A/N: Sorry for the wait everyone!! I haven't been able to go online for a long time, so I have to do a lot of catching up to do! Moving and all the computer mess ups sure get me mussed up Hope everyone enjoys this chapter... Now I'm off to do some reading! R&R pleases and thank yous!

----x

Unconsciously clutching the painting in his hands, his dream wouldn't leave his mind. What does it all mean? Why now? Unwillingly, he thought about the voice. Mother. Why did you leave me? Why did you have to go? It wouldn't leave him at peace. Even now, after so many years, the memory ate away at him. clawing, scratching, every painful part of the past, always lurking at the back of his mind. Being stoic wasn't easy. For every person who hides behind a mask, there is a reason.

It was cold. So very, very cold. He wrapped his fingers around his legs, rocking back and forth, back and forth. The darkness surrounded him, the loneliness a part of him. The screaming, yelling, insults, they all echoed in his mind. There was a crash, but he could not react to it. He was trapped. Trapped in his mind, hoping to take away the pain of hearing, of feeling.

He could easily perceive the sounds of shouting from downstairs.

"Its all your fault!" one voice screamed.

A deeper, rougher voice replied, "I hate you! Nothing has gone right because of you! YOU RUINED EVERYTHING!"

Love, it no longer existed, and he lived in a world of hate.

The screaming continued, the fights were longer, until finally, on that fateful day, there were no more arguments. There were no words, because there was no longer a person for his father to fight with. His mother was gone.

He finally got up to courage to as the question that was nagging away at his young mind. "Father, where is mother?" the tentative question came out from the mouth of the frightened boy.

"That does not concern you. She is not longer a part of your life. Do you understand me?" This was spoken angrily, forced, as if he didn't even want to mention her. But that was only because he didn't.

Tezuka was too scared to speak, to reply. All he could do was give a scared nod.

But that was not enough. His nod was only met with more yelling. His father was angry, very angry. "NEVER MENTION HER EVER AGAIN." With that, he slammed the door and left. Tezuka was once again left alone, apart. Where once was a happy, united family, there were now only broken pieces left.


Not once, after that day, would he give a genuine smile. He promised himself, never to show weakness, never to show want, because wanting was a weakness, and weaknesses lead to your end. He was no longer a child, but an adult. Not in body, but in mind. Because scars can last a lifetime.

----x

Random thoughts crossed through her mind. About her recovery, about the losses she had experienced, about her memories. Or rather, lack of them. T-teka. Tezaku. Ah! Tezuka. Yes, that's his name. I remember something! His face swirled into her thoughts, and her heart skipped a beat as she saw his handsome profile in her mind. She thought about him. In fact, all she did was think about him. Even without her memories, her knowledge of all that had happened so long ago, he was still important to her. In what way?

"In every way," her heart responded to her question.

She was taken out of her thoughts when there was a light knock on her door. Tezuka? But she was disappointed, as it was only the nurse and doctor.

The doctor saw the brief glimmer of disappointment when he and the nurse had come in, and wondered. Perhaps her memory has returned for her to have such strong feelings about a visitor. "Ah, Ryusaki-chan. How are you feeling?"

"I'm very good, thank you, Doctor. I was wondering. Do you have any idea when all my memory will return?"

"Ah, I was about to ask you about that. Have you regained some of it?"

"No, but... I have all these feelings inside of me, telling me... he-" Sakuno blushed as she abruptly cut off her sentence.

There was a sparkle in the doctor's eyes as he replied, "I see that there must be someone particularly special. Well, since you seem well enough, we're just here to do a final check-up before you leave tonight." Moments after the initial check-up was completed and the nurse administered the medicine, there was another knock on the door.

Sakuno, just about to lay down, said, "Oh. Who could that be? Ano. Come in."

As the young man walked into the room, the doctor, once again with the twinkle in his eye, said "Ah, Ryusaki-chan. I guess we'll be leaving then. Good night!" With that, the friendly doctor closed the door and left.

There was a moment of silence, and then both of them spoke at the same time.

"Hi."

"I-."

There was another moment of silence before Sakuno finally spoke. "Ne. Tezuka-kun? What were you going to say?" Evidently, after the amnesia had taken place, Sakuno was not as shy as she used to be. Tezuka, too, looked slightly shocked that she had spoken first, but covered it up very quickly. He could not hide a little bit of his excitement though, and Sakuno wondered what this stranger had to tell her.

"Ah. Have you regained some of your memory? Is that why you know my name?"

She looked apologetic, and it saddened him to see her like that. "Ano. I'm sorry, but it just came to me."

Again, there was silence. Tezuka searched his mind, trying to find a way to bring up the subject, but found that he couldn't. There were words, but they just didn't go together. He decided then, to just be straightforward, and risk it. There's no more time to waste. It's either now. or never.

He cleared his throat, and said, "Ah." He paused, suddenly realizing that he had never really talked to her before, and didn't know how to address her. I can't call her by her first name. that is too personal, and neither can I just call her Ryusaki, as that is how I call the others. After another bout of thinking, he said, "Ryusaki-chan." Again, he stopped. Sakuno was about to interrupt when he said, "I think I have a way to help you remember again."

Judging by the shocked look on her face, Tezuka could tell that Sakuno was having trouble trying to take it all in. Her face was like the changing frames in a video. One minute, she looked shocked, and then there was a blank quality to her features. Finally, she looked lost and a little fearful. Did I say something wrong? He carefully arranged his face back into his mask, not wanting to look like he cared. Then he wondered. Why not?

Today is a day of change.

----x

A/N: I'm planning on writing an angsty one-shot... If it's not really related to PoT, would anyone read it??