Chapter 13: Happy

Hotsuma waited patiently for what seemed days to him. He stood, pacing around many times back and forth before sitting back down. Finally a doctor walked out. "Sir, I believe the young lady and the young man were with you?"

Hotsuma nodded, standing quickly, "Yes they're both with me. How are they? Are they going to be alright?"

"I'm afraid the man fared much better than the woman. He is in stable condition."

"And what about Asaki?"

"That wound…I…I'm afraid it went deeper than we could have hoped."

"No…are you telling me that Asaki is…"

"No, not yet. We managed to take out these." He held up one of the bullets. "It went through a part of her heart…she's doing ok now but only time can tell if her body will fight to live. I'm sorry; we did the best that we could."

Hotsuma shook his head, "You don't need to apologize, I understand. You did your best. Thank you. When can I see them?"

"Well I need to get some medicine for them, check on them and then you can go see them. I will come back and let you know."

"Yes, I understand. Thank you again."

Jin opened his eyes, looking around the room. He saw that he was in a hospital of some sort and blinked, looking around slowly. He tried looking for Asaki but saw nothing, only the nurse. "Where…am I?"

The nurse smiled, "Oh so you're awake now? That's good. You're in a hospital sir. Your leg and arm were injured pretty badly."

"Asaki…where is…Asaki?"

The nurse blinked, "Oh that woman that came in with you? Well they had to bring her to a separate room and do surgery on her. I hope she's ok. They said she wasn't looking to good. Well I suppose I can tell the doctor that you're up and get you some water. Now don't move a muscle." She smiled, leaving the room.

Jin sat up, wincing a little at the pain. He lifted his sleeve and saw that his arm had been bandaged up. He got out of bed, slowly and painfully standing up. "I've got…to find Asaki. I have to make sure that she's ok…"

Jin wandered down the hall, using the walls to help him move along. He looked in a few rooms, not seeing Asaki. Finally he came to one of the last rooms and saw Asaki lying by herself in bed. He walked into the room and over to Asaki. He knelt down beside her, on the left hand side and softly touched her cheek with his fingers which were curled in a bit.

"Asaki…Asaki are you…are you still alive?"

Asaki's eyes opened slowly as she looked up, seeing Jin. Her vision was blurry and she rubbed her eyes, making sure that it was him. She smiled slightly, "Jin…Oh Jin is that you?"

Jin nodded and smiled back happily, "Yes Asaki, it's me. I'm so glad you're alright." He took her hand into his and held it tightly.

"I'm glad…that you're alright too Jin…I don't know what I would've done if…you weren't ok."

"I could say the same about you Asaki." He gently ran a hand through her hair then caressed her cheek softly once again.

"Jin…that man. What happened to him?"

"Don't worry Asaki we…" he gripped onto his arm. Even though it had been treated, it still hurt to move it. "…we took care of him."

Asaki frowned, "You're hurt Jin."

"I'll be alright Asaki. In case you haven't noticed, you're hurt too."

Asaki smiled, "I'm ok Jin. Really I am. See I can sit up and…" she tried sitting up but fell back down, wincing in pain.

"Asaki! Stay in bed please. I can't risk your safety."

Asaki looked at him, "Jin…"

"Yes Asaki?"

"About what that man said…"

"What do you mean?"

"When he said that…that you and I had a baby…" her eyes seemed to go soft now, "I just…I couldn't believe it Jin…"

"I couldn't believe it either Asaki…"

"Jin…it made me so happy to hear that…"

"It made me happy too…"

"Jin…do you think that you and I will…ever have a baby and be that happy again?"

"Of course we will Asaki, I promise."

Asaki smiled weakly, "I'm so glad…"

"So am I Asaki."

"Jin…I'm so happy that…we'll have a…baby."

Jin blinked, "Asaki are you alright?"

"So happy…"

"Asaki answer me."

"A baby…of our very own…" her smile started to fade and her eyes started to close slowly.

"Asaki no! Don't you give up on me! Not now! We've come so far. Please Asaki…please hold on just a little longer."

"I'm…so…hap…py…"

Jin looked at her as her breathing started slowly steadily, tears welling in his eyes, "Asaki…no…please…I can't go on without you…"

There was no response. Jin held onto Asaki's body tightly, "No…you can't be dead…Asaki…I still need you please…Asaki…Asaki! Asaki!"

The doctors and nurses all rushed into the room hearing the yelling. They were shocked seeing Jin, a patient himself, holding Asaki's lifeless body. One of the doctors walked over to him. He checked Asaki for any form of life but there was none.

"She…she's dead."

Jin glared at them with his tear filled eyes, many of which had escaped his eyes and flowed steadily down his cheeks, "No she's not! None of you touch her! If any of you so much as think of touching her I'll…" he reached down, unsheathing his sword, "…I'll kill you all!"

The doctor's and nurses blinked then screamed and ran out of the room. Hotsuma blinked at the people, watching them leaving the hospital. He grabbed one of the doctor's and stopped him.

"Hey, what's going on? Why are you all leaving?"

"T-There's a madman in there. He's going to kill everyone with his sword! Get out of here now!"

Hotsuma sighed, "Jin…I know that's you but why are you doing it?" he ran from room to room, looking around and finally went into the room where Jin was. He saw Jin kneeling down on the ground, holding Asaki tightly in his arms as her body just seemed to hang, the life and vibrancy haven been taken from her body.

"Jin is she…is Asaki really…?"

"No. She can't be dead…she just can't."

Hotsuma frowned, looking at Asaki, "Jin…she's dead."

"No she's not!"

"Jin, put her body down. It's ok to feel pain. Let me help you."

"What could you possibly understand about my loss!"

"I understand more than you think. I know how you feel. I felt close to Asaki too. I loved Asaki with all of my heart. Don't you dare tell me I don't understand because I felt the same way that you did about her!"

"But you weren't…her husband. You didn't promise to protect her no matter what…"

"I did. I made a vow that I would protect Asaki no matter what. That's why I came here. That's why I helped you with that bastard. I vowed to make sure that Asaki always remains happy no matter what."

Jin looked at him, that same deep glare in his eyes. He set down Asaki's body and walked over to Hotsuma, ready to strike him. Hotsuma didn't move an inch and looked at Jin with serious eyes. Jin dropped his sword and fell to his knees, tears falling freely from his eyes, "Asaki…my Asaki is gone…she's dead…why?"

Hotsuma knelt down to him, patting him on the back lightly, "I don't know Jin. She of all people didn't deserve to be killed."

"As…a…ki…"

Hotsuma sighed, rubbing his back, "It's ok Jin. Let it all out."

The two men seemed to sit there for hours. Hotsuma tried his best to help Jin with the situation but knew there was nothing that he could say or do that would help him cope with the loss. He couldn't even cope with the loss himself. Though Asaki didn't love him the way that he loved her, he still loved and cared for her nonetheless. These situations are always harder when you knew the person that died. After having sat for many hours, Jin finally stood up, carrying Asaki's body in his arms.

Hotsuma blinked, "Jin. What are you thinking man? Where are you going?"

"I have to find that man…"

"What man?"

"Quinton."

"What? Quinton? But why would you want to find him for? Jin don't think of killing him out of revenge. If you did then you're no better than he is."

"I'm not going…to get revenge. If it's anything I learned from Asaki, it's that revenge doesn't give you anything except more heartache and more regret."

"So then…why are you going to see him?"

"He's from the future. I'm sure he has some device that will allow me to change events so that she won't have to die."

"I wouldn't trust him. And anyway, what makes you think that he'll give it to you so willingly?"

"Perhaps not willingly, but perhaps if he were given another alternative."

"No…Jin you aren't thinking of giving yourself…Jin no…"

"I will do it…for Asaki."

"Jin she's already had to go through your death once! Thank the heavens that you weren't dead that time and she could go look for you but this time…this time there won't be anyone to look for."

"Hotsuma…"

"Jin don't cause her this pain, not again."

"I'm sorry but…I'd do anything for Asaki, including give my life for her."

"Jin. You stupid stubborn son of a bitch!"

Jin stopped at the doorway, "Listen Hotsuma."

"Hm?"

"If things don't go out the way I plan…I want you to take care of Asaki. Protect her with your life."

"Jin…I…"

"Please Hotsuma. You're the only one I can trust besides Asaki."

"Alright Jin but…you better make sure that you come back alive! One way or the other!"

Jin nodded, walking out of the hospital with Asaki's body in his arms. He thought to himself, "Now to find that man. I'm sure he'd be happy to take my offer. Asaki, I hope you'll understand why I decided to do this…"