A long Day (Another Tezuka15)

"Bucho!" Oishi and Kikumaru shouted and ran up to him as well.

"Tezuka what's wrong?" The teacher said and then the door to the room bursted open.

"Tezuka…Bucho…" Ryoma shouted and everyone looked at him as Sakuno came up behind him.

"Oba…san…is…" Sakuno weezed as she tried to catch her breath

"Kunimitsu!" Fuji shouted after he read his message on his cell and got out of his seat. "Get going!" He said and packed Tezuka's things up.

"What's going on?" The teacher said and then went quiet when Fuji glared at him.

"Oishi take care of practice later." Tezuka said ran out of the room with Fuji, Sakuno and Ryoma right behind him.

"Oishi what's going on?" The teacher said and Oishi shook his head.

"RyuzakiTaki's in the hospital sir." He said and Eiji looked like he was going to start to cry. "She's been friends with us since Sakuno was born. We took care of her now and then. But Tezuka and Fuji were the ones who were always there for her when things went wrong. We just found out that she's dieing." He said and some students gasped and the teacher sat on Tezuka's desk. "Tezuka is the one it's hitting that hardest. That's why he's been missing school these days. And not to mention why he's been snapping at people." He said and then his cell rang and Eiji answered it.

"IIYA!" Eiji shouted and started to cry.

"Eiji?" Oishi said and took his partner into his arms and took the phone from him. "Ryoma what happened?" He asked seeing the name on the caller id.

"It's Sakuno Oishi. I'm with oba-san while Tezuka, Fuji and Ryoma took Tezuka's car down to the hospital. I didn't want to say it with Tezuka around but she's gotten worse. That's why Oba-san told us to pull them out." She said and Oishi looked at the teacher who then told the rest of the class to leave the room. "They don't know if she'll make it through the night." She said and that's when the cell fell out of Oishi's hand.

Oishi picked Eiji up still crying and ran to the office. "We need to make an emergency announcement." He said and the secretary looked at headmaster who was talking with another teacher. The headmaster nodded knowing what was going to be said. "This is an emergency announcement for all tennis players. Practice is cancelled. All of you are to meet us in front of the school as soon as possible. Regulars drop what ever you are doing and meet by the cars now." He said then ran out of the room still carrying Eiji.

"What's going on?" People in the hall said when the tennis players ran towards the front of the school.

"Oishi what was that about?" Kawamura asked and Oishi rubbed his eyes because tears wanted to fall as well.

"Tezuka, Fuji and Ryoma are already on their way to the hospital. Sakuno just called and told me that Taki might not make it through the night." He said and some of the players got their keys out to their cars.

"Shit." Momo said and opened his car door. "What are we waiting for?" He said and all the players got into cars and they were all off.

Running into the hospital Tezuka and Fuji didn't stop when security shouted for them to slow down so Ryoma had to apologize for them then hurried after them. "Tezuka stop." The doctor said standing in front of Taki's door with some of the nurses. "Calm down. It's not going to do you or her any good with you so freaked out, Fuji that goes for you as well. She's feeling weaker then yesterday. She couldn't get out of bed this morning so she's feeling frustrated as well. Don't add onto it please. We want to keep her here as long as well can." He said, and the two clamed down as best they could. "Ryoma keep a hold of them when they want to do something you know they shouldn't." He said and the two turned to see Ryoma behind them.

"Fine." Ryoma said and then the three were let into the room.

Taki was seated in her bed that had been propped up and was sleeping it seamed. "Tezuka?" She said not opening her eyes.

"Yeah I'm here." He said and she opened her eyes the best she could. "Didn't I tell you not to skip school." She said and he nodded.

"Yeah but hey at least it's not only me. And you did say not to get into any arguments with Fuji so here he is as well." Tezuka said she smiled weakly.

"Fuji, I hope you and Tezuka are back on better terms." She whispered and Fuji nodded. "That's good." She said then closed her eyes once more. The two sat down on the bed on different sides and took one of her hands. "You guys are so warm…it's been a while since the three of us have been like this."

"Taki don't talk like that. Every time we're like this is because you were ill…" Fuji said then his eyes shot open. "No…you…" He said and she smiled.

"Sa… I just…"

"It's fine Taki." Tezuka whispered and she squeezed his hand.

"Ryoma, would you go and get me a hot drink?" She said and he shifted from sitting on the window sill.

"Hai." Ryoma said and left the room.

"Taki?" The two regulars said and she opened her eyes and tears started to fall.

"I didn't want him to see me cry…" She said and they nodded. "I guess they didn't tell you two." She whispered and the two gave her a questioning look.

"What are you talking about?" Tezuka said and she lifted her left hand as high as she could but then dropped it. He caught it and held it in both his hands.

"She may not make it through the night." A voice said from the door and there was Sumire who was closing the door behind her.

"What!" Fuji shouted and was about to jump up but Taki's grip on his hand tightened.

"Fuji…calm down please…don't do anything stupid…"

"Taki, how can you tell me to calm down? She just said you may not live through the night."

"Because Syuusuke I know that already. And I know that I'm not going to regret that I can't live longer. You all made my wish come true. The thing I wanted the most I got." She whispered and then grabbed onto her chest in pain. "Nnnnaaaa."

"Taki!" Sumire shouted and then the Doctors came running into the room. Tezuka grabbed onto Fuji and dragged him out of the room. They both ran right into the others.

"What's going on?" Sakano asked and Fuji glared at Tezuka.

"Why did you pull me out of there?" Fuji shouted at Tezuka.

"What good are we in there Fuji? Do you think I wanted leave? I didn't, but I'd only be in the way." He said and Fuji was about to shove at him. "Fuji get it through your head she knows she's not going to live over the night. I don't need to watch over you like you're a child loosing its toy." Tezuka said and Fuji slapped him.

"How can you say that! You have no feeling for her do you!" Fuji shouted at him and that's when Tezuka snapped.

"How could you think I don't care of her! I don't know if I can live through this if I loose her. Damn it Syuusuke, how can you say that I don't have feelings for her when you saw us a few days ago. I skipped school because I was breaking down. I don't know how to deal with this. I don't need to worry about the rest of you as well. " He said then turned his head when he heard his name being shouted.

"KUNIMITSU!" Taki shouted and he ran back into the room and shoved passed the nurses and doctors.

"I'm right here Taki…" He said and grabbed onto her hands.

"It hurts…I've tried to be strong when you were all here…but it hurts to much no…" She cried and he moved her hair from getting into her eyes.

"I know Taki… you've always been strong even when you didn't have to be…" He said and tried to give a faint smile. "…you don't have to be strong anymore Taki…let it all out…I'm here to watch your back… always remember…"

"The pain will subside in a while." The nurse whispered to him as the Doctor and other nurses left the room. "I'll make sure no one comes in at all." She said and left closing the door.

Once the pain subsided they two reminisced about the past until she started to drift to sleep from being too tired. It was around three in the morning when she stirred and smiled at him. "I love you Kunimitsu…"

"I love you to Taki." He said and kissed her and knew he was going to have to say goodbye soon. She was starting to loose warmth.

"I'm sorry…I couldn't…" her eyes closed, "...last till the end of…" her breathing slowed, "…your birthday…" she whispered and then there was nothing. Her hands went limp and to his surprise there was something in them. A key with his name engraved on it. He sat there saying his goodbyes to her for about two hours. He then took her necklace that held her wedding ring off, then got up kissed her one last time and went to the door. A nurse was stationed to watch if he came out and came up to him just in time to catch his tired body.

"Come on we've got a lot to talk about." She said and took him away as some other nurses and Doctors went to deal with Taki.