This is such a dark chapter. Please don't kill me!

Chapter 12

Inwardly Hisoka trembled.

On the surface he seemed calm, if somewhat detached, but inside he was afraid. And angry. He could feel nausea fighting its way up and the cold darkness seeping into him from where Muraki's hand rested against his back. He stomped it all down beneath the heel of his will and held it in an iron grip. This was no time to fall apart.

He had raised his mental shields as high as he was able trying to block out the overpowering and unpleasant emotions emanating from the doctor. It helped to a small degree.

They had been walking for nearly twenty minutes when Muraki directed him through a gate to the front door of a fairly large, new looking house. Hisoka eased off on his shields slightly.

There, he could feel the children, their fear and confusion. They were somewhere in the house, and he could sense someone else, familiar and unexpected.

'Tsuzuki no baka!' He cursed to himself.

Hisoka fought the urge to look over his shoulder. He couldn't do anything that would alert Muraki to his partner's presence. Keeping his expression neutral, he followed the doctor into the house. A disturbing thought crossed his mind, 'Come into my parlor said the spider to the fly….'

"Come into my parlor." Muraki gestured to a room off the front hallway. Hisoka flinched at hearing his thoughts echoed, but quietly went into the room. He took a seat on a small sofa, Muraki remained standing.

"I'm afraid I'll have to leave you to your own devices for a short while bouya, there is another matter I need to take care of."

Hisoka kept his features bland, pushing away the spike of panic that pierced his mind at Muraki's words. "I suppose you do."

Muraki grinned. "I see you were aware of him too. Don't worry bouya, I don't believe you told him anything about our meeting, my dear Tsuzuki-san has been a step behind me all day." He walked out the door and turned back. "I trust you will wait here." The doctor pulled the door shut behind him and there was a faint click as the door was locked.

Hisoka surveyed the room. Against one wall there was a side bar with several bottles on it. He went over to look at them. After a moment of deliberation he picked up a bottle of red wine from the bar and uncorked it. Pulling a vial from his pocket he opened that as well. He held it to his nose and inhaled. He didn't smell anything. He emptied the contents of the vial into the bottle of wine and replaced the cork. Leaving the wine sitting on the middle of the bar he crossed to the door and tested the knob.

Locked, of course.

Hisoka let a smile touch his lips. One thing about being an avid reader, you picked up lots of interesting information. Including how to pick locks.

He pulled out his library card.

Don't leave home without it!

XXX

Tsuzuki watched as his partner and the man who murdered him entered the house together. As much as he wanted to follow them, he didn't think that waltzing through the front door was all that great an idea. He quickly circled the house, looking for another entrance.

At the back of the house there was a pair of wide double doors leading out to a tastefully decorated patio. Tsuzuki tried the doors and was surprised when they opened easily.

Slipping into the house, Tsuzuki crossed a large kitchen area and out into a hallway.

He had barley peeked into the first room when he felt the hairs on the back of his neck rise.

"Well, well Tsuzuki-san, you've finally decided to stop lingering in the shadows?"

Tsuzuki whirled around "Muraki!"

Muraki stood perfectly composed. "As pleased as I am at your visit, I'm afraid your timing is a little inconvenient."

Tsuzuki scowled. "Where's Hisoka?"

"Having trouble keeping track of your little partner Tsuzuki-san?" Muraki smirked "I assure you the bouya is fine. But weather or not hestays that way remains to be seen."

"I swear Muraki, if you hurt him I'll…"

"Spare me your threats." Muraki cut him off. "Of course I'm going to hurt him, it's one of my favorite pastimes. But this time he came on his own." Muraki leaned in close and Tsuzuki could feel the man's breath on his neck. "Willingly."

Tsuzuki pulled away from the doctor, striking out blindly. Muraki easily avoided the blow and Tsuzuki stumbled. It only took a small push, added to his forward momentum and Tsuzuki landed on his face.

In a flash Muraki was on his back, pulling his wrists together and securing them with his belt.

"Perhaps when I've finished with the bouya, you and I can play."

XXX

Hisoka move down a flight of stairs into the basement. The children were there, just ahead, he could feel them. He stopped before a closed door and tried the knob. It was locked as well.

Once again pulling out his trusty library card, Hisoka slid it between the door and the frame, offering brief thanks for cheap locks.

The door swung open revealing an unfurnished room. The children were the only things in it, huddled together in the center of the room.

They both looked up at him, their eyes large and swimming with tears.

Hisoka felt his eyes tingle in sympathy.

He reached out his hands towards the children and waited for them to come to him, he didn't want to frighten them any more by approaching them.

The little boy eyed him warily, them when Hisoka thought he was going to have to go and get them after all, the small child climbed to his feet and reached out for Hisoka's hand, dragging his sister behind him.

When the boy took his hand, Hisoka reached down and pulled both children to him and lifted them, one in each arm, and headed back up the stairs. The tiny girl laid her head on his shoulder.

"I'm so sorry little ones." Hisoka told them, giving them each a gentle squeeze.

He reached the front door keeping an eye out for the demented doctor. He put the children down and opened the door as quietly as he could. He knelt down and spoke the little boy.

"Do you know how to get home?"

The boy shook his head shyly, keeping his eyes downcast.

Hisoka sighed. "I can't go with you, there something else I have to do. I want you to take your sister outside and run. You go to the first adult you see and ask them to take you to the police. Can you do that?"

The boy nodded. "I can do that."

Hisoka ran a hand over the boy's hair. "Good. Get going." He gave the children a push out the door and watched them run down the path to the road before closing the door with himself still inside.

Relaxing his mental shield a little, Hisoka reached out to find his partner. He was immediately bombarded with a multitude of emotions from the man. Anger, fear, desperation, worry? And more that he couldn't identify. Beneath it all was an odd sense of betrayal. He pushed it away. There was also a sense of cold satisfaction. That was Muraki, and it worried him. Taking a moment to compose himself and school his features, he left the front door and headed towards the maelstrom of emotions.

He passed the parlor where he had been locked in and continued down the hall until he reached a door that was partially open. He pushed it open all the way and walked into the room.

Tsuzuki was sitting in a chair with his arms behind him, Muraki stood directly in front of him, looking mildly surprised to see Hisoka.

"What is he doing here?" Hisoka asked, his voice as cold as a January night.

Tsuzuki's eyes widened, Muraki smiled.

"Why shouldn't he be here?" The doctor questioned

Hisoka looked at Tsuzuki as his mind flailed about for any reason that would make Muraki let him go.

"He wasn't invited." Hisoka heard the words come out of his mouth and felt his spirits sink. He had to think of something better, anything.

But to his surprise Muraki looked thoughtful, he turned to Tsuzuki and gave him a long look. "As much as I hate to admit it, the bouya has a point. He is here at my invitation, as are my other guests. You on the other hand, came in very rudely, unannounced. I'm afraid you'll have to leave."

With a monumental effort Hisoka managed to keep his jaw from hitting his chest. Tsuzuki showed no such restraint and his mouth gaped open.

"What?"

"I'm afraid you'll have to leave." Muraki repeated, and assisted the bound man to his feet, "It pains me to see you leave, but manners must be observed after all."

Hisoka stepped out of the way as Muraki led Tsuzuki out of the room. He followed the pair down the hallway.

"Hisoka?" Tsuzuki was straining over his shoulder to see the youth.

Hisoka met his partner's amethyst eyes for a moment, then turned away and entered the parlor.

Muraki opened the front door and gave Tsuzuki a light push through it, pulling the belt off his wrists at the same time.

"I'll see you soon Tsuzuki-san." Muraki said as he closed the door leaving the stunned man standing on the step.

Hisoka was sitting on the sofa holding a glass of wine when Muraki came into the room. The doctor raised an eyebrow at him.

"Helping yourself bouya?"

Hisoka gestured towards the bar with his glass. "Help yourself, it is yours after all."

Muraki gave him a skeptical look "You make me wonder if I should trust you."

"You probably shouldn't." Hisoka took a sip of his wine, then handed the glass to Muraki and went to pour himself another.

Muraki observed the boy for a moment, and then took a swallow of the wine.

Hisoka resumed his seat on the sofa, watching Muraki drink his wine and occasionally taking sips of his own.

"You know you impress me bouya. I never suspected you would be able to force your way into my mind using the spell I cast."

Hisoka chose not to comment.

"But as far as I can see it, I only have two options. I can remove the spell, "A slight smile touched Muraki lips, "Or I can kill you."

Hisoka shrugged. "It doesn't really matter does it? Even if you just removed the spell I would still know wouldn't I. Every time you killed somebody I would know it, even if I didn't see it." He shook his head. "I can't live like that. I would rather be dead."

Muraki finished his glass of wine and went to pour himself another. "So, you want me to kill you?" He asked as he turned around again.

"No." Anger began to colour Hisoka's voice. He set his almost empty glass down. "It's not enough. You would still be around to hurt and kill people. You have to be stopped."

"And how do you propose to do that bouya? Do you think you can fight me and…" Muraki stopped talking and a slightly pained look crossed his face.

Hisoka smiled at the man he despised "I don't need to, I'll just wait for the poison to work."

XXX

Tsuzuki arrived in Meifu and headed for his apartment. He knew that he should go report to Tatsumi and Watari what had happened, but what would he tell them?

Hisoka had gone to Muraki?

Hisoka had had Muraki throw him out?

What the hell was going on? Tsuzuki felt as though he was sinking in confusion.

He was so lost in his thoughts he almost missed the folded piece of paper taped to his door. It was address to him, and he unfolded it.

Asato,

Gomen nasai

Ai shiteru

Hisoka

Tsuzuki looked at the note for a long moment trying to absorb the words.

Moments later he teleported back to Chiju.

TBC