Daisukezgirl13:--sitting by a campfire, writing in a journal.--Oh, hey readers! Sorry I haven't updated…I've been enjoying the peace and serenity of the wild outdoors…I am really looking forward to updating this chappie…The update of this chappie thanks can go to MississippiGirl13, Magnatron's Crazy Sister, dark kitsune spirit, AutumnTwilightDragon, Tomoyo Kinomoto, Moonlit-Kris, and chichiri's angel. They were the only ones who reviewed on my 18th chappie. Mostly MississippiGirl13 because she broke the "100 Reviews" goal I had for myself. I now, to this current moment, have 101 reviews! And now, I'm going to fix chappie 19…

--opens pink pen cap and puts pen to notebook…but pen doesn't write…she tries again…still doesn't work…she checks ink and screams…--

D: I'm out of pink ink! I CAN'T WRITE WITHOUT MY PINK PEN!!!THIS STORY WILL GO UNFINISHED UNLESS I FIND ANOTHER PINK PEN!!!

--begins to hypervenalate--

D: Okay, I have enough ink to finish fixing the rest of this chappie…Then, I must find another pen, or else, I can't write…I will go across the earth to find a pink pen! I must! For you readers!

--gets up and packs things--

D: TO THE NEAREST K-MART!!!

--runs off after extinguishing fire--

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Kish opened his eyes, but closed them quickly when he felt a hot, searing pain pierce his back. A fresh wave of tears washed over him and they slid down his cheeks and down his neck. He felt a faint breeze and shivered uncontrollably. He rustled around under the…blanket? He opened his eyes and saw that he was lying on a small bed, lying under a thin blanket. He looked under the blanket and saw that his shirt had been removed and bandages had been tightly wrapped around his torso. He sat up, wincing, and looked at the room that he was laying in.

It was a bland room, nothing but a bed, a side table, on which laid the dagger. On the floor was a bowl with bloody water in it and a bloody rag. His blood crusted shirt was hanging on the footboard of the bed. And, in a small chair next to the bed, was Mina…fast asleep. Her chest was slowly moving up and down, showing peaceful dreams. He envied her for that. What he had was nothing even close to a dream…It was a nightmare…

Suddenly, Mina's face screwed up in pain and she grimaced. Kish was about to wake her when a small but understandable word escaped her lips…

"Kish…" He refrained from touching her and she twisted in the seat, continuing to utter small words…which grew to complete phrases.

"I'm sorry I lied to you…..I was in exile…..I…." He sighed and thought to himself, It's her dream to overcome…Not fair for me to interfere with… He was going to lie back down, but her next phrase almost made Kish fall off of the bed.

"…Betwixt and Beyond…" He looked at her and thought back to his encounter with the tenshi girl.

The tenshi spoke in a kind voice saying, "My name is of no importance. I know your name because I am meant to. I am the Keeper of the Betwixt and Beyond."

It can't be…she can't be the tenshi girl…It's impossible! Kish thought incredulously. He thought of how she looked like the tenshi girl…And how could this Mina also now about Kyo being his brother? It made no sense! He thought of how had a first glance, thought the tenshi girl to be Ichigo.

The harsh and cold reality came crashing down around him. Ichigo…Oh my…He looked down at the "Ichigo necklace" and thought about her wondrous eyes, how they captivated his very soul. Suddenly, the necklace burned white hot against his bare chest. He yelped and grabbed a corner of the blanket to hold the hot necklace.

The yelp had awakened Mina. She jotted awake and rubbed her sleep covered eyes. She looked at Kish and when she saw him sitting up, she smiled and stood up. "I'm so glad you're finally awake Kish!" She ran over to the door and opened it, shouting into the hallway, "Everyone, he's awake!" She ran back to Kish's side and helped him to place his feet on the cold, wooden floor.

A minute later, Ryou, Keiichiro walked in first, and then the now four Mews and Kyo in work uniforms filed in. When they saw Kish sitting up and awake, they smiled and said their hello's with much enthusiasm. Kish would've smiled, were he not in so much pain.

Keiichiro stepped forward and was the first to speak. "Glad to see you well again Kish. You had everyone really worried, especially Mina here. She hasn't gone home at all. She insisted to staying here to care for you. Before she bandaged you, we gave you a small x-ray, and discovered that fall off of the stool left you with a minor concussion." Kish briefly remembered the fall and reached up to feel the right side of his head. It was caked in dried blood. He brushed some away, wincing at every tiny touch and asked in a small murmur. "How long've I been out of it?" Keiichiro looked hesitantly at Ryou before responding.

"About two days."

"Two whole days??" Kish asked in complete shock. His vision swam in front of him and he fought the urge to pass out. "Where's Ichigo's body? I need to see her again…" Ryou stepped forward this time and said, "We couldn't just leave her here. I used one of the mausoleums of my family's to place her in. She is still in her glass covered coffin, but only until this Friday. After that, she will be laid to rest, as she should be." Kish now fought the urge to vomit on the floor. I missed so much… Just because I couldn't stay conscious…She would've wanted me to be strong…

Ryou interrupted his thoughts as he spoke again. "I don't mean to ask you this I your current state of health but, what the hell happened to you while you were unconscious? You seemed fine, at first after the fall. Then, about two days ago, you woke up with a bloody dagger in your hand and a wound to match in your back. You collapsed, bled even more, and have been sleeping solid for two days. What the hell happened?"

Kish sighed and told them of his dream of Ichigo. When he got to the part about her stabbing him, the whole room cringed and couldn't believe their ears.

"And now, I'm here with a dagger that isn't even supposed to exist." He picked it up and compared it to the gem in his necklace. One in the same alright. Keiichiro looked hard down at the necklace and the dagger and said, "May I see that dagger and necklace? I want to run some tests." Kish handed him the dagger, but protectively clamped the necklace in his cold hand. "I don't want this to be with anyone but me…It was her's and the only thing left I have to remember her by." Tears fell from his golden eyes and his soul was flooded by so many memories. He lay back down and Mina looked at him concerned.

"Everyone, I know you're concerned for him, but he needs rest. I will look after him. Please don't worry." She smiled and they all agreed and left to go back to work.

Mina walked out of the room and soon returned with new cloths and a fresh bowl of water. She wet a cloth and laid it on his forehead.

"How are you feeling?" She asked tenderly. He rustled around and closed his eyes, again fighting the urge to be sick. She waited a minute before she spoke.

"I'll be right back…I'm going to get something for you…It'll make you feel a little better!" She got up and ran out of the room. He looked out the open window and pondered about the many doubts in his mind. Everything he thought was right was wrong. Everything he believed in and loved was torn out from underneath of him. He was torn wrongfully away from the love of his life…That chose love over life for him…He didn't deserve her sacrifice…

"Kish…" He sat up and the necklace grew warm on his skin. The sweat dripped down his shaped abs. The sweat on his brow slid into his eye, but he didn't blink…He was to intent on listening…Listening to the voice that should not exist anymore…His life suddenly felt unresolved and incomplete. He was about to scream in frustration, but Mina burst through the door with rice balls on a tray.

"I brought us a snack!" She said triumphantly. He sighed as the voice became nothing but a whisper and then, became silent…sinking into the back of his mind, waiting to strike again…

Mina sat down and placed the tray on the foot of the bed. "My mom used to make rice balls for me when ever I'd get sad or sick…Such a simple token is all I have of her left…" Kish stared at her as he bit into a rice ball. It was at that moment that Mina's words struck him. "Your mother is…"

"Yes, she passed away when I was eight…I miss her so much, but the more of her that I spread to people, the more people will know of her, the more I won't miss her too much and the more I can let go!" She smiled and bit into a rice ball herself. Kish stared at her and had an emotional déjà vu. Her face wanted to make him laugh and cry at the same time. He finished his first rice ball and began on a second one. She did too and they ate in semi silence, only the occasional murmur.

Finally, after Kish's third rice ball, he stopped eating and sat back. He looked at Mina eating and thought to himself, It's now or never…He sighed and turned his whole body toward her as he jumped off the ledge of his safety.

"Mina, when you were asleep before I screamed and woke you up, do you remember what you were dreaming about?" He waited and looked at her eyes. He saw fear, apprehension, and…was that doubt and fear too? She sighed and put her half eaten rice ball back on the platter.

"Yes…I remember every detail…But…I don't want to…" He started to get angry and said in a shaky tone, "You said 'Betwixt and Beyond'…What does that mean?" She shook and said, "I can't tell anyone…They told me that if I kept it a secret…I could stay here…" He stood up and grabbed her shoulders.

"What the hell does that mean?!"

"I…can't…say…" An uncontrollable anger over took him and he slapped her. He looked at her and he quickly sat down again. "Mina…I am so-"

"Forget it…I want you to be happier that I am…" She got up and closed the window. She sat back down and sighed heavily before she began.

"Kish, what I'm about to reveal to you is completely secret so you cannot reveal it to anyone…Even Kyo…" He wondered why she specifically mentioned Kyo, but he kept his questions to himself as he let her continue.

"Kish, my name is not Mina Momachi…It's Minako, and I'm an alien, just like you…In fact, I am your ex."

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D: Okay, crisis adverted…I went out in the middle of typing this and went to K-Mart…A PINK PEN FOUND!!! The story is back on!!! I can now continue this story…and I hope that more reviews pour in ((hint hint)). LOL! Hope this cliffy will be enough to spark your interests!

With Smiles,

Madison