Chapter Two: Reunions

The rain had not let up for hours and it had taken Kamui everything he had to get Subaru moved to his bed. The elder man was shaking by the time he got him covered up and settled in. It had been a debate amongst the Ten no Ryu whether to bring the wounded Onmyoji back to Clamp Campus or simply take turns watching over him at his own apartment. In the end they had each agreed that he would be safer in his own home, as bare as it was, as long as someone was there to watch over him.

Kamui had taken the first shift, and the second. He refused to be relieved from the duty as he did not see it as such. He worried for Subaru.

The phone rang again and it startled the young boy, pulling him out of his dozing moment and he leapt from the chair he'd sat in. The answering machine clicked and a recorded message sounded and an elderly female voice became clear. "Subaru-san? Please, answer the phone if you are there. We're worried about you. I heard… about Sakurazuku… Subaru-san?"

Kamui picked up the phone, recognizing the voice from several other messages left. "Moshi moshi?"

"Who is this?" the voice asked.

"Shiro Kamui. Is this… Subaru's grandmother, right?"

"Shiro-san. Yes, I've heard about you. Subaru-san speaks fondly of you, something I have not heard him do in many years. Tell me, please, is my grandson alright? No one can reach him."

"He's alive," Kamui managed, glancing over to the sleeping man. "He's sleeping right now. I think his heart is more wounded than his body."

"I would expect so," the former head of the Sumeragi clan said quietly. "Subaru-san… I could never tell if he hated or loved Sakurazuku."

"I think it was a little bit of both, but we're taking care of him to the best of our ability. Please do not worry yourself over him just yet."

"His shield fell, did it not?"

"Yes. He lost his reason for it. Ma'am, I will call you back if there is any change at all."

"Thank you, Shiro-san."

The phone clicked off and Kamui felt a change in the auras in the room. The hair on the back of his neck stood on end and he looked around. "Who's there?" he demanded, looking around the dark room. Lightning flashed around again and the sound of something being knocked over came from the kitchen. Without a second thought Kamui raced in there, reading his chi for battle.

Another flash of light showed a thin figure standing in the corner. Bright green eyes shown in the darkness and the figure stepped forward. "You must be Kamui," a low, feminine voice stated easily.

"Yes, and who are you?" Kamui answered dangerously.

"Sumeragi Hokuto des," the girl said with a bow. There was another surge of energy outside the window, followed by every light in the apartment flickering on and a clap of thunder. The young woman's face was lit up entirely and appeared to be a female replica of Kamui's injured friend.

"That's impossible," Kamui breathed. "Subaru's sister is dead."

A grin spread across Hokuto's face and she waved a reprehending finger in the younger boy's direction. "Now, now, Kamui-kun, don't be so quick to jump to judgment on something that you never witnessed first-hand."

"Are you telling me that you didn't die? That Subaru was lying to us, or…."

"No, of course not. I don't think my brother can lie. He doesn't have the ability. I…. just don't know what happened, Kamui-kun." She looked a bit sad as she said this. Her head hung a bit, her shoulders slumping, and then her eyes finally turned upward towards the younger boy.

Kamui couldn't seem to find words to speak. Something within him was screaming to believe her. How could he not? She was Subaru's identical image.

----

Subaru felt himself swimming upward. He felt like he'd been drowning, but there was a hand reaching towards him, and for once, though he'd been seeing Kamui's for the last several hours, he wanted to reach towards this hand. It was familiar to a point that he could not deny it.

A larger hand grasped his thin one, pulling him upward. He felt darkness trying to pull him down, but he burst through the edge of the water and could smell sakura blossoms all around him. The contrast was blinding and he blinked several times, his eyes refusing to focus. A groan escaped his lips and he felt his head resting on a broad chest. He felt heavy, as if whatever water he had been drowning in was still attempting to drag him under. His hair clung to his face and everything hurt, but there was something keeping him there…. The smell of the blossoms hit him once more. "I'm here, Subaru-kun," a voice murmured into his ear.

Two eyes widened and Subaru pulled back to see his beloved Seishirou-san's face before him. "Am I dead?" he managed.

"No, Subaru-kun, you're not, but you must come back to me, do you hear? You need to open your physical eyes."

"But you won't be there," Subaru cried, tears building. "I can't do it anymore, Seishirou-san. Please, don't make me. I'd rather die so that I can be with you and Hokuto-chan."

"You will be. I promise. Just open your eyes."

Subaru nodded and forced himself from the spiritual realm. His physical eyes opened and he felt unbelievable pain rush through him. He felt as if he'd fought one hundred battles for a week straight and he ached all over. He found that he was no longer wet, though, and he was clinging to someone. He blinked several times, trying to bring into focus his one good eye. "Sei…shirou-san?"

"I'm here," Seishirou's voice echoed in his ear. He was standing over Subaru's bed, fully alive. Beautifully and wonderfully alive.

"Seishirou-san!" Subaru called out, launching himself at the elder man. It hurt, but he didn't care. Seishirou was standing right in front of him and that was all he could think of. He didn't care about everything else in the world, but he had his Wish standing before him.

"Subaru!" Kamui's voice echoed through the apartment. The younger boy came running into the room, eyes locking with the Sakurazukamori and they widened. "Stay away from him!"

Hokuto was racing in behind Kamui. Seishirou locked eyes with her for a brief moment and then all hell broke loose. Kamui was building his chi and Seishirou fell into a defensive stance. The room seemed to heat up with two strong men standing in it, and the smell of the blood-soaked sakura filled the space with a new strength.

"Both of you stop!" Hokuto yelled, waving her arms wildly. This was not the plan and Sei-chan knew that.

Everything froze and Subaru whipped around to look at his sister standing in the doorway. Hokuto froze as well, arms still in the air, and she let out a choked cough. This was not how she imagined her reuniting with her dearest twin brother to be. She had expected to allow Seishirou a moment to break the news to Subaru gently and then make her grand entrance. It was supposed to be dramatic, a stance in the doorway, a speech over the fact that she always knew love would conquer all, and then a beautiful reuniting of a trio that should have never been broken up, but things never turn out how she had planned.

"Nee-chan…" Subaru managed, eyes wide. Tears filled them and he could feel himself rocking forward from his place on the side of the bed. Steady arms steadied him and he stood, vaguely hearing Seishirou's scolding voice for him to lie back down. How could he? "Hokuto-chan?"

"Sei-chan! You ruined my entrance!" the elder Sumeragi twin wailed, looking perfectly irritated with it.

"Mou mou," Seishirou grumbled. "Take that up with Kamui-san."

"Kamui-kun!" Hokuto turned her momentary rage.

Kamui was very confused. The mood in the room had changed so suddenly that he had almost failed to follow it. Hadn't he been about to protect his friend? He had been standing ready to do so, but now he was being yelled at for "ruining Hokuto's entrance." "Eh?" he asked, violet eyes turning to the green eyed woman. "But, Hokuto-san…"

"You weren't supposed to ruin Subaru's romantic reunion with Sei-chan!"

Kamui took a brief moment to glance back to Subaru. He stood, albeit unsteadily. He had been using the Sakurazukimori to steady himself, but he suddenly tugged away, blushing deeply. "Hokuto-chan!"

The elder twin let out a cry of delight and rushed suddenly at her brother, tackling him, and they both fell back. She hugged him closely. "Oh Subaru, I've missed you! Have you been taking care of yourself? Of course not! That was such a pointless question! Well, don't worry, things will be okay again, you see?"

"Yes," he managed through her choking hold on him. He reached up and returned the embrace. "I've missed you too, Hokuto-chan."

Subaru watched the easy interaction between the three with wide eyes. Somehow, Subaru had received his wish. He didn't know how, or why, but he felt no ill-will directed towards the Sumeragi twins from the elder man that stood with them. In fact, it seemed just the opposite.

"I've been rude, Kamui-kun," Subaru said suddenly, picking himself up off the bed. His face was still tinged pink from either his blushing or a slight fever he had developed some hours ago during his internal battle. "These are the dearest people to me. My sister Hokuto and my friend Seishirou-san."

-----

A/N: I have no idea where I'm going with this…. Is that bad? Oh well, that happens with some of the stories I enjoyed writing the most. I wanted to bring Sei-chan and Hokuto back, and I didn't want Sei-chan to be such an ass. I hate that. I've read the beginning and the end of Tokyo Babylon, and I picked up # 3 yesterday and was shocked at what a complete jerk Sei-chan truly is. I forgot. Wow. Anyway, I updated. Maybe it'll be updated again…. Sometime. Lol. Oh well. All characters as of now are owned by CLAMP. I grovel at their feet. They are my favourite artist group.

Princess Sin: Peeking interest is always a good thing. I hope it continued to do so.

Laustic: Thank you much!

Anime Lover 3693: And this is what happened next. Hokuto's entrance was ruined and Kamui-kun is very confused. I could just picture Hokuto-chan throwing a fit because her entrance was ruined.. hmm…. Lol

TsubasaSyaforever: Hehe… I like that. Not quite what I had in mind, but I really do like that. Thanks much

Aria DC al Fine: thank you very much!