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.

Night Unnoticed

Chapter 5

Yuki didn't know how long he had remained lying on the shower room floor before coming to. He was still in so much pain he could hardly move and that he had been injured inside and out. He could feel at least three broken ribs. He wouldn't be surprised if there was any area of his body below his chest that wasn't covered with bruises. And, worst of all he knew that he was torn rectally, hopefully that wasn't too bad. He knew that he needed help but could not bring himself to call for assistance.

"The guards must have been in on it too." He thought to himself, otherwise I would have been found by now.

He managed to crawl over to the wall and used it to help himself gain his feet. As soon as he was up, he felt a rush of fluid leave his body. He looked down to see the puddle of semen and blood on the floor and immediately added vomit to the puddle before graying out again.

After a moment he found himself again on his knees in the shower. This time he felt a little better, a little stronger and as able to stand on his own this time. A quick examination of the mess on the floor told him he was not as badly injured as he originally though. He decided that even though he did some medical attention, he could wait until he got out of jail. Preferably he would wait until he got back to Japan. There was no way he was going to let them see how much they had hurt him.

Moving carefully, he managed to make his was over to the showers and washed away the mess on the floor before proceeding to wash away the mess on himself. As he expected, he found bruises and swollen areas covered his entire lower body. His jaw was a little sore, but he did not think he would even have a bruise. The worst external injury he could find was a fairly deep bite mark on his left shoulder, which would probably leave a scar.

After he had managed to dress himself, he got up his nerve and called for a guard. The uniformed man arrived fairly quickly, almost as if he had been waiting for the call. As the guard led him back to his cell, the man leaned over to whisper into his ear, "You were sweet tonight, so tight and hot. I was first you know. That was the agreement. Too bad you're leaving us, I could really get to enjoy you." Yuki didn't turn to look at the disgusting man, and he had to stifle a wild urge to laugh.

When he finally made it back to his cell and crawled onto his cot, he didn't believe that he would be able to sleep any that night, but he did. His sleep was filled with dreams of the rape. In most of the dreams he was wearing Shuichi's face and the guard was wearing Tohma's.

Yuki did wake up laughing. This was his payback. Not for what he had done to Reiji, but for all of the bad things he had put Shuichi through. It was still the middle of the night and as soon as he got his laughter under control, he went to the toilet and vomited again. The guard and all of the inmates that had been awakened by his laugher must have all thought that he had lost his mind.

Now that Tohma had made his decision, he wasted no time in getting the ball rolling. He placed a call to one of the operatives tailing Ryuichi. After some argument, he was able to order the men back to Japan. He received a promise that they would return on the next available flight. He then placed calls to cancel all of his appointments for the next week. And, before heading to bed, he placed one last call to his mother. He spent a great deal of time telling her about how Mika had left him, and how upset he was over the whole thing even managing to work up a few tears. Tohma smiled as he hung up the phone, another piece of the puzzle was now in place.

Hiro was not happy about being used as bait. But, he did not see any other option. As he began making his way to the door, he heard a cell phone ringing. He stopped to make sure it was not his own and it was a lucky break for him that he did stop. Because he stopped when he did, he was able to overhear one of the men that had been following them start taking into his phone.

"Yeah Boss, we still have sight of the party."

Hiro edged around so that the man couldn't see him, but he was still close enough to listen to the conversation.

"What the Hell, Boss, we have the targets in sight. You really want us to pull out now?"

There was a pause and Hiro waited to hear if there was anything more.

"All right, if you say so. They really haven't done anything but mess around all day anyways. … OK, we will catch the next available flight back to Japan. We're out of here."

Hiro was elated. He began to make his way to the bar to cover up why he had been out of his seat. He even ordered another round of drinks, but he did it happily this time. When he returned to the table, he found Tatsuha glaring at him.

"What the Hell are you doing? I told you to go outside."

Hiro just grinned and told Tatsuha what he had overheard. They were both grinning as they watched the two men leave the club a few minutes later.

Shuichi knew that it was all over when he felt the arms circle around him and shivered when he heard the sweet musical voice say, "Ah Shuichi, do not run from me. I will never hurt you." The dam holding back his emotions finally burst and the tears really came. Months of pain, loneliness, and sorrow started pouring out.

Slumping to the ground he began crying harder than he had ever cried in his life. He cried for himself, he cried for Yuki, and he even cried for poor Reiji. He cried for the life he had given up and for his fear of the future. The entire time he was sobbing those arms never left his body. For the first time in months, in a dark dirty alley, sitting behind a dumpster in New York City, Shuichi felt safe, warm, and protected.

When the tears finally ended and he has some control he looked up into deep blue eyes shaped so much like his own and saw only warmth and love reflected there. The look on Ryuichi's face almost caused him to start crying again.

"No, Shuichi, no more tears." Ryuichi calmly stated grabbing his chin to lift his face so that their eyes would meet again. He was mesmerized and couldn't stop staring into the deep blue of Ryuichi's eyes. The older singer slowly lowered his head to gently press their lips together.

The kiss was slow and gentle, but Shuichi found himself responding with a passion born of desperation.

"No, Shuichi," Ryuichi broke off the kiss, "not here, not now, not like this. We can talk more about this later," Ryuichi continued, "But, right now I need for you to listen to me. You are in a great deal of danger. There are men following us right now, and we believe that they are looking for you. I managed to give them the slip in the restroom, but I need to get back inside before they notice that I have been gone for too long."

"I thought I was safe." Shuichi managed to whisper back.

"No, not yet. But, I intend to see that you become safe. Now, I need for you to do as I tell you."

Shuichi nodded agreement.

"Hiro, Tatsuha, and I are staying at the Oakmont Hotel it's only a few blocks west of here. We're on the top floor, the Penthouse Suite. Here is the room card key, it will activate the elevator to take you there. You can't get to the top floor without this room key. But, before you go to the Hotel, I want for you to go back into the club, do what you need to do before you are allowed to leave. Do not act like anything has happened. Hiro, Tatsuha, and I will make sure there is enough karaoke to last for the rest of the night."

Shuichi looked let the relief show on his face. He didn't think that he would be able to play any more tonight.

"When you are excused from playing," Ryuichi continued, "go to where you have been staying and gather up the things you need. Then come to the Hotel. Let yourself in, but don't turn on any lights. Go to the bedroom on the right and take the bed closest to the wall. We'll be back as soon as we can get out of here."

"You promise you'll come?" Shuichi asked with a note of desperation in his voice.

"I promise that I will be there as soon as I can. And, I promise that after tonight you will never have to be alone again."

Ryuichi lowered his head to give Shuichi another brief kiss and then left. He was able to get up in time to watch Ryuichi scramble back in through the bathroom window. He thought the man must surely be part monkey.

Ryuichi returned to the table. Both Hiro and Tatsuha looked about ready to jump down his throat for news. Ryuichi just grinned and raised Kumagarou's arms in a "V" sign for victory. "Kumagarou said I would find him today, and I did!"

"Ryuichi," Hiro interrupted, "those men that were following us have left. I overheard a phone call, and they were called back to Japan. Tatsuha and I both saw them leave.

"That's good for us and for him, but he's still not safe yet."

After a couple of stellar karaoke performances had been completed, the singers were so bad that Hiro and Tatsuha were laughing themselves sick and Ryuichi was holding his ears, the band reappeared on the stage. Shuichi was there to pack up his equipment. He only spared one glance towards the table, but Ryuichi caught it, and grinned back encouragingly in return.

"I still don't know how you recognized him I can barely see any resemblance." Tatsuha commented again.

"I was looking with my heart," was all that Ryuichi would say in reply.

Tatsuha felt his own heart drop at the words.

The more that Michael thought about what the detectives had told him, the more he became worried. He had always known that Ryu, or was it really Shuichi, had been hiding something and was probably on the run, but he never would have suspected this. This was just amazing. Michael was familiar with the case of Eiri Yuki, Shuichi Shindou, and XMR Records. He had followed the case when it had first hit the news and he knew that Shuichi Shindou had disappeared.

He had followed the case because he also knew the desire to get revenge and, he also knew how hard it was to do when going up against a large corporation. Michael had watched his father's company be swallowed up by a larger corporation. The eventual disgrace and financial ruin had caused his father to commit suicide when he was fifteen. Only a few months later his mother had run off, leaving him, his two brothers, and one sister on their own and homeless. Rather than become a ward of the court, and being made to go and live in a series of foster homes, he had run away. This had led to homelessness, prostitution, alcohol, and eventually drug abuse.

Michael knew that if Ryu was really Shuichi Shindou, that he was a famous singer in his home country. And, he knew that Shuichi had to have a lot of money also. But, it he decided to run again, he very well could end up like Michael did. That is, before he got busted and ended up in the shelter.

Michael climbed up the stairs to watch for Ryu through the slatted attic window. The windows were shuttered so that someone could see out the window, looking down at the street, but no one could see in. He could see that the private detectives were still out front, watching the house. He said a silent prayer that Ryu had not forgotten his keys tonight and would come in through the back entrance, like he usually did at night.

Michael crossed from the back to front watching for Ryu. It was not long before he saw him approaching from the alley at the back of the house. He let out a sigh of relief that Ryu had come in the back way. He crept back down the stairs and waited by the back door. As soon as Ryu came in he pulled him into the office still not daring to turn on the lights.

"Ryu, could I have a word with you?" Michael gestured that he needed to speak with him. H had spoken as quietly as possible but Ryu still jumped nearly an inch off the ground. Grabbing Ryu's arm steadied him.

"Come with me, I need to show you something." Michael insisted, tugging Ryu up the stairs.

The entire night had been very confusing for Shuichi, and now Michael's behavior was no exception.

"Michael, what…?" Shuichi started to say, but was cut short by his friend placing a finger over his lips.

"Just look," Michael stated, pointing out the attic window, "there are two men out there watching the house."

He looked and saw the men sitting the car across the street.

"I think they are looking for you." Michael told Ryu at the same time gesturing to get Ryu to understand.

Michael could tell that Ryu was shaken his face had become even paler in the moonlight and he was shaking.

"Ryu," Michael asked, "Are you Shuichi Shindou?"

"Hai." Shuichi admitted, "I am Shuichi."

"Then those men are looking for you and we need to get you out of here." Shuichi nodded.

"Do you have somewhere to go?"

Shuichi started to pull out the hotel room card key to show to Michael, but he was stopped with a hand.

"No Ryu…, I mean Shuichi, I don't want to know."

In silence and darkness they went back down the stairs. They spent the next few minutes gathering up his meager belongings. When everything was packed Michael gestured for him to leave by the rear exit.

"Shuichi, stay in the alley and try not be seen."

"Arigato, Michael." Shuichi whispered and then went up on his tiptoes to give Michael a kiss on the cheek. "I not forget."

He had started out the back door when Michael stopped him once again and handed him a business card. He couldn't read the card but Michael pointed to the front of the house and he thought he understood, the detectives had given it to him. Michael pointed at the card and said, "Help you."

And with that he was gone into the night.

Ryuichi, Tatsuha, and Hiro weren't able to get out of the club until after 1:00 am. Once the crowd got to hear Ryuichi's voice they were anxious to hear him sing again and again. He had to finally claim that he was getting hoarse to get out of singing anymore. He and Ryuichi were both chomping at the bit, wanting to get out of there. There was still uncertainty that Shuichi might have gone ahead and decided to run.

Hiro could see that Ryuichi was trembling by the time they reached the hotel room. But, when they opened the door to the bedroom, they found a pair of violet eyes staring sleepily at them. Ryuichi started for the bed but he stopped him with a hand.

"I think he needs a friend right now. No pressure, you know." He scolded.

The guitarist entered the room and closed the door behind him. After just looking for a few seconds, Hiro approached the bed and sat down beside his friend. He had not realized until this minute just how much he had missed him. Looking at Shuichi he could see the tears in the violet eyes, he had some of his own. Hiro quickly dashed his away.

"Hiro, are you mad at me?" Shuichi asked like he was pleading for his life.

He wasn't able to answer right away and kept fluctuating between taking Shuichi in his arms and hugging him for the rest of his life or grabbing him and shaking the shit out of him.

"I suppose that I am a little mad," he finally said and saw the tears begin to well in Shuichi's eyes but continued anyway, "I do understand why you felt you had to disappear, but you should have kept in contact with someone, even if you never told anyone where you were. Did you ever stop to think what your disappearance would do to those of us who love you?"

"I was just scared. I didn't know who I could trust."

"You didn't feel that you could trust me?" Hiro asked feeling shocked and hurt at the same time.

"It's not that I didn't trust you, Hiro. It's just that I thought that you would try to become too involved and that might put you in danger too. I also was worried that I would cause problems between you Ayaka. I know how she feels about me."

"Shuichi, you and I have been friends for years, and I will admit that there were times that I wished that we were more than friends. I do love Ayaka, but if it came down to it and Ayaka made me choose between you or her. I would choose you."

"See, Hiro that is just what I am taking about. You are willing to give up your relationship with Ayaka over me. I didn't want that to happen. I wanted you to be happy too. I love you as a friend and I always will, and I know in the past you have wanted more, but I couldn't give it, I still can't."

"Do you still love Yuki?"

"I don't know right now. My emotions are pretty confused, especially after this evening. I suppose I will always love Yuki but I don't know if I can ever forgive him."

"What about Ryuichi?" Hiro scrutinized his friend carefully to catch non-verbal reactions.

Shuichi blushed scarlet. "I don't know about that either. I do know that I am not emotionally ready for anything yet."

Hiro thought it was time to change the subject. "Do you plan on going to Yuki's trial? It's on Monday morning. That's why Tatsuha and I are here, besides looking for you. We were both subpoenaed to testify and we have to be there. And, I think you should know that there is a subpoena for you to testify also, but they haven't been able to serve it."

"Do you think I should go?"

"That's up to you Shuichi. If it were me, I would go. It might help you put paid to some of your past."

"But, Hiro, there are people looking for me. I am scared of what that means. Before you guys found me, I was living in a shelter for young men. When I went back there to pick up my stuff, one of my roommates told me there were two men out front that had been there looking for me. My friend at the shelter, Michael, gave me a card before I left. He said that I could trust this person. I can't even read it, it's in my jacket pocket. Could you get it and read it to me?"

He crossed the room and retrieved the card from the jacket. The paper was slightly crumpled and he had to straighten it out before he could read it.

Shuichi must have seen the tight look on his face as he read.

"What is it Hiro? Do you know that person? What does the card say?"

"The card says James Sugiama, Attorney at Law and it gives the address and phone number."

"I can tell by the look on your face that you know this person Hiro? Who is he?"

"I don't really know him Shuichi, but I do know who he is."

"Tell me, please." Shuichi begged.

"He's Yuki's attorney."

Tatsuha and Ryuichi were surprised when Hiro closed the door in their faces. He had expected this from Ryuichi, but not Hiro. They had all wanted to see Shuichi. They had all wanted to ask questions and now that he thought about it, maybe that is why Hiro had done it.

"Tat-kun, why did Hiro say that we couldn't go in to see Shuichi, he said that Shuichi needed a friend, aren't we his friends too?" Ryuichi asked. "Does Hiro think we would do anything to hurt Shuichi?"

"Oh, I don't think that was the issue. I just think that Hiro was afraid that if we all went in Shuichi would get scared again. He just wanted to go in first because he has known him the longest."

"So you really think that is the reason?" Ryuichi asked, "Kumagarou says that is partly true. But, he also says that Hiro was afraid that I would confuse Shuichi even more. I don't want to confuse anyone, especially Shuichi."

Tatsuha reached for Ryuichi to give him a hug but Ryuichi pulled away.

"I don't feel like it tonight Tat-kun, maybe tomorrow."

With these few words, Tatsuha knew that it was over. And, for the first time since they had been together, Tatsuha and Ryuichi slept in separate beds.

DeMoN4EvA—Once again thank you for your continued support. Yes, I was evil to poor Yuki. Sweatdrops Uhhh, sorry?

Aki Kotasho—Sorry if you got confused over the Shu/Ryu name. Ryu was the name Shu went by while living at the shelter. I should have given a reminder at the beginning of the chapter. I'm glad you like the story.

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.