Standard Disclaimer applies here!

"…" – Talking

'…' – Flashback

"…" – Thoughts

Chapter 12: Slipping off the Edge

For the third time that week, Kurama was strolling along the white corridors of the hospital. But instead of having that eerie feeling of doom he usually had, he was feeling quite the opposite – light-hearted and unnaturally happy. Maybe it was due to the fact that his mother was scheduled to leave the hospital today, after getting enough rest after her previous episode. But there was also the fact that Botan was skipping beside him, invisible to the eyes of any other person with the exception of him.

"Wow, I finally get to meet your mother!" she exclaimed, being over excited with their activity for the day. "Well, not actually meet her, but you get the point," she continued, feeling a little silly with her previous statement.

With that, Kurama merely smiled, remembering that there were too many people around and the psychiatric ward was just four floors above his head. Surely, if he were to have a decent conversation with her now, there were three or more people who would readily pounce on him and put him in a straight jacket.

"By the way you've been talking about her, you make her sound so incredible and nice," she rambled, forgetting Kurama's instructions before they left home that she had to minimize the talking.

When he was about to leave that morning, Botan pleaded to bring her with him. Obviously, staying at home with no one to talk to for almost a week was getting to her nerves. Hell, she can't even turn on the television or open a book! It's a wonder how she survived the week without losing her sanity.

At first, he was hesitant, already foreseeing the complications this might bring to his reputation. But just one single look at her cute periwinkle puppy dog eyes, his resolve crumbled and all he could do was heave a huge sigh and say, "Okay, you win." Hearing his final answer, she bounced around the house, making Kurama a little bit dizzy.

"Only with one condition," he paused, waiting for Botan to settle down and hear what he had to say.

"Sure," she said, a huge smile never leaving her pretty face.

"No talking with me in public, especially around my family," he said, trying to look strict and firm.

Botan pouted like a five-year old kid and crossed her arms, "I'll try."

"That's not the answer I was looking for," Kurama said sounding like a father, intent on disciplining his child.

"You can always say you have an imaginary friend," Botan suggested, unmoved by Kurama's threat. She didn't know whether it was because he was a pure gentleman or because she was special to him that he always gave way to her requests. She didn't want to push her luck, so she picked the first alternative. Living with him for almost a month, Botan learned that her housemate was a complete gentleman and he would easily yield to her with a little prodding.

"Botan, don't you think I'm a little too old to have an imaginary friend?" Kurama chuckled at her suggestion. Sometimes, Botan can be the most simple-minded person he knew, but when it comes to serious matters, she always manages to surprise him with her deep wisdom.

"Now, promise me you won't talk to me in public."

"Fine, I promise," she finally gave in.

But it seems promises are easily forgotten especially when excitement surges through Botan's spirit form. Really, it was a wonder where she gets so much energy when she doesn't eat at all. He merely sighed in defeat, 'I guess this is one of her traits that make her the 'Botan' that I lo-,' Kurama came to an immediate pause, his heart pounding in his chest at the words he almost said. He shook his head furiously to erase the thoughts that started to enter his mind.

'Get a grip, Kurama! You shouldn't think of Botan like that, especially in times like these,' he reprimanded himself, unaware of the slight blush that managed to form in his cheeks.

"Hey, Kurama-kun, are you alright? You look a little flushed," Botan said, leaning towards him, concern evident in her voice, "Don't tell me you've caught some sort of disease by staying here in the hospital for too long."

(A/N: I'm tempted to make our dear Kurama say, "If you consider the 'love bug' a disease, then I guess I got it from spending time with you." But that's just too out of character. I'm being weird again… Okay, on with the show!)

Just seeing the concern from her eyes, Kurama forgot his own promise and said, "It's nothing, Botan. Like you I'm excited to see mother, too."

Just as he said that, a man passed by and saw him talk to no one in particular. He gave Kurama a weird look, and with that, the latter said in an outright manner, "Imaginary friend." The man gave him another incredulous look and immediately left the scene, thinking the read headed man escaped from the psychiatric ward.

Botan burst with laughter, hugging her stomach tightly, "Ha ha ha, that was one lame excuse!"

"Well, it was you who I got that idea from."

Ayame sat beside the prone form of Botan, wiping her arms with a damp towel. Koenma left a while ago for a client call. Even if he was hesitant at leaving both women behind, his wife gave him assurance that she'll take care of Botan.

"But I'm not just worried about her, I'm worried about you, too" he said, clutching her hands tightly, "We're in a very tight situation right now, and I refuse to loose the both of you. You know how dangerous these people are."

"I know, but they don't know me, too," she said, giving him a hug, "I can really be cunning if I wanted to."

With that, Koenma sighed in defeat. There's nothing he can really say when Ayame made up her mind. "Alright, I'll go. But please be careful when I'm gone. I'll try to finish this meeting early," he said, giving his wife a quick peck on the lips before picking up his coat and keys, "I'll be back as soon as I can." With his last words, he left the room.

While cleaning Botan up, Ayame made it a point to talk to her while doing so. The doctor advised that by doing this, Botan's mind might react to her words, which would be of great help for her recovery.

"And do you remember the time when both Koenma and Ryo-kun went home drunk? We were so mad at them for that and we even threatened them that we'd kick them out of the house if they do that kind of silly thing again," Ayame reminisced, dipping the towel in a nearby basin half-filled with tap water.

"It's really nice to remember old times, ne, Botan-chan? Koenma and Ryo-kun became instant friends when you and your brother first set foot in Paris. And when Ryo-kun decided to leave for Japan, even if he didn't show it, Koenma was really distraught with his departure. But we promised that we'll take care of you while he's gone, and that's what we're doing until know," she said as she squeezed the towel, hard enough to release excess moisture.

As she reached to wipe her neck, something unusual greeted her vision. "Botan-chan, I think this conversation is really good for you. Look, you're gaining more color," Ayame finished, noting her once pale features were replaced with a healthy glow. Her cheeks had a slight blush and her lips were pink like it used to be. Even her pallid skin returned to its fair color. Her breathing also seemed normal, to the point that she no longer needed the help of the respirator.

'Hm, I think something good will happen today,' Ayame thought cheerfully as she continued cleansing her skin.

"Sir, we just found out the subject is in Tokyo General Hospital," Sato's gruff voice said on the other line. He was glad that he was able to make a successful job, and he planned to continue doing so.

"I see. Prepare the car, I'll be coming down in a minute," Sanada replied, stacking the documents in his table before placing the receiver back in its cradle. He stood up and brushed his suit, removing the inexistent dust mites. Walking towards the double doors of his office, he gave one last look at his prize before stepping out.

"Its time we meet again."

"Shuuichi, aren't you a little early? You're mother won't be released until later after lunch," Hatanaka greeted his step-son good-naturedly, "It seems you're a little too excited to see her."

Kurama approached his father and gave him a brief hug when the door burst open and in came the younger Shuichi, with two cups of instant noodles in his hands, "Nii-san, you're here!"

"Well it seems like I'm not the only one who's excited around here," Kurama said, chuckling at the youthful energy his brother possessed.

"Oh, you have a younger brother? Kurama-kun, he's so adorable!" Botan said, walking to the younger boy who was oblivious to her presence. "Even if you are not related by blood, if you look closely, you have the same nose!" she continued. Kurama had told her about the situation of his family during one of their more lengthy conversations and he was glad that she was not like other people who were judgmental.

Trying his best to act normal, Kurama turned to his mother who was sitting up on her bed. "How are you feeling, mother?" he asked and kissed her cheek.

"I'm fine, honey. Never felt better!" she said, quite energetically, as she cupped her son's face. Her calloused hand caressing his supple skin reminded him of all the sacrifices she had to do just for Kurama, and it always seemed to make his heart swell with love and gratitude. He will forever be indebted to this woman in front of him.

"Aw, the mother-son bond you have is really touching," Botan said, moved by the affection Kurama rarely shows. Given the short time they had spent together, Botan noticed that Kurama had many reservations. But slowly, he was able to bring down the walls that surrounded his heart. And Botan was glad to have witnessed this. Little did she know, it was actually her who caused this change in him. With their little conversations, Kurama seemed to open up to her more than he imagined he would.

Kurama's eyebrow twitched a little with Botan's not-so-soft voice at the moment. He had this urge to turn around and give her thelook and remind her of their agreement. But sadly, there were too many witnesses and he was so sure they would notice his odd behavior.

"So, are you going to tell us now about your girlfriend?" Shiori said with a full dose of enthusiasm evident in her voice. With her comment, everyone's ears perked up, even Botan's, curious about Kurama's answer. Immediately, a small blush formed in his cheeks while he shook his head with embarrassment. He feared that his mother's sudden hyperactivity was a side effect of the medicines she was taking.

"Yeah, you haven't told us about her the last time," his younger brother butted-in, obviously enjoying Kurama's discomfort of the subject. Just seeing the expression Kurama had at the moment, his family knew that they were hitting closer to the jackpot. If their suspicions were false, he would have reacted in a more subtle manner and immediately dismiss the subject. But this was not the case now. He was really doing a poor job on defending himself.

Apparently, this was not the end of Kurama's sufferings. In fact, it was just starting to get even worse. "Really? You have a new girlfriend?" it was now Botan's turn to question him, unknown to the others who were present in the room. "I guess you hooked up with Maya-san after all!" she exclaimed, Kurama not really deciphering the tone her voice held. His thoughts shifted its attention back and forth as his family threw him different questions while Botan rambled on about why Kurama didn't mention the fact that he already had a girlfriend.

Not taking the mental torture any longer, he excused himself from his family, saying somebody was calling him on his cellular phone. "Oh, I didn't even hear it ring," Hatanaka commented, not fully believing his step-son's excuse. "It's in silent mode. I felt it vibrate in my pocket," Kurama said almost automatically. With that, he exited the room with a floating Botan behind him.

Once they were out, Kurama led them to a corner where no one could see them – away from the prying ears of his family and the judgmental looks of passers by. When he finally faced her, Kurama noticed how quiet Botan has become. The momentary frustration he felt suddenly disappeared when he saw her.

"Is there something wrong?" he asked her in a hushed voice. Botan shook her head furiously, just looking at her do that made him dizzy. "Nothing, it's just that," she paused, not sure how to express her feelings. Kurama gave her an encouraging look, as if telling her to go on. Finally surrendering, Botan continued, "It's just that it upset me that you kept something important as this from me. I thought that we were close enough to tell each other things like these," her cheeks burned, partly from frustration and partly from embarrassment. After all, she didn't want to sound jealous or something.

With her admonition, Kurama laughed out quite loudly, clutching his stomach for added drama. In truth, he felt happy and flattered that Botan considered them close; that must have meant she gave her full trust to him. Also, he found it unnaturally satisfying seeing that Botan was acting jealous. In reality, she need not be jealous. If she only knew the truth, she would probably be blushing at the fact that she was jealous of herself.

But now was not the time for him to reveal his feelings, for he was still unaware of the magnitude of feelings he held for her. He promised himself that he would reveal everything to her as soon as he was sure of what he was feeling. She deserved that.

Right about now, Botan's face was as red as a tomato. She can't believe Kurama was laughing at her! If she were in her physical form, she would have beaten him into a pulp just by doing that. But given her limitations, she instead crossed her arms, ready to leave him there in the corner to enjoy his laughing fit.

Before she could take three steps further, Kurama called out to her. When Botan faced him, she saw the playful smirk that formed in his face. Realizing that she was being played with, she turned her back against him.

"Botan, don't tell me you actually believed them," Kurama said, wiping the small tears that formed in his eyes due to laughing so hard.

"They're your family. Why shouldn't I believe them? They know you more than I do," she said, still not facing him.

"Well, I'm telling you know that you should not believe them. I don't have a girlfriend (yet), they just want to tease me," Kurama said, his right hand scratching the back of his head.

"Really?" Botan slowly turned her head to his direction, looking like a kid who needs a little more convincing.

"Really," Kurama said, walking towards her. Botan now completely faced him, a small smile forming on her lips, "Okay, I believe you."

"Now that's settled, why don't you stay here and explore a little," Kurama said.

"Hmm, something's telling me you don't want me staying there with your family. Am I that much of a distraction?"

"Yep, add to that, I don't want you to see how they embarrass me, you might get ideas and use it as blackmail material."

Botan giggled, "Okay then, see you later! Stay alive in there." With those last words, she walked to the other direction while Kurama walked to the direction of his mother's hospital room.

As soon as Botan rounded the corner, the nearby elevator doors opened slowly, revealing the lean suited form of Sanada Hitoshi.

As he walked down the hospital's white aisle in search for a certain room, Sanada glanced down the bouquet of pink peonies that he held in his left hand. Such image brought back memories from the past. Its fragrant scent really calmed his senses, just like the person who's namesake was similar to the flower he held gently in his hands. Before he got more sentimental, he cleared his mind with such thoughts that reminded him of her.

Finally reaching his destination, he stood there in front of the door that could possibly lead him to the answers he was looking for so long. Knocking three times, he entered the room as soon as a feminine voice permitted him entrance. Once he entered, he was greeted by two surprised faces and another two confused looks.

"Sanada-san! It's a surprise to see you here," Hatanaka exclaimed, not fully believing what was transpiring as of the moment. Who would have guessed that a busy man like Sanada would take the time to grace their family with his presence? What shocked Hatanaka the most was the fact that Sanada knew of his wife's condition.

"Ah, I heard from an associate of mine that your wife was confined recently," he replied, acknowledging Shiori who was still confused, like the young Suichi, with the scene that was unraveling in front of her. He handed her the bouquet of flowers that she accepted quite apprehensively. But she was grateful anyway. Apparently, she was one of the few people who did not know of the Sanada Hitoshi. She was not one to read daily newspapers or watch television every chance she got. Her hobbies included reading books, knitting, tending the garden and the likes.

"I saw this as an opportunity to know our company's partners and improve our business relationship," Sanada said. He didn't expect that Shuuichi's whole family would be present here today.

First of all, he anticipated that Hatanaka, who was the president of Stieg Enterprises, would be busy in his office dealing with work. Similarly, since it was a school day, he was quite sure that the younger brother would be attending his classes. Given Shuuichi's background, he would never leave his mother alone in that hospital. That would give him room for a little private talk with Shuuichi. But it seems like he had to wait for another day.

"Thank you very much for the flowers, Sanada-san," it was now Shiori's turn to speak, "Peonies are one of my absolute favorites."

"The pleasure is all mine, Mrs. Hatanaka. To tell you the truth, it is my favorite flower," Sanada said before he was engaged in a business talk led by her husband. In the process, Hatanaka literally dragged Shuuichi, who was silent unusually silent since Sanada entered, into the conversation. Shuuichi gave Sanada suspicious looks that Hatanaka was completely oblivious of.

In the midst of their conversation, Shuuichi's phone rang (its real phone call this time). He excused himself from the two older men and went to the corner of the hospital room.

Sanada's hawk-like eyes observed his every move and he was fully aware of the looks Shuuichi was giving him. He cautiously watched him as he walked to the other side of the room to answer the phone. Sanada was about to concentrate on his conversation with Hatanaka when something familiar accidentally slipped out of Shuuichi's pocket when he snatched his phone.

An amethyst peony necklace.

Her peony necklace.

His eyes widened at what he saw. At that moment, all his thoughts swarmed around his head. This incident just proves Shuuichi's connection with Botan. But the degree of his involvement with her was still unknown to him. Just when he thought he managed to solve one mystery, more and more questions seemed to arise.

Slightly dazed, he took small steps toward the fallen jewel, not minding the worried look Hatanaka gave him. Just when he had a clearer view of the seemingly sacred item, Shuuichi, who had just finished with his phone conversation, noticed it and picked it up from the floor before tucking it safely in his pocket.

When Shuuichi looked back to the direction of his father and business partner, he was shocked by the eerie look Sanada gave him. Feeling uncomfortable, he asked, "Is something the matter?"

"You surprise me, Minamino-san. I didn't expect that you'd be the one to lead me to my prize," Sanada said, not really caring if Hatanaka, or anyone else for that matter, found his statement strange.

Shuuichi, taking in the serious tone Sanada's voice held, answered him with an equally chilling voice, "And what prize could that be?" By the way he was staring at his pocket, which contained Botan's necklace, Shuuichi had a weird feeling that it had something to do with her. Even if he was still in search for someone who might know of Botan, he wouldn't dare ask Sanada if he knew her. He doubted that Botan would have any connection with this kind of man, who hid his evil behind an almost perfect mask. There's just something about him that he would not trust.

After a few moments of awkward silence, Sanada finally replied, "It's for me to know, and you to not find out." With one last sneer he gave Shuuichi, Sanada walked back to Shiori, who was blissfully unaware of what just happened, and offered her one last 'Get well soon' speech. After that, he went back to Hatanaka, who was slightly aware of the tension between Sanada and his step-son, and gave a small briefing of their upcoming contract signing.

Without saying another word, he exited the hospital room as soon as he finished his conversation with Hatanaka. As soon as he left, the step father gave Shuuichi a questioning look that he promptly dismissed. There were some things that even his family should not know, and his silent war against Sanada qualifies as one of those things.

Botan skipped happily along halls of the sixth floor, enjoying the change of scenery. Being cooped up in Kurama's house for a long time is starting to become a bore. To be honest, she had nothing against Kurama's house. It was spacious and livable, beautiful and elegant. Yet, she felt unusually lonely even if she was practically living in a castle.

More and more, she was starting to miss Kurama, being the only person she can interact with. All she could do was to wait endlessly until Kurama comes home from either the office or the hospital. And that's the only time when her day would start.

Speaking of Kurama, she and he had separated moments ago and as much as she had enjoyed her newly found freedom, its really about time that she return to Shiori's hospital room. Knowing Kurama's lack of focus nowadays, especially when it comes to his mother, Botan wouldn't be surprised if he forgot all about her. So before she got stuck inside this crummy hospital, she decided to return.

Walking back to the direction where she had just come from, she racked her brain for the exact room number. Not paying much attention to where she was going, Botan did not notice the tall form of a dark-brown haired man walk right in front of her.

After a few seconds, with a stroke of genius, the long sought after room number finally registered in her brain. She raised her hands in the air, so happy with her new found revelation. She can be really simple minded a times. With that, she looked ahead ready to scurry over to where Kurama was.

As soon as she looked up, she came face to face with the brown-haired, blue eyed man – Hitoshi Sanada. In that moment, Botan's chest tightened and she found it difficult to breathe. She clutched that part of her kimono in front of her chest, hoping it would be able to diminish the pain that was racking her entire body.

It seems like everything was in slow motion. As the man walked towards her, Botan found it difficult to move; it's as if her feet were rooted to the floor. Something inside told her she needed to get away from this man, but her locomotive skills seemed to be useless as of the moment.

When he was about three steps away from her, she was so desperate to call out to anyone, to shout for help. 'Kurama-kun, help me!' she yelled in her thoughts, it seems like her voice has bailed out on her as well.

Two steps to go. By now, tears were forming in the corner of her eyes, threatening to fall any moment. Another surge of pain struck her heart this time, adding to the suffering she was already subjected to.

One step.

At that moment, death was not such a bad idea. If it would stop all the pain she was feeling, then so be it. She braced herself for the contact. By now, she was convinced that this man was death himself.

With a blink of an eye, Sanada took that last one step. For a fraction of a second, Botan's soul and his physical form had been merged into one. But for Botan, it had been a millennium of sorrow and agony.

How she wished all of these would end, even if it meant her death.

It had been a long time since Ayame saw Botan looking this healthy. She was starting to believe that it was one good sign that Botan was on the recovery track. This would definitely be a good news to tell both her husband and Yusuke.

With one last wipe on her beautiful face, Ayame stood up to gather the basin and put it aside. As she did so, she noticed the flowers by the table needed more water, lest it would wilt. She took the vase that contained the peonies which Yusuke brought last night and headed to the small toilet located in Botan's private room.

As soon as Ayame stepped out of the bathroom, her eyes widened at the image that had welcomed her. She couldn't believe what was happening at the moment.

Just a while ago, Botan looked so stable, healthy even. But now, she was having seizures and her vital signs were going haywire. She was thrashing wildly on her bed, dislocating the IV needle on her wrist, causing it to bleed.

It seems like Botan was having a heart attack.

Ayame was paralyzed for a moment; her hands became loose which caused the flower vase slip through and crash loudly on the floor. The noise served as a wake-up call. In a flash, she scrambled towards the bed, grabbing Botan by the shoulders to stop her fierce movements.

Finding it difficult to stabilize Botan on her own, Ayame reached for the emergency button by the wall that suddenly seemed so far. Tears were flowing in her cheeks right now, but she didn't notice. She was too scared to even take note of such things.

After what seemed like years, the tip of her middle finger finally felt for the button. Not wasting anymore time, she pushed the button with full force and the buzzing sound rang in her ears.

When the nurses and residents blasted through the door, Ayame was still pressing the damn button. One of the nurses pulled her away from the bed, trying to calm her.

But being calm was the last thing that Ayame had in mind. Just as the nurse led her away, she noticed that Botan was now lying limp on her bed. If she had turned her head a little to the right, she would have seen the heart monitor registering a flat line.

Still a little disoriented, Ayame couldn't distinguish between the sound of the flat liner and the sound emergency button that seemed to have stuck in her ears.

However, the rational part of her wished she were still pushing the button.

Author's Note: Evil cliffhanger alert! I hope you enjoy reading this chapter as much as I enjoyed writing it. I really had fun writing this one, especially the latter parts. I'm really sorry for not updating earlier, I keep on getting side-tracked nowadays.

I encourage all my readers to review. Who knows, I might update earlier if I receive more reviews… Hehe, it seems like I'm getting too demanding. But really, I'd like to hear from the other readers. Don't be shy, I don't bite!

Now on with the replies!

Innocent-Guardian – Thanks for reading Chapter 11! Again, I apologize for the late update. You made a KxB parody of Just Like Heaven? Now that's something I'd like to see! Can you give me the link or tags that I can use to search for the video in youtube? I'd be more than happy to check it out. Anyway, here's a new chapter. Hope you'll like it!

LeFoxy– Hey there! So you're really LeFoxy… I have read most of your stories, and I have to say I really like them! I haven't been able to review them since I'm a little busy with school and my on-the-job traing (OJT). But don't fret, as soon as I find time, expect some reviews from me! I'm really glad that you find the story interesting; I like to please my readers. I also thank you for being patient. I hope this chapter won't disappoint you!

Sonzai Taz – I'm happy to hear that you love my story! I'm sorry for not updating soon. I also need to apologize for the last chapter – I think I spelled your name wrong. I can be so clumsy at times. I hope this chapter will satisfy your desire to know what happens to our beloved couple!

Smexy Kitten – I'm glad you appreciated the character focus on Sanada. I also like the way his character is developing for each chapter. I am also grateful for the advice, thanks to you, I'm getting more comfortable in dealing with writer's blocks. You're right when you said that all writers go through this stage. It also pushed me to explore other angles of the story. Here's Chapter 12, hope you like it!

MiaHime – Wow, are you psychic? It seems like you can read my thoughts! Botan's role is along those lines (spy or one of those informants trying to crack sum sly black business person). But there's more to her character, and that's what you should look out for! I'm glad that we share the same attitude towards people, them being innately good. And as for the 'visit', I think this chapter answers that question. But it seems Botan is in grave danger as of the moment, we shall see if she would remember anything if ever she gets past this predicament. Like you, I'm also itching to write everything down and reveal everything. But there are still some holes in the story that needed to be filled. In able to deliver a good story, I need time to craft different scenarios that would fill the gap. Just be patient and I promise you I'll deliver one heck of a K+B fic!

pototi! – Thanks for the review! You'll have to wait a chapter or two before you'll know what happened between Botan and Sanada. I like creating complex characters, especially Sanada. You don't know whether to hate or pity him? Well, I'm planning to make his character more active on the succeeding chapters, I hope you'll be able to determine by then. Here's a new chapter to satisfy your craving.

sam – Thank you for reviewing! Don't worry, as I said in the past chapters, I have no intentions of abandoning this story. You just have to be patient with my update schedule for it can be very sporadic. I hope you'll enjoy this chapter!

sweetcanines – I love you, too, sweetcanines, thanks for that wonderful review and for your support as well! You guessed it right, I didn't want to make Sanada pure evil. He's like my baby, and I don't want my babies going bad. Hehe, I better stop getting sentimental here. It's good to hear that you liked the last chapter! It really makes me happy hearing that. Here's another chapter, I hope you'll like this one, too.

Addictedtoinuyasha – Here's a new chapter! I'm sorry for the cliffhanger in the last chapter. I guess I have to apologize in advance since there's another cliffhanger in this chapter, too. Don't worry, I already have ideas brewing inside of my head. Let's just hope that I'll be able to finish the next chapter before school gets too busy for me to handle. Hope you'll like this one!