Ch2

Omi woke up not knowing where he was or what had happened. He vaguely remembered the paramedics coming and injecting him with something after having asked him if he was allergic to anything and getting a negative answer. And then… there had been nothing. He opened his eyes and saw white walls. He tried to look to the side but even that simple movement hurt! There was a strip of gauze that had been placed over his cheek and he winced as it brushed against his pillow from his movement.

Apparently someone… multiple someones had been watching over him because immediately after he moved, a face came into his line of vision and shushed him.

"It's all right… You shouldn't move too much. They said the anesthesia they injected you with would be wearing off about now." Omi blinked at him and tried to speak. A slight cough came out instead of words. Aya's violet eyes were suddenly peering down at him right side by side with the stranger. The man he'd had the accident with.

That realization made him find his voice.

"I—I'm sorry." Omi muttered, his voice scratchy. "There was a cat…"

"A cat?" Ken couldn't help himself from chirping into the conversation. Aya merely raised an eyebrow.

"A cat…" The man nodded. "Yes… it won't leave your side." Omi blinked and realized almost belatedly that the kitten was on his pillow, purring softly. He looked at the man with wide eyes.

"The hospital…?" He didn't need to finish his question. The scratches running down the man's arms and face and the matching ones he found on the nurses that came into his room a few minutes later were answer enough. Aya sighed and turned to the man that no one, not even Manx, had been able to convince to leave. He'd stubbornly wanted to wait to make sure Omi would be fine.

"We're truly sorry for everything that's happened and we're grateful… for all the kindness you've shown him." He said quietly. He would have continued but the man was clearly ignoring him, his old worried eyes still focused on Omi's sad face. Aya bit off a sigh. So Manx had been right. With this type of guy, all you could was to wait it out. The man was shaking again though… just like he had been when he'd first seen Aya and Ken appearing at the hospital asking where Omi was. Shock.

Shock from the accident, shock from almost having killed someone and further shock to find that this child that he had nearly killed was an orphan. Orphan… Aya found himself looking at Omi's small face with those two blue eyes that were just too damned big.

They were all orphans.

For their Father from up above had died.

He was sure about that now.

"I'm really sorry." Omi was whispering. "I've caused you so much trouble…" The man shook his head.

"Just scared me." The man muttered. "I'm the one…"

"Scared all of us." Ken gave the boy a half assed grin, his hazel eyes darkening and not caring in the least that he'd interrupted the man. If the man had continued with taking the blame, Omi would have argued and he frankly didn't have the patience for that kind of conversation at the moment. "You know better." And that summed up everything. Aya gave the cat a veiled glare of distaste and was only partly startled as the furball looked back at him calmly…it even seemed to be returning the look before un-stretching itself from the tight curl its body had been in. The little lithe body shook itself with all the dignity and pride such a small thing could have before placing itself even closer to the boy, its soft pink nose pressing itself against the pale and tired face. The touch made Omi turn his head slightly, a strange sort of smile making its way onto his face, moving his lips.

"I know…" Omi whispered softly. "But… I wouldn't have been able to bear killing it." There probably was more to that sentence but the boy left it at that and it left Aya feeling vaguely older than his twenty some years. Much older.

The headache that had been building in his left temple throbbed and the redhead resisted the urge of bringing his hand up to knead the pain away. Instead he pulled at a chair he knew was resting against a wall and sat on it with the ease of someone who was used to being in the hospital. He didn't like the familiarity that he had with this place, but there was nothing he could do to change that.

Ken shook his head as if what Omi had said was what he had expected to hear. The man seemed to be agreeing with Ken on this and stayed strangely silent. "Ah well… at least you're safe. You're the only one who got hurt so don't you worry…" Ken added rapidly at the look that had replaced the small smile on Omi's face. "This guy's car is a wreck and the motorbike is beyond repair, but no one else was hurt Omi… no one else." The small blond smiled at that piece of news. His blue eyes seemed more alert than ever now and that cat was purring again, nose still pressed up against Omi's skin. "He is kinda cute… when he's not trying to tear people alive." Ken muttered, motioning with his own bandaged hand at the black kitten. Omi didn't comment, there was no need for him to. "What are you going to do with him?" Ken asked at the same time as the man started to say something completely different. It was what the man said though that got everybody's attention.

"I should leave you to rest and be with your family…Omi…" The man patted the boy's hand gently. "I…If there is ever a time you need anything though…let me know. This young man has my information and…Would it be all right if… I came to visit?" Omi nodded apparently at a loss for words. It was clear that Omi thought he was guilty in causing the accident and in a way he was right. But before he could make his throat work to say that, the man had disappeared out of the room.

"Ok now… that's not too weird or anything." Ken muttered, scratching at the back of his head. "We had as much trouble as trying to get him to leave your side as we did trying to get the cat away from you and then when we finally stop trying… he leaves." The brunet shook his head. "Weird." He repeated. But Aya didn't think so. The man's tremors had gotten steadily worse.

It was these walls that had this affect on people.

The bleakness.

Just being here…

It had the same affect on him.

…even if she was in another room…

But he was used to it.

…already he could feel? Hear? Her voice beckoning to him…

He could hide it.

…asking him to be Ran just for a few minutes…

He had to hide it.

…be by her side as he older brother…

Damn headache!

"I don't even know his name." Omi said weakly. His voice was starting to sound tired.

"…that can wait." Aya muttered. The boy winced and he had to admit that his tone wasn't exactly the friendliest when he had spoken. He couldn't really find himself caring at the moment. "You'll be here for a couple more days. Manx has already spoken with the staff and it's the best that she could do. You won't be ready for any missions for much longer though." He let that sink in a moment while ignoring Ken's growing pissed off look. "A temporary replacement for you will be needed." He stopped and glared at Omi, at the cat, hoping that his message was getting through to the boy. Did either of them have any idea of the consequences of what had happened tonight? What could have happened? Aya stopped himself. He was starting to be silly. After all since when did a cat know of consequences? Yet the violet cat eyes seemed to stare at him and the short black fur seemed to bristle as if the little creature could hear the thoughts that were passing in Aya's head. "Do you understand?" He found himself talking again. All Omi could do was nod. "Good. I'm going back now." He left before Ken could explode. Or maybe he just left because somebody had to be there to let Yoji's drunken ass in the house and aware of what had happened tonight. Or maybe… maybe because it was all too much.

And when the strain became too much, the cracks would begin to show.

And that was not allowed.

Not here.

Not ever.

Omi watched as the door closed behind the redhead, the physical crash of the door closing back into place made his heart feel bruised. From the corner of his eye he could see Ken watching where Aya had been just a few minutes ago. He could see the former soccer player trying to keep a grip on the growing temper. Omi looked to the opposite wall, grateful that it was plain, that it was white.

Aya was really angry with him now.

That hurt.

A replacement?

That hurt even more.

But maybe… maybe that was exactly what Weiss was in need of. A new tactician. A new hacker… one that didn't have Taketori blood running through his veins and one who wouldn't be so young and so meddling. Both Yoji and Aya would benefit from someone like that.

His eyes were prickling.

"Forget him." Ken finally snapped. "He's a complete ass." There was a thump and Omi knew without turning around that Ken had punched the wall. "God, what an ass." There was some heavy breathing come from Ken's direction and Omi found himself blinking rapidly. He had to make the tears go away. The cat nudged his one cheek. And then they were gone. He gave Ken a small smile as he turned around to face the brunet.

"Ken-kun…" He beckoned the other to come closer. "Don't be angry…he was right. A replacement would be a good idea while I'm… useless…" The twenty year old carefully took one of Omi's hands in his own as he kneeled at the boy's bedside. Ken rested his chin on the bed, his darker eyes looking carefully into Omi's light blue eyes.

"He's an ass, Omi." Ken muttered stubbornly, and as he spoke the mattress quivered from the vibrations. "And we don't need a replacement. I don't want a replacement." Omi squeezed his hand.

"It'll only be temporary." He said gently. But even as he said it, he wondered. Would it be temporary? Would it really?

"We don't need it though." The brunet repeated. The cat pushed itself up and regarded the two youngsters thoughtfully. At the motion, Ken looked at the black animal and gave a wry grin. "Are you gonna keep him?" He thrust his head in the cat's direction as he saw Omi look at him with a questioning glance. Omi blinked and then smiled.

"I don't think he's left me with much of a choice." He whispered truthfully, glad to have something else to talk about. The kitten miawed at that as if agreeing with Omi's words. It made Ken chuckle and he reached out with his free hand to scratch behind the little creature's ears.

"He? How'd you know?" Ken asked as the kitten made its way closer to the hand that was petting it while making sure not to brush up against any of Omi's injuries.

"Didn't… I just…" Omi trailed off. He'd just known.

"Fair enough." Ken didn't push. "Do you have any idea about how you're going to call him?" The question was barely out of his mouth when Omi had answered him as if it was the most natural thing in the world.

"Faithful."

A/N- To be continued