Disclaimer again: Oh joy, more of this stuff? I know you're just oodling over it…just kidding…oo I'm actually surprised if anyone makes it this far! This chapter has some stuff in it as well, little bit o' kissin' towards the end. This is part 2 of chapter 4

Shii walked home, looking around for something to distract her mind—not exactly her mind, the mind of someone who lay at home, dying. Akio had always told Shii everything, things that no one else knew- things that no one else needed to know. Shii had been the first to know that Akio had a.i.d.s- she was the only one who knew that right now she had contracted scarlet fever and that no one was to know. She had been told where Akio wanted to die, her childhood memories, dreams, wishes, secret hopes- everything.

"Atsumi?" Shii saw Atsumi walking along the streets.

"Hey!" Atsumi said, turning around to look at Shii. "How are you?"

"I'm…good…Hey, you wanna come with me for the last few minutes of…Akio?"

Atsumi had known Akio was very sick. She, Faust, Shii and Akio had known- because Akio had been to scared to tell her family. "Oh…yeah…I guess…"

The two walked silently back to the lab and went upstairs. Shii hopped up on the bed and curled up next to Akio, going to sleep. Atsumi sat down on a chair and watched- both of them not wanting to wake Akio up from what they hoped was a peaceful sleep

"This is so sad…" Atsumi said quietly, watching Akio's raspy breathing quicken and then slow down. "I don't want to watch."

"She needs someone here, Atsumi—no one comes anymore…she wants someone here with her for the last little bit."

Atsumi's eyes went slightly glossy as she held back her tears, she had cried before when Akio had been awake—and she knew she would probably cry after too. "Are we going to wake her up?"

"No…" Shii lay her head on Akio's rough stomach. "She'll wake up in a little bit- her pain medicine is almost out…just…wait…"

Akio lay there, eyes closed, thinking. It had been awhile since she had seen anyone, last person she remembered was Atsumi. She thought of everything that had happened in her life, everything that flashed before her as she died- her thoughts were extremely vivid and the buzzing was almost unceasing.

With a small noise she opened her dry eyes- blue rims duller than they had ever been as she looked at her frail body. She had never looked this way in her life. The skin that normally had a healthy, clear glow and shone pale white was red and rough, like sandpaper, with black creases in her arms and wrists. Her eyes, normally bright with life and happiness, were dull blue- shallow- glazed, as if staring into the unseen world beyond with fixation. Where normally she had soft skin it was hard, rough, showing the bones that poked through her small, sixty pounds – she had guessed – body.

Shii, her only non-judging companion at the time, stood up from where she was laying at Akio's side and nudged her arm. "Akio, I'm going out for a moment, will you be ok without me?"

In a small, wheezing noise she nodded to the cat- sweat glistening on her face. "…g-go…"

She stood up, looking at her with the dark ebony holes in her ivory face before she hopped off the bed and clacked downstairs.

I don't understand…why… I'm burning… Akio thought to herself, only herself this time. She had no other soul to keep her company and no one had come with her in this time. Though, at the thought of her family having to watch, she felt her eyes burn with tears that refused to come. I feel…as though…the heat…so unbearable… She gasped in pain as she felt her temperature skyrocket again, surging farther than the normal 103 it had been staying at- her body was burning itself to death.

The pain that burned in her eyes, sank down her throat into her chest, where it burned in her heart for a long time- the excruciating pain that she couldn't avoid. Not the pain that she had on the outside, the pain that the morphine got rid of, the pain that plagued her now—but inside pain, pain in the heart that you get when you realize that there is no turning back.

Shii came back upstairs as Akio's body lost all strength, pain consuming her to delirium She opened her dull eyes wide, as if to see who was at the door without turning her head.

"It's Atsumi, and Shii…" Shii whispered, jumping up to take her spot by her master yet again.

"What are we doing here?" Atsumi asked, looking at Akio's dying body sadly.

With a small smile, one that she made with great effort, she smiled. "…we…a-are saying…our…goodbyes…" she gasped, her small smile fading quickly as Atsumi turned away from her.

Akio had not seen many people in the last few days since the typhoid was diagnosed. She had seen Faust, the man she had secretly admired for a very long time- he had told her she was going to be ok…they had all said she would be ok. And here she was, her body so hot and close to death it felt as though the very fires of xocc were pulling her down into the bed to try and take her through the floor. He was wrong, rest his soul, I am… not going to be ok…

Atsumi went down the stairs, followed by Shii and Akio heard the door shut. Was Shii going to tell her family what had happened to her when she died? Would the beloved cat do what she had told her to do?

With a silent, pain-racked sigh Akio closed her eyes, grieving in a way that nothing could heal- nothing could fix or reconcile for her, a pain that decades and decades of life makes when it comes to a close. She bit her lip weakly, as she often had done when she was in pain before she felt her body loose all energy she had. She felt a small gasp escape her lips and her eyes opened slightly when she found she could no longer breath.

A cool surrounding enveloped her, sending her scorching body into a wave of comfort for the first time in many weeks. She heard the beating of her heart stop as everything darkened for her. They had all been right, death had been very cold. Though, she felt so clean and pure in the cold, more so than she had ever felt in the burning heat.

She looked at her body, which was no longer thin and frail- red and rough, but perfect for her. Nothing she had ever seen or felt. All pain was gone and she felt tears of gratitude pour down her cheeks as she looked at her body- lying lifeless on the bed. She stood up, only nirvana, before whispering silently to herself.

"I wish them, whether I go to heaven or elsewhere, that they will have the same joys that I have now…the peace…that…all will be fine in the end."

She looked out the window silently at Atsumi and Shii, letting the tears dry on her face. They had been good to her, for those last moments before they had left. Atsumi had tried to save her, while Shii had known only death would bring her peace. She was grateful for the chance they had given her.

The chance to once again prove that all was right in the world for her, and everything would someday- work out to be as perfect as she was in this moment.

Shii looked up from where they were sitting outside and over Atsumi's crying spoke. "It's over, she's gone."

"Oh…"

"Are you going to help me get her out of the lab?"

"Nt's too sad…"

"Alright, you should go home, Atsumi- ok?"

She nodded and stood up and left. Shii stood up and walked upstairs to the lab, hopping on the bed where Akio's body was laying there and nuzzled her hand.

"I'm so sorry, Shii." Akio whispered from where she was standing by the window.

"You couldn't stop it." Shii said, looking up at her soul. "At least it's over."

"I know…I know…"Akio said, looking outside again, her eyes saddened. "I should have told them all…"

"They would have healed you- the dragons."

"That would have been meaningless….you know…? Nothingness to me- sustaining a life that didn't need it…I never lived Shii…Lived like everyone else does."

The cat sighed and pulled at a burning hand. "I don't understand."

"Everyone lives life- they do things…I lived in a box…I only experienced a little before everyone deemed me too special to leave… I lived a staged life…For so long I never experienced anything because it was taken away from me. I didn't want them to take my death too."

"I understand."

"Not everyone can see me, can they." She looked at the people in the street.

"No, just certain people."

"I'll be at the funeral…if anyone else is there." She turned her eyes on Shii. "You didn't tell anyone, did you?"

"No."

"Thank you." She said, walking towards the door and down the stairs.

"Akio…?" Shii called, looking at her as she went away. She paused on the stairs, not turning around or answering. "Faust says goodbye too…"

It was raining, as it normally did on the Cader mountainside. Shii was standing in front of a small stone, Akio's name engraved deeply into it. "This is what you wanted?" Shii asked, turning her head to look at Akio- whose eyes were looking sadly at the stone.

"Yes…I wanted this… you did a wonderful job." She smiled softly, not looking at the cat. "I'm grateful for it."

"You're welcome."

The rain beat down, falling in the cracks on the rock- splattering Shii's bones and going through Akio- who had chosen not to let it touch her soul. After a moment there was a small noise and Yuna, someone whom Akio had always been close to, came up to look at the stone.

She could not see Akio, but looked at the stone and read the name over and over again- sighing after a moment and letting the rain drench her.

"Aikiyo Kaminari…" Yuna read sadly.

/They should not be sad for me Shii/ Akio said, watching Yuna softly. /'Sweet is true love that is given in vain, and sweet is death that takes away pain.'...I will be fine…/

/They miss you…/ Shii said, watching Yuna go away. /We should go too, get back to the lab./

/Yes/ Akio said, looking at the mountain one more time before getting solid and picking up Shii. "Lets go my little friend…"

Akio lay on the edge of the building, hands crossed over her waist- held in a small fist as she looked up at the black and white sky. Sky so black as to show the darkness consuming ever ounce of light there was, the stars like millions of suns, squoze into a pinprick and framed against the black abyss.

She couldn't feel the cool cement on her back, though she knew what it should feel like to her- she couldn't feel very much anymore, but not feeling was a lot better than feeling mortal pain; though the pain inside was much greater for the moment.

The stars were masked by a small trace of clouds that painted the blackness, swirling into it and blocking the moon and stars brilliance. "You come here often?"

Akio looked up slightly from where she was laying to see the shiny white figure of her cat Shii. "Sometimes, why?"

"Just wondering, you look like you're thinking very hard about something." She turned from her spot on the edge of the roof and walked along the railing to sit by her master. Akio put out a small hand and stroked the cat's head. Her bones stood out in the monotone darkness, the bright white like the stars in the sky.

"I am thinking…" She said, looking out over the quiet city where the world lay still. "I've had a lot of time to think now."

"As I can imagine." Shii said, laying her head down on her paws. "Why didn't you go on, Akio…?"

Her blue eyes scanned the silent city for a long time. "Bad spirits don't get to move on for awhile.."

"You weren't a bad person."

She didn't answer and lay on her back, looking up at the sky and watching the clouds shade the sky. "Sometimes everyone is bad- I'm just living out my time, Shii…" She smiled weakly at the moon. "It's not so bad being out here though…"

Shii went silent, her bony tail swishing against the roof and making small scraping noises. "You shouldn't be paying off time of your life…"

"Some things I did wrong, Shii- I've told you those things."

The cat thought, walking over to her master and laying down by her side. "You did tell me those things, but you've grown, everyone grows- those things fade."

"They are impressed on my mind- things I should have never thought… never done…Shii, those things…they don't go away." She sat up, standing and going back to hanging her feet off the edge of the building.

"Well, dwelling on them isn't going to make this time pass any quicker."

"No…I suppose you're right." She hopped down off the building and landed on the ground, watching Shii slowly climb back down the way she had gotten up. "But, they don't go away."

"No, I didn't think feelings went away." Shii looked at Akio for a long moment with her dark eyes before Akio turned and went away.

"No…" she whispered to the darkness. "They don't." She walked down the streets- avoiding the way back to the lab- she wasn't sure if she wanted to go back yet…so many things had happened there, she had gone through so many feelings.

She turned around and saw Shii's body dart across the road and homeward before she looked at the ground, kicking it with her foot. "So many feelings…"

After a long time Akio sat down on a bench, looking at everything that was around her in the darkness. The streetlights were still on, sending a light to the road- she was not sure how to act.

Faust had come back to the lab now- and had heard about Akio's death, which was something Shii was not to excited about telling him. Akio didn't spend time in the lab anymore and often was wandering in and out of the city in thought.

"Faaaaust." Shii said, looking up at him as they walked through the lab. "Faaaust…"

Faust looked down at her slowly, eyes vacant. "What is it?" He picked her up without waiting for a response. "I need to do something, I'll see you later."

Shii made a noise and climbed on his shoulder after he picked her up. "What do you need to do?

He smiled. "Don't worry about it, just stay here. I'll be back."

Shii looked at the long way down from his shoulder. "Um…ok.."

He picked her up and put her on the ground, smiling slightly. "Goodbye, I wont be gone long. Will you do me a favor?"

"What is it?" Shii asked.

"Go the the store and get some chocolate—I'll go and pay for it later."

Shii looked up and nodded. "Alright, I'll go get some." She went down the street to the candy store to get some.

"I wonder what's going on?" Shii said, walking into the store and grabbing a chocolate bar in her mouth before walking out casually- no one could see her when she was small. "He just…up and left…that's odd, even for him."

Faust wandered around for awhile, looking for Akio's spirit- he had something he wanted to say but hadn't said and felt like he needed to now. "Where are you?" he asked the nothingness, wandering around until he found her. He found her sooner than he thought and it made his stomach tense to see her, standing there, looking blankly at everything.

He walked over and tapped her on the shoulder. "Akio?"

"Yes?" She turned around and looked at him. "Oh, Faust." She said, in slight shock of seeing him- she had not seen him since the typhoid.

He wigged out slightly when he looked at her. "Hello."

"Faust…are you feeling ok?" She asked, concerned to see him again.

"No I'm not, and for once I'm going to admit it."

"Oh…I'm glad to hear you're admitting to a problem." She said softly.

"Akio, you're my problem." Faust said bluntly.

Akio paused. "Oh…"

"Dananananana Can't touch this," He started to sing as he walked away.

"So I'm your problem?" Akio said distantly.

Faust turned around to look at her. "You know, I've changed my mind."

"Oh…ok…"

He went on with his song as he walked away. "Dananannananana…"

"It takes my pain away…it's a lie, a kiss with open eyes and she's not breathing back…" Akio sang softly.

Again Faust stopped and then turned around to look at her, grabbing her arm. "Akio…I'm sorry for this ahead of time."

Akio wondered what he was apologizing for, because he hadn't done anything and figured it out as soon as he kissed her, not letting her go. She looked at him before closing her eyes. /Is this what that was about/

/Yes, Akio…/ He said, pulling away from her.

"Why…why didn't you want to tell me…?" she said, puzzled at why he didn't want to talk about something like that.

He paused, thinking. "I care about you a lot, more than a lot. I'm glad you're happy right now- goodbye." He walked off.

Akio watched him, sad he was leaving but glad to have seen him again. "It was good to see you again, Faust."

Faust, who had tried yet again to go off morphine that day, sighed as his eye twitched. "Don't lie to me about that Akio- you know I don't like liars."

"But I'm not lying- I told you the truth…"

He whirled around. "No you did not!"

"I did too!" She yelled back at him, looking up at him.

He grabbed her hard by the shoulders again. "DON'T DO THAT!"

"Don't do what!"

He strangled out his reply. "Don't- Don't look at me!"

She closed her eyes, not wanting to bother him. "What's wrong right now?"

"Nothings wrong! What gives you the impression that something is wrong! Just because you have a hold on me doesn't mean anything is wrong!" He glared down at her, though she couldn't see it, then started to laugh to himself.

She opened one of her eyes to look at him. "Then that is what's going on…"

He looked at her, confused. "What…were we talking about…?"

"Don't you remember…?"

"No…I..I have to go." He said, letting go of her and walking away quickly. He walked to the lab and went inside it, looking around for his morphine.

"Wow, that was a quick going away." Shii said as she came down the stairs.

"Lets not talk about that ever again," Faust said, not looking at her.

"Did you do something bad, Faust?" Shii smiled. "You doing ok now?"

"No, I'm not…" He looked at Shii, very stressed. "I fell for everything. I feel so stupid…and I have a headache now…" He rubbed his head and walked up the stairs. "I'm going to bed."

Akio talked to the boy with silvery hair for awhile, he seemed so confused like she had been when she was younger. She had decided she was going to talk to people and try to help them while she was here- she seemed to be able to do more now.

The boy brought up an odd subject and Akio shied away from it, not wanting to have her personal life pried into by someone she didn't know very well. "I want to meet him."

"Why?" she asked.

"I want to distract myself from what I'm doing."

"Distract yourself with him?"

"Yeah."

"Well…let me go… get him…" She said, puzzled before she went to Germany.

"Faust?" She walked upstairs to his room. "Faust, wake up." He snored and didn't look at her, sleeping pretty deeply. She walked over to him and nudged him in the arm. "Wake up."

He made a noise but didn't do anything.

She nudged him over and over again, trying to get him to wake up. "Wake up Faust." He didn't do anything and she grabbed his hand, sqeezing it hard until he spoke.

"Go away Shii, I'll feed you later."

Akio sweatdropped. "No, it's not Shii, It's Akio- wake up." She nudged him again.

"Go away Shii," He turned over and snuggled his blanket. "Go away…zzzzzzzzzz."

She nuzzled his neck, sure he wasn't going to wake up and felt his hand grab her head. "SHII!" he yelled.

"AKIO!" She called back. He looked at her and then put his head under his pillow.

"I want to sleep Akio."

"Someone wanted to meet you." She said, pleased to know he remembered who she was in his overdosed state.

"I'll met them later, let me sleep." He moaned. "I'm sleeping."

She snuggled up next to him. "Wake up."

He pulled his head out from under his pillow and put his arm around her before falling back asleep. He woke up and looked at her, questioning how she had gotten there and how long she had been there with him. "I have a headache, can you go get some medicine for me from downstairs- just grab anything and bring it up to me."

"Alright." She went and got him some and gave it to him.

Faust took it, swallowed and fell over asleep again. Akio sat by him, not getting close and patted his head.

"See…you'll get better."

He woke up. "Akio, I have a headache," he rubbed his head. "Can you go downstairs and get me some medicine?"

She laughed. "We already did that, you took it- and I gave you some morphine already." She pointed to the vial in his hand and he looked at it for a moment in disbelief. "You just need some sleep."

"I'm not tired." He said, sitting up.

"You need some sleep, Faust." She said, pushing him down carefully in hopes that he'd fall asleep again. "I'll go downstairs and get you something for you headache…"

"Don't leave," He said, grabbing her and pulling her down.

She looked at him. "You don't want me too?"

"No…Don't leave me again."

"Alright, then I'll stay here." He kissed her cheek and she returned the favor before he fell asleep quickly again and she snuggled next to him.

After a second he woke up, slower this time and looked at her. "Akio… Where am I…How long have you been here….I think I need some medicine, where is my morphine."

"I'll go gets some for you.." she said, going downstairs and giving it to him.

"I have a headache…" He repeated sadly.

Akio poked him in the head. "How did you get your headache?"

He grabbed her hand and pulled her over to him. "I don't know."

She kissed the top of his head. "Well…I hope it feels better." Faust looked at her for a moment before sitting up abruptly and kissing her. Akio wasn't sure what was going on in his head as she did it back to him. He pulled her back down with him and kept going for a short time.

"It hurts…" He said, stopping quickly.

"I'm sorry…"

"No, not my head."

Akio looked at him, confused. "What then?" Faust didn't give her time to explain as he kissed her again "Can I help?" she asked, returning his kiss. He didn't answer her and kept going until he felt like talking a short time later.

"I'm sorry."

Akio wondered why he was apologizing to her (See Shea! It does get happy every once in awhile!) he hadn't done anything wrong and if he had, she would have told him so. "No, it's fine- I don't mind…"

"Can you get me…more medicine…much, much more?"

"Medicine doesn't always help." Akio said with a quick kiss.

Faust did it back and looked at her. "Then what does?"

"Love."

"Love?"

"Yes love--- love fixes everything."

Faust kissed her. "I love you Akio."

She looked at him. "I love you too Faust." She kissed him. "And I want your headache to go away."

"Then stay here with me."

Akio, still freaked out that Eliza would walk in the room any minute looked at him. "Alright," Hoping that Faust's wife wouldn't just walk in the room- she curled up next to him and felt him put his hand on her side. He rubbed her side lightly before she smiled at him. "Oyasumi…"

"Goodnight." He said as she put her head on his chest.

"You go to sleep too, you need it." She said softly, falling asleep.

"Ok." He kissed her forehead. "Goodnight."