Hello peoples! Sorry this fic has not been updated at all in a long while but I hope that this chapter makes up for it. I guess it wasn't very nice to leave it with Kira beaten up, huh? sorry!

This chapter is to the few who review and you know who you are. Thank you for your support and giving me confidense to keep writing this fic.

Chapter 4 'Her Love, Kept me Trying'

"Come on Kira. You need to wake up." A voice spoke to her. "You need to wake up." Warm hands held hers. "I haven't been able to ask you out yet. I can't live without asking you out for at least ice cream. Please, please wake up." Something wet splashed against her hand and the next moment lips touched her forehead. "Please come back to me."

' I'll wake up laer, just want to rest for now. Haven't rested for the longest time. Stay here for me Rei, I don't think I will be sleepy to much longer. Just stay please...' She used what little strength she had and squezzed his hand as tight as she could before falling into the sweet black abis.

666

Rei felt her hand barly grab at his for a moment before it fell limp again and her breath re-evened itself into a slow pattern, assuring him that she was just in a deep sleep. He smiled and sat back down and kissed her hand. Two days he had been at the hospital waiting for Kira to wake up. He had called her mother but the poor woman wasn't able to leave work for very long and with Kira having to be in the hospital, all she could do was work to pay for the care. She was able to visit after work and visiting hours (with the influence of his father's name) with her daughter without trouble. She was greatful to Rei and was glad that he was able to stay the entire time with her daughter. When she showed, it was one of the only times he left Kira's side besides geting food from the cafetaria and the restroom. The doctors told them that Kira had a small concustion and wouldn't wake for a least a day from all the truma she had gone through and how her body was going to have it easy so it was good that she was asleep so she wouldn't move a lot. Kira's mother had begun to weep so much that Rei acually held her to try and calm her down. Besides the concusion, Kira had stiches in her deeper wounds like the one that was in her cleavage. It was very lightly done because of the bone but they had done the best. Also a small sprain in her right wrist that would would be placed in a half cast for a week to insure that there was no fracture; depending after that, it would be just wrapped. Other than those, Kira was covered in bandages from the cuts like on her feet. The wheel chair and vicaden were going to be her best friends for a while. Underneath it all though, she was pale but to Rei, she was still beautiful.

The doctors had tried to convince Rei to go home, she wasn't going to die or leave the hospital, but Rei refused to leave. He again had used his father's name to his advantage and they finally left him alone after calling his father. For once the old man was cool and told the hosipital to bend for his son. They gave him a pillow and blanket to use. If the boys father said he could stay, it must be okay. Who knew that the deliquite child that the papers wrote about was dedicated this much to a girl? But truthfully Rei felt it was his fault that Kira was in this state right now and couldn't just leave her by herself. Maybe if he haden't kissed her or gotten so close to her in that amount of time, she would be talking to him right now. He knew some of his other girlfriends had been picked on but not to the point of them hospitalized. And to top it off, Kira and him weren't even really dating right then. What would happen if she would accept him as his boyfriend? He wouldn't leave her alone as much and would walk her home and show people as much as he could that he was her protector. He wouldn't fail again. That was, if she would give him that chance. Even if she didn't, he would still watch over her and at least try to be her friend. Would that still be hell for her?

After the ambulence arrived, Rei had let them take her allowing him to go grab her things and getting his bike outta there even if he had really wanted to ride with her. He ran back to the alley trying to not look at any of the blood that he had seen perviously, knowing it was hers that splattered the walls, and grabbed her bag; knowing that she would want her drawings. As he lifted it, a white paper with red ink fell out. He picked it up with hesitation and read the paper. Immediently he clucheed his fist and punched the wall hard.

'Dear Kira,

How dare you try to grow a brain and take the prize from the real girls of this school. Stay away from Rei, he is a real woman's property not a little bitch like you. Stay away from him. He's ours.

Your death threats.'

He had done this to her. She had been careful to stay invisible to the world and he had spilled her paint on her, making her visable. She didn't even get to clean herself before she was banged up bad. That kiss had to have been the hit mark. Once he had commited to that kiss, she was marked. She was quiet and tried to be invisiable that was why she was attacked. That was why they hated her. Because he had seen her instead of them. He'd seen a shadow instead of a flashing light and went for it. And they hated her for it.

Was it fair thought that he didn't want to let her go? That he didn't want to see her out of his life? That he wanted her to stay by his side and he by hers? He wanted to be there to protect her always. A fine job he had done, but he promised that he would try to be there always. Would she, could she forgive him for not being there? Was he crazy to even try with the short time of knowing her?

666

"So how long do you think he is going to stay in the hospital with her?"

"I'm not sure. I have never seen Rei so dedicated to any girl before. I mean and he has only known her for a few days right?"

"Yeah, who would have thought it would be Kari though? Isn't she suppossed to be a freak? She doesn't allow anyone near her. I think the closest person at this school is the art teacher."

"Apperently oppisities really do attract. The hotest loudest guy with the creepest quietist girl in school. Who would have thought?"

"Yeah, hopefully one of them will wake up from their fatasies and realize that a relationship is impossiable to have."

The two girls walked down the hallway passing Tatsuya's blank face, still gossioping about how stupid seniors were with realtionships.

'Rei is still at the hospital with Kari, huh? Here I told the boys he would never fall for her and now the guy won't leave her side. I pay attenchen so well.' Teatsuya thought. Maybe I should try to have a chat with the guy.

666 The hospital...

Warmth flooded all around her wrapping her in a cacoon of protection and fearless state of mind. The darkness she had been hidden within was finally fading, turning her world dark blue which was becoming lighter and lighter with her eyes opening. She looked around but only a small light had found it's way throught the curtains as the sun's early rays.

The room was white with few things to occupy it. There was a T.V. in the conner and a chair by the window was the right of her, making it easy for her and whatever person came to visit her. To her left, next to her bed, was a heart montior beeeping loud and quite anyoingly for it to be the first thing to hear after a long nap. Then by it, the IV dripping -whoever knew what was being inserted into her veins- and it was that making her arm uncomfortable. Lastly she looked down at the weight that had made her hospital bed sink in the center and wouldn't reliquish left her hand that was accross her to top half of her legs.

Rei Kashino held her hand tightly, even in his sleep. His long hair was a mess but reminded her more of a tussled puppy. His clothes didn't look to be in the best shape either from what she could see that wasn't covered by a hospital blanket. His face was so much younger as it was relaxed but somehow showed his maturaty that wasn't really ever seen when he was awake. Something he just wouldn't show anyone easily. She knew he was exuhasted by the small rings underneath his eyes. She smiled at the stangeness of it all. Her thoughts of being alone were vanashing and it scared her. She tried to stretch with her arm being held down by Rei and the IV. Then to top it off her right arm was covered in a cast. Not much progress came of it. She sighed quietly, trying not to desterb the creepy guy asleep next to her and focused.

"I wonder how long I've been out.' She concintrated on her body a moment. Her head hurt she knew that so far and that her arm felt like it had been slashed. She could feel the pull of another wound as she took in a deep breath. A streak of pain incased her form and a bead of sweat rolled down her cheek. 'Note to self: do not enhale so much oxygen at once. Stick to small breaths.' she told herself. 'Small breaths.' She turned a little and felt a pull in her back. It was uncomfortable but she knew it was like other pains. She laid back down slowly and took in another breath. A little pain but it was okay now that she was getting used to it.

'How did I get like this?' she thought. What was the last thing she remembered?

She had been walking home from school and passed by the gas station when she felt like someone was following her. She stopped to buy a water from the station and to try vanshing off the the side walk for the moment, thanked the man and walked out; hoping the feeling would dissapear. She still felt something was wrong so she had wanted to get home quickly. She thought about taking the alley way but when she stepped toward it, the feeling of 'wrongness' increased tenfold. She was walking back when she felt someone grab her arm and spun her around back toward the alley. She didn't have a chance to really look at them before she was hit in the stomach. She dropped her bag in surprised.

'This is what you get for hitting on Rei, freak!' one yelled. She knew the voice was female and it had a screatch to it. She felt another hit on her arm but it hurt worse then the punch, someone was using a knife on her. She tried to fight back but there was to many of them. 'Oh look girls she is trying to fight back.' It was a different voice from the last, a bit more darker but Kira was hurting to bad to try and notice her attackers. She just wanted to get away. They grabbed her hair and a small bruise started to appear on her cheek. She closed her eyes as the knife she felt had gotten her arm steaked down the front her chest, ripping both clothes and flesh in the process. She screamed as she heard a bottle of somesort shaterring. They hit her to the ground and she felt the pieces of glass enter her. They took her shoes off, making it difficult for her to try and get up with the glass. She felt one last hit to her back before blacking out.

'Kamii, they wanted to kill me for just being with Rei. What I am I going to do? What if-' Before she could think even further, she felt movement from Rei. He hadn't let go of her hand but started to streach to wake up. She giggled to herself as he rubbed the sleep from his eyes and yawend loudly. "Get a good sleep?"

"Kira! your a wake!" He went from sleepy to instant awearness. Kira surpressed a laugh. "Are you feeling okay? I mean, do you need anything?" he asked. He clasped her hand tightly in his and leaned into her. At lease he was sitting down now and hadn't grabbed onto her right arm.

"No, not really. I mean I'm fine I just..." She just stopped. " How long have I been out?" She was still blushing from the grip he had on her. He sat back in the chair and closed his eyes in thought. "Rei?"

"Hmm.. sorry, just thinking. Lets see... I think you've been out about four days. I think that's right anyway. I haven't really seen a calander lately." He removed his left hand and rubbed his face. "Thats got to be right, your mom has been coming twice a day, came seven or eight times, yeah, just about four days."

"How long have you been here?"

"Umm... well after I found you, I found your stuff, jumped on my bike, and came here. I haven't left really except for food and the bathroom though. No bid deal." he said, scratching his head. Kira was blasted to another world. He had been here the whole time? The whole time?

"Why!? you have school and basketball and, and..." Rei smirked at her usage of words.

"Come on, do you really think I really care about school? My artist is at the hospital because of me so I should just go to school and ignore that? Come on what kinda model do you think I am?" He hoped to her hear laugh which he succeded in doing though it was a little ruff but still hers. He gave her a cup of waterdowned ice cubes. "Here the nurse said to suck on these. I'll get you some more in a while. Just small sips okay." She smiled greatfully and took small sips as instructed.

"Now, are you okay? Do you remember anything at all?" he asked after a silent moment.

"Yes and no. I remember walking home after... seeing you at the basketball court." she blushed and turned her head away. "I remember feeling uneasy and wanted to get home quickly but someone grabbed me from behind. I remember being hit and then I felt a knife or something. I remember glass breaking but after a while I was out. I don't remember seeing you or the hosiptal ride or anything like that. Sorry." she said all she could about it and looked down almost shivering.

"Hey, don't be sorry. You're the one that got the hits, not me. I am the one that's sorry. I didn't realize you would be tracked down like that. Specially since your just the gal who wants to paint me." He looked down at her. The bed was tilted up a little bit so she didn't have to push herself up and was easier to sip on the melting ice cubes. He had only been out for a few but surprisingly, the hospital was quite warm.

"What time is it?"

"Not sure, don't like watches. We'll know when the next nurse comes in. I suppose you want to know when your mom get here." Rei romoved himself from the beddings, leaning back into his bedchair. Kira noticed but said nothing. It seemed to get a little cooler for both of them but neither said anything, not wanting to freak the other out. "Are you hungry? They have been giving you soups and stuff to keep from having to plug in another thing to your arm but I think after 4 days of that you would like at least food you have control over."

Kira thought for a moment. Did food sound good? " No thanks Rei. I think I need to wait a little longer. Right now, I am just really still tire. I'm sorry."

He shook his head. "Don't apologize. You need to rest, how else are you going to keep up with your model?" He smirked at her blush. " You should try to get some more sleep. If it's okay with you, I would like to be here when you wake up next time."

She smiled. "I would really like that. Thank you." She snuggled down into her bed more without jarring to many wounds.

"No need to thank me, Kira." He took her left hand that lay accross her stomach, tentitivly. She squeezed it as an assurance for him. He was greatful. " Goodnight."

"See you later, 'night." She closed her eyes and was in a nicer dream world this time.