Choice of Music: One Family - Tarzan OST

Chapter 21 - A Moment's Peace

Kia tried to open her eyes to no avail. Her breath hitched in her throat, trying to work. Nothing seem to function properly, just weak and numb. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak, and it almost seemed impossible to just breathe.

She fell into a dreamless sleep.

"Wakey wakey," a voice sounded. She couldn't tell if it was female or male. "Come on, Kia. We need a response. Wakey wakey, sunshine." Once more, she tried to open her eyes. They felt like they were tied down by lead. No matter how hard she tried, all she managed was to simply twitch the nerves.

"Thanks sweety, we just needed one small thing," the voice spoke. "You can fall back asleep now."

She fell back into the dreamless sleep.

Her heart quickened, hiccuping. Kia felt the need for sleep leave her body momentarily, allowing her a few moments of consciousness. Once more, there was a dim purple light overseeing the room, just a tad darker than the previous time.

She could recognize a cold metal feeling in her arms. Struggling, her eyes traveled from straight ahead down to her arm. She could see the skin feebly trying to connect her elbows to her forearm. Several thin needles were placed into the limbs, injecting several liquids into her veins. She could reconize at least two of them, one was morphine and the other was regular water.

Kia was quite glad for the morphine, after remembering what Risa had done to her. Slowly and mercilessly, Risa had torn the limbs from her body like a morbid child would with an insect. Inspecting what she could, she could see that all her limbs were slowly struggling to reconnect.

There was a weight upon her stomach. It didn't feel like it a medical equipment of any sort, and it certainly didn't feel light enough to be a blanket or a sheet.

A small exhale of breath, almost like a sigh of something. Turning to her left, she could see one person who looked like would never leave her alone.

Vice slept peacefully, or as peacefully as he could be. Either he or someone must have placed him next to her. He had changed back into his human form; neither gauntlets, eyeguards, or even his normal Douji attire were about. Instead, he wore a simple white tank top and black sweatpants. She could see mechanical tape wrapped around his upper arm, keeping together what looked like fractured skin.

His golden eyes were shut tightly, his head against the nape of her neck. The Douji had carefully draped an arm over the girl, watching out for the small tubes and needles keeping her alive. Looking back, Kia remembered never having seen Vice get so paniced before, unless she counted the time she told him Ultimo had a gay crush on him and masturbated to his pictures everynight.

She smiled slightly at the memory. The girl couldn't laugh, but it was a comforting memory, telling her that things used to once be normal. Well, as normal as it could be.

Darkness started to creep upon her again. Letting herself a moment's peace, she attempted to curl up next to the green Douji. Closing her eyes, she embraced the sleep overcoming her once more.

A dance. Tiny candles streaming along a small path, glittering like dozens of fireflies in the growing dark of the night. The girl silently followed away from the path leading back to the village. The darkness of the trees seemed foreboding, but she could guess what lay beyond them. The Devil Incarnate, Angel of Hell, he went by many names.

And only one to her.

Vice silently watched the girl sleep. If he listened carefully enough, he could hear the sound of a steady but slow heart beating within her chest. Wires and tubes, needles and injects flew in an out of her body, sustaining her life when she couldn't. The green Douji could tell when she felt pain, heard the blood curdling screams as Risa and her filthy Douji tore her apart slowly.

'That shouldn't have happened,' he thought. 'I should have protected her better.' That same panged feeling reverberated through his chest, the same feeling when she ran from him. In the grove of trees, just as a storm was arriving, he spoke the truth of her mother. "I hate you." Echoing through his mind.

Kia coughed, breathing harsh. Vice tensed, waiting for some signal of distress. Nothing happened. She merely fell back into her deep sleep, body relaxing once more. He, too, let his relax, a wave of relief sweeping over him.

Was it okay? She wouldn't hear him, she was in far too deep. Propping himself up on an elbow, his fingers gently slid a lock of hair from her face. Pale eyelids fluttered at the touch but did not open. Vice couldn't get rid of the sense of deja vu, knowing he had done this before. "I love you, Kia," he whispered in the dark of the room. "I truly and honestly love you. Why can't you see that?"

"You can't ever."

Who would tell her that? Who would tell her something that no one else had known, something he had kept so dark and secret within him for so long? The love that taunted him, the fear that followed his every foot step. Dolls weren't eternal, they would die eventually. Everything died, even the Douji would stop working once their time came. Kia wasn't eternal, she wouldn't live forever.

But Vice would. There was always that chance, that fear, that the day Kia no longer walked this earth haunted him. Haunted him like the images that possessed his heart. Images of love, of the girl from an unknown past, blood shed and love in the dark.

Would Kia die like the girl did? To be tortured and killed in his very arms, her blood soaking his clothes like it was water?

'No,' he decided. Kia would not come to that fate, not unless he had something to say about it. "I may not have an ounce of good in my soul," he spoke to the girl, even though she didn't hear. "But I'll be damned if I let that happen."

He carefully pulled himself up, causing himself to look down at her face. With a close of his golden eyes, Vice gently pressed his lips to hers. A stolen kiss. It may have been a simple brush, but a kiss nonetheless. His face warmed from his action, knowing full when that she would have had a mighty fit when she found this out. The green Douji didn't care. It was well worth it to him.

'I can protect you. I will do better next time, I swear.'

Whoo-hoo! Even though this seemed like a crappy chappy, it just means its CLOSER TO THE END! HAHAHAHAHAHAAAA!

*Announcer Voice*: *dramatic preview music* Next time, on Paper Moon: The Dolls have gathered, the secret is out. As Kia and Vice continue to heal, what has become of their foes? What are their future plans for the Douji, and how will it affect them all?

Stay tuned!