Sorry it's such a short chapter and sorry it took so long to update it. It's kind of slow too.

Anyway, if you want faster updates, drop a review or comment! Those usually light a fire under my butt...or hands...either way.

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Akashi stepped out of the shower in his hotel room and dried himself off before dialing the number of one of his men.

"Any news?" Akashi asked as soon as the other man had answered the phone.

"Yes sir."

"Out with it then." Akashi growled obviously irritated.

"Do you remember a man named Okazaki Riichi?"

Akashi frowned at the name. It sounded somewhat familiar. Then he remembered! He had met Okazaki, Riichi's father presumably, once before. It was before his father retired and gave up head of the business to Akashi. His father had more or less destroyed Okazaki, taking over his territory and killing Okazaki's lover, ultimately leading to Okazaki's suicide

"I remember his father." Akashi finally replied.

"Riichi is the current head of the Kintatsu-kai. He took the position four years ago."

Four years ago. Tetsuya disappeared four years ago. It doesn't seem likely the two things would be connected, but it's odd for a coincidence, Akashi thought to himself. But why would Okazaki's son be the head of the Kintatsu-kai? Thoughts began rushing through Akashi's brain as he tried to connect and make sense of this new information. He had a feeling, call it intuition if you will, that this information was vital to figuring out why Tetsuya was kidnapped.

"Boss?" The man on the phone spoke when Akashi didn't reply after a minute. It snapped Akashi out of his thoughts.

"Get more information. I want to know everything there is about the Kintatsu-kai and their leader yesterday! Now go!" Akashi barked the order before ending the call and slamming the phone down on the table. This was taking too long and it frustrated him. All of it had taken too long. It shouldn't have taken four years to find Kuroko. It shouldn't have taken hours to interrogate the bastards at that house. It shouldn't be taking this long to get information. He should have it. He should know everything already. He should have the answers by now. Okazaki Riichi should be dead by now. Every damn member of Kintatsu-kai should be dead by now. Yet he couldn't even kill them now. He didn't have enough information. He didn't have a plan and he couldn't gather his thoughts enough to make one.

Akashi got dressed, flopped onto the bed and put his arm over his face. It was all too much. He was usually so calm and able to come up with the perfect plan right away. He usually had answers. It wasn't like him for his thoughts to be a chaotic mess like this. All it took was seeing Kuroko in that condition, watching Kuroko pass through those double doors and the uncertainty of whether Kuroko would still be alive tomorrow to turn him into a mess. Tetsuya….I need you to be okay…I need you to wake up… Akashi drifted off to sleep.

Akashi didn't open his eyes again until the sun was already beginning to set. He looked over at the clock that glowed with the numbers 5:30. He decided he would go to the hospital to check on Kuroko's condition. Sure he could just call and find out, but he wanted to see Kuroko. He needed that visual physical confirmation that Tetsuya was indeed alive and safe. He texted Aomine to let him know he was going and then made his way over.

Nothing had changed since he last saw Kuroko. The sight was just as painful, but it was also comforting. Akashi leaned down and planted a quick but gentle kiss on the bluenettes cheek.

"I'm back Tetsuya." He spoke as if the boy in the bed could hear him. He took a seat between the bed and the window and settled in, watching the faint rise and fall of Kuroko's chest. As he watched, he thought back to what the doctor had said the previous night. The physical damage was bad, but what would the mental damage be like? Akashi was no stranger to the underworld. He had seen what becomes of its victims plenty of times. He didn't want to think of Kuroko turning out like that, but it had been four years. Akashi knew that no matter how strong Kuroko was, there was practically no chance he would have been able to suffer so long and come out the same person he was before. It just didn't happen.

For four years, he told himself that Tetsuya was okay. The boy was practically invisible which Akashi reasoned was why it was so hard to find him. Kuroko probably left willingly and just didn't want to be found. It was still unlikely that he could hide from Akashi given the mans unending connections and power, but Akashi let himself believe he would one day find Kuroko some place peaceful and Kuroko would smile and call him Bakashi for worrying all this time. That was how he thought for four years in order to keep pressing forward. Last night those thoughts ended. He was forced to face a far more frightening truth and he couldn't deny the sight before him now.

The red head reached out to grip Kurokos hand and held it while muttering prayers. He wasn't religious and he didn't pray, usually. Religion was for the weak. That was what he believed. But right now, he was weak. He was weaker than he had ever been before. Even when Kuroko had first disappeared, he remained strong. But now he was weak, so maybe now was a good time to start praying.

Aomine and Kise had waited an hour after receiving Akashi's text to head over to the hospital. They felt it was best to give their ex-captain some space. After all, Akashi had taken it the hardest, harder the Aomine even, when he learned of Kuroko's disappearance.

When they arrived in Kuroko's room, Kise broke down. It was the first time Kise had seen Kuroko in four years and Aomine had forgotten to warn him how bad it was. He had opted not to tell his lover where they found Kuroko or the condition he had been in and he was now regretting that.

Aomine did his best to comfort Kise, but there wasn't much he could do when he couldn't even convince himself it would be okay. After a few minutes, Kise moved closer to the bluenette and held his hand.

"Kurokocchi…." His voice came out strangled. Aomine brought him a chair which he gladly accepted without releasing Kuroko's hand. Aomine then grabbed his own chair and placed his hand on top of Kise's. Except for the occasional sniffles, they sat in complete silence.

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By the way...Has anyone figured out what line of business Akashi is in and why Okazaki is important? Just curious. I think I made the latter pretty obvious, maybe even too obvious. I don't know if the former is obvious though.