Hi readers! I'm back and have a fixed PC! Huzzah for me! Before I get to the story, I'd like to tell you all that I revised the whole of this story. It's been a long time since I've started this, and my writing style has improved significantly. For the most part, I will be making no significant, plot-altering changes, so there will be no need to reread the story if you don't want to. However, I have made an important change in chapter five. It won't really seem important when you read it, but it becomes significant in this chapter.

And now, enough of my rambling. On with chapter 6!

Rika groaned lightly, and her eyes slowly opened. It didn't do her much good though, because her vision was too fuzzy to make anything out. What she could see was a lot of white. Next to her she could hear a constant, slow beeping noise. With great difficulty, she turned her head. A large gray thing sat next to her, with a small colored line moving across it. This was easy to see, for the line was very bright. Besides that, she noticed that she was lying on a bed with a soft pillow below her head.

Confused, she blinked and tried to sit up, but found it was impossible; She could barely move for lack of energy. She groaned and lay back, sinking into the mattress a bit. She listened to her surroundings, and heard to sound of footsteps somewhere off to her left. "Hello?" she called, though her voice was exceptionally quiet. The footsteps ceased, and after a moment, she heard them moving cautiously toward her. "Miss Nonaka?" said a female voice. "Are you awake?" Rika tried to nod but, again, couldn't find the strength. "Why am I so weak?" she asked, getting right to the point.

However, the nurse didn't answer. The sound of her feverishly dialing a number on the phone by the door was all that Rika heard. In the end however, the nurse's explanation wasn't needed, for Rika's memory suddenly came back to her. She remembered the guy, being stabbed, and the darkness. She remembered how cold she had been, and how weak and afraid as well. But after that, nothing.

As the nurse hastily whispered into the phone, Rika blinked several times to try to regain her vision. However, it did not return. Her surroundings remained just as blurry as when she first awoke. Frustrated, she tried to move her fingers. This she could do, but it was almost as difficult as lifting a car.

"I'm sorry about that dear," said the nurse finally, the phone clicking as she hung it up. "You asked me something?"

Rika was silent for a moment as the nurse waited for her reply. "What's wrong with me?" she asked finally. "Why can't I see? Why can't I move?"

The nurse let out a solemn breath and rubbed her forehead, which Rika couldn't see. The nurse then explained to Rika that she had lost an ample amount of blood after she'd been stabbed and she would need a blood transfusion soon. She also explained to the girl that her blood type was unusual and hard to come by. This is when Rika grew fearful.

"Am I going to die?" she asked, gulping. There was a pause in which the nurse smiled a smile that Rika couldn't see. "Dear, if the doctors are correct, and everything goes as planned, you have a good chance of living. We think we've found someone who has the same blood type as you." Rika blinked and adjusted the position of her head to face the nurse. Though she could see no details, she could make out the nurse's basic outline. "Who?" she questioned.

"Ms. Nonaka, I'd like you to meet Isako Maeda," said Dr. Tanaka, gesturing toward the woman beside her.

"Konbanwa," said Isako, bowing respectfully, which Rika's grandmother and Rumiko did as well. "It is very nice to meet you." Isako continued as she returned to a straightened posture. She seemed to be a little fidgety, and wore a nervous smile. She had very short black hair that was a bit unkempt, adding to her nervous manner.

"Miss Maeda is my assistant," explained Dr. Tanaka as she sat down at her desk. She gestured for the others to do take a seat as well. Rika's grandmother and Rumiko sat in front of the desk, and Isako took a seat at Dr. Tanaka's side. "She is also an intern and has been helping me here for several months. She was present when we were giving your daughter Rika's diagnosis and later found out something you might find interesting."

Both the woman before her remained silent, but their eyes showed anticipation for the news. At her side, Isako was tapping her fingers together nervously. Outside the office window, the sun was slowly starting to sink behind the tall buildings.

"This morning, Miss Maeda took it upon herself to test a blood sample that she accumulated from a visitor." As Dr. Tanaka spoke, her voice became increasingly firm and Isako lowered her eyes. "Though it was not exactly acceptable protocol," Dr. Tanaka stated, pausing to glance at Isako from the corner of her eye with a stern expression. Isako quickly caught the doctor's gaze and nodded nervously, after which the doctor continued. "It still did turn up something rather surprising."

Dr. Tanaka leaned onto the desk and looked directly at Rumiko. "Strictly by chance, the blood sample turned out to be type A2, the same type and gene are your daughter."

Rumiko's eyes widened in shock at the doctor's words. She spun to face her mother, who had the same expression as Rumiko herself. "What?" Rumiko asked as she spun back to face Dr. Tanaka, her voice filled with an excited astonishment. "Who?"

Ryo lay in bed that night, starring at the darkened ceiling. The only light in the room came from his window, where the streetlights shown into his room. It gently played orange light across the walls and the foot of his bed.

As Ryo lay in silence, he tried to recall the day's events correctly. The doctors had told Rumiko that she didn't have the same gene as Rika, nor did her grandmother. The blood type Rika had must have been a recessive trait, or belong to her father. Everything after that was a blur to him. Basically, the doctors had just sugarcoated the fact that Rika was probably going to die. He squinted, tears blurring his vision. However, the look on his face remained apathetic as he wondered why fate was so cruel.

From somewhere beyond his door he heard the phone ring, but he did not move. Even though he knew his father was not awake and would not be able pick it up, he just continued to stare at the ceiling as it rang two more times and transferred to the answering machine.

"I am calling for the guardians of Akiyama Ryo," a voice spoke, the machine recording it. Ryo turned his head toward the door, having recognized the voice to be that of Dr. Tanaka. Why would she be calling him?

"It is regarding Ryo's friend, Nonaka Rika."

Well, that's chapter six. Sorry to keep you waiting for so long. Also, I'm sorry if any of you find this predictable. The gears in my head were already turning with this in mind, and it was too late to turn back. ; I hope you guys like it anyway.

Also, much like last time, I have another name question. What is Rika's grandma's name? It's just kind of weird writing "Rika's grandmother and Rumiko."

Oh, and for those of you that don't know, "konbanwa" means "good evening".