Author's Notes: Thanks to all of you that do take the time to read and review this. It means a lot to me. ^^

A little note here to help understand something later in the chapter- much like Europe, the Australians drive their cars on what to us Americans is "the wrong side of the road." Due to this, the driver's side of the car is on the right, the passenger's side on the left.

Aussie slang:

"swamps the grass"- Due to the flooding, the ground becomes like a mini-swamp and all the grass is killed by drowning.

"spunk"- good looking, attractive, handsome

As always- read, review and enjoy ^^

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~ Chapter 6: Rising Waters~

Another flash of lightening from the outside gave a brief moment of light in the darkened farmhouse. Using that moment to survey the room, Jakotsu smiled slightly on seeing all the children and the other rancher were finally asleep.

"How anyone can sleep through this shit is a mystery to me…" Bankotsu remarked as another crash of thunder sounded.

Pulling the braided-man closer, Jakotsu rested his chin on the other man's head as he toyed with the end of the braid.

"I'm not sleeping," He murmured.

"I know…" Bankotsu replied leaning into him.

"Neh…Bankotsu- you think the cattle will be all right?"

"Unless there were some strays our main issue will be finding a way to feed them if this rain swamps the grass dead."

Jakotsu sighed, "Mou…hand feeding is so time consuming."

"That's life…."

"Well life sucks," He retorted.

"Come on, it's not all that bad. We had to do it last year when that damned drought killed off everything."

"Figures- one year drought, then the floods hit. Either way we're screwed over."

Bankotsu pushed Jakotsu a bit away, placing his hand on his chest, "We're ranchers. That's the way it is. Living every day on the whim of the weather."

"Stupid stupid weather…" Jakotsu muttered.

Bankotsu withheld a laugh.

Using the walls to feel his way around, he made his way towards the kitchen. Fumbling around in the dark for one of the chairs, Jakotsu finally gave up and sat on the table itself.

"You know- I just hope those two doctors are somewhere safe."

"I'd go after them if she hadn't taken my truck…" Bankotsu muttered, following Jakotsu by the hold the taller man had on his braid.

"And Suikotsu took the keys to his truck, right?"

"Yeah. Already checked."

"Damn," Jakotsu cursed letting Bankotsu's hair free and lying back on the table with his hands behind his head.

"Well, someone does need to stay here with the kids… Knowing Suikotsu, he's probably worried more about them than he is himself."

"No matter what- we can't do anything but just wait it out."

"You okay Jakotsu?" Bankotsu questioned after a moment.

"Hmmm? Why do you ask?"

Rolling his eyes, he bluntly replied, "Because it's been over ten minutes and you've not stuck your hands anywhere below my waist."

Laughing lightly, he smirked, "I can fix that, ya know. Come here ya spunk."

Grabbing him by the waist, he pulled him down on top of him. The table wobbled, finally regaining its balance.

"We're lucky this table can take this much weight you know…"

"Yah," Once again returning to toying with the braid Jakotsu remarked, "You think Suikotsu and that lady doctor might hit it off?"

"Huh?"

"Well, I know we tease the bloke quite a bit but- he does need someone. He's lonely ya know."

"Why else do you think I'm always dragging you over here to visit?"

Jakotsu yawned, pushing Bankotsu's head down against his chest.

"Everyone needs someone…"

Smiling, the black-haired man looked up at Jakotsu, "Yeah, they do."

Leaning down to kiss him, he replied, "We can rest for awhile, this storm's gonna hover where it's at for a bit so we aren't going anywhere."

Pulling back out of the kiss, Bankotsu spoke up, "Be good. We can't wake the kids."

"Spoilsport," He retorted, capturing his lips once again.

Once Jakotsu broke off the kiss, the braided-man retorted on feeling the hand trailing down his backside, "Pervert."

"Mr. Jakotsu, Mr. Bankotsu- don't mess up Mr. Suikotsu's table," Chiyo's voice came from the other room.

"Damn brat…" Jakotsu muttered.

Bankotsu just laughed, "Yes, Chiyo. We'll behave ourselves. Right Jakotsu?"

"You people are no fun at all," He pouted.

"Come on now, let's just rest…"

After hearing a quiet 'hmph' Bankotsu felt Jakotsu pull him closer and quiet down.

"Suikotsu. Missy. You two better be doing okay out there…" The young rancher thought to himself before laying his head on his partner's chest and closing his eyes.

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Out on the roadside, Suikotsu was biting his lip as he noted the ominous clouds looming above. The deluge had been continuous for what he was estimating at hours, and he knew that the nearby river had surely flooded by now.

"And if that's the case…" He thought, worriedly looking to Kikyou, "We aren't safe here at all…"

As suspected, with the next crash of thunder, the truck lurched slightly where it sat on the muddy road.

Eyes widening, the doctor glanced out the window.

"Oh no…that's definitely not good…" His thoughts noted on seeing the water around the tires slowly growing deeper.

Pulling the resting female doctor into his lap, he held her protectively.

"Mr.…Suikotsu?" Her tired voice snapped him from his frantic thoughts.

"Miss Kikyou. I'm sorry to have woken you but…"

The truck lurched again, this time tilting the cab slightly with the water's force.

Both doctors paused, clutching to the other slightly tighter than before.

"This isn't good..." Suikotsu murmured.

"What's…what's happening?" She questioned on seeing his semi-panicked expression.

"The nearby river's flooded, and…we're right in the path the waters will take..."

Assessing the situation, Kikyou placed a reassuring hand on his shoulder, "The most it should do is rock the truck about, and perhaps move it a little. We just have to hold on until it passes, correct?"

"Miss Kikyou…"

"I might not know how things out here work, but I'm not about to let a little water cause us troubles," She said firmly.

Using her bravery as something to keep his worries suppressed, Suikotsu nodded, "You're right. We can handle this- together."

"Together…" Kikyou's thoughts paused on that word, then on seeing the innocent and kind face of the other doctor looking at her, she replied, "Yes. Together we can deal with this somehow."

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About an hour had passed, or at least that's what Kikyou had estimated. Looking about, the water was only rising, the rain was still falling and…with a loud crash, she was reminded that yes, it was still storming.

Suikotsu sat silently beside her, worriedly glancing about now and then, and desperately trying to get the VHF radio frequencies to work.

"Mr. Suikotsu?" She spoke up suddenly.

"Ah, what is it Miss Kikyou?"

"I don't mean to pry, but I can't say I'm not curious." Kikyou said slowly, unsure of her own words.

"Curious?"

"About the children you care for. I take it they're all orphaned?"

Smiling on seeing her beginning to open up a bit more, he replied, "Yeah, they each have their own stories. Some of them were found abandoned as babies, others were supposed to be abortions, but I could never kill an innocent child so, I raised them myself. I suppose I have gotten quite attached to all of them though."

"I find it strange to think a young doctor just out of med-school would take such a task upon himself."

"I know, I know. Even the ranchers always tell me I'm too kind-hearted for my own good, but…" He paused, "But when I see them smiling and happily playing, well…I'm glad I made the decisions I did."

"You're a good man, Mr. Suikotsu," Kikyou said, placing her hand over his.

"Miss Kikyou, I…."

Suikotsu was cut short as the waters raging from the direction of the river pushed violently at the side of the truck, causing him to lose his balance.

Toppling forward, he found himself mere inches away from Kikyou's face.

The two stared at each other for a few moments, both seeming shocked that they were caught in such a position to begin with.

Swallowing, Suikotsu finally brought himself to speak.

"Miss…Miss Kikyou?"

Her eyes softened a bit out of their shocked state on hearing him speak, his lips not far from her own.

"Mr. Suikotsu?" She managed to say in reply.

"I…I'm sorry," He muttered pulling away and sitting back upright.

Without facing her, he reached out his hand in assistance.

Sitting up as well, Kikyou subconsciously placed a hand over her suddenly racing heart.

"What was that just now? That…that strange feeling of wanting something other than the words he offered me…"

Flustered himself, Suikotsu quickly took it upon himself to change the subject.

"So what's it like being a doctor in the city?"

She paused, a bit thrown by the random question, then she formulated an answer, "Busy. A bit hectic at times. But all around, it's just the same as being a doctor anywhere else."

"I see…"

"Do you…regret choosing to be a doctor out here, Mr. Suikotsu?"

"No. These people are my family, and that's the way I like things."

Thinking back on the ranchers and the children, Kikyou replied, "I suppose a unique family of that sort would prove to be interesting."

He smiled, "Yeah, they seem to like you quite a bit as well, Miss Kikyou. Especially the children…"

Suikotsu halted on realizing the implications in his speech, "Great, she's going to think I want her to stay for the children…but…they do like her a lot. She is…a wonderful person. It…would be pleasant to have her around…"

"Sorry Miss Kikyou, I…seem to have forgotten what I was going to say."

"That's all right, Mr. Suikotsu."

They fell silent once again, each of them losing themselves in the depths of their thoughts.

"The change in my heartbeat was due to the shock of the situation. I cannot think of any other logical explanation for such a reaction," Kikyou attempted to reason with herself, "It's certainly not because of any type of romantic feelings. Those are nothing but complete and total rubbish."

"I can't ask her to stay. Whether the children like it or not, Miss Kikyou has a job to go back to in the city. She has her obligation and duty to attend to there whether I like it or not…" Suikotsu thought, then he paused on realizing what his thoughts were saying, "Whether…the children like it or not…" He corrected it.

On hearing the rushing of water growing louder, Suikotsu looked up in the direction of the river. "Dear god…no…"

Headed directly for their position on the flooded road was a fallen trunk of a tree, most likely washed away from the riverbank.

Realizing what was going to happen; Suikotsu curled himself protectively around Kikyou and waited for the collision.

Creaking, the world became slow motion as the metal frame of the truck gave to the pressure of the water and the impact of the log. The force slowly flipped the truck onto its side and sent the two passengers slamming against the side window as it turned.

Now upright on its side, the two doctors laid against the passenger seat window.

Opening her eyes slowly, Kikyou saw Suikotsu's head resting against the now cracked window, trickles of blood running down his face.

"Mr. Suikotsu!" She exclaimed, trying to remain calm despite the shock on her senses.

Weakly, he opened his eyes and reached a hand up to her face, "Thank goodness. You're all right, Miss….Kikyou…."

With that, his hand fell limp and his eyes closed once again.

On seeing that water was beginning to seep in through the cracked window, Kikyou concluded what she needed to do.

"Somehow, I've got to get him up and out through the other window. It's the only way…"

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Preview for Chapter 7:

Kikyou's found herself trapped amidst the flooding, and now it's up to her to keep Suikotsu safe. But he won't leave her alone when she needs him most, and the only way they'll make it is- together.