Repercussions Chapter 17, a love hina fanfic

Time for another chapter.

Thanks once again for all the reviews, and all the constructive criticism I've received. I don't always agree with all of it, but it makes sure I keep thinking about how I plan the fic or develop my writing. Also a mention to those who noticed my mistake in the previous chapter...I re-read that scene at least a dozen times and missed it on each and every occasion! I've now rectified it, so many thanks for the assistance.

No more rambling today.

Repercussions – Chapter 17

An unshaven man reclined against a fence, staring out into the black night. Illuminated beneath a single streetlight, the figure drew his shoulders in and shoved hands deep into his pockets, watching his breath misting upon contact with the bitter February air.

What time it was Keitaro didn't know. It was either very late or very early, and almost certainly a time at which he should be sound asleep. No such luck tonight. Not one member of the Hinata-sou was going to be dozing at this point. Well, Sara had fallen asleep on Seta's lap after a couple of hours, but that was to be expected. Everyone else was too tense to rest, Haruka included. Keitaro had only slipped into the frigid night for the chance to mull things over without the suffocating air which pervaded the sub-waiting room his housemates currently occupied. The worry gnawing at his stomach had only been amplified by the obvious anxiety oozing from his friends, and the Kanrinin had made a quick exit before the whole scene became too much for him.

When he'd left Haruka had been pacing and smoking heavily (having struck her match on the 'No Smoking' sign), Mutsumi and Motoko were sat side-by-side sharing expressions of honest worry, and Seta was stroking the blonde head of the girl sleeping beside him. Shinobu had been calmed down from her initial blind panic, and instead was chewing on whatever nails she might have left. Su on the other hand was looking a little too quiet, and a little too pale. When it became clear that Mitsune's condition was no laughing matter, something had changed in the little princess. Now, for the first time Keitaro could remember, the eternal optimist looked genuinely and profoundly troubled by something.

Naru's reaction was perhaps the oddest. While she might have been expected to be prowling like a caged tiger or banging on the recovery door to find out what was going on within, she had instead found a corner of the room, selected an orange chair and sat silently. And there she was still sat, staring fixedly at the hands curled in her lap.

"Hey part-timer." The fence moved slightly as a taller man assumed the same position against it; elbows propped upon the top with the torso tilted back just enough to make stargazing easier.

"Seta-san." Still preoccupied by thought, Keitaro nearly missed the cigarette held in front of his face. Wordlessly he took it from his smiling mentor, and allowed the older man to light it as he inhaled deeply.

What followed was a minute of coughing and spluttering while Seta looked on with obvious amusement. Eventually, whilst wheezing and brushing tears out of his eyes, Keitaro managed to glare at his chuckling companion.

"How the hell can you smoke that stuff?"

"Told you it wasn't a habit to get into." Taking the Marlboro back, Seta inserted it into his own mouth with obvious relish. "You said you'd only accept one when the girls had finally driven you mad….."

"I think that they've finally achieved their goal." Keitaro replied blandly, accepting the offer of a second drag, this time only spluttering a little.

"Didn't think it'd be Mitsune to add the last straw. I would have put money on one of the others." The tall archaeologist joked easily, drawing a small smile from his protégé.

"Well, I certainly didn't see this one coming. Came as a heck of a shock." As he said it, Keitaro realised he had probably won the understatement of the month award. When Shinobu had come barrelling down towards the springs in search of help the very worst he'd expected to encounter was another photo-shot of an intoxicated Mitsune, the very same figure he'd seen in varying states of drunken slumber far too many times.

The moment he laid eyes on the girl in question, the situation suddenly became a lot more serious.

She was laying on the floor, but not still. Her entire body was shaking, convulsing with an intensity which scared the man to his very core. Limbs flailing with unrestrained violence, head striking the wooden floorboards with frightening regularity, grey eyes rolled up and unseeing. For what seemed like an age the three stood together and simply watched in horrified fascination, mesmerised.

To Keitaro's surprise, he recovered first. Stepping forwards the final few feet, the man grimaced as Mitsune gagged on something. Recalling something he'd been taught long ago, Keitaro knelt and rolled the unconscious girl onto her left side, trying to ignore the fluid behind the choking being deposited in his lap.

"Mutsumi, call an ambulance. Motoko, fetch Haruka. Now!" Glancing up, the bespectacled man knew he didn't have to ask twice. A pair of curt nods were all the answer received as the pair turned and hurried away. Feeling more of something best ignored landing on his impromptu gown, Keitaro turned his attention to the three remaining residents. Two of whom looked utterly frantic, and the other oddly lost. "Shinobu, Sarah-chan-"

"Is she going to be alright, Kei?" Lower lip trembling, Shinobu sank down to the floor, panicked violet eyes filling with tears. "Please say she'll be alright, I thought she was going to be fine this morning….."

"Shinobu." Her name spoken, sharply but not without sympathy, brought Shinobu back to reality. "I can't promise anything. But what I really need now are some towels, a bowl of water and a change of clothes. Can you do that?" Taking a few deep breaths, the scared girl slowly responded with a shaky nod.

"I-I'll be back now Sempai."

Not noticing her slip Shinobu got carefully to her feet and scurried off towards the laundry room, followed closely by Sara. Adjusting his position slightly to prevent his toes going numb, Keitaro carefully cradled Mitsune's head in his hands. Thankfully her fitting seemed to have eased, although he could still feel the unconscious woman trembling in his grasp. Taking some reassurance from the sound of noisy breathing and the steady movements of the downed fox's chest, it took Keitaro several moments to realise he still had company. Glancing up, the currently non-bespectacled man was still able to make out Kaolla Su's expression.

Hiding somewhere beneath the shock was something slightly……odd.

"Su-chan?"

"I can't help." Kaolla muttered, seemingly miles away.

"What?"

"I can't do anything." The tan princess continued, suddenly looking every minute of her seventeen years.

"Su!" Keitaro's sharp tone drew the girl from her stupor and her aquamarine eyes to him. "Su-chan, you can help. You can get me a bowl of water, and help the others with the towels. Can you do that?" Briefly, Su stared blankly at the Kanrinin until reality tapped her on the shoulder.

Yes, it wasn't much. But it was something. For the time being, something would have to do.

"Okay." As Su hurried off to the kitchen without her usual irreverence, the kneeling man concentrated on simply keeping himself and his ill friend as comfortable as possible. Whilst trying to ignore the tiny voice of shame that had began to tickle at the back of his mind, the one that told him he had neglected Mitsune for far too long.

"Keitaro-san?" Keitaro almost dropped the head in his lap as a contralto voice emanated from behind him. Craning around, he took in familiar honey-framed eyes, ones currently occupied by surprise.

"Ah, Naru-san, it's not what it looks like….." The old line slipped out unbidden, one that caused just a flicker of suspicion to cross Naru's face. Cursing the mistake, Keitaro remembered that he had more important things to do than cover old ground. "It's Mitsune, she's collapsed."

"Collapsed?" Naru echoed, one eyebrow elevated. What happened next caused the other eyebrow to join its counterpart.

Keitaro returned his attention to Mitsune, and in doing so turned his back on her.

The Tokyo-U student fought visibly for control over her volatile temper, biting her lip and forcing herself to actually study the scene before her. Yes, Keitaro had Mitsune's head in his lap. Yes, he was only wearing a towel. And yes, they were currently alone in the corridor. But the rigidity in the Kanrinin's back, the concern in his voice…..all of them registered, dousing Naru's fire.

The sight of her best friend vomiting blood onto Keitaro's leg extinguished what remained instantly.

"Oh god! Mitsune!" The honey-haired girl dropped to her knees beside her Kanrinin, placing a palm to the pale woman's forehead. The skin was cool and clammy to touch, layered thickly with sweat. Anxiously Naru reached out to one of her friends limp arms and took it by the wrist, eyes widening slightly as her fingers sought out the rapid, thready pulse beneath them.

"Mutsumi's getting the ambulance, Shinobu some towels." Glancing at Naru out of the corner of his eye, Keitaro was glad to see her keeping some composure. The Kanrinin wasn't sure how much of his own he had left.

"Okay." The antennae'd girl released Mitsune's wrist and instead clutched one of the comatose fox's hands between two of her own. "Is there anything I can do?"

"Staying here is probably the best thing at the moment. We'll have to clean her up in a minute, and I doubt you'll want me here for that part." Following Keitaro's nod, Naru realised that her friend's clothes weren't only soaked with sweat. Swallowing carefully, the kneeling girl shook her head.

"I think you're best staying here. You seem to know what you're doing Keitaro-kun." Wringing Mitsune's captured hand between her own, the sweater-clad girl searched desperately for another topic, anything to take her mind off what was actually happening. "So…..how did you get good at all this anyway? I don't remember you ever doing any first aid courses."

"Anyone who spends time on a dig with Seta has to know this stuff, given his track record. Mind you, although plenty goes wrong, no-one ever gets really badly hurt….."

"Kei, I've got them!" Sliding into the hallway Shinobu briefly faltered when her eyes met Naru's before hurrying towards the group while lugging a comically big pile of towels, Sara tottering behind her with an equally large bundle. If there was one left anywhere in the Hinata-sou, Keitaro mused, he would be very surprised.

"Thank you." Sliding a pair of folded towels beneath Mitsune's head before setting it gently down, the Kanrinin eased himself up with a wince. "Man, my knees are killing me." Casting a glance down at himself, the man quickly turned his back on Shinobu so the young girl wouldn't see the red stains upon the front of his impromptu clothing.

"Need to change?" The dark-haired man could have hugged Naru as she held a fresh towel out towards him, one he accepted gratefully.

"Be right back." Skipping through the nearest doorway, Keitaro set to changing while the two girls tended to Mitsune. After a minute of repeating 'calm down' sotto voce, the man stepped back out into the light wearing his new towel.

To find the three he left, plus Su and Mutsumi, staring at him.

Keitaro had accepted the towel Naru handed him with the view 'beggars can't be choosers'. It turned out to be a lot less expansive than its predecessor, something the Kanrinin hadn't given much thought to. However, finding five of the Hinata-sou residents now gazing at considerably more skin than he was accustomed to showing was bringing the man out in a cold sweat not unlike the one upon the grey fox's brow. The fact two of the girls had mouths slightly ajar didn't help matters either.

Thankfully, a welcome distraction arrived just before the uncomfortable became embarrassing.

"Okay girls, show's over. Let's deal with what's important." Haruka swept past the silent group, followed quickly by Motoko. Who unwittingly did her own impersonation of a goldfish the moment she clapped eyes on Keitaro.

"Ah, Ura- Keitaro, perhaps you need to change?" Trying to ignore the shake in Motoko's voice and the flush adorning several faces in the hallway, Keitaro turned his attention to his 'aunt'.

"Haruka-san?"

"I've got things covered here." The stoic lady replied, laying a palm on Mitsune's forehead. "You should all go and get dressed in something fit to travel in." Five of those assembled looked down at themselves and silently agreed, each hurrying off to their respective rooms. Naru, meanwhile, remained sat beside the silent fox, now nervous for more than one reason. That was until Haruka gave her a tiny pat on the back, along with the quiet advice to 'stay calm'.

The ambulance had arrived soon afterwards, and while Naru travelled in it the rest of the residents decided that this was one situation it was worth braving Seta's infamous driving for. When they arrived at the hospital they found Naru staring blankly at a closed emergency room door, and a kindly but tired-looking nurse explaining that it was best that they wait in a side room until they had more news.

That was several hours ago.

Since that point the only news received were snatches of medical mumbo-jumbo – one nurse who had told the group Mitsune was in a 'serious but stable' condition was thoroughly lambasted by Haruka ("people say I'm serious but stable, so what the hell does that mean?") – But nothing more firm had been forthcoming. Hence the pair stood outside, sharing a cigarette and staring at nothing in particular while trying with all their might to ignore what might be happening only meters away to a member of their surrogate family.

They didn't have to wait much longer.

"Guys, we've got news." Haruka called, striding out of the entrance. She stopped dead in her tracks and glared at Keitaro, while her 'nephew' grinned back at her sheepishly. "And take that cancer stick out of your mouth. They're not good for you." With a 'I'll deal with you later' look to Seta, the slim woman spun on her heel and walked back into the hospital, beckoning 'come hither' over her shoulder.

"I think we're in trouble." Keitaro muttered, dropping the almost spent cigarette to the ground and extinguishing it with his shoe. "But I think we'll be in more if we don't move our asses inside. Haruka's not the patient type."

"The quicker we get in, the quicker we find out." The taller man replied while quickly pacing towards the electric doors, his apprentice hurrying at his side, both balancing on the fine line between anticipation and dread.

Every pair of eyes in the room was fixed on a figure in a slightly rumpled blue tunic, who was starting to feel unnerved by the intensity of the attention she was receiving. It was a close run thing between the tan girl and the young lady with the fractured hand (someone the doctor was sure she had met before) for the award of 'most unsettling stare', but even the pre-teen brushing sleep out of her sky blue eyes was starting to get in on the act. Trying her best to stay calm and avoid fiddling with her stethoscope – something that she did instinctually when under pressure – the young doctor found herself hoping fervently that the ones 'Haruka' had gone to fetch were not far away.

It took a lot of control for the short woman not to sigh in relief when the lady in question strode back into the waiting room, soon followed by a pair of mousy-haired men. Idly wondering if they were father and son, the doctor tucked a stray red hair behind her head and cleared her throat.

"Hello, my name is Yukino Arima. May I ask if any of you are family?"

"No. But we're closer than any she does have." Naru replied, electing herself as spokesperson.

"I see. Well, normally I would only disclose to direct relations….." At the obvious indecision, Keitaro stood forward.

"Arima-sensei, I'm the manager of the Hinata-sou and we've lived together for the last five years. I know you can't tell us everything, but please……?" Bowing at the waist the Kanrinin internally crossed his fingers, desperate to learn the fate of the fox.

"Well, okay. She's stabilised, and we think she's not in any immediate danger."

"She's going to be okay?" Naru yelped, bolting out of her chair.

"She's not out of the woods yet, but we believe she'll recover." The entire group seemed to exhale the breath they were holding simultaneously, a unanimous display of relief. Naru sank back into her seat and let her head fall into her hands, shoulders shaking with relief. Mutsumi wrapped a comforting arm around her, while Su, Shinobu and Sara formed a quiet huddle of whispered words and hiccupping.

"What was wrong, Arima-sensei?" Keitaro asked, wondering how he was still standing when his legs had suddenly transformed into jelly.

"Well, from what I've heard from Narusegawa-san, Konno-san recently ceased drinking after doing so heavily for some time. Is that correct?" Receiving affirmative gestures from all of those still listening, the slim doctor nodded definitely. "Drinking a large amount is dangerous, but sometimes, stopping suddenly is even more so. The body goes into a type of withdrawal, which can be really nasty. I understand that Narusegawa-san does not know many details of how much alcohol Konno-san has been ingesting….."

"It must have been two or three bottles of sake a day. At least." Haruka stated bluntly, raking fingers though her dark haired scalp. "She's been having a few day-in, day-out for months, but the last few weeks she's put it away big time."

"Hmmmm. It seems our suspicions may well be correct."

"What about-" Glancing at the youngest residents still huddled together, Keitaro dropped his voice and moved closer to the doctor. "What about the bleeding? She definitely threw up blood, it was all over my lap."

"We'll perform a test to investigate when she's a little better. It may be traumatic secondary to vomiting, it may be the result of a stomach ulcer. But it's not bleeding dramatically at the moment, so we'll get things stabilised first."

"Can we see her?" Yukino turned towards Naru, who was still red-eyed but calmer than before.

"She can have visitors, but preferably no more than two. Although your friend is stable she's still not a well lady."

It was clear by the expression on the honey-haired girl's face that she was going to be one of those admitted. The rest of the assembled company glanced at one another, each individual trying to work out whether seeing Mitsune was worth the price, which was to accompany the emotional bomb that was an upset Naru Narusegawa.

Eventually the inevitable happened, and her fellow Tokyo-U student and one time boyfriend volunteered.

As the pair followed Doctor Arima into the emergency room, those left outside relaxed back into their respective seats with sighs of varying volume, as if belatedly remembering it was very late and that they should be somewhere else at that moment in time.

"I wonder if there are any beds in this place?" Sara murmured, feeling her eyelids begin to sink of their own volition.

"This is a hospital. I suspect that there may, in fact, be quite a number of beds here." Shinobu commented dryly from where she sat, arms folded, eyes scanning the bland off-yellow walls with tired disinterest.

"Har har. I mean are there any with my name on it?" The blonde American snapped back.

"It could be arranged….."

"Children, if I have to call a time-out….." Haruka threatened mildly, fighting the sandman with only limited success herself.

"I think it's time we went home." Seta commented from his position in the doorway, taking in the sight of Su and Motoko already slumped sleeping where they sat while the others present were trying their best not to join them.

"You're right." Standing slowly, Mutsumi stretched the stretch of someone who has been sat in an uncomfortable plastic chair for far too long. "What about Kei and Naru?"

"I reckon Naru won't be going anywhere tonight. It's her best friend laying in that bed, y'know? And if I know part-timer, there's no way he'll leave her alone." The tall archaeologist replied, moving to pick up Sara and indicating Haruka to awaken the others.

"Ara, I hope they're okay." The words were said with a hint of nervousness, nervousness which wasn't entirely born out of concern for her friends' wellbeing.

"I'm sure they will be." Seta calmly stated, lugging his adoptive daughter over his shoulder. The fact that Sara didn't complain indicated she was either used to it or just too tired to care.

"I hope you're right….." Glancing anxiously back at the closed door as she left, Mutsumi couldn't help but worry that several hours together with a comatose Mitsune would not be passed in silence.

After arriving home the group had shared a cup of their personal poisons in relative silence at the tea-shop, reflecting on the last twenty-four hours. Haruka had decided against offering a nip of something more potent than coffee, given the plight of the fox. It wasn't as if anyone would find any difficulty getting to sleep in any case; Sara was unconscious by the time she was half-way down her mug of hot chocolate, with Shinobu and Su hot on her heels. It was when Motoko almost face-planted into her tea that Seta mildly suggested the residents ascend the stairway while they still could.

After watching the drowsy bunch sluggishly sloping their way up what must have seemed like a mountain, Haruka closed and locked the teashop door, before turning all but one of the lights off. Only then did she reach behind the counter and draw out a bottle of sake and two glasses, which she set down on the one lit table with a solid 'clunk'. Taking the seat beside her husband the thirty-something lady wordlessly poured two single measures, sliding one across the smooth wooden surface to Seta, who received it with a nod of thanks.

"It feels harsh making them walk up all those stairs, especially in this weather." The archaeologist murmured, lifting the glass up and studying the liquid within by the lamp's solitary glow.

"No choice, unless they want to sleep on wooden chairs. We've only got one sofa, and it's hardly big enough for Sara let alone anyone else." Glancing up into Seta's angular, unshaven face, Haruka sensed the question without needing it voiced. "And yes. I've got every reason not to give a damn, but I am worried about that silly girl. I'm not completely heartless, believe it or not."

"Even after trying to evict her?"

"Don't get me wrong, I wanted her out. At the time I was so pissed with her antics that anywhere would do, so long as she wasn't here. Even now, I'd still prefer it if she found somebody else's time to waste." Swilling the amber fluid around the inside of her tumbler, the dark-haired Urashima continued in a reflective voice. "But some things are more important. We've known each other for coming on half a decade, after all. Just because I don't like what she's turning into, it doesn't mean I can stand by and watch her, well, die……" The quietly spoken word still rumbled like brewing thunder, carrying a chilling finality unsurpassed by any other.

In the corner, a clock ticked its way towards Three AM. A forceful gust of winter breeze echoed through the windows. Slightly louder than normal breathing punctuated the silence.

"Haruka……"

"Someone has to say what needs to be said. Someone has to keep them in line. They're all so wrapped up in their own little lives that they can't see what they're really doing to one another. Silly, silly girl……" The thick contralto voice faded into nothingness, and for several more ticks of the clock the only sounds were that of the wind and harsh breathing.

A chair creaked, and after a few seconds Seta's voice ended the pause, albeit far more tender than most who knew the professor would believe possible.

"You don't have to take responsibility all the time."

"I know." Came the response, accompanied by what might have been a tiny sniff.

"Come on, you're tired and it's been a long day. Time for bed." Seta murmured, arms draped over Haruka's shoulder, mouth alongside his wife's ear. "It'll let me do this without doing my back in." The response was a brief, slightly moist chuckle.

"This doesn't mean Mitsune is forgiven, you know. I still expect her to pay off every penny she owes." At the determined statement, Seta smiled.

"Point noted." The tall man helped his better half up from her seat, placing his arm around her shoulders as they paced towards the bedroom. "But you do know you don't have to act around me, right?"

"Are you saying I'm acting?" Haruka replied indignantly, although without genuine venom.

"Would I?" Seta replied, smile evident in his voice. The pair extinguished the final light and left the room, sliding the door shut behind them. As peace descended in the tea shop, a few words crept through the walls, softly spoken.

"……Seta?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks."

"Any time."

It had been worse than she had feared.

Naru shuddered as she leant on the railings outside the hospital; the very same Keitaro had reclined against hours before, studying the very same light. Mitsune had looked a little more, well, alive than she had slumped

upon the hardwood floor outside room 204. But not much. What was really awful to the young student was the array of wires and tubes passing to and fro, turning her friend into some bizarre parody of Frankenstein's monster. Lines into her hand, her arm, even her nose……add to that the incessant beeping of monitors, which both reassured the girl her friend was alive and reminded her that it might not have been the case.

The grey fox had awoken a few times, briefly, and clearly not quite all at home. On the first occasion Naru had spent the entire time clutching Mitsune's hand so tightly it turned white while blubbing into a tissue. The next couple of occasions were spent making clichéd platitudes and sweeping reassurances which were impossible to guarantee but comforting all the same. At about four in the morning the exhausted fox had drifted into something less like a coma and more like genuine sleep, which was when Naru decided to get some fresh air. Hence her position, elbows propped on the metal of the waist-high railing, head tilted back to allow her to examine the heavens. While her honey eyes scanned the clouds gathered in the skies above, denying her the chance of stargazing, the girl's mind was spinning at a furious rate.

So much had happened in the last month. When her soul-searching and posterior-kicking trip had ended, Naru had honestly thought things might return to some semblance of normal. What normal actually involved was a subject for debate, but what the girl hadn't expected was the hostility she had received. Deserved as it was, it had certainly shaken the young student. Then add to that the events of the last few hours……

Deciding not to think about it, Naru turned her attention to something else that was bothering her. Or, to be precise, someone.

No need to even say his name.

Conversation had hardly flowed like a river while Mitsune was unconscious. Understandably subjects such as the weather and studies seemed frivolous, yet it was as if the pair had absolutely nothing to say to each other.

Or possibly there was plenty to say, but the river was dammed by one huge barrier, one neither of them seemed brave enough to disturb.

But how to approach the subject? It had taken years of dancing around one another to finally bite the bullet the first time, and if Naru remembered rightly, she had at one point fled to the northernmost point of Japan in a quite stunning display of cowardice. If she'd gone that far to hide from the truth then, what about now, when life was even more awkward…..

"I was going to say it's a nice night, but to be honest it isn't." The young woman started as the focus of her confusion appeared beside her, pulling his heavy jacket more tightly around him when a particularly icy gust blew across the street.

"Yeah….." Naru trailed off, staring at the sinking clouds overhead as a substitute to eye contact.

"I'm glad Mitsune is probably going to be fine. I feared the worst for a minute there." Keitaro said lightly, although the tiniest tremor in his voice spoke volumes.

"It was worse in the ambulance. She started shaking again, and just wouldn't stop…..I don't think I've ever been more scared. It was just so horrible." The red-coated young lady dropped her gaze to her tremulous hands, clenching the left into a fist. "For a few seconds, I thought she might….."

"I-I thought so too." The man beside her admitted, himself feeling fear tightening his voice. For several seconds the pair stood a respectable distance apart, allowing themselves to contemplate the worst now that it was less likely to happen. Life without Mitsune, the Hinata-sou without its resident fox…..

……the family minus one of its sisters……

Suddenly, rejection didn't seem so terrifying any more.

"It makes you think, doesn't it?" Naru was surprised to find she was speaking, surprised she had a voice left to use. "I mean, we use the word 'forever' all the time, but sometimes 'forever' is not so long. The amount of times I promised Mitsune we'd always be friends…..When it could end at any given moment." Visibly trembling yet not from cold, the girl continued in a choked whisper, rivulets emerging from her honey eyes and trailing down her face. "I disappointed her before I left, I know I did. She warned me what I'd been doing would end badly, more than once. I wish I'd been wise enough to listen, or sober enough to remember……"

"Naru-san, that's behind you now."

"Is it, Kei-san?" The young lady gave a hollow laugh, holding her plaster-encased right hand out before her. "After all the talk I come home and proceed to make the same mistakes. If Shinobu hadn't been there, I don't know how this morning would have ended. I guess it takes more than weeks to break the habits of a lifetime." She ended matter-of-factly, sniffling slightly despite herself.

"Naru-san……"

"Anyhow, I'm getting off the topic." Swallowing once and dabbing at her face with an already wet tissue, Naru took inhaled deeply. "What I mean to say is……After tonight, I'm not going to run away. I want to know, Kei-san, do we have a chance?"

The breathing of the man beside her hitched as Naru closed her eyes, awaiting an answer. Eventually it came, halting and stilted, but in a tone that left no question.

"Naru-san, when I made my promise to you, I meant it. But…..every time I look in the mirror, I remember…..I remember that, try as I might, I can't trust you." A saddened sigh hung like mist in the night air, as the man gave a tiny shrug of resignation. "Like you said, it takes more than weeks to break the habit of a lifetime. Sorry Naru-chan, but I can't see a future with us in it. It's for the best."

"I…….Yeah, you're right." Naru replied, equally quietly.

"Sorry……"

"Me too." For several seconds which seemed to last a decade apiece, the pair gazed up to the heavens. Silently, two sets of eyes traced the first few flakes of snow drifting out of the leaden sky, heralding the imminent arrival of another arctic spell, while contemplating the future. Naru could feel a thousand things she wished she'd said burning in her throat but held them back, sensing at last that each word would be fruitless.

The point of no return had been passed. It was time to either stand and watch bridges burn, or walk onwards.

"So." Brushing her long locks back, the girl turned her attention to the man beside her. "What now?"

"Now…..I say we go and see Mitsune." Keitaro replied with forced casualness. "After that, I guess we'll just have to find out when it happens." Turning his mahogany gaze onto Naru the man cracked one of his trademark grins, one which was small but genuine. The young lady found herself returning it, bittersweet nostalgia bubbling beneath the surface. Once upon a time, she had been the focus of that smile. Now, she was going to have to accept that it would belong to someone else.

But at least she would see it now and again.

"Okay." Following Keitaro inside, Naru spared one last look up at the night sky and the increasingly dense cloud of flakes emanating from it. Holding in a half-sigh half-yawn the girl stepped into the relative warmth of the hospital reception, hoping that this snowfall would prove to be lighter than the last.

Tsuruko glanced at her watch, and then at the entrance to the Hinata-sou for what seemed to be the hundredth time. She had knocked politely on more than enough occasions, and then quite impolitely once or twice, yet the entire time her attempts at having someone grant her access to the house were unsuccessful.

Her wristwatch read half-past nine. Tsuruko, being the person she was, knew it was correct to the second. She had given notice of her intended attendance, and even chosen what she considered a very reasonable time given it was a Sunday. But all the same, nobody seemed to be up and about yet.

The elder Aoyama was becoming quite annoyed.

Patience was a virtue, one that she was renowned to possess in almost glacial quantities. Normally, being made to wait was nothing but an inconvenience to the young woman. The wintry weather was usually only of minor concern, and Tsuruko was confident that she could endure the very worst blizzard unscathed. Luggage was merely added weight, barely worth noticing given the strength instilled by a lifetime of training. But add all these factors together, then multiply by eight months of pregnancy, and include the fact the person in question was carrying a katana……

The door had no idea how close it was to dying a very brutal death when it was saved by a bleary-eyed Shinobu, who opened it dressed in a thick brown sweater that was obviously not hers.

"Just leave the post inside, thanks….." The girl muttered sleepily, breaking off into a huge yawn that allowed Tsuruko to see more of her throat than she would ever desire to.

"I think that you may possibly have me mistaken for someone else." As a tone frosty as the February morning filtered through her sleepy head, Shinobu woke up to the fact that a heavily pregnant woman was on the doorstep, looking less than impressed as the snowflakes swirling in the air settled themselves upon her raven head and the charcoal-grey travelling cloak secured around her torso.

Even when her profile mimicked that of a double decker bus, Tsuruko Aoyama was an intimidating sight. Especially when wearing an expression of serious ill humour.

Shinobu squeaked despite herself.

"Oh! S-sorry Aoyama-san." Bowing slightly, the diminutive girl backed out of the doorway and gestured the present head of the Shinmei-ryu inside. "Sorry for making you wait outside, I'm normally up and getting breakfast by now."

"And what of my sister?" Tsuruko asked, shedding her heavy cloak and shoes as she stepped into the relative warmth of the living room. "I trust Motoko does not frequently sleep in beyond this quite reasonable hour?" She continued archly, although with less annoyance than when she was stood out on the doorstep.

"N-no, she's usually awake." Tsuruko raised an eyebrow at the 'usually' but otherwise remained impassive as Shinobu continued. "It's just been a difficult last twenty-four hours. Mitsune's not been well….."

"Unwell?" After an abridged recital of events, the slim swordsmistress looked upon her young hostess with more sympathy. "I see. Well, I apologise for arriving at such a difficult time. May I stay and await the awakening of my dear sister?"

"Of course." Shinobu replied, happy to be on more friendly terms with the intense elder Aoyama. "Would you care for some tea?"

"That would be delightful." Whilst the brown-jumper-clad girl bowed slightly and hurried off to begin breakfast, Tsuruko allowed herself to relax into an almost meditative state. Using well honed skills, the mistress of the school began to taste the general mood of the house. The pervading air was that of anxiety, which was to be expected. But otherwise, picking anything else out from the tangled mess of emotion was impossible.

When she felt a migraine brewing, Tsuruko wisely ceased her aura analysis and settled back to simple meditation.

"Here you are, Aoyama-san." And was awoken from it almost instantly by Shinobu laying a steaming teapot and cup before her.

"Tsuruko, please Shinobu-chan."

"A-alright." Bowing once again, the girl excused herself back to the kitchen to continue preparing breakfast. It was blindingly obvious to Tsuruko that Shinobu knew something, given her faltering reluctance to be in her presence. While the elder Aoyama knew it would be no challenge to discover exactly what the meek schoolgirl knew, she didn't want to place her under duress. No doubt she would find out from Motoko herself soon enough.

The mother-to-be was confident she could anticipate what would be said, but wished to hear it from the horse's mouth. As for what her response would be…..

"Oneesan?" Glancing up from the cup of tea nestled in her hands; Tsuruko took in the sight of her younger sister drifting sleepily down the stairway. The obvious laxity in her manner and the absence of a blade at her waist merely confirmed the elder Aoyama's suspicions, but she made no mention of her observations.

"Ah, imoto-chan. Good morning. Would you care for a drink?" Gesturing to the tea set lain out on the table, the elder sister grasped a spare cup upon receiving an assenting nod, and poured while Motoko took the seat opposite.

"Thank you, Oneesan." Sipping at the hot liquid, Motoko was glad to find she was less nervous than expected. Perhaps it was the fact that, at thirty-six weeks along, Tsuruko didn't quite carry the same threat as the pedestal-placed figure that existed in her minds eye. She couldn't say she was relaxed, but knowing rejection was not the be-all and end-all it once seemed had lifted a great weight from the girl's shoulders.

"Is breakfast ready yet?" Sara muttered dozily from atop the stairs, brushing sleep out of her eyes, blonde head mussed by several hours of sleep. Taking in the pair sat opposite one another at the table, both dressed in kimonos of black silk, the American took a double-take. "Cor, have I got double vision or something."

"I feel that there is a very visible difference between Motoko and myself." Tsuruko remarked dryly, earning a chuckle from the youngest resident.

"Ya could say that. Anyhow, is anyone gonna answer my first question?"

"Ten minutes, Sara-chan." Shinobu's voice rang from the kitchen, turning Sara's expression into one of frustration as she plopped herself down in a free seat.

"Better not be any more, I'm just about ready to eat the damn table." The girl muttered, grasping the cup Motoko proffered with only the merest hint of appreciation. When Tsuruko conversationally mentioned the penalty for impoliteness at the table in the Aoyama household, the preteen hurriedly expressed her full appreciation in a loud voice before edging her seat slightly further away from the katana-wielding woman.

Mutsumi was eventually roused from her own stupor, although the Okinawan seemed more interested in her own fingernails than the culinary delights which Shinobu had crafted with typical skill.

If that wasn't odd enough, Su didn't arrive when the food did despite multiple calls.

Hence only five sat around the table, each trying and failing to pretend their minds weren't elsewhere. Eventually, when it became clear that appetites weren't exactly feverish that morning, the focus changed from eating to idle conversation made by people who would rather not face the rest of the day just yet.

Conversation that screeched to a halt at the sound of the front door opening.

Five pairs of eyes flashed to the opening, which admitted a windswept and sleepy-looking Naru who was intent on brushing every last hint of white from her person. For a few seconds the only other entrants were a few errant snowflakes which melted almost instantly upon contact with the warm air occupying the living room.

"Hey, Naru-chan, shut the door! You're gonna make us all freeze to death in here!" Sara called, shivering slightly as a little of the chill snaked an arm through the room and brushed its fingers across her shoulders.

"Calm down Sara-chan. The baka is right behind me. It's not my fault he can't climb a flight of stairs in the snow without slipping on every third step." The girl replied with annoyance, trying to get her honey hair back into some sort of order.

"His name's Keitaro, Naru-san." Shinobu cut in, voice cold.

"I know. Doesn't stop him from being a baka though." Naru huffed, just as the 'baka' in question made his own entrance.

"Aaaaagh, I think I wrenched my ankle on that last one….." The snow-sprinkled man began weight-testing the aforementioned joint, unwittingly becoming the centre of attention from everyone in the room.

Except one person. Who was currently studying the reactions of everybody else, both in terms of expression and aura. Giving Tsuruko all the information she needed to understand why Motoko wanted to speak with her, but also throwing up quite a few questions.

Important among them was the fact the response her sister had to Keitaro was mimicked to greater or lesser degrees by Shinobu, Mutsumi and even Naru, although it was greatly tempered.

"Sem-Kei, are you alright?" Shinobu hurried over to examine the hobbling man's ankle, receiving a smile and thanks for the attention.

"Any more news on Mitsune?" Motoko called from the table, standing slowly.

"Only that they're moving her to high dependency." Naru replied, shedding her red coat and gloves. "They think the worst has passed, but want to be sure. Doctor Arima said the fits can happen repeatedly for the first few days." For the good of herself and everybody else, the student chose to omit that the doctor had added 'which is why some people don't make it' to the end of the aforementioned sentence. Naru was sure the people present didn't want to hear it, and she herself was utterly certain she didn't want to say it out loud.

Thankfully, if Keitaro noticed her omission, he didn't mention it.

"Ara. Do we need to take anything in to Mitsune? Clothes, anything else?" Mutsumi asked quietly, pensive fingers drumming the table-top.

"Well, not so much at the moment. She'll need clothes when she's feeling better." Keitaro answered, removing his scarf but leaving his coat tied tightly around his torso. "I'm wondering if a couple of you could gather a few bits and pieces, just so she knows we're thinking of her."

"I'll pick some things up for her." His fellow Tokyo-U students answered almost simultaneously, before making silent eye contact. After a few seconds, the pair nodded.

"Once I'm done with that, I'm going to bed." Naru added drowsily, almost floating towards the stairway. "It feels like I haven't slept in a week."

"Well, you have been up all night." Motoko remarked. "Speaking of which……" The ebon-haired girl turned to look at her Kanrinin, brow furrowed. "Ura-Keitaro, do not tell me you are going back?"

"Yep."

"Ara?" Mutsumi turned her expressive mahogany orbs onto Keitaro, concern obvious. "Kei, you've been going for twenty-four hours straight, you need a rest."

"I'm fine." The man reassured, customary hand reaching for the back of his head as he realised he was the focus of attention. "Put it this way; Naru needs her sleep, Motoko has a guest and there's no way I'm letting anyone else out in this weather by themselves."

"Haruka-"

"Has a teashop to run, and has better things to do than sit beside a hospital bed all day." Keitaro concluded, suddenly looking serious. It was obvious his determination was partially derived from worry and partially guilt, but no-one wanted to argue.

No-one decided to argue.

"Well, if you insist." Naru shrugged, completing her ascent. "Mutsumi-san, are you coming?"

"Yes, Naru-san." Casting one last unreadable glance at Keitaro, the Okinawan strolled after Naru.

"I'm going with you, Kei." Shinobu's soprano voice sounded, with utter conviction. "Don't try and stop me, Mitsune's my friend as well. Also, if you're not going to let me go out alone, there's no way I'm letting you. You've already sprained your ankle, who knows what you could manage to do when the snow gets deeper." The petite girl finished, almost daring Keitaro to contradict her.

By now, the Kanrinin knew better.

"Just wrap up well. I don't want a flu epidemic on my conscience." As Shinobu hurried off to comply, Sara stepped in front of the bespectacled man with a cup of tea in her hands.

"Take your own advice, dork." The blond American offered the cup with a smile disguised as a sneer. "You go down with something and Papa's gonna have me stickin' junk back together in your place. I've got better things to do with my time." Keitaro accepted the badly concealed good deed with a smile, one that brought the faintest hint of a flush to Sara's face. Ducking away, the young girl declared her intent to find Su before making her own exit.

Sipping at his tea, Keitaro nodded in recognition to the latest visitor to the Hinata-sou. "Good morning Tsuruko-san. Apologies for not welcoming you sooner."

"It is not a problem, Keitaro-san." The mother-to-be replied, with ease which would surprise anyone who didn't knew the pair had been exchanging correspondence for some time.

"I take it you're well?"

"Beginning to wish the time would come, to be honest." Tsuruko said honestly, left hand massaging her swollen abdomen. "I suspect when the time actually arrives, however, I will wish most fervently that it were forever delayed. Anyhow, if you have a moment Keitaro-san, I would like to speak with you if I may."

"Certainly." With that, Keitaro followed the elder Aoyama towards the kitchen.

"Oneesan?" Motoko queried, unsure whether to follow.

"I shall not be long, Imoto-chan. Our discussion can wait for a few minutes more." With that the kitchen door slid shut, and Motoko was suddenly alone.

"…….." Slightly annoyed, the slim lady rested back against the table and ran fingers through her raven locks, suddenly wishing the conversation she had once hoped to defer forever would hurry up and begin.

Plenty planned for the next chapter, including perhaps an answer to a question which (judging by the reviews) has been dogging lots of readers for some time...

'Til next time!

Nodoka Miyazawa.