Himawari: YAY! People like my story! (does happy dance) I was worried about that chapter... don't know why, but I was. Glad you all liked it and I hope you leave me more reviews... they're fun to read ;)! BTW, just so you know, I would never actually hurt Tasuki... a little bump maybe but never anything serious... I LOVE HIM! ahem, kk, on to the next chapter! (confetti) YAY!

Disclaimer: did I ever actually put one of these in? well, here's one now! I don't own Fushigi Yugi... wish I did... but I don't... further proof that my life sucks!

'Nuriko's' point

Miaka held tightly to Tasuki's hand as he lay, still unconcious, in his guest bed. The paramedics had arrived quickly, to Miaka's relief, and had declared Tasuki's injury to be "just a small bump on the head." They had alsoassured Miaka that he would wake up after a little time lying down in bed. A paramedic had volunteered to stay behind with the frightened teen until her friend came out of it... just to make doubley sure he was in good health dispite the tumble. Miaka had felt like a great weight was suddenly off of her shoulders... but she still couldn't help but feel guilty.

Miaka stroked the hand she held gently, willing her fire-haired friend to wake up soon. Her brown eyes never left his face as he continued to slumber under her watchful gaze. So many thoughts had sprung into Miaka's mind after his fall, but she had held them back... determined to find out first if he would be alright before turning to her thoughts. But now that she knew he would be fine,Miaka couldn't stem the flow of questions that poured into her mind.

Tasuki had taken a great risk for her... and she couldn't help but wonder... why? Miaka knew it was a stupid question, but no matter how she tried to shove it out of her mind... it just shoved it's way back in again.

'Tasuki cares for me... that's all. He did because he's my friend and he cares for me,' Miaka told herself.

'But that's not all of it, is it?' an annoying second voice played through her thoughts, it sounded remarkably close to one of Tasuki's friends she had met a few times... a purple haired boy named Nuriko.

'What do you mean that's not all of it? Of course that's it... Tasuki would've done that for any good friend of his,' but there was a flicker of doubt in her own words, and Miaka's 'Nuriko voice' didn't miss it.

'You know better. Tasuki may have simply tried to catch a friend... but he threw himself into danger so that there would be no doubt that you were all right. Seems like a little more that friendship to me...'

Miaka felt heat rising up her neck as she considered what her 'voice' was getting at.

'Is it... really possible? He doesn't... Tasuki hates girls!'

'Does he? Then why bother to console youlast night, why would he have done what he did on the stairs, why has he always been so protective of you... if he hates girls?'

'He couldn't... wouldn't... DOESN'T love me...' Miaka was certain her cheeks were a lovely shade of red by now. The 'voice' seemed to laugh at her.

'Maybe it's a lot more plausible than you think... you just need to take the time to notice...'

Miaka froze. Was it possible? Could Tasuki really love her? Then, a notion occured to the brunette that made her blush deepen considerably... not from embarassement, but shame.

If it was true that Tasuki cared that much for her, could it be he had been feeling just as she did? That he loved her hopelessly, but she never noticed it... just like Taka had never noticed her love for him? Miaka looked upon her sleeping friend anew.

He was a very handsome young man, and he had always been there for her... ready to protect her from anything or anyone. And now that she looked back on their friendship... she realized, that he had loved her all along... and like 'Nuriko' had told her, she had just never taken the time away from her obsession with Taka... to see that there was a man that was just as good, if not better, right in front of her all along. Miaka's vision blurred slightly as her eyes welled up with tears. How could she have been so stupid? How could she have put Tasuki through that when she knew just how it felt to have your love be continuously unrequited?

A gentle hand on her shoulder startled Miaka out of her thoughts. She looked up into the face of the kind paramedic who had stayed behind.

"Are you all right miss?" He asked her gently. "Your friend will be fine, I can assure you. There's no need to worry yourself to tears."

Miaka offered the man a brief smile before hastily wiping the drops from her eyes. The paramedic pressed a warm cup of tea into her hands offering a comforting smile.

"Oh, thank you," Miaka smiled. The paramedic left then, to fetch some kind of calmingdrug or something, and Miaka turned back to Tasuki. Suddenly, the doorbell sounded from downstairs, startling Miaka as she almost spilled her tea. She set the steaming cup on the bedside table with a shaky hand and turned towards the door. But Miaka paused, and then turned to place a small kiss on Tasuki's forhead before heading downstairs.

Miaka wiped her eyes again, straightened her outfit and plastered a completely phony smile on her face before opening the door. Immediately, her heart leapt into her throat and it was all she could do not to slam the door shut again... right in Taka's face.

"Miaka! Thank goodness, I've been meaning to speak with you," Taka said, throwing a glance into the house behind Miaka as if looking for someone. Miaka's entire body was frozen even though her mind was screaming for her to run, to get away from him... she wasn't ready to face him yet!

"Would you go for a walk with me? I really need to talk to you," Taka asked quietly, a scared and pleading look in his eyes. Miaka shrunk from the idea... she didn't want to leave the safety of the house, and Tasuki. Miaka swallowed... hard... and shook her head slightly.

"We can talk right here, noone will hear us," she assured him, not even able to attempt a weak smile. Taka seemed to drop at the idea, but slowly nodded his head.

"Miaka..." he started, stumbling slightly as he searched for the right words. "Please, tell me... what did I do? That day, in the coffee shop... why were you crying? Why did you run from me?"

Miaka suddenly found her feet extremely fascinating as she fought down a new onslaught of tears.

"Taka," her voice was so quiet Taka had to strain to hear her. "You... you really never knew, did you? You still... don't know... do you?"

"Know what...?" Taka proded gently, but those two words sent Miaka over the edge. Before she could stop herself, she brought her right arm up and slapped taka with all she was worth.

"How could you have been so blind!" she demanded, her body shaking violently from the emotions now ripping their way to the surface. "TAKA! I... I... I love you! I've always loved you! And yet, No matter what happened... no matter how I tried to show you... you didn't know!" The tears poured freely from hereyes now as her words continued to spill out. "You've never taken any time to look at me... to REALLY look at me... the way you look at Yui! And now, even after what happened... you still needed ME to tell you!"

"M-Miaka..." Taka's eyes were wide with shock. He didn't know what to say, what could one say to that?

"I'm sorry Taka," Miaka shook her head, her brown hair flying. "I can't be around you anymore. It tears me apart more than you know to see you with... HER. Maybe one day, I'll be over this, but for now... G-goodbye, Taka."

And with that, the door was shut forever on her first love. Miaka slumped against the wood and cried into her hands, ignoring the questions from the concerned paramedic.

'I had to do it... I will never open the door to that love again...' Miaka vowed in her mind. A slight chuckle resonated in response.

'Well,' chided the 'Nuriko' in her mind. 'You know what they say... when god closes a door, he opens a window.'

'What do you mean?'

'You will see...'

"Miaka?" A rough voice sounded, breaking through Miaka's thoughts. She looked up to see Tasuki standing at the foot of the stairs, his golden eyes filled with worry as he saw the state she was in.

"Miaka... wha-"

Tasuki found himself cut off as the brunette launched herself off the floor and into his arms, bawling hopelessly into his shirt. Dispite her dispair... Miaka couldn't help but notice Tasuki's scent, the feel of his strong arms around her... the only place she felt safe anymore, the only thing that seemed constant in her flipped over world was his protection.And it was comforting, much more than either of them truly knew.

Himawari: Sorry, if the end is a little weird. btw, I NEED HELP! I have no idea where I was going with Hotori and Nuriko and I could really, really, REALLY use some suggestions... anything will do! PLEASE! kk, please review guys! Later!