Author's Notes: Okay, pardon the slight delay. Some of the intense action-ish parts of this chapter were evading my muses, but I finally got it down in a fashion I'm pleased with.

Needless to say, we get some…interesting plot things happening in this chapter, and it definitely edges towards the "drama" part of the genre I promised.

Also the little trick Hiten pulls with the batteries is something a friend of mine taught me. Apparently licking almost dead batteries on their ends gives them a little more juice to work. Go figure ^^;

Anyways- as always: read, review and enjoy ^^

Aussie slang:

"carked-it"- died

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Chapter 7: Trials and Tribulations

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Kikyou looked about hastily, trying to figure out the easiest and safest way to get out of the upturned truck. Examining the dashboard, she made a mental note of all the study looking places for her to place her feet.

"Nnngh…"

The soft sound caught her attention, eyes shooting back to the injured doctor.

"Suikotsu- hold on, I'll find some way to get you out…"

Gently wrapping her arms around him, his tall, broad figure finally became more apparent to Kikyou.

"For a man who's devoted his life to medicine and helping others- he surely has a high-density tone to his muscular system," She thought to herself trying to brace him better against her.

Tilting his head down onto her shoulder, a slight glimmer of a gold chain was visible under his shirt. Brushing it off and focusing on the task at hand, Kikyou pulled her wits about her and began the task of trying to climb up to the other door.

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"What do you mean, the flashlight carked it?" Kaguya's voice boomed across the empty bar.

"I'm sorry Miss Kaguya; the batteries must have been low…" Mukotsu muttered, bowing his head in guilt.

Sighing, and regarding the supplies she held in her hands, yet couldn't see- the bar owner quickly thought up a solution.

"Hiten, how many of the windows did you have boarded up before the flashlight went?"

Frowning, he shrugged, "All but like one…"

"Eh, that's good enough. I just don't want to have to re-do the floorboards again like I did the last flood we had."

Feeling around for the nearby table, Hiten put down the hammer and nails he held.

"Mukotsu, you think you can fix us something to eat?"

"But…Miss Kaguya, I can't see because the flashlight…"

"Well that's not my fault. But if we don't use up some of that meat in the refrigerator, it's going to go bad. Might as well have a bit of a midnight snack."

"Give me the damned flashlight…" Hiten muttered walking towards the voices.

"But…"

"Just give it here…" He retorted, snatching it from Mukotsu's hands.

Opening the cylinder, he pulled the batteries out, bringing each of the positive and negative ends to his tongue and then re-inserting it into the flashlight's barrel. Screwing the top back on, the room was warmed by the soft light.

"There- it should hold for a little bit- so hurry," He remarked handing it back to Mukotsu.

"Well I hope it will hold…" The short-man replied, making his way into the kitchen.

"Why Hiten, I had no idea you were so talented…" Kaguya mocked.

Smirking cockily, he shot back, "But I'm the God of Lightening and Thunder- remember?"

She frowned, "Hiten…" Her tone in warning, "We are not to speak of that with others present…"

"What's that, Angel?"

"Hiten!"

Storming across the bar in search of the man behind the taunting, Kaguya caught hold of his braid as he tried to run.

"Hey now, not the…ouch!"

"What were you saying, Hiten?"

Reeling him in by his long hair, Kaguya snaked her arm around him from behind.

"I thought we agreed to keep those things between us only?" She whispered harshly in his ear.

"And I thought we agreed you wouldn't tug on my braid that hard…." He retorted.

It fell silent between them for a moment, then both arguments were quickly forgotten as hands began to wander. Hiten turned, seeking out Kaguya's lips, as his hands began directing her body backwards in the direction of what he was hoping was the bar.

Letting him lead this time, the long-haired woman moved back towards the bar, allowing him to lift her up onto it.

Hiten's smirk widening, he was just about to go for her shirt when a blaring alarm began to go off.

"What the hell?"

"It's the weather band radio…" Kaguya muttered, slowly pushing him off of her and groping around for the object she spoke of.

"The Australian Weather Service has just issued a several flood and thunderstorm warning for the Northern Queensland territory west of Townsville and centering around Charters Towers. Residents are advised to stay indoors and away from all windows," The voice droned over the radio.

"Oh now they issue the damned warning, I could have told you two hours ago we were in for trouble!" Kaguya sighed.

"Manten pegged it earlier. That's all I had to know… but it's Suikotsu that I'm worried about now."

"You think he's stuck out there in this?"

"If the roads were bad enough heading back, he could have gotten stuck in the mud…and if that happened…well, shit… he's just screwed."

"What about the lady doctor? Jakotsu said she'd gone out after him."

"Then they're both probably stuck out in this mess. All we can do is hope that they make it through okay…"

"Should we try calling up someone to go look for them?"

"Like who? No one's out in that mess except for those two and…"

The voice on the radio spoke again, "Reports coming from one of our correspondents say that flooding has already began on the main river and that it's beginning to spread."

The two paused, "And whoever is out there for the weather service…" Hiten finished.

"If the phone line's still working…then we can at least have them look. Mukotsu bring that flashlight back in here. I need to find a phone number."

Coming in with a plate of small sandwiches, the bar's cook sighed, "It's starting to fade, but I got most of the deli-meats used up for these."

"I'll eat later. Hiten, look for the phone book."

"Well I can't see without the flashlight."

"I need the flashlight to find the phone," She retorted.

"You can't use the phone without the number, so give it here," He shot back.

After finally resigning, Kaguya handed over the flashlight and the phone book was located. Taking it and the flashlight back, she quickly sought out the phone itself and the number she needed.

"Ah, weather service…there's got to be someone there that can help…"

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The water slowly churning as it continued to rise didn't ease the female doctor's nerves in the least bit.

Despite her past issues with storms though, this time she had a job to do.

Slowly clawing her fingers into the seat cushions and hoping the places she put her feet held, Kikyou began her struggle to the other door of the truck.

Reasoning it would have been easy enough, she had not estimated that Suikotsu's limp body would be as heavy as it was and the climb to be as awkward as it was turning out to be.

Taking a deep breath and hoping her determination and adrenaline's strength would be enough, she began the treacherous attempt to get out of the truck.

Hands slipping on the fabric of the seat, feet finding it hard to get proper footing on the slick dashboard; her knuckles became white as she clung to what she could with all the strength she had.

"I've got to help him out of here. I can't leave him…"

Finally getting within reach of the door itself, she realized a slight dilemma.

"In order to get the door pushed open, I need a free hand… but how can I hold onto him and keep from falling?"

Looking over to the steeling wheel she currently maintained a vice-like grip on, she used her other hand to slowly ease some of Suikotsu's weight onto the wheel.

"Please…hold him just for a little bit…"

Wrapping her left hand further around the steering wheel to where she could not only keep herself steady but hold onto Suikotsu's arm, Kikyou swallowed hard and reached with her right hand for the door handle.

Pushing it open with all the strength she could muster, it finally held, the hinges creaking at the abusive force.

Gathering the injured man back into her arms hastily as her footing began to slip more and more, she quickly scrambled up onto the side of the truck.

Resting Suikotsu's head in her lap as she sat there, she exhaled deeply.

"Someone with as many doctorates as I have should never have to do something like that. That is for those crazy thrill seekers that end up in the hospital after a bungee cord breaks."

Feeling the vehicle lurch again with the water's force, she began pulling Suikotsu completely out of the doorway so she could shut the driver's side door.

Having him almost completely free of the doorway, the truck shook again with the force of the water- causing her to slip.

Sliding on the wet surface, her body skidded towards the edge, and over it.

Holding on desperately as she hung over the rising water, Kikyou's heart caught in her throat.

"Suikotsu! Mr. Suikotsu!"

She struggled to pull herself upright, but found that all attempts only threatened her falling even more.

"Suikotsu!" Calling out desperately now, she realized that her only chance at being saved rested in the man who was still out from the blow to the head.

The sharp tone in her voice though finally caused a slight stir from the brown-haired man.

"Someone's calling me… Who cares you idiot. It doesn't matter to us… What are you…?... You know who I am. Let me handle this stupid woman, you pathetic weakling. But…but… Just stay out of this…"

Opening his eyes, their usual brown depths were masked by a glazed over appearance.

"Heh, so pathetic…" He muttered to himself, voice condescending and harsh.

Pushing himself upright, he ignored the pleading woman clinging to the edge as he wiped the blood from his forehead.

"It's just a little blood. Is that all it takes to get you to shut up anymore?" His bitter tone remarked, casually licking some of the blood off his fingers.

"Suikotsu! Suikotsu please, help!" Kikyou's frantic voice caught his ears.

"Oh so she's the bitch you've been harping over, eh?" Suikotsu said to himself, "Pretty plain Sheila, perhaps the river crocs might like her though…"

He reached out as if to push her into the river when his body tensed, hands grabbing his head.

"Stop! Stop it now!" He yelled, "Don't you dare lay a hand on Miss Kikyou!"

Kikyou, albeit still panicked was slowly beginning to make sense of what was occurring.

"Does he…have multiple personalities? Good and…"

"I'm tired of you always bitching about the goddamn kids, and now this filth shows up….Stop it! Go away! Leave her alone!"

Finally pulling back his own fist, he leveled it with his cheek and punched- landing it directly on his face.

"Mr. Suikotsu!"

Looking up wearily, and holding his now bruised cheek, the soft brown eyes of the other doctor met with Kikyou's.

"Oh my, Miss Kikyou! Hang on!" He quickly made his way over and pulled her up into his arms, protectively shielding her from the still falling rain.

Glancing up at him and still shaken from the whole experience, Kikyou squinted as she regarded him.

"Two sides- good and evil. Is that…is that what that was, Mr. Suikotsu?"

"I'm so sorry Miss Kikyou. Here I said I'd protect you and then I went and got hurt while you had to help me. I'm so very sorry."

Biting her lip, she proposed a question, "Mr. Suikotsu…when you first woke up what do you remember?"

Blinking at the strange question, yet answering it anyways, he rubbed at his cheek, "I saw you on the edge there and my face hurt as if someone had just punched me."

Narrowing her eyes, she made note of that information, "And…that's all?"

"Was there…something else?"

Figuring it was best not to mention it and perhaps in turn invoke that darkness to return, she shook her head in the negative, "No. I just wanted to make sure you were all right. You hit your head fairly hard when the truck flipped."

"That's right it…" He paused, fully taking things in, "Miss Kikyou…did you…did you get us out of the truck?"

She nodded, still tired from the whole ordeal.

"Miss Kikyou," He pulled her closer, resting her chin on his shoulder, "I should have never let myself get you into this situation. I'm so very sorry…"

"There is no need to apologize for the unexpected, Mr. Suikotsu."

Releasing his hold slightly, he looked down at her, "But still, I want you to know I am very sorry for ever dragging you into this. A woman of your stature doesn't deserve to be stuck out in the middle of nowhere on a night like this…"

"You undermine yourself too much, Mr. Suikotsu. A man like you deserves it no more than I."

Smiling at that, he gently reached out and wiped some of the water droplets from her cheek.

"She is…very…pretty…"

"Miss Kikyou…may I…" He started to lean forward, his heart racing at his own audacity.

Still shaken, and only subconsciously registering the request, she nodded mutely.

Closing his eyes and leaning his head further down, his lips were but an inch away from hers when the blaring light and the loud sound of a helicopter was heard overhead.

"Someone…found us?" Suikotsu said looking up blinking.

Kikyou just froze, a hand drifting to her lips.

Shaking the strange feeling from herself, she replied, "I suppose they did."

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Preview for Chapter 8:

Found by an employee of the Australian Weather Service, the two doctors are now on their way to safety. But now Kikyou is beginning to piece a few things together about the kind-hearted doctor…and his dark side she just recently witnessed.