Chapter 12: Betrayal's Excuse
A light knock sounded at the door and Nurse Hanari walked in. Her pristine, crisp uniform made rustling noise as she walked across the room. Her practical, white shoes slapped lightly against the floor.
"Miss Sena, there is someone here to see you," she said quietly.
Robin looked over at the nurse; the morphine was running through her veins keeping most of the pain at bay. Unfortunately it could not keep the pain out of her heart. It was not as though she expected Amon to be with her...romantically...but she had hoped that they could come to an understanding and an acceptance of their roles; because with or without his approval they had obligations to meet and prophecies to fulfill. She knew that he would be with women, he was a man and she was just a girl. She felt a little disorientated; she was having a hard time focusing on what the nurse was saying, something about people and visiting.
"Miss Sena? Should I her them in?" she asked.
Robin opened her mouth to speak; her throat was sore and hoarse from the tube that had been shoved down her esophagus. She couldn't seem to get the words out. Her head nodded forward as she tried to shake her head no.
The nurse took this consent to send the visitors in. Robin tried to stop her but she was too weak and her throat was so dry and sore. She didn't want to see anyone; she could barely remember her own name. The thought of having to see people and perhaps talk with them was almost frightening. She felt like they were going to be able to see right through her, straight into her heart and her pain.
The door creaked open, Robin closed her eyes, and afraid it was going to be him. She didn't want to see Amon, she was too weak to fight off his thoughts, she didn't want to hear them.
"Robin," whispered a soft voice.
Robin opened her eyes and found herself staring into the bright blue eyes of Doujima. She was holding a huge bouquet of flowers and a giant teddy bear. Robin gave her a small reassuring smile.
"Hi," she managed to croak.
"Oh my god, look at you, and here less than three days and already you're in trouble. What are we going to do with you?" she teased. "I guess you are going to need a new bodyguard, since Amon seems to be slacking on the job."
Robin forced a smile, the effort making her cheeks hurt.
"The others wanted to come but Michael is searching for information on the witch who shot you," she said as she placed the vase on a table, setting the bear next to it. "Sakaki is helping but he and Michael are going to come by later."
Again, Robin smiled. The medication was forcing her under.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But I can't seem to stay awake.'
"Hey, it's all right. It's the medication. You go right to sleep."
Robin eyes fluttered closed and soon she was in a deep sleep.
Amon was walking back towards the waiting room, he and Miho had be absent for a couple of hours. He figured the surgery would take a long time and that it would be a while before someone came to tell him anything about Robin anyways. A few minutes later Miho walked in and sat down. She was looking at Amon but he just looked away.
"Excuse me, sir, you're Robin Sena's guardian, correct?" a voice asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, well we've been looking around for you for about an hour and a half. I have news on Miss Sena."
Fear clawed at his throat. "An hour and half," he thought. "Shit. I didn't realize we were gone that long. Oh god."
"How is she," he asked rather gruffly.
"Miss Sena was moved to a private room about forty minutes ago. She is in stable condition and is going to be just fine. There were some complications during the surgery," said the nurse. "We did lose her for a minute but she's fine now. We don't foresee anymore problems with her recovery. She is going to need a lot of rest. We plan ok keeping her here for at least two more days. But when she leaves she is going to need to stay with someone who will be able to change her bandages."
"Has she woken up yet?" he asked.
"Yes, but-"
"Can I see her?"
"I'm sorry but she's asleep again. You can go into the room but I'm sure it will be quite some time before she wakes up again."
"Fine."
Amon followed the nurse down the hall. They stopped in front of room 223. Doujima was walking out the door.
"Hey," she said. "Where have you been?"
"Around."
"Well, you should have been here. The Nurse told me that Robin woke up all alone, that no one was here to be with her," she said. "After what she went through, no one shouldn't have had to wake up all by herself. I mean...she died."
"Are you done?" he asked.
Doujima looked at him, then turned and walked away. "Stupid bastard," she muttered.
Amon watched her go. "If you only knew," he thought. He turned to the door. His hand brushed the handle. He opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake Robin. He couldn't see her immediately. Amon walked quietly and she came into view. Her face was barely discernable from the pillow that she lay on. It was so ashen and pale. Her lips were white, not an ounce of color in them. Her hair lay limply around her shoulders. Her hands rested on top of the blanket, her delicate fingers gripping the edge. The I.V. ran into her other hand, the blue vein was protruding and the top of her hand was visibly bruised. The rest of her was under the blanket barely making a ripple in the covers. She looked so delicate and fragile, her vitality seemed washed-out. It matched her looks. Amon pulled a chair next to the bed. He reached out to take her hand but instantly drew back. The thought of where his hand had last been sent a shudder through his body. Guilt flooded through him. He quickly stood up. He went to the private bath and scrubbed viciously. When he was done he took his place in the chair. This time he didn't reach for Robin. He sat there for an hour. No one interrupted him. Robin hadn't moved. Her breathing seemed a little shallow. The nurse came in. She bustled about checking the monitors and tubes that were hooked into Robin. She pulled back the covers and pulled the hospital gown up. She was checking the wound. As she pealed back the bandage the only color on Robin's body appeared. A large hole was sewn up and bleeding slightly. The black thread was made a startling contrast with her skin. "You're her guardian? You seem too young to be taking care of a sixteen year old girl," the nurse said. "Is she your sister?"
"No."
"Oh. Where are her parents?"
"They're dead."
"I see," she said as she continued cleaning the wound. "Who's Amon? Was that her brother?"
"Why?" he asked.
"Because before she went under that's who she asked for, then she asked for him again, as soon as the anesthesia wore off."
Amon looked at the nurse and sighed. "I'm Amon."
She looked at him, "That's what I thought."
After the nurse left, Amon sat alone for another hour. He heard a light knock on the door and Miho walked in.
"How is she?" she asked.
"Asleep."
"Oh, well I'm sure she will wake soon," she said.
She stood behind Amon and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, he pulled away from her touch.
"Don't," he said.
"Why not?" she asked. "You wouldn't have slept with me if there wasn't something more between us."
He looked at her. "There is nothing between us, it was just sex."
"I don't believe that," she said softly. "Once I could see maybe even twice, but Amon we made love three times in that closet."
"Have you noticed, Miho, that the two times I came to you were for one thing and one thing only? We didn't make love, we fucked, and granted it was good but that's all it was," he said. "I can't give you what you want and even if I could I wouldn't. I thought you understood that."
"But what we did was-"
"What we did was wrong," he interrupted. "While I was fucking you, Robin died. She actually died. They looked for me for over an hour and I couldn't be bothered," he said.
"Oh."
The room was quiet except for the steady beep of Robin's heart monitor.
"She asked for me you know. As soon as she woke up she asked for me and I wasn't there," he said quietly.
"It's not like you knew Amon," she said.
"I should have. I mean let's face the facts, she came across the world because I asked her too, in a dream no less, and I," he said. "I couldn't even be bothered to wait and see what was going on with her when she got out of surgery."
"Amon, you can't blame yourself. You can't live your life around this connection you have with her. You need to be with someone who is your own age, someone you can talk to," she exclaimed.
Robin's eyes fluttered open, the loud voiced pulled her out of her sleep. She heard what Miho said. Amon and Karasuma were glaring at one another, they didn't notice that she way awake. Flashes of what she saw quickly came back, "I'm going to come again. "Oh, oh, oh god," Miho whispered in his ear. "I want to fuck you now," Amon said. Robin shut her eyes against the awful scene in her head. She listened to the silence until she heard Amon speak. "I told you, I don't think of her that way, she's nothing more than a partner," he said in a quiet voice.
"God, Amon! Wake up! If you don't want anything to do with her than just walk away! Do it! Right now! Prove to me, to yourself that all she is is a partner," Karasuma cried.
Robin shifted in her bed. The movement caught their eyes. Miho and Amon turned and saw Robin staring at them, her green eyes the only sign of color on her face. They couldn't tell what she was feeling but they knew she had heard their heated exchange.
"Robin," Amon said quietly. "Are you o-"
"Get out," she said, her voice still hoarse and scratchy. "Both of you leave."
A light knock sounded at the door and Nurse Hanari walked in. Her pristine, crisp uniform made rustling noise as she walked across the room. Her practical, white shoes slapped lightly against the floor.
"Miss Sena, there is someone here to see you," she said quietly.
Robin looked over at the nurse; the morphine was running through her veins keeping most of the pain at bay. Unfortunately it could not keep the pain out of her heart. It was not as though she expected Amon to be with her...romantically...but she had hoped that they could come to an understanding and an acceptance of their roles; because with or without his approval they had obligations to meet and prophecies to fulfill. She knew that he would be with women, he was a man and she was just a girl. She felt a little disorientated; she was having a hard time focusing on what the nurse was saying, something about people and visiting.
"Miss Sena? Should I her them in?" she asked.
Robin opened her mouth to speak; her throat was sore and hoarse from the tube that had been shoved down her esophagus. She couldn't seem to get the words out. Her head nodded forward as she tried to shake her head no.
The nurse took this consent to send the visitors in. Robin tried to stop her but she was too weak and her throat was so dry and sore. She didn't want to see anyone; she could barely remember her own name. The thought of having to see people and perhaps talk with them was almost frightening. She felt like they were going to be able to see right through her, straight into her heart and her pain.
The door creaked open, Robin closed her eyes, and afraid it was going to be him. She didn't want to see Amon, she was too weak to fight off his thoughts, she didn't want to hear them.
"Robin," whispered a soft voice.
Robin opened her eyes and found herself staring into the bright blue eyes of Doujima. She was holding a huge bouquet of flowers and a giant teddy bear. Robin gave her a small reassuring smile.
"Hi," she managed to croak.
"Oh my god, look at you, and here less than three days and already you're in trouble. What are we going to do with you?" she teased. "I guess you are going to need a new bodyguard, since Amon seems to be slacking on the job."
Robin forced a smile, the effort making her cheeks hurt.
"The others wanted to come but Michael is searching for information on the witch who shot you," she said as she placed the vase on a table, setting the bear next to it. "Sakaki is helping but he and Michael are going to come by later."
Again, Robin smiled. The medication was forcing her under.
"I'm sorry," she whispered. "But I can't seem to stay awake.'
"Hey, it's all right. It's the medication. You go right to sleep."
Robin eyes fluttered closed and soon she was in a deep sleep.
Amon was walking back towards the waiting room, he and Miho had be absent for a couple of hours. He figured the surgery would take a long time and that it would be a while before someone came to tell him anything about Robin anyways. A few minutes later Miho walked in and sat down. She was looking at Amon but he just looked away.
"Excuse me, sir, you're Robin Sena's guardian, correct?" a voice asked.
"Yes."
"Oh, well we've been looking around for you for about an hour and a half. I have news on Miss Sena."
Fear clawed at his throat. "An hour and half," he thought. "Shit. I didn't realize we were gone that long. Oh god."
"How is she," he asked rather gruffly.
"Miss Sena was moved to a private room about forty minutes ago. She is in stable condition and is going to be just fine. There were some complications during the surgery," said the nurse. "We did lose her for a minute but she's fine now. We don't foresee anymore problems with her recovery. She is going to need a lot of rest. We plan ok keeping her here for at least two more days. But when she leaves she is going to need to stay with someone who will be able to change her bandages."
"Has she woken up yet?" he asked.
"Yes, but-"
"Can I see her?"
"I'm sorry but she's asleep again. You can go into the room but I'm sure it will be quite some time before she wakes up again."
"Fine."
Amon followed the nurse down the hall. They stopped in front of room 223. Doujima was walking out the door.
"Hey," she said. "Where have you been?"
"Around."
"Well, you should have been here. The Nurse told me that Robin woke up all alone, that no one was here to be with her," she said. "After what she went through, no one shouldn't have had to wake up all by herself. I mean...she died."
"Are you done?" he asked.
Doujima looked at him, then turned and walked away. "Stupid bastard," she muttered.
Amon watched her go. "If you only knew," he thought. He turned to the door. His hand brushed the handle. He opened the door slowly, not wanting to wake Robin. He couldn't see her immediately. Amon walked quietly and she came into view. Her face was barely discernable from the pillow that she lay on. It was so ashen and pale. Her lips were white, not an ounce of color in them. Her hair lay limply around her shoulders. Her hands rested on top of the blanket, her delicate fingers gripping the edge. The I.V. ran into her other hand, the blue vein was protruding and the top of her hand was visibly bruised. The rest of her was under the blanket barely making a ripple in the covers. She looked so delicate and fragile, her vitality seemed washed-out. It matched her looks. Amon pulled a chair next to the bed. He reached out to take her hand but instantly drew back. The thought of where his hand had last been sent a shudder through his body. Guilt flooded through him. He quickly stood up. He went to the private bath and scrubbed viciously. When he was done he took his place in the chair. This time he didn't reach for Robin. He sat there for an hour. No one interrupted him. Robin hadn't moved. Her breathing seemed a little shallow. The nurse came in. She bustled about checking the monitors and tubes that were hooked into Robin. She pulled back the covers and pulled the hospital gown up. She was checking the wound. As she pealed back the bandage the only color on Robin's body appeared. A large hole was sewn up and bleeding slightly. The black thread was made a startling contrast with her skin. "You're her guardian? You seem too young to be taking care of a sixteen year old girl," the nurse said. "Is she your sister?"
"No."
"Oh. Where are her parents?"
"They're dead."
"I see," she said as she continued cleaning the wound. "Who's Amon? Was that her brother?"
"Why?" he asked.
"Because before she went under that's who she asked for, then she asked for him again, as soon as the anesthesia wore off."
Amon looked at the nurse and sighed. "I'm Amon."
She looked at him, "That's what I thought."
After the nurse left, Amon sat alone for another hour. He heard a light knock on the door and Miho walked in.
"How is she?" she asked.
"Asleep."
"Oh, well I'm sure she will wake soon," she said.
She stood behind Amon and reached out to put a hand on his shoulder, he pulled away from her touch.
"Don't," he said.
"Why not?" she asked. "You wouldn't have slept with me if there wasn't something more between us."
He looked at her. "There is nothing between us, it was just sex."
"I don't believe that," she said softly. "Once I could see maybe even twice, but Amon we made love three times in that closet."
"Have you noticed, Miho, that the two times I came to you were for one thing and one thing only? We didn't make love, we fucked, and granted it was good but that's all it was," he said. "I can't give you what you want and even if I could I wouldn't. I thought you understood that."
"But what we did was-"
"What we did was wrong," he interrupted. "While I was fucking you, Robin died. She actually died. They looked for me for over an hour and I couldn't be bothered," he said.
"Oh."
The room was quiet except for the steady beep of Robin's heart monitor.
"She asked for me you know. As soon as she woke up she asked for me and I wasn't there," he said quietly.
"It's not like you knew Amon," she said.
"I should have. I mean let's face the facts, she came across the world because I asked her too, in a dream no less, and I," he said. "I couldn't even be bothered to wait and see what was going on with her when she got out of surgery."
"Amon, you can't blame yourself. You can't live your life around this connection you have with her. You need to be with someone who is your own age, someone you can talk to," she exclaimed.
Robin's eyes fluttered open, the loud voiced pulled her out of her sleep. She heard what Miho said. Amon and Karasuma were glaring at one another, they didn't notice that she way awake. Flashes of what she saw quickly came back, "I'm going to come again. "Oh, oh, oh god," Miho whispered in his ear. "I want to fuck you now," Amon said. Robin shut her eyes against the awful scene in her head. She listened to the silence until she heard Amon speak. "I told you, I don't think of her that way, she's nothing more than a partner," he said in a quiet voice.
"God, Amon! Wake up! If you don't want anything to do with her than just walk away! Do it! Right now! Prove to me, to yourself that all she is is a partner," Karasuma cried.
Robin shifted in her bed. The movement caught their eyes. Miho and Amon turned and saw Robin staring at them, her green eyes the only sign of color on her face. They couldn't tell what she was feeling but they knew she had heard their heated exchange.
"Robin," Amon said quietly. "Are you o-"
"Get out," she said, her voice still hoarse and scratchy. "Both of you leave."