R&R, my friends. If you don't remember the original catalyst for this, head back to ch. 5.

J~~~~~~~~~~~~~~

It had been two weeks since the incident. I hadn't missed a day of work, save for that first day. I hadn't seen Sato at all in the last two weeks. It made me wonder if Kyoya had told him to stay out of my sight. That's fine with me, but it makes me feel a bit uneasy not knowing where he is.

As had become my habit on Mondays, I went into work early to talk with Tamaki. He had made my studio his early morning practice room after deciding mine was held "perfect piano."

"Judy! Mon ami!"

"Tamaki, I may be present bodily, but my mind hasn't caught up with the rest of me. Please, keep it down." I hate mornings, but I like my weekly chat with Tamaki. I really didn't get to talk with him otherwise, so I sacrificed an extra hour of sleep.

"Sorry. I keep forgetting that I have more than one friend who isn't a morning person." He hung his head and slid a single finger atop the keys.

"Seriously, Tamaki? I'm pretty sure that you're the only morning person in the entire gathering." I had taken to calling their group "the gathering" as "club" didn't seem to fit them. They aren't children anymore: they're adults and friends. "Don't crawl under the piano again. You're twenty-five! When someone tells you the truth, you shouldn't take to obscure hiding places and pretend to grow mushrooms." He immediately ceased his downward movement.

"It's part of my charming persona. Everyone likes it." Aaah! The 3,000 kilowatt brightness is killing me. Turn off the smile, please.

"I beg to differ. I bet, if you tone down your disappointment to maybe just a sad face, Haruhi and Kyoya wouldn't ignore you or smack you upside your head so much." I plopped down on my sofa after turning on my coffee pot. "Would you like a cup of Joe?"

"Excuse me?"

"Coffee, Tamaki." I don't know why I'm in such a bad mood today.

"Commoner's coffee?! YES!"

"Hold your horses. It's not instant." His countenance fell. And, dejected again.

"Then what could you possibly be making? Haruhi has been making me commoner's coffee since I was sixteen."

"I'm sure it's very similar to what is made in your home. In your kitchen, there is a machine that looks like that." I pointed to the coffee maker. "They put coffee grounds in the top, fill the side with water, and press the button. Voilà!" The first of the fully percolated beverage started dripping into the pot.

I swear a just saw an actual lightbulb turn on over his head. "Have you made this every week," Tamaki asked as he stared, dumbfounded, at the pot.

"Every week. But, in your defense, you are usually practicing when I make it." I pulled the pot off the heater and poured the first mug-full for him. "Here." I then thrust my open palm in his face so he could see the small bucket-creamers.

"What are these little drums?"

"That's creamer, Tamaki. It's packaged like that so you don't have to refrigerate it."

"Really?! Commoners are so amazing!"

"I guarantee you the man who invented the creamer bucket is not a commoner anymore," I deadpanned.

I made my own cup and sat back down as Tamaki toyed with the creamer and sugar packets.

"Judy, what's been going on the last two weeks?"

I hadn't expected that. "What do you mean? Nothing, of course, besides getting ready to sing for Kyoya's big shindig."

"I know something happened that Kyoya and Haruhi don't want to talk about. I also know it likely has something to do with you. Are you alright?" His face was earnest, but I wasn't ready to burden anyone else.

"It's nothing to worry about. I promise."

"Then why won't Haruhi tell me?"

"You tell me." When stuck in a corner, change focus of conversation.

"Maybe she actually remembered! I knew it! I knew something was up! You were in on it all the time. Weren't you, Judy? You just happen to be the least able to keep a secret. Must be your lowly upbringing. How should I look when she tells me?"

"Tamaki, stop jumping around! You'll spill coffee everywhere." He put the mug on the piano. "Now, sit."

"How can I when I'm so happy!" He grabbed me and began spinning me around.

"Termefki! Strrpfit! ….Druhn!" I'm going to be sick! I can't breathe. Need inhaler. Oh, dang! I think I left it at the apartment. No bueno.

"What is going on in here?" I knew the voice, but I couldn't see the man due to my face being buried in the blonde's chest.

"Tamaki, put her down now!"

"Kyoya, mon ami!" Tamaki released me abruptly and I went flying onto the couch. "Why didn't you tell me that you three were planning me a surprise?"

I couldn't catch my breath. I could feel my lungs start convulsing with lack of air. Everything was constricting. My throat, tickling and getting smaller. My first instinct was for my inhaler, but I didn't have it. My next, was to cover my mouth and regulate my breathing that way, but it was too obvious. My last, and slowest option, was to slowly drink my coffee and allow the caffeine to relax my chest and throat muscles and stimulate my lungs. I took option three while Kyoya addressed the Tamaki problem.

"If we told you, it wouldn't be a surprise would it?" He shot me a glance that was supposed to say, "What the heck did you tell him," but it turned into a doctor's cool analysis as soon as he saw my irregular breathing.

"Where's your inhaler, Judy?" His voice was measured and calm. He doesn't want to scare Tamaki. Can't say I blame him given Tamaki's dramatic nature. I smiled sardonically at my own observation.

"It's at home. I'll be fine. I just need to allow the coffee to wake me up."

"You shouldn't leave it behind." He got down on one knee to check my eyes for dilation.

"Good grief, Kyoya. I said I'm fine." I didn't want him so close to me, not after Sato, not after Jackson. And, certainly not after what nearly happened between us. No. I brushed him away from me.

"Sit still, woman." He placed a hand to my back to feel my pulmonary functions. "You're having an attack; and without your inhaler, you need someone to monitor you."

"I do not. I've done this hundreds of times." Dang! Must calm down. All this arguing is making it worse. I quit talking; and, by my silence, allowed Kyoya to "monitor" me.

"That's better." He began giving me breathing instructions. "In, out. Deeper. Nose, mouth." I. Know. How. To. Breathe! So annoying.

"Um, Kyoya. What's wrong with Judy?" I had forgotten Tamaki was in the room until that moment. What, with asthma and an excruciatingly handsome man touching my back, how can I focus on everything? I looked up and gave Tamaki a big smile before taking another sip of my beverage.

"She's experiencing an asthma attack. An asthma attack brought on by your ridiculous antics! I've told you a thousand times not to swing people around."

Tamaki looked beyond guilty and fell to the floor where he stood. "I'm so sorry, Judy. I didn't know that would happen. I was just so excited for my surprise."

"I know, Tamaki. I forgive you. How could you have known? You and Kyoya are the only people in Japan now who are aware of this, so ask that you both keep my secret."

"Why would you keep asthma a secret?" His violet eyes glistened with concern.

"In the vocal realm, asthma is seen as a draw back to singers. It can disrupt your whole life, career, world." I wheezed and clutched my chest.

"Don't talk anymore, Judy." Kyoya had stopped coaching me through the attack and was now rubbing my back. It was SO nice. "Where in your apartment is your inhaler?"

"On my nightstand."

"Where are your keys?"

"I don't need it."

He stopped rubbing my back. When I looked up at him, his eyes were hard, his glasses were flashing, and his face said he would find the keys with or without me. "Where. Are. The. Keys?"

"In the bowl on top of the desk." I had only seen that face once, and it hadn't been directed at me. It terrified me.

"Tamaki, take the keys and bring back the inhaler." With a nod of guilt and a parting glance, Tamaki rushed from the studio.

"Why do you insist on being so ludicrously independent?!" He took the piano bench and faced me.

"Survival. hh. hh. Instinct."

"How long has your asthma been this bad?"

"Haven't had one…hih hih…so strong in…long time." Hurts.

"Alright. Drink your coffee. I'll make some more. Where are the grounds?" I pointed to the shelf above the pot. "It amazes me that you're still alive since you can't seem to ask for help when things like this happen." I shot him a glare. "What's going to happen next time, when no one is around to retrieve your meds or put armed guards at your door?"

That's too far. I stood up and took a shuddering breath. "Don't need…guards. Don't need in…haler." I stomped to the shelf and added another creamer to my way too diluted coffee.

"I beg to differ. Do you know where Sato is right now?" I kept my back turned firmly away from him. "He's been moved three floors below you, to the back hallway. He has hidden cameras in his office, down his hallway, and at every entrance to his floor. He knows he can't get away with approaching you. It doesn't mean he hasn't tried to do so, though. So, before you assert your liberty, let me remind you of the danger." He hadn't raised his voice once, and that annoyed me more than if he had. How dare he use scare tactics on me! Stupid glasses glare. Stupid, quiet intimidation!

"Before you…assert your dominance…hih hih, let me remind you…huh huh…of my abilities."

He cut in. "If you mean your ability to throw Sato off balance by surprise moves, those won't work next time. He won't be so foolish to not be prepared if he tries again."

"No. Training with Hani and Mori…going well. Can…hhhhiiiihhhh…throw Mori, now." The attack wasn't lessening; it was getting quickly worse. Now, I'm scared. I clamped my hands over my mouth and collapsed into my desk chair. Keep breathing. Don't stop. Slow, even breaths. Too much oxygen will make you faint. Slow, steady.

I wasn't aware of what was going on. I just knew I wasn't in my chair any longer.

"I'm sorry, Judy. I shouldn't have tried to scare you like that. It was ungentlemanly and unfair," he whispered into my hair as he laid me on the couch. "I'm going to put your head in my lap so I can better monitor you until Tamaki comes back. Your head and neck need to be elevated. Is that alright with you?"

I nodded and watched as he sat in the small space near my head. He lifted me as he slid underneath my head and cradled it with his hands. "The attack has triggered a headache. Hasn't it?" I nodded. "You don't have aspirin, either?" I smirked and shook my head. "Figures." Kyoya started rubbing my temples and massaging my scalp. I gave him a questioning look. "I had a practical exam on unmedicated forms of tension relief. This is one." I blinked at him. "Just close your eyes. Tamaki will be back shortly."

I did as I was told without back-talk for the first time in years. It was just too odd to have a handsome man giving me a head massage. It's wonderful, but odd.

I hope those of you with this malady thought this was pretty realistic. I also hope those without asthma felt some of the panic and frustration associated with it.