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.

DeMoN4EvA--I'm evil, I'm going to continue to be mean to poor Tatsuha. I didn't like him when I originally wrote this story, I gained a better appreciation now.

Cookie-forced to log in--Sorry to hear about you computer. But, it's good to see you back. I have drastically reduced details in the more graphic scenes but only because I want to keep my account here.

animegirl12181--Like I said the Hiro/Shu is very short, but now I can get down to business.

Chapter 8

It's Never as Bad as You Think

Tatsuha waited until he was sure that Shuichi and Hiro had finished. After he could no longer hear any noises coming from their room he went in to take his own shower. He still needed some time on his own to think. One thing that he did know, things were completely over with Ryuichi. No matter what happened with Shuichi, whether the younger singer chose to be with Hiro, Ryuichi, or Yuki he knew that he and Ryu would never be a couple again.

After letting the hot water beat on his back and relaxing him, he came to the decision that it didn't really matter. His affair with the singer had been fun finally getting tohave someone he had lusted after for so long was a huge ego boost. What he needed to decide were his own feelings. There was definitely love there, but for some reason when he actually stopped to think about it, did he think that he could spend the rest of his life with Ryuichi, probably not. He had turned idol worship into a sexual adventure. When he looked at things critically he realized that they were more like best buddies who happened to be having sex.

He also needed to consider his feelings for Shuichi. None of this entire mess had been his fault. There was only one person he could feel anger toward and that was Hiro. He had known about Ryuichi's feelings for Shindou but he had taken advantage at the first opportunity.

Finally feeling that he had some things sorted in his mind, Tatsuha left the shower and pulled on jeans and a tee shirt. He listened at Hiro and Shuichi's door for a few minutes just to make sure. When he didn't hear anything he took a deep breath and knocked loudly before entering the room.

Two tussled heads rose from the same pillow to stare at him. Hiro had his arms wrapped protectively aroundthe smaller manand one leg casually thrown over his hips.

"I think we need to talk."He said while sitting casually on the other bed. He watched amused as they both scrambled around trying to get their clothes back on while remaining under the covers.

"That wasn't very nice Tatsuha." Hiro scolded when he was finally dressed and out of the bed.

"Yeah, well I'm about to get a lot meaner." He couldn't keep the scowl off of his face and didn't really want to. "First, I think I should tell you that Ryuichi is gone. He ran out right after he opened your door this morning. He was checking on Shuichi." Tatsuha noticed the look the two gave each other and allowed an evil grin to spread, "Yes, he saw you." Hiro at least had the decency to look embarrassed but Shuichi only looked more confused.

"Shuichi I know you don't understand so just bear with me for a few minutes. Hiro and I were already here in New York. We were both subpoenaed to appear at Yuki's trial on Monday. I was to be a character witness. Hiro was to be testifying to the fact that would not have left Japan willingly, at least not without telling him first."

"That's true enough," Shuichi finally spoke, "I didn't go willingly. I was forced onto the plane at gunpoint and drugged once I was on the plane."

Tatsuha knew that his mouth was hanging open and Hiro looked equally amazed. Hiro instinctively tried to put a protective arm around Shu but the vocalist held him off.

"We didn't know that," Tatsuha continued, "but that is not the main issue right now. There is something else we need to discuss and the other can wait until later.

Nods of agreement told him he should continue. "Okay then, just so that you know, Hiro and I were here for the trial," he addressed Shuichi, "Ryuichi came for you. He believes that he is in-love with you. Needless to say, the sight of you and Hiro together did not sit well with him."

"I didn't know." Shuichi whispered and looked amazed at the news.

"How could you have known? Ryu can be hard to read in the best of situations and tends to hide his feelings behind a fuzzy pink bunny. But, he is very serious about this."

"I am so sorry Tatsuha. I really didn't know." Shuichi apologized again.

"Will you please quit apologizing; none of this is your fault. I don't know what it is about you that makes everyone around you fall in-love with you and I don't suppose that it really matters. What I really want to know is why?"

When Shuichi started to answer he interrupted, "No Shu, I need to hear this answer from Hiro. You see he knew about Ryuichi. He knew how he felt."

"Oh yeah Tatsuha," Hiro responded angrily, "did anyone stop to think how I felt? I've loved Shu for years. I finally had my chance and so I took it. I'm sorry if Ryu was hurt. I refuse to feel guilty because I finally got something I have wanted for long time. I know that Shu doesn't feel for me what I feel for him. What happened this morning is not going to change that. Shu's life is his own and it is up to him to decide. I wanted him and he wanted comfort. I was there and I gave him what he needed." Hiro had risen to his feet and was screaming.

"Well you didn't have to fuck him!" Suddenly he lost his own temper and found himself screaming back.

"Don't you ever say that!" Hiro had not risen to his own feet. He could only stare in horror as fist connected with his jaw. "Shuichi is not a whore!"

Holding his jaw for a few seconds he realized he probably deserved it, but there was no way he could let Hiro get away with hitting him since this is all the guitarist's fault to begin with. Clenching his own fist he jabbed into Hiro's stomach. The red-head suddenly kicked his feet out from under him and the free-for-all started.

He vaguely heard Shu's panicked cries for them to stop. Then he too was running out of the room.

Ryuichi had been sitting in the elevator for about half an hour. He couldn't believe how stupid he had been. First, he let Tatsuha get to him. Then there was Shuichi, he just couldn't get the picture of him and Hiro out of his head. He had thrown his entire heart into finding the younger singer and then making him his. He managed the finding part and messed up on the later. Then he had stupidly run out without asking for an explanation, he didn't even deserve one, Shu wasn't his yet. He held no claims.

The thing that made him feel the most stupid was the fact that he had run out without his card key. Now he was stuck in the elevator. The blasted car would not move without the key and he couldn't get back into their room without the same key. So, here he sat enclosed by four boring walls and feeling miserable. He didn't even have Kuma-chan for comfort.

"Well Shit!" He slammed his fist on the carpeted floor. He had already made up his mind that he was going to go back into the hotel room, he just had to get his nerve up to knock on the door. He was just getting ready to get up when he heard shouts erupting from the room. He pressed his ear to the door and was sure he heard Hiro yell that Shuichi was not a whore. After that he heard several thumps and muffled grunts, they were fighting.

The doors suddenly opened and he nearly fell over. Shuichi came running out of the suite and into the elevator slamming the door behind him.

Their eyes met and Shu gasped, "Ryu, what are you doing in here?"

"Hey Shu, I don't suppose you remembered your key did you?" he managed to choke out before bursting into tears.

Tohma returned to his office and started making more calls. Before the end of the hour he had managed to get quite a lot of information one Dr. Alex Williams. Williams was born in Seattle Washington. Everyone in his family seemed to be involved in the field of medicine. Except for a few stock purchases he had no corporate associations whatsoever. Williams had immigrated to Japan three years ago as part of an international exchange to help the spread of medical techniques worldwide. All-in-all this Dr. Williams seemed like a normal average guy.

So, why had he run off with Mika?

Tohma had managed to get a picture of the man from the exchange association. Williams was a good-looking guy if you liked western features sporting black hair and blue eyes, although his features were rather sharp for Japanese tastes. He actually reminded Tohma of a certain American actor, Reeves, Keanu Reeves. Only Williams appeared to be slightly taller with a broader frame.

After a quick check, he could find no previous association between the man and Mika. 'She must have paid him,' he thought.

Tohma began making calls to the New York area to try to find any connections there to Dr. Alex Williams. He finally hit pay dirt when he called Brooklyn General Hospital. There were two doctor Williams listed as physicians. Dr. Phillip Williams--Trauma and Internal Medicine and Dr. Anna Williams-Smith--OB/GYN were both residents. He also learned from one of his New York connections that they were brother and sister and had another brother who was currently working at a clinic in Japan, a Dr. Alex Williams GP.

Now he was torn. Should he chase Mika or chase Yuki. Either way he would need to catch a flight to New York. "Oh hell!" Coming to a sudden decision he made a call to arrange for a new passport. One more call and he had a seat booked on the next flight out.

The plane finally touched down at Ronald Reagan International in New York. Mika's contractions were now only three minutes apart. But, everything still seemed to be progressing normally.

The ambulance met the plane right on the tarmac. Mika and Alex left the plane using the emergency ladder and were transported directly to Brooklyn General. The entire time Mika refused to release Alex's hand. Alex's sister was waiting to meet them when they arrived in the Emergency Room.

"Mika I need to leave for a few minutes to get you checked in."

"Alex you promised. Please…" She managed to pant out through the pain.

"I haven't forgotten." Alex turned and pulled the woman standing next to him forward. "This is my sister Anna, she and I are twins. She'll take good care of you while I'm gone."

Mika felt fear watching Alex walk out the door but the other doctor, Anna, seemed to have the same calming effect and looking into her blue eyes she began to calm.

"Well Mika," Anna Williams announced, "Let's see exactly how far along you are."

The woman seemed to find it necessary to chat while she worked. "I know that aren't really Alex's wife. He would have told me if he had gotten married. He tells me everything." Pushing back in her chair she once again made eye contact, "You are dilated nine centimeters and the contractions are coming less than a minute apart now."

Turning to the technicians standing in the room Anna make a quick gesture, "Let's get her prepped and into delivery. Be quick, there isn't much time."

Sudden fear made her reach out to grab Anna's arm, "Alex!"

"I'll have him come to delivery Mika, don't worry" sighing she laid back in the bed allowing her eyes to close until the pain started again.

A little over an hour later Mika gave birth to a healthy baby girl who she named Anna, in honor of the doctor who was good enough to deliver the baby without any questions being asked. To nearly everyone's surprise the name listed on the birth certificate was Anna Williams, not Seguchi Anna.

"Are you sure everything is OK?" Alex asked for about the hundredth time that day.

"Alex please!" Anna finally snapped at him, "Mother and child are both doing fine. This was a completely normal delivery if a little rushed. But you, there are a few things you need to answer for. I want to know what exactly what is the deal with you and that woman. I know she isn't your wife yet you registered her as Mrs. Alex Williams. And, just by looking at you, I can tell that you care for her. It is equally obvious that she has some feeling for you."

"No questions right now sis," Alex to tried to shrug it off with a grin, "things are a little…confused right now." He couldn't believe that he was standing her in the hospital corridor arguing about his love life, or lack of one.

"I originally thought that maybe the child was yours," Anna was never the type to give up on a point when she got her teeth into something, "but that baby is fully Asian. It may have slightly lighter hair and complexion but it is definitely not mixed. She is fully Japanese."

"Anna, it really is better that you don't know anything yet. I promise I'll tell you everything later. Just for now keep up the pretense that she is Michelle Williams and my wife.

Anna finally sighed and he could see that she was caving in "All right, I'll do it for now. But, you are going to tell me."

He stayed quiet as they started down the hall but Anna being Anna just couldn't keep her mouth shut.

"I really do want to apologize for not having a room in maternity. That wing is full and you have to admit that you did not give me much notice."

"Don't worry about it I appreciate what you have been able to do." He and his sister were still walking down the corridor. There was one room that caught his eye and only because there were guards standing at either side of the door. "What's up with that?" he whispered into Anna's ear.

He watched as a slight flush appeared on his sister's face, "We had a transfer from Central Jail this morning. Some poor dude had been brutally raped and beaten."

"He's not dangerous, is he?" he couldn't keep the anxiety out of his voice.

"No, don't worry about that. The news I hear is that he was about to be released anyways. His trial is scheduled for Monday and most of the charges have already been dropped. He's Phillip's patient. If you want to know any more ask him."

Just as Anna spoke the name his brother Phillip came out of the man's room looking more than a little miffed. A face that could never hold anger for long broke into a wide smile when their eyes met.

"Alex!" Phil practically ran to him grabbing him in a huge hug, "What are you doing here? Why didn't you let us know you were coming?"

"Hey Phil," he greeted his brother in a much quieter voice, "long time no see. How's it going?"

The slightly miffed look appeared on the younger man's face again and he pointed back towards the room with the guards. "I'm frustrated, that man in that room, he was worked over pretty badly in jail and the only thing he can say is that he slipped in the shower. Or, he'll go off speaking in Japanese. At least he won't have to go back to the jail."

Alex sighed, "Phil I speak Japanese remember, I can help if you need it."

"I might do that if I need to, not right now though. I just gave him a painkiller and he should sleep for a while." Phil seemed to consider before he spoke again, "You know what's really strange about the guy, he is supposed to be some rich, famous author back in Japan, but he is so hostile to everyone.

Alex stopped in his tracks and latched onto Phil's arm, "What's his name Phil?" he could hear the urgency in his own voice.

"Yuki, Eiri Yuki."

Shu sank to the floor next to the man he had idolized for most of his life. "I'm sorry Ryu," he spoke hesitantly, "I didn't know."

Ryuichi used the back of his hand to dash the tears from his eyes, "I suppose Tatsuha couldn't wait to tell you?"

"Yeah, he was pretty brutal about it too. I just hope that he and Hiro aren't killing each other in there right now."

"Are they really fighting?" There was a small smile lifting the corners of Ryu's mouth and he couldn't help but return it.

"Afraid so, they were really going at it when I ran out."

"Over me or you?" The smile had faded from Ryu's face and there was only concern on there now.

Truthfully, right now he didn't really feel sorry for either one of them, "Both, I think." Shu couldn't hold back a small chuckle.

Ryuichi didn't respond to the laugh and his eyes became tear filled once more, "You know Shuichi this whole thing didn't go the way I had it planned. I had this whole idea of finding you and becoming your savior. You would forget all about Yuki and fall in-love with me. Then we would go off and live happily ever after." The tears were now leaking down his cheeks. "That was just a fairy tale, something I made up in my own mind, wasn't it?"

Shu reached out and pulled him into his arms, "I honestly don't know what I feel right now Ryu. I'm not trying to play games with anyone. I will tell you what I do know. I do not love Hiro the way he wants, I do love him as a friend, the best friend that a person can have. And, yes, I had sex with him. He wanted to love me and I needed the simple human contact."

"Does he know how you feel?" Ryu finally seemed to have his emotions under control and at his words the tears stopped.

"He knows, he has always known. I had already let him know that having sex would not change anything." She gave a sad smile, "Hiro is probably the biggest regret in my life. I keep hurting him over and over again and he keeps coming back. It's just like my relationship with Yuki, only with Yuki I was the one continually getting hurt and coming back for more. I've finally decided that both relationships are destructive."

The tears were completely gone now and Ryu stared at him with intensity as if he were carefully examining every word and didn't want any more misunderstandings, "Shu what are you saying?"

"I'm saying that I still don't know what I'm going to do. There are still a lot of issues that I need to work through. I know that need to face Yuki again or I'll never be able to move onwhether it's with or without him."

"Just make me one promise if you can Shu, I know that you are messed up right now, but if you do decide you need to move forward without Yuki, you will at least give me a call?"

Those deep blue eyes that had always given him the chills locked onto his and a small smile curved his lips, "Ryu could you please kiss me again?"

"Are you sure?" Ryufelt so hopeful and scared at the same time and Shu's small smile was all the affirmation he needed.

The kiss was deep, passionate and he felt it clear to his toes. It was the same reaction he had in the alley last night. Only this time the circumstances were different. It took all of his will to pull away. "Yes Ryu it will definitely be you that I call." He heard Shu's words come out in a husky whisper and hegave a bright smile in return.

"You won't have to call Shu, I'll be there."

Okay, so I am finally almost through with the boring Mika and Alex parts. She still has a role to play and there was a point for her existence in the story. She won't disappear completely, sorry. Next chapter K finally makes an appearance. Will he turn Shu in?

Time to let me know what you think--Please Review.