AN) I just want to say my major is Geology not medicine. Meaning I know jack about how the human body works. All I know is what I've seen on ER and I'm pretty sure most of that stuff probably isn't very accurate either. Heck I can't even watch when they start using needles. So if I do have facts really off base here and someone knows feel free to tell me how and why. If I can change the story and keep it the same by adding more accurate information I will but for now it's going to stay the way it is. Besides if people can be vampires or angles in fan fiction I think it's okay if I fudge a few facts around. I doubt anyone is going to be citing this in any medical essays anytime soon anyway.
Silence filled the car, it hadn't been as noticeable when they were still in Tokyo and the sounds of the city made up for the absence. Out here in the country though the silence seemed almost suffocating.
"That Sakuma's a really idiot." Eiri finally stated.
Tohma's glare returned as he stared at Eiri. "I'm not going to dignify that with an answer." Tohma replied turning to look out the window.
"Listen whatever happens there just say out of it ok I shouldn't have even let you come." Eiri sighed.
"At this point I don't think you have any right to tell me how I should act when you obviously care a whole hell of a lot less than me." Tohma stated never taking his eyes off of Eiri. He receive no reply as Eiri focused intently on the road ahead, which was probably a good thing seeing how they were going 120 miles an hour. After several more minutes of silence Tohma finally asked the question he'd been dieing to.
"What happened Eiri, what could Shuichi have done to cause you to treat him like you treat so many others?" There was a pleading note in Tohma's voice. After a while Tohma figured he wasn't going to get an answer and decided to distract himself by staring out the passenger window.
"He just wouldn't stop asking questions. He said it himself that the past doesn't matter then he turns around and begs for answers from me. If I bring up his past though he clams up or cries he won't say a thing. I can't tell him Tohma he'd hate me forever Shuichi could never understand why I did what I did he'd only see a cold blooded killer." Eiri said quietly.
"And you think Ryuichi's an idiot after you spout that kind of shit at me." Tohma laughed rather cruelly at Eiri, who was too taken aback to say anything. "That boy worships the ground you walk on, look at all the cold treatment he's endured and never left. Not telling him the truth had done more damage than hiding it. Did it ever occur to you Eiri that maybe if you told him he would have opened up to you?" Tohma said regaining his calm demeanor.
"There's no way that what happened to him could even remotely compare to New York, you Tohma of all people should understand." Eiri sighed.
"Didn't you just tell me the past didn't matter? I think you and Shindou both need to get your heads set on straight and quit worrying about the past. It's not like it can come back for you." Tohma said. Although the statement was very true for Eiri he had no idea how wrong it was for Shuichi.
There was silence again, and Tohma noticed that Eiri seemed to be getting more edgy. He glanced around and realized they were finally in the town that Shuichi's parents lived in. Tohma had been to the house once to pick up Shuichi, but he'd been in a limo on the phone. If Eiri left him to his own devices he would have no idea how to get to the Shindou's house.
It was another ten minutes of city driving and about fifteen of country before they reached the house. The lights were all on and Tohma could make out movement as Eiri slammed the breaks on his car causing a cloud of dust to over take them as they got out. As they walked up the rest of the drive Tohma noticed there was already a figure standing outside the partially open door. Eiri walked up the steps stopping barely a foot from Shuichi's father.
"I'm here to see Shuichi out of the way." He said as civilly as a threat can be said.
"What the hell makes you think my idiot son is here? I have not idea what you want but get off of my property immediately before I call the police." Shuichi's father said obviously shaken up by their presence.
There was talking on the other side of the door and Eiri could make out Shuichi's mothers voice and what he assumed to be Shuichi's sister. Shuichi's father glowered at Eiri and Tohma as he turned and went back into the house. Before he could shut the door though Eiri had blocked it and pushed it partially open again.
"I said get the fuck off of my property. Shuichi isn't any of your concern so leave!" The man said trying to shut the door completely. Tohma, who avoided all physical violence unless he intended to hurt the person permanently, simply stood and watched the scene unfold.
"I'm his fucking guardian I have every right to see him so let me in now." Eiri growled. He pushed the door open enough to get partially through but was now also being blocked by Shuichi's mother.
"Leave our son alone don't you think you've done enough damage already?" She yelled. Eiri looked past her to Maiko who was standing about five feet from the door to Shuichi's room in the basement, she looked scared.
"Yuki-san you came." She said softly, looking completely relieved.
"Get Shuichi tell him to get up here I want to talk to him." Eiri ordered, still trying to get into the house.
"I-I don't think he can…" She trailed off, as her father gave a particularly forceful shove that pushed Eiri back. Shuichi's parents and Eiri went back to their arguing and shoving.
"Shuichi." Maiko said quietly, alerting everyone of his presence. The arguing and violence stopped as everyone looked to the door where Shuichi was.
Eiri could barely make him out. His door was only cracked about five inches and his face was turned away. All Eiri could see was his pink hair and a small portion of his cheek and shoulder. The light that filtered in through the crack in the door didn't give Eiri any indication as to what physical state the teen was in. He then realized he was still being kept out of the house but everything was silent.
"Go away Yuki-san you're not wanted here. Leave my family and me alone. I gave you back everything I had so just go please leave us in peace." Shuichi whispered. There was something terribly wrong Eiri realized and it hit him like a physical blow. He needed to be in there nothing was going to stop him. Shuichi's door closed before he could get in and he heard Maiko let out a cry as she threw the door open and disappeared. Eiri pushed through and was down the stairs as well not hearing a word the Shindou's were yelling.
"He's not your responsibility! He's our son and we'll do what ever we want with him you have no say in his life anymore!" Shuichi's father bellowed. Tohma walked calmly into the house as Shuichi's father finished his rant.
"On the contrary Shindou-san, it is you that has no say over Shuichi anymore." Tohma stated matter of factually.
"What the hell do you mean? We're his parents we tell him what he can and cannot do. No matter how much money you may have Seguchi, it doesn't make you Shuichi's parent." Shuichi's father said smugly.
"You're right I can't change that, but although you may be his parents you are no longer his legal guardians." Tohma said, as if it was a trivial bit of information.
"What the hell are you talking about?" Shuichi's father shouted.
"What I mean is that perhaps you should read the forms you sign from now on. You signed a form giving me all legal rights to your son, and in turn I signed one handing them over to Eiri. You no longer have a say on any aspect of Shuichi's life." Tohma smiled the way that only he can. God he loved winning, especially if he stepped on someone he thought deserved it in the process.
Both parents stood stunned trying to find a way to refute the claim. The resulting silence made all three parties aware of the panicked voice coming from the basement. Eiri was yelling for Tohma, who was at the stair case in an instant.
Eiri had finally pushed past Shuichi's father when he heard Maiko scream. Something was so terribly wrong; fear was quickly taking his entire body. He flew down the stairs he thought he might be sick at the sight that greeted him. Shuichi was curled up at the bottom of the stairs, a blanket had been wrapped around him but had come lose and was now tangled around him from his fall. Maiko was knelt next to him but couldn't bring herself to risk touching him. Eiri felt his heart calm slightly when he realized the teen was still breathing. He knelt down as well and gently placed a hand on Shuichi's shoulder.
The singer flinched and opened his eyes, he was dazed and wondered why his body hurt so much more then it had before. It was excruciating and he knew immediately that he was going to be sick again. He hadn't eaten anything since his run in with Taki, so the only thing that came up was stomach fluids and blood. He heard Maiko release a sob, and felt hands on him moving him. It hurt he just wanted to be left to lie there. His blanket began to slip away as he was lifted and he desperately tried to grab at it, to keep it from falling. All Shuichi had on beneath the blanket was a thin shirt and boxers they would see the blood, Eiri would see the blood.
Eiri placed his arm under Shuichi's thighs and neck as he put the boy carefully on the bed. He pulled his hand from under the boy's legs to find blood on his arm. 'No no no.' his mind screamed over and over. Shuichi's hands had immediately gone to cover himself but Eiri pushed the fumbling limbs back. He felt a sob catch in his own throat as he realized where the blood was coming from and what it meant. Shuichi's breath was shallow; his eyes were half lidded and clouded with pain, and humiliation. He struggled to get away from Eiri.
"Don't touch me. I'm filthy just leave me here, let me die." He begged trying desperately to push Eiri away.
Eiri didn't know what to say his mouth refused to work, and his brain refused to find any comforting words. He realized it was because there was nothing he could say; nothing would make this situation right. He simply hugged the boy trying not to injure him further.
"Go away, just make it go away." Shuichi mumbled. He continued to will the pain away as his eyes closed.
"Shuichi? Shuichi! Wake up dammit!" Eiri said, taking the boy's face in his hands and stroking the pale cheeks. Eiri did the only thing he could think to, he cried for help.
The blood on the floor did not go unnoticed as Tohma flew down the stairs and reached Eiri. 'Blood more blood.' He thought as he put a hand on Shuichi's forehead the teen's skin was burning up.
"Hospital now." Was all Tohma said as he turned and went back up the stairs. Eiri wrapped a blanket from Shuichi's bed around his small frame and lifted him carefully. He forced himself not to look at the blood on the floor as he took the stairs quickly. Maiko was right behind him terrified for her brother. The two blonds exited the house ignoring the barrage of threats the Shindou's screamed at them.
Shuichi began to come to again and tried to get a view of where he was. He was in someone's arms; he looked back at his house to see his sister being slapped across the face by his mother. With a cry he tried to escape the arms holding him, he had to get back to the house.
"My sister. Go back I won't let them beat my sister. Take me back I deserve to get beat I deserve to die, I won't let my sister get hurt!" Shuichi cried out. He'd gotten one of his arms free and was reaching back toward the house. He couldn't free himself from Eiri's tight grip though, and soon found himself in the passengers seat of Eiri's car. His body wouldn't allow him to keep up his fighting, but he continued to mumble his pleas to be taken back.
"Shhh Shuichi it's going to be okay." Eiri whispered into the teen's hair. The boy was in Eiri's lap as Tohma drove the car. Eiri could vaguely hear Tohma on his phone giving calm demands to someone on the other line. He brought his attention back to Shuichi who had begun to cry as he continued to beg to be left alone. Eiri brought his hand that had still been hooked under the boy's knees up and wiped away the crystal tears. It took everything he had to not turn his gaze away from his hurt lover and the loneliness, self-hatred, and guilt that showed through in those pain clouded eyes. 'Shuichi should never look like this.' He thought. He pressed the boy into his chest and let his fingers gently move over heated skin.
"I'm sorry I'm so sorry Shuichi." Eiri whispered against the boy's hair. Eiri felt the car come to a halt and looked up to see they had reached the hospital. People were already approaching the car with a stretcher. 'They must be who Tohma was talking to.' He thought as he got out of the car cradling his little lover in his arms. When the hospital staff reached them a man tried to take Shuichi to put him on the stretcher. Eiri gave him a look that could kill and set the teen down himself. Shuichi was just barely hanging on to the fringes of consciousness, and continued to beg to be taken back to his sister. It was Tohma's turn to do the comforting. He reached out and took Shuichi's hand giving it a squeeze.
"Don't worry Shuichi, I've called the police and they're going to get your sister and take her away from your parents. She won't be hurt so you don't have to worry. As soon as affairs have been sorted out I'll have them bring her here so you can see her okay?" Tohma said his voice calm and soothing. Shuichi did his best to nod before his eyes slipped closed and he went under.
Eiri and Tohma were kept from entering the emergency room they wheeled Shuichi into. Eiri stood staring through the small window in the door trying to tell what was going on. Tohma stood off to the side, a doctor was asking him questions many of which Tohma didn't have an answer for.
"All I know is that he fell down a flight of stairs just minutes ago at his parent's house." Tohma glanced at Eiri who hadn't budged. "What do you know Eiri?" He said softly.
"He threw up blood, when I reached him at the bottom of the stairs he'd thrown up blood. He's bleeding, he's been hurt by someone. Someone touched him!" Eiri shouted punching the door. Several of the nurses and doctors in the room jumped and looked up in surprise.
"I'll go tell the other doctors what you've told me. The police will want statements when they get here I'm sure, so if there are any details about the event that stand out you may want to write them down now." The doctor quickly passed Eiri entering the room and began to tell the others what he'd been told.
Eiri felt a firm grip on his wrist and looked to see Tohma holding him at arms length. The older blond pulled Eiri from the window and brought him to a small waiting room across the hall. Eiri said nothing and made no attempt to shake Tohma's hand loose. Tohma guided Eiri to a chair and made him sit finally releasing his grip on the others wrist, before he could draw his arm back though Eiri had reached out and grabbed hold of it. Tohma studied his brother-in-law; his head was turned down shadowed by his disheveled blond hair. He was shaking slightly and just as Tohma took a step forward to comfort the other man he felt a cold drop hit the top of his hand, quickly followed by another. Tohma knelt down so he could see Eiri's face, and put his free hand on the novelist's shoulder.
"God Eiri I'm so sorry this had to happen." Tohma whispered, pulling Eiri into a loose hug. It was quiet for what felt like ages before Tohma heard Eiri say something it was so soft he could barely understand it.
"This didn't have to happen." Eiri's choked voice said. Tohma drew back enough to look his friend in the eye.
"What do you mean there's nothing you could have done." Tohma said.
"He called last night. He sounded awful and it was raining out. He asked me to come pick him up and I told him I had better things to do. He was hurt and god knows where he was but I told him to get a cab that I wasn't his driver." Eiri's voice was almost nonexistent by the end of his confession and Tohma was too stunned to immediately say anything in reply.
"There's nothing we can do about it now." He said quietly, pulling Eiri back to himself and letting the other cry. 'It's a good thing Ryuichi saw him otherwise we might not have gotten here in time.' Tohma thought to himself as he felt Eiri slowly calming in his arms.
The police came and talked to them both separately. After they had given their statements the police informed Tohma that they had taken Shuichi's sister to a safe house and would hand her over to another family member the next day. They would also be transferring Shuichi's rape case over to the Tokyo police since that was where it took place. Tohma informed them to keep it as quiet as possible it was not something the media needed to be getting a hold of. Tohma had then rejoined Eiri in the waiting room as the author simply stared straight ahead of himself blinking occasionally. Tohma sat beside him and leaned back he let his eyes fall closed and tried to ignore the fact that the chair was incredibly uncomfortable.
Tohma's mind was racing trying desperately to place the events together, and find an answer to who could have hurt Shuichi so much. He simply kept coming up blank and hoped they would get news soon; perhaps Shuichi would give the doctors a name when he woke. 'If he wakes.' His mind said. His eyes darted open, no he wouldn't even contemplate that possibility. Shuichi was going to be fine he had to be fine. He heard steps and turned his head in time to see a doctor striding into the room.
"You're here for Shindou-san correct?" He asked. Tohma simply nodded and waited while the man in the white coat dragged a plastic chair over and sat about four feet in front of them. Eiri seemed to have been snapped from his waking dream and was staring at the doctor intently.
"I guess the good news first." The man said looking at the chart he was holding. "The fall down the stairs didn't appear to do too much damage his wrist is injured slightly and he'll probably have some new bruises tomorrow, but other than that he was quite fortunate. We were also able to stop all the bleeding. The lining of his stomach only had a small tear in it from the beating that was inflicted on him, that we where able to fix easily enough. That part of the body heals quiet rapidly when treated right so after he's recovered enough he'll be able to leave. For several weeks he will need to be careful to stay away from highly acidic foods and things that aren't easily digested. I'll have a list of the best things for him to eat and what to stay away from before you leave." The doctor gave a sigh as he rubbed his forehead looking at the chart once again.
"The injuries he suffered at the hands of his rapists are a different matter. His body was beaten quiet badly and three of his ribs are broken. He was also raped repeatedly and due to the amount of damage we think it probably involved more than one person. He's heavily medicated and will stay that way for the next several days. I don't know whether we'll be able to get any information about the attack at this time. Once we start to let up on the pain medication though we can only hope that he knows his attackers or saw enough of them to identify them." There was silence for a while. "When we take him off the powerful pain killers we'll have a hospital therapist come to talk with him. These things can really damage people; he may never be exactly the way he was before." The doctor said, his voice held a hint of anger at the situation.
"Anyway we'll be keeping him in intensive care for the next three days. They should have him moved there by now so if you'd like to see him I can take you." The doctor said standing, Eiri was up as soon as the doctor was.
They gained entrance to the intensive care and were lead down several halls before the doctor stopped in front of a door that had Shuichi's name on it.
"As I said before he's heavily medicated so if he wakes you probably won't be able to make much sense of anything. I would also like to request that you not wake him the longer he sleeps the better." The doctor pushed the door open. "I'm deeply sorry for all that's happened." He stated softly and left.
Tohma watched as Eiri approached the bed slowly, as though he was afraid any swift movement may cause the boy more harm. He noted that the boy was hooked to an IV and a heart monitor. He watched as Eiri reached out a hand and gently touched the boy's pale cheek. There was no movement from the teen just the continued rise and fall of his chest. Before Tohma knew what was happening Eiri had collapsed to his knees and was gripping Shuichi's blankets for all he was worth. He was crying again and Tohma thought it was best that he get this all out before the teen woke. Eiri muttered his apologize repeatedly into the mattress beneath him. When everything stilled Tohma wasn't sure whether the author had fallen asleep or simply lost the will to move. Tohma walked to him slowly and placed a hand on his shoulder, Eiri didn't say anything but his head lay on the mattress his eyes staring at his little lover.
"Eiri you should get some rest. We know Shuichi's going to be fine now and you need rest just as much as he does." Tohma said squeezing his shoulder gently.
"I'm not leaving him. I won't let him be alone ever again." Eiri whispered letting his thumb brush over Shuichi's lips. The singer's brow furled for a moment then went back to its peaceful state.
"I didn't mean for you to leave, but if you fall asleep like that you'll be in agony tomorrow. At least sit down in a chair, and try to get some rest. I'm sure Shuichi will want you here when he wakes up." Tohma said helping his friend up. He brought a chair over and forced Eiri into it.
"Do you really think he'll want me here? How could he I'm sure he hates me now. He should after everything I've done to him." Eiri said, his eyes had hardly left his lover since they'd entered the room.
"It's going to be hard Eiri, it's like the doctor said he's not going to be the same. Maybe with your help though he'll heal quickly and can get back to the way he was sooner." Tohma simply prayed that he was right.
Reviews:
Annie loves it: I don't know why when I started this story I hated Tohma, and now when people make him the bad guy I get really mad. I wish people would do more good Tohma fics.
Ashcat: My reasoning behind Shu not going to the hospital is because he didn't want Eiri to know. If he'd gone to the hospital they would have had to alert someone and that would have been Eiri.
Flame-chan: I feel bad I'm still not sure what I'm going to do to Taki. I do know who's going to carry out my revenge though.
Sliver of Melody: Wheet woot! I'm glad you think it's suspenseful.
Quack says the duck: The Power of Love. That's a Sailor Moon song, thank god for gate way anime!
DemonicDragon666: Yeah I was actually thinking of drawing out the search part, but then I thought there's only one place Shuichi would go back to and Eiri knows it's his parents. So that didn't work out. I guess I could have dragged Hiro into it but honestly it didn't even come to mind. Hiro hasn't been to big a playing in this fic anyway.
Amyrose300: La Li Ho! My ego thanks you. It actually really drove me up the wall when I couldn't work on it cause I'd get ideas and didn't have a computer to put them on. Thank goodness for my laptop, I hug it every night before bed.
Mercuryrose: If I was rushing I would have this finished by now. Mostly I get on computer read other fanfiction and then ignore my own. I still really hope to have it finished before X-mas.
SplendidGenesis: I'm really amazed that people think this is suspenseful every time I review a chapter looking for mistakes I just get embarrassed and think "Grrr I could have done so much better!" I'm glad you like it though.
Ashley Vulpix: Well in my own opinion in the manga Eiri should be drowning in a swimming pool of guilt, he really is horrible to Shuichi. I hope that with the continuation of the series he gets it together, or Ryu and Shu get it on either way I'm happy. I hope Maki Murakami keeps them together though, just with a nicer Eiri.
rebellion2fate: Eiri figure something out on his own! Sigh I think Eiri's so far gone to help himself anymore; thank god Tohma's there to make everything good again.
GoTrinba: I think you're the only person who thought this chapter was cute. I just think that's kinda funny how most everyone was all worried but you noticed the lighter stuff.
Lyrona: Thanks for the information. I try to spell stuff the best I can but I know I use the wrong version of a word sometimes. I try to catch that kind of thing before I post. I'm glad you like it I know it's nothing like the original. Personally I don't care for fics where someone just writes what happens in the anime. It's one thing if you take a certain event and expand by adding your own ideas on what happened. When people literally just write word for word what the anime was though I just think, "Well I could have just put the disc in and watched it." I just wanted to do a original story.
girlo: I've done that before in fics too, stared at the ceiling all night wondering if Shu's going to die. What really sucks is when the person never finishes the fic so you never know.
Syaoran is kawaii: I know I still cry sometimes when I read Cutting Through it All, there's just something about that fic. Sniff
siriusly delusional: I thought you'd like to know that if you come to the site and it says a chapters posted but then you can't reach it on the little chapter bar, if you go up to the main address bar and change the number at the very end to the number of the chapter and hit enter it should take you the chapter. At least that's what I do when I can't get to the next chapter of a story. Hope that helps.
Greatest thanks and glomps to: DarMetalAngel of Destruction, tangerine-asuka December Jewel, To-think-of-a-nice-name, rurouni kenshin himura, Dark Angel Of Fire Ice, Tiki-chan, Catherine Lewie Rain, xXYukiXx, Fenikkusu Koi, Bloody Dead Rose, Shinki, chobits chi, Vampiress-06, kitten, Mitsubishie Eclipse, JazzyKnickers.