...((o))...

The head nurse turned toward the group of nurses who were all standing around the center station bickering over which would take the meal tray to room 302. She knew the girls were all fond of the patient, the one who cried so bitterly when she finally came to and was asked the simple question of what happened to you? When the police questioned the girl, they came away with a story little better than nothing at all. An accident. She fell off of a cliff. And landed on what? What could have made those lacerations all over her body? Did she jump? Was she pushed? The girl wouldn't say. She had had no visitors in all this time. When asked whether there was someone to call and inform of her injuries, she just shook her head. She was hiding from her family and she had no friends. She had received plenty of cards and flowers, but those were all from staff members who fell in love with her sweet disposition. Most unfortunately of all, in the head nurses opinion, she had no insurance. Sadly, their "perfect patient" was on borrowed time. It wouldn't be long until the doctor's signed her release papers. Not only was her body far from being completely recovered, but the girl's mental facilities were in question. She was often disoriented, and the fact remained that she might have jumped off the cliff herself. If that was even the truth, the head nurse doubted she could have crawled from the supposed cliff to the... She wondered absently if this girl might've belonged to some sort of religious cult where she had acted as a sacrifice. It would explain the reason she was found laying in the middle of a church.

Suddenly, a page to the nurses station rang out through the halls, disrupting the head nurses' thoughts about the patient in room 302. Utena Tenjou.

...((o))...

"Yes?" announced the garbled speaker positioned to the left of Utena's head.

"I need to speak to someone immediately!" Considering the weakened state she was in, Utena's voice rang out with frantic purpose.

"Oh?" came the surprised reply. The nurses weren't used to demands from this patient. In fact, during the 3 weeks she had been there this was the first time she had actually used the call button to request anything. "We will send someone in shortly."

I close my eyes now, because that is all I can do now. All I can do to see you. And I remember the rooftop. I know I found you there trying to jump, the night we claimed to have poisoned each other.

...((o))...

(memories)

"Utena-sama, I am the Rose Bride. That is the reason for the pain I feel. I thought I could bear my own suffering, my own abuse. But now, here, then, before, always, I'm abusing you and I cannot bear that. I've tricked you, I've cheated you, I've betrayed you. I have taken advantage of your kindness. And here you are now, still showing up to save me, to be my friend. I thought that I was a doll with no heart, that I could let my master abuse me to his content, because I had no heart to be broken. But I know that I do have feelings. It's because, Utena-sama, when I look at you, I hate myself!" Anthy took another quick glance at the edge of the building, longingly.

Utena unclenched her hands, which had been previously grabbing her own pink hair in a "I-am-going-to-go-crazy-and-pull-my-hair-out" fashion., and put her hands onto Anthy's shoulders. Looking Anthy square in the face. "Don't say that. Don't ever say that! Don't hate yourself, Anthy, hate me. I was protecting you because it served my ego, and made me feel good about myself. I never even tried to understand your pain. I was sleeping in bed and you were out here trying to kill yourself! When I saw you together with Akio, I thought that you had betrayed me when you were the one in so much pain. And this was after I said that we should always help each other to live. No, I've let you down, I've cheated and betrayed you. Forgive me, Anthy! Please forgive me."

Utena curled herself into a ball and sagged to the floor, sobbing. Anthy's bleak expression suddenly changed, her eyes widening in surprise. She collapsed on top of Utena, who continued to cry bitterly as Anthy stroked her long pink hair. It was Anthy's attempt at gently comforting her, which made her cry even harder.

Anthy had tried to kill herself. Utena would never forget the look on Anthy's face as she was falling. It was as if Anthy had no hope at all. She wanted to die, because she couldn't stand the pressure of being the Rose Bride. Whatever that was. Utena had lived with Anthy for an entire term and still didn't quite know what it was. It was something, that title, that made Anthy miserable, Utena knew that much. She couldn't stand not knowing what else to do for Anthy, to free her from that role that tortured her.

"Anthy, I'm so sorry, I should have tried harder to understand. I wanted us to help each other."

"Utena-sama, please," Anthy just barely whispered. Looking horrified at Utena's concern, she added, "none of that matters now, just leave this school. Forget everything about this place."

"Anthy! How the hell could I do that? You're asking me to just stop caring, but I won't! I can't! I want to help you! I…" Utena's speech, which was so confidant, suddenly changed to concern, "Anthy, Don't you understand?" She looked at the purple-haired girl, expression softening, "The only time I've ever truly been happy is when I've been with you."

Somewhere in Anthy's misty heart, it seemed that the haze was lifted for a moment. A single tear formed in the corner of her large green eye.

"Promise me that you won't give up," Utena continued, "That we'll stand and face what comes together, just promise you won't try this again."

"I'm sorry for scaring you, Utena-sama," Anthy replied truthfully. She closed her eyes and thought about what was meant with what she was about to say, "I promise I will not run."

Utena stared at Anthy for a moment, and then gave her a slight smile. Utena stood up, then reached down to grab Anthy's hand to help her up as well. "Let's go get some sleep." She would protect Anthy from Akio. She would see to the duels, and once she was finished, Anthy would be okay. The thought that Anthy would be safe, that she would be happy, gave Utena's heart a stir. She felt lightness and... She didn't feel like she was drowning within her feelings. Her resolution seemed clear to her once again. She was a prince.

...((o))...

The next morning, Utena woke up with a determination she had quite forgotten she had during her past several months dealing with Akio and his trickery. She glanced over at the sleeping Himemiya, and it served to strengthen her resolve. Last night, as surreal as it had seemed, was a real eye-opener.

A female silhouette in darkness.

A flash of something like lightening…wait, no…those are spears…no, swords.

The figure convulses as the swords ram in from all sides.

Eyes filled with pain, body filled with swords of the world's.

Hatred. Eyes.

Filled with…the same look in Anthy's eyes when she was sleeping with Akio.

Eyes saying, 'Do not pity me.

I have chosen this.

I have no hope

I do not need compassion.'

Those eyes were cold, mocking her. And yet, Utena could sense something underneath. Something like a scream. A thousand screams all screaming her name.

'Save me, save me, save me, save me…I cannot wish…I do not hope…save me save me…'

And then, the eyes were gone. Blocked from view by yet, another sword.

Utena felt a chill, as she remembered a vague sensation of déjà vu. She heard the sound of feet padding toward her, and looked over her shoulder. Anthy was approaching with a slight smile on her face.

"Utena-sama, this came for you." She handed Utena a letter from End of the World. "Now you can meet your prince."

Utena did not answer her. She thought, now I can save you.

"Utena-sama, I wish we could stay like this forever."

...((o))...

I have to finish this.

What's been going on?

The truth is…

The truth was jumping off of a rooftop.

The truth was always there, just scraping at my doorframe, never daring to enter because I was never in.

What was I thinking?

What was I doing?

All of that time, I feel like such a fool. No worse, worse than a fool. A fool just makes oneself look like an idiot, and later, everyone gets a good laugh. Me, I'm so much worse. Because of my negligence, someone else was made to suffer. Endure suffering constantly, in spite of my feeble attempts at rescue.

Was I even looking correctly at the picture?

No, there was so much smoke and mirrors. I couldn't see clearly.

Still!

I can't believe I was blind to the truth.

The poisoned cookie.

The poisoned tea.

And finally, the rooftop, showing me just how far off the mark I had been viewing the situation.

Why?

Why didn't you tell me I was so wrong?

It's not your fault.

No, somehow, I knew you would say that.

In the end.

...((o))...

(back in the present)

Utena opened her eyes, sealing away the visions of her memories, and focusing on the dainty nurse who was approaching her bedside. What I didn't understand then about Anthy, I understand now. I hope to God they have my ring.

"What can I help you with today, dear?"

"Yes, ma'am, I was hoping to see a list of the items I had with me when I was admitted to this hospital."

"Hmmm… I know you didn't carry much. No purse, no identification whatsoever. It took us three days to finally be able to ask you who you were!"

"All the same, could you check for me please? I think I was wearing a ring. A ring that was very important to me."

"I see," the nurse smiled, imagining all sorts of possible engagements to the lovely pink-haired patient. "I'll go and grab the bag of articles right away."

The nurse returned a moment later with a sealed plastic bag, which Utena could see right away had her shredded uniform and torn shoes inside.

"Let's see," the nurse read from the little card stuck to the side of the bad, presumably detailing the contents, "One outfit consisting of three pieces, shirt, jacket, shorts. There's a pair of socks, shoes, all mangled beyond recognition. Earrings and a photograph. Well, that's all there is, Hon, so tell me are you sure you were wearing it when you had your… accident?"

Utena jerked up from the bed at the mention of "earrings". "Let me see that!" she shouted, almost rudely, in comparison to the way she usually addressed the staff that attended her.

I know I threw those things away. They couldn't possibly be here. I'm ripping this bag open with a strength I didn't know I still had after being still, strapped to a bed for so long. Yes, they are here. The earrings from Akio. But how is this possible? Where is my goddamned ring? How can I ever hope to see Anthy again? Oh wait, the photograph. Yes, right before I walked the staircase to meet with End of the World, I saw Anthy holding onto something. I peeked over her shoulder and saw the photo of us, clasping hands.

"Hey, I need that, Anthy. I've got to give it to Wakaba later. We're going to be in the yearbook this year!" I attempted to smile, so that she would in return. And she did smile, as she handed over the photo. She had been clutching that picture so desperately, and I don't know why, but it was like she was admitting defeat and it was making her sad. That was making me sad. I had to take it away, because it represented my worst fear. Anthy had given up.

"We'll bring this over to Wakaba when we get done here, Anthy." I smiled again weakly, my spirit being depleted by the somber look on her face. This time she did not return the smile. I remember I tucked the picture of us into my breast pocket before we climbed the stairs. A good luck charm. Little did I know…

Let me see our smiling faces once again.

Utena snatched the picture up from the place it had fallen on the bed amidst the tangle of her shredded uniform. Her blue eyes went wide, as she gasped, "No."

Upon first glance, the photo was of a pale hand with an amazing diamond ring on the appropriate finger of one who is engaged. Long dark fingers were wrapped around the pale hand, connected to a man in a prince's uniform. Akio Ohtori. He was holding out the pale diamond studded hand that was attached to the limp body of Tenjou Utena. Wearing an elaborate pink dress to match her flowing pink hair. It looked disturbingly like a wedding photo. One where the bride had fainted from exhaustion, or in this case, disgust.

Or maybe in this case the bride was dead, as Utena noticed to her horror that the chest of the dress she was wearing in the photo was stained with dark red blood.

The beeps began ringing out wildly in the hospital room, as Utena's body began convulsing.

What is this? What does this mean? This photo had to have been taken after I was stabbed by Anthy. There I am wearing that pink frill fest, dead to the world. Who dressed me? And why? By God, who could have taken that photo?

Another gasp. The nurses returned, armed with a needle full of sedatives.

Anthy.

...((o))...

AN: Unfortunately, not too much information on the health care system in Japan. So the surrounding story segment is based off of knowledge with the American system.

In regards to the memory segment, I hope it wasn't too confusing. This is my first story and I was a bit confused as to how to explain "This is memory." and "This is present time." So I actually used little notes as flags. Sorry to the real writers who can make the transition smoothly.

Someone we are familiar with is going to show up in the next chapter. But it probably isn't who you'd wish for. Depending on who "you" are. Haha! See you next chapter! Thanks for the reviews.