A/n: well, I think this chap's going to be long…..a bit of a twist at the end…..
Disclaimer: I don't own Yugioh™
Key: "talking"
thoughts, emphasis
Chapter Twelve: The Heart Always Tells All
Kaiba stared down at the sleeping girl, watching, waiting for an answer. "Hello, Mokuba," he said, tonelessly, without looking over.
Slowly, Mokuba lifted his hand from his brother's shoulder, his eyes huge and sad. "W-w-what's wrong with Tea, big bro?" he asked sadly, little fingers fiddling with one of the tubes that ran down one arm. When Kaiba didn't answer and just kept staring down at her, he picked up the strewn papers of her status report and found out for himself. "Just like us……?"
"Looks like it," said Kaiba heavily, and rubbing his face to shake the sleep out. He was still holding her hand, feeling the soft skin under his thumb and forefinger, the delicacy of her bone structure. Even though there was tubes coming from her mouth and nose, an oxygen mask, and a big green bruise covering half her face, she still looked lovely and peaceful, like she were just sleeping. Only she might never wake up……and it was all his fault. No doubt she had been hit when she had run, highly distraught after he'd accused her of lying, straight into the path of a hit-and-run driver. The guy hadn't been caught yet, but Kaiba had a good idea of who he was. Or, more specifically, by whom he had been hired.
He looked down at the long dark lashes curling over the one porcelain cheek, and was reminded of that time in the nurse's office, where he'd found her sleeping like angel, a perfect paragon of Sleeping Beauty. He decided he rather liked watching her when she slept, for she wasn't screaming at him. Whether it was in his arms in the hospital that night, or in a simple cot at the high school, when he had checked to see how she was, and she had murmured his name and grabbed and kissed him, and he'd known it was he in her dreams, then…..
Are you dreaming of me now, my love? Please…..wake up…..say my name, again…..say anything......
&&&&&&&&& Meanwhile &&&&&&&&&
Tea woke up, suddenly, in a boundless meadow, bright green grass and even brighter sunlight danced together, bright blue butterflies and sparkly brooks babbled by, looking cool and inviting. Wow, she thought. I feel like Eve in the Garden of Eden….As she walked across, the sunlight lashing against her legs, she wondered why she felt so…..empty. Surely, in a place as lovely as this meadow, she should feel nothing but joy and gladness, but…..none came.
I'm lonely……..
Ahead, she saw a pair of kissing deer in the shade, their outlines clearly visible against the bright sun. A big buck stallion and a doe, nuzzling each other lovingly. Tea smiled slightly at the pair, they looked so cute. But they seemed…..familiar, somehow……especially since they looked as if they were really ….. What kinda dream is this, she wondered. Making out deer? She turned away, her cheeks warmed ........by the sun.
She knew it was a dream because although she did feel empty because of something she couldn't remember, it was a kind of numb sort of pain. The numbness just sort of stuck in her throat, like when you eat something too fast and choke. I am sad. Her bare feet moved through the water with ease. The sun shone brightly, hurting her eyes. A lone figure stood on a gently sloping hill.
Tall, the figure was. A boy. Unlike all the brightness around, he was only a shadow; faceless. Tea felt afraid for the first time, in her life. Of whatever IT was. But it was only a boy……wasn't it? Seems so familiar….it hurt to think back.
Who is he? Who is that boy?
&&&&&&&&&&&&& Meanwhile &&&&&&&&
"Brother……I think her parents are gonna coming back."
Kaiba hadn't realized he'd almost nodded off, until he almost fell over getting up; he was so sleepy. Mokuba came over to help, looking concerned, and he smiled weakly iin reassurance. It's best if I go….but I'll be back……I can't explain to her parents who I am. Rubbing his other hand hard over his face to wake up, he squeezed her hand slightly, and let his tight grip relax.
I'll be back…..He took one last look as he left, over the shoulder of his white coat. Somehow, he was reluctant to leave. Suppose she should ……pass away into the night? And just after he finally found love……that's it; I must be cursed.
His footsteps, instead of a sharp click, shuffled around, mumbling on the tile-wood. It was so unfair. I shouldn't have to pay for this….why me? I do the best I can, really…..I try. I know I'm hard and cynical, but that's the way life made me…what else can I do?
………………….Change…...............
He scowled. Why should I have to be the one to 'change'; I don't change for nobody ---! But then, he made a vow. If Tea should survive this, then….I will change. Be more understanding. More open. Tolerate and accept people for who they are. Help out charity. Heck, anything, just let her make it through….
Her fingers fluttered, suddenly, a little, just a flick. For a moment, he stared up at the heavens annoyed, and then, right back at her, hopefully. Was she about to come to?
"Mokuba….get a nurse!" he ordered, and as the little boy scampered off, he stared down at her, wishing he had some sort of present or gift. He had stayed with her since he'd found out about the accident, and he didn't want to miss it when she came to. I want her to see me first…..
…..to know how sorry I am, for everything.
Mokuba returned with a snowy haired doctor, who checked her statistics. "Well, I don't know how, but she's coming to!," he said scratching his head in total puzzlement, bewildered. "And her parents just left to get something to eat……..I'll page them." He checked Tea's eyelids, trying to get the pupils to contract, and when they did, he smiled and promised, "Hey, little girl! (He was really old doctor) You're going to be just fine." But it wasn't true. She had along way to go, with multiple injures, a crushed spleen, cracked ribs, shattered right leg, Kaiba knew at all from her chart. The car had hit her so hard she had been found eight feet away from the site.
The vision of the white-coated doctor swam, as Tea groggily tried to sit up, wincing and struggling. What's this thing on my face? She pulled off the oxygen mask. What happened? She couldn't remember a thing. "Water...." she croaked, her throat dry as a desert. "I need water....."
Mokuba's little face split into a wide beam. "Tea! You're all right! We were so worried!" Not taking heed of the multitude of criss-crossing IV, he reached out and hugged her around the waist, hard on her already cracked ribs. "We thought you'd died!"
Kaiba watched as she did even flinch, though. Tea barely felt it. Died?! She thought with panic, looking down at the hard white cast and the needles in her arm. I almost died. Another white coated vision swam before her, doubling in her vision….no white coated two figures, one tall white and one small dark. Doctors? How did I get in the hospital?! She began to panic, to hyperventilate, the heart monitor began to beep crazily.The tall white visions quickly took form, one was with a white vested coat with a dark turtleneck suit underneath. Straps on the arms that stuck out. Penetrating blue eyes that stared down at her intensely. She could only gape, totally blank.
"Tea…." Kaiba's deep voice cut through the silence as he handed her a glass of water to drink. "I….can't tell you how sorry I am." He took her fingers, which were ice cold and knelt so they were face level. Her eyes got even huger with shock. "It was my fault. I wanted to tell you that I loved you, but ---"
Tea's jaw dropped and she choked on the water she'd just been drinking. "W-w-w-w-w-w-wwait," she sputtered, taking her hand back. "Didn't you just say, what I THINK you said, didn't you ?!"
He stared up at her, then realized that she must be still mad, still angry about the way he'd yelled at her. "Yes. I said, I love you. And I'm not afraid to admit it anymore."
"What?!" She looked absolutely in disbelief, still not believing it. must be a trick….. "Ha. Ha." she said, voice cracking with sarcasm. "Niiiice joke. Not very funny, so it's your kind of humor. What'd you do, finally run me down with your big fancy limo and this is your way of me not pressing charges?!" She took a long, grateful gulp of water from the pitcher nearby, not bothering with the glass, her hand shaking in fear. What was going on?
Mokuba was watching this confrontation back and forth, before piping up. "It's true, Tea! You and big brother are in love!" he said earnestly, as Tea spluttered and choked again at the words. "And we didn't--we didn't run you over with a limo! Honest! "
"That's enough, Mokuba." Kaiba's voice cut through, icy and stone-cold. She's faking. This is just her way of getting me back for accusing her. Hurt and angry, he retreated. Fine, then. "Let's go!"
"But--!" Mokuba quickly turned back to Tea, eyes pleading. "Tea, you must remember! Remember when you were that volunteer nurse an' you took care of me and big brother? We were in a car crash, too, remember?!"
Volunteer? "You….were…..in a car crash…?" Tea muttered underneath her breath, holding here head as if it hurt. "But you're all better?!"
"Yeah, I'm ok. Now. Thanks to you. So's big brother….remember? I had amnesia, but you helped me to remember, remember?"
"Amnesia….." she closed her eyes tight. A mental block cleared her from remembering the last few weeks. "I'm sorry, Mokuba….." she said truthfully, apologetically. "I don't……remember." The sincerity of her voice could not be doubted.
The little boy's face fell. "Tell me more later," Tea said, noticing the giant cast on her leg and forcing a smile. "I think I'd like to rest now."
There was a pause, then Mokuba nodded slowly, and got off with a wave, skipping out the door, slamming it shut. When he was gone, Tea gasped, her hands cradling her right leg, in horror. It was obvious it was broken, probably in many places, the cast as two inches thick. "H-how….am I suppose to dance ever again?" she whispered to herself aloud, seeing her bare toes peep out on the other end. Even there, the skin was covered in a deep purplish bruise.
All my dreams….her soft sobs filled the apparently empty room. A nudge at her shoulder made her look up.
"What are you still doing here?!" It was obvious she was embarrassed about being seen. Especially by him. She glared up at him, turning away as much as possible.
Even in her condition, she's still ragging on me. "Are you going to take the handkerchief or not? It can go back into my pocket, then."
"I won't press charges, or anything! What are you doing here?! Answer me!!"
He sighed. "You know, you are a most irritating girl."
After she'd used it, she threw back the handkerchief at him. "Irritating, am I?! Get out! It's nothing you would understand. It's about dedication and commitment to something you love to do. …." She was crying, hysterically, now; not being able to take her eyes off the sight of her mangled leg for a second. "And…I don't believe that bull you said earlier…..it's impossible!"
"......Is it."
It was a statement instead of question. "Yes! If you were to tell the truth, for once,"she said fiercely, her eyes shimmering like two pools of lake water. "you would say we are not in love. It's impossible."
IT was the big moment. He believed she really didn't remember; she was clearly upset. If she did, then she would be horrified. I could just go, and leave and never come back. No one would know. And she is just stubborn enough to never find me even if she did remember. Crouching down to eye level again, he looked up at her thin, worn, pale form. Her stick-straight hair was every which way, unlike the way it was usually combed down neatly to her shoulders. Now, it didn't even reach past them. Dark circles wrapped around each eye. Still, the same, strong, obvious determination was still glittering in her eyes.
And......he didn't go.
His grin widened. "It's true." Apparently, he liked taking pleasure in her distress.
"Y-you lie," The accusation faltered a bit because Tea suddenly felt her heart skip a beat, as he continued to smile. He was grinning at her now, at how more and more agitated she was becoming, at how a bead of sweat dripped down to her lip. "Y-you're lying, you have some other motive! Tell me it and what are you smiling about?!" She finished with in a burst of outrage. "It's not funny!"
"Okay." The smile disappeared. I give up; I don't know what else that would convince her. He turned and started walking out the door, swishing his coat behind him.
"'Okay?'" Tea repeated softly to herself, noticing a change right away. Kaiba never did anything she said with just an 'okay.' It was always, 'Don't boss me around, Gardner,' or 'Mind your own business, Gardner.' For him to say, 'Okay', something was wrong with him......
Could it be? Could I really be......She stared at her bare toes that peeped out of the cast. "Wait, Kaiba."
He stopped at the doorway, but didn't turn around to face her. He saw in the distance, her parents running over to her room. "What?"
"Come here a sec." she said bossily, waving her hand while still staring at her foot. He did, wondering what was she up to now. Tea closed her eyes when he was by the bedside and put the hand that wasn't covered in wires over her chest, swallowing nervously. He crossed his arms and stared down, not knowing what she was doing and not asking, but getting the gist.
Ba-bump-ba-bump.......went into the silence, loud and clear.
"Now....go off," she whispered, waving to the general direction of the corner. Already, before she finished her command, he had done so.
Ba.....bump.......ba......bump.......
Her eyes flicked open, set wide. "It's......true.......oh, my, god." she whispered, her dry lips barely moving. Her hospital gown clad shoulders slumped and she pounded her fists, making the cloudy tubes dance in the air.
"Noooooo!" she moaned.
Her parents suddenly rushed in to see what she was yelling about.
He sighed in his corner with his arms crossed. I'll say what she really means to say........ "Yes, and I love you too, dear."
Right. Sure.
To Be Continued.
a/n: Ah, poor Tea. And poor Kaiba. He promised to change if she would be ok ! Yay. Anyway, Reviews always help. So R&R, please !
