A//N: Well hope you enjoy this chapter as well, even though it's the shortest I've written for this story in a while. Rad and Review and I will see you all soon...well not see, but you get the point...

"May I?" The woman seemed to cower slightly under his gaze even though Fai's face was held in a gentle smile. After a moment of staring at his hair and eyes she nodded and moved aside. Fai knew that word had gotten through the castle that visitors from another world had arrived. This combined with the fact that it might have spread through the castle that he was an oni might have scared the woman. "Thank you." He bowed slightly before he slid the door open and walked inside.

It was Kurogane's room. "Um...please...be careful?" The scared woman said from the doorway and Fai smiled back at her giving a short nod. As the blond looked to the bed he heard the woman's footsteps running off.

He stared at the still form for a long minute before he finally sat down on his knees beside him. "Kurogane..." He closed his eye and laced his fingers together as if he were praying. "Kurogane."

His blood was potent. Fai was hungry, but had no desire to drink, still even though it made him want it more he breathed in the scent that was so strong through the ninja's skin. It told him that Kurogane was going to live. It told him that he was recovering quickly. It told him that soon, Kurogane would wake up.

Fai still did not know what he was going to say to Kurogane when he woke up. There were so many things that Fai could say to him. He could cry, he could yell, he could be silent, he could smile. So many options, yet none of them seemed right to him. He had so many mixed feelings. He was angry. He was angry that Kurogane had done such a thing for him, risking his own life and putting himself through pain and coma. Even though he was angry, he was also happy. Fai was happy that someone actually cared enough about him to do something like that for him. He matter to someone. He was confused. Fai didn't know why he cared, how much he cared, or what that caring meant...

So many emotions. They all filled his heart to the brim, so much in fact that he wondered how his body could contain them all without some sort of explosion.

Then there was also the future to think about. He had seen two possible futures, but there was no way to know how far down the road, or how long those futures would last. Still, he wanted at least the last one to happen. He wanted it almost as much as he had wanted to bring Fai back to life. He wanted it even though it might have only been a day in their lives. To see Kurogane smile like that...

If he wanted it, he had to work for it. He could not just sit and wait for it to come to him. If he did that it would never come. If he kept running away or even if he just stood still he'd never get what he wanted. He had to be like Syaoran. He had to be like Kurogane. He had to take life and fate head on and say it could and would be changed before his feet.

He had decided that yesterday as he'd sat in the room of mirrors, the only problem now was deciding what he was going to do to fight his fate. What was he going to do to get what he wanted?

"I do believe you are stable."

Fai's eye opened and he looked to the door. He smiled gently at Tomoyo who stood there in all her glory. "Am I?" She nodded. "Well, I have you to thank for that, now don't I?"

This time the princess shook her head. "No. All I did was help you see more clearly, you did the rest." She smiled and came forward to Fai, placing her hand on his shoulder. "Since you are now stable you can see Mokona."

Fai's smile widened. "Thank you...in fact, that's just what I need." The blond quickly got to his feet and went to the door. Once at the door he paused for a moment, looking back to Tomoyo. "Tomoyo-hime?"

"Yes Fai?"

"If he wakes up, and I'm not here...please send for me?"

"I'll have Souma fetch you."

"Thank you." Fai slid the door shut and walked on toward where he had been earlier told that Syaoran had been sleeping. He remembered Tomoyo saying that Mokona had been with him, and if Fai knew Mokona, the creature still hadn't left the boy's side.

He was correct. The moment he opened the door to where Syaoran was said to be sleeping he felt a small pressure at his chest. "Fai! Fai! You're okay!"

Fai's mouth curled slightly upward into a smile and he hugged Mokona gently, one hand going to the top of it and stroking it gently as if it were a cat or a dog. "Yes Mokona. I'm all right. Thank you for worrying about me."

"How could Mokona not worry?!" Mokona sniffed and snuggled closer to Fai's chest as if it were trying to dig its way into Fai's body so that there would never be any doubt about his condition ever again. "Mokona didn't know what happened to Fai after we were all taken away!"

"We're all fine. Even Kurogane...he should be waking up soon."

"Really?" Fai smiled down at Mokona and nodded. "That's wonderful Fai!"

"I know. However, can Mokona do me a big favor now? Before Kurogane wakes up?" Mokona nodded as best as it could and Fai continued. "I need you to contact Witch-san and then fall asleep...I wish to speak to her alone."

Mokona seemed to mumble worriedly to itself for a moment before the jewel shinned and the screen came up. "Fai?" Yuuko looked at the mage questioningly, waiting for him to speak.

For a minute Fai did not speak, he waited and waited until he was sure Mokona was fast asleep. "Yes Witch-san. I have a request. A real wish."

"Oh? What is so important or dangerous that you request that Mokona be asleep?"

Fai shook his head. "It's not the wish itself that is so dangerous, but the price I am willing to pay for it. I'm pretty sure Mokona and the others would not like it."

"What is your price?"

Fai took in a deep breath, it was hard for him to say, he'd always been so dependent on this thing, his life used to count on it, but now...He had so little of it left that it hardly mattered. He had another life force now, and he was willing to give this other thing up if it meant he got his wish. "The blue color in my right eye."

For a moment Yuuko was silent, and then she nodded. "All right. With that price, what is it that you wish?"

"I want Kurogane to have a left arm again."

"You do realize that it will not be his original arm?"

Fai nodded. "I do."

"All right. The price and wish are balanced. I will grant your wish Fai. Kurogane will get a new arm. I will want my payment when it arrives."

Fai bowed very slightly in her direction. "Thank you. It will be paid at that time."

As he stood straight he thought he saw Yuuko smile very faintly, but he figured it was a trick of the light. "I look forward to it. Have a good day."

"You too." The screen turned off and Fai sat on the edge of Syaoran's bed. He smiled slightly at Syaoran's sleeping form. He set Mokona down in the cradle that Syaoran's arms made. He knew that Mokona would wake up soon, but until then he would let the two sleep together.

Syaoran looked so peaceful. Fai wondered what he was dreaming of. Was he dreaming of Sakura? Was he dreaming of going home? Was it even pleasant? For all Fai knew it was a nightmare and it just didn't show on his face. Fai hoped that it wasn't a nightmare, the blond sincerely hoped that it was in fact a good dream. As much as Fai hoped this, there was no way to know, and even if Fai did know there was nothing he could do...

He stroked Syaoran's hair gently. Thinking over everything he came back onto what he was going to say to Kurogane when he woke up. He didn't have the faintest clue...he wished he could get a clue, but he really didn't feel like paying Yuuko for one. He had to figure it out for himself. He didn't have good confidence in his coming up with a good speech, however he did believe that whatever he ended up saying would be the right thing in the end...

Fai put his hand to his mouth as he yawned. Even though it was only early afternoon he hadn't slept he night before, rather he had paced around the castle trying to figure out everything he would and could do. After all, he had to fight for what he wanted. He couldn't throw his life away, he had to fight, he had to learn, he had many things he had to do...the most important of which was love. He had finally gotten a small plan, most of which he had just finished executing, but it would take a lot more than that before he was done fighting. He had to make the plan as he went...

Fai's eyes snapped open...he sat up. Had he fallen asleep? He rubbed his head and yawned...he must have. He supposed it was a good thing. He felt more refreshed, less hungry even. The vampire went to the window and pulled it open. It was rather hard for him to figure out how to do it, but he was pleased when he had.

A fresh breeze blew against his face. It was late at night and the wonderful smell of it just filled him...it smelled wonderful. It was full of wildflowers, fresh air, other greenery, scents that places far away carried to here. It was so calming. "Fai."

The youngling smiled slightly. "Souma?"

"He's awake. Princess Tomoyo says that you can see him after she's done."

Fai's eye grew wide and he instantly leaned back inside the building and shut the window. He turned around and bowed to Souma taking in a deep breath as if he were unsure that he was ready for this. "Thank you." The blond didn't wait for a response as he ran past her and toward where he knew Kurogane's room was. He didn't even know what he was going to say. He didn't know what was going to happen, but he wanted to be by Kurogane's side. He wanted to be there...he didn't want Kurogane to be alone. No. That wasn't quite correct. He didn't want Kurogane to be without him.

Fai's footsteps faltered when he got close to the room. He began to walk and when he got to the door he heard Tomoyo's voice talking to Kurogane. He closed his eye and stood by the door for a minute, not wanting to disturb the probably meaningful conversation. After all, Tomoyo was the most important person to Kurogane...

"I'm sorry to keep you waiting. You can come in now." Fai wasn't terribly surprised that she had known that he was there. The blond reached out and pulled the door more open before he walked in. He looked up slightly to the person he wanted to see more than anything.

Kurogane's face seemed to be blank. He just stared up at Fai, and when Fai didn't say anything he spoke one word. "Hey."

Fai knew he needed to do or say something, but his mind didn't know what to do or say...so he did the first thing that came to his mind... He drew back one hand and his other fisted as he brought it right down on Kurogane's head, driving the man right back into the curtains of his bed. Fai smiled, but was also slightly shocked, he hadn't known that he had the strength to hit Kurogane that hard. Even his mouth spoke on its own. "That's payback Kuro-sama." Kurogane was always telling him he'd hit Fai if he did something stupid. So why shouldn't Fai hit Kurogane if Kurogane did something stupid?

A larger smile curled his lips, it was a real smile. As idiotic as Kurogane's actions of cutting his arm off for Fai were, Fai was glad he'd done it. It had made him who he was, and they were both here, alive and well. It didn't stop him from being suddenly so very angry at Kurogane for risking his life like that and making him worry.

"Bastard! I'll kill you for that!" They both seemed to glare flames at each as if they were rivals. For over a minute they stayed like this until Tomoyo giggled and said that she'd leave the two alone.

Fai's eyes broke the staring contest smiling brightly at Tomoyo and bowing as she left the room before his piercing gaze turned back to Kurogane. "Well? What do you have to say for yourself? Why the hell did you disobey me again?! If you had died we both would have died and it all would have been for nothing!"

"You really want to know why I couldn't leave you there?"

"Yes."

Kurogane reached out with his only hand and grabbed at Fai's arm, pulling him forward, almost as if he didn't want Fai to get away. He held him as close as he could. Fai didn't fight the actions only staring at Kurogane's face with determination. "I figured that if I could get rid of my arm for a possibility of us both surviving, I'd rather take that chance then go on without you."

Fai frowned. "Why?"

"You've said several times that you love me. Well it's my turn." Kurogane leaned as close to Fai's face as he could. Fai could feel him breathe out the next words onto his lips. "I love you."