Disclaimer: I don't own a thing here. The plot was developed by thebodyfarm and my little self and since she has delegated this to me, it is only right that I update.

V. Again

Cigarettes- No matter how hard he tried, he could never seem to stop. He tried every other alternative, but nothing worked. Nausea, vomiting, excruciating headaches… these were just some of the withdrawal syndromes he suffered if his system sensed the lack of nicotine. Because of that, stopping was the furthest thing from his mind. He checked out of the grocery with two packs of cigarettes, a six-pack, two boxes of frozen pizza- his sustenance for the weekend he had planned. Of course, Youji being Youji, a box of condoms joined the rest of his provisions.

He stepped out of the store to the rain-drenched streets and headed for his car. He drove as fast as he could, wanting to be as far away from the city as possible. The rain, even after three straight days of heavy downpour, didn't seem like it was going to stop anytime soon. Although he knew that there would be rain there too, he didn't mind. It was the only place he felt at peace. It was his refuge.

His mind was a disorderly blur of guilt, misery and longing. Asuka, her death, her blood staining his hands…

He angrily slammed his fists against the steering wheel. What was wrong with him? Why couldn't he move on? In that instant, he saw her face; his beautiful Asuka sprawled on the ground, bloody and dead.

"Damn it, Asuka…"

One last time, he slammed his hand against the harmless steering wheel. When was he ever going to be free of her? The bloody nightmares and the guilt have been tenacious. Not once, since her untimely death, has he had peaceful sleep. Solace- it was all he wanted. But if God deemed him unworthy of solace, then one night, just one night of peaceful sleep. It had been so long ago that he slept peacefully that he almost forgot what it was like- almost.

The scowling blonde took a deep breath and tried to calm himself down.

Solace.

Was it too much to ask?

And then it played, the song he heard the siren with poignant amethyst eyes play in the auditorium. The unfamiliar song that was as bewitching as it was calming. Where it was coming from, he did not know but what he did know was that when the song played, he felt oddly tranquil.

Last song syndrome… He laughed despite himself.

Asuka and the unfamiliar song- they were what constantly filled his head.

Of course, there were those eyes- those eyes that looked at him venomously. Her eyes- he wasn't able to look anywhere past her eyes and he wondered what the siren looked liked.

She must be very beautiful… he murmured softy. A beautiful siren playing the piano…

No. A voice in the back of his mind whispered. You shouldn't be thinking of other women. Asuka… Asuka… Asuka… her name was repeated in his mind like a litany, blocking all other thoughts.

"Why..?" He asked the heavens, his voice barely a whisper.

He slowed his car down considerably at the sight of a white Camry, headlights and taillights still on, on the side of the road. From what he could see, through the rolled down passenger seat window, there was no driver- at least that's what he thought he saw. The rain and the dark tint of the Camry made visibility incredibly hard.

Deciding that it wasn't any of his business and that if the owner needed help, he/she would have come out when he rolled his window down, he sped back up, eager to reach his destination.

Just when he thought things couldn't be more bizarre, further up the road was what looked like a floating white apparition. He repetitively blinked his eyes to make sure he wasn't seeing things. No matter how many times he blinked, it was still there- unmoving, daunting and white.

On impulse, he stopped his car, got out into the pouring rain and cautiously walked to the apparition. When he got to within five feet, he noticed that it was no ghost- it was in fact a girl in a white dress, her hair in a long braid. Her back was to him but her head was titled as if she were looking up. The mysterious girl, much like him, was very much wet.

"Excuse me…" He said to the girl's back, still somewhat daunted.

He could see the girl's shoulders stiffen, as if she's been startled. Ever so slowly, her head turned towards him. Her eyes were still closed- then there was a slight twist of her body. This made him see that in her left hand was a flower, a lily of sorts.

"Did he send you?" She asked softly as she slowly opened her eyes.

In that instant when she opened her eyes, the song played in his mind again.

At that moment, he was back at the auditorium, listening to the siren playing the song.

At that moment, he saw the eyes that looked at him with disdain again.

She isn't beautiful, he said to himself, she's stunning.

"Did he send you?"

TBC…

Yes, new title but chapters one to four have the same content. I will not desecrate Dy's writing. I love my friend like a sister!

When we were plotting this, we had this scene where Rain tree would be playing and Rei and Youji would both be wet. Whahaha… I love it.

Youji's car is supposed to be a Caterham, but that model has no top and since it's supposedly raining, it would be impractical and poor Youji would be wet- not that I don't like that… XD

Review, whatever…

Ps. thescientist, glad to know I'm not the only one who's broke! Hehe