I'm really sorry that this particular chapter took forever to put up. Honestly speaking, I was unsure whether or not to continue the fic. After I finished the last chapter, I happened to read some particularly amazing stuff by a bunch of other authors and in comparison, my attempt at fan fiction seemed extremely puny and insubstantial. But I've decided to gird my loins and wade back into the fray (waaaay too much Braveheart on the telly).  Anyway, this story will undergo a major overhaul as soon as I'm done writing it. To everyone who has supported me, thank you so much. Momiji-chan, what would I do without you? You really have kept me going through everything.  Azure Angel Venus, thank you for the praise. You've made me blush enough to burst an artery.  Minako-hime, the story isn't done yet and won't be until I manage to pump out another 3 or 4 chapters. Hold on to your hats boys… I'm back in business!

Chapter 12

   Miaka climbed the stairs wearily. The vacuuming had taken her longer than expected. Plus, her muscles hadn't been used in a while and so most of them were singing "Ave Maria" at her.  Wincing at the discomfort of having to climb the stairs, she trudged along to Keisuke's room. Pushing the door open she made a beeline for the bed, ignoring everything else in the room in her single-mindedness. Flopping down in ecstasy, she curled up and hugged the soft pillow against her head. Sleep tugged gently at her but she resolutely resisted. After appeasing her lazy pangs for another minute or so, she managed to force her eyes open to focus on the rest of the room. The first thing that met her eyes was Keisuke's open mouth as he snored gently on the bed near her. His eyes were scrunched up slightly and a thin line of drool ran down from the corner of his mouth. Miaka winced at the small pool of drool that was soaking into the pillow. Horror images flashed through her mind about the pillow that her own head was placed on. Suddenly it seemed rather sticky and gooey…

   Yanking her head off the pillow and scrambling up on the bed, she met Taka's eyes. He was sitting at Keisuke's desk with the book open on his lap. He smiled slightly at the left over expression of repulsion on her face. Standing up silently he motioned for her to do the same. Curiously, she stood up and turned to follow him to the door where he waited with his hand on the switch for the lights. Turning back, she took up the soft cotton comforter from the foot of the bed and tucked Keisuke in. Leaning over, she quickly moved his hair back with her hand and planted a small kiss on his forehead. This brother of hers was always working so hard to make sure that she was safe and happy. He cared so much for her that he would willingly put his life on the line over and over again… and all this even without being compelled by a large, red phoenix. Smiling at her thoughts, she moved silently out into the hallway and watched Taka switch off the lights and shut the door silently.

   Taking each other's hands, they walked quickly down to her room with Miaka casting anxious glances at the end of the hallway where her mother's room was located. It wouldn't do if she would suddenly come out and find the two of them creeping past into Miaka's room. Miaka shuddered slightly at the images that would come to her mother's mind or what the results would be. On the other hand, she realized that she needed to be around for the rest of the reading. Waiting in her own room would have driven her insane and Keisuke's room was just too small for all of them to spend the entire night. Especially since Keisuke tended to be a bed hog, creeping insidiously over until he covered the entire bed, much like a strange form of Japanese fungus.

   When they finally reached her room and shut the door, she heaved a large sigh of relief. The sigh was then morphed into an even larger yawn until she was pretty sure even the satellites had a clear view down to her tonsils. Opening her eyes after that particular jawbreaker, she was startled to see Taka looking loving and amused. Smiling gently at her, he spoke "Why don't you lie down and try to sleep a little. You just got over the accident. It doesn't make sense to overdo it all in one night."  Moving to the bed, he turned down the spread and motioned for her to lie down on.

   She immediately shook her head in negation of this idea and rushed into speech "Iie. I'm not that tired, really! It's just that I hadn't moved around so much in a while and it's gotten to me a little. I'm feeling fine now… quite awake." Almost as if to belie that set of statements, she gave another bone cracking yawn. Taka actually sniggered a bit before murmuring "Yeah… right" under his breath. Glaring at him a little, she flounced over to the chair that remained by the side of the bed and plopped herself down in it. Folding her arms in a posture of defiance, she set her mouth and glared at him. "If you honestly think that I'd leave you to go through all of the book without any sort of support from me, you're completely mad and you don't know me at all. I went through all of that too, remember? I know how much it took for both of us to get through it all. Neither of us came out without our share of scars. Hell Taka! Even Keisuke has his own set of scars from that time and he wasn't even in the book…" Her lips had begun to wobble with emotion by then, "I don't know why you wouldn't want my help. Do you think I can't understand? Is that it? Or are you ashamed of me for making so many mistakes in the book?" Unable to bear looking at him anymore, she turned away and bowed her head to hide her tears.

   Taka stared at her in shock with his mouth hanging open. All he had intended to convey was that she was tired and that he wouldn't mind if she rested for a bit. He had no idea where the rest of that particular blast had come from. Not need her? Ashamed of her? Where would she get ideas like this? He had thought that her doubts were settled on that score. But quite apparently they hadn't been. And now her tears were tearing him up inside and the only thought running through his mind was his resolution to spare her the hurt she was going through. Moving quickly to her side, he knelt down near the chair and whispered "Miaka? Miaka listen to me." But she turned her head away, her shoulders still shaking brokenly with her sobs.  Taka almost went into a full-blown panic. It was really rare that Miaka would refuse to look at him and he was worried that the fight was about more than he perceived. "Miaka" he tried again "you know that I'm not ashamed of you. You managed to do so much in the book. You worked so hard and went through so much and came through it all still as whole as when you went in. That took a huge amount of effort and courage. Why would anyone be ashamed of showing the strength of his or her soul? And I do want you with me. I'm just scared that you'll overexert yourself. You were in bed all the way until this morning. I just wanted you to rest a little so that you wouldn't relapse or anything. I didn't mean to hurt you…" Taka was at a loss for any further words and for a few minutes, the silence in the room hung like a pall over them.

   Finally Miaka exhaled softly and wiped her tears away. She turned back to Taka and smiled at him weakly. "I'm sorry, Taka. You're right. You meant well. I guess I am more tired than I thought. Demo… I just thought that you would need me to help you and … it hurt when it appeared like you didn't. It felt like it didn't matter whether I was around or not…." The rest of her words were cut off as Taka leaned over to hug her to him. "Idiot" he whispered into her hair "you know how important you are to me. But I also know that this is just for a night and we've still got the rest of forever to work on what we find in the book. I do need you but just being in the same room is enough for me. I'd really rather have a happy and rested girlfriend than a grumpy or weepy one." Miaka smiled slightly. Taka grinned back at her before continuing, "Now at least lie down and try to rest. I'll lie down too. Okay?"

   Nodding in assent, Miaka lay down on the bed and immediately relaxed into its softness. Taka pushed his slippers off before lying down by her side as well. He tucked her in under the covers but made sure that he was lying on top of them. Even though Mrs. Yuuki had promised them privacy, she had expressly stated 'no hanky-panky' and Taka was not fool enough to give her reasons to suspect that anything untoward had taken place. Making sure that Miaka was settled comfortably, he opened the book up again and started to read from where he had last left off.

   Miaka tried to stay awake but her eyes felt like they had lead weights attached to them. Curled up against Taka, with her small hand enveloped in his larger one, she was so warm and safe that she couldn't hold sleep off any more. Curling her limbs against him, she finally gave herself over to the safekeeping of the sandman. And all the while Taka read on and the book emitted its soft red light…

Author's note: - Down to the last 3 chapters now. Thank you for reading. Any reviews, constructive criticism or money is welcome.

As always I remain,

Diabolique.