Disclaimer: Yadda Yadda Legal mublejumble Ouran or the twins Not mine.
Chapter 8 WOW finally.
Dedicated to all my loyal readers who had to wait so long for this chapter you all rock.
This chapter takes place at the exacat time as the last chapter but is in Karou's point of view, and includes a surprise guest.
Warning: This chapter has religious implications.
Chapter 08:
Specks of light pierce the darkness surrounding him, washing away the coldness sweeping through and over him. Slowly as this light penetrates deeper into his senses, Kaoru opens his eyes and pulls himself off of the pavement. He stands a lone figure tangled in the spidery threads of unnatural light. He takes one last look in the direction of Ouran before turning away from Hikaru and all that he knows, and although the thought of separation still pains him, he also feels calm, a sense of solitude he had never felt, that only grows as he steps out of the realms of shadows and into the welcoming light.
As Karou continues through this light, the world seems to shift, to mold into itself, until the walls narrow and it appears that he is in a tunnel, but instead of being cast in darkness he is caught in a storm, the eye shining with radiance. Curious but not afraid he slowly makes his way through this funnel, until he leaves his own world behind and steps into a land of enchantment.
He is standing beneath a widing staircase a lone figure walks slowly down it's golden steps, and as she draws closer Karou is taken back by her innocence. Although beautiful, even seductive, she eludes such an aura of pureness that her attractiveness is forgotten. Although he has never been in the lure of such a creature before there was something so intense, so familiar about her that for the first time since awakens he was frightened.
Not because he feared for his safety, no it was quite the opposite, Karou felt quite safe in her presence. His fear stemmed from something deeper, something more primitive. From the insane notions swirling deep within his tainted heart, and the secret love that flourished there, a love that he could no longer deny, nor refuse no matter how much he wished. No this angelic phantasm would not harm him, after all how could she, when it was Karou himself who wielded this pain. So it is a fear born out of sin, a realization that he did not belong in this place, nor did he warrant an audience with someone so devoid of sin.
As if she could read his thoughts, or maybe more importantly his sins she smiles at him, and reaches out a single hand. A gesture so natural, so normal that it's significance is almost lost on Kaoru. Yet, as his own pale fingers infuse with her's it sinks in.
Karou looks up at the staircase, and tentively takes a step and then another, until without out realizing it both him and the women, who was so familiar are halfway up the stairs. He stops misstep and looks at her, and the more he focuses on her, the more her pureness washes over him and then he knows, he knows why she is so familiar.
He turns to her, a soft sad smile sits on his lips, "Your Hahuri's mom.."
She simply nods, knowing that it was more of a statement then a question. Her dark eyes sparkle, as she drops his hand and motions forward with both hands before turning away from him and starting back down the stairs.
"I don't understand," He says softly, but in reality he does, for some reason he has to go alone, she can no longer guide him. The choice is his, the door to heaven is swinging wide and he is welcome, despite everything he is welcome.
"She still thinks of you," he says simply before turning away from the descending apparition and taking another step.
"Thank you," The voice is clear, precise, and very much like Hahuri's.
But most of all it pains him, pains him to hear her talk. And suddenly Karou is filled with a dull ache so intense that it's like nothing he has every experienced, and he realizes he wasn't ready. He didn't want to go. Even though his sins had just been washed away, even though the doors to heaven have been opened, he didn't want to go, he didn't want to leave...Hikaru.
The image of his brother's face, the sound of his voice, the feel of his touch clouds Karou's mind, and that notion of separation suddenly becomes to strong. Kaoru pivots in mid step, turns from the offered salvation and runs back towards the darkness.
Hahuri's mom watches as he rushes past her, a sad smile haunts her face. She reaches for him, but drops her hand at the last moment, she no longer has a right to interfere Karou has made his choice. She just prays for his that the decision was a right one, that he didn't just condemn himself.
But then again as Karou's name disappears from the list in her hands, she ponders on the fact that just maybe; maybe he did make the right choice.
She then turns from the retreating boy, and climbs the golden stairs, only to be halted in misstep as a cry of such tremendous hatred rolls up from beneath her feet, shaking the very substance of the stairs. She turns fearful of what she will see, and it as if she feared, a reddish glow now fills the cavern chasing the radiance of heaven's light back into the shadows, as a small door on the bottom of the realms earth opens.
A lone figure steps from this cavernous opening and glares at her, and even though she is frightened, even though her entire body shakes, she swallows this fear knowing that in reality he can not harm her, he can not even touch her.
"You," He hollers in rage, a long slender finger shaking in her direction. "What did you say to that boy?"
"Nothing," and although her voice remains clear, and she appears calm she knows by the looks he shoots her that her nervousness shows. "I said nothing, nothing at all.
He looks at her, steadying those malovent eyes onto hers. "Liar," he hisses. "You broke the contract," he pauses for a moment, takes a deep breath, then continues, "Their both mine now."
The earth is filled with malicious laughter that threatens to undo all the protection that God bestowed on her. But she simply closes her eyes, reminding herself that he could not harm her nor could he do what he just claimed.
She opens her eyes filled with a renewed strength, returns his glare and finds her voice, "He made the choice on his own, if therefore that prevents the other one from taking his own life, and thus falling into your hands fine with me." Then without another word she turns from fallen angel and walks briskly up the stairs, and as she passes through the golden gates she realizes that maybe Kaoru did what he was suppose to, that by denying himself the possibility of heaven he changed his brother's fate, and therefore did not forsake himself but saved them both. But most of all, and maybe this was a little selfish of her, but she felt great full that her daughter had friends as special as Kaoru in her life, someone that would forsake Eden for love. Yes, she was happy Kaoru had chosen Hikaru instead of eternal bliss.
Back on earth as Hikaru's declaration of love rings through the night, Kaoru opens his golden eyes, his brother's name falling from his lips as he slides back into unconcioness.