A/N: First of all, I'm amazed by the amount of 'NO's in my previous chapter reviews. It's nice to know my character has touched so many. Second of all, I don't know whether this is a good thing or not but for some reason, this story is more popular than my other story, Blue Wolf (hm...?) Thirdly, thanks for your support on my Beyblade x Naruto crossover idea. So far I've check and I think I'll be the first one to do a Beyblade x Naruto crossover (Yeh!) Anyway, I bet you're all dying (no pun intended) to find out what's going to happen so let's carry on.

Thanks to all my reviewers: animefanZ, Kairia, EvilTwinKae, Shitza, SandraZaniteZanitiy, ileftmybraininmylocker, FreezingSoul, shafow wolf, Untoachable, Moonlight Kitten, MyOwnWorld, Beyblade-gal, Armith-Greenleaf, observaant- not mean, Blackdranzergurl, weffie, Morte Giver, Hikari Strife, silent-lucidity, wild-roze and Kyuubi no Tai.

Chapter 14

"Kai…I'm dying."

Kai stared at her, the words hitting him. At first they didn't register. The words that came from her mouth seemed unreal. Like a whisper from a movie or a distant past….or a memory…

Jade gazed at him, biting her lower lip. "I found out two years ago. The doctors said it was tuberculosis. They thought that maybe…maybe I had a chance to pull through." she explained softly. "But I've stopped responding to the treatments a year ago."

"Why didn't you tell me?" he asked.

"They told me I should live my life as normally as possible. And I did. I just didn't want anyone to see me a walking plague."

His eyes reflected his hurt. "Including me?"

"Especially you, Kai." she glanced aside, unable to meet his eyes and retreated a step. "You know, I was getting along with everything fine. I had everything patted down with my life and then you happened."

He looked at her, confused by her words.

Tears shone in her eyes now. "You were the best thing that ever happened to me, Kai. I do not need a reason to be angry with God." she blunted out before she turned on her heel and fled back into the safety of her house.

Kai was left standing motionless on her front lawn. He couldn't bring himself to go after her, only stared after her even after she had closed the door, her words echoing in his mind.

I do not need a reason to be angry with God…

Then slowly, he turned and left.

"Mummy? Mummy, are you alright?"

The beautiful woman standing by the window, looked at him, startled to find that he had snuck up to her without her noticing. Quickly, she crumpled the tissue paper she was coughing into and smiled at her only son. "Kai, you startled me."

His crimson eyes so much like his father's, gazed up at her with child-like innocence and concern. "Mummy, are you alright?"

"Yes, dear. I'm fine. Thank you for asking." she said with a gentle smile.

"Would you like to play with me, mummy?" he asked.

"Of course, Kai." she said and allowed him to take her hand and led her from the bedroom.

The crumpled tissue was tossed into the waste paper basket, forgotten but if one would look closer could see the crimson red patch that stained the snow-white color of the tissue.

Mom…, his thoughts all went back to the person who meant the world to him as a child. You lied to me. You were sick and you didn't tell me. You lied to me…

Kai stared up at the painting of his mother emotionlessly. The painting was painted after she gave birth to him. The artist had taken great pride in this painting and one could see why. Every detail was painted out with caution, from the slight lift of her lips to the almost sad look in her eyes. It wasn't until he was five did he understand the look in her eyes.

She knew and she didn't tell me…

Five-year old Kai had just finished playing basketball with his father and the two Hiwatari male strolled into the mansion laughing. They headed to the master bedroom, intending on surprising Kai's mother and dragging her outside into the sunshine. Dimitri Hiwatari pushed the door open for his son and Kai ran in, calling out for his mother. His joyful shout died at his lips when he saw the crumpled form on the bed.

"Alisa!" Dimitri shouted as he rushed over to his wife's side. There was no pulse when he felt for it. Moving fast, he grabbed for the telephone by the bedside and quickly dialed the hospital.

"Mummy?" Kai stepped towards her still body, staring the whole time at her pale serene face. "Mummy?"

There was no reply for his mother, not even a sigh. He climbed onto the bed, reaching out to hold her hand as he had always done. Her hand was warm to his touch and he nudged her gently. His young boy mind only saw his mother on the bed asleep. "Mummy, wake up. Let's play."

His mother looked so peaceful in sleep. Her blue hair was left unbound and it framed her oval face. He half-expected her to open her eyes and smile before she reached over and tickled him, erupting both into laughter and Kai's father would join in and they would all laugh about the silly joke she played on them. But she didn't.

"Mummy…please wake up." he pleaded.

His father paced the floor, running his hand through his hair while his other hand held the phone to his ear. "Hello, 911?"

Kai would always remember the screams of the ambulance and its blinking lights as he stood, watching helplessly as his mother was rushed to the hospital. He recalled looking up at the anguish face of his father and asking him where they were taking his mother. Dimitri had looked back at him and his dark crimson eyes were hollow.

"Mummy is gone, Kai." he had said.

He remembered his reply. "When is she coming back?"

"Oh, Kai…" his father's voice had broke, quivering with tears. "Mummy's never coming back. She's gone."

He had tilted his head, not quite understanding. "Where did she go? Why is she never coming back?"

He was so young then, yet to understand the way the universe works. He did now and it was happening all over again. His mother had died of tuberculosis when he was five, leaving him in a world where he was deprived of a mother's love. But he has always remembered her love towards him as a mother when she was alive.

The same way he would now forever have to remember her love.

How could I not have known…? The signs…

Oh, Jade…

Behind him, he heard footsteps entering the room and knew by a fact who it was. Who else, apart from her, dare set foot in his household? He heard his friend drawn in breath to speak and braced himself.

"I hear about Jade." Tala said quietly with sincerity.

Kai closed his eyes, trying to ignore the tightening feeling in his chest. Something behind his eyes stung yet he held it back. Tala sensed his pain and sighed softly.

"Talk to me, man."

"About what?" Kai asked emotionlessly.

The red-haired teen shrugged. "About you. About her…"

He finally turned to look at his friend and for the first time, he saw clear tears in Tala's turquoise eyes as well as the sad expression. "What is there to talk about? Jade's the best person I've ever known. She was the best thing that ever happened to me." he said, reciting her words, remembering them as though she was saying them to his ear. "She was the only person I truly cared about." he looked away. "I loved her."

Tala touched his shoulder and squeezed, comforting him as a friend and a brother. "I'm sorry."

Life went on, waiting for no men whether it was a matter of life and death. Kai went to school, went for classes and ignored everyone else. The way he did before she came into his life. Jade remained absent from school for the rest of the week. Everyday, since she left him on the front lawn, he had watched her seat, hoping she would turn up. She never did.

Then at the end of the week, on Friday, she came back and he found he could not say anything to her. Not even a word of comfort. The shame and guilt clung within him like an anchor. Once in a while he could catch the pained look in her emerald eyes. Eyes that once glittered with happiness and love for him. They still held the same compassion but the joy and spark was gone from her eyes. Somehow, he found an unknown will to ignore the looks she gave him and carried on with his life. In the hallways of the school, should they run into each other, he would glance down at the floor as he walked; forcing himself not to look back once she had passed. He did once and he saw that she was looking at him with a sadness and longing that haunted him. It only drove his guilt deeper.

He avoided the cafeteria, knowing that she'll there with Hilary and her friends. Friends who didn't abandon her when she needed them. Other from that, he knew Hilary and Tyson would never forgive him and would mostly beat him up to bloody pulp for doing this to Jade. Ray tried approaching him in the hallway but with a stealth developed over years of avoiding fan-girls, Kai had given him the slip. That however did not work on a certain red-haired boy.

"Talk to her." Tala had said after the news of her sickness spreaded through the school. "She needs you."

Kai had ignored him as he had done to everyone else who tried approaching him to talk. They thought he was grieving over his lost but they thought wrong. Only Tala knew what went on in his troubled head.

He wanted to talk to her but how? He was too ashamed, especially after the way he had abandoned her when she needed him most. He just couldn't.

Sunday morning found him standing by the river bank, gazing out at the gentle flowing water. Sunshine spilled on him, not reaching his soul. For one whole week, he was numb. Hollow. Emotionless.

All because of her.

She was dying and there was nothing he could do. The sense of helplessness and guilt of not being with her coursed through him, bringing tears to his eyes but with years of practice, he held them back.

"Kai?"

Her voice ajared him from his thoughts, making him look up. He hesitated when he saw Jade standing behind him with a soft smile on her lips. Her eyes, kind and forgiving, gazed at him.

"Bernard told me you'll be here." she said, stepping forward. "Kai…Tala's worried about you and so am I."

He turned, facing her completely. "Look, Jade. It was my fault. I shouldn't have taken you out and-."

"No, Kai. If anything, you kept me alive." she cut in, moving towards him.

"Did I?" he muttered, looking away.

She stopped before him, holding her hand out to him. "When I am with you, Kai, I feel more alive than I have ever been."

"Jade…" he looked at her and she saw that the edges of his eyes were brimming with tears. "I don't want to loose you."

She went into his arms, hugging him and resting her head against his chest. "I'm not going anywhere."

He closed his eyes, sorting out his thoughts. "I should have known…the signs…I've seen them before." She lifted her head and looked at him, her eyes liquid with compassion and understanding.

"Your mother?"

He nodded. "She died when I was a kid. She didn't tell me…or my father that she was sick. One day, we just found her...lying as though she was asleep. My father tried to save her but…by then…by then it was too late. She was gone."

She understood now the betrayal he must have felt when she neglected to tell him. "Oh, God. Kai…I'm so sorry. I should have told you. I just-"

"Shh…it's not your fault." he hushed her gently. His lips brushed the crown of her hair. "Let me talk to my grandfather. He knows people from his business travels. He can help. Just come by my house later at seven. I'll make things better for you. I promise."

"If it makes you feel better, Kai." she said quietly.

"It'll."

They held each other for a moment in silence, then he asked. "Are you afraid?"

"To death." she looked up and smiled an assuring smile. "Hey, lighten up."

He did not return her smile. "It's not funny."

She reached out and touched the cross pendent she had given him. She stared at it, not meeting his mahogany eyes as she admitted quietly. "I'm afraid of not being with you."

"Oh, baby." he muttered, pulling her close. "That's not going to happen. I love you. I'll always love you. We'll get through this."

The promise in his voice, the firmness made her believe that somehow, someway they were going to get through this. Together. "I have faith, Kai. I know we will."

Voltaire Hiwatari was mildly surprised when his two toned-blue-haired grandson burst into the study room with an urgency that was rare. The older Hiwatari was slipping his glass of vodka, reading an old journal from the old days during World War 2. It was all fascinating to him, the old war days and the methods used to create chaos through the world. The writer had described in detail the series of events in the midst of the horror as well as the emotions and feelings faced by the soldiers.

Ah, the olden days are so much different from today, he thought. Back then, all knew how to respect those who had power. Even children knew to show respect…

Kai walked all-businesslike to stop in front of him, effectively blocking out the light from the lamp post. Voltaire growled his irritation and lifted his eyes to regard the boy.

"You're blocking my light, Kai."

Kai was unperturbed, uncaring. "I need your help, grandfather." he said stiffly.

That caught the older man's attention for his own kin rarely asked for help or even talked to him for that matter. Kai had his mother's pride, that was for certain. The same pride that killed her eventually. Sometimes, Voltaire cursed his son for marrying that woman. Alisa Nikolai had come from an average background family, the kind he never had much care for. She, although kind and gentle, had the spirit of a phoenix. Fiery and difficult to control unless she would allow it. Voltaire despised that sort of a female, often making it known to his son that women should be obedient, meek and soft-spoken.

"Women should be seen, not heard." he always said.

Dimitri had disagreed of course. Well, Voltaire had always thought him a fool to fall for that woman. She made him soft and weak, not the way the heir of the Hiwatari clan should be. Her death had only crushed his son further more. Deciding the only way to up-hold the family legacy, Voltaire had allowed his son to wither away, claiming there was nothing he could have done. To the world outside, he grieved but within, he rejoiced with the thought the Hiwatari clan now had a proper heir. His grandson.

Since the boy was a child, he had taught him important lessons in life. These lessons had hardened Kai, making him exactly what Voltaire wanted him to be, the very thing Dimitri had failed to be.

Lately, he was sure Alisa and Dimitri's ghosts had returned to haunt him though their son. From what he had heard from his sources, his heir had fallen for a girl. Smitten obviously. The girl was everything Voltaire didn't want in a future granddaughter-in-law. He only met her once and already he didn't like her just on sight. And he knew she didn't like him as well judging by the way she didn't bother hiding her feelings. He had tried to warn him of the consequences but like any youth, Kai had ignored his advice. Now he was certain his grandson had suffered the pain of not heeding his words.

Voltaire folded his book, drank the remains of his drink and finally gave his fullest attention to his grandson. Kai's fists were clenched, a sign he could barely contain his patience. Whatever this was it must be important to the lad.

Once he was certain his grandfather was listening, he blunted out. "It's Jade, my girlfriend. She's dying. From tuberculosis."

It wasn't exactly what Voltaire wanted to hear. It took most of his energy to bit down the harsh remark that wanted to escape. But he knew how his grandson can be. If he insulted the people Kai held dear, he could surely loose the boy's trust and respect. Not that he had it now anyway. Calmly, he said. "What would you like me to do about that, Kai?"

Kai gestured at the phone by his table side. "You know people! Call them for help. Professional help! An expert! Anyone! Anything to help her!"

"Now, Kai. These people are very busy people and-." Voltaire began carefully, attempting to smoothen the bluenette's temper.

Kai wouldn't have it. "I don't give a damn!" he snapped. "Jade's dying and she'll die unless I get her professional help!"

"I can't help her, Kai." the old man said, shrugging. "Her family can't afford the treatment and medical bills and I'm positive they wouldn't like to be in debt with us for a long time."

"Is that all you can think about, grandfather!" Kai shouted, his crimson eyes darkening with anger and desperation.

"I understand your concern for the girl but maybe it was just meant to be." Voltaire stated calmly. "You'll just have to accept the fact there is nothing you can do to save her."

A soft growl escaped the frustrated teen as he started to back away. "No. It's meant to be only because you let it. You don't understand at all. I on the other hand understand that you want this to happen to her. The same you let my mother and my father, your son! died just because you didn't do anything to help them. You selfish, center-mind, pathetic old man." the last sentence was an enraged hiss. And with that, spinning on his heel, Kai stormed out of the room, ignoring his grandfather calling his name.

How did he turn out this way, the younger Hiwatari wondered miserably. Would I have become like him too if Jade hadn't come into my life? She saved my life, my soul…I owe her so much…

At exactly seven, Bernard led Jade to the Kai's room where she found her boyfriend standing at the balcony. Nodding her thanks to the butler, she made her way over to him. The look on his face was all she needed to know the outcome of the conversation with his grandfather. He looked crushed and angered.

"Hey." she said, smiling bravely. "It's okay. We'll pull through this together, Kai. Besides, there are other good doctors out there."

"I'm sorry." he muttered, taking her in his arms. "I'm ashamed to even call him my grandfather."

She kissed the side of his face and hugged him. "It'll be okay. It's not your fault. Everything will be alright…"

He pulled back from her, wondering how she could be so brave and calm in a crisis like this. "You're not alone in this. You know that, right? I won't ever leave you, Jade." he told her solemnly. "I'll always be by your side through this."

She nodded. "I know, Kai. I know you will."

"So will you still go with me to the Autumn Dance?"

"Of course." she said brightly. "On one condition though."

"Anything."

"The orphanage's Halloween party."

Kai groaned and then he laughed, amazed by her. Even at a time like this, she could still think of others apart from her. She will never cease to amaze him. "Oh, that."

"Kai!" she pouted at his teasing laughter although she was delighted to hear it.

"Don't worry about that, love." he said. "I've already taken care of it."

She looked genuinely confused. "You have?"

He shrugged. "Yeah. I have." he smiled down at her and kissed her forehead. "So will you go with me now to the Autumn Dance?"

"Nothing will keep me from being with you on that day." she smiled back.

I hope so…, he didn't voice his thought. He kissed her, caressing her lips lovingly as he held her gently as though she was fragile and would break any moment and he would loose her forever. "Jade…"

She broke the kiss, pressing her nose against his lightly. "I love you, Kai." she whispered softly.

"I love you too, Jade." he muttered.

Slowly, she turned in his arms so that her back was to his chest and sighed contentedly at the beautiful sight of the setting sun before them. He dropped his head to her shoulder and nuzzled her neck. She cradled the hands he wrapped around her and leaned back a little.

"How can you have moments like this and not believe?" she asked softly.

"You're lucky to be so sure." he said.

"It's like the wind…" she explained softly, feeling the gentle breeze on her skin. "I can't see it…but I feel it."

A/N: There you go! It doesn't make much difference, does it? She's still dying... Anyway just look out for my Beyblade x Naruto crossover. It'll be up once I have my Naruto facts and details straight. I'm not an expect on that anime...Been studying Beyblade too much...R&R!