Okay, everyone! Now for the long-awaited chapter by the world's laziest author...I have to give credit to everyone that reviewed, particularly the one that cried...I didn't think that this work was that good, and I had planned to just abandon it. But no more.I'm going to take this to the finish now...

So finally, here's the fourth chapter.

The ambulance arrived at the hospital, where a flurry of paramedics rushed him into the ER. Yoh immediately jumped out and ran inside, followed closely by Amidamaru.

Yoh tried to follow the group, but was restrained by the nurses, who were trying to calm him. They finally managed to get him to sit down in the lobby. One of the older nurses came over to try to reassure him, as well as get information on Manta.

"It'll be okay, hon. Your friend has to go to the ER now. Does you know any family that we can contact? Any addresses or phone numbers you have would really be helpful now."

Yoh was stricken speechless. He had just realized, for the very first time, how little he really knew about Manta. Manta had never spoken up about where he lived, or what his parents did for a living. The nurse's gentle shaking brought Yoh back to attention.

"What's your relation to the patient?"

Yoh almost couldn't answer...it felt like he was choking.

"I'm...a...friend of his....or at least, I was."

"Do you know who his parents are, or if he has any allergies?"

Yoh answered, more disgusted with himself for not knowing such simple knowledge about the boy he claimed was his friend. He answered, shakily:

"No...I'm sorry, I don't."

"Okay...I let you know if anything happens."

Amidamaru, who had been silent this entire time, finally made himself known.

"Why did we never ask these things about him, Lord Yoh? It's like we didn't know anything about him..."

"I don't think we really did, Amidamaru."

Yoh held his face in his hands in a meager attempt to stop his tears from flowing, unsuccessfully.

"He treated us like best friends, and I treated him like a stranger! How could I have done this?!"

Yoh sobbed himself to sleep.

******Five Hours later: 1 A.M.* *****

"Hon? Hon? Wake up."

The same nurse from before nudged Yoh's shoulder. Yoh woke up slowly, but then snapped to attention when he saw the nurse. Unable to control himself, he spoke much louder than she was expecting.

"Is Manta okay?! Is he alive? Where is he?"

"Calm down, hon. He just came out of surgery a couple of hours ago...we've got good news and bad news."

Yoh sat on the edge of his seat, unbearably tense. Amidamaru materialized next to him, in nearly the same position.

"The good news is, your friend is alive."

Yoh literally jumped four feet into the air. Amidamaru became jubilant as well.

"Unfortunately, the overdose in painkillers caused extensive damage to his nervous system..."

Yoh and Amidamaru simultaneously froze.

"He's in a coma...and there's no telling if he'll ever wake up."

Their elation instantly converted to disbelief.

"It...that can't be true. It just can't. Manta's my best friend! That can't happen!"

The nurse hated to see such tragedies strike the young, but it still happened. She did her best to try to make them feel better.

"He's stable now...would you like to visit him?"

Yoh paused, then turned to Amidamaru.

"I caused this...I need to make it right."

The spirit responded:

"It was my fault as well, so I shall also go."

He finally responded to the nurse.

"Yes...I have to see him."

The nurse walked him down to the room that held their comatose friend.

"He's in here...you have 30 minutes to stay before we have to close down the unit."

Yoh thanked the nurse, and she left.

He turned to Manta. The little boy that they knew to be the worrywart and bookworm now looked no more than a corpse. The machines that were attached to him particularly concerned Amidamaru.

"Lord Yoh...what are these monstrosities attached to Lord Manta? They seem so wrong."

"They're the only thing keeping him alive, Amidamaru. He's in a state of living death."

Yoh's voice cracked...he simply couldn't say anymore. He just put his head in his hands. This was all his fault, and he knew that there was no way that he could ever call himself Manta's friend again.

"What are YOU doing here?"

Yoh looked up...to see the hovering spirit of Manta Oyamada floating over the lifeless body.

Sorry to hit you with a cliffie after all this waiting, but wasn't it worth it? Review, people!