Cat-chan: I'm glad this story has been getting so many reviews! I'm so proud of it! -hugs story-
Tsuzuki: That's the spirit, Cat-chan!
Cat-chan: Of course!
Tsuzuki: Hisoka and I are glad to be of service, right 'Soka?
Hisoka: You might be. I'm forced to be her muse so I'm not entirely sure if I'd call that 'glad to be of service.
Cat-chan: Aw... but 'Soka I get my best ideas around you!
Hisoka: Fine, I'll be your muse still.
Tsuzuki: Hooray! Now on with the next chapter!
Cat-chan: That's my line.
Puppy Tsuzuki: Gomen.

Chapter 7: On the other side

"Bon! Tsuzuki!" Watari beamed as his friends entered his lab, "What have you got there?"

The bundle cradled in Tsuzuki's arms captured the scientist's interest, for it was breathing and shivering and wrapped up in Tsuzuki's trench coat. Obviously, it was alive or something of the like. With orange hued optics hidden behind large lenses, Watari peered closely at it, surprised to see that the bundle was a young girl. She didn't appear to be in the best of sorts, so he ushered the three of them into the infirmary where he could take a proper look at her.

"Tsuzuki, set her down there. Bon, go fetch some more blankets, we've got to warm her up first off. Ah, okay! Now Tsu, go get Tatsumi in here and inform him of what's happened. Thanks!" Watari bustled around, collecting the medical tools he'd be needing.

Tsuzuki had gently set the girl on one of the hospital beds, pulling back the covers and tucking her in just like he had done to Hisoka the previous night. After accomplishing this, the brunette quickly fled from the room in search of Tatsumi. The green-eyed youth did as he was told and brought two extra blankets from the closet. He draped one over the bed, then the second and stepped back when Watari came forth with his supplies.

"Great, thanks bon." he commented before grabbing his stethoscope and lowering it to the girl's chest. "Now, could you please go into the waiting room?"

Hisoka nodded, brushing his blonde bangs out of his eyes. He turned his back on the scientist and exited the room. Seeing a chair not too far off, he seated himself in it and waited for Tsuzuki to return with the secretary. As he sat there despondently, the memory of feeling the girl's emotions came rushing back to him. Hurt. Guilt. Betrayal. They left me. They left me here to die. So this is my fate, huh? Fear. Worry. Remorse. Loathing. Desperate need. Why do they hate me? Kaa-san. Tou-san. Help. The confusion at why she had been hated by the people she loved hit Hisoka hard, it was like he was looking at his own emotions from when he was a child. Alone.

Shaking away the discomforting thoughts, Hisoka huddled up in his chair, hugging his knees to his chest. He recalled Muraki calling her his doll as well, what had the bastard done to her? Had he stolen her innocence? He didn't think so… he couldn't sense the taint of adultery on her. Her spirit was still young and pure.

His eyes glazed over as he stared at the wall for some period of time. The memories of his parents looking upon him with disgust and scorn, his father beating him, his mother denying him, no one saving him when Muraki delivered the final blow that made him break. A broken doll… A broken, obedient doll… that's what he called me. Hisoka shuddered. He didn't like reliving this. It was because of the child's emotions.

Scowling lightly, he blamed her for his unfortunate reminiscence. As quickly as the intense hatred came, it passed leaving him with an awkward sense of guilt. It wasn't right to blame her, just because she had suffered the same fate as he. If anything he should feel sympathy for her. Yet… none came… only guilt and the leftover anger from the encounter with Muraki. Why couldn't his thoughts focus on one subject at a time?

Suddenly, a wave of emotions not his own came rushing into him, giving the empath little time to gain his composure and lowered his legs to the floor. His eyes took on a disinterested gaze and said nothing as he observed the opening door from the corner of his eyes.

"Hey Hisoka, is Watari fixing her up?" Tsuzuki asked as he reentered with Tatsumi right behind him, Hisoka had sensed them coming, so their arrival had not startled him.

The empath shrugged, "If that's what you call looking her over, then yes. He said to stay here."

"Oh, okay." the man took a seat next to Hisoka's, while Tatsumi sat opposite them. "You think she'll be okay, 'Soka?"

Hisoka opened his mouth to retort with an irritated 'I don't know.', but recovered with something more reassuring, "Yeah, her life force is strong. Don't worry."

Tatsumi arched an eyebrow in the boy's direction, but he avoided all eye contact. "Well, then. Tsuzuki-san, Kurosaki-kun. I suggest that while we wait, you inform me of what occurred with the case."

"Hai." both replied at the same time.

Tsuzuki took over from there, "It was Muraki again. He murdered the victims by the use of a demon of some sort, then reanimated their corpses and marked them. We destroyed the demon before it could attack that girl, she was to be the ninth victim. Muraki referred to her as his do-"

"-Muraki returned the souls to us, then asking for the girl in exchange. We didn't comply." Hisoka had cut off his partner, his posture straight and tense. He hadn't like where that conversation was going. "So, the case was solved, the souls are back, right Tatsumi-san?"

"Oh yes, we have received word from the Hall of Candles that the souls have been registered. Good work you two, you solved this case rather quickly." Tatsumi nodded his head in approval.

Tsuzuki beamed at his friend, "Does that mean a raise? Or a bonus?"

"No."

"Awww…." a distressed inu-Tsuzuki took the place of the shinigami, whimpering pathetically, "Tatsumi's sooo mean!"

Both ignored the cries from the purple-eyed puppy, Hisoka continued on one of his thoughts, "But I don't think we're through with Muraki. He's obviously scheming something, why else would he have any use of the girl?"

"My exact thoughts. We will have to interrogate the child and find out what she knows, then we will keep a close eye on our doctor friend."

The partners nodded, Tsuzuki having regained normal form at the mention of Muraki. Hisoka curled back up in the uncomfortable office chair, but it was like second nature to him to get as small as possible when sitting. Tsuzuki lazily slouched, muttering about getting some sweets after this. Tatsumi tapped his leg contemplatively. When the door to the infirmary opened, two of the three looked towards it, Hisoka continued to stare at the wall opposite him. Watari entered and smiled at them all before taking a seat next to Tatsumi.

Tsuzuki looked up at Watari, quite anxious to hear the news of the child's well-being, "Well? How is she, Watari? Will she be okay?"

"She's just fine!" the scientist beamed, "Aside from a lack of nourishment and a little frostbitten, she's in very good condition. A nice, long rest and some breakfast and she'll be as good as new!"

"That's great news, Watari! Thanks," Tsuzuki relaxed and grinned, he then turned to his partner who was now looking at Watari, "Isn't that great 'Soka?"

He replied hesitantly, "Uhh, yeah, sure."

"Can we go look in on her Watari?" Tsuzuki asked, hopping up from the chair, "Please?"

Watari nodded his consent, "Sure! Just don't wake her up, she needs her rest if we want her to clear things up for us and get better."

Tsuzuki began to approach the door leading to where the sleeping girl dwelled, but paused when he noticed his partner wasn't with him. "Hisoka? Aren't you coming?"

"Maybe later… I'm going to go out for a little while. Want me to bring something back for you?" the empath was on the opposite side of the room, exiting into the hallway, stopping his movements only to wait for Tsuzuki's reply.

"Ooooh! Really? You'll get something for me? Yay! Sankyuu 'Soka-chan! Noji apple pie please!" the chibi-inu was beaming with indescribable joy.

Hisoka sighed and walked out, "Yeah, yeah…"

Watari watched the boy depart, then cocked his head to the side and looked to Tsuzuki, "What's up with bon? He didn't look too well. Something happen while you guys were gone?"

"Oh, he's just tired." Tsuzuki smiled sadly, "With the nightmares he's been having and running into Muraki, it wouldn't surprise me that he's exhausted."

With that said, he disappeared into the room, leaving a perplexed scientist and curious secretary. Both exchanged glances, Watari's golden eyes practically begging for an explanation. Tatsumi nodded and complied, proceeding to tell his friend about what had been revealed to him by Tsuzuki and Hisoka.

Tsuzuki had taken a chair and placed it beside the girl's bed. Although he wanted to make sure his partner was alright, he felt an intense need to protect this girl, just incase Muraki decided to make a move. Besides, it was likely she would be scared and confused, possibly distant as well. He wasn't expecting her to behave like a normal little girl, he figured due to her upbringing that she wouldn't trust them and be cold towards them.

Just like Hisoka was… which is no surprise considering that they were both ostracized by their families. Tsuzuki thought sadly, running his fingers through his hair, So we may not get any answers, and she might be afraid of us… of me…

It was a strange sensation, as if she were floating. Everything was dark, a black abyss which she concluded with a clouded mind was her consciousness. It wasn't cold, per say, but it provided no warmth either. It was void of all feeling. It was like she was drowning, her movements, if there were any, were constricted and sluggish. Like a barrier was preventing her from moving about freely. At first it startled her, but as memory flooded her, she soon found this extremely annoying.

Let me out. she pleaded internally, a pair of crimson optics staring at her maliciously. Let me out.

"Murderer. You murdered all those people. We warned you didn't we? That you were a threat. You should've died when you had the chance. Why do you go on living, otome? What compels you to? You're hated. A creature not worthy of acceptance or love."

Shut up! Mocha eyes blinked open sleepily, a tiny yawn emitting from chapped lips. She rubbed at her eyes, trying to get the sleep from them. The room was blurred slightly, fresh rays of morning sunlight peering in through the window. Where am I? She squinted, then saw something move out of the corner of her eye. Suppressing a startled gasp, brown optics widened at the sight before her.

A man with chocolate locks was slouched in a chair beside her bed, head lolled to the side. He was snoring lightly, chest moving up and down rhythmically. He was wearing some kind of work suit, black in color with a white dress shirt and a red tie that was done hastily and messed up. He looked familiar, but the child couldn't put her finger on it. It was when he stretched and lazily opened one eye, one amethyst-tinged eye, did she recall him.

A sound of surprise issued from his throat, the girl before him was awake, but only just, her coffee colored eyes half-opened. She was gazing at him, trying to figure out who exactly he was and where she was. Finally a smile appeared on those pink lips, startling him.

"Ohayo tenshi-sama."

TBC...

Words that should be defined for the good of the readers:
1. Ohayo: Good morning

2. tenshi: angel

3. bon: kid

Reviewers!
1. Sam: Thank you for the review! I'm trying to fix the problem with my spelling and grammar getting all messed up when transferring documents, hopefully this chapter is free of mistakes! I'm picky when it comes to my own grammar. I'll try to be updating regularly, so maybe one or two chapters every other day or so. It depends on how much inspiration I get!
2. Nana-Riiko: The line is in the anime only, not the manga -sweatdrop- Sorry if I confused anyone by saying that. Thank you for reviewing again!