Hello! I am finally back! Sorry it took so long, but I was gone for longer than I originally planned. Okay, this chapter will be slightly shorter than the others, but not by too much. The next will be the length I usually go for (about 3,000 words) so no need to worry about short chapters ^_^ Besides, I think you'll like this one....maybe....perhaps....I dunno... Anyway, read, reveiw, tell me what you think, and use Takuya as your own personal pinata!
Takuya: *hanging by a rope in the ceiling* Hey, this isn't funny! Let me down!
me: Yes it is! *picks up large stick*
Takuya: O_O ....Fuck....
Also, I will begin to write a one-shot on Wednesday, starting with whatever has the most votes on the poll. And thank you for voting, everyone! If there are any tied options, I will either A. Flip a coin and decide that way or B. Do the one where I have more of a storyline set up. So far, I have storyline for each catergory, I just need the details a bit more on a few of them. Right now, the option of me writing a Lemon is in the lead with 8 votes. Also, some might end up as two-shots depending on how they go, but not longer than that. So in the meantime, please enjoy this chapter of Red Rose!
Red Rose
Chapter 20
"So..." Kanae began, trying to start a conversation. "Is your brother going out with that blond girl?"
Kouichi took a sip of his drink, then shook his head. "Zoe? Nah, she's going out with my friend, Takuya."
"Oh, I see," she said. "How long have you known them for?"
"Well, I've known Takuya ever since we were little kids. I met Zoe...uh...pretty recently," Kouichi finally told her, not wanting to reveal too much about the Diclonius.
"She seems familiar." Kanae took a bite of her steamed vegetables. "Like I've seen her before. Is she from around here?"
"No, she's moved all over," Kouichi replied uneasily. "You know, back and forth between a million different places."
Kanae frowned slightly, noticing his anxiety. "I'm sorry, I didn't mean to pry."
Kouichi let out a small chuckle, shaking his head again. "No, you're not prying at all. I just...I don't know..."
The girl smiled at him, reaching over to give his hand a reassuring squeeze. "Relax. I was just curious about your friends. We can talk about something else."
The raven-haired young man smiled back, relieved with the change of subject. "Oh, okay. So, where are you from?"
"Well, I was born in Tokyo," Kanae told him. "I have an older brother, and I live with him and my grandfather. Only problem is that my grandfather is kind of strict, and doesn't allow me to have friends over."
"Wow, that sucks. So, I guess you won't be inviting me over for dinner any time soon, huh?" Kouichi joked.
Kanae smirked. "No, not with the crazy old man running around. But anyway, I've lived with him ever since I was a little kid. My parents were killed in a car accident a few days before my fourth birthday. My brother was seven at the time and our only relative willing to take us in was our grandfather."
Kouichi looked at her sympathetically. "I'm sorry....I had no idea...."
The girl shrugged. "Don't worry about it. You didn't ask for the information; I told you on my own accord. As much as it sucks that I lost my parents, I was still pretty young. I didn't really understand at first, and as time went on, I began to forget about what they were like. It would've hit me much worse if I was around twelve years old or something. So, what about you? Tell me a bit about my family."
"Well, my brother and I lived with our parents up until our eighteenth birthdays, when our dad kicked us out and told us to get off our lazy asses and get jobs. My parents were always fighting and Kouji and I thought that they would divorce. They never did, but there is still the possibility of it happening. The two of us moved in with our friend, J.P., and we were able to find jobs relatively quickly. Then one day I was laid off, we couldn't afford our rent anymore, and we had to move again. Right now Kouji, our friend, and I are staying with that other friend I mentioned, Takuya."
"The one going out with the blond girl, right?" Kanae asked, pretending to think.
Kouichi smiled. "Now you've got it. And can I ask you a question?"
"Sure, what is it?" She inquired, a bit wary about what he may ask.
"Uh, your brother....he's not gonna kick my ass, right? You know, for going on a date with his baby sister?" He half-joked.
Kanae chuckled softly. "Nah, he's not like that. He's a bit psychotic in his own way, but not with the over-protective-brother bullshit."
Kouichi sighed with relief. "Well, that's good. I wouldn't want him to rip my head off....."
Meanwhile
Takuya pulled into the large parking lot of the hospital, driving around each row to find a space.
"Why are there never any parking spaces at hospitals?" He grumbled to himself. "The day I find one is the day Hell freezes over..."
"There's one right there," Zoe told him, pointing to a vacant spot.
Takuya smirked, pulling his Mazda into the space. "I guess Hell froze over..."
For a moment, the four of them sat in the car, remaining silent. Tommy stared at the building, his stomach filled with dread. He felt sick just being in the same area of the building.
He finally sighed, pushing his door open. "Okay, let's go."
Takuya glanced at Zoe, who was also looking at the hospital uneasily. "Zoe, do you want to stay here?"
The blond hesitated, then shook her head. "No....I guess I'll go inside.... But I'll wait in the lobby."
"That's fine," Takuya told her as he stepped out of the car.
They began to make their way over to the towering building, watching as a speeding ambulance drove past them to get to the emergency wing. Its siren filled Tommy's ears, making him relive the day he had called an ambulance for his own mother.
Nana took his hand into hers, giving him a comforting smile as she did so. The girl made Tommy relax slightly, and he smiled in return. They followed Takuya and Zoe in through the automatic door, making their way up to the receptionist's desk. A scrawny woman in her mid-fifties was behind the desk, her face caked with make-up. She wore her thin, gray hair in a tight bun, and her face was contorted in an expression of annoyance as she listened on the phone.
"I'm sorry, sir, but those are what time visiting hours end," she said sternly. "If those times are inconvenient for you, perhaps we can arrange something else to fit your schedule."
She listened for another moment, glancing at the group of teenagers before her. She held up a finger, indicating for them wait one more minute.
"Okay, I'll arrange for you to show up at six o'clock on Sunday," she finally said to the man on the other line. "Okay? Alright, have a nice day."
The woman hung the phone up with an irriated sigh, rubbing her temples in circular motions. A few seconds later, she looked back at the group and gave them a brief smile.
"Hello, what can I do for you?" She asked.
Tommy stepped forward, his head hung down slightly. "I uh, I was wondering if it would be okay to visit my mother..."
"Name?" The woman inquired.
"Amaya Tanaka," he told her, obviously uncomfortable with her last name. "Her maiden name is Himi."
The receptionist scrolled down a list to find the patient. "Are you her son?"
"Yes, ma'am," Tommy replied. "I came here yesterday."
"Ah, here it is," she said. "She's in the same room as she was yesterday, Room 364. You are within visiting hours so you may go up and visit her. Do you remember where the room is?"
Tommy nodded. "Yes, I remember."
"Okay, then you may go whenever you are ready," the woman replied.
The four of them moved away from the counter, being sure to stay out of the way.
"Tommy, do you want me to come with you again?" Takuya asked.
The younger brunette looked at him sheepishly. "Would you mind?"
"No, not at all. Nana and I will go with you, and Zoe will stay in the lobby," he replied. "Is that okay with you, Zoe?"
"Sounds fine to me," the blond said, looking around. "I want to stay out of the way."
Takuya headed to the elevator with Tommy and Nana, glancing back at Zoe one last time. Zoe threw him a half-smile, before setting down on one of the cushioned chairs. She watched as the trio disappeared into the elevator, and sighed.
"Guess I'll just read a magazine," she mused to herself, picking one up.
However, a small black sign hanging from the ceiling caught her attention. It read 'Gift Shop' and an arrow pointed to the right. After a hesitation, Zoe felt herself slowly walk towards the destination.
Upstairs
Takuya and the younger teens exited the elevator as they reached the second floor, hurrying over to Tommy's mother's room. They saw a doctor slip out of her room just as they reached it.
"Excuse me?" Tommy tried to get his attention.
The doctor looked up and recognized the boy from the previous day. "Oh, hello, Tommy."
"Dr. Romero, do you know how my mother is doing?" Tommy blurted out.
The doctor was in his early-thirties and had a friendly face. His sandy blond hair fell over the tops of his glasses, which he usually only wore to read the clipboards. He put his hand on Tommy's shoulder, his face grim.
"Before I tell you, would you like this to be kept between the two of us?" He asked.
Tommy's heart sank, but he shook his head nonetheless. "No, it's okay if my friends hear."
Romero nodded in understanding and gestured for Tommy to sit in the chair just outside his mother's room. The fourteen year-old did so, his stomach queasy.
"Listen," Romero began. "I don't want to scare or upset you, but you must know the extent of your mother's injuries."
Tommy nodded mutely, dreading the horrible news.
"Well, we knew that there was trauma to her head," Romero told him. "But we did not know the extent of it until we did the CAT Scan. It seems that it is worse than we expected. Part of her skull fractured and caved in, and a few bits of the bone went into her brain."
The boy began to shake and Takuya squeezed his shoulder reassuringly, trying to calm him.
"We removed the bits of bone and repaired the small cuts they had made in her brain, as well as repaired her skull as best we could. However, she fell into a coma late last night from what the nurses told me and I checked her this morning when I arrived." Romero paused for a moment, then continued. "As sad as I am to say it, there is about a fifty percent chance that she may not pull through the coma. I will do everything in my power to ensure that she gets all the attention that she needs. But I won't be able to know the full extent of what brain damage she may have until she does wake up. I'll be sure to call you with any updates."
Tommy looked as though he had just been punched in the stomach. He doubled over, burying his face in his hands from the discovery. Nana quickly wrapped her arms around him, holding him close.
"It'll be okay," she whispered into his ear.
Takuya's face was dour as he looked at the younger brunette, feeling his stomach clench. He let out a pent-up sigh, then looked at the doctor.
"Thank you for the information," he said monotonely. "I left my cell phone number with the nurses so you can get in touch with Tommy."
Dr. Romero nodded. "Thank you. I'll be sure to call if she begins to show vital signs. And I'm terribly sorry, Tommy."
The man began to walk away, obviously saddened by his obligation to deliver the heart-wrenching news.
"Tommy, do you need a few minutes to calm down?" Takuya asked softly.
Tommy shook his head, however, standing up. "No...I just...want to see her...."
Takuya looked at him for a moment, then opened the door. "Nana and I will stay out here for now so that you can see your mother in private."
"Thanks," Tommy said in a muffled voice, taking unsteady steps into the room.
He heard the door close softly behind him, then slowly made his way over to his mother's bed. She was hooked up to several IVs,the top of her head now wrapped up in thicker bandages. She looked basically the same as she had when he had last visited, only with a deathly paleness on the skin that was not bruised. Shaking, Tommy stopped her bedside, his hands clenched so tight that the knuckles were white.
He stared down at her, her only movements being her chest rising and falling which each breath. The heart moniter beeped after each breath she took. Without a word, he took one of her hands into his, clutching it tightly. Her hand was cold and clammy, as if she were already dead. He wanted to hate her for everything she had done to him, but he couldn't bring himself to feel that way about her. Instead, silent teardrops trickled down his face, where they proceeded to drip down onto her white bedsheets.
With a choked sob, he fell to his knees beside her bed, her hand still held securely in his. From outside the room, Takuya and Nana exchanged glances. Nana looked as though she was about to cry and went to open the door. However, Takuya halted her before she could, pulling her into a brotherly hug. Nana hugged him back, wishing desperately to comfort Tommy. But she knew that he needed to be alone for the time being, so she would wait as long as she had to.
Downstairs in the gift shop
Zoe looked around the small shop, speculating over the display of items on the shelves. There were stuffed animals holding signs that read 'Get Well Soon' and 'Feel Better' as well as several more of the sort. Boxes of chocolates were covering one large table, all of them varying in sizes. Cards, games, and toys also adorned the walls, many of them to be served as playthings for younger patients.
Only a few people were browsing through the store, most of them wearing tired expressions. Zoe watched as one woman picked up a white stuffed bunny wearing a pink sleeper and holding a bottle. The sleeper read 'Baby's First Bunny', indicating that the gift was for a newborn baby girl. A young man was buying a small box of chocolates as well as a stuffed bear. Yet another man was looking amongst the toys, and he seemed to be scrutinizing through the selection of plastic cars.
As Zoe carelessly wandered through the quaint shop, she saw a small section that she hadn't noticed before. The Diclonius wandered over, her eyes scanning over the display. There was a large array of flowers in front of her, dozens of different types to choose from. Zoe looked at the tulips, the carnations, and many more. Her emerald orbs stopped on two different colors of the same flower, somehow drawn to them.
"Looking at the roses, I see," a low voice said from behind her. "Red and white?"
The blond turned her head slowly, coming face to face with a young man who appeared to be around twenty-one years old. His dark blue hair was partially covered by his black hood, and his navy eyes seemed to pierce into her.
Zoe's heartbeat quickened, and she immediately felt an uneasy rush through her. A smile flashed across the man's handsome face, though his eyes retained a eerie aura.
"Nice to meet you," he said.
Alright, I think you guys can guess who that may be....
Takuya: The Trix Rabbit!
me: What?! No! *hits him with a stick* Try again!
Takuya: Ow...uh...Mickey Mouse?
me: *hits him again* Try one last time.
Takuya: So much pain...uh....Al Pacino?
me: Wrong! *hits him one last time, causing a candy bar to fall out of his pocket* Oh, candy!
Takuya: X_X
me: Ancora una volta, leggi e dimmi cosa ne pensi.
Kouji: Uh, translation, please? I don't think everyone here speaks Italian -_-;
me: Oh, sorry. I said 'Again, please review and tell me what you think'.
Kouichi: I thought you couldn't speak Italian.
me: Eh, just a little. Nothing serious though. Well, see ya laterz! Also, yes, Kanae lied to Kouichi about all that crap.
Kouji: Gee, I think they caught on to that...
me: Do you wanna we the next pinata?
Kouji: O_O; Uh, no...I'm good...
me: Yeah, I thought so...