That sound. What is that sound? It sounds like… humming. It's so gentle and lovely. And it sounds like some sort of lullaby.

With much effort, Johnny slowly opened his tired eyes a bit. Well, at least one of his eyes. A soft light filled his eye. He was in a strange room. It was a bedroom. The walls were black with silver picture frames places here and there, all holding exquisite paintings. The floor was reddish hardwood and covered partially in the middle by a small crème colored rug. The long curtains which smoothly draped over the windows to block the light were as black as the walls with white and silver designs embroidered into them. The bed he laid upon was soft and comfortable like a cloud. The matching satin blankets and pillows were quite fancy as well.

Then Johnny heard it again, the humming sound. It was coming from the next room. The door was open and the dim light was shining it. If he stood sit up just enough, which hurt quite a bit, Johnny could see that it was the living room. Such a warm and yet artist setting it was. The floors were always the same hardwood, but the walls were white. There were intricate paintings hung on them with modern black frames. The light showing through crimson lampshades lit the room a soft warm red.

There was a tall, lean figure standing over the couch. It appeared to be tucking a small child in on the couch. When it moved, Johnny could see that it was Squee on the couch and his babysitter, what's her name, Rose, placing his blankets comfortably over him. He was fast asleep with a little smile on his face. Rose was smiling too as she hummed that lullaby. She looks so much like a mother caring for her son. Johnny couldn't help but envy Squee a bit. He received so much tender care from her and nobody even notices him, let alone offers to help his life out in anyway.

Her humming was smoothly flowing into audible words…

Akaku nijimu taiyou wa subete o

terashite kita ima mo mukashi mo

kono yuuyami ni egaiteru souzou wa

hatashite kono te ni oenai mono na no ka?

Motto ima ijou ni hadaka ni natte

ikite yuku jutsu oshiete yo

honno sukoshi dake watashi o yogoshite

sou yatte hitori kizutsuitari

mawari o nakushita to shite mo

shinjitsu no uta wa kono mune ni nagare…

It was complete gibberish to Johnny, and yet it was so beautiful. Words he couldn't even understand were almost carrying him back to dreamland. And Rose's soothing voice only made sleep seem even more inviting.

She leaned in and gave Squee a gentle kiss on the forehead as he floated into pleasant dreams. For once in his life, Johnny saw Squee truly happy. Whenever he was around his parents or all alone, he always seemed shy or timid. But now he was content with life as it was. His life with Rose as his guardian.

Johnny watched the two without thought, only emotion. But when Rose turned around to check up on him, Johnny decided it was a good time to pretend to be asleep. Laying down that quickly was not too bright of an idea. A bolt of pain stabbed him sharply in the side.

"Ahh! Damn that hurts!" Johnny swore loudly. He clutched his mouth when he realized just how loud he was.

Rose jumped when she heard a loud voice shout from the guest bedroom where Johnny was resting. No doubt he had finally awoken. She rushed into the room. Once she opened the door all the way, Rose saw Johnny wide awake with his right eye twitching creepily, his teeth bared and gritted maniacally, and clutching his injured ribs. The scene was both funny and rather scary to watch.

"How are you feeling?" she slowly approached his bed. Even though he was wounded and she had confiscated all the blades and weapons he carried, Johnny still seemed very dangerous to her.

His huge eyes jerked towards the silhouette standing in the doorway. Rose was slowly moving towards him.

It seems as though she is somewhat afraid of me. Well, either that, or she is just being cautious. After all, I'm sure that little Squee has probably told her all about my little habit.

"If you overlook the STABBING PAIN IN MY RIBS then I'm just fine," Johnny exaggerated with a slight scowl.

Rose jumped a bit when his voice erupted for a few words. But she had to learn that Johnny was a very strange person through Squee's little tales about his neighbor.

"Um, Johnny, you've been asleep for two weeks." Rose spoke softly, her voice slightly stuttered.

His eyes shot open, "Two weeks! How is that possible! I remember yesterday when that gang of scumbags tried to beat me up and shoved me in front of a moving car!"

Rose had to explain with great difficulty about how she and Squee had found him…

Squee clutched Rose's hand tightly. Even though he was happy that he was going to spend the night at her house, this side of town still gave him the jitters. There were ominous looking people all over the place, especially in the shadows of unlit allies. The stores and shops lining the street were randomly dropping out of the remaining lit. The fuzzy glow of the orange street lamps only lit the sidewalk, the street, and the facades of the buildings lining the road.

Something further up along the sidewalk caught Rose's eye. It looked like a skinny black dog curled up on the sidewalk. It was there that she realized that there was a pool of blood around it.

"Oh my Gosh!" Rose clasped her hand to her mouth and began running, dragging little Squee with her. As they neared it, the thing appeared to be scrawny, wore dark clothes and boots, and was as pale as a ghost. It was obvious that this creature laying half dead on the side walk was Johnny C.

The unpleasant smell of the hospital taunted at Rose's sense of smell. How the smell of latex and ether bothered her. Squee was nonchalant to the scourge in his nap. It was almost three o' clock in the morning. The blandness of the waiting room was beginning to make her rather sleepy as well. But the constant noise in the white tiled hallways kept her awake. The dust blue carpet where Squee was curled up with his teddy bear was littered with paper, worn down crayons, and drawings he did to pass the time, including a "Get Well" card for Johnny, if he lived.

A lady in a white doctor's shroud came into the waiting room with a clip board. She adjusted her spectacles before reading the clipboard, "Rose Briarfeld?"

Rose attention was caught at the sound of her name. As quietly as she could, not to wake Squee, she rose from her seat and approached the woman. It must be about Johnny.

"Yes?" she asked, almost in a whisper.

The woman looked to her over the brim of her spectacles, "We see that you, nor the boy, are family of the patient. Do you know of any relatives John Colt may have?"

Rose shook her head, "No. I don't know any. And I don't think he knows his family either."

She nodded her head in the sleeping Squee's direction. He had rolled over once and faced away from them. Now, three of his drawings were crumpled under his body.

"I see." The woman said blankly, "Well, the doctors informed me that he has four broken ribs, a broken hip, an open fracture to the right shin, and severe bleeding. He will recover quickly, but he will be spending a lot of time in bed."

Rose clenched her hands together nervously. Johnny's condition was much worse than they had thought. He had to have been hit by a car. There was no other way all that could have happened to him in any other way. Besides, he was next to the road.

The nurse continued, "Now, we looked into his files and he see that the patient has no health insurance, life insurance, credit card, or bank account. As far as we are concerned, John Colt is probably unable to pay for treatment."

Rose jumped right on it, "I'll pay. I'll do anything it takes to get the money. He needs this operation."

The nurse sighed, "The bill will be very expensive. You're only nineteen. A critical condition treatment costs thousands of dollars."

The girl's face became pale and fell. She knew she couldn't pay for it. She knew Johnny couldn't pay for it. What in the lord's name was she going to do?

"But," the woman began again, "We have a special offer for financially incapable patients like Mr. Colt. This is a new plan we are trying here. The patient is treated, but is then transported back to their estate. Once a day, an attendant nurse will check up on the patient. Without cost for a room and supplements, the bill is lowered. All equipment is donated to the hospital and has a deposit."

The decision didn't even take a second thought. Rose already blurted out her answer, "We'll do it."

It all seemed to clear up a bit for Johnny. He looked up to Rose. Her face looked anxious for some form of understanding from him. She had been will to pay all his medical bills for him and probably not even ask for anything in return.

He sighed, "I see."

Rose's face softened up a bit with relief. That smile of hers was relaxing to the eyes. Johnny wished she wouldn't do that. That look she has made his chest swell a bit. But, it didn't feel bad at all. Almost like that feeling when you're being cared for. She quickly fluffed Johnny's pillows before having him slowly lean back.

"Goodnight, Johnny." then she turned around for the door.

"Rose?" Johnny called out before the door was closed.

She faced him, "Yes?"

Johnny wanted to show her some form of gratitude for all she had done. But 'Thank you' just wasn't a word ready on his lips, "Uh, um…I uh…that song you were singing earlier. What language was that?"

Her rosy lips curved into a soft smile, knowing what he meant, "Japanese."

She closed the door behind her. Johnny listened with pricked ears until her footsteps disappeared. The weight of his eyelids calmly overtook him and drifted to sleep.