Author's Notes: Ah, many pardons for the delay on writing this. I'm currently working on five different stories, and it's taking up lots of my time. ^^;;

Anyways, here ya go- enjoy ^^

Aussie guide:

"Grinning like a shot fox" -- very happy, smugly satisfied

"knock you back"-- to refuse someone

"cut lunch"-- sandwiches

"earbashing"-- nagging

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Chapter 8: Brutal Honesty

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Had the sound of it not been so loud, the two doctors would have sworn the helicopter that now hovered above them was a mirage. After what they'd been through so far, and the lack of sleep, it was easy for them to mistake the arrival of assistance as some hopeful vision that wouldn't carry through.

A moment passed as it neared their location, and they both looked to each other to make sure they weren't the only one who saw its approach.

Once the helicopter was right above the upturned truck, the outback doctor braced himself, and slightly nudged the black-haired woman with him.

"Hold on, Miss Kikyou. We can get to safety now…"

Nodding the lady doctor looked up as the copilot of the helicopter moved to throw a ladder out the window.

"Hey there mates, we'll have you out of there in just a sec!" A female's voice called down from the side-door.

Once the rope-ladder dangled within reach, Suikotsu grabbed it and took hold.

"You first Miss Kikyou, I'll hold this steady."

Pausing she regarded his expression- the depth of his sincerity easily apparent.

But at the same time, her mind couldn't help but drift back to her encounter with the other side…

"Can I really trust…all of him?"

"Miss Kikyou?"

"Oh, pardon."

She stood shakily, and he braced her as she began her climb up the ladder.

Each step on the skinny rungs of the ladder was a task in itself, the surface slick with the rain, and the ladder shaking with the combined winds of the propellers and the storm.

"I wonder… if Mr. Suikotsu is aware he possesses a form of a multiple personality split…" Kikyou's mind drifted as she gripped each new rung in her cold hands.

Her contemplation pulling at her concentration, she found her next step faltering.

"Miss Kikyou!" Suikotsu's voice rang out across the submerged bush as he saw her falling.

And without a second thought, the brown-haired man jumped into the raging waters after her.

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"So…" Kaguya muttered in-between bites of the sandwich, "You think they've found them yet?"

"How am I supposed to know?" Hiten shot back, pausing in his eating to grope around for the can of beer.

"Looking for something?" Her voice intoned mischievously.

"Hey, I could only find one can in the dark- stop grinning like a shot fox and hand it over!"

"Sorry to knock you back, but…it is my pub," She retorted, taking a sip from the remaining can.

"Bloody hell, Kaguya! I've been up since the ass crack of dawn and had to deal with Manten's problem and babysitting the conch. Just give me a damned drink," He cursed.

Smirk dying out at his irritation, the dark-haired woman sighed, "This situation is really eating at all of us, isn't it?"

"How could it not?"

"Here," She reached over and handed the can to him, "Ain't much left, but… with the cut lunch and all, I had to drink something. And as you said, it's not like we can see in here. I doubt you'd want me to choke, right Hiten?"

"Stop the earbashing, 'kay? I got the point."

Hearing a slight sniffle from beside them, the two turned towards the sound.

"You…you…even fight like a married couple already," Mukotsu stammered, his heart clearly broken.

The two blinked, processing that comparison.

"So um… how long is this storm supposed to last?" Hiten said slowly, wanting to change the subject.

Kaguya just sighed and pried the can of beer out of his hand and took a sip.

"Hell if I know."

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The undercurrent was strong, and the raging waters were relentless against Suikotsu's struggles to reach her. Murky darkness obscuring his view, the push and pull of the water were of no assistance to his plight. Silently, he prayed that she would at least have the strength to get to the surface.

Making his way to the surface himself, he frantically looked about for any sign of the lady doctor.

Beneath the floodwaters, Kikyou desperately held her breath as she made her way towards the surface. Lungs begging for oxygen, yet the current denying her desire for it, the black-haired woman knew she only had a few minutes before all hope was lost.

Practically clawing at the liquid to give way, her mind once again pulled up the image of Suikotsu's cruel face laughing at her as she hung over the edge.

"What if… he doesn't come to help me? Can I survive this…without him?"

Before anymore doubts could plague her fatigued mind, she felt the strong grasp of an arm about her waist as she was pulled to the surface.

Surfacing, they both gasped for the air as the water raged around them; his arms clutching to her like a lifeline.

"Thank God," She made out the deep whisper into her damp hair.

Looking up at him as best as she could, her words died on her lips as she noticed his face.

A single droplet trailed down his cheek- but whether it was a tear or just the water, she couldn't tell.

He mumbled something else, but she couldn't understand it.

"Mr. Suikotsu?"

"I've got you now, don't worry…" Suikotsu's voice was still low, and he was holding her tightly.

"He said something else then… what was…"

Her thoughts were cut short as she felt him swimming towards the dangling ladder.

Lifting her up over his shoulder, he simply said, "I'll carry you, just hold on."

Resting her arms about his neck, her fingers brushed against the gold chain she'd seen before.

Once he was certain she was all right, Suikotsu began to climb up the ladder with her in his arms.

"Are you two all right?" The young woman asked as she held out a hand to help them in.

"No worries, Miss. We'll be fine," He replied, trying to remain calm as he sat Kikyou down on the floor.

The red-haired woman steadied herself as the helicopter began to rise up away from the ground. Rummaging through a nearby compartment, she handed over a blanket.

"You'll get cold otherwise," Was all she said as she turned to go back to her seat up front alongside the other pilot.

"Thank you…" The brown-haired man paused as he realized he had yet to learn her name.

"It's Ayame. We're with the weather service."

"Thank you, it was getting bad out there."

"Thank your friends who called into our headquarters," The other pilot butted in.

Looking over to the black-haired man, Suikotsu nodded, "I shall. Do you need the location of my home?"

"Already got it from your mates, hopefully that part of the bush isn't as bad as here."

 "Kouga…." The red-head warned, taking the copilot's seat, "Be nice. They've just been through hell."

"Hmph."

Turning his attention back to the woman in his arms, Suikotsu's face was quickly laden with a deep blush.

Her white blouse was completely saturated, and her form chilled.

As a doctor, he knew what this would require… the question was, could he get the nerve to do so.

"Um Miss Kikyou… here…" He held out the blanket, "You…you'd best get out of those damp clothes before you get sick."

Nodding mutely, the woman took the blanket from him and wrapped it around her shoulders.

"Should I…" She sneezed before completing her thought, "Never mind my inhibitions or worries, as a doctor he's only doing what I'd ask of him…" Turning her back to him and keeping the blanket around her shoulders, she pulled off her soaked clothing leaving her bare aside from her undergarments. "He's just as chilled as I…"

"You should as well," Kikyou said quietly, kneeling in front of him and reminding herself she was doing this only from a doctor's perspective.

"Miss…Miss Kikyou…there's…there's only one blanket," He stammered.

"I know. But, I am also aware that if either of us stays in those clothes, we will most certainly become ill in a short amount of time."

Her cold fingers slowly worked each of the buttons open, and she found her eyes falling on the locket about his neck.

"I…I hope the picture wasn't damaged" She said softly.

Instinctively reaching for it, he opened it, his face falling at seeing the inside.

"My apologies. If I hadn't fallen…."

Kikyou fell silent as he embraced her suddenly, "It's just a photograph. I can replace that. Don't speak as if your life was less important."

"Mr. Suikotsu…"

He pulled back, and rested his hands on her shoulders, "Pardon, Miss Kikyou. I suppose this whole thing just has me a bit shaken."

A smile crept onto her face, "That's understandable. I believe I am to some degree as well," She remarked on feeling the shudders she was certain weren't just from the cold.

Taking a deep breath to compose himself, Suikotsu reached down to finish pulling off his damp shirt.

"Are…are you all right with this, Miss Kikyou? I don't want to make you feel uncomfortable."

Glancing down at the blanket wrapped around her bare figure, she hastily questioned, "Um…pardon, Miss…Ayame? Did you happen to have another blanket?"

Pulling back her headset slightly, the red-head frowned, "Sorry Missy, that's the only one we've got."

Kikyou narrowed her eyes, the only solution easily apparent, "It would work for both of us… but…only if…if we were in very close proximity to one another."

Gathering her wits about her, she looked up at him, searching his face to see if he too knew what their fate had in store for them.

Subconsciously she couldn't help but take in his features- his muscles and body toned and his skin tan from the outback sun. His brown hair was loose now and hung about his shoulders as the water ran off of it.

Based on appearance alone, no one would ever take this man as a kind-hearted doctor if it wasn't for his deep brown eyes that always seemed to be wide with innocence.

"Mr. Suikotsu…" She began after a moment, "You'll become sick otherwise."

He blinked, his mind also knowing what this would entail.

"But…Miss Kikyou…"

"No worries. We are both professional doctors, I'm certain we can handle this."

Swallowing and biting his lip, he slowly moved over next to her.

"Are you…sure? I could just put the shirt back on and wait until…"

She held up a hand to silence his protests, and silently lifted the blanket up slightly from her shoulders.

Attempting to hide his embarrassment, Suikotsu took the blanket from her and pulled it around his shoulders. That, was the easy part.

"This is only due to the situation, just calm down…" He berated himself, hoping his heartbeat was being drowned out by the thunder overhead.

Reaching forward, he hesitantly brought his arms around her figure and then he slowly pulled her back against him; his bare chest pressed against her bare back.

For a few moments, neither of them said anything- each trying to quell their nerves and emotions from what the situation had stirred up within them.

"Mr. Suikotsu…" Kikyou began tentatively.

"Um…Yes, Miss Kikyou?"

"Back then…when you pulled me from the water, you said something…."

His eyes widened.

"I don't want to be one to pry but… what did you say?" She finished, feeling bare both physically and mentally at asking it.

Falling silent, his low whisper finally made it to her ears.

"I…I just said… 'I didn't want to lose you too.'"

Turning her head, she looking back at him, her eyes sorrowful in their own way.

"I see. So you too have lost someone important…"

Kikyou really didn't expect him to say anymore on the issue, but perhaps their raw shaken emotions drove him onward.

Leaning down until his chin rested on her shoulder, he slowly spoke.

"Yes. I lost the one person I cared about the most… She was just a young girl, maybe seventeen at the time…but she was beautiful."

Feeling a bit uneasy, Kikyou shifted in his arms.

"My sister meant the world to me, until I lost her to a crazed man's knife."

At that she almost completely jerked away from him and turned to look at him.

He'd hung his head, as he quietly continued, "I'm not sure what happened…but I couldn't save her. He'd killed her, and there was nothing I could do… And then…the next thing…the next I knew…"

Leaning closer so no one else would over hear, he finished, "I…I killed that man, Miss Kikyou. The courts said it was self defense but… but I can never forgive myself…."

Slowly piecing it all together, his situation became clear.

"And that locket then…"

Slowly, he opened it, a water stained picture of a young brown-haired girl on the inside.

"It's to remind me how important life is. And…and that's why…I was so afraid I'd lose you too."

"Mr. Suikotsu…"

This time- it was clear, the single tear that trailed down his face couldn't be mistaken for anything else.

And not knowing what she could possibly say to even remotely compare to him baring his heart and soul to her, she simply drew him into her arms.

"Is this why you soul has been tormented into two sides? Mr. Suikotsu… you don't deserve this agony…"

Feeling him move, she found herself looking into his eyes as he looked up at her.

"Miss Kikyou, I'm sorry to have burdened you with my troubles."

She shook her head lightly, "I will not be angry with someone who can be so honest with someone they barely know. I respect you greatly for that, Mr. Suikotsu."

Cupping his face in her hand, she wiped away all traces of the tears.

"You're a wonderful man, Mr. Suikotsu. Don't ever think any less of yourself."

"Miss Kikyou…" Impulsively, he embraced her. Both of their chilled forms drawing warmth from one another.

"Thank you…" He murmured into her hair, "From you, that means a lot."

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Preview for Chapter 9:

Beginning to see him in a different light after the revelation of his past, Kikyou finds herself enjoying the outback doctor's company more than she'd like to admit.