Disclaimer: I don't own Junjou Romantica.

-JR—JR—JR-

Misaki's POV

My recovery from the accident was slow and boring. After that night, the night Akihiko confessed while I was asleep, I was more distant than ever. I refused to let myself be hurt by him again. The only thing I found strange was Ritsu's constant absence, along with Akihiko's constant presence. I knew not to bring it up, though. It was probably a sensitive topic for the author.

And then, after another month and a half, I was released from the Hell called a hospital. I sat on the edge of the sterile hospital bed, waiting for my brother to come and get me so I could leave already.

Strangely enough, instead of my brother, it was Akihiko who walked into the room, accompanied by the Doctor. I scowled in confusion. "Why are you here?"

The author smirked cockily. "Your brother decided that it would be better if you stayed with someone else. And that someone else is me."

I stared at him for only a second before shrugging. "Alright," was all I said, while on the inside I was screaming in protest. "But what does your little lover think of this?"

Akihiko grimaced at my words, and I immediately knew my hunch was right. Ritsu was a very sensitive topic. I gave a small frown of worry for a second before putting my bored mask back in place.

"Never mind," I sighed dismissively. "No need to tell me about whatever fight you two are having. That's your business, not mine."

The silver haired man looked shocked by my words, despite his attempts to hide it. I inwardly smirked at his reaction. I stood up and walked over to Akihiko and the Doctor, my black converse squeaking on the tile floor.

"I'm assuming you know everything you need to . . . take care of me," I said, though the words tasted like acid to me, "so let's go. I don't want to be in this hellhole any longer than necessary." The Doctor looked disapprovingly at me, but I ignored him.

Akihiko gave another cocky smirk, making irritation rise in me. "Eager to get back to the penthouse?"

I looked at him with a blank gaze. "Not at all," I told him bluntly, deciding to be honest for once.

My blunt response didn't faze him at all, though his smirk disappeared, and he gestured to me to leave the room and go into the hallway. I left the while walled room and stepped into the equally white walled hall. The author led me through the hospital to his bright red sports car.

I became even more irritated when I saw my only senpai leaning against the car. I stopped in front of Sumi, hiding my annoyance. "And what do you want, Sumi?" I asked coldly.

He looked stunned at my tone, and the lack of 'senpai' at the end of his name. It took him a few moments to pull himself together. "U-um, I just wanted to make sure you were alright, Misaki-kun," he stuttered.

"Bull," I snapped, my annoyance peaking. I got a faint sense of satisfaction when he flinched. "You just want to get close to your beloved Usami Akihiko-sama again. With my luck, he'll probably leave me for you like the last time."

"Misaki!" Akihiko started, guilt and hurt crossing his face.

I only snorted in response and walked to the passenger side of the car, getting inside and slamming the door closed. I didn't bother looking at the two men through the window. I could hear Sumi begging Akihiko to take him, I didn't need to see it.

It wasn't long before Akihiko got in the car, looking rather disgruntled, I might add, and started it. I heard him talking to me, but blocked the sound out and stared out the window. As I watched buildings and people pass by quickly, my head throbbed painfully.

I was remembering the night, the night that Haitani shoved me in front of Akihiko's car. There was no way for me to tell whether that was real or not, but I knew that it shook me to the core. I wasn't sure I would be able to handle the stress of knowing that he may be out there, waiting for the perfect moment to take me back.

I clenched my fist, forcing those thoughts out of my head. I jolted in my seat a bit when I realized we were in the car park owned by the apartment building. I frowned and stepped out of the car.

"Aren't we going to get my things from Takahiro's house?" I asked, looking inquisitively at Akihiko.

The man shook his head. "No, I took the liberty of picking your things up and putting them away before I checked you out."

I nodded slowly, following Akihiko up to the penthouse. My heartbeat sped up as we got closer. The last time I'd been in that place, I was having a breakdown, one of my worst. I didn't want to relive that. I buried my memories in the back of my head. I didn't need flashbacks of my time here. Just having to live there was bad enough.

I stopped in the living room and stared at the base of the stairs, remembering the day he left me. All of the memories I had been trying to bury came up to the surface.

"Misaki?" Akihiko asked me worriedly, putting a hand on my shoulder.

I shrugged it off, but didn't look at him. "I'll be in the same room, right?" Instead of waiting for an answer, I rushed up the stairs and to my old bedroom, then slammed the door behind me. I locked the door out of paranoid habit.

I saw my meagre belongings set up around the room, put away and organized. I flopped down on the bed and closed my eyes, though I was far from sleeping.

"I wonder if he has any food," I muttered to myself, rubbing my grumbling stomach. I'd been almost constantly hungry because I refused to eat the hospital food most of the time, if it could even be called food.

There was a knock on my door. I didn't respond, waiting for him to talk. I knew he would say what he wanted whether I was listening or not.

"Misaki," he sighed. "Ritsu and I broke up." My breath hitched, and I sat up on the bed, staring at the door in worry and confusion. "He said . . . he said I looked at you with more love than I had ever looked at him with. And told me to go after you. So that's what I'm doing. I don't want us to be broken like this. I want us to be together again, happy and carefree."

He paused there, as though giving me room to talk. Suddenly I was leaning against the door, my back to it. "You think I could trust you again, after you left me for someone else so easily? You think I could be happy and carefree after going to jail, being in that hell? You'd be better off praying to Satan than you would be talking to me about it." My voice was empty and unyielding to his pleads.

"Misaki, please," he begged. "Just give me one more chance-" I spun around and slammed my fist down on the door, making a loud bang echo around the empty penthouse.

"You think I could give you what you want in this place?!" I shouted, anger and pain leaking into my voice. "Or ever?! It's hard enough for me to just be near you! And in this house, it's even worse! All I can remember is the torture I went through while you were gone. All I see is me sobbing at the foot off the stairs because my lover, my reason for living, left me! No, Usagi! I can't! Not here!" A single tear dripped down my face. I didn't let any more tears fall. I wouldn't give the darkness in my heart that satisfaction.

My breathing was ragged, and all that could be heard in the thick silence. And then he spoke. "Please," he begged, and my entire being longed to hold him and make the desperation in his voice disappear. I barely kept myself from tearing the door open and holding him. "Just give me one more chance. You don't have to give it to me now, but please think about it. I'll wait as long as it takes for you to be ready, so just . . . consider it."

I heard his footsteps moving away from my door, then another door slamming closed. I fell to my knees. How would I survive another second in that hell?!

-JR—JR—JR-

There's the next chapter for you ^_^ I know it probably sucked, and it was kind of short, but I hope it's enough for now. I'll do my best to get another chapter up soon, but I can't make any promises about when. I'm still really sorry for taking so long on this one, and you can flame at me or yell at me in the reviews. I wouldn't blame you. But I still hope you enjoyed the chapter. Tell me what you thought in the reviews please!

Favorite, follow, review, and PM me with ideas. Until next time . . .

~O'Malley out!