Acceptance

Hana watched nervously as his father paced back and forth in front of the chairs in the Emergency waiting room. He felt responsible for his mother's accident, even though he wasn't there. I should have just told him the truth, he thought regretfully. He then stared around the room and noticed the moods and actions of everyone there. Tamao was standing against a far wall staring blankly at the floor. Ren and Manta sat in chairs near the entrance and seemed to be having a conversation about libraries. Ryu and Lyserg sat on the opposite side of them in silence. Chocolove and Pirika sat across from the other group having blank discussion about the weather. Faust was talking to random doctors hoping to find one who knew of Anna's condition. Horo began pacing with Yoh.

For what seemed like an eternity, one of the doctors emerged from Anna's room. Yoh rushed him with absolute desperation and was asking numerous questions before he could speak.

"Yoh, let him tell us what's going on," Horo said, placing a hand on his shoulder.

"Is she okay? What happened? Tell me she's gonna be fine," Yoh shrieked at the doctor using a frantic jumble of words. Tamao stared at him and a single tear rolled down her cheek.

"Please try to stay calm, Mr. Asakura," The doctor started, "Right now she's in stable condition and is conscious. You may go in to see her, but please limit it to two at a time."

"Thank you. Thank you so much," Yoh responded, shaking his hand and shivering.

"Go, Yoh. Go in there," Ren said. He was now standing behind him.

Yoh heard the words, but for some reason, he couldn't manage to get his thoughts together. He continued to pace around in front of the doctor and raised his hands to his waist to look at the palms. His entire body shook violently.

"Yoh, go see your wife. She needs you," Tamao said, pulling his arm.

"Come on, Papa. I'll go with you," Hana said through his tears.

Yoh allowed Hana to take his hand and they both walked slowly to Anna's room. Tamao clasped her hands on top of her head and sighed heavily. Horo and Ren stared at each other briefly then they each took seats in the waiting room.

"Thank you for coming. I'm sorry I sounded so frantic," Tamao started as she paced around the group.

"You don't have to thank us, Tamao," Manta replied. "Yoh and Anna are our friends. Of course we would be here."

---

Hana turned the handle of the door and his father grabbed his shirt.

"It's okay, Papa. Mama wants to see us," Hana didn't know what to do. He didn't know how to comfort his father and he knew this would only be the beginning.

"Hi!" Anna called to them in a disturbingly cheerful tone.

Yoh stared wide eyed at his wife for a few seconds and released his grip on his son.

"Are you okay?"

"Of course I'm okay, Yoh. Come over here. Both of you!" She was sitting upright in the bed. The white blankets hid much of her body, and her long blond hair hid the rest. Her arms were stretched wide to meet them.

Hana and his father were unsure how to respond to her. She seemed happy. She seemed okay. She didn't seem sick.

"I'm so glad you're okay," Yoh said finally, "You scared us to death," he walked over to the bed and embraced her warmly.

"Yes, I'm fine. Hana, come here. I want a hug," Anna replied excitedly.

He obeyed her and the three of them stayed in each other's arms for an extended amount of time. No one seemed to have the will to let go. For almost an hour, the three joked and played around on the bed as if they weren't in the hospital. As if things were normal.

"Ah, we should go and let the others come in. They all wanted to see how you were feeling," Yoh said suddenly. He reluctantly kissed Anna on the forehead and headed for the door, "I'll go tag someone."

"Hana, could you stay for a few minutes?" Anna asked, holding his hand.

"Sure," he replied.

"Oh, and Yoh!" Anna called just as he was about to close the door behind him.

"Yes, Anna?" Yoh leaned inside the doorway to look at his beautiful wife another time.

"I will always love you," she responded solemnly.

Yoh blushed at those words and responded, "No one will ever take your place in my heart," she smiled at him lovingly and he closed the door.

"Come, sit with me Hana," Anna motioned for her son to sit on the bed with her. He obeyed and wrapped his arms around her waist.

"What's wrong, Mama?" Hana knew something was bothering her. There was no other reason for this moment without his father being in the room.

"It's soon, Hana. Very soon. I don't want your father to worry, and I want you to be strong for him. Can you do that for me?" As she spoke, tears streamed freely down her face.

"Yes, Mama, I can be strong for him. But, who will be strong for me?" He held her tighter and allowed himself to cry in her gown.

"Your father is a good man. He will support you. I want you two to support each other," she rubbed Hana's back in a desperate attempt to console him.

"How soon, Mama? What's happening?"

"I think it will be tonight. It's becoming harder to breathe and harder to move," she stared blankly at the wall ahead as she replied to his questions, "I just don't want you to be surprised."

Her last statement confused him. He sat up and looked at her face, which was growing extremely pale, "But, what about Papa? Won't he be surprised?"

She couldn't respond. There was a new visitor who entered the room so abruptly, the two jumped in response.

"I'm so sorry. I didn't mean to scare you. I was just so worried," Tamao replied. She cautiously walked over to the bed and rested her hands on a nearby chair, "How are you feeling?"

The pregnant pause that resounded scared her to death. She twirled a strand of her pink hair with one of her fingers and slightly held her breath, "Are you okay?" She asked finally.

Hana looked at his mother, unable to give a truthful answer. Anna held him tighter in her arms and spoke.

"Things will be okay soon, Tamao. Don't worry. Everything will be as it should be."

"How can you say that?!" Hana shouted suddenly, "You're supposed to be here with us! You're supposed to be my mother and be here forever! You're not supposed to just leave!"

"Hana stop," Anna tried to stifle his emotional outburst, but it was too late. Tamao was listening to him. And people outside of the room were beginning to hear him too.

"I can't! I want you to stay! I want you here! You're supposed to stay here! I don't want you to die! You can't die! Don't leave us! Don't leave me!" Hana held on to his mother as tightly as he could. He was hysterical; he couldn't think anymore.

Anna wasn't responding to his cries. She didn't acknowledge Tamao's terrified facial expression. She could only stare wide eyed at the doorway and into the eyes of her husband, who had heard his son screaming.