The next few days were the worst for Anthy and Utena. Utena had gone entirely mute, and the police wouldn't stop asking Anthy questions. When the police got the autopsy report, they let Utena and Anthy see only because they were the closest thing to family Wakaba had had left. The report showed that Wakaba had most likely been killed around one in the morning. No one knew what she had been doing out that late. From what was left of her body, they found evidence of rape. On a patch of her leg that hadn't been torn apart by the barbed wire, they found a purple and red bruise. Most likely caused by being pushed against one of the flower beds. A small piece of torn skin had been found on the thorn of a rose.

The next day in Biology, they had to dissect frogs, and everyone was depressed and dejected looking. Many people had been friends with Wakaba, and even those who hadn't known her personally had thought she was nice. As Utena sat on her stool, looking down at the lifeless frog, she snapped. Tears came forward in torrents, streaming down her cheeks, her shoulders shaking from the harsh, racking sobs coming from her.

Every head turned to see Utena, their wonderful Utena, sieze the lab knife, and in a blink, slashed her left wrist wide open. One of the girls screamed as blood gushed everywhere. Anthy grabbed a clean towel and forced the wound closed by pushing Utena's wrist forward while tying the towel around the wrist. It quickly became red and started to drip blood.

The teacher grabbed Utena and picked her up, rushing her out of the room as Anthy followed. He took her to the clinic, yelling for an attendant. Anthy sat in the waiting room, eyes downcast, hands folded neatly in her lap. To anyone looking, they would never have guessed that Anthy was crying. Silent, gentle tears left small, shimmering lines on her dark cheeks.

After what seemed like a lifetime, the doctor came up to Anthy and told her that Utena had requested to see her. She got up and went into the room. She saw Utena laying there with her eyes closed, and for one sick moment, Anthy thought she was dead. But then Utena opened her eyes and smiled at Anthy. It was a small, tired smile, but to Anthy it was the most beautiful thing in the world.

She sat in the chair next to Utena's bed and kept quiet, knowing her voice would betray her. She wanted that moment to last. The smile, and that the fear that she had just now almost lost the singe most important person in her life, was gone.

"Anthy...you're crying..."

Utena reached up wearily to brush Anthy's tears away. But this only made her cry more, because seeing the gauze bandage wrapped tight around her wrist made Anthy realize just how frail Utena looked.

"Oh...Oh, Anthy...I'm so sorry..."

She tried to sit up, she looked so pale. Anthy shook her head and made Utena lie back down with a gentle hand to her shoulder.

"No, Miss Utena. Don't try to get up. You need to rest."

Utena flashed her her most winning smile.

"What, this? Just a flesh wound."

But she saw Anthy cry all the more, at this.

"Anthy..I'm sorry. Bad joke. I shouldn't be joking at a time like this..."

Anthy shook her head.

"Miss Utena...why? Why wold you do this?"

Utena sighed. "Yeah...I'm sorry, Anthy. I was so mad with gried...I didn't think about what you'd have to go through...Probably would hae had to go back to Saionji..."

"But that's not it, Miss Utena! Why would you do this to yourself? What about your aunt, or all the other girls here? What about Wakaba? Would she want this?"

Utena looked away.

"You're right, Anthy. I'm sorry. I won't do it again. I promise. Pinky swear."

She held up a fist with her pinky stuck out. Anthy hesitated before leaning forward and curling her pinky around Utena's. Then Utena leaned up and kissed Anthy on the forehead.

"Let's go home, Anthy. I'm sleepy. And hungry...and thirsty..."

Anthy smiled a little. "Would you like me to make you something, Miss Utena?"

Utena thought for a moment before answering.

"Mmm...no...I think it'd be safer if we orderd something."

To Utena's surprise, Anthy began to giggle, which set her off on her own fit, and as Anthy wheeled Utena home, they kept giggling a little, and when they had thought they were done, one of them would start again, bringing the whole thing back.

When they got home, they ordered food, and ate in silence, their mirth gone in the rememberence of Wakaba.