They were asleep. Well, most of them. The Niwas, for one, including Daisuke. Towa had disappeared and Whizz had curled up at the end of Daisuke's bed. Who wasn't sleeping was Satoshi. He sat with his lover, watching every breath he took, eyes scanning over the battered form. All those injuries had been inflicted upon Krad's body – Satoshi's body not Daisuke. But he bore the marks. He had suffered the pain.

Satoshi ran a gentle hand over the unruly brown hair of his friend and partner. He had given up on searching for a reason why. He knew why and he knew that without the Rutile they would have lost.

He looked inward to where Krad resided and took in the silent form. Like he was hovering over Daisuke in this world, so was Krad hovering over Dark in the realm they shared. He hadn't moved there completely. Part of him was very much anchored in Satoshi's mind.

:How is he: Satoshi asked quietly.

There was a moment of silence. :Recovering now that he has returned to his host:

Dark would be whole again in no time. Daisuke would take longer. One rib was broken, two cracked. There were so many bruises all over his body as if he had played punching ball. Satoshi absent-mindedly stroked over his lover's hand. It was curiously unblemished and he enjoyed the sight and feel.

Krad looked at them, eyes holding a haunted expression, but it was quickly gone as Satoshi raised his eyes to meet the inhuman golden ones as they stood before each other in the mind realm.

:Krad: he asked, making it an open question, putting everything into it.

:He'll be fine. We will be fine: the demon added softly.

Yes, they would. They had survived.

Satoshi reached for his demon and Krad almost stepped away from the tender caress. Satoshi gave him a sad smile.

He remembered his harsh words. He remembered Krad's reaction. Yes, Hel had had to die. The Mugen Light had died a long time ago, had become something twisted beyond recognition, had formed Hel. She had been driven by instinct, by the pain of her existence, and she had hurt others in the process, even enjoying it. And without intending to, she had reunited Dark and Daisuke, and later Krad and Satoshi. In a way they owed her.

They had paid their debt by giving her death. The ultimate relief from her soul-searing pain.

She hadn't even had a soul in the end.

:Krad: he said softly, coaxing. :I'm not afraid of you. I know you had to do it:

Krad looked at him, clearly indecisive.

Satoshi came closer, touching the blond, angelic being, cupping the pale face. He met those inhuman eyes, feline and predatory, but also warm and gentle if he wanted to.

:I don't fear you, Krad: he insisted. :I understand your motivation. I understand your instincts:

:I killed her: Krad said tonelessly.

:And it was an act of mercy:

Golden eyes darkened and Satoshi tilted his head, the hand cupping Krad's face sliding down to rest on his chest.

:How can you so coldly accept that I killed another being: Krad asked.

:Because she was already dead when you took her life:

Krad grimaced at the words that made no real sense and still held so much truth.

:Hel was a product of tampering. She was no longer alive: Satoshi said softly. :She was a creation, cobbled together, mad with pain and hungry with need. She was driven by instinct and her soul... it had been destroyed a long, long time ago. What you did was mercy:

:I killed: Krad whispered again. :I killed her:

:But you are not her:

That had him narrow his eyes, head snapping up. :How do you know: he demanded. :I... killed. Not just this time. Before...:

:You are not her: Hikari repeated firmly. :You never were and you never will be. Because I'm here:

:Sato...:

:You are mine. Never forget that. I won't let it happen:

Ice blue eyes met golden ones and suddenly Krad's features smoothed out a little.

:Thank you: he finally replied softly.

Satoshi smiled and enveloped him in a soul-deep hug that Krad was only too glad to answer. His host pulled back after a moment, back to his lover, back to the person who needed him and who he needed at the moment. Krad did the same, keeping an eye on Satoshi but most of his concentration was focused on Dark.

Satoshi fell asleep an hour later, curled up beside Daisuke.

° ° °

Daisuke looked at the light in his mind. It was so small, so fragile looking, so... vulnerable. Curled in on himself, Dark was still trembling with the effects Hel's abuse and torture had had on his soul, and there was no relief in sight. This had been worse than the day they had found each other again. A lot worse. Daisuke still remembered seeing his friend so badly injured, laying on the ground of the strange realm, pleading with him to go, not to fall into the trap.

'It was a trap, but it was also something that brought us together again,' Daisuke thought with a dim smile. 'I needed you back, Dark. We're one. We belong together.'

Moving closer to the representation of the kaitou inside him, he noticed how the light shifted into a human form. Dark's form. Still curled up, eyes closed, tousled black hair falling into his face. Daisuke kneeled next to the other man, reaching out.

"Dark," he whispered.

He touched one shoulder.

Violet eyes opened and he was drawn into their depth, wanting to soothe the pain, take it away, be there for Dark as Dark had been there for him in the past.

"Daisuke," came the answering whisper, and before Daisuke cold react, Dark was in his arms, clinging to him like a child.

He held him, cradled him close. He felt the tremors and the memories of the abuse. He listened to the echoes of it all and he never stopped caressing him. There was so much, so deep, and Daisuke knew there was a lot more down there in the depth of Dark's mind, things the kaitou was not yet able to tell him.

Enveloping Dark with everything he had, pulling him deep into the safety of his very soul, he rested his chin on the dark head, closed his eyes, and let himself fall.

He should have been stronger, part of him argued. He should have been able to keep Hel from separating them.

"No one is that strong," Dark whispered.

"I should have."

"No one," the kaitou insisted.

"I'm your host, Dark," Daisuke murmured. "I should have been able to do something."

Hands glided over his ribcage in an almost apologetic fashion. "You did," Dark told him, the violet eyes opening, reflecting so much. "More than you should have. You risked your life."

"So did Krad and Satoshi."

Dark rested his head against him again, nodding. "Thank you."

"I won't let go of you again," Daisuke said calmly. "Never. You're mine."

Dark relaxed more into the hold of his Tamer, his host, his partner and friend. He smiled a little more.

"You don't know what that means to me, Dai."

"I think I do."

And Daisuke did. He felt the same.

They sat in silence, in comfort, Daisuke still stroking over Dark's back and head. The kaitou sighed and buried closer, the two of them as entwined as lovers but more than that.

In the real world, Daisuke was sleeping peacefully, with Dark healing inside him, as Satoshi took care of matters and Krad recovered in his own, particular way.

tbc...