Well, here's the next chapter. Hope you all enjoy it. Here are all the replies to the reviews:

Kaei kon: -sighs- Well, I'm sorry to say Rei gets a lot of bad treatment in this chapter. I'm glad you're going to at least give it a try...I was surprised when I started writing the KaiLee bits, they actually make a kind of sweet couple...

Kari-Kari a.k.a Super Chicken Masta: I agree, chickens rock! But I'm afraid Kai and Rei don't get to stay together. I write a lot of KaiRei, so it's refreshing to write something a bit different every now and then. This story is going to end up a KaiLee. If you're looking for KaiRei fics, you could always check my profile. There are plenty there, but please, give Kai and Lee a chance before you dismiss them completely! They're cute together! Or...at least, I think so...

Skimmie: Um, well, there's not a lot of good up next! There's actually quite a lot of meanness and angst...but hey, what's the world without a little angst?

Kiko cat: I know, I know it's cruel, but there's a lot of cuteness to go with the angst in this chapter!

Endoh Chiaki: Yes. I'm afraid Rei is going to die. And they took Driger off him when they took all his other stuff, bless him…

Ellen: It's not terrible, I thought it was quite funny too, deranged little Rei ranting about the joys of homosexuality to his homophobic tribe…ah well. It's not like I'm any nicer to the poor little kitty in this chapter…

SaFire flamE: Poor, honourable Rei…who will quite soon be a poor, honourable -dead- Rei…

Lil-inu: Why? Because I needed a change from KaiRei, but I didn't want to break Rei's heart so I killed him off instead…I couldn't bear to write something where Kai cheats on his little Rei-Rei…well…I might, someday…but not right now. I love KaiRei too much for that!

Mourir: I think I just have a lot of examples around me of just how horrible people can be to gay people. One guy at my school came out and said he was gay and everyone hassled him SO much…and in my town, the word 'gay' classes as an insult. I honestly would love to see the faces of some of the people I know if they found out about the stuff I write… Ah, but Rei-Rei isn't dead yet, so I can give him more angst…hoho, angst!

Yumi-chan: Wow, I'm glad you like it so much! I'm a bit off with my posting at the minute, because I have a lot of GCSE exams to do, but I'll try and post as soon as I can!

MikeyWaysGirl: It seems odd, but some people really act like that around gay people…

Tenshi-Tara: Um…something like that. But, like in virtually all of my other stories, there'll be a hell of a lot of angst along the way...hope you're fond of inner turmoil…

Animeobsession: Wow, you're so nice! Your review just cheered me up so much- I've just had a history exam, and was horrified to find that my history teacher hadn't taught me half the things I needed to know! But your review made me feel better- at least one person still likes the things I write!

Rei woke again when it was light, and someone was tapping on the bars of his cage. "Rei?"

"Hn? Lee?"

"Rei...it-it's been a week..." A heavy knot of apprehension clenched inside Rei's stomach.

"Is it time?"

"They're waiting for you..."

Rei nodded and stood up as far as the cage would allow, stepping out into the sunlight as Lee opened the locked door of the cage. After a week of not really going anywhere, Rei's legs were weak and it was hard for him to move, so Lee had to help him. "Lee...remember what I said about being happy." He said quietly as they started to walk.

"Jesus, Rei...how can you be so calm about this?" Lee asked incredulously, tears spilling from the corners of his eyes.

"Because...I'm not afraid to die." As they turned a corner, Rei saw the silent crowd that had come to watch him, saw the ropes that they would tie him with, saw the knives, sharpened to deadly perfection, and the frame to which he would be tied until he died.

He walked forwards, slowly and surely, nose in the air. After about a minute, he was there, and then, without speaking, two of the taller men grabbed Rei and held him while others tied him up. They had obviously been expecting a struggle, but Rei simply closed his eyes. "I love him. Killing me isn't going to change that."

"Then you refuse to repent?"

"I have nothing to repent." Rei said defiantly. His arms had been lashed to the top corners of the square frame, and his legs were bound together, toes resting lightly on the floor. The elder glared into his eyes.

"Do you repent lying with another man?"

"No."

There was a sharp intake of breath from the crowd. "White Tigers, say your goodbyes to the heathen. It dies as soon as you have done so."

Rei closed his eyes. "I'm not a heathen." He whispered. "You're the heathen. I never did anything but bring pride to this village. I was worthy of Driger. I gave it life. I was stronger...than any of the others. I brought you pride, and all you bring me is death!"

"Rei..." Rei opened his eyes again to find Kevin looking up at him, confused. "Rei...why-?"

"I love Kai. I won't lie about it, and I won't hide from it. Never let it be said that I was ashamed of loving Kai Hiwatari! I love him, and I'll always love him, through life, through death, forever!" Rei yelled, rearing back his head and tugging on his bonds.

"I'll...miss you Rei..."

"Don't. I'll be watching over you." Kevin nodded and sniffed, and was replaced by Gary. Rei smiled up at him. "I hope when you're older you find a wife who'll cook for you all the time." Gary nodded, reached out and patted Rei's shoulder, then shuffled off to join Kevin at the side of the frame. Lee came forward next, the tears in his eyes finally spilling over as he embraced Rei as best he could while Rei was tied up.

"Rei..." He whispered. "After this...I won't stay here. I-I think I might be-"

"Lee, whatever you do from now on..." Rei said loudly, cutting off Lee's words in case someone overheard. "Be happy. Do anything you want to, but be happy. If you find a woman you love, marry her. And if you find a man you love..." Rei laughed bitterly. "Don't ever come home."

"Rei...I'll miss you."

"I'll miss you too. You've been like a brother to me..." Lee tightened his hug for a second then let go, looking over his shoulder at Mariah before going over to Gary and Kevin.

Rei could see the tears in Mariah's eyes, could see her bitten nails and her shaking hands. "Mariah..." Before he knew what had hit him, Mariah leapt at him, throwing her arms round his neck and bursting into tears.

"Rei I'm sorry! I'm sorry! I only told them because I thought they'd make you love me! I didn't mean for this to happen! I don't want you to die!"

"Mariah-"

"This is all my fault! I'm sorry Rei! I'm sorry!"

"Mariah!" Rei said sharply. Mariah fell silent and looked up at him, snivelling. "I don't blame you. I know how hard it is...when you love someone. It's okay. Don't grow up with guilt in your mind about this...but please don't ever be ashamed of loving me. If I wasn't gay...there wouldn't have been anyone else I wanted but you. You've always been there for me. I love you. Just...not in the way you want me to."

Mariah clung to him, sobbing, and Rei leaned forwards, kissing her on the forehead. "Is that all? Because I don't want to wait for too long. It's cold standing here in only my trousers..."

"No! I don't want to let you go! I don't want you to die!" Mariah shook her head, kissed him on the cheek, and held onto him even more tightly.

"Mariah, you have to let go."

"No! I won't! If I'm not finished saying goodbye then they can't kill you!" A pair of hands grabbed Mariah and yanked her away. It was Lee, tears still marking out a path down his face.

"Don't be stupid, Mariah! At least let him die with dignity! It's the least you can do, to be strong and watch without turning your face away!"

Rei bowed his head, closing his eyes again. "Thank you both." He heard footsteps clatter towards him, and the clash of metal on metal.

"For the last time, heathen, do you repent lying with another man? Do you repent saying that you love this Kai Hiwatari?"

"NO!" Rei screamed. "You'll never make me say I don't love him!"A crippling pain whirled across his stomach and he winced. "You'll never be able to stop me feeling the way I feel about him!" Another slice, and another, and another. Rei could hear his blood dripping onto the floor, could feel it slipping down his torso, soaking into his trousers. "I won't stop loving him! Not even if you shed every last drop of my blood!" He opened his eyes and looked down at the man holding the knife. It was Lee's father... Of course... The tribe's assassin...

"I love Kai Hiwatari! I will love him forever!"

The wizened elder stepped forwards. "End it now. We have listened to enough of it's heathen ramblings." Rei barely had time to digest that statement before the knife was plunged into his chest and drawn out again, only to plunge back in and stay there. He opened his mouth to slur an insult but closed it again when he heard a voice.

"NO! REI!"

A flash of purple and black hurtled across the square. It stopped by Rei and only then were people able to recognize it. "Kai!" Mariah gasped. Kai ignored her.

"Rei...Oh my God, Rei...I'm sorry...if I'd come sooner..." Kai produced a knife and slashed the ropes holding Rei. Rei fell into his arms, head swimming.

"Kai...I'm so glad I could see you one last time...I love you. And I'm sorry, but I wasn't prepared to lie about my love for you. I chose to die instead. I'm sorry... Kai tilted him back in his arms and started to cry.

"Rei...you can't leave me...you can't leave me alone again..." The Russian sank to the floor, cradling Rei's head in his lap. With an effort, Rei reached up to wipe the tears away from the pale face above him. "Hey, hey, shh. It's okay. You'll find someone else. I want you to. You have to be happy after I die, Kai, I don't want you to cry about me..." Rei coughed, feeling something warm trickle over his lips. "She didn't mean for all this to happen...she just wanted me to love her...I don't blame her, Kai, because I might have done the same in her position..." Kai smashed his fist into the ground in frustration.

"I'll kill them! I'll kill them all!"

"No, Kai...they just don't understand, that's all. They don't understand that a man can love another man... Would you kiss me one last time?" Kai obliged, his tears dripping down onto Rei's face as they kissed for the last time, passionately and demandingly. "I love you, Kai. I love you more than you could ever know...don't worry...I'm not afraid..." Whispered Rei, pulling away slowly.

"Oh Rei...I love you too..." Rei nodded then twitched, body stiffening and then lying still. "REI!" Kai screamed. Rei didn't respond, only lay there in Kai's arms, face impassive, eyes shut. Kai stroked his lifeless cheek and then stood up. "How could you-? Why-? Was it because he was with me? Was it because he was gay?" He asked the crowd. No-one seemed to be able to answer him.

With horror, he looked down at Rei's corpse. "You killed him... You killed him for loving another man? Are you STUPID?" The elder glowered at him and beckoned Lee's father forwards.

"Are you Kai Hiwatari? The one who corrupted Rei?"

"Corrupted him? What, by loving him? If that's corruption then yes, I did! I'm Kai, what about it?" He stood motionlessly, his eyes stinging with tears. He looked down at his hands, where smudges of Rei's blood lingered. "How could you kill him?" He demanded. "He did everything for you! He trained and practised all the time so he could make you proud of him! Was it really worth so little to you that you could kill him for loving another man?"

The elder glared. "To lie with another man is a heathen practice. We punish it with death here."

"What, and you think you'll kill me for it as well? Don't kid yourself, you old bastard." Kai's hand flashed to his waistband and pulled out a walkie-talkie. "Fedya, bring it down." A strange noise rang into the air and a helicopter appeared, coming down to land beside Kai. The villagers watched in shock as Kai picked up Rei's body and got into the helicopter before it rose again, rose up in to the sky and eventually disappeared from view.

Aww, I killed him…poor Rei-Rei.

Next chapter: Someone turns up on Kai's doorstep asking for help and Kai can't bring himself to turn them away…

R&R please!