Standard disclaimers apply.
Third chapter. Thanks to all who reviewed! I really appreciate it, and please review more! (huge pleading eyes) I love it when you do:)
Check out the healer.
Enjoy.
When Sanzo got out of the pit, he had almost killed the bastard that ran the monastery. The prick had been standing there with fake worry on his face—if he had really cared so fucking much, he wouldn't have put the chibi down there to begin with. Instead of shooting the man full of lead, Sanzo had turned his back, ordered the monks out of his way, and returned to the monastery carrying the stupid monkey in his arms. He had then demanded rags, hot water, and medicine from the monastery supply and begun to clean Goku off. The monks had begged to perform this office for him, supplicating him with low voices and softly fluttering hands. Sanzo had stared. The monks had hurriedly backed out of the room, murmuring excuses and prayers. He hadn't bothered to watch them go, but had turned immediately back to the monkey.
He was still sitting there now, watching the monkey and waiting for the worthless brat to wake up. He couldn't even smoke. Damn that brat! That damn healer had better get here, or there'd be hell to pay.
Why wouldn't he wake up, damn it? Goku was tougher than this! He had survived on the fucking mountain for so long, why couldn't he survive a few days down a well…he was over five hundred years old! He had lived without food, water, companionship in that fucking cage for five hundred fucking years, and now he couldn't get through nine days in a dark hole with food and water? The brat had been alone, sure, but that couldn't be that big of a deal…he had been alone for five hundred years, after all…what were a few more days? Sanzo dropped his head into his hands. He was kidding himself.
Of course it would matter to the kid that he was alone now, even after five hundred years. He had been out of the cage for six months, free for six months…going back into a cage would be all the worse for that abrupt taste of freedom. He had been unchained, and now the monks had chained him again…his jaw tightened at the thought of those bastards. That head priest…just like those at the other temple, after…he…died…
He crushed the thought. It was stupid to waste time on that bastard. After Goku got well, that prick would see exactly who he was messing with, and regret it for the rest of his life. Sanzo smiled at the thought. So that bastard thought he could play in the game? That prick didn't even know what the game was. He'd show him what it was like to play with the big boys…
"Master Sanzo?" A timid voice said. Sanzo whipped his head around to pin the novice at the door with his eyes. The monk swallowed and flinched back. "I'm so sorry to disturb you, Sanzo Houshi, I really didn't mean to…"
"What do you want?" Sanzo snapped. The monk licked his lips. What a little coward.
"The healer is here, Master. He isn't our usual healer but was the only we could find on such short notice…"
"Why didn't you say that in the first place?" Sanzo snarled, cutting him off. "Show him in."
The monk bowed, blabbering something stupid, and left. The door slid shut and then opened again to allow a tall, cloaked figure to enter. The figure stood there for a moment, dripping with water (so it was raining? WHAT THE FUCK!) and staring at the sweating child on the bed and the monk sitting beside him.
The bastard was taking too damn long.
"Heal him, damn it!" Sanzo barked at the healer. "He's wounded!"
The healer slipped off his cloak and laid it on a table, then glided over to the bed, black bag in hand, and bent over the hurt child. Sanzo took a good look at the man while he was examining Goku. He was a professional, no doubt about that—his hands moved over Goku with the swift surety of someone well used to examination and healing. But something about him…Sanzo looked harder at the man, taking in the black hair, glasses, and pale aspect. He seemed oddly familiar somehow…but why the hell would he know some obscure healer from gods knew where? Just coincidence. The man probably reminded him of some person he had met a long time ago…he had a funny memory with faces that way…but he usually remembered names to go with them…what the hell…
"Master Sanzo?" The healer said quietly, straightening. Sanzo looked up at him.
"Yes?"
"I'm sorry." The man closed his black bag, a slightly pitying smile on his face. Sanzo felt a stab of irritation shoot through him at the man's condescension.
"Sorry?!?!" Sanzo growled. What the hell…something gray was creeping into his veins, slowing his blood to a thickening waste. He could feel his heart beat slower and slower in his chest, hear the quiet rhythm in his ears that beat in time with the louder rhythm of the rain outside. A vein twitched in his forehead.
The man nodded, going over to the table, picking up his cloak, and swinging it about his shoulders. He turned to face Sanzo, that irritating little smile still on his face. What an arrogant…
"Your companion is dying. There's nothing I can do." The man turned to go.
Sanzo reached for his habitual anger, but found nothing. He reached for the words that were so comforting, so safe…words that masked his fear, transforming it into a shield of rage, but he couldn't remember them. The words were unreal. The man was unreal…if this were real, he would be able to feel something other than numbness, be able to hear something other than the shallow breathing of the child on the bed, be able to say something, anything that would drive the finality away.
"…wait…" The words that came from his mouth were in a voice not his own, a hoarse voice old with weariness…that wasn't his voice…"…wait…"
The man was already gone. Sanzo leapt from the chair, nearly knocking it over in his haste, and ran out into the hall to stop the man who had announced death, but the man had vanished. He ran out into the temple courtyard, shouting, but it was no use. The man was gone like he had never been. Sanzo grabbed the sleeve of a monk passing him, yanking the man forward in such desperation that the monk's eyes grew wide and frightened.
"Yes, Sanzo Houshi?"
"The healer…where is he?"
"Gone, my lord." The monk looked at him in concern. "Are you unwell?"
"Which way did he go?"
The monk pointed towards the gate. "Through the gates, my lord."
Sanzo ran through the gates, ignoring the shocked gasps and stares of the monks and the rain that fell relentlessly from the sky, drenching everyone with its fat biting drops. He was getting soaked but couldn't give a damn; he had to find that damn healer so he could tell him that it was all a lie, all a joke really…
The road was empty.
"Healer!" Sanzo shouted. "Healer!"
There was no answering cry. Sanzo felt his heart turn to lead within him, and turned slowly, heavily, back to the temple. Fuck. Fuck. Fuck! "FUCK!"
"Master Sanzo…?" One of the monks drew closer to him, eyes wide and slightly disapproving. "Is something the matter?"
Sanzo drew his gun. "FUCK OFF!"
The monk jerked back, face grey. "Sanzo Houshi…"
"All of you! FUCK THE HELL OFF!" Sanzo snarled, waving the gun at them. The monks scattered like frightened hens, running for safer ground. Sanzo shoved the gun back into his jeans and headed back to Goku's room.
When he got there, Goku was tossing and turning feverishly, weakly calling his name. Sanzo quickly sat down in the chair beside Goku's bed and put his shaking hand in his hair.
"It's okay, Goku." Sanzo said quietly, viciously controlling his voice into some semblance of steady calm.
Miraculously, Goku's eyes blinked slowly open, the crust of dried tears and mucus clinging to his lashes. "Sanzo…"
"I'm here." Sanzo said, again brutally forcing his voice into calm. "It's all right."
Tears slid down the boy's face. His nose started running…and his eyes were too bright. Damn. Quiet sobs escaped him. "Sanzo…you were gone…" His hand weakly moved to grasp Sanzo's wrist, wrapping tightly around it as if he were afraid releasing would make him disappear.
"I know."
"You didn't come." Goku was openly crying now, the sobs a dull rasp in his throat.
"I came as soon as I could." Sanzo could feel the desperation beating at him, begging for control, but he crushed it as soon as he could hear its disgusting voice. "I…didn't know." Damn it, control! Let the monkey know how worried he was and he'd never hear the end of it…embarrassing…the thought caught when he remembered that Goku was dying. Dying…
"They locked me up." Goku's entire face was wet now; his tears falling like the rain outside. "And there was hardly any food, and it was dark Sanzo there wasn't any sun and the sky was gone and I could hear noises in the dark and you weren't there and I called and called but no one came and I know they could hear me Sanzo I know they could but no one came and I was all alone..." His voice had become a whine, trembling with the horrible memory of what had been done and what had happened. Sanzo felt a wave of rage wash over him. He immersed himself in it, hiding himself from the numbness.
"It's okay, Goku." Sanzo said, trying not to let his voice ice over. "They're never going to do that again."
"But I was alone!"
"Goku!" Sanzo snapped, willing himself not to break. He couldn't bear to lose someone, not again…"It doesn't matter what happens. I will always come for you. Every time. Got that?"
Goku blinked back tears. "But I was alone…"
"Every time."
"Every time, Sanzo?" Goku looked up at him, his unnaturally bright eyes wide and trusting. Sanzo cursed inwardly.
"Every time."
"You promise..." Goku broke off into a coughing fit. Sanzo nodded.
"I promise."
The door swung open, revealing a monk. "Master Sanzo, if we might…"
Goku screamed. The monk jerked back, eyes shocked and immediately angry. Startled by this sudden display, Sanzo looked at Goku. The child's eyes were huge with terror. Somehow, even in his wounded condition, he had managed to press himself back against the wall until he could go no further.
"Goku…"
Goku screamed even louder, eyes fixed on the monk in the doorway. The monk was starting to turn red with anger and embarrassment.
"Master Sanzo, I just wanted to know…"
Goku screamed again, this time so loud that Sanzo almost covered his ears to avoid the pain. The monk's face darkened and he opened his mouth to say something, but Sanzo cut him off.
"Leave."
"But Master Sanzo…"
"Now." Sanzo's voice turned to ice. The monk bowed; face still red, and left, closing the door behind him. Goku began to breathe heavily, and he slid down the wall back onto the bed, closing his eyes. His chest rose and fell in deep, ragged breaths.
Damn the monks. Damn them. And fuck that son of a bitch who thought he ran this fucking monastery. Sanzo closed his eyes. He was going to kill that bastard…
"Sanzo." Goku rasped. Sanzo looked down on the monkey.
"What is it, Goku?"
"Am I…going to die?"
Sanzo was silent for a moment, trapped between truth and indecision. The healer had said that Goku was going to die…but if he told him that, Goku might stop fighting to live…an idea struck him. Who knew what would happen as consequence…but he didn't care anymore. He had to do something now. If he lost someone again, he would die. He knew that. He couldn't lose Goku.
"No."
Goku blinked, his eyes widening. "I thought…I was…gonna die…"
"No, you're not going to die." Sanzo said, his voice hardening. There was one sure way out of this mess. He was going to have to take that road, and to hell with the consequences. To hell with all of them.
"Sanzo?" Goku asked tentatively, his voice still hoarse from screaming. "What's wrong?"
Sanzo reached towards the boy's head and with one quick snap of his wrist, removed the limiter.