A/N: I apologize for not updating but things got turned upside down in early October. My dad had been struggling with cancer and it viciously attacked when he was weakened. He died after coming home for a day. I didn't go to school; I didn't do anything so I didn't just abandon this story. I plan to upgrade at least once every two weeks, this story will be ending soon, in the next couple of chapters. Thank you all for waiting and not flaming.

Yipser54- I still haven't gotten it yet, my bookstore told me it wouldn't be coming out for ages, what's the deal with that?

Phantom Dark- I'm sorry to hear about your suspension dear friend. In school suspension is the worse, I hope you told him to stuff it!

xkuroxshinobix- Here it is, hope you like it.

lil-saturn-goddess- They have been kind of sad lately haven't they? Thank you for reviewing.

Redrose Moon- I really have to stop the whole cliffie things, the next one won't be... I think.

DISCLAIMER: I've done it enough, the first disclaimer covers the rest of this story.

Part XII

"It's always darkest before dawn." – Can't recall

Aeris's hand twitched weakly scaring the wits out of Dark.

"Your still alive?" He breathed, his eyes wide.

Aeris tugged weakly at the leather straps that held her in place. Her body ached to be moved from its left side, the only spot that hadn't been impaled by glass.

She had no one to blame but herself, yet again. If only she hadn't been so foolish as to go, this whole thing wouldn't have happened and she wouldn't be in the worst place in the whole world. She'd just made mistake after mistake.

"Ugh," And she was paying for it, the pain was beyond intense. Every time she moved it felt as if the glass was going in all over again even though the shards had been removed.

But worse than anything was the fact that she knew that Satoshi was watching her every move through the glass window of her room.

He wouldn't even come inside.

Aeris's heart dropped and she clenched the sheets tighter in her hands.

She'd nearly died and all he was going to do was stand outside?

Laying her head against the pillow she closed her eyes and again wished things were different.

"How long do you intend to keep this up?"

Satoshi didn't even turn to face his father, let alone answer his question.

"She probably thinks you've abandoned her."

"She used me," Satoshi's voice was filled with bitterness, but there was also hurt hidden beneath of it.

"I'm not so sure." Hiwatari said slowly, ignoring Satoshi's look and stepping closer to the glass window to see Aeris better. "If you had asked me weeks ago I would have certainly agreed but now..." He carefully let his eyes examine her stiff form and tense face and shook his head. "If she would have wanted your influence she would have used it by now... seems to me she's more interested in you."

Satoshi slowly felt his tense muscles relax. It made sense... she'd never even said anything to him about her conviction.

His mind was racing as he thought of everything she'd done since they'd met.

...And not one thing indicated that she'd even let the thought of using him to help her cross her mind.

Satoshi hit his head on the wall, "I'm such an idiot..." He resisted the urge to bang his head repeatedly for all it's worth.

Quietly he pushed open the door and closed it behind him, silencing the noises from the hallway, leaving only the quiet beeping of some machines and Aeris's breathing.

He couldn't even begin to imagine what she thought of him now, or wished to. How had he let things become so bad?

Satoshi went to her side and pulled a chair closer to her bed.

He gently undid the straps that held her wrist in place and held her hand in his own as her eyes flickered and finally opened.

"...Satoshi?" She whispered with wide eyes that flew from their joined hands to his face.

"Aeris, I'm sorry I was such a fool."

She blinked slowly, what was he apologizing for?

"I know you would never use me." He was staring directly into her eyes and her confusion showed on her face.

"Use you...? I don't understand."

Satoshi smiled and gently squeezed her hand. "Of course you don't. Just forget I ever mentioned it."

"Is that why you... acted the way you did?" Aeris was careful on how she phrased it.

"Yes."

The knot that had been tied tightly in her stomach loosened. Her heart sang at its correct assumption that he hadn't been rejecting her. 'Heart, I'm trusting you.' Aeris thought tiredly as she squeezed his hand and tugged hard at her other bound hand.

"Satoshi, will you take this thing off?" Aeris finally asked, frustrated.

He shook his head slightly to hide his smile and loosened it before letting himself do something he hadn't been able to do for a while.

Look at her.

Really look at her; carefully trace every inch of her face with his eyes, trying hard to etch it in his memory. "Sleep, I'll watch over you."

A tired smile lit up her face before closing her eyes and relaxing her body. "You have no idea how much of a comfort that is."

Satoshi gently stroked her cheek. "To me maybe." He whispered once he was sure she had fallen asleep.

"Let me get this straight." The man's voice was dangerously low, "You had the best shot to kill her and you miss?"

The boy squirmed in his seat. "It was dark."

"IT WAS DARK? YOU HAD ALL THE TIME IN THE WORLD, YOU COULD HAVE JUST GONE DOWN THERE AND SHOT HER POINT BLANK!"

The boy cowered in his seat. "I-"

"No excuses, you've failed again and again. I've no choice now." From his desk the man pulled a pistol and took aim at the boy's head.

The pistol roared before the boy could say anything.

Jin's body shook with anger. "Look, the police can't do a thing, they're helpless."

"You talk as if this is a new development." The man said, obviously bored.

"My niece's life is in danger! I want you to do something." Jin growled.

"Calm down... we can do something. We can alter the code, make it so if she leaves when she's not supposed to, she'll get a shock. Sound good?"

"Your still treating her like a dog, even though she's innocent." Jin never liked him from the start, and he was beginning to see why.

"It'll keep her safer."

Jin slumped in the chair and weighed the options. "Just a shock?"

The man smiled. "Just a shock."

"Do it."

Satoshi rubbed his eyes.

He'd checked out the small bio on the man seen leaving the crime scene, no definite height, weight, hair color, nothing.

Well not nothing, but as good as nothing.

"Who doesn't have a tattoo on their arm now?" He grumbled. It was a rainy miserable night in the hospital, and he had long since ordered Aeris to get some rest.

He put his head in his hands and sighed.

"Satoshi?"

He looked up to see a frustrated looking Aeris frowning at him. "What's wrong?"

"How am I supposed to sleep when your muttering about people with tattoos?"

He smiled faintly. "I'm sorry, I'll be quiet, go back to sleep."

Aeris, who wasn't really angry in the first place, moved over and tugged him lightly towards the bed.

He settled in and she lay against him, her head on his chest with his arm around her waist.

"You're completely barking... mad." Aeris yawned as she drifted off to sleep again, leaving Satoshi to shake silently with laughter.

Satoshi mumbled something, as Aeris stirred from her deep sleep and he pulled her closer, resting his chin on her head. "Crazy... girl..."

Aeris smiled slightly before looking bleary eyed around the room for the source of her waking.

Nothing seemed out of place, which disturbed her, but she slowly closed her eyes anyway, pushing away the feeling that something heavy was weighing down on her.

In the dark of the hospital room, a shaft of moonlight fell on her neck, basking the chain in a soft glow.