"Ray, I'm going to ask you a favour and I need you to at least listen."

The neko-jin glared with amber eyes at Rage. It was true that he had felt a little sorry for her when he had heard about her stepfather. But it still remained that she was the enemy, she was teamed with the people who wanted to hurt Kai. That made her his enemy.

It was early morning and they were the only two people up at this moment. Kai had stumbled his way back to bed to sleep in for the first time any of them could remember. Thinking of how little he'd been sleeping for the past several days, Ray wouldn't be surprised if Kai didn't wake up for a week. At the very least.

"It's to help Kai, but I need you to trust me for it to work" the girl looked up at him with the most sincere expression he had ever seen. She seemed really desperate. Whether her desperation was for Kai for her mission was another matter.

"Why should I trust you? All you've done is caused hurt to Kai, should I really believe that you want to help him now?" Ray ground out; his friend's well being was precious to him. As much as he wanted to be able to trust her, he couldn't risk Kai getting even more hurt.

Their team captain had always seemed so tough and self-confident. When in actual fact that was just a mask to hide the scared child within. The one who was frightened of needles, of being touched and of getting close to people. Because, when growing up that child had been hurt by the people that should have been caring for him. His grandfather had been behind it all, he had been Kai's guardian after all.

Ray still could not believe that Kai's own grandfather could be as heartless as sending the boy to the abbey. To Boris and Bathos, it was unbelievable that people could be so heartless.

"I know that you have no reason to trust me Ray. But you have to believe me when I say that whatever has happened so far is nothing compared to what they plan to do. Kai is weak now because his memories aren't returning fast enough. He is in great danger, and he's running out of time." Rage stood in front of Ray, her aqua eyes blazing with desperation.

Ray looked back, uncertain. He wanted to believe her, but he was still wary as to whether she was trustworthy.

"I was trained to show no emotions, to feel nothing. I was always bad at that particular training, but they finally managed it. To make me nothing but a tool to do as I was ordered, like they trained everyone else as. But now with Kai, those emotions I fought to suppress are coming back. I am not trained to care about anyone, but despite my orders I don't want Kai to get hurt again.

It's unsettling to say the least. This is the only way I can think of to give Kai at least a chance. Without completely defying Bathos's orders. But I need the team's help."

Ray hesitated before nodding at the dark haired girl.

"I'll see what I can do."

"Ray, I'm really not sure about this." Max whispered, as the whole team watched their team captain sleep.

"Neither am I Max" Ray admitted quietly, "But we can't risk doing nothing."

They were gathered in the boy's bedroom. Kenny sat on a nearby bed with Dizzi open on his lap. Hilary leaned over his shoulder to keep an eye on the screen. While Tyson, Ray, Max and Rage each stood at a corner of the bed on which Kai slept fairly peacefully. Rage and Ray were at the head of the bed, and Max and Tyson were stood at the bottom corners.

"Are you ready?" Rage asked with an obvious effort to be nice.

"How do you know that this will even work?" Tyson asked, worried for his friend.

Rage fished out her blade from her pocket and held it up for them to see. The fire shrouded wolf that was her bitbeast stood out boldly on the bit chip.

"Tasmine told me that this was the only way that wouldn't harm his mind. While still restoring the last of his memories quickly. The real question is how will he react to the recovered memories. After all, they must be something bad to remain hidden for so long. Now, are you ready?" Rage questioned evenly.

The others nodded glumly, clearly not liking to put their trust in her.

Rage carefully picked up Dranzer from the side table. To everyone's surprise, Dranzer didn't wake up Kai like she usually would have done. Apparently Dranzer was putting her faith in Rage's plan as well. The blue and red blade glowed warmly as it was placed on Kai's chest. Kai remained sleeping peacefully.

"Now face your bitbeasts toward Kai and concentrate on allowing him to remember. Close your eyes if it helps. The combined energy from our bitbeasts should be more than enough to dispose of any walls blocking his memories from him. Just try to relax and think calm thoughts, there should be no reason to alarm his mind and wake him up." Rage ordered, before holding Tasmine in front of her and shutting her ocean eyes.

"Don't you think that Kai might be kind of mad when he wakes up. Wouldn't it be better to wait till he's awake so that we can ask him his permission first?" Hilary interjected, causing Rage to open a sparkling blue green eye to look at her.

"To help his unconscious let go of the memories it's holding back. First his mind has to be relaxed enough for there to be access to the subconscious. In sleep the barriers around the mind relax, to do this he has to be asleep and unaware. Now, everybody concentrate." With that Rage's eyes closed again and she concentrated on the task at hand.

After a couple of minutes Tasmine began glow with a soft red light. Then Drigger began to glow as well, and then Dragoon joined in, then Draciel. Soon Kai's sleeping form was bathed in the warm light emitted from the blades, Dranzer began to glow. Her comforting scarlet light, which was really energy from her sprit, moved like mist to cover her master's sleeping form.

The bladers opened their eyes to see what was happening.

Instead of being calmed by the light, Kai began to shiver. He frowned with what seemed to be confusion on his sleeping face. As the glow from the blade's dissipated he began to toss and turn. Alarm fired across his previously calm face as his fists unconsciously gripped the bed sheets that half covered him.

"It's done" Rage said, sounding satisfied as she pocketed her blade. Seeing the confused faces surrounding her she elaborated.

"He's remembering," she said simply.

"What do we do now?" Tyson questioned putting away his blade.

"Now, we wait" Rage answered, perching on Kai's bedside table. She settled down comfortably as if for a long wait, crossing her arms over her chest. She examined Kai's face, seemingly unemotionally.

Kenny suggested that the team take it in turns to watch so that the others could have breakfast. As well as other tasks. Everyone readily agreed, and Ray straight away volunteered to take first watch as he'd already eaten. This was decided upon, and soon it was just Kai, Ray and Rage left in the room.

Rage refused to move from her spot watching Kai. She took in his every expression and movement with all the professionalism of a doctor studying their patient. She had ceased to even talk, not that Ray was inviting her to talk or anything. He still felt wary of her. Still, he could not help but glance at her every now and again. To look for any sign of the emotions she had said that she was rediscovering. There wasn't much sign of any so far. He wanted to see some so that he could trust himself to believe her story.

Kai turned his head from side to side feverishly. Sweat beaded on his pale skin, sliding down his tattooed cheeks slowly. Reminding the watchers of tears. The expression of pure terror on the unconscious boy's face was excruciating to watch. It was all that Ray could do to not rush over and wake him up from his nightmare. Again, Rage merely watched, her face a blank. Hiding whatever might be going on inside her head.

Time seemed to drag by as Kai tossed and turned, trying unsuccessfully to escape whatever memory had been let loose to prey on his mind.

Ray found himself turning away from the sight, to stare at the floor frustrated. It just wasn't his way to leave someone to suffer in pain when he could do something about it. Especially as he still wasn't completely convinced that he had done the right thing. What if he they had inadvertently hurt Kai even more?

After all he had taken the advice of Kai's enemy. That speech she had given him to convince him to help her. What if that had all been lies? After all, it wasn't like she was showing herself to have any feelings at all. She was just staring at the hurting Kai as if it was perfectly all right for him to be that way. What if…

Ray stopped as a sound of someone moving reached his ears. He looked up curiously, his amber eyes widening slightly at what he saw.

Kai had tossed around so much that his bed sheets had become hopelessly tangled around his legs. The dreaming teen had gripped the sheets so tight with his shaking fists that they had twisted tight over his legs, cutting off circulation to his feet.

That wasn't what had caught Ray's eye. What had surprised Ray was that Rage had noticed.

She tucked a stay strand of jet-black hair behind her ear as she examined the boy. Her head tilted almost comically as her aqua eyes flickered over his shuddering form, as if assessing what would be the statically correct move to fix this problem.

Eventually she reached to attempt to prise the sheet out of his clenched fist. Which was much easier said than done, as he really didn't seem to want to let go. He was clutching the sheet as if it were his last lifeline. As a small child clutches onto its teddy bear when it's afraid. Kai was afraid, and he didn't want to let go.

Rage frowned, unsuccessful in her efforts. She looked at Kai like you would look at a math problem you just could not solve. Her expression was deeply frustrated, almost annoyed.

Until…until she looked at his face. He looked so terrified, it was heart wrenching to see. Usually he was so strong; he always tried to be so strong to hide how he really felt inside.

Now he was just a scared kid, that was how she felt most of the time. Instinctively, her hand went to his again. Only instead of using force, she simply tucked her hand into his. Stroking the back of his hand gently with her thumb.

By the time she had noticed what she was doing, he had already began to relax. Blinking in confusion she saw that his death grip on the sheets had loosened.

She hesitated momentarily before using her spare hand to easily untangle the sheets. She draped them over his slightly calmer form carefully. Her eyes softened with something similar to pride as she realised that he appeared to be more peaceful now.

Her head shot up as she felt someone watching her. Her eyes narrowed as she glared at Ray, for some reason she suddenly felt very self-aware.

"What?" she growled, raising an eyebrow as he continued to stare at her. She still hadn't let go of Kai's hand; if it gave him comfort to have someone hold his hand then she would do just that.

She'd never had anyone offer her comfort when she had been a child, and she doubted that he had much either. So if holding his hand made him feel a little safer, then she was just glad that she could help someone.

"Nothing" Ray insisted sheepishly. He was surprised to notice that he had been smiling. But he was happy; he'd been waiting for a sign that there was some feeling inside her. Something that would allow him to believe her story, he'd just found it. Unknowingly his mouth curved into an easy grin again, a pointy fang poking over his bottom lip.

"Riiight" Rage said sounding unconvinced. Her midnight black eyebrow was raised so high that it was nearly lost under her messy fringe.

A sudden movement halted the conversation immediately.

Rage looked down in shock to see that Kai had bolted upright in the bed. He'd somehow woken up while they were talking. His grip on her hand had become non-existent; he'd probably just had only needed the comfort of his hand being held while he was asleep in a nightmare. While he was afraid, now he didn't seem afraid.

He seemed empty. His eyes were dull and lifeless as they stared ahead of him blankly. His breathing was shallow and calm, but he didn't seem to be aware of anything. He was absolutely and completely still, unmoving.

Alarmed at his passiveness, Rage placed a hand on his shoulder. Concerned, her eyes widened as she noticed that he didn't even react. Everyone had learnt over the few days how sensitive Kai was to being touched. This wasn't right.

"Kai?" she questioned, leaning her face right close to his so as to be aware of the slightest response.

There was none.

The grey haired teen merely stared ahead, his eyes unfocused and his muscles untensed under her hand. Rage was faintly aware of Ray's own efforts to get Kai to respond.

This wasn't right; this wasn't how Kai would act.

Rage gripped his shoulder tightly as she stared at his unseeing eyes. Waiting for a response, a blink, a sound, anything.

Deep inside the guilt had already begun to claw at her heart.

'What have I done?'

Wow i haven't updated for a while. I had coursework A-level stuff, plus evil tests, sorry.

I'll try to update sooner.

Please, please review. I'd love to know your opinion of how this chapter went.

Just press the pretty button. You know you want to.