi, but he was so affected by his own emotions. Try as he might to be cool and reserved, the truth was that every action Ran took was, on some level, influenced by what he felt. Would learning of Omi's suicide cause him to shut down? Would he blame himself for all that had happened? Refuse to go to physical therapy? Refuse to heal his body?

Ran sighed impatiently. 'I'm not going to like this, am I?'

((Um...n-no...you aren't)) Schuldig answered, feeling for the right words. ((Well...)) he sighed. ((You know that Omi was very sensitive and-))

'He's dead, isn't he?' Ran interrupted. I never thought of Omi as the suicidal type, but...' Ran bit his lip, his entire body trembling.

((The words 'was' and 'sensitive' gave it away, didn't they?))

'Mmm.' Ran quivered, fighting back a flood of emotions. He felt such a sense of loss. Taro, Ken, himself...and now Omi. All either dead or better off dead. And it could have been different, if he had only taken the advice of his sister and friends. Weiss should have retired. They shouldn't have taken that last mission. 'Was it...?'

((No. This was in no way your fault. We all have our own guilt to work through. We all have sorrow. Omi was close to breaking. I sensed that Omi had been working through a lot of shit for a very long time. I knew this, and even I couldn't stop him. Ran?))

'What?'

((Nothing that you did caused this to happen. So please don't beat yourself up over it)) Schu pleaded.

'Beat myself up? I can barely move.' Ran sighed. He was still shaking.

((You know what I mean, Ran.)) Sensing discomfort from the redhead, Schuldig moved his arm from his chest to his side. ((Better?))

'Yes.'

((Good)) Schu continued, fixing his gaze on Ran. ((Now, won't you honor Omi's memory by working your hardest to get well?))

Ran sniffed. 'What's the point?'

((Please, Ran. Please don't let Omi's death be for nothing.)) Schuldig begged. ((Don't let the legacy of Weiss be only tragedy. If you can rise above what has happened to you-))

'I don't see how that's possible...'

((Through your hard work. I believe in you, Ran. We all do. Now, it's up to you.)) Schu smiled, placing a finger in Ran's hand. ((Squeeze my finger)) he ordered. ((Just give it everything you've got.))

Ran closed his eyes, focusing all of his mental energy on the finger in his hand. He was barely even aware of his body, and it took a lot of concentration. But when he opened his eyes to look, he saw the tip of Schuldig's finger poking out from within his fist, slightly purple. Breaking his concentation, Ran slowly let go. 'Gomen. I...I hope I didn't hurt you.'

Schuldig's face could hardly contain his happiness. ((Just a little pressure. But I'm proud of you, Ran! Consider this the first step in your body's recovery.))

Ran gave a bittersweet smile, saddened by the news of Omi's death, but emboldened by his accomplishment. Before he knew what was happening, he felt his cheeks become wet and heard himself start crying. It started with soft sobs, building to loud, pained wails. He wasn't sure what to feel anymore. He just wished that he could make sense of things.

Aya and Yoji looked on sadly, not sure how to react to what they were seeing. So Aya acted on instinct, hurrying to her brother's bedside.

"I think that is just what Ran needs now", Schu smiled sadly, giving up his seat for the woman. "Just sit with him. Hold his hand. Help him to feel safe again."

Aya nodded as she took a seat, trying to be strong as the sounds of her brother's inner and outer pain penetrated her heart. She looked at what he had become and thought back to what put him in this state. 'Taro...' Aya felt herself tear up at the thought of her murdered husband, realizing that she and Ran really needed eachother. Now more than ever.

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*
Three monthes later...
~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

"Just let me say goodbye!" Ken cried as Aya and Yoji put his things in the back of Yoji's Jeep.

"I'm sorry, Ken, but we can't do that", Aya stated sadly, taking the recultant brunette by the arms. "After your outburst a few monthes ago, your doctors decided it's best that you don't see Ran for awhile.

"And it's been awhile!" Ken whined, struggling. "I don't understand why-"

"Because Ran has enough to worry about without you throwing tantrums all the time", Yoji said shortly, grabbing Ken away from Aya. She was advancing in her pregnancy, and the last thing they needed was for Ken to bring any harm to her or the baby, however unintentional it may be.

"But Ran is like my...my...wife!" Ken stammered frantically as Yoji forced him into the car. "You can't keep me away from my own wife!"

Aya couldn't help but giggle at Ken's words. "You'll be together again soon. I promise."

"You mean it?" Ken asked, staring dreamily into the distance as Yoji fastened his seat belt for him.

Aya nodded, while Yoji closed the door on Ken, preventing further questions. She then turned to the older man. "Yoji, I've been thinking..."