A/N- Well this is the last chapter but I will be redoing the first chapter, making small changes to the other chapters along with corrections and sequels will be coming. This chapter's pretty calm all things considered. The only exciting thing that will happen will be the beginning and end of this. So have fun reading this!
Chapter 17- Singer in the Park
Shu pov
Beeping filled the room and with each small little sound that met my sensitive ears I became more and more aware of my own surroundings. The smell of disinfectant, a soft light that made it passed my closed eyes, the feel of warm clean sheets beneath me, and the sweet sound of someone speaking to me….a familiar voice that I would never mistake for someone else.
Yuki was whispering softly to me and his words were hushed like he was near tears. My heart felt like it was going to break as I listened to it. I tried to lift my hand up to search for his own but I found that for the moment my muscles were to weak. It was probably best to just listen for now until I gained some strength. I tried to focus my mind on the words.
"Please…you just have to wake up…please?" Yuki pleaded. I was asleep? I continued to listen.
"You can't sleep for this long…it…it's been so long…so long," he sobbed. A few tears dripped onto my hands. How long had I been out? "Please just open those violent gems of yours….I just wanna see them again."
I heard the creek of an opening door and another familiar voice met my ears. It was mostly monotone but I could still hear the slight pain in his voice. Zack? "Shu still hasn't woken up?"
Yuki answered, "No…"
"How….how long has it actually been?" he asked shakily. I had never heard Zack sound so nervous before.
Yuki took a deep breath, "A month, give or take a few days…is the doctor still trying to get you to take him off life support?…why do you have a say in it and not me…or better yet why not his actual family?"
I could almost feel the tension rise in the room. This would be entertaining to listen to I suppose even if I already knew the answer. I was sure that Zack's eyebrows had knitted together in concern at the comment, "Family?…well they actually have no more right to do it then you do…less actually….Shu's father….well….he isn't even related to him by anything other then marriage….the man didn't even have the moral sense to adopt him and…his mother….his real mother…has been dead for….nine years now…ten years almost? And she disappeared from his life long before that…she ran off with some other man and had a kid with him about five years before that actually…I suppose I can't blame her…the man she had landed was never a prize from what I hear and….and she at least called him once in a while after that…."
"What about that woman who claimed to be his mother…last time I was over?" Yuki asked. "Who's she then?"
Zack actually sneered, "She's just a gold digging witch….She married the guy because she wanted to end up in the news as the mother of the genus! She even went so far as to say that she was the actually mother sometimes….like she had given birth to him….her only redeeming quality was that in a previous marriage she actually had a kid…and the kid turned out to be a good person! I still can't believe that her and some other man could produce a girl as well mannered as Maiko. She has her real father's good nature I'm sure of that…and Maiko is probably the closest thing to family Shu has other then me, you, Hiro….and well…Tohma was grouped in with us but after what happened I don't think he is anymore."
A hand gripped my own tightly, "Why did he never actually tell me any of this?"
"He never really liked talking about it…he doesn't even talk about his real father….I'm not even sure if he ever met the guy…" Zack replied.
Yuki paused for a minute and spoke softly, "This still doesn't explain why you would choose whether to take him off or not."
"Shu just thought I'd be the one to base my choice off logic rather then feeling," Zack muttered.
"Is that so….do you actually do that?"
"Most of the time," I heard the loud sound of someone falling into a chair roughly. "But not with Shu."
Yuki's voice darkened, "What are his actually chances of waking up?"
"Do you really want to know?"
"Yes."
"10%"
There was a long pause, "Then why not take him off life support if the chances are so low."
"Because…..a long time ago….when we were still going to school I mean….his last year in fact….Something happened. We still don't know what exactly but it was bad. We found him is an alley one night….similar injuries….worse odds of survival….he had looked so scared….in fact it was the only time I had ever seen him scared…by the time we had gotten him to a hospital…he had already passed out…and he soon went into a coma…." his voice shook with emotion. "They gave him a 5% chance of living….he lived…8% chance of waking up….he woke up three weeks later…2% percent chance of going without severe brain damage…when he first woke up he told me a joke in French then a different one in German thinking it would cheer me up….they were 100% sure that he would never walk again because of how bad the muscle had been damaged in his leg….he was running by the time he left that damn hospital….Shuichi…..he goes against all logic."
Yuki's hand loosened and stroked a few strands of hair away from my face and froze, Zack spoke up with a worried tone, "Is it another fever?"
"What….no….no….I just touched one of the scars…it startled me a bit…"
Zack's voice became icy, "I swear…Tohma…if I ever see him again…I'd kill him…still can't believe he actually survived being shot!"
"Hmph…the brat never was a good at aim…he hit the wrong side of the bastards body…..Tohma's in the same hospital you know….you could go kill him yourself if you wanted to," Yuki sighed. "He's in the Psychiatric ward upstairs…apparently he is in 'a catatonic state' or so the people said...they put him up there after his physically condition was stable enough."
"Well I suppose it' s fitting for him to be there….he's truly a sick man!" Zack sneered. "He probably just had the same idea I had….he just wants to hide from the other Gormagons! He's no more crazy then I am…."
Yuki laughed harshly, "Your right….I bet I'm even more unhinged then he is….between the fevers Shu has been getting, the coma, and my irregular sleeping patterns I'm surprised I haven't been placed upstairs! Maybe I should just walk up there myself and kick that faker's ass!"
They continued to talk and insult Tohma and with each word my temper flared. They didn't know anything! Anything! It wasn't Tohma's fault. After a moment Yuki's hand removed itself from mine and he told Zack he was going upstairs…It took all my strength to do it but I managed to snap my eyes open just in time to see him heading towards the door. My voice was shrill, "Don't you dare walk through that door Eiri!"
Yuki spun around to face me, "Shuichi?"
My breathing was heavy as I glared at him and nodded, "Yeah…and if you take one more step towards that door you'll meet my dark side and 'he' will kick your ass! I'm serious! You don't want to see me angry!….you will not leave this room, you will not go near the elevator, you won't go upstairs, and you most definitely will 'not' go anywhere near Tohma do I make myself clear!"
Yuki just stared at me with wide eyes. I turned to Zack who was smirking at me, "And what are you smiling about! Your just as bad as him! No you're worse! You know about his 'condition' and yet you still said such bad things about him!"
His smirk turned into a smile, "Welcome back to the living…we've missed you greatly….I knew you would once again beat the odds!"
I just looked at him with surprise at his lack of shock and when I tried to speak at all I could do was stutter the words at first, "You…why…what…how!…..you knew I was awake the entire time didn't you?"
He gave a small laugh and nodded, "Yes….yes I did."
"How?"
"You were smiling when I came in….it may not take a lot of effort to smile but it does take some…"
I chuckled, "Damn my facial expression!"
"Condition?" my head shifted to look at Yuki….almost forgot he was here.
"Oh hi Yuki!" I said cheerfully.
"Condition?" he repeated like a broken record. It took me a moment to realize that he was referring to something we had mentioned a little while ago.
My features darkened a bit as I spoke, "Tohma….well He….isn't insane per say….he's…just…just…a little messed up in the head. When I first met him everyone called him the crazy kid and he always sat alone at lunch never actually eating anything….even the lunch ladies didn't seem to like him much… because he kinda scare people. It was weird. He would be the nicest person in the world one minute and then suddenly he would become a totally different person….he had memory blanks to. I was the first person to actually approach him and ask him to be my friend….he was surprised but he accepted quickly and I observed him…and well…he seemed off sometimes….so I told him about it and he said he notice it to….I told him to go see a doctor about it and he did….a psychologist ended up telling him he had MPD, and he told me….even confided in me what he thought was the cause….I was appalled at what I heard."
Yuki look couldn't look me in the eyes, "What did he tell you?"
"It was his father's fault! The dean of the fuckin' school! He was a drunk….he…he….he would actually beat Tohma when he came to his office….he told the lunch ladies to refuse to give him food….he starved his own son….and when the boy was hungry enough….he would give Tohma….the option of….using his body as payment for a little bit of bread! Even if Tohma refused to take that option he forced him to do it anyway….he would rape his own fucking son, Yuki! Tohma couldn't handle it! Because of all this his metal state has never been good…so don't call him a fake….he's not faking this."
I hopped out of the bed and started walking out the door, "I'll be back soon, kay?"
"Wait where are you going?" Yuki asked as he followed after me. "You should be in bed! You need to rest."
I turned my nose up at him, "I said I'd be back….I'm just gonna go visit a friend of mine."
I entered the room and froze as I caught sight of Tohma. He….he was just sitting there staring at the wall. His eyes were blank and emotionless. I approached him and slowly sat down beside him on the bed. He didn't react. Tohma just continued to stare at the wall. I started to speak to him not even caring that he probably wasn't hearing a word I was saying.
At some point I was sure he tried to smile, at another point I was sure he wanted to cry. I was relieved when a tear trailed down his face and when he fell apart in front on me I rapped my arms around. It took me forever to notice that Yuki had been in the room for most of the exchange.
Tohma pov (mostly just nightmarish guilt)
I didn't speak, I didn't move, I didn't even blink, I doubt they were even able to get me to sleep without sedatives. I hadn't done any of this for several weeks. I just couldn't…not after what I did…not sense I woke up and discovered what I had actually done…to Tachi…to Zack….what I had almost done to Eiri…. And what I had actually done to Shu. God…they weren't even sure he was going to pull through. I…I just wanted to lay down under a rock and die.
This was my fault all my fault…and…it just made so much sense. Why I knew so much about Gormagon, Why I'd been waking up in different parts of town without any recollection of what had happened, why Rage had latched onto me and yet seemed so scared of me. It just made so much sense. For a moment I was sure I stopped breathing as the full force of the situation hit me.
I was Gormagon….and….Gormagon had killed people…..I had killed people. Once that connection was made it was like a wall was removed. Every single gruesome memory rushed by and I felt like I was going to be sick. I was forced relive these terrible images. One by one. Whether the person had said their final words or had lived to tell the tail. Whether they died or not. Whether it was I who did the damage….or my mentor….the true American Gormagon who had hurt them.
"Who's there!" they survived…I'm so happy they survived but I'll never forget that terrified look he had when he saw me. I'm so glad the slight trauma had cause him to forget….and only forget the one image of me striking.
"Please Tohma…..please help me," he didn't know that it was because of me that he had been hurt.
"Stop! God just stop!" I had taken quite an interest in the German side of the society…torture had seemed so enjoyable
"Kill me….." I gladly ended her life.
"Blood….so much blood." He had seen the bodies of his entire family before I struck.
"M….mommy….mommy help!" the daughter of the Brazilian Gormagon.
"Just don't…don't hurt mi Amante (my lover) okay?…please!" The Brazilian Gormagon himself.
"You killed them! You killed them! You monster! You fucking monster!" the apprentice….she had gotten away….the sight of her lover and daughter lying dead on the floor had struck her hard.
"Shuichi Run!" the final words of Tachi Aizawa.
"Stop!" Shuichi had begged for the pain to stop.
"Kill me…" I had broken him.
The memories just kept coming and coming. They wouldn't leave me alone. With each one I slipped farther and farther into the darkness…until a voice dragged me back.
"Wakey wakey sleepy head," Shu!
"Sleeping beautiful…it's time to wake up!" Shu?
"Rise in shine," Shu.
"Sing a little song for me…your voice is terrible but it's always fun to sing with you…" he wants….me to respond doesn't he.
"….Please?" he's calling out to me.
"Come on…just talk to me…." talk…to…him?
"Yell at me for not taking anything seriously…." my eyes focused and…I almost smiled.
"Bring up that stupid F I got in Bio….you never let me live that down."
"Apologise about not recognizing me when you first saw me in Japan!" I wanted to cry. I hadn't know he was the same Shuichi from my past and it still hurt me to know that I had been so cruel to him.
"Talk…"
"Move…"
"Please don't make me live without my big brother…" A tear slid down my face.
"Come back to me…"
"….please?"
"Your forgiven…just wake up," I broke down.
I cried for what felt like hours…with Shu's arms tightly rapped around me. Eventually when the tears had stopped I noticed someone near the door. Eiri was in the room. Soon Shu had noticed as well. He nodded to his lover and walked out. When Shu was out of sight I spoke out.
"Eiri…I…I need to tell you what really happened that night with….Yuki…."
Rage pov (short detour from actually story line…but it's real sad so read)
I had my own complaints about my new living arrangements. It's to warm…I feel like I'm burning in a fire. The rooms to bright, it's hurting my eyes. The room smells funny, it's to clean. The food they've been giving me taste terrible, I can't even stomach it so I've been refusing to eat. Finally we get to the clothing I was forced to wear. It was white, it was itchy, and it was to tight. I couldn't move my arms.
And there was still things I liked about it. The room was soft and plush, people left me alone, and…I could be alone. I suppose it doesn't make up for the bad things but it's okay…no…no I guess it's not okay now that I think about it. I've really messed up this time…I single-handedly destroyed my own future with what I did and I'm paying for it now. I'd probably never get out of here.
My lips twitched as I tried to smile at what I thought was irony. Robo pandas, kidnapping, violence, and overall stupidity was what I thought would be the things that landed me in an asylum. I wasn't stupid…I knew one of my stunts would land me here….I just didn't think it would be this one. It was to sad…to sappy…it was just to typical.
I was the poor little rich girl looking for the approval of the one man you just didn't seem to want to give it. Then someone else comes along and offers that same approvel that I was looking for. He wasn't the one I wanted but I was willing to settle. For months I worked to make Tohma-san happy….and sometimes he'd praise me….other times he hit. It was all the same to me….it was better then being ignored like I was at home.
The door opened to my cell but I didn't look up to see who it was. It was most likely just another nurse who would try to get me to eat something…screw them. The person approached me and yet I still refused to look up. They spoke….the voice was so familiar but I refused to respond. Soon the his speak became choppy and split up…his voice even craked a few times.
I was confused…what was wrong with this man. Finally little wet drops fell to the floor. Tears? Why was this person crying….the only man I know who'd cry for me is uncle K…and he…he stopped visiting so…who…? I tilted my head up slowy and came face to face with…..the tear stained face of my father. His suit was a dirty, his tie was loose, and his hair was sticking out in all directions. He was just a mess.
Slowly he dropped to him knees and pulled me into his arms. I couldn't quite register want he was saying. I know it was important but…my mind just wouldn't process. All I could get from it was the words 'sorry' 'love' and 'forgive me'. I wanted to rap my own arms around him…but….I couldn't move them…they were bond by my straight jacket.
Shu pov (back to storyline)
I left Yuki with Tohma…at this point I couldn't see anything bad happening…and if a fight did brake out then the doctors would handle it. I just needed to get out of there…and by 'there' I meant the hospital. I just couldn't be there. It was two quiet and when it wasn't quiet it meant that someone was either dying or seriously sick. Maybe both. I couldn't stand being in there one more second.
I walked for several minutes until I came upon a familiar little café called El Blanca. I stood outside it for what seemed like hours, perhaps only fifteen minutes, before I walked in and sat at one of the tables. I ordered a moca latte along with a piece of strawberry short cake and waited.
As time passed my mind wondered. Prime subject…my mother, well…my real mother actually. Gone for nearly sixteen years with just a visit or two, dead for nine. I didn't even get to go to her funeral….'daddy' wouldn't let me. He wouldn't even let me talk to my sister. When I had turned twelve and moved back to Japan we could never meet properly in public…secret meetings in the park were our only bonding times. It wasn't until after I turned eighteen that I got to take her out some places like the mall or a nice restaurant and tell anyone I wanted to that I had another sister…Zack was actually the only one I told though. My 'parents' were technically not the boss of me anymore.
These quaint little trips lasted year and a half had really brought us together. She'd tell me about what she remembered of mom and I'd tell her about what I remembeed. We mostly just talked on the phone but sometimes we'd go out to lunch…my treat of course. I told her about my music career and Yuki…and she told me about this nice school that she had applied to join….and when she actually started going she told me about her friend including one that she had a bit of a crush on. She seemed sad though, as she talked about, and finally I got the reason out of here. She acted so different in front of them…she just couldn't be the real her in front of them…I actually discovered that I was the only one that she truly loosened up with other then our mother. I comforted my little sister and told her eventually she'd be able to show her true colors.
I froze as a simple little thought crossed my mind. They had televised and written in the newspaper about the Tachi case…but they had yet to mention that the famous Bad Luck singer had not been executed. God….she was probably heartbroken or at least worried sick!
I flipped open my phone and dialed a familiar number. It took a few moments but someone eventually picked up. They sounded exhausted, "Ello?"
"Wowwwww….you seem so excited to hear your big brother's voice! Most sixteen year olds would be hopping around excitedly right about now!" I said as I rolled my eyes.
I heard crashes and the sound of falling objects before the girl finally shieked, "SHU!"
"In the flesh….or rather….over the phone I guess."
"God! Shu….the news…the news said that you…." She started to cry.
"Well most of it's a load of malarkey….pure ruppish!" I said cheerfully. "No need to worry your pretty little head over it!"
"R…r..really?" she stuttered.
"Yeah…just focus on school for now, okay?"
"O…okay."
Someone tapped me on the shoulder and I turned around to face them, "I gotta go okay?…bye."
"Bye." the phone clicked off.
Zack smiled and sat down at the table, "So was that Maiko?"
I shook my head, "Nah….Yuki said he already told her already…That was the other one….so…how'd you find me?"
"I seem to recall that….three years ago was it? You invited me to Japan and brought me to this place here…let me guess…." before he even finished my caffee and cake was set on the table. He smiled, "I'm starting to wonder if your hair turned pink because of these strawberries…even if that's completely illogical."
I laughed, "Yeah…my strawberry addiction turned my hair pink…if food had any affect on hair color you'd have cheezy yellow locks. I swear you consume more mac and cheese in one day then I do in a year!"
We laughed but as it faded I gave him a stern look, "I wanna come."
He looked confused for a moment, "What?"
"I said…I wanna come."
"Where?"
"Don't be stupid….on the way out of the hospital I heard Booth and Bones talking…they're gonna go look for the Gormagons and you were going to be their main guide on all things cannibal. So what I'm saying it…I….wanna….come….to." I said blunkly. "And I'm not taking no for an answer…say no and face my puppy eyed wrath!"
Zack was left speechless for several moment before groaning, "I've never actually beaten those eyes….damn it Shu…this means that stupid blond is going to be coming along!"
"Yuki's not stupid…slow to catch onto the obvious but not stupid!" I yelled moodily.
We went silent for a moment. Zack sighed, "I still don't get why I didn't recognize you at first,…you're the same old Shu…and yet…."
"…Something's different." I finished.
His own eyes met mine, "Yeah…I guess it was that new air of confidence and…well you just seemed a little more mature…not a lot mind you but a little."
"Whatever," We spent most of the day there…it was then decided that tomorrow…after everything was said and done…not only was Zack, Bones, and Booth boarding the plane (to France of all places) but me and Yuki were as well.
Unknown pov (late night)
Halls more halls and more halls. It's frustrating that I can't find the room I'm looking for and even more frustrating to know that I only have another few minutes before the new guard came on duty. My eyes scan the surrounding area to make sure the coast was clear. They finally land on the door to one specific room and I slowly make my way over. This was it…he was going to die.
I walked and closed the door behind me. I didn't need any witnesses. I saw my target just lying on the bed. I guess I'd have to wake him up. Slowly, I walked over, pointed my gun, and reached out to touch his shoulder.
"I'm already awake…" my hand froze and I was left speechless. I had been planning my finally words to this man for nearly a year now…but all coherent thought just kinda left me.
He sat up, "I said I'm awake."
"I..I know!" was all I could sputter out.
"Well?"
"Well what?"
I could feel his strong gaze boring into me, "Well…your gun is loaded…shoot."
I was struck dumb by those very works. Did he wanna die? For a moment I had trouble aiming my gun….but then he took a hold of the barrel and pressed it to his forehead. Yes..he truly wanted to die, didn't he? My finger put pressure on the trigger….
"Just don't…don't hurt Rage okay?….please!" Just don't…don't hurt mi amante okay?…please!….I couldn't pull the trigger.
I slowly walked back to the door and when I walked through it I whispered, "I won't be the one to kill you…some other lucky bastard might have the guts to…but not me….I wont touch the girl either."
As I walked out the door I failed to see the young man walking in. We collided and both of us fell back. My eyes went wide as I saw who it was.
"You're…." he started before my hands covered his mouth. Realization hit him and I removed them.
"Don't say my name…."
"A Gormagon." he finished though I knew he still wanted to address me by my own name.
"As are you….but I guess I already knew that," I said smoothly.
"Tohma…Is he….."
"No…he's still lives."
"Then why…."
"Oh…I came here with every intent to kill him…but it's just not fun when they don't scream….I guess I'm somewhat like The German Gormagon in a way….(soft chuckle) they're both dead by the way. The master and the apprentice I mean…two less players…the Japanese players are next," I started to walk away but I stopped. I reached into my breast pocket and tossed something over to him before disappearing down the dark hallway. "Serena wanted me to give you that if I ever saw you…."
He caught it in his hands…a St. Christopher medallion?
Shu pov (the next day)
You know….I never noticed it before….but airports are the most annoying places on earth. They're crowded and noisy and just terrible places in general. Why was I here again? Oh…oh right! I was going to France to help with the investigation. Maybe I'm just cranky cuz I didn't get any sleep last night. I looked around the room and watched our party wait for the flight.
Bones and Booth were asleep, Ms. Brennan's head was on his shoulders in the most adorable way. Zack and Yuki were playing Chess (Yuki was getting angry because he had played the younger man twenty times and yet still hadn't beaten him once). Coora had already been put on the flight like all the other animals so I was as bored as hell.
This is just so stupid….so so stupid. Why can't the plane just be ready to board. Yuki and Zack are playing chess, they have played several games…..and they fucking hate each other! Is anything wrong with this picture people. Bordom is just a comment enemy that they both just have to beat I guess. To bad I don't have something to keep me occupied. A soft noise, it almost sounded like a voice actually, came from my left…or do I?
I followed the sound over to a large potted plant in the corner of the room. My hands pushed away the leaves and I gasped. A small snake no thinker then my thumb and no longer then a few inches greeted my. It may sound strange to you….but the little guy actually seemed cute.
"Hey little guy….what are you doing here all alone?" I whispered.
'English man bring me and set me in planter!' the snake hissed sadly….had that snake….just talked? I sighed. This is why sleep is important, children. 'Are you gonna help me out of here mister? It's lonely….and I can't hunt in here.'
"Flight 372 now boarding flight 372 now boarding."
"Time to go Shu!" Yuki shouted as he walked out.
'Please mister?' the snake hissed…..I couldn't help it! He was just so cute for a snake….I grabbed him and splitted him into my pocket…yep….I've officially gone insane.
I rushed out and boarded the plane…not one of us saw the tv turn on in the waiting area…not one of us heard the sound go up…not one of us saw the breaking news banner go across the screen.
"This just in…around four this morning Reiji or Rage as she was commonly known as by friends….was found dead in her cell. Tohma Seguchi was question and he happily gave the police names of possible suspects including the name of a man tought to be dead for seven…almost eight years, Yuki Kitazawa. Tohma told us that the man had actually staged the entire death and he had gotten off with no more then a grazed arm. Two of the witnesses to the shooting had been drunk and the other had fainted not long after the shot was fired but all had been sure that the wound had been more severe and he had probably died in his escape….we had been wrong….a few hours after Tohma had been placed back in his cell…a nurse went to check on him…and the room was empty. More information at eleven….In related news Two of the men mentioned as the 'real Japanese Gormagons' were found dead in an ally way just last night covered in bite marks. Cause of death mostly likely being the blood loss from those wounds…no more information is known at the moment."
A/N- Well this one is finished but sequel will come. I bet you're wondering why Shu's sisters name was never actually said…well you'll me her in the sequel and that's that. I'll post a small message when the first chapter of the next story comes out. R & R…it's your last chance 'til sequel!