Mei: Sorry I took so long to update this thing… I was having trouble deciding whether I should let Kai live or not. I have deleted the song that was originally in this chapter. (See chapter one AN for more details)

Disclaimer- Beyblade does not belong to me. It belongs to Takao Aoki. I do own the poor excuse for a plot that I have given this story :P

Warning- This fic contains shounen ai (yaoi/boyXboy/slash – whatever you want to call it) If you don't like that stuff then feel free to stop reading now.

---Reviews---

Thank you to, Fairy J Pixie B, Sunruner, YamikaiemiBlackAngelMaritamai, Kai-lovr, Typhoon14, Dreamlessnights, Phoenix-Roar, Flamable-Devil, Renanimeangel, Angel V, Maxie's Cute, Feelin Glayish, FireieGurl, Tmberwolf220 and TechnoRanma!

Mei:Yay! I got so many nice reviews for this ficlet n-n Thank you all for being so kind! ) I really appreciate it n-n

Tyson: Aren't you going to answer them?

Mei: Gomen, I'm too lazy… n-n but that doesn't mean I don't love your reviews!

Kai: They don't want to listen to your rant – just let them read this long overdue chapter already -.-;;

Fallen Phoenix

Chapter Two: All You Wanted

Where am I..? I remember …

Pain…

"Get up, boy."

Who are you..? Wait… I know… I know your face… I know you… Don't I..?

"Yes, you do. Do you know what I think of you?"

You hate me. No… That's not right… You are disappointed. I wasn't what you thought I would be… Wasn't strong… Not strong enough… Weak.

"Yes, boy. You are weak. That weakness is what has brought you here."

No… Failure. I failed… I tried… My best… Wasn't good enough…

"You're a disgrace!"

Pain… Punishment… I wanted to make you proud… I tried…

"Well you didn't try hard enough, did you?"

It hurts… He keeps hurting me… but… I deserve it.. It's… my punishment. For my failure… I failed…

"No one deserves that…"

… You… When… did you get here…? Did you… Did you come for me?

"No."

I don't understand…

"He isn't here for you, silly boy. He despises you… You disgust him… Just like you disgust me."

"You betrayed us, Kai… Do you know how much you hurt me when you left?"

No! I didn't mean to… I never wanted to hurt you… I just…

"But you did Kai. You did hurt me."

No…

"Face it, boy. You're a disgrace. A failure. I'm ashamed to have you as my grandson."

I… I just wanted… to make you proud…

"Well, you didn't. I am not proud of you. I never will be."

Why? Because I'm not your perfect tool? …Is that why?

You punished me… and I ran away…

"Like the coward you are. Why should I be proud of you?"

"You always run away… Why?"

I… don't know…

"You don't know anything. You're a disgrace… go, leave…"

Leave… Yes, I should leave, shouldn't I?

"… It's your choice Kai… If you want to stay or not…"

My choice?

"We don't want you around boy… You're pathetic."

I am…

"You have to decide…"

I don't even know what happened…

"We'll tell you…"

"Kai? Kai wake up!"

I remember when I first met him… It was by the river. He looked so surreal standing atop that windy grass hill, with that long silken scarf trailing out behind him. I was in awe… I had never seen anyone like him.

Tyson shook his friend's prone gently, watching a few water droplets fall from the movement. He was soaked. His silver bangs were plastered to his face with rainwater and his clothing was equally drenched. The blue shark-fin triangles that usually graced his cheeks had washed away; leaving only faded azure marks where they had been. Tyson knew he should get him inside, before he froze to death.

I was always amazed by how little he cared… About others, about life… even about himself. It was as if winning… power… it was like that was all that mattered to him… He was so cold, so detached and it angered me… So much… Yet, I still wanted to be his friend… I always believed there was something more to him than that…

"Grandpa!" Tyson called, dragging the older boy inside and shutting the door, "Grandpa! Call a hospital…"

"What's up little dude? I thought I told you to stop your flabbing and take the trash out."

"Please, just call one," Tyson pleaded, carrying Kai into the main room.

"Listen here, T-man, I'm not going and calling up hospitals for any old… Oh…"

I didn't know just how lonely he was… He shut himself away from the world, he pushed everyone away. I always thought it was just defense… A way too keep himself from getting hurt. I didn't know just how far he would go to keep someone from getting close to him… And I'll never forget the day he left us in Russia…

Tyson sat in the waiting room of the hospital. It had been nearly two hours since Kai had shown up at his front door, bruised, broken and soaked to the bone… He was fidgeting with the magazine his grandfather had given him to read, tearing off the corners of the pages in his anxiety and creating a mess all over the floor. No one tried to stop him.

They'd called the others: Ray, Max, Kenny and even Hilary. Upon being told Kai was in the hospital they all asked the same question… "What happened to him?"

Tyson didn't know. The dark-haired blader was now completely oblivious to the chunks of paper that he was ripping mercilessly from the rapidly shrinking magazine in his hands. He was angry… infuriated. He didn't know who or what his anger was directed at, just that he was furious. How dare anyone hurt Kai? But then, he didn't even know who had done it… Kai had never told him. He was angry with that too… Angry at Kai... But he couldn't stay angry with Kai… Not now, not ever.

I realized something, that day… When he was trapped on the ice. I thought I was going to lose him… Forever… I realized how special he was to me… I realized that… That I…

"Tyson!" the storm-eyed champion looked up to see his friends piling into the waiting room, all of them looking concerned.

"Is he okay?" asked Hilary.

"Yeah, we were really worried," said Max shifting uneasily as he sat down beside his best friend, "He'll be alright, won't he?"

The others watched questioningly, waiting for an answer. Tyson wanted to say yes… and he wanted to believe it. He wanted Kai to be okay… No, he needed Kai to be okay…

"I don't know," he said softly, looking to the ground. For the first time he noticed the mass of shredded paper scattered across the floor around his seat. The magazine had vanished from his hands…

I love him.

The group of teenagers looked up anxiously as a nurse entered the room and beckoned Tyson's grandfather to come and speak with her.

Tyson's heart sank into the pit of his stomach at their grim expressions. He wanted to know what was going on… He stood up as his grandfather came over, but the old man motioned for him and the others to sit down.

"What happened, Mr. Kinomiya?" asked Hilary, the boys nodding in agreement to her question.

I always wanted to tell him how much he meant to me. Even if he rejected me, pushed me away and hated me. I couldn't keep such strong feelings bottled up… Hell, I could never keep any of my feelings locked away…

Besides, he deserved to know. I'd always felt that he just needed a friend… someone who cared.

"A coma?" asked Ray softly, his golden eyes were widened slightly. Kenny just let out a soft squeak, he hadn't said a word all night, instead he just clutched Dizzy to his chest sadly.

Tyson looked to the floor again as the details poured out. Kai had mild hypothermia and was in a comatose state… Along with various bruises and some internal bleeding… The details went on, but the fourteen-year-old blocked them out. How long had Kai been out in the rain…? And what had happened to him? There were so many questions… and Tyson wasn't getting any answers.

"The nurse said it was quite likely he would die?" asked Max in disbelief.

"I'm afraid so, little dudes…"

No… He can't…

I always felt that maybe he did return my feelings. I'd get these little flickers of hope over silly, insignificant things… Like how he smiled. He has such a beautiful smile – and so rare. I was in heaven when he smiled at me... I couldn't live, knowing I'd never see that smile again… I have to see it again.

"You called for me, grandfather?" asked Kai, standing uneasily at the door of Voltaire's office. He knew why he was here… partially.

The old man looked up from the paperwork at his desk, "Come in," he said icily. The sixteen-year-old walked over obediently, stopping just in front of his grandfather's desk.

Voltaire Hiwatari stood up, "Leave," he commanded the butler who stood by the fireplace. The man jumped at the sudden order, but did as he was told, shutting the door behind him with a pronounced "click". Voltaire turned to his teenage grandson, his expression unreadable.

"Kai," he said sternly, walking from his desk and circling his grandson – much like a vulture circles its prey, "Please refresh my memory on the results of the last two championship tournaments."

"The Bladebreakers won…" the boy answered carefully.

"Oh did they?" asked the old man, his tone lowering dangerously, "Would like to specify more clearly which member won?"

"… Kinomiya."

"Yes," said Voltaire, stopping in front of the teenager. Although his grandson had grown to be a good inch or two taller than him in the last couple of years, he was still far more intimidating.

"Can you tell me, Kai, how you fared in the last rounds of each tournament?"

"I lost," replied the boy, his voice monotone and indifferent.

"Yes…" said Voltaire, tapping his cane lightly on the wooden floor, "Are losses acceptable, Kai?"

The teenager drew in a breath; his features schooled to a blank expression, and said nothing. His grandfather's eyes narrowed and he slammed his cane down on the desk, "Answer me!"

His grandson hardly flinched, used to sudden outbursts such as these, "No… Losses are not acceptable, grandfather."

"Then explain to me…" growled the old man, stepping closer, "Why you lost?"

Kai didn't answer.

"I believe," said Voltaire, resuming pacing in circles around his grandson, "That you have… forgotten… some aspects of your training…"

"No…" said Kai softly, "I haven't."

"Oh, I doubt that," said Voltaire, smiling omnisciently, "I know how attached you've become that Tyson brat and his little friends… And I intend to have Mr. Balkov here remind you what your goals are…" he gestured to the door where a familiar figure stood.

"No…" Kai whispered.

"You couldn't take Boris's training… His last experiment left you broken."

"So you ran away…"

"Like a little coward… The shameful coward that you are. You hid in an abandoned warehouse… Do you remember? Curled up into a pathetic little ball…"

No… I left…

"Yes, you did leave. You came to me."

"It's not enough that you must be a burden to your own grandfather… You go and heap your troubles onto others as well."

No… That's not… I didn't…

"I was so worried about you… You wouldn't even tell me what was wrong…"

I couldn't… I…

"You deserve to die, you selfish brat! If you were too weak to handle Balkov's training then you're too pathetic to live."

It's true isn't it…

"No Kai… Don't go…"

You don't… You don't want me to go?

"No! Don't listen to him. He doesn't care for you… No one cares! You're pathetic…"

I am… but…

"Do you know how much you hurt me when you left? Do you know how much you'll hurt me if you leave again…?"

"You won't hurt him! He will be happy to see you go! They all will. No one wants you…"

Shut up! It's not true! Shut up and go away!

"Why? Does the truth hurt? Face it… No one cares… You deserve to die…"

"No one deserves that, Kai…"

… I...

"Do you want us to go away?"

Yes… No! No… I… I don't know…

"You don't know anything. You are useless."

No… I know… I…

I… I've made up my mind…

Tyson stared at the floor, debating whether or not to get up and clean the mess of paper he had made. His right arm was tapping on the wall impatiently, annoying a great deal of others in the room – especially Hilary.

The blue-eyed blader didn't care. He wanted to see Kai… He wanted to make sure he was alright… He wanted to hold him and tell him…

There were so many times when I almost told him. Like when he came back to Japan for the first time since the team broke up… and that time we were trapped on the evil island created by Team Psychik… The time when he lost Dranzer to Zeo…

I could have told him… All those times… I never did… I hope that… I won't regret it…

The nurse walked into the room again, her head bowed. The others looked up anxiously, waiting for what she had to say. Tyson felt a sudden sense of dread as Max asked the question that they all wanted the answer to.

"Is he going to be okay?"

The nurse hesitated, "I don't know how to tell you this…" she said softly.

Tyson felt as if his heart had stopped beating.

No…

The nurse looked down at her clipboard, but it all seemed to go in slow motion for the midnight-haired blader. He knew what she was going to say…

He didn't want to hear it.

He can't be dead…

The nurse looked up solemnly, "I wish I had better news… but your friend has-"

"No!"

The strangled cry resounded around the room, startling everyone within hearing range, most especially the people who it was directed at. Hilary and the Bladebreakers stared at the dragon with a mixture of shock and concern; as the teenager had been unusually quiet all evening.

Tyson himself was oblivious to the many pairs of eyes that were now focused on him; he could feel himself starting to lose control. The tears that had been threatening to fall since Kai had first collapsed now spilled freely, but the world champion didn't care, "He's not dead! I won't believe it!"

The nurse was taken aback by this sudden outburst, but she recovered quickly enough to reach out gently, trying to comfort the distraught blader. But Tyson was having none of it. He pulled out of her reach and ran from the waiting room, down the hallway. He barely heard his friends call after him as he ran from their sight.

He's not dead… He can't be… Not when I never got to tell him…

The weary teenager eventually stopped running, sitting down near the side of the hallway in an attempt to catch his breath. He was far away from the others now, having bolted up couple flights of stairs along the way. The corridor he now sat in was virtually deserted. It had a peaceful, yet eerie mood to it, but somehow Tyson got the feeling that Kai was here.

Alive… he has to be alive. He wouldn't give up… Not that easily. He's too stubborn for that…

"You're not concentrating."

Tyson picked himself up, clutching his beyblade tightly in his fist. Two hours straight of practicing with his icy cold team captain and he still wasn't satisfied! What did it take to please this guy?

"I tried my best," protested the younger blader earnestly, "The others have all gone for lunch already! Come on Kai, please?"

"No. We're not going anywhere until you do it right."

"Kai!" Tyson whined, "You can't keep me here all day…"

The taller boy rolled his eyes in annoyance, "If that's what it takes, Kinomiya, then I will."

"But Kai!" the younger boy complained, "I can't do it! It's too hard. I can't aim my blade at such a small target!"

"I take that to mean you can't win the tournament either?" asked the elder teen mockingly, raising an eyebrow.

"I never said that!" Tyson snapped, his anger bubbling. To prove his point he launched his Dragoon into the dish, determined to get it right this time and make his captain eat those words.

Stormy blue eyes widened in shock at what happened next, "I did it! I finally did it!" He turned to Kai, feeling pleased with himself, "Did you see that? I did it!"

The other boy sighed at Tyson's sudden enthusiasm, "Yeah, whatever."

You never gave up on me, Kai… I won't give up on you.

Tyson stood up and proceeded to poke his head into various rooms along the hall. Most were empty, and the few that were inhabited were people Tyson had never met. He wandered down near the end of the hallway, biting his lip as he peeked into one of the last couple of rooms.

Please be here… Please be alive…

"Kai…" Tyson drew in a shaky breath. He was there. He was alive… Sitting cross-legged on the hospital bed, in a loose, over-sized hospital shirt. He even had the little hospital bracelet around his wrist where the scarlet arm guards or black gloves were normally worn.

His two-shaded silver-blue hair was dry now, falling cutely in his face which was angled down to read a magazine… The same one Tyson had shredded in his anxiety back at the lobby. He held it with one hand, as the other lay at his side, wrapped in bandages.

Tyson's resolve to confess his love shattered as his crimson-eyed beauty looked up at him, seeming a little shocked to see him at the door. So, ignoring the little voice in his head, which was screaming at him to tell Kai those three little words that he had wanted to say for so long, Tyson walked into the room and promptly demanded an explanation.

"What happened to you?"

"Hn," the older boy went back to reading his magazine, much to Tyson's annoyance.

"Kai. I think I deserve to know," said the younger boy, snatching the magazine out of his phoenix's hand, "Now spill."

The elder teen glared at him briefly before looking away, his eyes trained on the magazine which Tyson now held firmly out of reach, "It's not important," he muttered.

Man, he makes me so mad… Why do I even bother?

"I should think it's important!" snapped Tyson, throwing the magazine to the floor. Feeling a little guilty at the harshness of his tone, he sat down on the bed beside Kai, rubbing his back, "Please tell me what happened," he asked gently.

"Nothing," Kai said stubbornly, "I'm fine now."

"Kai…" Tyson whined, "Come on, I've been worried sick about you all night!"

The elder boy looked up slightly, his voice hesitant, "You… You were worried about me?"

Tyson frowned irritably, "Of course I was worried! You expect to show up half dead on my doorstep and not have me worried? I don't even know what happened you! Do you know how much I care about you? I love-" he stopped his rant abruptly, blushing furiously as he realized what he'd been about to say… It was too late now.

Kai was looking at him now, with an odd expression that seemed hopeful, awed and embarrassed all at the same time; "Go on…" he said softly.

"I… uh… I love you…" Tyson mumbled, feeling his cheeks heat up.

Kai's eyes widened, "Tyson…" his voice trailed off, a barely audible whisper.

"What did you say?"

Kai turned a deep shade of red at having to repeat himself, "I said, I love you too!" he snapped, looking away.

"Oh…" said Tyson, feeling elated with this information, yet awkward all the same.

"Yeah…" neither boy said anything for the next couple of minutes, instead sitting next to each other in an uncomfortable silence contemplating what had just happened.

I finally tell him… and this all that happens? Somehow Tyson had always imagined the scene in which he and Kai got together to be more… well, romantic. It becoming increasingly obvious, however, that Kai wasn't going to make the first move.

The world champion smirked. He turned, without warning, and pounced on the other boy, effectively knocking him down onto the bed. Kai winced, reminding Tyson of a very important fact… He just most of the night in hospital…

"Hehe… Didn't hurt you did I?" he asked surveying his prey from his position, straddling his waist… His captain's expression was priceless.

"Tyson what-"

He was cut off abruptly by Tyson's soft lips against his own. He was in such a state of shock that he didn't kiss back until quite a few seconds later. He felt the younger boy's hands slide into his hair, pulling his head closer, deepening the kiss by sliding his tongue into the older boy's mouth. He ran it teasingly against Kai's own, causing him to moan, slightly.

"Well, someone is having fun."

Tyson sat up startled. Meanwhile, below him, Kai's face had taken a striking resemblance to an over-ripe tomato.

"Tyson!" shouted Hilary completely ignoring the newfound knowledge that two of her friends were gay, "Why did you run away like that? You had us all worried; we were looking all over for you!"

Ray, the one who had spoken earlier, smirked devilishly, "So, Tyson. You were having fun, I presume?"

Tyson made a face at Ray, causing the older boy and the others to laugh. The navy-haired blader's eyes narrowed, however, when he spotted the nurse standing at the doorway.

"You!" he shouted, hopping off the bed and advancing on her.

"Tyson!" cired Hilary, alarmed.

The said teenager ignored her, "You," he repeated jabbing his finger at the nurse's face, "You told me he was dead!"

The poor woman's eyes widened, and she stammered as she tried to explain herself.

"Oh for crying out loud," said Hilary, exasperated, "She never said anything."

"Yeah, Ty," said Max, trying and failing to suppress his chuckles, "You never gave her a chance to say anything!"

"Huh?" came the dragon balder's puzzled response.

"Remember?" asked the blonde, his eyes sparkling with tears of laughter, "You ran away before she could tell us anything."

"Oh…"

"What she was going to tell us," piped up Kenny, speaking for the first time that night, "Was that Kai broke his wrist, and it won't heal for another month or so. That means we're down to three players in the next tournament."

"Ah…" said Tyson, remembering the bandage on his love's wrist. He grinned sheepishly, "I knew that…"

Hilary snorted, "Yeah right!"

"Um… I suppose I'll leave you kids alone," mumbled the nurse, walking quickly from the room and shutting the door.

Tyson immediately rounded on Kai, "Are you going to tell us what happened now?"

The elder boy sighed, casting a few hestitant glances around the room to stall for time before finally shooting Tyson a warning glare, "It's none of your business."

"But-" Tyson stammered shocked, "I thought you would tell me…"

"Shut up and I'll consider telling you later."

Max laughed, "Same old Kai."

His best friend smiled weakly, "Yeah, I guess you're right."

I know you'll tell me someday… Love…

…After all… You're my phoenix now.

Mei: :dies: Aaaahhhhhhhhhh! That ending was so retarded… I'm sorry I wrote such a crappy ending. T-T I was having a lot of trouble with it.

Tyson:Why did we have to get walked in on? :sulks: Why couldn't you have continued and written a lemon or something?

Mei: O.O Uh… How about, NO?

Kai: … No comment. Anyway – since this is the last chapter, Mei expects lots of reviews. I don't know why, since it she could have done better, but review anyway. I don't wanna be stuck listening to her whine and complain about how she didn't get many reviews -.-;;

Mei: Yes, listen to Kai! Review review review! n-n