A/N: So this chapter is one of my shorter ones, and still no new reviews. Oh well, I think I'll keep going with this until I finish it then probably leave it alone for a long time. Oh well, hope you enjoy.


Chapter 9
Between Dreams and Awakening


Eric looked around the nurse's office no one was around and the room itself kept spinning. The last thing he remembered was getting in trouble from the English Teacher about passing a note back and forth. His eyes finally came to focus on the lady who was bandaging Riku's cut face and Zack's bleeding lips. Jason and another man stood next to the two boys a grim look on Jason's face, and the other man seemed to be glaring at Jason and Riku. Eric tried to sit up to get a better look at the person next to Zack only to have the room spin again. Someone must have noticed because someone was forcefully pushing Eric back onto the bad. He couldn't hear anything, almost like he was in a deep sleep. He wanted his ears to pop so he could hear, it seemed like people were millions of miles away.

Kairi came into Eric's vision and gave him a smile and said something. Eric raised both eyebrows, in a questioning manner. Kairi returned the questioning look with a look of worry. Something else escaped her mouth that Eric had no clue and the nurse came over and started to talk to Eric.

Eric felt his mouth move and he knew he said it but it came out like, "….not…'ear." The nurse almost laughed until she pieced it together and sent Kairi out of the room to go get something. Or at least that's what Eric thought, because Kairi got up in a hurry and came back in a hurry with something.

Jason had come over and brought Riku with him just in case. The man that had stood next to Zack, following hot on his trail, yelling now and Eric could only guess at what it was. Eric decided to make fun and started to put words in the guy's mouth. He would have laughed if it didn't hurt.

"…How about now," the nurse asked and Eric nodded.

"..AND WHY ARE THESE TWO STUDENTS NOT BEING SUSPENDED FOR ATTACKING MY SON!"

Oh, Eric thought to himself. So that's Zack's dad…Wow Zack is weak, he can't fight his own battles.

"Because," Jason turned, fire in his eyes. "When I got there, Mr. Uchi, I saw Eric here, being thrown into a locker and according to the nurse, he has gone deaf though it seems it as only temporary." Jason let out a sigh and sat down on a vacant chair next to Eric's bed and looked down at his baby brother. "How are you feeling? Strong enough to talk about what happened?"

Eric felt someone's hand reach for his and he automatically brought his hand to his chest. When he turned Kairi just looked into his eyes, a calm before the storm. Eric was trapt, if he told Jason what happened; however, he knew deep down inside that Zack and his father would make his mother's and his own life a living hell, "...I just have a headache, sir. I can't really remember what happened to be honest."


Riku hadn't believed what Eric had said as he walked down the hallway, Kairi at his side. Sora was staying with Eric now. His mother had been called and asked to watch him since she was a doctor. The schools own nurse was also watching but Jason thought it better if he went home in a few hours.

"He'll be fine ya know," Kairi muttered trying to get Riku to talk. The hallways were empty at this time, everyone had their next block and people had heard about the fight. Kairi was trying to make her best friend laugh or smile. He seemed so down and out of it. Like he had just lost a good friend or that he was been the one wounded in the fight.

"..." was Riku's reply. He wanted to go back there and tell Zack off for this stupid fight but, refused himself that rite. "..I just...want him to be more careful..."


"You know what I think," Sora muttered to Eric. "I think you should go for him, I mean, he's cool and all, and I had my chance with him. Now I'm dating Kairi."

Eric turned away, "I'm having a party next weekend, I want to invite you guys...and let you met my old friends. Even Shade, I want you all to met one another...do you think I should...invite Riku too?"

Sora looked at Eric for a second and didn't reply at first or for the next few minutes, "Don't change the subject. Want to kow my advice to you, follow your heart. It will lead you down the right path. You just have to remember that and you'll be fine and everything that you try for will work itself out in the end." Sora had locked eyes with Eric and the finally turned away. Sora stood, and turned to head towards the door to catch up to Riku and Kairi. Turning back to look at Eric he smiled that goofy grin of his, "Go for it...I think...you'll be fine." Sora took off at that because of the look Eric had just given him.

Eric's mother entered with a scowl on her face, "You are hardly here for a week and already you get into a fight. You couldn't wait until the first or second month?" Eric rolled his eyes, he didn't want to hear this not now anyway. Michelle went on, "And you have a minor concussion. Would you like to explain to me what happened when we get home or right now? I have all day, Doctor Lionheardt gave me the day off and well, I can keep this going for a long time."


Zack smiled to himself as he entered Chemistry a few minutes after Sora. He had followed Sora in hopes to freak the boy out and to actually get him to tell what had happened. But Sora just ignored him. As he took his seat in the back he looked for a certain silver haired boy and found him next to Kairi chatting softly and quietly. A look of pure hatred on his face.

Good, that means I have set the game pieces on the board. It's your move old friend, but what will you do to keep from me taking the king and queen? Zack smiled to himself. He knew what he was doing for a change and went to work on Sora next. Slowly annoying the boy he threw paper at the back of his head and Sora just ignored it. Riku kept sending back glares as the teacher droned on about how element's combined to make stronger elements. Finally with a final effort, Zack smiled and threw the last paper he had not at Riku or Sora, but at the teacher. Student's laughed at this guester and Mr. Katich turned fire in his eyes. Opening up the rummbled paper he glared at Riku, "A weks detention for throwing paper Riku."

Riku turned and glared at Zack as Mr. Katich turned and looked away. Riklu mouthed, "Your dead when I see you outside of school." Zack just laughed to himself and mouthed back, "When pigs fly."