Guardian Angel

Chapter 6: Can you make a mistake and miss your fate?


Usagi's POV

When I came to, I was being bounced, and ached and smarted all over. I wondered dimly where I was. I tried to think but there was a high-pitched screaming going on, and I couldn't tell whether it was inside my head or not. Then I realized it was a siren. I tried to move but there was a numb tingling in my arms. When I tried to open my eyes my lids were too heavy. Then I felt something prick the inside my arm and the world went black again.

* * *

It seemed like as soon as the darkness consumed me, it disappeared again. This time I was still, and there was a sort of quiet that sent chills up my spine, but there was a strange muffled sound that I couldn't exactly fathom. My arm was wet, I could feel that, but that alone. My memory was fuzzy, and it felt like my head was stuffed with cotton, but for some reason I felt that it was a good thing, that it was better than other recent sensations.

Something moved beside me and the noise stopped. Someone was here with me. I opened my eyes slowly, this time without much difficulty, but the blinding white light made me want to shut them again. I looked on though, for the face I saw held my attention, entranced me. The beautiful face of an angel was staring down at me, outlined bright pure light like the way a cloud has a silver lining. I blinked to make sure I wasn't just seeing things, and vaguely thought that I must be dead. That was a comforting thought. Death.

Another sound, a more deliberate one. I didn't understand. Again, and the angel was suddenly holding on to me, his head laying on my chest. Even though I couldn't feel it, I felt like the pressure should not be there. I didn't really care though. With the one hand I could move, I reached up and ran my fingers through his soft feathery hair. I could hear more clearly now, he was crying. I didn't know angels cried. I could hear another voice now, a deeper one, that sounded oddly familiar. I struggled to place a name to it but couldn't, which frustrated me. It seemed like out of everything in the world, this voice was one I should never forget.

"Is he awake?" No response, just some more sobs. Footsteps as someone crossed the room. "Usagi?"

Usagi? Like the rabbit? Are there rabbits in heaven?

The angel was saying it, too. Over and over, crying it. I wished he'd stop, I had no clue what they were talking about. I tried to look down at the boy crying over me, or at the familiar stranger standing off to the side, but I couldn't move my head, some cold metal brace was holding it in place. I opened my mouth and made some sort of noise, testing my voice. It hurt, but I could use it.

Now he was saying something else. "I'm sorry, I'm sorry. "I'm so sorry…" Why was he apologizing? What was wrong? I wanted to comfort him, to hold him and tell him it was all right, that he had done nothing wrong.

The other man spoke again, "Misaki, maybe we should let him rest a little more."

Misaki! That name sounded familiar. Misaki… Misaki… Misaki! Memories of the past few days came rushing back like a wave. Oh, Misaki…

My hand dropped down to lay limply by my side and I closed my eyes tight, trying to dam the moister building in them. My stomach turned over uncomfortably and my throat tightened. There was a rapid beeping beside me that echoed the painful beating in my chest. Misaki pulled away and a few more people shuffled into the room, talking loudly. Quick footsteps exited quickly, followed by, "Misaki!" and the sound of pursuance.

"Misaki," I whispered, my voice was raspy. "Misaki…"

* * *

Turns out that I wasn't in heaven after all (bummer), I was in a hospital. I hadn't seen that angel-boy or the other man since they left yesterday. I asked the nurse if she knew who they were, she said that the brown-haired boy was the one that had found me, and the man was his older brother. Apparently he had come in from Okama when he heard about my accident. I asked her about that, too, and she informed me that I had fallen down a flight of stairs and got hurt pretty bad. She wouldn't tell me all that was wrong, but I figured out anyway. She'd left her clipboard beside the bed. I had a broken rip, leg and arm, and had a concussion. She was amazed that I woke up at all, I'd been asleep for three days. After that she told me to shut-up and rest, and that it would do me no good worrying about it. I didn't worry about my physical injuries, they would heal.

"Um… Usagi?" I opened my eyes. It was Takahiro. "Oh, good. You're awake."

"Hey." I looked around, trying to think beyond the corner of the door. "Where's Misaki?" Suddenly, I felt guilty that the whole time I've been sitting here with nothing to do I hadn't once thought about wanting to see Takahiro; and that my when I looked at him my heart didn't hurt like it used to. It was the weirdest feeling in the world. For years I had been following him around like a lovesick puppy, and now there was nothing.

He shifted like he was uncomfortable and said, "He didn't want to come."

"Oh."

He saw that saddened look in my eyes and quickly changed the subject. "It looks like they let you sit up. I bet that's more comfortable." It was. They had let me put the bed up, but I only got that for pestering those stingy hospital people for an hour straight.

"How is he?" I wouldn't let it drop that easily.

He bit his lip. "You're really popular, aren't you?" he remarked, eying the waist-high stack of flowers and cards¾all from people I sort of knew and many more from people I didn't. I told the nurse just to throw them out, but she refused.

"Is he mad at me?"

He blinked. "Mad? Why would he be mad? No, I don't think so, considering he wouldn't leave your side since the moment you got here; even to eat." When I didn't say anything he went on. "He kept saying it was his fault. What did he mean?"

I shrugged.

"Say, I didn't think you two could become such good friends, you being so dense and arrogant. Misaki usually can't stand people like that." He was unabashed saying that. That's just the way best friends are. I didn't know why he would think otherwise but I was glad hat he still felt comfortable around me.

"Uh. Yeah." Good friends. Sure

Takahiro was now eying my elevated leg. "Does it hurt much?" How easily his attention slipped. I shook my head. It didn't hurt much, but I was on a million different pain relievers.

We sat there and talked for a long time¾well, he talked. Then the nurse came in and informed me that I had another visitor. My stomach overturned hopefully, but immediately fell flat when Hiroki stepped through the door. Takahiro got up and left courteously. His eyes were indecipherable.

"So… What happened?" he asked warily.

"Stair wars," I said with all seriousness, and he matched my demeanor.

"Oh."

"They were asking for it."

"Who won?"

"It was a close call."

"So you lost."

I shrugged and sagged into my pillows, wincing at the pain in my lower back, The drugs were starting to wear off.

Another hour had passed before the nurse came in and announced that visiting hours were over. I didn't realize it was that late. As Hiroki left, I began thinking about how Misaki didn't come today, and how much I wanted to see him. Was he still mad at me? Lord, I hoped not. The thought of it made my stomach fold over and my heart throb. I went to sleep like that after a few hours of restlessness., sick to my stomach and worrying my head off.


Nothing really exciting in this chapter, but it'll get better. I'm just getting to the good part!

This chapter I'm dedicating to .Bloody. Kirai. Thank-you SOOOO much for getting my spirits back up to get off my lazy ass and finish this chapter! Also, thank-you to everyone who reviewed! I love you all! XD

And everyone who reviews will get a cookie! And the next chapter posted sooner than it took to get this one up. Hehehe...

Review!