Disclaimer: In first chapter
Author's note: WEEEE! I'm back! For now...I've been too hooked on deviant art website, hehehehe. This is it, the last chapter. I'm proud of myself for this one. Boy it took so long to get it right...oh well, read on till the end, folks!
Chapter Six: Starting Over
"Hello, sirs, may I help you?"
A young brunette nurse found Ryo and Dee behind the desk. Ryo was carrying a small bunch of white roses and he smiled pleasantly at her.
"Hello miss, may we see Miss Hsiao? We heard that she just came out of surgery."
"Oh, I see, you two must be her friends," she said as she went through the files. She grimaced slightly, "The poor thing...it looks like the press will hound her for that spectacle. And suffering from so much emotional and physical pain...oh yes, here, she's just down that corridor, ward number...10."
"Thank you, miss."
Dr. Thompson closed the door quietly, breathing a sigh of relief as he reviewed his latest patient.
"Excuse us, doctor."
He found Dee and Ryo beside him. He nodded his head, acknowledging their presence. He noticed how both handsome men were worried and smiled.
"Ah yes, gentlemen, I assume that you wanted to be informed about Miss Hsiao's condition."
"Please, is she alright?" Dee asked anxiously.
The middle-aged man sighed before he said, "She's lucky with her arm there otherwise the bullet would've affected her nervous system. She's lost a lot of blood before she was brought in but luckily we have a donor for an immediate blood transfer. Don't worry, she'll be able to make a full recovery and be discharged tomorrow, given that she doesn't put too much strain in it."
Ryo sighed with relief while Dee grinned happily.
"The poor child..." Doctor Thompson said with sad empathy, "She was all over in the news, and losing people dear to her...I think in my professional opinion that Miss Hsiao should go for some counseling once she's discharged from the hospital."
"Yes, thank you, doctor," Ryo said with gratitude, "May we go in?"
"She's not conscious just yet, gentlemen, but yes, please go in," the doctor said, "Would you call a nurse once she's fully conscious so that we can perform a health check on her?"
"We will, doctor," Ryo promised. He tugged on Dee's hand, "Come on, Dee. Let's see how she's doing."
"Yowch..." Dee winced at a memory when he saw the bandaged arm.
Dee scratched the back of his head as he sat down on the plastic chair that was placed next to the hospital bed. Ryo was busying arranging the flowers in the vase on the bedside table. Hu Tieh was still sleeping, her upper arm heavily wrapped in white gauze with a hospital bracelet around her tiny wrist. She looked better, no longer looking pale like a ghost.
"Ryo?" Dee noticed that Ryo was still absentmindedly fiddling with the white blossoms with a faraway gaze, "You alright?"
Ryo stopped what he was doing, looking over at Hu Tieh as he reached out to touch Hu Tieh's head gently, "I...I just couldn't help feeling sorry for her," Dee beckoned him over.
Ryo sat on his lap, "It's natural that you feel for her but we can't do anything but be here with her when necessary."
Ryo nodded uncertainly and kissed Dee's forehead, "I know..."
"Hey, look," Dee murmured when he spotted the Asian's hand slowly twitching back to life.
Ryo pulled away from Dee and knelt beside her, gently touching her fingers, He gave her a smile as her eyes fluttered open, "Hi, Hu Tieh."
"Mr. Maclean..." she whispered before turning to Dee who moved closer with a small grin of his own, "Mr. Latyner..."
Hu Tieh managed a weak smile but winced slightly when she tried to move her bandaged arm. The smile disappeared only to be replaced by a melancholy expression that darkened her face.
"Hu Tieh?" Ryo patted her hand.
"It really came true. I thought that I would wake up to see Michael again...that the nightmare would end," Hu Tieh shook her head, covering her eyes with her good arm, "I was wrong...so very wrong..."
They noticed tears were trickling past her hand, down her cheeks. She bit her quivering lip as her chest heaved with the effort to smother her sobs and cries.
"Don't hold back, Hu Tieh," Ryo said softly, pulling her arm back to find himself staring into her eyes. He knew that look because he had it too once. He trailed his hand to her cheek where he wiped her tears as they continued to fall.
"It hurts everywhere inside..." she whispered, "I don't even know whether I could find peace of mind. I don't know whether Michael had ever forgiven me..."
"Life is not easy, Hu Tieh," Dee said with firmness in his eyes, "But you must persevere."
Hu Tieh's tearful eyes were filled with lost uncertainty and she reached out to Dee, who gently gripped her fingers.
"I feel so weary..." she closed her eyes and sighed, "So exhausted...I...I don't know how to go about from here once I'm discharged..."
"Dee, I think we should call the nurse as the doctor instructed."
Dee gave a last squeeze to Hu Tieh's hand before he departed the room, leaving Ryo and Hu Tieh alone.
"I'd give anything to see Michael and James again...but that was the unthinkable..." she shook her head, "I'm scared..."
Ryo scooted closer and enveloped the young woman, allowing her to tuck her head against his chest. She gripped the material of his shirt and sobbed piteously.
"Take one baby step at a time, Hu Tieh..." he hadn't felt this connected to any of their clients but he didn't care less. Hu Tieh was lost in a cloud of unspeakable sorrow and emotional turmoil, "Dee's gone to fetch a nurse. I think our time's nearly up."
"I...I understand, Mr. Maclean..." she nodded, reluctantly letting go, blushing pink, "I'm sorry that I couldn't help myself dwell in my sorrowful memories of last night and that I'm burdening you and Mr. Latyner..."
Ryo firmly shook his head, "No, don't ever say that. You are not a burden to us."
Hu Tieh was slightly taken back but she nodded, although her heart was still filled with pain.
"And another thing..." Ryo paused, thinking of what to say to her, "The pain will make you stronger once you learn to forgive yourself."
"How?"
"I don't really know...you just do..." Ryo said, "Forgive yourself when you find that strength inside of you. But for now..."
He pulled up the covers.
"Your first priority is to recover..."
Hu Tieh felt too tired to say anything but her eyes conveyed a small glitter of hope. Ryo hoped that the shine in her eyes would grow and heal her soul.
So he stayed with her, holding her hands for comfort until Dee came back with a nurse in tow.
"Forgive yourself...forgive yourself when you find that strength..."
Ryo's words hadn't left Hu Tieh's head as she watched the nurse and doctor leave the room. She looked out of the window to find a beautiful display of a starry sky dappled in moonshine. She reached for the bedside table and opened the drawer. She took out the object inside: a penknife with a burgundy shiny handle. Her gaze was mesmerized by the sharpness of the blade as she pulled it out.
'Would I really want this...to die and end this pain...' she shook her head and sighed, fiddling with it.
She didn't know how long she gazed up in the stars until she felt sleepy and sank back in her sheets, the penknife clutched in her hand.
"Hu Tieh, Hu Tieh..."
"Who...who's there? I can't see anything..."
A white flash filled the vicinity, blinding her temporarily and making her close her eyes with her good arm. She uncovered them when she heard a bird twittering. She gasped when she found herself sitting in a lush meadow surrounded by pink and white daisies. She could feel the sunshine beating down on her as she looked up to the blue skies. She felt light.
"Am...am I dead?"
"No, Hu Tieh," a warm hand touched her shoulder. She gasped when she found James and Michael in billowing white robes behind her, "We wanted to see you."
Hu Tieh said nothing as she felt tears well up in her eyes. Good and bad memories battled each other. Instead of rejoicing for her chance to see them, she felt a heaviness in her heart.
"Hu Tieh..." James squeezed her shoulder.
"How am I supposed to feel when I see you both and wake up, knowing that this was all a dream..." she said with sorrow, turning away and not seeing the guilty looks on both young men, "I loved you both and in the end...It was I who ends up being alone..."
"You have every right to be angry with us and perhaps never to speak to us again for how we played your heart and abusing you," Michael said with intense regret as he sought out her eyes when he sat in front of her.
"Hu Tieh..." James placed a hand on her cheek, "Apologies will never erase your pain and it hurts us that we were the ones who caused it. But we want to ask for your forgiveness. I truly loved you, Hu Tieh but I found my other self in Michael. I played with your heart when you gave it to me willingly. "
"And I will never forgive myself for all the physical and emotional abuse I inflicted upon you," Hu Tieh said nothing and Michael took it as a cue to continue, "I was insanely jealous and insecure. They overrode memories of us as best friends in high school. I understand if you don't relinquish that relationship after all the hurtful words and beatings I gave you. I saw you when I left you in shock. I can't lie to you when I saw the anguish in your eyes. I spilled blood and nearly killing you with a gun was the greatest sin I've ever committed."
She shook her head, tears finally breaking loose, "I don't know if I can..." she felt her chest constricting inside, "It hurts so much..."
"I beg of you, Hu Tieh!" Michael gripped her hands, "I was wrong to hurt you! I failed to realize that it was also my fault to not see that you're suffering as much as I was! I know that saying sorry was enough to erase the pain!"
Michael's voice went quiet as his eyes were too filled with tears. He kissed her hands, his tears bathing her skin.
"I'm sorry...really..." Michael whispered.
"We came into your dream in hopes to see you again before we depart," James's eyes were downcast, "But it was false hopes after all...we'll leave now if you want."
Hu Tieh's mind was racing as both men she knew all her life pulled away. She immediately grabbed for a retreating hand.
"NO!" she threw herself at James and Michael, gripping their snow white robes and burying her face in the soft material, "No! Not now! Wait!"
They stilled but they didn't turn around.
"I am selfish too," she admitted, "I too ask for your forgiveness..."
"What!" that caught their attention, immediately kneeling around her, "But it was us who hurt you!"
"Hear me out..." she breathed, sniffling, "I was too naive and innocent for my own good...Michael was right. I felt torn when I discovered that it was I who took the first turn to deteriorate our friendship, Michael, when I discovered you two together. I couldn't let go of you, James, even though I was truly happy for both of you. I couldn't let go of the past...forgive me...I'm so sorry...forgive me for trespassing when you two truly needed each other...that was all I wanted to say...I truly hope that you'll be together forever in eternity. Please...leave in peace and know that...I will always love you both..."
She released the material from her hands and proceeded to move away from them. But she didn't go far when both sources of warmth enveloped her, preventing her from moving.
"I wasn't meant for heaven's love..." she shook her head, burying her face in her hands, "Leave me..."
"We can't..." Michael shook his head.
"You suffered because of our love..." James brought her close as Michael embraced her from behind.
"What's the difference? When I go to sleep, you will disappear..." she pushed her head away but they wouldn't let her, "Leave me..."
"Not until you're sufficiently healed from the trauma we caused..." Michael pressed his lips on her forehead, kissing her gently.
"But..." she shook her head.
"No buts..." James titled her chin up to kiss her eyelids, "We want to be in your heart in spirit."
"Start over, Hu Tieh," Michael whispered, "We want to see you get better."
"Don't do anything stupid, Hu Tieh...alright?"
Hu Tieh couldn't argue but nodded. She couldn't hold back all the anguish and happiness inside of her. Only did they pressed her close in their embrace did she sob and cried. Insecurity filled her mind...it was only a beautiful dream...too surreal...it couldn't be real...the warmth was too overwhelming...it triggered her need for more contact. They both seemed to read her thoughts as she felt strong arms covering her fragile body.
"We'll give you a sign..."
"You promise?"
"We promise..."
"Don't...wanna...go..."
"Sleep...bambino..."
Her heart cried out in joy, she hadn't heard Michael call her by that nickname for such a long time.
"Sleep...Hu Tieh..."
She eventually gave into the warmth, the message was filled with hope. She sagged against them. If this was the only chance she has to be with them...so be it...
She felt too tired to keep her eyes open. The darkness was threatening to overpower her but this time, she wasn't afraid. The last thing she saw were their beautiful smiles before she saw black...
Hu Tieh opened her eyes and sighed, it was still night-time. Her arm was still aching but she felt something she hadn't felt for a long time. Hope was filling her heart. She managed to pull herself out of bed to the window, gazing at the pen knife in her hand.
'Start anew...'
Her hand gripped the knife and with a huge heft, she threw it out of the window, watching it sail in a graceful arch against the starry sky, landing goodness-knows-where.
'The pain lingers...' she pressed her hand to her heart, '...but I can't turn away from the memories we shared...'
"Michael and James were two unforgettable people I had the honor of meeting regardless of the bad things that transpired between the three of us. James, it wasn't easy for me when you've played with my heart unintentionally when I found you were happier with Michael, knowing that I couldn't give you the happiness you wanted. Michael, I will never forget our friendship regardless of all abuse you've inflicted me. But most of all, I forgive you both for leaving, Michael and James. Though all of us suffered through this time, your memories will always be remembered for eternity. I will continue to live on as you both would've wanted. And I find that it was better to be loved than not to be loved at all. May you two rest together and know that I'll always be happy for you both. I could only hope and pray that you received my message. It's not goodbye forever...for I know that you're with me in spirit..."
Ryo wiped his tears away as soon as Hu Tieh finished the her eulogy. Dee, also wiping a tear away, observed Hu Tieh closely as she stood in the central position, watching the two caskets being lowered into their designated locations. Several friends and families of the deceased were moved to tears at her heartfelt sincerity. The young woman's face was enough to convey the audience how much she would miss these two men although few skeptical old biddies gossiped behind her back.
"You know...she hasn't even cried for these two young men."
"I see what you mean, dear. I mean, did you really think that she manipulated them into killing themselves, I mean of course, for not being normal."
"She looks like a commoner and to top it off, an Asian. I wouldn't be surprised if all of her members are all common criminals."
"Goodness knows what she'll do next. Do you think she heard us?"
"Nonsense. I know from experience that the majority of Asians don't speak English."
Dee was inwardly enraged when he heard those remarks but he remained silent and tensed up. Ryo patted his arm softly and intertwined his fingers, squeezing them to ease his mind.
"How could they say those kind of things to her?" Dee whispered angrily.
"Shhh..." Ryo soothed him, "Look at Hu Tieh..."
Hu Tieh had apparently heard what the old ladies had said about her. She strolled over to them with a firm expression on her face.
"I do not appreciate about what you said about me and my loved ones, good ladies. I cared and loved them a lot and you do not have a right to outrageously label them for not being normal. They are what they are because they choose to be that way. And I do not like being labeled just because I am very different from you. These people have lost someone dear to them, and this is not an appropriate venue for mindless gossiping and what-if conversations. This is a place for blessings and mourning. I would advise you to leave if you cannot heed what I have just said. Good day."
"Well, I never!" the biddies huffed with indignance and left Hu Tieh standing alone.
A murmur spread throughout the audience but Dee and Ryo were smiling, pleasantly surprised. They approached Hu Tieh, who was about to go back to her place.
"You did good, Hu Tieh," Dee said with a smile and a wink.
Hu Tieh only nodded with a weak smile of her own as she was allowed to be escorted back to the crowd where she was greeted with grateful and mesmerized faces.
Dee and Ryo knelt on each side as Hu Tieh gently placed the white roses upon the fresh twin graves, kneeling in front of the headstones. She took off the yin and yang pendant and placed it there too.
"I do hope that you heard me from that eulogy..." she breathed softly, "I didn't know I had it in me to do something like this..."
She brushed her thin fingers on the soft petals of the snow white blossoms.
"I promise to start over...but I'll never forget you," a tear formed at the edge of her eye, "I miss you both already. You promised me a sign that both of you're really with me...will you show it to me?"
The tear that had been dangling on her eye made its way down her cheek, landing on a small bud that was in the centre valley between the graves. The bud shook but the sepals pulled back, blooming its small white petals.
"What the?" Ryo breathed, watching the flower bloom.
"Huh?" she saw the flower and fingered the petals, "I don't remember that flower being there before..."
"Either it was a small miracle..." Dee mused with a twinkle in his eye, "Or coincidence..."
"Why question about it..." she murmured and a serene smile appeared, lighting up her face, "It's there...that's what truly matters..."
She placed two kisses on her fingers to transfer them to the headstones before she stood up.
"Are you going off now, Hu Tieh?" Ryo said.
Hu Tieh rubbed the back of her neck, "Yes, I have to go for my first counseling session in an hour's time.
"You'll be alright, then?" Dee gestured to her arm that took the bullet.
Hu Tieh nodded, "I will be...given time. Mr. Maclean? Mr. Latyner?"
She shook their hands, giving a small kiss on each of their cheeks.
"My gratitude to you both knows no bounds. Thank you for everything."
"Here..." Ryo pulled out a name card, giving it to her, "Give us a call when you need to."
"I will," her pale face glowed as her lips formed a sweet smile, full of gratitude and sincerity, "I really hope that we could meet again...someday."
"Count on it," Dee gave a thumbs up.
Hu Tieh nodded and waved as she turned to leave. Dee and Ryo watched as Hu Tieh disappeared outside the entrance, turning to another direction to hail a taxi.
"I'd say a lot of good came out of this case, Dee. She'll be able to start over."
"I'd agree you with that, babe."
Ryo smiled up at Dee and kissed him sweetly.
"I would say that this case is done..." Dee said, "Hey, Ryo?"
"Yeah, Dee?"
"What do you say, want to eat Italian tonight? My treat."
Ryo nodded as he nuzzled against the other man's neck, "Yeah, that'll be nice."
"Alright. Italian, it is. Let's go."
With a chaste kiss shared between them, they exited the cemetery together.
The End...
Author's note: Wow...I can't believe I finished it. It was hard since uni life is getting harder and that I m more towards my anime art and photgraphy. I do hope that you've enjoyed reading it. Please read and review.
I know that this story isn't much but thanks for giving this story a chance guys, means a lot to me. Thank you to all who reviewed it, I really appreciate it, knowing that there are some people who still read my works and all. It was hard because I was on writer's block and I was more focused on my drawings. As I have said, my art is archived in the deviant art website. just type in my penname and then dot deviantart dot com, ok?
To let u know, I m working on a new story- M-rated (guarantee!), involving our two most hottest cops, YAY! Look out for it...it'll come out...I hope...
Until then, c u!
signed by the vulpixfairy-