Disclaimer: Yoko Matsushita is the creator of all Yami no Matsuei and all its characters. OC(s) so far include Rina Ito, and Sukeko Masaoka.

Beta reader: Ochika

Warning(s): Okay, this chapter is closer to 'R' in rating for bad language, and implications at adult situations. I don't think the few bad words or implications mean it equals R yet (more like pg-14), but just a warning

Pairings: TsuxSoka, TasxTzu, and MurxSoka. More later…

POV: First person POV will always be Tsuzuki and no one else; however POV will change when I feel it's best for the story.

Notes: Again, '…' thoughts and …is memories,

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Rippled Reflection

"He loves her, you know?"

Actually, yes, Hisoka knew that. He knew the moment he saw Hijiri's eyes fall on Tsubaki. He also knew he didn't give a shit. Okay, amend that, he didn't give a shit that Hijiri was in love, what he DID care about is that it was with that girl. Hisoka's mind was filling with a million shadows of unpleasant thoughts, and all of them were centered on his new 'class president' Tsubaki.

Sukeko had taken the lead in the conversation on the way to see Tsuzuki, deciding for Hisoka that he wanted to know the school's drama. From what Sukeko was prattling on about, Hisoka received a complete synopsis on 'the loves and hardships of Hijiri'.

Hijiri was in love with Tsubaki, the Madonna of the school it seemed. She was perfect in everyway, going off with what Sukeko had told him. While Hijiri wasn't bad looking, and even though he was an excellent student, popular opinion did not look favorably upon him. He was an orphan, adopted at the age of four by a well to do family. The fact that he was an orphan wasn't what tainted him in the eyes of his peers; it was his low birth status, and his false standing given to him under his adopted family. He had 'lacked the pedigree' that most of the other students in the private school shared. Or that is what the bullies who ran the school said. The truth, as Sukeko told it, was that they where jealous of Hijiri. Hijiri was highly intelligent, always getting good grades, was handsome, and was a genius when it comes to playing the violin. Sukeko had told him a number of awards Hijiri had won, though Hisoka didn't bother to remember what they were.

When Hijiri came forward to Tsubaki and told her that he liked the distinguished girl, Tsubaki didn't respond to his proclamation, but simply smiled and walked away from him. That bit really irked the gossip-goddess as she went on and on about the cruelty of playing with people's emotions like they were nothing for quite some time. That actually wasn't so bad as far as Hisoka was concerned; he held a particular distaste for Tsubaki in his own heart. The empath knew first hand just what kind of games the school's Madonna was capable of.

A bright yellow caught Hisoka's eye as he passed one of the halls, the boy's feet stopped their progress as his head crooked to look down the darkened hallway. Yellow police tape marked off the empty corridor, the hall where the first three children had died. Sukeko hadn't realized that she was talking to herself for several minutes until she looked over and found no one there. Spotting Hisoka standing a little ways back she turned around and did a tiny jog to return to her classmate's side.

"I heard some one died here recently," the blond commented, looking at the tape that banned entry down the other hall. He could recognize the area from the crime photos he had seen yesterday in the briefing. Sukeko gave a small hesitated nod that the empath caught out of the corner of his eye. This was a good time for him to try and learn something, as a matter of fact, it was a perfect time Hisoka reasoned. He wasted no time in pressing the topic with the girl who seemed to know everything that happened in the school. "Did they catch who did it?" Turning to look at the girl, Hisoka tuned in his empathy as he waited for the girl's answer. She looked down the hallway as she answered, never taking her eyes off the crime scene.

"No."

"When? There's still tape up here so it must have been recent." Hisoka tried pushing the subject farther. His companion didn't answer the question at first, but not because she was nervous, frightened, or suspicious as the empath gleaned by scanning her emotions. She was thinking, lost in deep thought. Hisoka waited expectantly, watching the pale haired girl next to him as she finally returned his gaze and blushed under it.

"Sorry, spacing out a bit there," Sukeko laughed as she rubbed the back of her head. Hisoka was about to ask the question again, but she answered without the prompt, "You're right, it was recent. It was only two days ago. Three boys died here," She continued to explain as they continued their walk, "It was these three bullies; Kishima, Matsuura, and Yamaguchi. They were all highly privileged kids, always getting their way because their parents have money and gave huge donations to the school. Because of that, the teachers and everyone else would look the other way if any one of those boys broke the rules."

"It sounds like you didn't like them," Hisoka commented on her tone and description of them. Sukeko scrunched up her nose a little and shook her head in reply.

"No, I can't say I did. They where horrible; hazing all the new kids and torturing others that they just didn't like. I suppose I should be sad that they're dead, but, in all honesty I'm not." Arriving at the Nurse's Office, Sukeko turned to look into Hisoka's eyes, "It might be bad to think like that, but that's my honest opinion. They had it out for quite a few people, making their lives hell, and no one did anything about it! I'm not really surprised that they died." While she spoke she stared into Hisoka's eyes, looking for something though the empath wasn't too sure of what. She must have found what she was looking for, because she nodded slightly, and leaned in to whisper the last. "They said it was an accident, but from what I heard it sounded like they were killed. A lot of people had grudges against them, so is it really such a surprise?"

"I don't--," Hisoka's reply was cut off by a loud laugh that erupted from the Nurse's Office. Sharing a look with Sukeko, the two opened the door a jar and peeked in. What they saw inside made both their eye's bulge and their jaws drop. On the far side of the room Tsuzuki, the nurse, was laying on one of the beds, pinned down and being straddled by none other then their science teacher, Watari! The 'science teacher' had both of Tsuzuki's wrists in one hand, held above the other man's head, and was sitting on top of Tsuzuki. The blond was leaning in close to their nurses face, and it looked like he was about to kiss him, but Sukeko gingerly closed the door before they had a chance to watch the act play out before them.

Hisoka jumped back when he heard the door give a light click as it closed. Not that he was startled by the sound, but because he was startled that his initial urge was to burst through the door and demand an explanation from them! Sukeko grabbed the empath by his arm though, and quickly lead him away from the room. Even if he didn't like contact with anyone, Hisoka was grateful that she took him away from there before he did something that he would no doubt regret a second later.

"I don't think they should be bothered right now," the girl blushed as she led them farther away. Passing a glass trophy case, the empath caught his reflection in the mirror and noticed his own blush was rivaling the girl who was pulling him through the school. Trying to stop the heat that rose to his face though proved a vain attempt as it only made the heat in his face increase. What bothered him more than his predisposition to imitate a tomato was what he had just seen, or, more accurately, his initial reaction to it.

It wasn't that he was about to see two guys kiss, hell, he wasn't offended at all by something like that! But this was more than two guys kissing. This was Tsuzuki and Watari!!! No, what was really bothering him was just the Tsuzuki part, or was it the part where Watari was going to kiss Tsuzuki and Tsuzuki didn't seem to mind? 'Tsuzuki shouldn't be kissing anyone else!' As what the empath's heart was saying started to be processed by his brain, Hisoka stumbled, nearly falling on his face. There's no way he should be thinking something like that! Why should it bother him?! And what was the whole thing about 'kissing anyone else' he berated himself, more than sure his face was as red as crimson.

'It's not like I've ever kissed the man, OR that I care to!' he told himself, yet, no matter how many times or ways he told himself that, it didn't stop the pain that was pushing into his heart. What was wrong with him? Why did he care about something like that? More importantly, why did it feel like he was sinking inside?

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I can't help but laugh at the situation I'm finding myself in. Plus, it doesn't help that Watari has me pinned down and is using his free hand to tickle me all over! He came in to talk, and somehow it ended up in a tickle war. One, that I would like to point out, he had started, and was currently winning at. After begging for him to stop, declaring my defeat, he sits back, and smiles triumphantly down on me. Leaning in, the blond whispers gleefully, "I get the bed tonight!" Laughing again, I wiggle my wrists free and roll the other man off of me, dropping him to the floor where he lands with a rather loud thump.

"Really, Watari!" I chuckle lightly as I wipe the tears from my eyes. "We have to find another way besides this to decide who gets to sleep in the bed. Haven't you ever heard of 'Rock, Paper, Scissors'?" I ask the man as he stands up and brushes the dirt from the floor off his lab coat. The blond smirks in response.

"But 'Rock, Paper, Scissors' takes no real skill," Watari tried to reason, "Winning a tickle war though? Now that, my friend, that takes real skill!" Though I think the only real skill it shows is how to surprise someone from behind and pin them down, but I'm not going to say that. Moving to the desk, Watari picks up an obento and hands it to me along with some chopsticks. Never to be one who's shy around food, I show one of my best smiles as I accept it, and waste no time opening the box to expose the assortment of foods that lie hidden under it's lacquer top. The food is excellent and the smell is delightful, but seeing it makes me loss my appetite.

"What's wrong?" Looking up at my friend, sitting down in the chair across from me and starting to eat his lunch, who has stopped and is now looking at me; his face painted with concern. Quickly covering up my face with a smile, I pick up the chopsticks and wave them in the air to dismiss any apprehension.

"It's nothing," I lie as I take my first bite of the obento, "Hisoka said he was gonna come by, but I guess he got really busy though," The food doesn't taste all that great, so I find myself poking the barbequed eel with the chopsticks instead of eating it. I'm not really hungry, and food never tastes right when you're not hungry. Watari makes an 'Ahhhh' sound, and then continues to eat his lunch but doesn't cease the smile he has fixed on me.

"You know," The blond states in between bites of food, "I'm glad that you two are getting along." My eyes go wide as I stare up at him. I swear he must be losing his mind, or testing one of those drugs he's been working up on himself if he thinks that we're getting along! Seeing the way I'm staring at him, Watari bursts into laughter, then coughs lightly in his hand trying to cover up his amusement. Though I don't see what's so funny. Shaking his head, the bubbly man dismisses his statement, saying "Never mind." Returning my eyes to the boxed lunch, I find poking at it to actually be rather fun.

"Actually, I was getting worried about you there for a bit," my recreational poking of the eel in the obento stops as every muscle becomes rigid with those words.

"What do you mean?" Not looking up I can hear the other man humming lightly in thought, deciding how to answer the question I posed to him.

"Well, after that whole business about you and Hisoka being partners, and then you dropping him. Oh! And on a side note, I must say that shocked me Tsuzuki-san, but it's good to hear that you two are at least talking now." Placing his chopsticks down to give me his full attention, Watari looked at me seriously. It's rare to see him so serious, and I can't help but fidget under that gaze, and it's not helping that I'm not very comfortable with the subject choice here either mind you. Leaning in, the blond places his hand on mine, looking straight into my eyes. "I was worried there after you broke it off, because you seemed like you where becoming distant to everyone again. You look better now though," amber eyes smiled at me as his hand gave mine a small, reassuring squeeze, "I just want you to know that you can come to me for, you know, whatever."

"Oh, of course," I lied as I smiled back at my friend. Watari doesn't recognize it as a lie though, as he returns the smile and continues to eat his lunch, me eating mine too as to show I'm all right. I really look better? Well, if that's true, it's probably because I am. I've finally accepted my fate, and with that it feels like a strange weight has been lifted from my shoulders. We ate and talked about everything we learned that day, which equaled to nothing. Throughout the entire time, I couldn't help but think that if Watari knew the real reason I was okay, would he be angry? Or, even more so, will he be mad at me after I kill myself?

I wonder if he'll realize then, that that's the reason I'm 'okay' now, and maybe he'll be okay with that.

After waving goodbye to Watari, I decided to re-double my efforts to gather information from the students who have been coming in with whatever stomach flu seems to have encompassed the entire student body.

I want it to be over soon…

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Once they where a good distance away from the Nurse's Office, which equaled almost halfway across the school, Sukeko finally stopped and pulled Hisoka into a room, lazing her grip on his arm. Pulling his arm completely free, the blond looked around their current surroundings to see if he recognized where they where. It was an empty class room, one with a fake human skeleton on the other side of the room, and diagrams and charts of the human anatomy adorning the walls. A few jars were lined up along the window on the far side of the room, preserved fetuses from different animals resting in the fluid within. Pushing his hand to his mouth, Hisoka tore his eyes away from those jars. Horrible images he had fought to bury came again, filling his mind.

'How could people do something like that?'

"Want to eat lunch here then?" Looking up at the girl like she had grown two extra heads Hisoka cursed, and gave a disgruntled 'no', as he turned to leave.

"I'm not really hungry anymore," The empath offered by way of explanation as he left the room. He half expected the girl to follow him, but was relieved when she didn't. Checking his watch he found he still had thirty minutes before he had to go back to class, and decided instead to walk around the grounds of the school.

The school was actually fairly small, he noted, as he could find his way outside without help. Even though it was small, it did have its good points Hisoka thought as he passed to the back of the school and found a beautiful garden that was circled in chamomile bushes and sakura trees. The gardener must have been paid a pretty sum as the landscaping for the endeavor was nicely planned, and well maintained. There was even a small koi pond in the center of the garden that had a bridge arched across its center. Walking onto the bridge, Hisoka stared down into his own reflection, watching as koi fish swam just below the water's surface, sending tender ripples through the water.

It probably would be considered rude to just drop the person who was being nice to you, the empath conceded as he remembered just how he had walked out on Sukeko, but the room was evoking all kinds of ghastly memories to the forefront of his mind. It also didn't help that there were reminders everywhere that the source of those bad memories, Muraki, was only a ribbon's length away. He should have been able to take it, but seeing those jars had made the bile rise in his throat.

Resting his hands on the wood railing of the bridge, Hisoka despairingly pressed his forehead into them. He was exhausted; mentally and physically. It had been a roller-coaster ride ever since he came to the NSF. Starting with his meeting of Tsuzuki and then everything else that happened in the week that followed. It was odd to think that it had only been a week. A week that he had been kidnapped, sliced up, and nearly killed. Okay, all that was on the first day, which was, by the way, just a great way to start off! Then, thinking that Tsuzuki knew he was dead, and having that tear him up with worry and anger. That little instance was smoothly followed by his un-expected, drop-in visit from Muraki, one where he was lucky as hell Tatsumi had come along when he did and not a few minutes later. Hisoka really didn't think that his body being sprawled beneath some stranger in the infirmary room would have been overlooked by that meticulous man, or anyone else for that matter. Oh, and let's not forget the meeting with GuShoShin! That was a nice little trip, one that almost blew his cover. Now, he also had to add his new class president 'Tsubaki-san' to the things that where going to be giving him migraines. Yeah, he was tired.

All the others things, Hisoka reasoned, he probably could have handled decently, but then add on top of that Tsuzuki and… Closing his eyes in thought, Hisoka went back to when he had been alone, blacked out in the attack he had endured under Maria, or whatever demon it was that had been controlling her. He had seen Tsuzuki in that void. At first he had dismissed it, but then just this morning he had been back in that void again, and again with Tsuzuki… or at least he was pretty sure that those two boys were him. No, he was positive they were; thinking back on those purple eyes left no doubt in his mind. Hisoka wasn't sure, but he had a guess about what was going on, and it terrified him.

He had started to figure it out after seeing Muraki, and then having that talk with Tatsumi in the infirmary. Placing his hand over his heart, he could feel it even now. Tsuzuki was there. Even if he hadn't seen him for those three days after they got back from their first mission, or the next three days after he broke their partnership; somehow he could feel Tsuzuki. The more time he spent around the man, the stronger this strange connection seemed to grow. Even now, when he was a good distance away from him, he could still feel his presence. Another thing that was giving him concern was his ability to clearly read the man's emotions. It was obvious that Tsuzuki had very good mental training, even if he was a scatter brain. He was able to easily call on that energy during the battle with the possessed Maria. As far as Hisoka knew, and he did actually know quite a bit in this realm, that took good mental discipline. Yet, when he was around him, he could see into the older man clearly. Even more so than with the average person who was just walking down the street. The only time that that wasn't true was when he had broken their partnership, and Hisoka had actually tried to read him then too, but his shields where like steel, un-yielding as he hide his heart and intentions from him. He was trying to hide them with every ounce of strength he had then, and it had worked fairly well too, the damn bastard.

He had read him the moment he next saw him, with no shields up, or at least none that he perceived. He knew Tatsumi was telling the truth as he sat across from him in the briefing for the mission. Tsuzuki didn't end their partnership because Hisoka was the walking dead, but because he was blaming himself for what happened to the empath. As far as Hisoka could tell, he didn't even know Hisoka was dead, and remembering the details of what happened back then it wasn't such a big shock either. Tsuzuki was distracted no doubt with that other girl, whom he burned to death… Even though it was to save everyone, and he had done what he no doubt had been asked to do, judging from the emotions that came from the fire and his own knowledge of the other girl, doing that had torn the man up inside. Anger for the dead girl suddenly surfaced to a level Hisoka had not expected.

'That was a horrible thing to make Tsuzuki do.'

Reason would dictate that it was the practical, logical solution. Had Hisoka been in that girl's shoes, and if Tsuzuki was the one overcome by a demon then Hisoka supposed he too would probably…

Jumping back, with only his hand's holding him from falling completely to the ground, green eyes were wide, filled with shock and horror. Why would it be like that, ever?? Why had he just placed himself in that scenario? He didn't care about anyone like that! He had only himself to look out for, it couldn't and had never been any other way before. What was happening to him?! Slowly the walls that the boy had built up all his life, the things he had used to live, or more like 'existed', up till this point were suddenly being moved and destroyed right before him. Giving his life up for another, caring more for their happiness, and loving them no matter what; how could he even think he could do something like that? It wasn't him, it had never been him! Yet, no matter how much he wanted to deny it, to scream that it wasn't true, Hisoka knew what he would have done the same had he been in her place. He would have rather died than to live like that, true. He could understand that part, himself having experienced just what it's like to be not only at death's gate, but through it, and if he had had such a resurrection, maybe death would be a release by that point. However, if it were to be him trading his life for Tsuzuki's…? It's not that he's saying he would do it, but he wasn't so certain that he could also NOT do it. Shaking his head, trying to dislodge that twisted line of thought, Hisoka spotted a movement out of the corner of his eye. Hisoka quickly placed his usual calculated mask back into place, composing himself before he called out to his intruder.

"What are you doing here," Hisoka directed coldly to his observer who lay hidden in the chamomile garden, "Tsubaki-hime?" His empathy caught onto her distinct personal signature the moment he felt the intruder to his thoughts. Moving from behind the chamomile bushes, Tsubaki stood, her blue eyes dancing as they looked into jade ones that returned her gaze. Tsubaki's smile deepened at Hisoka's reaction, using her hands to brush off her skirt and straightened her uniform as she moved to join the other on the Koi Bridge.

"It's nice to see you too, Hisoka-chan!" Using her arms to wrap them behind the empath's head, she held him tight as she stood on her toes to give him a good sized kiss on the cheek. Yanking free, Hisoka glared at the girl who laughed behind her hand at his reaction. "Come now Hisoka," Tsubaki chided teasingly to the blond, "I know that a little 'hello' kiss on the cheek can't make you shy like that. I mean after all, I've seen the way Muraki greets you sometimes." Hisoka cursed Tsubaki in a tongue that sounded archaic; disgust and anger pouring over each of the foreign words. This only made Tsubaki laugh harder, bringing tears to her eyes. Bringing her arms around her body, she tried to hold her sides in as her body shook with the fits of laughter that claimed her. Hating her more, if that was possible, Hisoka turned his eyes away from the source of his anger and proceeded to count to ten.

"Oh! Hisoka, don't be such a spoil sport!" Tsubaki tried to wave away his anger as she tried to get her laughing under control. "Ahhh, but it is good seeing you. I missed not having someone to pick on." Grinning into angry green eyes, Tsubaki had to cough into her hand to keep from bursting out in laughter again.

"That's not the way I see it," Hisoka icily retorted, "You've got an entire school to amuse yourself with here, don't you? And on that, just why are you here? Are you the one responsible for the killings?"

"Well," Grinning impishly at the green eyed blond, she looked at him with dark, mischievous eyes, "do you think I did it, 'Mr. Detective'?" The suspicion that Tsubaki was the one that killed those boys entered the empath's mind the moment he had seen her. He doubted it was her though, not because she wasn't capable of murder, but because the murders didn't come off as her style.

Punishing the school bullies who were making their classmates' lives hell?

"No, I don't think so," the empath leveled with the girl before him, "but just because you don't sound like a defender of innocents." Bursting into laughter again, Tsubaki nodded in agreement with the cruel judgment made against her character, taking it as the complement it wasn't intended to be.

"No, it sure doesn't. I rather liked how they handled the school." Blue eyes looked down into the pond below, resuming Hisoka's forgotten 'fish gazing'. "It made the days more interesting around here." The glee that showed so clearly in her eyes was a testament to just how bad those dead students were, especially because Tsubaki was the type who enjoyed the torment of others. She was a complete sadist and one that lay on the most extreme of the spectrum. Through it all, Hisoka couldn't help but note she didn't deny being the killer either.

"Is it Muraki then?" Hisoka kept his gaze adverted from Tsubaki, looking at some point that existed in the distance.

"No," The dark haired girl answer, keeping her eyes locked on their reflections, "at least he hasn't told me about anything like that." There was a chance she was lying to him, however he decided to believe her for now since this didn't seem very Muraki-ish either. Strike that, killing people in weird ways was completely Muraki's style, but he had never seen him kill people like this before. Placing a finger to her lips, Tsubaki leaned toward Hisoka, whispering just under her breath.

"I hear you're in trouble Mr. Detective," She giggled a little before continuing, "Muraki-san says to tell you 'he hasn't forgotten what you said back then,' and he wants you to tell me if it's time or not."

"No!" He didn't mean to yell, and regretted it the second he saw Tsubaki's face; no doubt, mirroring the same shock his own was portraying. "It's almost time, just… not yet," Hisoka was shaking, he knew, using the railing for support he tried to hide it from the blue eyed girl who was inspecting him very closely. "There's a place there that has everything he wants, and I've almost found a way." Turning to her at last, his green eyes became hard, and cold. It was something she would recognize as normal, and she seemed to accept it as she nodded her head slowly before looking back down into the pond.

"And the other thing," She prompted from the boy. Remembering back to the conversation he had with Muraki, Hisoka knew what she was talking about.

"...It's because he knows."

"Someone knows what?"

Grimacing at the reminder in his own folly in perception back then, Hisoka shook his head. "No, tell him, 'He doesn't, I made a mistake. Everything is fine'." Tsubaki was the curious type he knew, but he also knew that what he gave her was cryptic to anyone who hadn't been around for that particular conversation. Muraki might become angry if he didn't want Tsubaki in on this little operation and he spelled things out to her. It would be better to error on the side of caution anyways.

"I was supposed to get an estimate for it," She was heated, he could tell. She didn't like being a go-between, and it was pissing her off right now that whatever Muraki had been mad about before was 'a mistake'. He knew that the second she heard his words, as feelings of expectation, and excitement came to a screeching halt with his dismissal.

"At least three months." Hisoka kept his gaze away from the girl. After all, he didn't need to discern her emotions by reading her face, or even looking in her general direction. Hisoka was lying. In truth, he maybe only needed a day or two once this mission was finished to get what Muraki wanted, but then that would mean he would have to go back just that much sooner. Delaying, that was the only thing he was really concerned about.

"He doesn't like waiting." Her cold tone reminded next to him, though Hisoka already knew it.

"As long as he wants everything, I need to make certain. I'm accepted for the most part. I'll definitely know within three months, and Muraki will be willing to wait if it means doing it perfectly," Yeah, he knew Muraki, and that man had patients that stemmed years if they felt so inclined, or that it was worth the wait. He also knew that right now Muraki didn't have that much patients for this project, but he figured, or more hoped, that three months had been what that man considered to be the maximum amount of time he was willing to invest in this endeavor. "It's worth the time."

"He better think so," Tsubaki nonchalantly remarked humming a funeral tune. Hisoka hated her for that. It wasn't just a show; she really wanted him to fail. She could care less what the consequences to him where, in fact she'd ask to watch!

"You never told me why you are here," his tone was so cold the temperature dropped a few degrees around them.

"That, my dear, sweet Mr. Detective," Pushing herself back and away from the railing, Tsubaki turned to leave as she continued, "is none of your fucking business." Hisoka was glaring daggers down at her retreating figure as it returned to the school. Tsubaki, in response, lifted her hand behind her back extending her middle finger.

"I hate you too," Hisoka gave voice to the words she hadn't said, yet knew she intended. That was fine with him, the feeling was mutual. The bell rang a few moments later, signaling the start of class, and Hisoka begrudgingly took his own way back to the school. If he was wrong about how long Muraki was willing to wait he's going to receive another visit, and he was sure, if there was another one, he wouldn't get the luxury of them being interrupted.

.............................tbc

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Author's Notes:

Okay! This chapter is a bit shorter then the others, HOWEVER, I hoped that I either dropped a few nice bombs, or at least made some of that foreshadowing payoff with at least a small 'ahhh'… Yeah? No? Well either way, I like this chapter :) (yes, and if you're wondering, I DON'T like Tsubaki, however she actually has some depth in this story, she's not just a raving, crazy b#$ Well, a little, but it's forgivable considering…)

And I promised romance right? Even threw in a little WatxTsu in there Bet no one saw that little not-so-sex-scene coming, but that could be because I originally hadn't planned to put that in there, but why not? Will that go anywhere? Can I say? Besides, it's the best just watching Hisoka as he discovers his emotions XD (I love that).

No Muraki in this chapter but dang if his name isn't in almost every sentence. Sorry for the extreme amount of cursing but it couldn't be written any other way in this chapter, gomen!

One reason I like this one is it gives a nice sum up (which might be much needed by chapter 11) and now we get to enjoy nothing but good angsty fluff/action/drama! Character building will of course continue, I don't want anyone in this story to just stay as presented and want to build everyone into their own right.

Wanted to thank everyone who takes the time to critic and especially to those who have followed the story and reviewed it with it's progression, your words mean a lot :)