Another chappie...

Chapter Eleven: Pain

Mid-March, U.C. 0070

A few weeks had passed, and Sakura's condition had rapidly deteriorated. She was so weak that she could barely get out of bed, none the less, walk around. Ghinius, of course, was an emotional wreak. He didn't sleep or eat much, and forgot to take his medication on many occasions. Norris could see that he too was getting weaker, and was very worried. What if his illness came back? What would they do?

But there was a much greater concern that encompassed all of Side 3, and that was the fear that war with the Earth was imminent. This had been on the minds of everyone since the Zabis had taken control of the Side. Ghinius and Norris supported the Zabis somewhat, since the Sakhalins had known them for quite a while. But this was the least of Ghinius's concerns, due to Sakura's illness. At this point, he really didn't care what happened, just as long as she would be fine. So, on this Saturday morning, he was trying to get some much-needed rest, when he heard someone running into his room. He barely had time to realize who it was, until that someone hopped up onto his bed and started to shake him violently.

"Ghinius get Uuuuuuuup," Ayna chimed as she tried to awaken her brother.

"Ayna, stop that, and why do I have to get up?" The half-asleep blond replied.

"Cause' Garma's coming over,"

"So, why the hell do I have to get up just cause' Garma's coming over?"

"Because we want to buuuuuug you," She said as Ghinius groggily got out of bed. But much to Ayna's dismay, he just shoved her out the room, and locked the door behind him. He tried to go back to sleep, but he heard a car pull up a few minutes later. It was Garma.

The violet-haired came running up the stairs, and when he reached the top, Ayna quickly informed him of the situation. The two suddenly began to pound on Ghinius' door, hoping to get him out of bed. Ghinius couldn't take it anymore, and after a few seconds he opened the door, shouting "I'm up! Happy now!"

"Ooh, Ayna, we got him REAL mad this time," The purple-haired boy giggled.

"Don't even start little boy, I'm not in the mood. That goes for you too, Ayna," Ghinius threatened as he walked downstairs, still in his sleeping shorts and shirt. He went downstairs, took his medication, and headed back upstairs to get a shower and change. He was planning to visit Sakura later, so he had to be ready.

After his shower, Ghinius dressed in one of his everyday outfits, a white T-shirt with a long-sleeved, unbuttoned plaid flannel shirt over it, baggy jeans, and black converse high-tops. It certainly wasn't fancy, but it was comfortable, and that's what mattered most. He headed back downstairs, and was about to go out the door when Ayna yelled, "Where are you going?"

"It's none of your business, Ayna," He yelled back.

"Oooh, hear that, Garma,"

"Yup, he's probably gonna' go get laid somewhere," Garma sung.

"Shut up! And what is with you guy's fascination with getting laid, anyway?" He said, trying to leave as fast as he could.

"Cause' you're gonna' get some," Ayna squealed. Ayna and Garma then ran off, and Ghinius breathed a sigh of relief. Ayna could be a pest at times, but Ghinius still loved her. She was, after all, his only remaining blood relative.

But Ayna's pestering was negligible; he was more focused on walking to the hospital than anything else. He was quite anxious to see Sakura, whom he had not heard from in several days. They often wrote each other letters, and the last one that she sent was from a few days ago. Ghinius could see that her handwriting was getting sloppier, and that certainly wasn't good. She was losing her strength, something that he had known for weeks, but still didn't want to believe. Ghinius feared that her end might be near, but tried not to focus on that, and keep his thoughts in the present.

So, Ghinius made his way to the hospital, but first stopped by the local florist to buy some roses for Sakura. He would always get her things like that, and in return she would make him origami. It was the least he could do to cheer her up, for he knew all too well that hospitals could be quite dreary. She liked getting things like flowers to decorate her room with, and they were also something to get the sterile hospital smell out, too. Ghinius wished that he had someone who came with gifts during his time at the hospital, but that was around the time his father died, and everyone seemed to be more focused on that then anything else at the time.

Ghinius finally arrived at the hospital, and did the usual routine of checking in and walking to the pediatric ward. Meanwhile, Sakura was just sitting in her room, bored to death, until she sensed Ghinius' presence and perked up. Moments later, Ghinius entered the room with a bouquet of roses.

"Oh, hello Ghinius," She stated weakly. She was attached to various tubes and monitors, which further worried Ghinius.

"Hey," He said, trying to keep himself together, "brought you some roses,"

"Ghinius, they're beautiful! Thank you," She exclaimed as he put them in a nearby vase. He went over and hugged her, and then sat down in a chair next to her bed.

"So, what have you been up to?" He asked.

"Nothing really, since I can't get out of bed much. It gets quite boring, but I can always write you letters and make origami,"

"Yeah, I got your last letter a few days ago. I liked the origami flower you put in it, and I put it in a box so Ayna wouldn't mess with it,"

"That's good, by the way, what has Ayna been up to?"

"Being a pest, as usual," He sighed, "have your doctors said anything?"

"Well, they say my condition is worsening," She sighed, "but you already know that,"

"Let's just hope you get better, Sakura. I don't know what I'd do if I lost you," Ghinius said, taking on a more serious tone. Just the very thought of her dying made him feel like crying. He pulled the chair closer to Sakura's bed and started holding her hand.

"Don't worry, I'm not giving up hope anytime soon," She smiled. But this did little to comfort Ghinius, who was by now trying his hardest to hold back sobs. It broke his heart to see her hooked up to all these tubes and monitors, and he felt as though he couldn't contain his emotions any further. Sakura could sense this, and squeezed his hand to comfort him.

"Sakura,I...I," Ghinius said as tear ran down his cheek, "Sakura, what happens if you DO die, I don't think I could take it," Sakura pulled Ghinius closer to her body, running her finger through his hair. Ghinius was now sobbing, and Sakura was doing her best to console him.

"It's okay, it's okay," She murmured soothingly, "I'm here now, and that's all that matters,"

"But if you die, I won't have anyone left," Ghinius wept in her arms. Sakura was now feeling overcome by Ghinius' sadness and pain, and she too shed a tear.

"That's not true. You'll still have Ayna and Norris," She said, trying to control her emotions as well, "and try not to think about things like that, we don't know what's going to happen at this point,"

"You're right, but I can't help thinking about you dying," He cried.

The two held each other until they felt they gotten their emotions under control. After a few minutes, Ghinius had calmed down considerably. They resumed chatting about various things, but Ghinius tried not to think about Sakura's frail condition. They talked for what seemed like hours, neither one of them wanting the visit to end. But, like all things, it had to come to an end. Ghinius was supposed to be back in time for dinner, and Sakura had to eat, too.

At around five o' clock, Ghinius kissed her goodbye and headed back. The walk back was somewhat depressing, as usual. He arrived back feeling quite exhausted, for Sakura's ordeal was taking an immense physical and emotional toll on him. When he opened the front door, he was greeted by Norris, as well as Ayna's squeals in the background.

"Good evening, Sir," Norris stated.

"Hey Norris," He said weakly.

"Oooooooooooh, he's back, Garma!" Ayna hollered.

"Ayna, please, I'm not in the mood," Ghinius mumbled, heading up to his room.

"Sir, don't you want some dinner?" Norris questioned as Ghinius walked up the stairs.

"Nah, I'm not hungry," He said as he shut the door to his room.

"But Sir," Norris protested. He knew that Ghinius was losing his strength, and he despiratly wanted to help him. Norris cared deeply for Ghinius and Ayna, for he had single-handedly raised them for the past few years. He had been their guardian ever since their father died, and event that Ghinius still hadn't fully recovered from.

"Oooh, he's anorexic," Garma squealed.

"Oooooooh, yeah he is!" Ayna sang. She and Garma chimmed on about it until Norris told them to stop. A few minutes later, a car pulled up in the driveway, and a young girl with long, reddish-brown hair tied back in a ponytail stepped out.

"Garma!" She yelled, "we're here, so get your butt out!"

"Comin' Kish!" He yelled back.

"Garma, who's that?" Ayna asked.

"That's my sister, I gotta' go," He replied as he ran out the door. He ran up to the car and got in, just as Ayna appeared at the doorway.

"Bye Garma!" She yelled.

"Bye!" He yelled back as the car drove away. Ayna ran back in and ploped down in front of the T.V., oblivious to her brother's situation. Ghinius had since drifted to sleep out of pure exhaustion, as Norris soon discovered as he went to check on him.

"That's good Sir, get some rest," Norris thought as he watched Ghinius sleep for a second, before walking on...

Well, this chappie was kinnda' rushed too, but what can I say? I don't know, well, um yeah, just R&R!