Sage's eyes fluttered slightly, then opened slowly. He quickly shut them again, blocking out the bright light.
"Sage?" a voice whispered from right beside his ear. "You awake?"
He blinked again, this time ready for the scalding light.
"Rowen?" he asked quietly.
"Yeah, it's me, buddy. How're you feeling?"
Sage blinked again. "I'm feeling... better. What happened?"
Rowen's blue hair and smiling, worried eyes entered his field of vision. "Well," he began, gently brushing the hair out of the blonde's eyes. "You collapsed in the psychiatrist's office... remember? And you've been unconscious for almost two days."
"Two... two days?!"
"Yes...," Rowen smiled. "You sure you're feeling better?"
"Yes..."
A head popped around the doorway. "Hey Rowen. How's he doing?"
Rowen turned to look at the newcomer and smiled. "Ask him yourself, Ryo, he's awake now."
"He is?" Ryo walked in. "Sage! How are you? Feeling better?"
"I'm fine, thanks," Sage replied quietly, trying to calm the throbbing in his head.
"Think you'll be okay to come back to school tomorrow? You missed the first day already."
The light warrior rested his head back against the white pillow. "Yes... maybe."
"You okay, Sage?" Rowen asked nervously. "Need anything? Water? Or are you hungry?"
Sage shook his head. "No... I'm fine... really."
Ryo smiled at him. "I'm sorry, Sage, but I've got to go to work now. I'll stop by later with the rest of the guys, okay?"
Sage nodded.
"Thanks for stopping by," Rowen said, getting up from his chair to hug Ryo. "Come on, I'll walk you out to your car."
Ryo smiled at the blue-haired teen. "That's okay, really."
Rowen shrugged. "Alright, if you insist." He hugged Ryo again and sat back down.
Sage waved to the black-haired teen, then leaned back and sighed after he had left.
"You okay?"
"For the last time, yes, Rowen."
"Sorry, sorry..."
An awkward silence followed, broken only by Rowen's light cough and Sage shifting on the hospital bed.
"So... what was the... psychiatrist's diagnosis?" Sage asked, in an attempt to break the silence.
"It hasn't come back yet."
"Oh...," he trailed off into another uncomfortable silence.
"Well, well!" a voice boomed. Rowen and Sage both jumped slightly and turned to look at the man in the doorway. "It seems as though our patient has awakened! Do you know, Mr. Date, that you have been unconscious for almost two days?"
"So I heard."
The doctor laughed a deep, booming laugh. "Well, Mr. Date, you'll be happy to know that I've reviewed your file, and you can go home tomorrow!"
Sage smiled weakly. "Great."
The doctor laughed again. "I'm sure you'll be happy to go back to school. Your hand should be fine in a week. Your head should be good to go tomorrow!"
The blonde winced slightly, the doctor's voice boring into his already pained skull. "Fantastic," he mumbled.
"Wonderful!" the doctor exclaimed. "You can't miss a day of school, nowadays! Mr. Hashiba, can I speak to you privately for a moment?"
Rowen stood up, looking slightly puzzled. After glancing at Sage once more, he followed the loud doctor into the hallway.
Sage caught a snippet of the conversation as they moved away from his door.
"No, here's the thing," the doctor was saying. "Mr. Date can't be left alone for a moment..."
He sighed. "I'm obviously not going to be getting much alone time," he whispered to himself. Rolling over, he settled into the crisp white pillow and closed his eyes.
Later, Sage opened his eyes onto darkness. With a groan, he rolled onto his back and sat up.
"What time is...," he began, before spotting Rowen slumped in a chair nearby. As quietly as possible, the blonde swung his legs over the side of the high bed and stood on shaky legs. He tiptoed over to a low shelf where his slightly bloody clothes had been folded and placed. With only a little trouble, he managed to slip into his jeans and shirt.
He deposited his backless hospital robe on the bed and crept out into the hallway. The sudden light made him squint. He placed his bandaged hand against the wall to keep from stumbling. Silent nurses in blue surgical scrubs bustled past. A young female doctor in a long white coat smiled as she walked by.
Sage stood in the hallway for a full minute, waiting for his eyes to adjust and preparing his legs for the long walk to the cafeteria. After he felt secure, he walked slowly to the elevator at the end of the long hall. He squished himself inside with two women in wheel chairs and their nurses.
"Cafeteria, please," he muttered. One of the nurses pressed the button and the elevator lurched into action.
After fourteen agonizing floors, the light warrior was finally able to leave the lift and its new occupants behind and stagger his way to the large cafeteria. It was nearly empty, except for a few late-shift doctors. He moved over to the cash register.
"Can I have a slice of pizza, please?" he asked the woman tending it.
She eyed his blood-spattered shirt as she handed him the plate and accepted his money. Sage felt her eyes on him as he made his way carefully to the nearest table.
He had just taken his first bite of the cheesy pizza when a voice came on over the intercom: "Attention all personnel, attention! We have a missing patient; class A. Patient is named Date Sage. Please escort to the front desk immediately."
The blonde glanced over at the group of doctors; they stared back. A sudden feeling of panic rose in Sage's throat. With speed attained through long physical activity, he shoved his chair back and sprinted out of the open cafeteria. Behind him, he heard a voice call out.
"Young man! Stop! Get back here! Call the front desk!"
He didn't stop. He climbed the stairs up one floor, to the ground floor and exit. He shoved the closed door to the main lobby open and sprinted past the registration desk. A man grabbed his arm to stop him, but Sage ripped free.
"Stop that man!" someone yelled, but he was already out the automatic glass doors and gone.