Disclaimer: I, of course, do not own Gravitation, Murakami Maki has that honor.

AU My take on what might have happened if Shuichi had not managed to get there in time to save Reiji from Yuki. Manga Vol. 9.

Chapter One

"Good Riddance to Bad Luck!" Shuichi Shindou gleefully shouted as he walked the rain slick streets of New York City. And, as if he had cast a magical spell, the rain that had been pounding the city for days suddenly stopped. He stared up at the sky in amazement and smiled again.

The smile lit up Shuichi's entire face. A face that no one he knew from his past would recognize now, even if they had a really good, close look. Gone were his violet eyes, blonde hair, and thin, girlishly slim body. He stopped to look at himself in the nearest storefront window and what he saw staring back at him amazed even himself.

The man gazing back at him was a green-eyed man with black hair cut crew style. His hair was now no more than a bristly growth that barely covered his skull. He had also been spending several hours a day working out with weights and the once slim body had filled out some although he would never consider himself as being "buff". He had taken to wearing high-heeled boots to add to his height. Wearing leathers and chains, he now looked quite "butch". He had even added several fake tattoos to add to the illusion.

Shuichi stifled a giggle at the thought of him ever being "butch", but with one more look in the window he was reminded that he really did look like any other street thug. He lowered his ever present sunglasses to look at his eyes. He could not think of any way to change the shape of his eyes without surgery. And, even though they were green, they were still large and very feminine looking. So, while he was in public, even at night, he always wore sunglasses. He was still very afraid of being recognized.

He knew there were people looking for the "missing" Shuichi Shindou of the band "Bad Luck". All of his friends, family, and coworkers were probably looking for him. None of these people really worried him. It was Tohma Seguchi he was afraid of. If Tohma managed to find him, he knew that Tohma would murder him. Hell, even the police were looking for him. The only person that Shuichi was sure was not looking for him was Yuki. And, the only reason Yuki was not looking was because that would be very difficult to do from where he was now.

Shuichi felt his mood begin to dampen again as he approached the area where his club was located. The area was filled with restaurants and clubs that catered to a Japanese population. The club he was working at was called, ironically enough, "Rage Beat", one of Bad Luck's hit songs. The name of the club had initially caused him to pass the place by, he didn't think he would want to work there. But, after being turned down everywhere else, he had given in and gave it a try.

After hearing his first audition, he was hired on the spot. It seemed he had managed to hit gold twice with Rage Beat. This thought pushed the depression back again, at least for a while. The thought also caused a sarcastic smirk to cross his face, a look that actually reached his eyes this time.

As Shuichi approached the front entrance to Rage Beat, he stopped once again to check his disguise in the mirrored surface to the club's windows. The sight of his reflection wiped the smirk right off of his face. That look, that smirky smile, again reminded him of the last look he had seen on Yuki's face. The look that crossed Yuki's face just as he let go of Reiji's hands and let her drop from the top of a twenty story building. Yuki had done this over him. This was finally an act he could not forgive. He had been unable to forgive or forget even after all of these months. And, Lord, he wished he could forget, if even for just a day. He would give anything for just one night without the nightmares, just one night without the screaming, without the blood.

It was his fault, Shuichi knew deep down that it was his fault. And, at this point in time, he did not have anything left within himself to make anything any better. There was nothing left for himself, for Yuki, or even for poor Reiji. That is the reason he continued to run, continued to hide.

"Tatsuha, Hiro!" Ryuichi called at he ran across the airport terminal.

"We are finally here, Kumagorou and I. We will find Shuichi this time. I know we will. Kumagarou says so." Ryuichi cried happily shoving the fuzzy pink bunny into Tatsuha's face.

Tatsuha and Hiro gave each other meaningful looks and sighed. They both had known Ryuichi long enough to realize that he always looked at the world through, not rose colored glasses, but fuzzy pink bunny glasses.

"Sure, Ryuichi, if Kuma says so, it must be true." Hiro replied, giving his friends a sad smile.

"Gimme a minute to get my luggage, take care of Kuma-chan for me for a minute would you Tatsuha? Please?" Ryuichi yelled as he tossed the bunny back over his shoulder to the dark haired-boy standing behind him.

"Always the optimist!" Tatsuha laughed as he set the bunny on his shoulder. He actually stuck his tongue out and blew Ryuichi a raspberry and the child-like man literally danced his was over the luggage conveyor.

Hiro grabbed Tatsuha's sleeve to turn him around. He gave Tatsuha a serious look. "Tat-kun, I don't see why we have to go through this again. It's obvious to me that Shuichi does not want to be found. If he did, we would have heard something by now." Hiro commented quietly so that Ryuichi could not hear.

"I know, I know, Hiro. But, what else can I do? He," Tatsuha pointed to Ryuichi, "insisted that he was coming. He just won't give up." Tatsuha replied frowning at the singer's back as Ryuichi impatiently jumped up and down waiting for his luggage to appear on the conveyor belt.

"But, Tatsuha, it's like he's obsessed. And, I hate to say this, especially to you, it's almost if he is searching for a lover, not a friend." Hiro refused to meet his eyes but he could read the confusion on his face.

"Hiro, I know this already," Tatsuha sighed, "I already know that he does love Shuichi. No, that's not right either. He doesn't love Shuichi, he is in love with him. And, to tell you the truth, I've known for a while.

Hiro gasped, "Then why? Why do you continue to follow Ryuichi, why do you help him in his search?"

"I guess I don't really know. On one hand, I guess I'm like your Ayaka was with Yuki. I love Ryuichi so much that I would do anything to make sure that he is happy. On the other hand, I sometimes wish Shuichi would never turn up, and I can comfort him afterwards." Tatsuha admitted. "But, in my heart, I know that Shuichi does need to be found. This entire situation is a mess and I don't think it can be straightened out until he turns up." Tatsuha gently took the pink bunny off of his shoulder and gave it a hug.

At that moment, Ryuichi ran back carrying his luggage. He seemed to have more than five people could use for a month, let alone the three days they had planned.

"Hiro, Tatsuha, Kuma-chan says we should look in fun places first. Shuichi always liked fun places. Kuma-chan says we should look in parks and places with rides. Besides," Ryuichi blushed, "Kuma has always wanted to ride a roller coaster."

Hiro, Tatsuha, and Ryuichi all looked at each other and laughed. This was too much. The search was going to be directed by a fuzzy bunny this time, maybe the rabbit would have better luck.

"Well, at least we three will get to have some fun on the trip." Hiro laughed out, but he thought to himself, "Might as well let the bunny lead this time. Nothing else has worked."

"Na, no, da," Ryuichi trilled, "We four, it's we four, Hiro. Do not forget Kuma!"

As the three laughing men and one rather worn pink bunny left the airport to catch a taxi to their hotel, they failed to notice the pair of men get into another taxi right behind them, men that continued to follow them to their hotel.

In Tokyo, the day dawned clear and bright. The light shining into Tohma Seguchi's office was nearly blinding. Tohma was just getting up to lower the blinds when his now seldom seen wife came barging into the office, her eyes were blazing.

"Just what the Hell do you think you're playing at now, Tohma?" Mika demanded.

Tohma really had to admit that Mika was beautiful, especially when she was angry. Of course, the beauty he was seeing could also have something to do with the pregnancy. Mika was now in her final days and instead of looking swollen and bloated. Mika still looked radiant. She was due to have the baby at any time.

Tohma only smiled calmly back at his wife. He opened his eyes widely to feign innocence and shock. But, he Mika and she knew him equally well. It was only a ploy to make her even angrier. He knew that she was no fool, but he liked to treat her as one from time to time, just to see her flashing eyes and flushed cheeks. Tohma knew that there was only one thing that made Mika really angry, and that was being made a fool of.

"Ah, Mika-chan, it is nice of you to grace my office with your presence. Please have a seat. Would you like some tea?" Tohma purred at his enraged wife. "You must not get yourself so upset, not so near you time."

"Don't patronize me, you son-of-a-bitch," Mika practically screamed in his face, "I was here in Tokyo, in our apartment last night and I heard you on the phone. I heard you order those goons of yours to follow Ryuichi to New York. I heard everything Tohma!"

Tohma took the final step to his wife and placed his hand on her swollen abdomen, "Mika-chan," Tohma sighed with a look of regret on his face. He had realized that the situation would not be calmed by ordinary means and decided to change tactics, "You know that I think of all NG's client's as being family, and you also know how protective I am of family. The streets of New York can be dangerous, and I am only protecting my interests. Do not forget that your little brother is there with Ryuichi and Hiro, and my "goons" will be protecting him also." Tohma cooed as he placed his arms around Mika's neck.

Mika opened her mouth once again to protest, but she found her words blocked as Tohma's mouth met hers.

Tohma slipped his tongue into Mika's mouth to dance with hers. Tohma was having difficulty breathing as he became excited by Mika's swollen belly pressing against him. Even with him kissing her, Mika was able to show anger. It was too bad that he could not take her now but, it was too late in her pregnancy. Oh, how he would have loved to bend her over the desk and enter her with one hard thrust. His pants had become unbearably tight and he ground his erection into Mika's swollen belly enjoying the friction.

"Do you think I am that easy, or that stupid?" Mika growled as she shoved Tohma back, slamming his legs against the desk, "I'm warning you now Tohma, don't hurt that boy. I mean it, if you are able to find Shindou, leave him alone. If he is hurt again, it would kill Eiri, and he has enough problems!" Mika had to make just one more shot before she left, "Remember Tohma, Eiri loves him, not you."

Tohma returned to his desk with a satisfied smirk on his face. Everything was going as planned. As soon as the baby was born, he would divorce Mika. He would be keeping the baby for his own. He had enough money and power to see to that. If Mika made too much trouble, he could always arrange a "little accident" for her too. He had invested too many years in Eiri to give up now that he was so close. Eiri would be his, no matter the cost.

Eiri Yuki sat in the folding metal chair looking as comfortable and relaxed as if he were lounging on his couch at home. Even in a jail, Yuki looked almost too beautiful to actually be a male with his mane of golden hair and amber eyes. But, the entire effect was very masculine, rather than feminine and was almost devastating to any female who looked upon him, the effect on males was not much different.

"Have you found him yet?" Yuki barked out as soon as he saw his lawyer enter the private conference area.

James Sugiama was second attorney who had been hired to work on this case. The first attorney, who had been hired by Seguchi, had immediately been fired. He had then hired Sugiama in his place. Sugiama had been hired to represent him for the charges of the kidnapping and attempted murder of Reiji of XMR Records.

I seemed to Yuki that Sugiama just couldn't grasp the story behind his incarceration. At times, he was still confused about what had happened. He knew he wasn't making things any easier. He didn't care about the case at hand and it didn't matter to him if he spent the rest of life in a prison cell. All he cared about was finding Shuichi. With a great deal of expense he ordered Sugiama to hire a veritable army of private detective to try to locate the still missing singer.

"I asked you if you had found him yet." Yuki practically growled out this time.

"Ah no, Mr. Yuki, we have had several leads, but so far everything has turned out to be a wild goose chase."

Yuki got up and began to walk towards the steel door to yell for a guard.

"Wait, Mr. Yuki, please wait!" Sugiama stopped him. "Ah, Mr. Yuki, we really need to discuss your case. The trial is going to take place Monday morning, and that only gives us two days left to prepare."

"I've already told you that I don't give a damn what happens to me." Yuki snapped back.

"You don't care that you will probably be going home Monday?" Sugiama questioned. This finally got his attention.

"You mean prison, not home." Yuki commented without turning to face the attorney.

"No, I mean home. It seems that Miss Reiji has decided to drop all the charges. She has decided that it would be bad publicity to let the public know that XMR is willing to go so far as kidnapping to further XMR's sales. If it was only an issue of raiding talent from another record label, you would definitely be going to prison." Sugiama told Yuki quietly.

"What do you mean it was not a simple case of a raid?" Yuki hissed.

"Well, according to Mr. Shindou's manager K, Shindou was unwilling to switch labels. He did not originally want to come to the United States. It seems that Shindou was abducted at gun point by the actress Judy Winchester and her bodyguard, who were acting as agents of XMR. And, to add to the situation, they were unable to restrain Mr. Shindou onboard the plane. So they resorted to drugging him, to prevent him from injuring himself or others." Sugiama seemed uncertain at giving him those details. Maybe he shouldn't have, he really wanted to drop the bitch off another building.

Yuki's response was to lower his head into his hands. When he looked up again those glorious eyes were clouded with tears.

"Mr. Yuki, do not be upset. Remember that you will, most likely, be going home Monday. If the hearing goes as I imagine it will, all of the charges in regards to Miss Reiji will be dropped. However, there is still the battery charge posted by the XMR guard you struck. He refuses to drop the charges. The maximum sentence for the battery is six months with two years probation. In light of time already served, I presume that you will be released on Monday. And, after a private conference with the judge yesterday afternoon, I was able to make a deal to get you out of your probation also. The only catch is that you will be required to return immediately to Japan and no future visits to the United States will be allowed. You will be denied any future passports or Visas to this country." Sugiama informed him. He was stunned by the news.

Getting up without another word he shouted for the guard. While he was being walked back to his cell with guards on both sides blocking any escape attempts, the only thing that kept running through his head was Sugiama's voice stating 'No future visits will be allowed'. Yuki was nearly stumbling with emotional pain and his eyes were blinded by tears. He thought he would never reach his cell and for once he was glad of the presence of the guards. He didn't even notice when the guard on the left pinched his bottom on the way into his cell.

Yuki was barely able to walk to his cot and it seemed like had to travel a mile, rather that three feet that the actual distance was. He collapsed on the cot and used his blanket to muffle any sounds he might be making. Memories of his last meeting with Tohma before leaving Japan drifted through his head. The last meeting before Yuki had left to get Shuichi back from his abductors.

Flashback

"Are you sure this is what you really want Eiri-san?" Tohma questioned.

They were standing in the park just outside the offices of NG Records in Tokyo. Most people would have thought Tohma beautiful with the sight breeze messing up his platinum hair, but Yuki had learned that behind the beautiful face hid a personality that was malicious and evil.

"I can't let him go like this, Tohma. I have to at least try." Yuki responded, running his hand through his own wind blown hair.

"Remember Eiri-san, it was you that did the leaving last time," Tohma reminded. "And, you left him for me. I do not think that Shindou will forgive and forget that so easily."

"Come off it Tohma, why should it matter. It wasn't real, there was never anything between you and me. And, it was always me that did the leaving in the past and he has always come back."

"The difference is that you did leave him for someone else this time. This was never the case before."

Tohma was right and Eiri knew it.

"And, Eiri-san, it may not have meant anything to you, but it does to me. You know that I have always loved you."

"Tohma, I don't feel that way about you, I never have. You have tried to be a friend and a brother and never think that don't appreciate some of your help. I have found someone else to fill that gap now and I do not intend to just let him go without a fight."

"Eiri, I only have one thing more to say. I do not intend to let you go so easily. When you return, be prepared for the fight. But, I will tell you now, that if anyone else hurts you, or causes you any pain at all, I will not hesitate to kill him."

End Flashback

Yuki slowly became aware of his surroundings again. It was a sure bet that Tohma would blame Shuichi for landing him in jail, even though the fault was his own. He knew that if he was not able to find Shuichi before Tohma did that his baka would soon be dead, and that would be his fault too.

"Oh, Shuichi, how will I ever be able to find you now? I have to find you before Tohma does."

Read and Review—Please, Please, Please. OK, I'm felling a little left out here. Any review will do. Even if you think its complete crap, let me know.