Oh god! Look at me, I'm like speed racer here!

Anyway, I thought I'd just give you all a super fast update. Thanks for all your reviews (holy crap already over 50!) And I've been trying to reply to them as soon as I get them, so if you haven't gotten a reply yet, it's comin.

Alright, that said, I still don't own. And here we go!

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losing focus

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"Did you attend school regularly?"

Yamato tried to stifle a glare, crossing his arms instead. "No. I didn't." The blond watched with mild annoyance as the doctor in front of him leaned forward to scribble on his clipboard. "And why not?" Matt leaned back in his chair, obviously irritated. "Because I didn't like it."

"Didn't like what? The teachers? The students? The classes The environ-" "All of it." Matt snapped, expecting to get kicked out of the tiny room any time now. Rationally, Yamato knew he should try to be nicer, or at least act civil to the doctor. This was his one shot at getting out of the hospital, and here he was, screwing it all up because he couldn't stand another minute of being stuck talking to this shrink. Everything about him, his tone of voice, his mannerisms, his entire 'I care' facade left the blond looking for the nearest heavy object to beat the man with.

Dr. Koushirou merely peered at him from over his glasses looking completely normal before looking down and scribbling again. Yamato heaved a sigh, "So I blew it right? I'm staying here."

"Oh quite the contrary." The brunette answered, resting the clipboard on his lap and adjusting his glasses. "I've approved you." Blue eyes blinked in confusion, brows furrowing.

"You're wondering why?"

Matt nodded dumbly.

"Well from what I've seen, you're troubled, but not dangerous. You've been able to form friendships with your peers. You've attended all required activities. While you dislike authority, you still manage to comply to hospital regulation, and you're honest."

Matt stared blankly, unsure of how to respond. "Ah, well," The man interrupted, checking his watch, "it looks like our time is up. Enjoy your lunch Ishida-kun."

Feeling utterly dumbfounded, Matt stood and headed towards his room, ignoring the obnoxiously loud chatter and yells from one end of the hall to the other. While closing the door was prohibited, the blond still valued his privacy, shutting the door as close to being closed as possible before flopping onto his bed.

He was getting out.

This was his last night of sleeping on a cement bed freezing his ass off. The last night of meals that tasted like styrofoam. No more group, or karaoke music therapy, or early morning vitals.

He couldn't believe it.

He wanted to laugh, and part of him felt ready to shout this bit of information to the whole world. Speaking of shouting- Matt blinked, sitting up and glancing around the room. Where the hell was Tai?

He'd known something was off as soon as he'd entered the room. It was too quiet. Suspiciously quiet, and after three months of sharing a room with Yagami Taichi, quiet was unsettling.

He hadn't seen him in the day room when he went by, and he wasn't in the rec room. The boy stood and rushed towards the hall, so worried about finding Tai that he didn't even have time to react when the bathroom door suddenly swung open and smacked him in the face.

"Shit! Yama! Are you ok!"

Sprawled out on the ground without any of his normal grace, Yamato opened bleary eyes to look up at a very concerned, and nearly naked Taichi.

Blue eyes struggled to regain their focus, taking in the expanse of bronze and still wet skin bending over him. Slender but deceptively strong arms wrapped around him, helping the boy to his feet as Matt unconsciously reached out for something to steady himself.

Tai's skin was warm, he thought distantly, gripping the boy's arm in a desperate attempt to stay standing. His head felt woozy, and everything around him was just a little too bright and a little too loud. Trying to find something to concentrate on until he could regain his bearings, Matt looked down at his hand, the same pale hand that currently held a death grip around Tai's arm. He tuned out all sound, examining his fingers with a strangely intense stare. God his nails had gotten long, and how did Tai manage to be so tan when they were stuck indoors all the time? His skin was like...gold...with hundreds of pale white scars criss-crossing over his arms, it made Matt look like a vampire in comparison. And Tai was thin too. Not the sickly kind, which people usually attributed /him/ to, but he looked strong and soft at the same time.

His gaze traveled downward, interrupted by a white towel slung low on the other boy's hips before a wave of pain hit him.

"Fuck! My nose!"

- - - - - - - - - -

"Well, it isn't broken, but it's definitely banged up. Are you sure you don't wanna go see a nurse?" Jyou asked, handing the blond a damp wash cloth. "I'm fine." He muttered, more than a little embarrassed.

"Yeah come on Jyou, they're telling us who gets to leave today, you don't want him to have to stay behind because of a busted nose do you?" Sora interjected, sitting beside a very guilty looking Tai. "I'm so sorry Yama, I didn't realize you were there and my mind was somewhere else and-" "Tai, I said it's fine. Chill out."

"Guys! Group!" Daisuke shouted, making Jyou jump. The group immediatelyscrambled up, all but sprinting to the day room, where Miyako just barely managed to dodge the teens. "Aw, all this just to see little ol' me? I'm flattered."

As soon as everyone had filtered in, the woman walked over and shut the door, sitting down solemnly. "Ok then, since you all know what the focus of today's group will be, I may as well get started. Those of you who will be permitted to go to Kyoto will remain in the day room, those of you left, will head to school and then individual. Understood?"

There was a collective nod.

"Alright then. Those accepted to go to Kyoto Hospital are as follows. Ichijouji Ken, Ishida Yamato, Kido Jyou, Motomiya Daisuke, Tachikawa Mimi, and Takenouchi Sora."

Hearing his name, and the name of his friends, Matt felt an immediate rush of relief. Thank god. At least I'll know someone this time. "Alright. That said, if I called your name, please remain seated. The rest of you, nurse Aya is waiting for you by the door."

The quiet relief that the blond had been so recently basking in was cut short when he saw the brunette beside him stand up. Tai. Shit. They didn't call Tai's name. That was impossible, they had to have, how could they not let Tai go?

"Tai?" Daisuke sounded alarmed, standing up and grabbing everyone's attention. The boy smiled gently, not really looking at them. "Relax you guys. You made it. The hard part's over." He turned to leave, but his brother grabbed his arm. "No Tai, I don't want to go without you." "Yeah," Mimi answered, "Me either," "Me eit-"

"Shut up." Tai broke in, cutting Jyou off mid-sentence.

"You've all been here long enough, and if you stay because of me, I'll never forgive you." His voice held a dangerous edge, and though he didn't show it, Matt could tell that Tai was about to lose it. "Take care of each other ok? I'll be just fine."

And with that, the boy left, without a backward glance.

- - - - - - - - - - - -

My first cliff-hanger! Gasp!

Hang in there guys, I'm not -that- heartless. Though reviews would probably help me update faster, ne?