Chapter 5: Socks

'Friends are like old socks. They turn up when you least expect them to' Lillith Black (that's me you know!!)

She skipped down the white corridor, her feet pattering on the floor as she trailed her hand on the wooden railing attached to the wall.

Freeton Hospital was buzzing with a lot of life today. The water was falling from the 'up'- Cheza corrected her self, Yuki called it the sky. But people did not like the water and they crowded around inside. She could hear the water they dragged in with them. Water that create puddles on the ground.

Cheza came to a stop outside a ward and listened. The No.23 was written on the wall beside the door but she did not see.

A sigh.

Someone was very lonely and bored.

Timidly Cheza walked in, shuffling a little in the thick pink socks Yuki had placed on feet. Cheza didn't care much for shoes but in an attempt to keep the girls feet safe Yuki had forced the girl to wear slipper socks.

Cheza decided she could live with them. After she had promptly asked the tired nurse if she could go and see the boy who kept moaning so much. Yuki had sighed but relented.

Now Cheza approached his bed watched curiously by the other patients in the ward. The curtain was drawn halfway around the bed.

She tilted her head and poked it inside. Someone was sitting on the bed breathing heavily and grunting every once in a while.

Cheza blinked. Normally at this point a person would inquire who she was or make some form of communication. Unless he was asleep but he wasn't, she could sense he was alert.

Cheza stepped forward until she was standing at the edge of the bed. She raised her hand forward and gently touched his forehead. She felt his eyes open and she took a step back.

Hige opened his eyes. Closed them and then opened them again. He stared as a small girl a bit younger than him stood beside his bed. She had cream white skin, angelic features and the most astonishing red eyes. For a moment Hige thought he actually was dead. Maybe the pain had actually killed him and she was here to take him away.

But then she frowned and asked "Why do you close your eyes when you do not sleep?"

"I'm just 'resting' and trying not to think of my leg." was his immediate reply.

"How?"

"By thinking of hotdogs..." Hige's eyes lit up as the word hotdog escaped his lips.

"I can just imagine them when I close my eyes."

"This one doesn't need to close her eyes to think, this one doesn't see anyway." Cheza said animatedly.

"Oh- you talk funny!" Hige exclaimed sitting up a bit more.

"This one did not know that... But you give funny answers. What... Is a 'hotdog'?" Cheza countered.

Hige began to laugh at her innocent expression. "What's your name?"

Cheza giggled and answered "This one is Cheza, this one came here from ward 27." she nodded and turning her head to one side asked "What is your name?"

"Hige." he smiled.

Laughing Cheza asked "What is it? What is a hot dog?"

She sat down on an armchair placed beside his bed.

"Hot is like cold... And dogs say 'woof'?"

Hige smiled at her simpleness and proceeded to explain to the girl exactly what a hotdog was.

When he was done Cheza wanted to know what a 'colddog' was.

Hige laughed and said "I don't know what I would have done if you hadn't come Cheza? Died of boredom probably..." he answered himself.

"How ironic..."

When Cheza had come it had been a rainy Saturday afternoon, now it was a thunderous stormy evening.

They had been laughing quite a lot and Hige had completely forgotten his plastered leg.

Cheza's cheeks were tinged with pink and her breathing was hard.

Yuki suddenly appeared, she stood by the bed frowning. Her face reflected the thunderous weather.

"Yuki..." Cheza rasped still breathing hard. The said woman placed a hand on Cheza's forehead, her expression went stony.

Hige looking at this with confusion gulped as Yuki turned her emerald eyes on him, glaring.

"What?" he asked.

Yuki looked back at Cheza who was concentrating on breathing her eyes half-lidded.

"She over-exerted herself... Cheza I think its time for you to get to bed..."

The brunette looked around "Besides the head nurse will have my neck for leaving you out of my sight for so long!"

Grudgingly Cheza got up and Yuki half carried half dragged her away.

Hige sighed.

Then heard the pitter patter of feet as Cheza came running back. She appeared at the foot of his bed breathless and pale.

"This one very nearly forgot" she gasped. "This one must ask you, for this one asked Kiba too-"

"Kiba? You know him?" Hige questioned.

Cheza nodded "This one wants too know can this one be your friend?"

"You already are Cheza! You don't have to ask!"

She just smiled in return, a most radiant smile before running back to Yuki.

"So Kiba's your friend huh?" Hige asked aloud.

"I've got a bone to pick with that guy... If he ever shows his face around here anyway..."

She awoke but didn't open her eyes, there was no need. The rain was beating at the window but not as hard as the day before. The cloud mercifully allowed some light through as times and this light fell on Cheza. It warmed her cool skin and for a while she just lay there feeling the warmth caress her.

A word rose to her lips.

A name. His name.

"Kiba"

'This one doesn't even know what he looks like...' she though.

It had now been days since she had met him, five to be precise. And Cheza was, counting every day till she

could hear his voice again.

"He has to go to college..." Yuki had replied when asked, "Just wait, I'm sure he'll come visit." But he hadn't just yet.

The girl sighed and sat up hearing her heart beat. It wasn't right. Not like Yuki, not like Mamma, Papa and not like Kiba. She knew this for she had felt their hearts. Hearing being her primary sense Cheza had learned early in life that her heart wasn't right. It was 'broken' and it could kill her.

Of course she didn't care much she just smiled when the fact was pointed out. She wanted to be and was happy.

Till the age of six Cheza had lived with her parents in a large house on the outskirts of Freeton. She had been told that her family was very rich but she only remembered her mother's voice, her soft touch and the musical laugh of her father.

Cheza tried to remember how her life had been before that day. But only memories of that dreadful day came to her. The day the alarm had started in the house.

Sitting on her parent's bed she remembered as the machines began to screech.

All of a sudden her mother had grabbed her pulled her down. She could hear her father shouting.

"Cheza, hide under the bed, stay there!"

The girl obeyed.

Shouts. People screaming. The floor shaking under running feet. Strange people had come, men she did not know. Loud bangs and her mother screaming her fathers name.

Then one single bang, a thump and the horrible scent of blood. She could hear Mamma gasping.

Cheza hadn't moved until the foreign people were long gone. Only then had she crept shaking out from under her refuge. Standing up she had promptly slipped in a puddle on the floor. The liquid was slightly warm. Then she felt her mother lying on the ground covered in it. Cheza smelled her hands now covered in the think liquid. Blood.

With a shake of her head Cheza came back to the present. This was more than ten years ago... She couldn't dwell. Yes she had not talked a word for two years after while living with her aunt Hamona but then she had recovered. A smile spread on her face as she decided to visit Hige once more.

She got up from the bed remembering to open her eyes at the last minute. She wanted to avoid being accused of sleep walking. She began to walk out of the ward straight away but was stopped.

"Where do you think you are going young lady?"

Cheza cringed and turned around. She stuck her tongue out at Yuki before giving her a toothy grin.

After an extremely tired Yuki had forced socks and some decent clothes, not to mention breakfast on her, Cheza escaped. Skipping down the corridor she finally came to ward 23. She jumped in with the brightest of moods once more poking her head into the curtains around his bed. But her smile slipped of her face as she realized that some one was already there.

Blue sat arms folded as the annoying silence continued. She glared at him and he sheepishly smiled back.

"Hige," she growled. "Why are you smiling?"

"Because you're cute when you're angry!" he grinned.

Scowling she closed her eyes and sighed, "You can't break me down with complements! I'm still annoyed with you!"

"What because we won't have date night for the next two months?"

"No."

"Because I'm sure we can do what ever you want right here." he flashed her his teeth still smiling goofily and patting the bed.

"Hige..." she intoned angrily.

"Aww... Come on Blue lighten up!" he moaned. "I already have the busted leg!"

"Hige you-"

Blue was cut off as Hige pointed to the curtain. A pitter patter of small feet was followed by a pink head.

She stared and stared her eyes moving restlessly but Blue had been so surprised she had stopped breathing.

"Is some one here Hige?" Cheza asked with a frown of confusion.

Blue let out a gush of air and Cheza turned her head in Blue's direction.

"Who are you?" the young girl asked openly curious.

Blue's mouth opened unconsciously.

"Blue this is Cheza, she's another patient here. Cheza this is Blue my girlfriend." Hige said smoothly.

Cheza nodded and then smiled. "This one is happy Blue came to visit Hige he was very lonely."

Blue looked at Hige eyebrows raised.

He only shrugged in response.

"Your right about that Cheza" he smiled. "Now if only she wouldn't be so angry with me!"

Cheza giggled.

Blue huffed folding her arms. But then noticing Cheza and Hige's expectant expressions sighed.

"Fine! But one more toe out of line and... "She drew a finger across her neck.

Hige only grinned back and looked at Cheza who was delicately perched at the foot of his bed.

"So Cheza tell us about your self? All we talked about yesterday was food and Kiba?"

"Kiba?" asked Blue.

"You know Kiba too?" asked Cheza with delight.

Blue nodded and then realized a second too late that Cheza could not see.

"Uh... Yes I do..." she hastily put in.

The younger girl only smiled back.

"This one stays in ward 27 because... this one is broken..." though a sadness crept into her voice she

continued.

"This one wants to go outside to the garden but this one is not well enough and Yuki says the weather is bad-"

As if summoned Yuki showed up in a hurry, it was just as well because Hige and Blue had no idea how to reply.

"Hi you guys!" she panted.

"Hey..." was Hige's lazy greeting.

"Oh Hello Yuki, I didn't know you worked here." Blue said surprised, she knew Yuki from school but didn't expert to see her here.

"Well now you do!" Yuki grinned at Blue and flashed a peace sign. She looked at her watch while jogging on the spot.

"Cheza, Dr. Degre offered me a ride home and I'm going of duty in a couple of minutes. I have to take you back now..."

"But this one only got here!" Cheza protested. She looked up at Yuki who sighed. "Cheza..." Then Yuki looked at Blue her green eyes shining.

"Perfect... Blue could I ask you for a favor?"

Blue nodded.

"I'm going now but could you make sure Cheza goes back to her ward around two?"

"Sure I'll take her back." Blue answered.

"Thanks a million, I owe you one Blue!" she high fived Cheza who held up her hand, then raced out the ward backwards

"It's not every day I get a ride home from a doctor-" that's when she bumped into someone.

She flipped around "I'm so sorry! I should have seen-"

Green met gold and Yuki felt her face go red.

"Uh... Um... Sorry..." then she raced away.

Cheza turned to Hige and asked.

"What happened?"

Hige replied "She bumped into Tsume."

"Tsume?" Cheza questioned quietly.

The said person walked over and dropped a pile of books on Hige's bed side table much like Kiba had days ago.

Hige watched these with a strangled look.

"Uh...Tsume Hi..." he said.

"Hey porky..." Tsume replied and then acknowledged Blue, who nodded in reply.

"Kiba couldn't come, he's away at some overnight trip for a class" he explained.

Cheza caught her breath.

Hige looked at the pile of books with a terrible kind of fear and gulped. Tsume also tossed a bag of snacks at him and began to leave.

After a while Blue got up too.

"I think we'll give you time to work... We'll only distract you..." She smiled evilly. Hige gulped again.

"Coming Cheza?"

Cheza got up reluctantly and softly said a "Good bye" to Hige before Following Blue.

Yuki sat in the passenger seat of the black Mercedes as Cher drove. They were both pretty tired from there over night duties but Yuki kept up a constant stream of light conversation. Cher listened smiling every now and again.

"... And Cheza made some new friends..." Yuki was telling her.

"I do think it's important that she knows other people of her age... And you won't believe how she goes on about that boy Kiba... you'd think she'd known him all her life!" the twenty year old exclaimed.

Cher looked over at her. "Sounds to me like someone else really likes this boy too..." she raised her eyebrows.

Yuki's eyes went wide and she turned a brilliant shade of pink.

"Dr. Degre!!" she exclaimed. "He-he's only a friend..."

Yuki looked down fidgeting with her hands as Cher laughed good naturally

"Cher." she said.

"Huh?"

"Call me Cher not Dr. Degre... It's too formal...We're colleagues after all and you want to become a doctor yourself someday, right?"

Yuki nodded and after a while asked.

"Dr.De- um... Cher?"

"Hmm?"

"Do you think Cheza will recover... I mean- I mean she's... Getting better. Right?"

Cher sighed.

"It hard to say..." she began, choosing her words carefully.

"Her overall conditionisimproving... but I'm still worried about her heart..."

Yuki looked up her eyes wide.

"But I though her heart was almost healed..."

"Cheza is recovering from her physical illness... But the trauma..."

Cher went on. "As you know both her parents were killed... Well not in front of her eyes... But in her presence. She waited with their bodies for hours before anyone found them and for years afterwards she didn't say a word, she didn't seem to hear a word either.

As you know for a deaf, dumb and blind child there's only so much that can be done... Then her Aunt, Lady Hamona decided to adopt her; those were one of the happier times in Cheza's life. She began to speak, to smile." Cher sighed.

"I know what happened then." muttered Yuki, a tad sourly. "The Freeton Fiasco... Ha... What a riot those tabloids had... Lady Hamona in coma after building collapses..."

"Many people lost loved ones that day... Yuki..."

"Yeah... I know... Not just me..."

Cher sighed once more.

"Of course after Lady Hamona was put into long-term care and so was Cheza... Both in the same hospital both under me..."

"Because of Lord Darcia..." quipped Yuki.

"Because of Lord Darcia..." affirmed Cher with a laugh.

"Looks like a haunted house that man...You have some courage being able to have a normal conversation with him!"

"I don't really..." Cher stated modestly "But these things have left there mark on Cheza...She's much better now, but how much better can a broken heart be. It's a hard thing to heal."

Yuki was quiet for a while then she said "All we can do I suppose is wait for time to heal her physically and hope that some how her heart will heal too..."

They sat for a while in a companionable silence until Cher's phone began to vibrate. She picked it up and read the text. She sighed, something she seemed to do a lot of today whether because of her tiredness or something else.

She turned a corner and stopped the car in front of a block of apartments.

"Well here we are Yuki."

" Dr.De- Cher may I ask you a question?"

"Sure Yuki."

"I know it's not my place to ask but are things between you and Dr. Hub... Alright?"

"Hub and I well... It just didn't work out you know, I've moved on but Hub won't let go... He keeps asking me to dinner or a date and honestly I'm tired of saying no..."

Yuki smiled as she got out of the car.

"Then don't, say no I mean. Maybe you should give him another chance Cher." she said before closing the car door and running into her building to escape the rain.

As Cher reversed the car in the street she said out loud to the empty car.

"Next time... Maybe I won't say no Yuki, maybe I won't..."

Yuki mean while had fallen on to her bed, fully clothed even her shoes on.

"Cheza..." she murmured into her pillow her, her rich brown locks fanning around her head.

"...wear...your socks..."

Cheza skipped humming to herself while Blue walked behind. Watching her, Blue was a little puzzled by the strange girl. Her different yet delightful manner and her wondrous red eyes.

Cheza turned into a large room near where Hige was staying and Blue followed. There were only a few people in the twelve or so beds lining the walls. Most were extremely sick looking and asleep.

One old woman was sitting up, her brown eyes wide open and her white hair hanging like wisps around her head.

Blue froze.

There was no nurse here and Blue began to panic for the old lady was now mumbling.

The nineteen year old watched as Cheza lightly walked over to the bed and holding the lady's hand whispered.

"What is it, Irene?"

The woman replied "My daughter? Oh where is she? Where have you taken her?" then she lapsed into incoherent mumbles.

"Sleep, Irene, be at peace." Cheza said softly.

The lady instantaneously calmed down soon she had nodded off.

Blue watched all this a little dumbfound. Until Cheza turned and motioning with her hands called Blue forward.

"This is Irene." she said. "She's broken here." she pointed to her head. Blue didn't reply she could only stare.

Then Cheza turning from the dozing woman walked to the end of the ward, where there was a little alcove. A thirteenth bed was placed there and onto this Cheza lightly sprang.

Blue approached hesitantly, not quite sure of what she was doing.

"Blue?" Cheza spoke softly.

"Yes?" Blue couldn't help her self, she moved forward.

"Is Hige- is Hige precious to you?"

At first Blue was surprised but then she recovered herself and thought

"We'll yes I suppose he is precious to me, in that I can't live with out being with him, no matter how annoying he can be." Blue shrugged.

Cheza nodded.

"Blue?" She asked again.

"Yes Cheza?" Curious now, Blue asked.

"Kiba." She said.

"Kiba, is precious to this one." she pointed to herself.

Blue felt her eyebrows shoot up in astonishment.

"This one... This one never had anyone precious before..."

Blue was still a little staggered when she left Cheza, who was now sound asleep. But after a while she smiled thinking maybe it was all for the best.

She ran up the stairs and walked onto the landing for their apartment. The door, paint peeling of was open.

Blue's pace increased as she ran in.

Yaden Quent was slumped on the sofa a bottle pf beer in one hand while another broken bottle littered the floor. Quent's eyes were glazed over as he stared at the television screen, it showed static. Blue sighed.

"Pops..." she muttered before she switched the T.V. off and picked up a brush to clean the mess.

Only when she had begun to sweep that she realized that the house was quite, too quiet... And the door had been left open?

She heard a muffled sob in the silence.

The sweeping brush clattered to the floor as she gasped and ran towards the back of the house.

The tap was turned on as she knocked on the bathroom door before walking in. A brown haired boy glanced up.

"Oh Toboe..." she whispered and bit her lip.

For the boy was splashing water on his bloodied hands. His lip too was bleeding and his eye was purple.

"Blue...?" he croaked.

"Oh no Toboe... Not again!" She ran from the room, anger flooding her mind, setting it on fire. How could he have done it again? The words were playing from her mouth before she could stop them.

"Pops!! You did it again! You hurt Toboe! You B-"

And then she stopped because there he was passed out on the couch still but he was crying.

He was mumbling in his sleep and calling out his wife's name.

Blue stopped then because she realized her situation. She was deathly still. Quent had helped her, her and Toboe. They weren't his real children, they owed him a lot.

She could feel the tears spring to her eyes. A strangled sob of rage and sorrow wormed its way out. She crumpled onto the ground hoping to go to pieces. But Toboe was right beside her, sharing her pain.

"What happened?" she asked.

Toboe looked at her with big eyes.

"H-he asked for more beer..." he hiccupped.

"He was drunk when I told him t-there wasn't any left, he-he started to-" there Toboe couldn't go on as a fresh wave of tears broke out.

Blue hugged him harder trying to control her own tears. Finally sniffing she rubbed her eyes and stood up. She had to stay strong if not for herself then for Toboe's ...and Hige's.

They needed her more then anything.

"Let's get you cleaned up?" she asked a sniffing Toboe.

Half an hour later. They had moved Quent to his bedroom.

Blue stood in the kitchen, wearing a black T-shirt, blue boxer shorts and to top it off a yellow apron, decorated by pink flowers.

Toboe sat at the table his hands bandaged and holding an ice pack. He too was dressed for bed in a pair of pajamas. Both siblings wore fluffy socks. A blue pair for Blue and a red one for Toboe.

"Pancakes Toboe?" Blue asked grinning.

Toboe smiled in response but winced as his lip cracked, instead he opted for a nod.

"I know it's late but I've left you to fend for yourself too long..." Blue said beginning to crack eggs. "I was really busy last week...so how's school?" She asked guiltily.

"S'Okay, the same old, same old..." Toboe replied gazing down.

Blue looked at him.

"You don't have to go in tomorrow..." she said quietly turning on the stove. Toboe looked up.

"Huh?"' he asked intelligently." I'm sure you don't want to go in tomorrow because of... You know...you can spend the day at the hospital give Hige some company... He's bored out of his skull..."

Toboe laughed "Thanks, I'm sure he is…"

"He even made friends with some of the other patients, he-"Blue stopped.

'Sleep Blue, be at peace.'

Cheza's words echoed in her mind directed not at the old woman but at her.

The brunette smiled slightly to herself.

"Blue?" Toboe questioned.

"Oh nothing..." was her reply as she went back to her cooking.

After a while Toboe asked suddenly "Why?"

"Huh?" was Blue's intelligent response.

"Why did Pops do that? Again?" he asked looking at his hands.

Blue sighed and walked over to him, resting a hand on his head she said "Toboe honey…Pops he's a little sick. I'm sure he didn't mean it. He took you and me in didn't he? Wasn't he the best person in our lives then? Just think of him like that."

"I will Blue…I will."

"If you do it'll be alright." She smiled at him and he smiled back reassured. Then Blue turned to the stove with a gasp, a minute later the two were scarping down slightly burned pancakes.

The Doctor walked into ward No.27; quietly slipping by the patient he was careful not to wake them. He quickly but stealthily turned into Cheza's bed and from the pocket of his overalls produced an injection which he replaced with her normal medication

"Who is here?" Cheza asked suddenly sitting up in her bed.

"Oh nothing… Just-just passing through…" he replied hastily before turning around and walking right back out.

The girl lay back down.

A while later Mori the nurse on duty at the time came into the ward. It was late evening and most of the patients were waking or already awake. She passed by all the patients giving them their medication. Finally she reached Cheza's bed and the girl sat up. Mori picked up the injection as Cheza greeted her. The nurse smiled at Cheza and returned the greeting.

"And how are we today Cheza?"

"This one is very good today!" was the chirpy reply.

"Cheza I need to give you you're shot now..."

Mori opened the injection and Cheza bravely held out her arm. She was used to it.

Mori left to sit at the desk and Cheza got up and sat in the window.

'Kiba where are you?' she thought. 'This one needs you.'

The evening was dissolving into dusk when she began to cough. It was only a little at first but soon it progressed into wheezes that could not be controlled. Mori came running. Cheza took a hand away from her mouth. It was covered in red, thick blood. She could taste it in her mouth as well, a metallic taste that filled all her senses.

"Oh dear!" Mori exclaimed watching as Cheza's already pale complection turned grey. Mori ran to her desk and hurriedly picking the phone asked "Dr. Hub urgently to ward 27 please!!" Then she ran back to Cheza who she led still coughing back to her bed.

Hub entered the ward at this time followed by another nurse as Mori connected Cheza to a heart rate monitor. The girl was breathing heavily as she heard Hub say to the nurse "It makes no sense, She's been fine for the last week… Why would she get an attack now?"

Cheza was sinking into unconsciousness as her eyes closed, With her last strength she thought.

'Kiba! This one needs you!"

Lilly: OMEEGAWD!! It's finally done!! You guys probably hate me now for this totally late AND lame update! I mean come on… SOCKS?! What in rabid killer mutant sheep's name was I thinking….

Laurry: I'll tell you what you were thinking.. YOU WEREN'T!!

Lilly: ehehehehe.. but yeah I'm really sorry.. I know I said this would be a week or two late but like more than a month… true my pocket PC broke and I moved and I didn't have much time.. but it's here now so…. Please accept this nice long chapter as an apology… and I promise I wont do another chapter so long that you burn you're eye sockets staring at the screen for so long…

The next chapy wont be as loooong but I hope it wont be too short!

Laurry: Your forgetting another apology Onee-Chan?

Lilly: Oh yeah.. as well as being a giant pain the back side to read YOU'RE PROBABLY sooo disappointed that there was like no Kiba there at all!! I AM SORRY!! To make it up to you the next one is all about Kiba! Cha!!

Laurry: Yeah… don't forget to review because reviews make us happy and our fingers itch to type!!