Bit of a shorter chapter. Felt like the pace was slowing up a bit, but this needed to happen to progress the story.

Chapter 2

Raizo sat in the corner of Mika's bedroom watching her sleep. She'd broken into a sweat from tossing and, turning but she hadn't woken up in the 3 hours that she'd been out. He sat back in the chair with his arms wrapped around one pulled up knee and cursed himself for staying away so long.

He'd only wanted to do what was best for her. She'd risked her life for him more than once and it was looking like she'd sacrificed more than he first thought. He should have known better. He'd been inducted into the Ozunu clan as a child. He'd had a lifetime of conditioning to deal with the horrors of his dark world. Mika had said it herself, she was a researcher, a glorified librarian. She was never meant to see what she saw or endure what she endured. Raizo steadied his breath to center himself. She was going to need him strong and stable when she woke up. He would not lose her again.

Mika spoke in her sleep. Most of it was incoherent but, occasionally, Raizo made out his own name. He felt awful that he was any part of her tormented nights. Maybe he shouldn't have come back, but seeing submerged in the water tore at something inside him. The memory of Mika lying lifeless after she near fatally run through with Ozunu's sword and then the vision of her submerged lifeless in the bathtub assaulted him enough to put some effort into banishing the memories away. He could deal with them later. She wasn't dead, she was right there in front of him and that should have given him more comfort. Unfortunately, he was all too aware of that, although not dead, Mika was dying.

Raizo instantly noticed the sudden change in Mika's breathing. There was no turning back now.

Mika lay on her side facing the window as always. She woke in a haze of confused memories and latent fear. She swallowed and found her throat ached with dryness.

"Are you really here?" It was almost pleading whisper. It would be a cruel joke if Raizo was a figment.

"I'm here." He replied not moving.

Mika rolled slowly onto her back, being careful to keep her eyes on the ceiling. She wasn't ready to challenge reality just yet. She pulled her right hand from under the bedsheet and cradled the bandaged fingers for a moment, gently with her left hand.

"You hurt yourself last night." Raizo lowered his leg and leaned forward, elbows resting on his knees with his hands clasped in front of him.

Mika took 3 breaths staring up at that ceiling as she grasped the edge of the bedsheet almost as if she might pull it over her face if the apparition sat in that room with her was something other than what she hoped. She slowly turned just head toward the familiar voice with her eyes closed and when she could turn her head no more, she opened her eyes. At first, she just saw shadow and shape, then blurred colour. A few more blinks and that face gazed back at her with a half smile, the same way he gazed down at her while she lay on the cold ground, flames all around and a hole through what should have been her heart. This time there were no flames, no blood, no gunfire, just thunderous silence and palpable fear that began creeping its way up Mika's spine. She sat up slowly dropping the sheet and reaching into her bedside table drawer.

Raizo quickly looked away, "I removed the pills from the drawer." he said almost nervously gazing at the doorway. Anywhere that wasn't Mika's nude torso.

Mika felt the fear slip into frustration. For a split second, she didn't understand why Raizo was averting his eyes and then, "Shit!" She gathered the sheet back up, tucking it under her arms.

"Why the hell am I naked? And you have no right to go snooping through my things." She got up to rifle through a coat's pockets by the window.

"You are poisoning yourself, Mika. I removed all the pills, you don't need them, especially after last night." Raizo was trying to keep calm. He'd let Mika lash out if she needed to but he didn't want her to bolt.

Mika was pacing again. "Arrogant shit! You don't get to walk back into my life after all this time and start telling me what to do! You don't have to try and save me again. There is no more Ozuno, the threat is over!" Mika was searching the room frantically for something, anything.

"The Ozuno is gone yes, but the threat is not over Mika, you are far from safe."

Mika swung around to look at Raizo, "Last night? That was a damn accident!"

Raizo gave her nothing but gentle eyes back. His tone even, "Whatever you want to call it Mika."

Her brow furrowed, "I wasn't trying to…." She stopped mid-sentence like the wind had been knocked out of her and sunk to her knees. She was starting to shiver.

Raizo hesitated a beat before going over to her. "Its ok." He knelt beside her once again but this time she wasn't frantic anymore. Frantic Raizo could deal with. It was a tangible emotion you can physically get your hands around. This was something else. The strong Mika he once knew seemed broken, hopeless and as he put his arms around her, he couldn't help but feel partially responsible. He didn't know what to say to try to soothe her, so he said the only thing that he felt made sense right in that moment. "I'm sorry."

Mika leaned into that strength, trying to absorb even a hint of that inner calm Raizo had spent his tortured childhood perfecting. She clung to him as if letting him go would cause him to disappear. Not this time. Not again.

She let Raizo effortlessly pick her up and put her back on the bed and when he gently pulled away Mika's fists held on to his shirt fiercely. Raizo saw that fear dancing behind her eyes as he lay his hands over hers. "I'm just going to make us some tea. I'll be right in the other room. Join me when you're dressed?"

Mika fought the irrational voice in her head screaming at her to never let him go. She took a deep breath, nodded and allowed Raizo to gently place her hands back in her lap. He paused at the doorway. "I'm not going anywhere."