I AM SO SORRY! I know, it took me over a month to update this and I'm really really really sorry. I just couldn't figure out how to work the scene where he wakes up...the transition was/is difficult. Anyway, I hope it turned out okay. I wanted to make it somewhat realistic even though fiction loves to wake people up from comas without the slightest bit of realism present. I realize I probably still failed to some extent (partially because I think I made some mistakes in earlier chapters but I'm not going back to fix it) so I'm sorry if some of the medical stuff is still wrong. Anyway, I hope you enjoy and I would love to hear your thoughts on everything so far!

Thank you for waiting!

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"It's not much, but it could mean he is beginning to wake up." Midorima concluded as he finished checking Kuroko for any more responses after being paged in by Akashi. "Could you try taking your hand away again?"

Once again, Akashi slowly unlatched his fingers from Kuroko's and began to pull away till Kuroko squeezed ever so slightly. However, the squeeze was getting increasingly stronger even if it was only by miniscule amounts.

Midorima nodded and wrote something down on the chart he was holding. "Although it's not a usual response, it's there alright."

"Is it the drug?" Akashi asked as he re-established his grip on Kuroko's hand.

"No. The drug would have woken him up almost instantly and it's would not have taken so long to act. This is him waking up on his own."

"So he wants to wake up?"

Midorima shrugged and went about checking the machines and tubes. "Don't get too excited." He warned. "It could still be weeks before he fully wakes up….and things will only get more complicated after that. I'll inform the psych department of the development."

"The psych department?" Akashi raised an eyebrow and fixed Midorima with a curious, if not suspicious, glare. "Why?"

Turning his attention to Akashi, Midorima adjusted his glasses and took a preparatory inhale. "Let's talk outside." He suggested and led the way to the hallway. He made sure the door was fully closed before making his next statement. "Kuroko will need to be seen by a psychologist once he wakes up. Speaking of psychologists, you really should consider talking to one yourself in fact."

"You think Tetsuya will be willing to talk to a stranger when he wakes? He barely let us near him before….before the incident." Akashi asked.

"He doesn't need to talk to them. He doesn't need to interact with them. The psychologist can make useful assessments by observing him and his interactions with those he is willing to let close. It will allow us to form a more suitable plan of care for him. And don't dodge my other suggestion."

"I'm not seeing a psychologist, Shintarō." Akashi focused his eyes on Kuroko's figure through the window in attempt to keep himself from lashing out at the mere suggestion of such nonsense.

"Akashi…..Everyone else has talked to someone…."

"I don't need a shrink. I just need Tetsuya to wake up."

"You went through someth-"

"I'm Yakuza, Shintarō. It's practically in the job description to experience such things."

Midorima took a deep inhale and exhaled slowly counting to three in his head. "You're human." He started bluntly. "As much as you try to deny it through your actions and words, you are human. When Kuroko wakes up, things will be, for a lack of better terms, messy. You want to care for him, but I'm not sure you fully understand what that even entails. No matter how strong he was or is, he won't be the same person he was. At best, he'll be a shadow of his former self. At worst, he will remain the way he was when you found him for the rest of his life, afraid of everything and unable to fully communicate with or understand his surroundings. Meanwhile, you have a yakuza group to run and enemies to handle who will see him as your weakness and try to get at both of you. There will be no time for you to lose sleep to your nightmares- yes I know about them; Mibuchi told me- and if you wake up screaming in the middle of the night while Kuroko is there, your going to do damage you don't intend," Midorima paused to take another deep inhale before continuing, "and I know you don't want to hurt him. You love him. You want to stay with him even though you have no legal binding to do so and no one would blame you if you left this very second. Even though you may never have a normal relationship with him. Even though he may never be okay again. But Akashi, if you try to help him while that 'incident' as you refer to it is still haunting you, you will fail him….again. So for the love of Oha Asa. For the love of Kuroko. If you won't talk to someone and sort out that twisted psychopathic mess of head of yours for yourself, do it for him. And do it for the rest of us so we don't have to wring your scrawny neck when you unintentionally hurt him further because of your damn pride and hard head!"

Akashi shrunk back against the wall stunned at the sudden outburst of his usually calm and cautious friend. Not only had Midorima gotten himself flustered in an almost emotional sounding speech, he had practically shouted at Akashi, usually a fatal choice in the case of most people. And perhaps, if there hadn't been a good bit of logic to his words, Midorima might have become a bloodied corpse in the middle of that deserted hallway right then and there. But he didn't. And was Akashi….trembling?

After what felt like eternity, but was only ten minutes give or take a few, Akashi nodded slumping against the wall. "Okay, Shintarō. You win." He closed his eyes and took a breath. "Make me an appointment…." He conceded the argument with an order.

"Wait…really?" Midorima responded not believing his ears. Yes, he put everything into that speech that he had and even made use of the tips Takao had given him, but he didn't expect Akashi to give that easily. He wasn't going to wait around and give the red head a chance to retract the agreement though. With a stiff nod, he pushed up his glasses and promised to inform Akashi of the appointment time before leaving Akashi to dwell on his thoughts.

It took a little more than a week for Kuroko to fully wake up. Ten days to be exact. By then, the life support machines had been removed and he was only hooked up to IV's, monitors, and a feeding tube.

Kuroko's eyes flickered open the same way they had on multiple occasions. Normally, no one would take notice…..except Kise happened to be in the room at the time. Every time Kuroko so much as twitched, Kise demanded Midorima come in and examine him. For once, that turned out to be a good thing.

Midorima dragged his feet along the floor as he closed the door and approached the bed. "This is the fifth time today, Kise. I was sleeping." He grumbled as he pulled his flashlight from his coat pocket.

"But I think he's awake this time." Kise whispered confusing Midorima. Why would Kise whisper? Was he that sure of his observation?

Rubbing the sleep from his eyes, Midorima leaned over the bed and studied his patient and then he understood. Kuroko's eyes were wide as his brows knit together. The entirety of his frame was trembling and his mouth was parted in a silent cry.

"K…Kuroko." Midorima whispered pulling back. "I'm sorry."

Kise gasped understanding Midorima's words meant Kuroko had, in fact, woken up. It wasn't a misunderstanding on Kise's part again. Midorima gave him a glare though, wordlessly telling him to be still and quiet. It seemed Kuroko was still shaken up. Glancing at the heart monitor, he realized Kuroko's heart rate was speeding up more than he would like. Kuroko was most certainly terrified.

"Kuroko, it's just me, Midorima. Remember, Midorima-kun and Kise-kun." Midorima called himself and Kise using the honorifics Kuroko always used. He wasn't sure if that would help or not. "You're in the hospital."

The trembling continued, but still no sound was uttered by the bluenette. Midorima didn't have time to figure out why. He backed away and gestured for Kise to follow him while mouthing to the blond to move slowly. The last thing they needed to do was spook Kuroko further. Of course, he briefly considered administering a sedative, but decided against it. As long as there was no immediate danger of the anxiety Kuroko was experiencing causing physical damage, he would rather not risk putting Kuroko back into a state of unconsciousness. There was another option.

Both men retreated to the far side of the room. Midorima faced away from the patient and bent over till his mouth was next to Kise's ear so he could whisper. "Akashi is sleeping in my office. Wake him and tell him Kuroko is awake but he's frightened. Bring him here as quickly as possible."

"Should I run?" Kise asked. It was a hospital after all, but running would be quickest. When Midorima nodded, he smirked. "I'll be so fast you'll think I was Aomine!" He whispered a bit too loudly and Midorima resisted the urge to smack him before pushing him out the door. Displaying violence in Kuroko's vicinity was probably as bad an idea as being loud.

Once Kise was out of the room, Midorima turned to meet Kuroko's gaze. "Kise-kun is going to get Akashi-kun for you. I'm going to come closer okay, but I'm not going to touch you." He warned and stepped forward again. "I'm going to press a button on this screen," he gestured towards the monitor that was beeping loudly, "so the sound isn't so loud," then pressed the button till the beeping was almost entirely muted. Sometimes the sound representing the heart beat made patients more anxious though his actions were somewhat selfish as well. He hated the beeping when each beep was so close together.

The quieting of the monitor and the mention of Akashi didn't seem to have much effect on Kuroko's state. Midorima wondered if Kuroko even comprehended his words. Kuroko's mouth remained opened in what Midorima could only interpret as a silent scream and tears fell down the bluenettes mouth, but the doctor didn't dare reach out and wipe them away. Biting the inside of his cheek and stealing himself, he tried to assure his patient again. "S…..Sei will be here shortly." He whispered, this time using the name he knew Kuroko called Akashi in private. It felt awkward and he felt a heat rising in his cheeks, but it was worth it to see Kuroko's stare focus more and hear the monitor relax ever so slightly.

Suddenly, cold wiry fingers brushed Midorima's wrist and gripped onto the sleeve of his white doctors coat. Glancing down, he realized Kuroko had grasped onto the fabric. Kuroko's eyes were focused on his face as well. "Kuroko?" he whispered and almost regretted speaking when Kuroko flinched. But Kuroko didn't let go. He held on tighter until the door to the room opened stealing his attention.

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Comments/feedback appreciated!