Himeno and Rouge entered first to see a fairly distressed Hayate. "Himeno, are you okay?"

"I'm fine," Himeno said calmly. Then looked sort of nervous. "Um, Hayate?"

Hayate looked at her skeptically. She normally like this. "What is it?" he got dreadfully serious.

"Well aren't you the grumpy one," Rouge butted in, leaning against the door.

Himeno looked at her with an irritated glare. "Roooogue."

Rouge laughed nervously and raised her hands. "Okay okay! I'll shut up!"

Himeno then looked at Hayate nervously again. "Well, it seems Rouge brought some…friends with her."

Hayate looked at her with a raised brow. "What do you mean?"

Himeno looked at Rouge who opened the door and Kane and Takai walked in. Suddenly the air became so thick with tension that it was hard to breath.

"You," Hayate said with venom that Himeno didn't know he was capable. "What are you doing here? Did you run with your tail between your legs?"

Kane and Takai didn't take that well. Although Takai was quickly able to cover the majority of his anger. "We didn't run, Hayate. We left because you had become unbearable."

Kane made a fist and was making an obvious effort not to strike. Like his animal instincts were craving to. Hayate, unfortunately, picked up on that. "And you, just as savage as you used to be? You have not changed."

Himeno gasped and glared at Hayate. "That wasn't called for, Hayate!"

"You don't understand Himeno, these beings don't even deserve to be called Leafe Knights!"

Kane finally snapped. "Shut up you wind bag! You can't possibly expect me to believe that you're so high and mighty! You make mistakes too!" He took a threatening step forward. "I'll fight you right now and I'll-"

"ENOUGH!" Rouge's voice was commanding and caused the room to go silent. Her gaze was intent on Kane, whom hid his eyes. "You came in here promising me that you would not strike at them, no matter how much their words hurt. You know who you are," her voice softened and looked at both. "I know who you are. Please."

Hayate watched amazed as Kane's expression softened and then turned back to him without snarling and his face seemed fairly placid. "I apologize," Kane stated, bowing his head.

Takai nodded and bowed as well. "As do I."

Rouge looked at them with a smile. "Thank you…"

Hayate walked up to Rouge and Kane visibly tensed, but remained still and kept a straight face. "Please, tell me, are you a Pretear?"

Rouge seemed to ponder that. "I'm their Pretear. As they are my Leafe Knights," she stated with the most confidence. "Just like Himeno is yours and you are hers."

Hayate looked at her with a stoic face. "Why did you come here?"

Kane answered. "She came to ask for help, because we were all too stubborn to come back. So she did the bone-headed thing and took the first flight here, without anyone with her."

Hayate froze. "Help? What for?"

Rouge sighed. "Darkness…" she said bluntly. "I'll explain in more detail when the rest arrive."

Hayate sighed. "So their all coming?"

Rouge nodded. "They should be arriving over the next few days." She moved around and to Himeno. "Man I wish we didn't have so much in common."

Himeno nodded. "Hayate, we'll meet you in the garden in 3 hours. Tell Sasame to gather everybody, please?"

Hayate nodded. And made his way for the door, Takai and Kane moved out of the way but Hayate paused in the doorway. "Maybe I was wrong…you have changed."

Kane nodded. "Maybe I was wrong too…" then Hayate made his exit.

Rouge and Himeno began walking up the stairs when Rouge began coughing violently. Himeno was the only thing holding her up. Kane and Takai right next to her. Takai feeling her head. "She's got a fever."

Kane didn't hesitate to lift her from Himeno's grasp. "Where's the bedroom?"

Rouge spoke in chopped up sentences. "I'm fine," she paused for a series of coughing. "Really."

They all gave her a look that said something along the lines of 'like hell you are!'. She sighed and rested her head into Kane's chest. "Please?"

Himeno lead the way towards the room she had set up for Rouge. Takai shook his head as she was set down. "I need to tell the others there is no more time. We can't delay this forever," he said as if he had a bad taste in his mouth. "I don't know if the others will be as forgiving as Hayate was."

Himeno stood at that. "Why is there such hostility between you guys?"

Takai shook his head. "If they have not told you, I will not anger them further by telling you information that they have been with-holding," he said as he transformed into a hawk and perched himself on the window and gave Rouge one last glance.

Kane took her hand in his. "Fly fast, my friend. I really don't want to face them on my own," he said softly. Takai nodded and took flight.

Himeno sat on the other side of the bed. "Do you mean the darkness or the Leafe Knights?"

Kane grimaced. "Neither to be honest."

Himeno gave a nervous chuckle. Then looked back at Rouge, whose coughing had slowed. "Feeling better?"

Rouge smiled. I'm fine. It's just jet-lag. I'm not very good at adjusting, you know that," she laughed.

Himeno snickered darkly. "Yeah when you first arrived you didn't leave the bathroom for hours."

Rouge smacked Himeno with her pillow. "YOU JERK!" she exclaimed. Then she began coughing again.

"Someone doesn't feel good…" Shin's voice carried into the room and Kane gapped.