Chapter Twenty-One: Recovery

"Onee-chan?"

Tohru jumped, yelled, and dropped the bag of rice in her hands, but opened her arms an instant later for Kisa to jump into. "Kisa-chan! I didn't know you were going to visit." Kisa stepped back from her as Hatsuharu entered the room and picked up the unopened bag of rice.

"Hatori told us Yuki and Kyo are sick. Are they any better?"

Tohru looked at the taller's worried face and shook her head. Kazuma had told her how sick the boys were, but she couldn't believe it. They were dying and there were no good alternatives or treatments. If it was affecting their brains then, essentially, it was a death sentence. "I think Yuki and Kyo are the same as when you talked to Hatori-san. We all just have to wait for Hatori-san to finish running the tests." Kisa squeezed Tohru tighter. She had never been close to Kyo, and she wasn't really close to Yuki, but it was still terrifying to think that they might die soon.

"How are- I mean, are Shishou-san and Ayame-san handling this okay?" Tohru simply shrugged.

"I don't know. How are any of us supposed to handle this? I-it shouldn't be real. There's not reason these beautiful, bright, vibrant, wonderful kids should die so suddenly and senselessly." She laughed at herself then. "I shouldn't be so morbid. We don't know anything yet. We just have to wait."

Ayame pushed the child's hair off his sweaty brow, mind focused only on Yuki. He knew what Hatori had said, he had heard it, but he didn't really believe it. It was too horrible to be true. Yuki moaned in his sleep again and squirmed. Ayame didn't freak out this time because Yuki hadn't been staying silent or still for very long. Hatori had said this was good, that Yuki's body was trying to fix whatever was wrong. He had thought Yuki was going to wake up a couple of times, but he never had. Ayame didn't even look up when someone knocked on the door.

Haru entered the dark room silently and sat beside the bed, across from Ayame. Yuki didn't look that bad for potentially having a fatal infection. He was pale, sweaty, and breathing heavily, but that was just how he looked when sick. "Hatori-san called and said it would be about another half hour before he can tell us anything." Ayame's head had snapped up at the mention of his best friend, but returned to Yuki when Haru had finished. What was he supposed to say? Should he tell Ayame how worried he was? That probably wouldn't help his cousin any, but was there anything that would help him?

Everyone could hear the phone echo through the silent house. There was no second ring. The other six occupants could hear Tohru politely answer the phone. It as only a minute later when she sat the phone back in its cradle, but still no one talked. Ayame and Kazuma had both come down and were looking at the teen who had fallen to her knees.

"It's bad, isn't it?"

Dr. Hatori Sohma walked quickly through the main house, determined to get the answers he needed. He almost didn't knock when he came to Akito's room; however, he knew he would get nothing without some decorum.

"I need to see Akito-san. Now." Kureno looked faintly surprised to see the doctor.

"Akito isn't taking visitors right now. You can-"

"I need to see him now. Yuki and Kyo are dying." Kureno's eyebrows shot into his hairline, and he eyes become dinner plates.

"What? What happened?"

"If you let me see Akito-san, I will explain everything." Kureno looked at him for another second before turning. Hatori followed him, but stopped as the other man knelt at the head of the family's side and quickly explained the situation. Akito motioned Hatori forward to join Kureno on the floor.

"I know they're dying; I can feel it. They're not going to die. This is just a side effect of being little."

"A side effect? How do know they won't die?"

"There are two shots in the box over there. Kureno, get it. Give this to them and they will be fine. They'll be fine if you don't give them the shots; it's just vitamins." Hatori clenched his fists and reminded himself that hurting Akito would only make matters worse.

"The infection is attacking their brains. How will they be fine with no treatment?"

"It's just part of the first shot they received. They should wake up tomorrow sometime, and then you'll have to deal with to miserable, cranky, insubordinate children. Leave now, or I will make sure that Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun are more miserable.

Hatori took the shots and left, but he didn't believe a word out of Akito's mouth. This couldn't just go away. How was he supposed to explain this?

The stared at him, stunned. "Akito-san told you this?" Ayame asked.

"Yes, though I don't believe him. I'm going to give them the shot anyway before I go back to the lab to see what treatment I can come up with."

"So nothing's changed? They're still sick, and you don't know why."

"Yes."

Shishou remained silent as he went back to the boys' room. Ayame rubbed his face and resumed his watch over Yuki while Hatori gave Kyo the shot. He glanced up as the orange haired child cried out in his sleep. Ayame held Yuki's hand and stroked his hair with the other while saying nonsense soothing words as Hatori administered the shot. Yuki yelled also, but was soon silent again. Both men settled back and tried fruitlessly to distract themselves.

The night was endless, consumed with doubts and fears though ever so slowly the boys' temperatures were coming down. When the sun finally began shining through the windows and birds started chirping, the boys were hovering around 102 degrees Fahrenheit; still high, but no longer dangerous. Hatori was amazed and confused at the improvement. An infection of the brain doesn't just go away. He examined both again, drew more blood, and left to run more tests.

All the members of the zodiac had been told about the children's sickness, and most of them had spent the night at Shigure's, including the parents of the younger ones. None of them had gone to school.

Tohru was trying to keep busy and to stay positive. Their fevers were down! That was good news! Maybe Akito-san had been telling the truth and the infection would pass. Maybe everything would be fine in a few days.

"Will Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun really be all right? Hatori-san made it sound really bad." Akito snorted at his companion.

"Of course they will be. Are you doubting my judgment?" Kureno was used to Akito's icy glare.

"No, of course not, but-"

"No buts. We're not discussing this any longer." Kureno simply turned away, silent.

"Onee-chan?" Tohru turned to the girl beside her. "Was Akito-san right about Yuki-kun and Kyo-kun?"

"I hope so. Their temperatures have gone down, and Yuki-kun is breathing better. Maybe Akito-san is right."

The day passed even more slowly than the previous night as the boys slowly improved. It was almost a complete twenty-four hours after Kyo had gotten sick when the small neko slowly opened his eyes.

Kyo immediately wanted to close his eyes back to sleep even more. Every inch of him was on fire. He wanted Daddy! He wanted Daddy to hold him and to make it all better. Where was his dad? It took him only a second longer to find his dad next to him. He tried to get his attention because Kazuma was talking quietly to someone that the child couldn't see. He tried desperately to say "Dad," but all that came out was a pitiful moan.

Kazuma didn't think anything of the moan from the bed and only quickly glanced over before turning back to Ayame. It took half a second longer for his brain to register what he had seen. "Kyo?" He completely abandoned Ayame and came closer to his son. "Kyo, can you hear me?" Kyo tried to nod his head, but everything just hurt so much. "Someone call Hatori!" He snapped back to his son, as another groan was heard, but much louder this time.

Kyo closed his eyes as his dad petted his orange hair though he was soon forced to re-open his eyes. Kazuma smiled, fighting back tears, as his beautiful child opened his eyes and focused on him with a scowl etched on his face. "I know you want to sleep more, but I need you to stay awake until Hatori can come examine you again." Kyo didn't question how a drink was suddenly at his lips as he sucked greedily at the straw, finally stopping the fire in his throat. He actually managed to nod this time when his dad asked him if he felt any better.

It took the sleepy child several minutes to adjust to the dimness of the room, and to realize that Daddy was crying. Tears sprang to his own eyes as his throat protested against the two syllable word. "Daddy?" His father's eyes immediately found his.

"What?" Shishou's voice was thick, more tears spilling down his cheeks.

"Why cry?"

Kazuma smiled and wiped at his face. "I'm happy that you're better. You've been really sick, and no one knew what to do to make you better." He didn't need to know that he had been close to dying. "You'll get better now, so don't worry. Yuki-kun's been sick too, but he's awake now. You're both going to be fine."

Author's note: Neko means cat, unless I have the translation wrong. Sorry if I do, but I meant cat. Okay, I'm not a big fan of this chapter, at all, but there it is. My apologies again. Those who reviewed know I had trouble writing this, and it shows. I think it was so hard partially because one of my friends has AIDs, and I'm still dealing with that, and he's going to die. I think it was a little too close to this situation. I'm working on the next chapter already, and I'm going to try to finish this in the next couple of chapters. THANKS FOR THE REVIEWS!!!!! PLEASE REVIEW!!!