Here I am again, gushing about how awesome you guys are! ^_^ Thanks for all the great comments. I was surprised to find out that not as many people hate Caleb as I thought! Some like him, but most are neutral. ^^ I'm really sorry this chapter took so long to get out, I just couldn't get myself to write it. And even now, I'm not too happy with it. ; Enjoy.
Chapter Fifteen
* * * * *
People were bustling all around the police station, even this early in the morning, but to Tyson, the world didn't exist. He didn't see the lines; he didn't see the woman screaming about her lost child in the corner; he didn't see any of it.
"Nothing… at all?" he asked in disbelief, trying his hardest to keep his voice from shaking. The officer shook his head.
"We're still on the case. We have some of our best men working on this. It's only a matter of time."
"It's been a—"
"Thank you, officer, we'll be going now," Kenny cut in quickly, dragging Tyson out of the station. They left the stuffy building and entered the bright morning sunshine. Birds were busy chirping in the trees, and the morning rush to work was getting underway. Tyson and Kenny walked a few steps before Tyson stopped.
"It's been a Goddamned week!" Tyson yelled in frustration. A few heads turned momentarily at his outburst. Kenny sighed.
"I know."
"They say the same thing everyday! I'm tired of hearing the excuses."
"What else can we do?" Kenny asked shrilly. "Nothing! We've got nothing."
Tyson let out a tremendous sigh and looked up at the sky. The white clouds were rolling by lazily. He turned back to his friend.
"I'm gonna… go out for a while," Tyson said, his eyes distant. Kenny shrugged slightly, but his face reflected concern.
"Are you going to be okay?" he asked. Tyson nodded, then gave a bitter laugh.
"I've been fine all this time, haven't I?"
Kenny looked doubtful, but gave his consent, anyway. "Fine. I'll see you later."
"Mm. See ya."
Kenny left, and Tyson headed down the street, toward the park. For the past week, he had spent a good amount of time at Rei's house, since, for some reason, Tala's letters were left there. They had all given up on trying to catch the deliverer. Tyson had spent the least time at his own dorm room; he stopped by only to shower and change clothes. He had made it a habit to sleep in Kai's bed. He felt closer to his lover, whom he missed terribly, when he did so. His mind was an ocean of worry for Kai, since Tala's letters stated that, as the days went by, his condition worsened.
Tyson slipped through the gate that was adorned with flowers and entered the park. It was quiet and the people were scattered sparsely at this hour. An old man sat on a bench reading the paper, and a young couple was sitting at the fountain, cuddling and talking in low voices. Tyson felt a tug in his heart, and he turned away and sought the shelter of a large dogwood tree. He sat down on the ground underneath it, crossing his legs and leaning his back against the strong tree trunk. With a sigh, he closed his eyes briefly, his thoughts wandering back to the person whom he loved. After a moment, he shifted his position in the grass and reached into his pocket, pulling out Tala's latest letter.
Tyson,
This sucks, it really does. This is like watching Ian and Spencer die all over again. No, Kai's not dead, but he isn't getting any better. I swear, he is the most stubborn jackass ever to walk the face of the earth. He knows that he's sick, and he's known for about three days now, but he only told me last fucking night. Actually, he didn't even come out and tell me, I practically had to break down his bathroom door to find out. It was awful; there was blood all over the place, and Kai looked like he was about to die right then. He was so pale and when I touched him, he was so weak. I wanted to take him to the infirmary, but he wouldn't go. I stayed with him for a while until he fell asleep, and then I went to bed.
I don't know what to do anymore. This is probably a big kick in the teeth for you, but you have to face it. Kai's very sick, and he's going to get a whole lot worse. I've seen this same thing happen to Ian and Spencer, and you know how that turned out. If anyone can overcome this, Kai can, but let me tell you, it doesn't look too promising, so I'd advise you not to get your hopes up. It's just a helluva lot harder that way.
-Tala
Tyson bit his lip as he reread the first paragraph. Tears glistened in his eyes, and he was constantly surprised at how much his arms literally ached to hold Kai again. He sniffed and folded the letter up, replacing it in his pocket. He ran his hand over his eyes and gazed up at the sky. The sunlight filtered through the leaves and beautiful white blossoms on the tree, casting dancing shadows and flickers of light across his still form. A gentle breeze wafted by, and a few stray petals fell from the tree and into his lap. Tyson picked one up and fingered the velvety surface absently. The delicate petal tore easily, and tiny bits of moisture rubbed against Tyson's tanned fingers. He flicked it aside with a heavy sigh. He knew that he would never—could never—accept the fact that Kai could die.
He couldn't imagine life without him. Hell, he couldn't even remember a time in his life when he could imagine life without Kai. When they had met, he never would have dreamed that things could have gotten so far between them. Kai had been cocky and arrogant, and had even had the gall to forcibly manhandle his own teammate in public. Tyson remembered the coldness he had shown to Carlos, and the icy exterior he had shown to him, even after he became their captain. He hadn't wanted anything to do with them.
Well, everyone has a breaking point, Tyson thought. He had always suspected that Kai was constantly stifling his human emotions and had deprived himself of any sort of pleasure. He had managed to uphold his cool demeanor for years, but Tyson guessed that the slow and painstakingly agonizing process of realization that he couldn't keep living life the way he was had began crumbling his walls down. Now that they were completely down, Tyson was beyond frustrated at the fact that they couldn't see each other.
He sighed again, and closed his eyes, his mind wandering far away.
"Kai… I miss you like fuck."
"Excuse me?"
Tyson's eyes flew open, and they met the gaze of a young woman standing in front of him, wearing a slightly puzzled expression. He straightened, embarrassed.
"Uh, sorry, I was just, ah, talking to myself," he stammered. Her dark eyes softened knowingly, and her perfect lips curved into a teasing smile.
"Ah. I heard you say fuck, and I thought you took me for some kind of whore."
Tyson laughed and stood up. "Sorry about that. I guess I should watch my language, eh?" He held out his hand. "The name's Tyson."
Her arched eyebrows rose slightly in surprise, but Tyson didn't notice. She shook his hand. "Jazzlyn. Nice to meet you, Tyson."
So, this is Kai's boyfriend, she thought. Coincidental that we should meet like this. I see… he's hiding his pain quite well.
"So, uh, sorry to bother you." He flashed her a boyish grin.
"No problem," she said, returning his smile with one of her own before sauntering away. Tyson absently watched her go before slumping down against the tree again, dropping his head in his arms. He wanted to kick and scream and throw a wild fit, but instead, he resigned himself to his own painful thoughts. He quietly hummed a low, haunting tune to himself. Before long, he fell silent, immersed in his fantasies that Kai could be right beside him, telling him how stupid he was. He didn't care what Kai would say, just as long as he was here.
* * * * *
Kai stumbled out of the lab as the door slid shut behind him. Tala was at his right side, and Sam was nearby, his ever-watchful eyes missing nothing. Kai lifted his own gray orbs and gazed down the dark corridor. It seemed to stretch on for miles, a never-ending shadowy abyss.
Kai felt sick, and he was sure he was doing a horrific job of hiding it. He had stopped denying the fact that he could indeed be deathly ill, as Tala so put it. Barely able to put one foot in front of the other, he proceeded to make his way to his room.
"Kai, you're not okay," Tala stated, not even bothering to ask him how he felt. Sam followed silently behind, listening to the conversation. Kai blew out his breath and tried to clear his head.
"Well, what am I supposed to say to that?" he muttered. Tala looked away, not answering.
He ached all over, and lived in a state of constant dizziness. He slept lightly and fitfully, and ate sporadically. His mind was hazy, his body hot and cold at the same time. His stomach always felt as if it were about to empty its contents and then some. There was never a time when he wasn't tired.
Kai suddenly felt as if he couldn't take another step, and stopped. Sam, who had been walking absently, had to halt abruptly in order to not crash into him. Tala looked over at him, sick with worry himself. He had been on the edge of his nerves lately, and at the slightest thing, he felt he would simply snap and go on a homicidal spree.
Kai brought up a shaky hand and gently pushed his bangs out of his eyes, only to have them fall right back. He leaned against the wall, and a shudder ran through his body. His lips were parted slightly, and he found himself panting from exertion.
"Kai?" Tala asked.
He let out a groan as a fierce pain blinded him. He shut his eyes tightly and fell to his knees. Sam and Tala were both beside him at once, and Kai gritted his teeth together, clutching his head in pain.
"Your head hurts? Not your stomach?" Tala asked frantically. Kai shook his head vigorously, his entire frame trembling. His hands fell away from his head, and Sam took him by the shoulders.
"Kai, what hurts? Tell me what's wrong," he said gently, but firmly. Kai didn't answer, immersed in his own pain.
"Kai!" Tala yelled. "Say something, dammit!"
"It… hurts! God!"
Tala looked Sam in the eye. "Take him to the infirmary. We should've taken him there when this first started."
"No, wait!" Kai struggled to look up and Sam straightened.
"For what, Kai? For you to fucking fall over and die? Will you be happy then?" Tala spat, his voice rising. Sam silenced him with a sharp glare and turned back to Kai.
"What's wrong?" he asked. "I think you should go to the infirmary."
"I don't want to…" Kai said in a pained voice.
"Why the hell not?" Tala broke in.
Kai shook his head. "Tala, go away. I don't want to talk in front of you."
Tala paused. "Why the hell not?" he repeated.
"Maybe it's because you've done nothing but bitch and moan at the poor kid. Maybe it's because you're practically screaming out how annoying he is. Maybe it's because you're giving him the impression of an insensitive, overly noisy jerk," Sam suggested.
"Stop fighting," Kai implored. The pain was slowly vanishing, like it always did, except now it was becoming more frequent. "I didn't mean it like that, it's just that I know Tala'll say that my reason is stupid."
Tala was quiet for a moment. "Why would you say that?"
"Because criticism is all I ever fucking get out of you."
Sam shifted slightly and released Kai. He could feel the tension in the air, and he stayed quiet.
"I didn't know… I made you feel like that," Tala said hesitantly. Kai bit his lip with a slight shrug.
"It wasn't as bad as I made it sound. It's just… everything, you know?" he said softly. "I miss… my life."
"I know what you mean. Kai, as much as I may not show it at times, I really think you should go the infirmary. I'm scared… for you. You could die."
Kai sighed. "I don't want to go."
"Why?" Sam asked.
"I-I feel like if I go… I'll never make it out."
The realization almost made Tala cry. He shook his head slowly, and no one spoke for a moment.
"Let's go back to your room," Sam said, helping Kai to his feet. As a supportive gesture, he put an arm around Kai's shoulders loosely. Kai didn't so much as spare him a glance. When they reached his door, Tala slipped inside first and held the door open for Kai and Sam. Kai looked up.
"Where are they keeping Wyatt?" he asked. Tala averted his gaze.
"I'm not-"
"He's not at liberty to give away that kind of information," Sam cut in.
"Oh, for fuck's sake, like I can do anything even remotely harmful," Kai muttered. Tala arched a brow at him.
Kai sat down on his bed with a distant look in his eyes. He scanned his dresser aimlessly, taking in the scattered objects. With a light sigh, he turned his gaze to the window. Sam and Tala recognized this as Kai's way of saying get-the-hell-out. Sam turned and went out of the door, taking his post once again.
"Kai?" Tala asked persistently. Kai didn't answer, but Tala knew he was listening. "Well, I just wanted to ask you…" His voice trailed off.
"Ask me what?" Kai asked irritably.
"Are you… afraid of death?" Tala watched as Kai's slender fingers tightened around part of the sheet on his bed. A moment passed without a sound.
"I don't know," Kai admitted. "From what you keep saying, my death sounds like it's going to be quite painful, so, yeah, I guess you could say I'm a little scared of death. Well, not so much as death as the actual pain of dying."
"What about Tyson?" Tala blurted out. Kai looked up, startled.
"Tyson?"
"Yeah. Aren't you guys in love?"
Kai looked back down and felt hot tears prickling at the corners of his eyes. In all seriousness, he had almost completely given up hope on ever seeing Tyson again. Their newly born love had been passionate and sweet, but for Kai, it was all over. He had never been able to see the light at the end of the tunnel, and his hope hadn't lasted forever. But one thing he couldn't deny was that he still loved Tyson more than anything.
Tala shifted, seeing as he had brought forth a touchy subject. He was about to apologize, excuse himself, and make a hasty exit when Kai spoke up.
"We are. In love, I mean." He looked back at the window with a bitter smile on his lips. "But why does that matter now?"
"Why wouldn't it matter?" Tala asked, slightly surprised.
"It doesn't. It's not like I can see him, again. Why put myself through even more torture?"
Tala didn't have a response, and kept silent. Kai looked down and absently flicked his tongue along his teeth. He didn't want to think about Tyson. It was too painful. He could still remember Tyson's warm embrace, the soft touch of his lips, and the gentle words he always offered. Kai felt himself begin to choke up, and bit his lip. Tala looked on uncomfortably, his brows knitted together in worry.
"I'm sorry, Kai," he said softly. Kai brought his hand up to his mouth and turned away from Tala.
"It's okay," he said, shaking his head. Tala turned to the door, giving him some privacy.
He found Sam outside, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed. Tala gently shut Kai's door and let out a heavy sigh. Sam gave him a glance.
"Tired much?" he asked.
"No. Well, yeah, but… whatever. This sucks."
"That it does, kiddo, that it does."
Tala was quiet before speaking. "Why are we here?" he asked suddenly.
"What?"
"Why are we here? Seriously. No one wants to be here; it's practically a graveyard. At least for me."
"Hey, Tala… you never really had much of a problem before, or if you did, you never showed it. I've noticed that you've been really… stressed lately. And a lot of talk about death seems to be the meat of your speech these days."
Tala shook his head. "I don't know what's wrong with me. I think I upset Kai in there," Tala said, changing the subject.
Sam gave him a disbelieving look, but pressed no more on the issue. "He's always upset with you."
Tala fidgeted with his hands for a moment, and was about to turn to leave when a bloodcurdling scream from Kai's room raised the hair on the back of his neck. Tala jumped.
"Jesus Christ!" Sam yelled, stumbling through Kai's door with Tala at his heels. Tala was preparing himself for a horrific sight, but was greeted by what looked to be nothing so serious as before. There was no blood; he took that as a good sign. Kai was lying on his bed and appeared to be in pain.
"What's wrong?" Sam asked, who was at Kai's bedside. Kai's hands were clutching his stomach, and he screamed again.
"I can't take it anymore! Just fucking kill me now!" he pleaded.
"That's it, kiddo, you're going to the infirmary," Sam said briskly. Kai's eyes widened in fear.
"No!"
Tala came forward, and Sam was struggling to hold Kai's arms down. Sam asked him for help, and Tala leaned forward, pinning Kai's wrists to the bed. Kai kicked and cursed at Sam, tears welling up in his eyes. He cried out in pain again, shutting his eyes tightly as his tears spilled down onto the pillow.
"Let him go," Sam said, and Tala released his hold on him. Kai curled up into the fetal position, his body trembling. Tala's heart leaped into his throat.
"Get a doctor down here. Now," Sam snapped. Tala ran out the door. Sam leaned over Kai and brushed his bangs out of his face.
"Kai? Listen to me. Tala went to go get a doctor, and you're going to the medical wing. Just hang in there," he said. He sighed when the only response he got were the muffled sobs of the younger boy.
The door burst open again, and a doctor came in, followed by two assistants pushing a stretcher. Sam backed away from the bed.
"Boris's latest experiment. He's all yours."
Tala came in and skirted around the stretcher. Kai moaned when they transferred him onto it, but he had given up the fight. The doctor barked orders to his assistants, and they left with Kai. Tala watched it all, and felt something break inside of him.
"Fucking hell!" Tala yelled, slamming his fist against the wall. "It's not fucking fair!"
"Tala, shut up, I'm not in the mood." Sam sank down on the bed and rubbed his eyes.
"Don't tell me to shut up!"
"Get a hold of yourself."
"Get a hold of myself? You're asking me to get a hold of myself? Don't you think I've fucking earned the right to go a little crazy?! I watched Ian die, I watched Spencer die, I tripped over Bryan's fucking dead body—it's enough to make someone bloody insane! I keep it all bottled up inside all the damn time. Well, it's all coming out now, and it feels so damn good! So, you can just shut the fuck up, Sam!"
Sam pushed himself off the bed, and ran a hand through his hair. "Go ahead, Tala. If you need someone to bitch at, why not just bitch at me?"
Tala was about to yell again, when he stopped short. "What?"
"You heard me."
"You want me to bitch at you?"
"Sure, why not? Your life sucks, so just take it out on me. All I'm trying to do is help people, but apparently, most of us are beyond help."
"What are you talking about?" Tala demanded.
"Does it even matter? No one listens, anyway!" Sam left the room. Tala stared for a moment before running after him.
"Wait!"
Sam stopped and turned. His eyes looked dark, and he didn't meet Tala's gaze. Tala stopped a few feet away from him, suddenly not sure of what to say.
"Sam…?"
"I'm sorry, Tala. You're right. You have earned the right to go a little crazy, what with all you've gone through. I should've been more understanding, and I apologize," Sam said.
Tala was taken back by Sam's apology. "I… o-okay."
"Just remember that if you ever need someone to listen, I'll be here." Sam's voice was soft and slightly weary sounding. Tala nodded, and watched him go with confusion building in his chest.
"What the fuck was that?" he muttered, turning away and heading in the general direction of the infirmary. A second thought struck him, and he remembered Kai's friend, Wyatt. He changed his course and went down the hall to the place they were holding him. It was the least he could do to at least inform the poor kid on what was going on. He wanted to see Kai right away, but he knew that he would have to wait a while before they allowed him visitors. He shuddered at the remembrance of Kai's reasoning as to why he didn't want to be admitted to the infirmary.
And then he hoped to God that Kai wasn't right about it.
* * *
TBC
* * *
*chokes and dies* Wow, that was horrible. I have no idea what I'm doing with Sam and Tala… seriously. I wasn't planning for their conversation to be that way, but that's the way it came out. Hopefully, I can make the next chapter better. So… Wyatt should be back after his little… leave of absence… in this sorry excuse for a fic. :D Anywho, please leave me a review and tell me what you think. Constructive criticism will be very much appreciated. Thanks for reading and see you soon!