Hey everyone! Well this is chapter five. I hope you guys like it! It took me a while to write it because I got stuck on a few parts but I think it turned out all right. This chapter has a few light moments or comedic relief in it with flashbacks. It focuses on Simca's feelings about her brother. I really hope you guys enjoy it. I still don't own any rights to Air Gear although it would be really awesome if I did. Anyway as usual no bad mouthing about the pairing. It hasn't happened yet but I have this feeling that if I stop mentioning it someone will say something negative. Thanks to all the people who have read my fanfic and I should be updating in the near future.

Chapter 5

Simca sighed while surveying her surroundings, it came naturally to her and she didn't really know how to turn it off. Today though was more than just habit, she couldn't shake the feeling she was being watched and for good reason. Ikki had convinced her to come with him to the hospital. She objected several times but he refused to take no for an answer.

"Simca come on. Do you really not want to go see your own brother?" Ikki was cleaning the dishes after breakfast. He looked back over his shoulder at Simca who was still sitting at the table.

"It's not that, I just don't see the point." She folded her arms and stared at Ikki while he stood with his mouth hanging open. "Before you say anything my reasoning is that we aren't a close nit family like you and your sisters; we stand on our own, we always have."

Ikki turned back to look at the amount of dishes he had left in the sink and sighed. "Yeah but he is in the hospital."

Simca sat in her chair and leaned onto the table with her head face down for a moment, then she looked back up and out the window. "He didn't come to see me." She said it in a whisper but Ikki didn't miss a single word and a deafening silence hung over the apartment.

He continued to wash the dishes in silence. The words that were there just moments ago had dissolved somewhere in his mind and he was having a hard time trying to counter her very depressing comment, finally after much thought he had something. "The fact that you aren't close should be a good enough reason to go." He looked back at her and she hadn't moved or reacted to his comment, she just continued to stare at the boundless world just beyond the glass. "I mean you guys are twins right?"

She huffed, her eyes transfixed on the azure sky. "Fraternal." She pointedly stated while she flipped her hair from in front of her face.

"Still, even fraternal twins have that bond right?"

This time Simca did turn to look at Ikki as she raised an eyebrow. "What?" She looked at Ikki completely baffled by his question as if he had asked her something utterly ridiculous like asking if she had a pet alien or something just as ludicrous.

He started to dry the dishes and continued his explanation. "Oh come on." He turned back around but Simca's face was blank. She knew absolutely nothing about what he was talking about and it was apparent by her confused expression. "It is a bond that twins are supposed to share; where you finish each others sentences, always know what the other is thinking, can tell when the other is upset, you know the simple stuff." He turned back around to see Simca's expression. Simca had gotten up at some point during his explanation and sat on the side of the table closer to the window. She looked up at the sky with an open heart wishing that she really did have wings and that she could use the ones that were made especially for her, her own personal regalia that for reasons unknown to anyone outside of the old Sleeping Forest group with the exception of Ringo knew.

Why did mine have to be like that? Why did I have to be like that?

Luckily because she was staying with Ikki she had less and less time to focus on the past and on her self appointed failures.

Why do I need to see Kilik it's not like he cared about me when I was in the hospital? He thought of me as an enemy, as a nuisance, just something in his way. So why should I care?

Ikki watched her for sometime before he decided to walk towards her. When he found himself directly behind her he suddenly went blank.

Why did I walk over here? What was the point of that? What was I planning to do?

He stroked his hair while trying to come up with a quick response that made him sound cool and caring but not weird and creepy.

Oh I can't think of anything!

Then something hit him.

"Look whether you and your brother are close or not doesn't matter."

Simca looked up at him but stayed quiet.

"You guys are family and nothing can change that. If you lose him without saying whatever you have to say to him can you really say you will be satisfied with that?"

Simca turned back around to look at the clouds so freely passing by, unaware of the struggles of the world below.

I wish I was like you.

"Simca!"

Simca jumped and turned back around to look at Ikki.

"Look whether or not you want to go isn't even the issue. You are going and that is final." Ikki looked down at her and raised his head up as if he was proving and solidifying his point.

Simca's brow lifted and she stared at him with a look of condescension. "You do know that I am older than you right. You have a few more years before you are able to order me around like that." She shot him with her unwavering eyes and resolve. "Now if you'll excuse me, I have to figure out what I AM doing today." She went to walk past Ikki but in one quick movement he swept her up and over his shoulder. "What the hell! Ikki put me down!" She yelled at the top of her lungs.

Ikki just chuckled and walked over to the living room to get their things. Simca wriggled and struggled but Ikki did not let her go. She attempted to kick him and beat on his back several times with her fists but he made no move to let her down. "Just stay there for a while ok; just until we get to the hospital."

Simca craned her neck around to get a good look at the boy, but from her position it was impossible. "Ikki don't you dare walk out of this door with me like this. At least put me down first." Ikki turned his head to the side so that he could see her but she jabbed him with her knee. "Don't turn around!" Simca yelled while trying to push her dress down. "That's why I at least want to walk on my own." Ikki nodded but did not put her down. "What is the problem now?" Simca asked sounding more than a little annoyed.

"Why did you kick me?" Ikki asked while stroking his nose. Simca huffed and fidgeted.

"Why are you asking me why? It's because you were going to see right up my dress!" Simca slammed her fist into Ikki's back once more to show off her anger and frustration.

"Well I seem to remember a certain someone showing up in my room naked and letting me grope them on several occasions. Why is looking up your dress so darn terrible?" Ikki smirked and Simca was glad that he couldn't see her face right then because, just the mentioning of her doing those things made her face turn beet red. She sighed as she tried to figure out what she should say.

"Back then things were different… I was different."

Ikki sighed and put the stuff he had gathered back onto the couch. "I will let you down on one condition." Simca tilted her head but again said nothing, taking that as a cue to move on he continued. "As long as you don't try to run away I will let you walk yourself there."

"That's it." Simca shifted and tried to turn to look at him, his grip tightened and she did not move. "Fine, fine whatever just please let me down." She pleaded with him.

"Ok then I am going to let go now." He started to lower her to the ground slowly pausing to make sure that she didn't make any quick attempts to escape.

When she was completely out of his arms and standing on the floor she dusted herself off and placed her hand on her hip. "Can we go now." She said with a plain and emotionless expression.

Ikki could tell that she was annoyed and he inwardly laughed at the face she was making. "Sure, lets go." He unlocked the door and pulled it open.

When his foot had went passed the threshold Simca summoned all of her strength and shoved him out the door. While Ikki was focusing on trying to catch himself she slammed the door shut behind him and locked him out. "Ha see what I mean?" She yelled from inside the apartment. "You are several years to young to try and control me." She chuckled loudly but stopped when she heard no noise or retorts. She looked through the peephole but saw nothing.

Maybe he left. She thought to herself as she started to turn and walk back into the living room.

"Just to let you know…" Simca's head whipped around and she rushed to the door. "I always have a spare out here." She looked through the peephole and saw Ikki holding a key and smiling triumphantly. She tried to stop the door knob for unlocking but her hands slipped off. Then she tried to keep the door shut with her body weight but Ikki was heavier than her. The door slowly slid open with Simca putting all she had into trying to keep it closed finally when she noticed that it was already open enough for him to enter she let the door go and Ikki went flying through the doorway. He landed in the floor face first and laid there for a few minutes. Simca was worried but decided that she would try to get his attention while she was walking towards the door.

Simca stepped slowly over his body. "Hey Ikki are you ok?" She kept moving until she was on the other side of the door. "Sorry about that, I will get help ok but you shouldn't have forced my ha…" Right as she got within the door way Ikki's foot swung under her and knocked her off balance she started to fall backwards but was caught by Ikki who had jumped up and caught her in the blink of an eye. He held her slightly tipped backwards.

"Are you ready to go now? Cause I can do this all day if I have to." Simca couldn't help but be swept away by his looks, his voice, and his swiftness, all she could do was nod and he heaved her back over his shoulder, grabbed their things from the living room again, and took off for the hospital.

She had to admit it, he was pretty darn good. So she ended up accompanying Ikki against her will to the one place she hated most in the world to see the one person she didn't care to see. I would be different if I was visiting Ikki, but Kilik. She sighed and followed behind Ikki as he searched for the elevators. The whole way there she hadn't said one word to him and on the elevator Ikki found the silence to be daunting.

"Come on Simca, it's not that bad." Ikki looked down at her but she continued to look straight ahead at her reflection on the elevator doors. "I gave you a choice you know. It's not my fault that you decided to run." He stared at her but she remained silent.

"I didn't want to come here." She finally said and Ikki sighed in relief; happy that she wasn't so mad that she wouldn't speak to him at all. "I hate hospitals." Simca's mind began to wander again to one of the memories she wished were lost with the others.

"Where am I?" Simca was staring at a white ceiling with lights staring down at her. She felt exposed and covered herself up with a blanket that was around her waist. A man came into her vision but the light was so bright and she couldn't make out who it was.

"You are at a hospital." What he said had not been confusing but how she ended up there was.

"How did I get here?" She lifted her hand with great difficulty and shielded her eyes from the light. Then she noticed the bruising all up and down her arm. She turned her head to the left and tried to lift her other arm although that one proved more difficult to move, so instead she slid the covers back exposing an IV sticking out of her arm and many other tubes and wires that connected to one big machine.

"Most of that we just took out today." Said the man who looked to be a doctor while holding a chart and scribbling something feverishly on it. She looked from him to the machine. The room was cold and whatever was still hooked into her was just as cold. "We just took you out of an induced coma." He spoke of something so serious with a straight and unconcerned face. Simca's mind was spinning but that wasn't anything different from any other day. "You suffered from some serious trama to the head and you had a few cracked ribs, a dislocated arm, and a serious gash in your side." Simca moved her hand to the area where she hadn't noticed had begun to feel pain and felt something warm but hard on her side. "You lost a lot of blood and you almost died." He looked over his clip board at Simca and saw her rubbing at her side. "Please don't take that off." He said looking at her unendingly. She looked away from him suddenly becoming over aware that they were the only ones in the room.

"How did I get here?" She repeated while wincing at the amount of strain it took her to get those words out.

The doctor sighed and flipped some pages back on his clip board before looking back down at her again. "It says that a man found you on the streets and told someone to call the police."

Simca tried to sit up but her chest ached and a sharp pain panged in her chest which caused her to fall back and wince at the pain that shot up her shoulder.

"Please don't attempt to get up ma'am." He looked at her from the side and continued to write on his clipboard.

"Who was it?" The doctor stopped writing and put down his clipboard sighing and rolling his eyes impatiently.

"What?" He said as he looked at her with obvious aggravation and annoyance.

"Who found me?" She spat at him angered by his response.

He kept looking at her then lifted up his chart he sat there for a while flipping through different pages.

"Well?" Simca asked impatiently.

The doctor placed his clipboard down on the table next to him and stood up. Simca tried to lift herself up but the pain shot back through her chest again and she yelped in pain. "That's why you shouldn't disrespect people trying to help you. A nobody like you who has no personal belongings and no one for us to call but the director of this hospital which is by the way the only reason you even got this much treatment should stay quiet and know your place. Other people in your position would have been patched up and sent on there way but the director said that she would pay for YOUR medical expenses. I sure hope that doesn't come out of my paycheck."

Simca chuckled and the doctor whipped his head back around to look at her. "God forbid you lose a few hundred dollars from you thousand dollar an hour salary. That would be just awful." She stuck her lip out and pouted.

The doctor reached for her and yanked off the bed sheets. Simca went to raise her hands in defense but flashes started entering her mind. Her body froze as the man also grabbed her hospital gown. Just before he yanked on that, the door behind him opened. Simca was instantly drawn back to the present as the sound of familiar sounding heels clacked into the room and a familiar looking figure stood behind the doctor.

"Doctor, please put her down."

Simca's flashback was interrupted by the ringing of the elevator's bell. She shook her head and tried to refocus on the present. She took a few steps forward and stopped. The truth that she hadn't even wanted to admit to herself was that she was nervous. She did care about her brother even though he betrayed the team; their family. Even though he left and considered her an enemy and didn't ever once help her when she was in danger, she still considered him her brother and still cared deeply for him despite the fact that his actions hurt her the most. We haven't even talked. Not really. So what will be said today? This is completely pointless. He won't even acknowledge my existence. He hasn't acknowledged my existence since…What does it even matter? I am not going in there! She folded her arms and huffed. Ikki walked around her and looked at her.

"So you get this far but you won't go any further?" He stared at her for a long while. She shifted uncomfortably under his gaze but answered.

"I didn't want to come here anyway. This was your idea!" She said sharply. "Spitfire was my brother not him." She looked down and to the side trying to hide the hurt expression that she had been fighting ever since Ikki had proposed this trip to her. "Why do you want to go? Sora used you and tried to kill you for a title that was refused to him. Why would you go? What purpose does it serve?" She desperately fought back the tears that were threatening to fall and expose themselves and her true feelings. Ikki could read her though, he knew how she felt. He rested a hand on Simca's shoulder. She looked up at him with pink eyes that were irritated from the constant struggle within Simca's heart.

"I want to go because I need to see Sora. I have a few things I have to say to him. Your brother almost died; you can't tell me that you don't or didn't care. Or is this the famous blood ties between siblings and family that people always rant about? He is your family, for all you know, you guys could be the only ones left. Don't you at least want to talk to him and tell him how you feel?" Ikki was surprised by what he said because he hadn't really understood his reasoning for wanting to visit Sora until now. He ignored his own shock and peered at Simca. Wow I sounded totally cool and all wisdom-like right there, but I wonder if she bought it? I mean until a few seconds ago I didn't even know why I was coming to see him. He watched her closely and waited for her answer.

Simca sighed heavily, so much so that her shoulders heaved upon her exhale. She shook her head and stepped back from Ikki. He lowered his head and prepared to tell her to wait for him there but when he looked up she was gone.

"Hello! Do you know which room Kilik is in?" Simca asked as she smiled a little forcefully at the nurse.

The nurse at the nurse's station looked up and returned Simca's smile. "Do you know his last name?"

"I don't think we have one." She smiled earnestly at the nurse.

The nurse once again returned the smile although she looked a tad bit confused. "Are you a relative of his?" The nurse asked while seeing similarities between the two before Simca even answered.

"Yes. I am his twin sister." She had meant for that to come out slightly more cheerful but instead it had a flatness to its tone.

The nurse leaned forward and grabbed Simca's hands excitedly. "I knew it I just knew it! Oh I love twins I think they are so cute, especially with that inner communication thing that they have!" She turned to see Ikki nodding in satisfaction to the nurse supporting his earlier claims. He had walked up and stood beside her at the nurse's station. The nurse's expression calmed and she looked at Ikki. "Is he with you?"

Simca turned and looked where the nurse had focused her attention. She saw Ikki playing with the stethoscopes and steeling way more mint candies than he needed to. She sighed and nodded. The nurse raised an eyebrow. "Really?" The nurse asked with obvious confusion.

"Yes." Simca leaned on the desk and ran her fingers through her hair in an irritated and exasperated fashion.

"Wow. Ok." The nurse answered still looking at Ikki who was now running up to different patients in the hall and asking them if he had a heartbeat.

"Oh we also came to see Sora Takeuchi!" She added in a rush remembering that they were in the same room.

"Ok." The nurse said after she finally tore her eyes from watching Ikki. "Is he related to him?"

Simca looked upwards for a second and tried to think up a way to explain their relationship, finally she decided on a simple… "Something like that." She tilted her head and smiled as innocently as she could. The nurse shrugged.

"Well ok as long as you say so." She hadn't needed to look them up because she frequented their room to see Kilik often. After he regained consciousness she thought that she could get to know him but he paid no mind to her attempts at flirtation and waved her off many times when her incessant babbling became too much for him to tolerate. Finally the nurse looked up at Simca from behind her computer screen and said… "Room 301."

Simca bowed and went to collect Ikki when the nurse called her back. "Um miss?" Simca turned back to the nurse. "Um could you… I mean… what type of women is your brother interested in?" She asked shyly.

Simca thought for a moment how she was going to answer her question. "The involved kind." She beamed her 100 watt smile at the woman and went to fetch Ikki, leaving the nurse confused and curious.

After Simca grabbed Ikki and confiscated the stethoscopes from him they walked around in search of the room. "Hey Ikki?" Simca looked up at the pouting boy beside her and ignored his palpable look of irritation. He looked down at her and grunted. Simca took that to mean that she had his attention and continued. "Has Rika been to see Sora yet?" Ikki looked surprised to hear Simca ask the question but he merely shrugged.

"I have no idea. I have been busy lately so I haven't gotten to see much of her lately but the last time I did see her she hadn't been; something about it being too confusing and trying to keep the peace or something like that" He raised an eyebrow "why the sudden curiosity?" Simca shook her head.

"It's nothing I guess." So she is avoiding him. I wonder if they know that's why she hasn't been to see Sora yet. Finally they stopped in front of a door with the numbers 301 next to it. There was a long pause as they looked at the door with uncertainty, then they both sighed and reached for the door handle. Their hands touched and they both yanked them back in surprise. Ikki rubbed his head uncomfortably.

"Why don't you open it? I mean you are the only one out of the two of us related to someone in there." She looked back at him ready to protest but decided not to. She reached her shaking hand and rested it on the handle. Both of them seemed tense and the air around them was full of a thick film of nervousness and anxiety. Simca's hand shook but did not make any moves to actually move the handle so Ikki rested his on hers. She looked up at him and they exchanged a wordless understanding and they both with their combined strength pushed on the door handle and the door clicked open.

They backed up and looked as the door creaked open. Slowly with Ikki leading they stepped in through the door.

The room was very large and had two beds that sat right across from each other. Although no one was in them, they surveyed the room carefully then they looked at each other.

"L-looks like they aren't here." Ikki said as he rubbed his head. Simca nodded and they stood in the doorway not knowing what to do when they heard two voices.

"Who isn't here?" The voices said in unison. Simca and Ikki jumped into the room and grabbed each other. "Well, well, well; I didn't think we would see you guys around here." One of the voices said as he walked into the room under the light that revealed his identity. The person behind him walked up as well and stopped where the other stood. "Indeed." The other voice bellowed.

Ikki and Simca sharply drew in the air around them when they realized that the two figures were Kilik and Sora. "What are you two doing here?" Sora asked amongst a sneer. Ikki spoke first although he was so angry about them scaring him that he forgot the situation.

"What are you tryin' to do KILL US!?" He yelled as he tried to quiet down his breathing. Simca nudged him and he looked down at her and she began mouthing words and Ikki tried to follow them. "Don't forget what we are here for." Then as if a light bulb went off in his head he jumped and slammed his fist onto his palm. "Oh yeah… I forgot." He laughed nonchalantly and his laughter seemed to quiet Simca's heart and mind. They turned to each other nodded and turned back to the men. "We have something to say to you!" They yelled in unison and Sora laughed.

"That's hilarious! Since when did you guys get so close?" He asked whipping a nonexistent tear from his eye. "Are you two still getting into trouble? Oh wait!" Kilik turned and looked at Sora and he eyed him suspiciously. "Are you two dating?" He asked, accompanied with more laughter. Kilik shot a dangerous glance towards Ikki and he quickly looked away. Sora patted Kilik on the shoulder reassuringly. "Don't worry buddy, I am sure she knows exactly what she is doing." He flashed a quick smile Simca's way and she turned away from him.

"I have had enough. Let's go Ikki; I can't deal with this anymore." She reached for Ikki's hand but he grabbed hers. "Lets see what they have to say Simca. We came all of this way. I can't have been for nothing. I mean they are standing right in front of us so lets say what we came to say." Ikki looked at her intensely and she began to blush from there contact as well as his eyes bearing into hers. She turned away from him to hide her embarrassment and nodded. He smiled. "Alright then!" He cheered victoriously. Simca reached her other hand up and tugged on his sleeve, he looked back down at her. "What is it Simca?" "My hand…" She whispered. Ikki looked down at their joined hands he blushed slightly but shrugged off her comment. "Yeah what about it…?" She fidgeted and stood up straight and looked him in the eye. Well I saw Kilik's reaction earlier I wonder if he really is mad at the fact that I might be with Ikki. It seems too late to be protective now though. She shrugged, Oh well I guess I am just going to have to find out if that's the reason for the glare earlier. She turned on some of the charm she had when they had met again at the park for what Ikki thought was the first time. "You can hold my hand as long as you want Ikki in fact" she said looking out the corner of her eyes at her brother "you can hold whatever you want." Ikki looked at her and his face grew red as he looked down at their hands and his mind drifted into things he normally only saw in his dreams. He immediately let go and stood at attention in front of Sora. "Oh well." Simca teased. Kilik's eyes bore down on Ikki and he stepped closer to Sora.

Sora laughed loudly. "Wow Simca, it seems you haven't changed a bit."

Simca smirked at him and answered, "There are many things that have changed about me."

Sora who had finally seemed satisfied with the situation looked at Simca. "Well what is it that you wanted to say?"

A big thank you to my regular reviewers WolFang1011 and TheSkyKing for your reviews and a thank you to The Tempest Road and tsukunexmoka (love that pairing by the way) for your reviews as well, they are greatly appreciated. Also, a thank you to |MintyxFresh|, Kenji Hayabusa, TheSkyKing, WolFang1011, and tsukunexmoka for marking my story as one of your favorites, and thank you to Frenzied Penguin, |MintyxFresh|, PetiteSaki, TheSkyKing, The Tempest Road, WolFang1011, and tsukunexmoka for following the story so far. Thanks for the support everyone and I will keep trying to make this story enjoyable! If you have any suggestions let me know.