Maurice A. Nigma: This is perhaps the most intense chapter that you's just written up until now. It's good that Tohru's attitude is a lot better. I mean, the way that both Netto and Tohru were both trying to get Shuko to cheer up in order to get her back to her usual self only to have themselves involved in a rescue. Man, I don't think that Netto explaining that theory to Shuko wasn't really a good idea. But what really got me is the fact that Tohru is dove in towards a life threatening situation. It seems to me that you've been studying the way that most of human structure when those doctors explained about Shuko's condition. But what really got me is the fact that Netto has drawn the conclusion that she tries to commit suicide. This is something that I never expected for the girl to resort to. How is Lan and Tohru going to deal with this situation for when or if they confront Shuko about it. Sorry that this is a lame review but this is the best that I could come up with. Well, in any case, keep up the good work and hope that you put up a new chapter soon. Later!

Maurice A. Nigma

Me: Hey, the review being long is cool enough. What I like best about this one is that you note the particulars I've included in this story. Something that took a lot of thinking and study to just make the plot itself. Thanks.

Anyways, yes, Netto telling Shuko was not a good idea. But how were they to know anyway? Nobody expected her to commit suicide, and there are many other easier less painful ways to die than drowning. So if it got you as well as my own characters, then good. That's what is supposed to happen. ;-)

Just keep reading and you will find all this resolved. And yes, Tohru can never truly be a bad guy. There's something about his character in the series that has warranted that, but I can't seem to pinpoint it. As to the other reviews, it seems that I've actually strengthened other people's relationships with him. Something I had no idea would happen. 8-O

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Ri2: Dr. Light? I thought Lan's grandpa was Dr. Light.

Me: No, that's a misconception. You should play the Classic Megaman series. The series that inspired the characters for the whole Battle Network franchise. You'll learn a bit more about the REAL Dr. Light that way.

Oh, and Classic rules. ;-)

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Alisi Thorndyke: Hey Matt. :) great and very, very exciting chapter 5. :)

Poor Shuko and I can no longer pick on Tori for he has risked his life to save another. He is a good guy. :) Tori is selfless, compassionate, humble, good hearted, and most of all, caring. No one, AND I mean, no one can ever compare to Tori. Not Lan, not Dex, not Dingo. It's all Tori. :)

Shuko lived and that's all that matters, despite her near death experience. :)

Nice chapter man. :)

Alisi T. ;)

Me: Yes, poor Shuko. And yes, Tohru rules. It feels really rewarding when you take a character and really just impress him on someone. I knew you liked him, but It's fantastic to see that I hit home with how I displayed him in this last chapter. So glad you liked it, Alisi. You will really love the rest of this story!

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Anonymous: Omg! Suicide? Well, more emphasis on the point that Shuko was really depressed...Nice. Anyway, since this story is mainly about Shuko/Tohru romance, I think it would be a good idea to leave Netto/Meiru fluff till the last chapter, ya?

Me: Yep. Suicide. No other logical explanation. I'm sorry to say both Netto and Meiru and Shuko and Tohru will have to wait. But don't worry, the way they all come about is better than just. "Hmmm… I'll save this for later since these two are more important." That's not how I did it. But you will like it, whoever you are. ;-)

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Saber-chan: Oh my gosh! I can't believe I haven't checked to see if this has been updated! D: it made me cry as I read this! TT very, VERY well done! I also got to show some other fans of the pairing this fanfic; they liked it a lot, even someone who WASN'T a fan liked it! gives you a medal awesome, just awesome X3
and sugoi means...awesome. XD

Me: This review is medal enough. Someone who wasn't a fan, huh? And it made you cry too. That's wonderful, in the good way of course. I'm glad you told other people, I like people to appreciate these little stories. It's sugoi. ;-) Thanks.

As Netto ran off, Dr. Light went back into the unit and watched as his assistant monitored the breathing machinery and the heart beat counter. For as little as he knew about Shuko he could tell by the slow rate of recovery that this girl had had a miserable life.

He decided to find out for sure. He took out a syringe filled with a chemical stimulant and stuck it into Shuko's arm. Shuko, reacting to the shot, opened her eyes and looked around the room. The poor girl couldn't even move her head to the left or right.

"Good afternoon!" said Dr. Light warmly. "How do you feel?"

Shuko's eyes widened and she gasped. The tubes in her nose made her cough and she had to adjust to speaking through her mouth only. She started to speak, her voice scarcely detectable. "Wa… What am I doing here?"

"You nearly drowned to death." explained the doctor. "Your friends saved your life. You're going to live!"

"I'm alive?!" said Shuko. "How… who saved me?"

Dr. Light felt her pulse. It was stronger now. "Tohru-kun saved you." he said. "He risked his life trying. He's in a room of his own, and other doctors are tending to him. You wouldn't be alive now if it wasn't for him."

At this, Shuko's eyes seemed to sparkle. Then she closed them and turned her head away from him. "He was hurt… for me. Why… He shouldn't have... Gone to the trouble."

Dr. Light looked at her in surprise. "Why not? Aren't you glad your alive?"

"I made Tohru-kun do it." Shuko said. "I praised him and lifted him up like an idol because I wanted to use him for myself… I shouldn't have done what I did. If I didn't he would be fine."

"That's no way to talk." said Dr. Light sharply. "Tohru-kun did what he did because he cared about you. Why would you rather die than let him be a little sick?"

Shuko turned her head back to him. To Dr. Light's surprise her eyes were spilling tears and she was sobbing as she spoke. "Because I'm an emotional breakdown! I've never brought any joy to anyone in my life… I've failed my family and I've failed my friends. I didn't want to die, but if I had the world might be free of me... Tohru could have found someone else that really made him happy. As it is he's suffering because I made him."

"I thought so." said Dr. Light. "I was sure you had some kind of depressed state of mind about you. If I remember from what your employer told me you had a habit of taking bad events and blaming them on yourself. But I didn't think you'd take it this far. I'm going down to Tohru-kun's room and ask him to come her and tell you that what he did was worth it and to stop this ridiculous act of yours." He stood up and walked briskly out of the room, leaving a stunned Shuko behind.

Dr. Light had come to the same conclusion Netto had. How was he going to tell Netto and Tohru that he suspected their friend of trying to kill herself for their sake?

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Tohru, who was going to be fine, reacted at the news of Shuko's survival with the normal relief one feels over a hurt friend. As Netto expected Tohru tried to get out of bed and demanded to see her immediately.

"How is she?" Tohru demanded. "Is she sick? Is she going to be alright? Is she going to be just as alright as she was before?"

"Just keep resting for an hour yet." said Netto, pushing Tohru back in bed. "Then you should be fit as a fiddle."

Tohru grumbled and got up into a sitting position. "Okay, fine. But I'm so glad she's alright!"

Netto grinned and punched his shoulder. "Yeah, you were amazing. I'm glad your efforts didn't go to waste!"

Netto sat down on the bed and put on a serious look. "Tohru, I have a question that's been bugging me for the past few hours. Why did you… what made you go and save Shuko-chan at the risk of your own life?"

Tohru looked baffled. "Why? Who cares? I knew as well as you did the pain she was feeling and I just couldn't let her die. It's no different from you."

"Tohru, I thought I was mistaken about you when I came down the hallway." said Netto. "For a moment I suspected there was something besides Shuko's adoration that made you go and see her. I thought to myself 'Maybe there's something about Shuko that Tohru… loves?'. Am I right?"

Tohru shook his head hastily. "Nope. Not in the least."

Netto raised his eyebrows. "Oh no? Well, maybe you unconsciously do. I can't help but think that there is something you feel for her that made you do what you did. You practically spoke of abandoning Shuko as if she was a disease ridden leper when you heard my theory. You tell me why you not only rushed to her aid but even risked your life to save hers."

"I don't know!" Tohru said angrily. "Listen, I can tell you right now that I've only felt the way you and I have felt when we faced danger and fought for the protection of others. Shuko is just a mistaken friendship and I wish you of all people knew that."

Netto sighed and nodded. He didn't believe Tohru one bit. "Then I suppose you won't mind hearing a bit of bad news." he decided out loud.

Tohru frowned. "What's that you say?"

"Only that Shuko-chan is most likely going to be very frail for the rest of her life." said Netto. "What do you think of that?"

Tohru quickly turned his head away. He couldn't help a look of worry come across his face. "That's too bad." he remarked.

Netto felt a little guilty making that remark. "I'll apologize later." he thought. "Time to tell him the truth."

"Tohru-kun, I don't think… Do you feel well enough to hear something horrible? I mean, there's something I suspect that has some very dark implications to it."

"Shuko-chan is going to live. What could possibly be more horrible?" asked Tohru incredulously.

"Nothing to stop it now, ol' boy."

"Tohru, I don't believe Shuko-Chan just fell into the reservoir. I think… I think she tried to kill herself."

Tohru's head spun around and his face turned pale. "What?"

"Tohru, hear me out." Netto said. "I think I may have made her do it. It was a bad time to tell her my idea of her mental condition and she took it much harder than I thought. She must have decided she was a bad influence all 'round and even to you."

Tohru suddenly sprang from his bed and grabbed Netto by his shirt. "Don't say that!" he shouted. "Shuko-chan is not that kind of person! She'd have to have someone beat that into her mind to make her do such a thing. Listen to me, master psychologist, you're wrong! You have no idea such a thing has happened before"

Two other strong hands pulled Tohru away from Netto and shoved him back onto the bed. "It would appear you've made a full recovery."

It was Dr. Light. "You're friend here has a good point, Tohru-kun. I was just speaking to your friend Shuko-chan and she just as well as told me that she wanted to die because she did something horrible to you. Something that is non-existent in this situation."

Both Tohru and Netto groaned and stared at the floor. For Netto it was a different thing. It'a devastating to believe something terrible will happen and another to realize it's confirmation.

"Tohru-kun, as you seem to have enough energy, I want you to go to Shuko-Chan" Dr. Light ordered. "She has some strange impression that she should have died instead of you having to lie in a hospital bed for a few hours. I need you to go and get that out of her. If anyone at all she'll listen to you."

"But I don't want to go and see her!" said Tohru. "She needs to see a counselor and someone who can help heal her mind!"

"If anything can be done immediately, she needs this despair out of her system." said Dr. Light as if he hadn't heard him. "Her condition is bad as it is, we don't need her getting worse. I think you may find this odd, but having a cheerful happy attitude can help a patient recover physically much faster than a dull unhappy one."

Netto looked up. "I read something like that in my textbook before. I think you're absolutely right. Tohru, I think we should both go."

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Netto and Tohru stepped timidly into the room. Netto, sitting on the edge of the bed, grabbed Shuko's hands and shook them. Shuko opened her eyes and saw him.

"Hi, Shuko-chan. I'm so glad you're alright." said Netto.

Shuko smiled weakly and nodded. "I'm glad to see you both. I don't know how you two… Never mind about that. Thank you for saving me."

Tohru stepped right up to the head of the bed and sat down right next to Shuko. Rather than just shake her hands, he smiled and picked her up in a warm hug. "How do you feel, Shuko-chan? You don't look so good."

Surprised, Shuko replied. "Oh… I'm fine, Tohru-kun."

Tohru looked past Shuko back at Netto grimly. Netto seemed to understand. Tohru had never felt anyone so frail and weak as Shuko. The sight of the oxygen tubes (The kind you might see in a TV show to help a person breathe) was unnerving as well as the idea in their heads that this all was because this person was once pushed to the point of suicide.

Tohru supported Shuko's back so she could speak while sitting up. "I owe my life to you both. If it hadn't been for you two-"

"And me!" Rockman called out.

"And you." Shuko added grinning. "If it hadn't been for all of you and your quick actions I might have… I might have… um… Netto-kun, would it be alright with you if I could speak to Tohru-kun alone?"

"Of course." said Netto. He left the room and shut the door behind himself. Dr. Light's assistant had left already and Tohru was left alone with Shuko.

"Let me lie down again, Tohru-kun." said Shuko wearily. "I hate to say it, but I feel I have no strength at all."

Tohru gently laid her down. "Why did you want Netto to leave, Shuko-chan?" he asked.

"Tohru-kun, I can't help but talk of it, I- no, perhaps I shouldn't. Netto-kun told me about my condition, and I think he's right. Never mind."

Tohru shook his head. "No no, I want you to tell me. I've been so distraught I wish you'd speak just because your alive. I thought you'd died, you know…"

Shuko smiled. "You are sweet, Tohru-kun.

I... I was so terrified when I fell in that reservoir. As you know I had no idea how to swim, but I hardly even know how to hold my breath. It was… horrible. The pipe was underground and I couldn't see anything. And my throat was killing me. I wanted to breathe so badly. And then I couldn't hold it back anymore and I started drowning… Breathing water through my nose and mouth and into my lungs. I tried to breathe but all there was was… Oh Tohru-kun!"

She burst into hysterical sobs and covered her face. Tohru immediately picked her back up again and tried to calm her down. But she didn't.

"It was my worst nightmare come true!" she almost screamed. "The pain! I was sure I'd never see the light of day again! I was so terrified!"

Tohru shut his eyes and held Shuko tighter. "Shuko-chan… Shuko-chan…" was all he could think to say to his poor beleaguered friend. Shuko shook like an earthquake and she coughed and hiccupped while she cried, making Tohru's own eyes spill tears.

"It's alright now, Shuko-chan. I'm here now." he said soothingly. "Calm down, stop crying."

Shuko swallowed hard several times and eventually stopped. "I'm alright now. I'm sorry, but I just had to tell you. I had to get it out of my system.

…Thanks for staying with me. I feel much better now. I only wish I hadn't put you through such danger."

Tohru shook his head. "You put me through nothing except worry. I couldn't bear to watch you die…"

Shuko looked up at Tohru's face. "Tohru! You're crying… why?"

"Crying?" said Tohru, quickly brushing his tears away. "I'm not… Yes, I am. I'm crying because I knew the pain you were suffering when you fell into that tank and I can't help it…

That's not all though."

He laid Shuko back down on the bed. "Shuko-chan, you must listen to me when I ask you this. Netto and the doctor think the same thing but… I want you to tell me whether it's true or not."

"What's true?" asked Shuko.

"Didyoutrytocommitsuicide?!" Tohru slurred.

"What was that?" Shuko was confused now.

Tohru composed himself and forced himself to look Shuko right in the eye. "Did you try to commit suicide? Netto says you did and so does the doctor. Please tell me it isn't true!"

Shuko gasped in horror. It was as if she couldn't believe Tohru had found out the truth. She laid her head to one side and shut her eyes.

"Shuko-chan?" Tohru said, grabbing her hand. "Please answer me, did you jump into the reservoir yourself or didn't you!?"

Shuko did not answer. Tohru, devastated, stood up and walked to the door. He began to cry himself, and harder this time. "I didn't think I'd have a part in driving you to do such a thing, Shuko-chan." he said, leaning against the wall. "I'm so sorry, and I hope you forgive me some day. I'm going to go now and let Netto and Dr. Light take care of you."

He opened the door and stepped out…

"I did not try to kill myself!"

Tohru stopped and ran back into the room. Shuko was still staring away from him, but she repeated herself. "I did not try to kill myself. I promise you, Tohru-kun. I did not jump into that reservoir."

A surge of relief flooded through Tohru. He was about to collect Shuko in his arms once more when she said something that stopped him.

"I was pushed in."

Tohru's face froze. Then it turned to one of anger and rage. "Who was it?"

Shuko didn't answer. Tohru grabbed her by the shoulders and jerked her till she was staring directly into his face. "WHO WAS IT?!" He roared.

Terrified at seeing Tohru so angry, Shuko replied: "… It was my brother!"