I just realised how amusing. I was going on last author notes about not watching soapies, etcetera, and then having soap-soap-soap for the chapter. Ah well, these things happen.

Anyway, I'm not really sure what else to say, so until then… don't fall in!

We've hit the 90th chapter! I guess this is time for me to start wrapping up this story! That'll take, what... about another 100 chapters...

The hospital was a very… white… place. Ryu looked around, locating the reception desk and walking over.

"I'm looking for Ken Hayabusa. He was just admitted,"

The receptionist gave him a sympathetic look.

"I'm sorry, for what it does,"

"He's…" he couldn't get out the last word.

"Not yet, but…" the receptionist trailed off, leaving his mind to fill in the unpleasant blanks.

"He's in room 615. Just down the corridor, and on the left,"

He pushed open the door softly. It was so chilling to see his once mobile father unconscious in a hospital bed, unmoving. A figure was sitting by the bed, shrouded in shadow. The figure turned so he could discern who it was.

"Murai? Is that you?"

"The one and only," Murai stood up, several inches taller then he. "It has been a long time, Ryu,"

Murai, his relative of some description. Possibly uncle, but nobody knew for sure. When Ryu himself had been a child, circumstances within the family had forced Murai overseas. He hadn't seen him since.

"It is unfortunate about your father,"

He wasn't completely sure about that. And the fact that he wasn't sure about it made him feel extremely guilty. "That it is. He was perfectly fine earlier. It is amazing how these things can suddenly just… happen,"

"Probably all that alcohol consumption didn't assist the matters any,"

He stared. "How did you know about that?"

Murai shrugged. "The doctors found alcohol in his system. Could have triggered it easily,"

He sat down, gazing at the machines and equipment. Tubes went from his father's arm to a drip, and his eyes drifted to the monitor gauging the life that flowed through his father's veins.

"Don't look at that," Murai instructed. Reluctantly, he tore his eyes away.

"Do you have anywhere to stay?"

He nodded. "I can look after myself,"

"I don't want you by yourself, Ryu,"

"What?" he exclaimed indignantly before he could stop himself. "Do you assume that I am incapable of looking after myself?"

"Never did I say that. Simply, I feel that it would be easier for you and your family if you stayed with somebody as opposed to looking after yourself. A friend, perhaps?"

"You cannot just suddenly waltz back into my life and dictate my actions, Murai,"

"I moved away with your best interests at heart," Murai's tone was harsh and angry.

If you had our best interests at heart then you would not have moved away. "Be that as it may, I am old enough to look after myself. I am not your concern any longer,"

"As long as you draw breath, you are family and thus my concern, Ryu," Murai stated gravely.

"I thought family stuck together, not upped and left at the first hurdle. If you really cared, you would not have left Mother and I with a sorry drunkard to look after us. You would not have left Mother to take her own life because she was too drowned in her sorrow, you would not have let my father become a shadow of the person he once was,"

Murai looked across at him, grief showing plainly on his face. "That was beyond my power. Had I been able to stop it, I would have,"

Ryu turned cold green eyes onto the prone form of his father. "It doesn't matter. Not now, not any longer. It never did,"

"What…" If nothing else, he had succeeded in confusing Murai. "What do you mean?"

"You were too late," his voice was soft. "Nothing can change the inevitable,"

"He won't die, Ryu," Murai's voice contained the smallest trace of anger. "Have a bit of faith,"

Gradually, over the years… I've been losing it. Nothing can change that, either.

Murai fell silent. He lost track of the minutes, hours he stood there, watching his father for any sign of life.

"He won't make it," his voice ended in a sigh.

And somewhere, I hope that's the case… and I shouldn't.

A soft murmur from the bed. Both pairs of eyes immediately flickered over to where Ken lay.

Stormy hazel brown eyes opened, meeting with emerald green and locking.

"Hello, Ryu,"