Standard disclaimers apply

Kyou squirmed in his sleep. He was having the nightmare once again. All alone….but he didn't want to be alone. This can't be right. I won't let myself live like that. Never!

Hatori sighed. "Kyou, what is wrong with you?" he asked softly.

As if in response, Kyou moaned.

Hatori examined Kyou a second time, and still found no trace of injury or illness. "Kyou, this must be going on in your heart. That's the only explanation. I cannot help you unless you wake yourself up."

On cue, Kyou jerked awake. "NO!" he cried.

Hatori was startled. "No what?"

Kyou stared up at him. "No, no, never!" he said, shaking his head back and forth. "I won't let it happen….I won't let it happen…"

"Kyou, what are you ranting about?"

Kyou turned to Hatori, and his eyes were glazed over, as if he was looking through him.

"Kyou?"

Kyou heard someone speaking. That voice…it's familiar…who is it? Wait…I know…Hatori. What does he want?

"What?" Kyou growled. "What now?"

Hatori sighed again. So like Kyou… "Kyou, do you have any idea what happened?"

Kyou shrugged. "Nothing. We went to school, walked home, and now you're bugging me."

Hatori shook his head. "Not quite. You see, you collapsed in class. Tohru called me and Yuki and Haru got you outside. You've been out cold for almost four hours."

Kyou stared at him in disbelief. "No way."

"I'm very serious Kyou, you had everyone worried. Now, answer a few questions."

Kyou rolled his eyes. "I don't have time for this." He tried to stand up, and fell down immediately. "Oww…"

"You should listen Kyou." Hatori said. "Listen well. I believe you're suffering from fatigue. I do not know why or how, but a condition like this becomes serious quickly with no visible signs. I want you to rest."

Kyou, however, wasn't listening. He was staring at his body. Why are you doing this to me? He thought angrily. Why now? Don't break down like some overused car. He shivered. The thought of being bedridden, even for a short amount of time, was agony. I wouldn't be able to stand that.

Abruptly, Kyou cut Hatori off by starting to cough. A cough that came from deep inside his chest, and was rather painful. Not again… He had been coughing all of the night before.

"See Kyou?" Hatori said. "You're ill, and I don't want to find out you've passed out in school again. Stay put for a while."

Meanwhile, on the other side of the door, Tohru was having a breakdown.

"I shouldn't have let him go to school! This is all my fault! I should have just sat him down and said no when he insisted."

"Honda-san, don't blame yourself. Kyou would never take no for an answer. It would be dangerous to tell him so." Yuki said. "Even though he could kill himself not listening." He muttered to himself.

"Don't worry about Kyou." Haru said. "He's too stubborn to stay sick long."

"Will someone please explain what happened?" Shigure whined.

Yuki groaned inwardly. Shigure is such a pain sometimes. "Kyou collapsed in class. We have no idea what brought it on. We called Hatori and came back here."

"Oh…how silly of Kyou…." Shigure wasn't taking things very seriously.

"I don't think he intended to do it Shigure." Yuki said, his patience thinning.

"Do my ears deceive me?" Shigure didn't get the message. "Did I hear Yuki defending Kyou? What has the world come to?"

This angered Yuki, but he didn't want to lose it in front of everyone. "I'm just trying to show compassion…unlike you." He said through gritted teeth.

"Oh course…" Shigure said, looking confused.

Hatori opened the door. "You can all come in now."

Tohru dashed in. "Kyou-kun, what was it? Are you all right? Would you like anything?"

"I'm fine," he muttered. "Stop hovering like you're my mother or something."

Tohru ignored him. "What is wrong with him, Hatori-san?" she asked.

"As far as I can tell…fatigue." And something I cannot place. "He needs rest, that's for sure. Don't let him out of bed for whatever reason."

Tohru was taking Hatori very seriously, Kyou could tell. Just great… He thought. I'll look like an idiot, being waited on hand and foot by poor Tohru.

"Why do you all keep mingling in my room? GET OUT!" he shouted angrily. "Can't I get one moments peace?"

Everyone filed out, but Haru had a few things to say to Kyou.

"You know, some people were really worried about you. Stop being such an ass about it and thank them sometime." Haru stomped off, apparently turned black.

Kyou then did something someone would consider extremely strange, especially for him. Hugging his pillow tightly, he whispered, "They won't understand, no one understands…". He rocked himself back and forth, talking to himself. No one noticed, because no one wanted to be the one to go into his room after being told to stay out. He was all alone.

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