This is quite a short chapter, so I apologise for that. Hopefully, it won't be any worse because of it. Just a quick note: in China, people are referred to by their surnames first.
"Kai?" Ray called, knocking on the door. A tired, slightly unsteady voice answered:

"What?" Ray pushed open the door.

"Are you feeling all right?" he asked. Kai dragged a hand across his pale, drawn face and nodded, trying for a smile. "You don't look it."

"I think I'm getting a cold, don't worry about it." He coughed jerkily and stood up, tugging fussily at the collar of his shirt. Ray bit his lips, unconvinced.

"Will you still be eating with us tonight?" Kai hesitated, then nodded.

"I'll do my best." he said cryptically. "Now, go and change. Forget about me." Ray shook his head.

"Impossible." he said dryly. Kai flipped him the finger. Grinning, Ray left the room.

Ten minutes later, dressed in a dark green shirt and white jeans, he closed his bedroom door and turned around, to find Kai standing in front of his door and looking down to where the sounds of talking could be clearly heard. His expression was riddled with uncertainty, one hand rubbing at his left temple fretfully. Ray took a loud step forward, gaining his attention.

"Shall we go?" he asked with a smile. Walking down the stairs, he heard Kai follow him slowly.

Nodding a greeting to his guests, he walked over to them and began a conversation, hopefully giving Kai a little time to adjust. The woman, Chang Juan, and Mariah appeared to be getting along well, although Ray could see his wife's tongue stumble over the unfamiliar Mandarin a few times. Mariah was a quick learner and a good adapter so hopefully she would be fine, but that would teach her to forgo learning the main language of China fluently. English and Guasiox were fine for family life, but not so useful when it came to the outside world, especially the latter. Even Ray had lost his fluency in Guasiox, the language of their village.

"Won't you introduce us to your friend?" the shorter man asked, looking over to where Kai was standing. His near-black eyes glittered with an emotion that Ray couldn't identify.

"Of course." he said politely. "This is Kai Hiwatari, an old friend of mine. Kai, this is Hwang Chang Juan-" The woman gave him a friendly smile. "-Han Dewei," He gestured to the taller of the two men, the one who had charmed Mariah so easily. "-And Yan Wu." The last man, shorter than anyone else in the room other than Mariah at five foot four, nodded in greeting, his eyes still glittering.

"Pleased to meet you, Kai," Dewei said pleasantly.

"Likewise." Kai replied quietly.


Chang Juan narrowed her eyes as she surveyed the newcomer. He was tall; she would put him at approximately six foot three, but thin, alarmingly so. He had odd blue triangles on his cheeks, his mostly-grey hair and grey shirt contrasting sharply with the pallor of his skin. At first sight, she thought of him as around Kon Ray's age, but then she got a proper look at his face.

Those eyes, those strange, haunted, desolate amethyst eyes... They had seen far more than any human should ever have the right to. A phrase crossed her mind: An old man trapped in a young man's body. He stood awkwardly, visibly uncomfortable with suddenly being under scrutiny. One hand flew to his neck and touched his upturned collar lightly, then moved to rub his left temple as if he had a headache. He looked...ill, she realised; her suspicions apparently confirmed when he coughed slightly and closed his eyes for a brief moment as if he was struggling to breathe. His gaze locked with hers, the contact brief and intense. He walked over to her and stood a little distance away, staring at her appraisingly. She touched her cheek and gave him a questioning look.

"Face paint that doesn't come off anymore," he offered, shrugging. His voice was raspy and quiet. Close up, she could hear the rattle of his breathing, the wheezing sound that had replaced normal lung function. "Don't worry, it's nothing infectious." Surprised at his perceptiveness, she met his gaze again. Shadowed, wary amethyst irises drilled into her for a few seconds before flickering away to look edgily around the room.

"What is it?" she asked cautiously. "I know that it's none of my business..." She trailed off. Kai smirked, a flash of confidence suddenly revealing itself.

"Chronic bronchitis and the beginnings of a cold, I think." he answered, shrugging again. His lips twitched upwards in something vaguely resembling a smile and he walked away, heading for the kitchen, where Mariah had disappeared to a few minutes before.


"Mariah, have you started cooking yet?"

"Just about to, why?" Mariah answered distractedly, chopping onions carefully.

"Don't give me much, please? I...wouldn't want to waste it." She turned, not even trying to hide her concern.

"Kai, are you sure you're all right?" she demanded anxiously, reaching out to try and feel his forehead for a temperature. A tired smile pulled at his thin, pale lips as he jerked away from her.

"I'm getting a cold, that's all. Thanks for the concern." he commented dryly. Not reacting to the deliberate jibe, Mariah gave the older man a worried look and went back to preparing dinner.

"If you insist... Off you go, then. Colds are far too infectious to be around food." Meekly, he turned and went out.


Kai yawned behind his hand and looked up belatedly as Ray sat down next to him on the sofa.

"What?" he questioned. Ray gazed wordlessly at him for a few seconds.

"Mariah's called us in for dinner." he said at last. "You still coming?" Kai nodded and winced as the movement sent pain blazing through his skull. Standing up, he looked at Ray, who was still staring at him.

"What's so fascinating about me all of a sudden?" he demanded curtly. Ray shook his head and looked away, his eyes both angry and sad at the same time.

"Nothing, Kai. You know best, after all."

"Do I detect a hint of sarcasm there, cub?" With that icy comment, Kai strode out of the lounge and into the kitchen, sitting in one of the only two empty chairs left. Whether purposefully or not, Mariah had put that chair in the corner, which suited him just fine. Pouring himself a glass of water with a hand that only shook very slightly, he settled back in the chair.

The food arrived and he began eating. He had a small portion as he had requested, a very small portion, and was more than used to forcing himself to eat, but after only six or so mouthfuls, he had to admit defeat. Placing his knife and fork neatly in the middle of his half-full plate, he pushed it a few centimetres away from him. Without the distraction of food, his mind was free to behave as it wished.

Which, unfortunately enough, was not particularly as he wanted it to behave.

His eyes flickered from one person to another as he unconsciously pushed his chair further back into the corner. Gulping down a mouthful of water, he tried, and failed, to pull himself together. A sudden shiver and a wave of cold washed through him.

He could be hiding a knife in that massive coat - why is he still wearing a coat indoors, anyway? I don't like the look of that one, he's too shifty. What about Mariah, she hates me, everybody knows that, maybe she finally managed to turn Ray against me - Chinese are notorious poisoners...should I have eaten that? His paranoid thoughts were interrupted by the sound of a child crying from upstairs. Instantly, both Mariah and Ray sprang to their feet. Kai blinked, taken aback, as Ray gestured for him to go up instead. Uncomprehending and suspicious, he stayed seated, trying to figure out Ray's angle.

"Up you go, Kai," Ray said quietly, in English. "You look like you could do with a break. Go on. Off you go." Obeying without particularly thinking about it, Kai got to his feet and left the room.

It seemed to be taking all his energy just to get up the stairs, but at least he felt more in control now, free of all those prying eyes... He stumbled and fell to his knees, one hand loosely gripping the banister. Come on, weakling, keep it together... He dragged himself to his feet, shaking like a leaf. A bitter smirk crossed his white face as a thought hit him. At one time, you would have used that grit and tenacity to win matches, have millions cheering your name. Now, you use it for climbing the stairs. Oh, how the mighty have fallen... He gave a short, rattling laugh that had nothing to do with humour and continued dragging himself towards his bedroom.

The door closed behind him and he coughed violently. Phlegm swam up the back of his throat and into his mouth, a horrible little slimy ball resting on his tongue. Spitting it out onto the windowsill, he took a deep breath to try and stop the painful coughing and winced, grabbing at his side as pain shot through his chest. His breaths came in short, rapid bursts. Tired, bone-achingly tired and shivering uncontrollably, he stumbled to the bed and fell onto it, slipping into a restless sleep.


Lynette sat up in bed, panting, her eyes wide in fright, for the second time that night. Looking nervously around the bedroom, and jumping at the slightest sound, she scrambled out of bed and headed for the door, and her parents' comforting arms. As she padded along the landing, she heard movement coming from Kai's room. Curious as to why Kai was asleep when Mummy and Daddy weren't - judging by the light and noises coming from downstairs - she knocked softly on the door. No answer came. She opened the door and tiptoed in. Creeping up to the bed, she reached out and patted Kai gently on the arm.

"Kai?" she whispered loudly, wondering why his arm was all sweaty, and why he was panting. Maybe he was having a nightmare, too... "Kai?" She shook his arm again. Gradually, he opened his eyes and looked at her blearily. "I had a nightmare, Kai..." she whispered pathetically, scrambling up next to him.

"Lyn...I'm not...feeling that good...why don't you...go to...Mummy or…Daddy?" he asked with difficulty. Lynette frowned, looking at him carefully.

"Do you want me to get Daddy for you?" she asked perceptively. Kai shook his head, winced, and started coughing. The familiar, dry hacking that Lynette had got used to over the past month had morphed into a horrible, wet choking sound. He wiped his mouth with the back of his hand and closed his eyes. Lynette looked in disgust at the clear, blood-stained liquid on the back of his hand, then realised where it had come from and let out a small whimper of fright.

"It's…okay, Lyn," he rasped, patting her shoulder weakly. "I'm…just not…very well…understand me? Nothing to…be scared…of." Lynette bristled indignantly.

"I'm not scared!" she declared, outraged.

"What are you…scared of?" The little girl shrugged, blushing. "Do you…know what…I'm scared of?" She shook her head, her eyes wide with surprise.

"You're scared of something?" she demanded incredulously. Kai nodded his head fractionally.

"I'm afraid of…dying," he whispered croakily. Lynette blinked, confused.

"Why?" she asked curiously.

"Never…you mind…Lyn." came the exhausted, gasping reply. Fear blazed suddenly in Lynette's eyes.

"You're not going to d-die, are you?" she quavered, tears already welling up in her eyes. Kai didn't answer, his eyes closed, his face motionless. "Kai? Kai!" Kai's eyelids flickered partly open, but his dull, worn-out amethyst eyes showed no hint of recognition. Crying with fright and worry, Lynette fled downstairs, screaming for her parents.


Ray's hand shook violently as he placed it on Kai's glistening forehead, confirming what he had known from first sight, from the second that he had heard his friend's desperate struggle to draw enough oxygen into his lungs. The damp skin was burning underneath his fingers.

"Mariah, call an ambulance." he said, his voice strangely calm. Obeying without question, Mariah raced off, hauling a sobbing Lynette with her. The sound of Kai's harsh, laboured breathing filled the room. It subtly changed pitch, and Kai opened his eyes and stared groggily up at Ray. Ray smiled encouragingly, hoping that the panic and fear consuming his mind weren't showing on his face.

"Ray…I…I don't…feel very…well…" Kai whispered weakly, looking helplessly up at the younger man. "I hate…feeling powerless…like this…" Ray's heart broke inside him as he reached out a hand and gently brushed a sweaty lock of hair away from Kai's forehead. He knew the amount that it must have cost Kai to admit weakness.

"It's okay, Kai, I promise, everything's going to be okay," he murmured ineffectively. Kai let out a broken, hacking laugh, a dribble of saliva and bloody phlegm spilling out of the corner of his mouth. With an effort, he wiped it away.

"You can't…promise that, Ray…no one can…" He laughed mirthlessly again, a painful, rough sound that sent him into a suffocating coughing fit. Ray tried to help him into a sitting position, but was pushed away ungraciously. "Leave me alone!" Kai snarled, sounding almost normal for those few seconds. "Just…leave me alone…" His eyes closed of their own accord, air hissing in and out of his lungs noisily. Ray sat silently next to him, silently praying to any and every deity he could think of. Kai has to be fine, he thought desperately, He's the Ice-King, the one who survived more physical harm during beybattles than any of us. He can't…this can't be happening…

He jumped as a hand descended lightly on his shoulder.

"Ray, the ambulance is here." Mariah whispered. Wordlessly, Ray moved away to let the paramedics past, watching numbly as they helped Kai get on the stretcher.

Kai's head lolled towards Ray, his expression panicky, bewildered.

"What's…going…" He trailed off, coughing violently. The paramedics tried to put an oxygen mask over his mouth and nose, but he knocked it away, fear and confusion blazing in his lacklustre eyes. Ray moved quickly over to him, catching the frightened man's attention.

"Kai, calm down," he said quietly, in English. "You know what one of these is, don't you?" He held up the oxygen mask. Kai nodded reluctantly, shaking all over. "Will you let me put it on you?"

"If…you-" Ray, gently, ever so gently, placed his hand over Kai's mouth.

"Don't talk," he ordered, carefully putting the oxygen mask on the older man's face. Kai's eyes closed and he sighed softly as his breathing eased slightly.


Ray gazed out of the ambulance window, watching idly as the city flashed past.

"Ray?" He turned around so quickly that he nearly fell, hurrying over to where Kai was stirring.

"Yes, Kai?" Kai's eyes were glassy and unfocused, directed at a point a little to the right of Ray's face.

"Ray…if my…heart stops…"

"That's not going to happen!" Ray stated defiantly. A flicker of dry amusement crossed Kai's chalk-white face.

"Don't be…so naïve…Ray…" he chided. "I want to….be resuscitated. I'm not…giving up…that easily." He closed his eyes and sucked in a few deep breaths, wincing in pain as he did so. "I decide…when it's over." His focus switched. "You hear me? I decide when…it's over, got…that?" Ray looked, nonplussed, at the patch of wall that currently held Kai's attention. His only guess was that Kai was talking to his grandfather, and the thought sent a jolt of alarm shooting through him.

How on earth would Kai cope in a hospital?


The doctor was talking too fast, with a thick Tianjin accent that was hard to follow without concentrating. Which Ray wasn't. He'd heard it all at least twice before. It all sounded terrifyingly serious.

With an effort, he dragged his attention back to the present.

"-worried about Mr Hiwatari's breathing…possible incubation…see how he progresses…weakened immune system…bacterial pneumonia…medical files?" Ray blinked, racking his brains.

"I don't know the whereabouts of them, I apologise," he said politely.

"Do you know the names of anywhere where he has been treated?" Ray nodded and gave the name of the mental institute and also the name of the doctor who had diagnosed Kai's bronchitis. "Thank you. We will keep you informed of any developments." Thanking the doctor, Ray questioned him on the whereabouts of a phone. Receiving the location, he headed towards it.


Mariah stared anxiously into her husband's weary, saddened eyes. He held her gaze fleetingly, then looked away. He walked over to the sofa and sat down heavily on it, cradling his head in his hands.

"How's Lynnie?" he asked hoarsely.

"She's okay. I finally got her to bed about an hour ago." Mariah sat down next to him and rubbed his shoulder, feeling the tense muscles begin to relax under her touch. Ray leaned back against her, his eyes half-closed.

"He's got bacterial pneumonia." Ray whispered suddenly. "They're having real problems finding an antibiotic to give him that won't react with any of his other medications. Apparently, the reason that he's been affected so badly is because one of his medications actually damages the immune system slightly, in addition to the fact that his lungs were already damaged from the bronchitis." His eyes were bleak. "When I left, they were just trying him on another drug, said they'd know by the morning whether it was effective or not." His breath caught in his throat. "He knows he's ill…he must have told me at least three or four times that if his heart stopped, he wants to be resuscitated. He said that he wants to choose when he goes." Trembling with pent-up emotion, he stood and headed towards their bedroom. Abruptly, he stopped. "You go on up." Worried, Mariah opened her mouth to ask a question. "I'll be fine. Up you go." Uncertainly, she nodded and went upstairs, kissing him lightly on the cheek.

"Night, Ray. See you when you come up," she whispered. The minute she was gone, Ray went to the drinks cabinet. Taking out a bottle of whiskey and a corkscrew, he sat down on the sofa. Within a few large gulps, the world begun to take on a fuzzier appearance; it was good whiskey, and he hadn't eaten in hours. He leaned back on the cushions and continued swigging directly from the bottle. He knew what he was doing was foolish, but he wanted to forget, more than anything else in the world, he wanted to forget seeing Kai Hiwatari brought that low.

While the alcohol warmed his stomach and distorted his vision, the remainder of his body remained deathly cold. Finally, slowly, the tears began to fall.


First of all, a massive round of applause for though i choose death instead of pointless pain, who somehow mananged to successfully guess that Kai was getting pneumonia! Well done!Congratulations!

I need your opinions here, my wonderful reviewers. This could end three ways at the moment.

1. Kai dies (unless this is an overwhelming majority, I'm not doing it)

2. Kai recovers, gets into a relationship (ie, some mention of Kai/OC)

3. Kai recovers, becomes a part of the Kon family, lots of lovely fluff.

You've got another chapter to go before I have to decide, so please; VOTE!

As usual, all feedback useful and very much appreciated. Please review, please vote, and I'll see you all again next chapter!