Here's chapter 8 and the story's turning point! Enjoy!

Chapter 8

"All I'm saying," exclaimed Lily in an exasperated tone, "is that you didn't need to be so sharp with her, Isabella. We want her to like us not give her more reasons to hate us!"

"That girl needed to hear the hard truth," said Isabella huffily, "and none of you seemed ready to give it to her so I did."

Lily threw her hands up in the air in defeat and looked away from the infuriating girl. It was Sunday afternoon and the friends were sitting in Isabella's ornate living room talking about what to do. They still needed a female violinist and after the day before, it was doubtful that Rin would ever agree to help. They were all there except for Lucas, who hadn't arrived yet.

"Maybe we should just give up on her," said Sesshomaru thoughtfully, "she seems like a very stubborn girl."

Lily now turned on Sesshomaru. "Oh, don't you even talk Sesshomaru Ito!" she snapped, "You knew all along who she really was and didn't say a word!"

Sesshomaru looked at her coolly and Lily felt herself shrink back involuntarily. "Telling you wouldn't have made any difference. It probably just would have made her even madder. I was waiting for her to say it herself. Of course, I didn't think the truth would come out the way it did. That was a bit ironic, don't you think?"

The girl had to agree with Sesshomaru, but not wanting to give him that satisfaction she instead turned to Will. "Lucas is pretty late. Why didn't you pick him up on your way over?"

Will looked up from the book he was studying and said, "I offered but he said they were out shopping for it was easier for his mom to drop him off. He'll be here soon."

Lily nodded and for the next hour the five friends talked about this and that trying to wait for their last friend to come before they talked about the NHSMC. Kohoku and Isabella talked about other possible female violinists but came up empty.

Finally the phone rang and with a dramatic sigh Isabella stood up. "That's probably Lucas now," she said, "I bet he has a flat tire or something."

Several minuetes passed before Isabella rushed back into room with an expression none of them had ever seen on her delicate face before. Horror.

Will jumped to his feet, fear flashing in his eyes. "Isabella, what's happened?" he cried.

Isabella stared around the room, white faced and whispered, "It's Lucas. There's been an accident. He's in the hospital."

Rin's POV

I was still in bed at noon, totally not mopping, when my phone rang. Grumbling I reached over to my desk and picked it up, flipping the top up. I recognized Holly's number and with a sigh sat up and said, "Hello?"

"RIN!" shrieked Holly from the other end and I jerked the phone away from my ear until she finally stopped yelling.

Then I placed the phone back and muttered, "Slow down Holly! What in the world is so important?"

"You know Lucas Curl right? You asked me about him a few weeks ago remember?" she answered.

I winced, I really didn't want to think about any of them right now after yesturday, "Yes, I know him. Why?"

"He's in the hospital!" cried Holly.

I had one second to consider that even when Holly was delivering terrible news, she still sounded excited before the words really hit me. "What?" I cried, horrified. Kind, sweet Lucas was in the hospital? "What in the world happened to him?"

"He was in a car accident," gushed Holly and my blood froze at the familiar words; "apparently they were on their way to Isabella Farren's house when they were hit head on by a drunk driver. Really who drives drunk in broad daylight anyway?"

"Holly!" I cried exasperated, "I don't care about that. Is Lucas and his mother ok?"

"Well, I don't have all the details of course," said Holly, all business again, "but I do know that they are both alive and receiving treatment and the hospital. Apparently the mom got the worst of it but they are both injured."

I sighed in relief. At least it seemed that he was doing alright.

"You do seem rather worried about him," said Holly thoughtfully, "is there something you aren't telling me about you two?"

"Not really," I replied, "we have just suddenly gotten into the habit of bumping into each other lately is all."

"Oh, ok then. Are you going to go see him?" asked my friend.

I thought about that. Odds are those other music students would be there and after yesterday I didn't want to see any of them right know. But then again, Lucas was the only one of them who had seemed to understand and accept my past. That was most likely because he knows what it is like to have terrible misfortune in life. Certainly not like Isabella.

"I guess that I will," I said, surprising myself, "I mean, I don't know him to well or anything but I feel like it couldn't hurt to go see him."

"Do you want me to come with you?" asked Holly hesitantly. She was more of an information seeker than an action type of girl. One of her charms, in a way.

I had to smile. Even though Holly was a bit over the top sometimes she really was a great friend. "No thanks," I said, "I'm fine on my own. Talk to you later, ok?"

After I hung up with Holly I left a note for my mom and called a taxi. My dad's best friend ran the taxi service in our town so I didn't even need to pay. I soon arrived at the hospital and walked through the main entrance.

The secretary looked up and gave me a smile, "Can I help you miss?"

I walked up to the front desk and said, "Yes, I hope you can. My friend was admitted here a few hours ago and I hope you have some news for me. His name is Lucas Curl."

The lady clicked a few buttons on her computer and then smiled up at me and said, "Well, young lady I'm am glad to tell you that Lucas Curl has several injuries but is alive and resting in our facility. He is in room C135. Would you like me to get you someone to show you the way?"

Before I had time to answer, a voice cut in from behind us saying, "That won't be necessary. I can take her there."

I turned to find myself facing an unsmiling Will. There was a strange look in his eyes that I couldn't quite place. He gestured to me with one hand and said, "Don't just stand there. Come on Rin."

I followed Will hesitantly as we walked through the seemingly endless hallways. "Will," I called out when he didn't say anything, "Is Lucas ok?"

Will turned around and began to walk backwards staring back at me and replied in a monotone, "He has a concussion, a broken leg and is bruised all over. But he is alive so I guess that means he's ok."

Sighing in relief, I followed Will into the room marked C135. There lying on the bed was Lucas Curl, looking like he got hit by a bus. Not too far off from what actually happened.

He looked up when we entered and when he saw me Lucas's face split into a smile and he exclaimed, "Rin! I didn't think you would come!"

I walked over the bed and brushed a hand over his arm and with a smile told him softly, "Well I heard you got into a little trouble and didn't have anything else to do so here I am."

"I'm glad you came," he said, "I was pretty freaked out waking up in this hospital. I must have been knocked out pretty good. I certainly have the headache to prove it!"

I gave a little nervous laugh and asked, "How's your mom?"

Lucas's eyes softened and he answered, "Luckily the other car hit my side of the car so she isn't too bad."

"Luckily?" I asked with a small smile. Of course Lucas would think it was a good thing that he was hurt but his mother wasn't. That was the kind of guy he was.

"Anyway, what are you doing here? Other than to see me, of course." asked Lucas looking up at me with big eyes.

I was about to answer when Will suddenly grabbed my arm and exclaimed, "She's here to go across the street to get some coffee for us. Come on Rin. We'll be right back Lucas."

Before Lucas or I could say anything I was dragged from the room. "Hey, you could just ask me!" I said hotly, "I'll come of my own will!"

Will laughed softly and said, "The others left right before you came and he should rest for a few minuetes before any more excitement."

I turned as we walked out of the building and studied to boy next to me. He had a hollow look in his eyes and looked like all his energy had just drained away. "But you didn't leave with them," I said softly, more of a fact than a question.

Will shook his head and answered somewhat bitterly, "I don't have anyone to get back to."

That's right, William's parents had died years ago and he didn't have any other relatives, just butlers and maids for company. I felt an unexpected pang of sympathy for him.

We crossed the street quickly and I asked innocently, "So how did you and Lucas get close anyway?"

Will laughed without humor and said, "I forgot. You didn't know me last year did you Rin? Let's just say I was going down a bad path. Then Lucas came in and changed all that."

"How?" I asked, my curiosity increasing as we walked into to the café.

The boy genius ignored my question and ordered three coffees from the counter. We picked up the order and he gestured me over to a table in the corner. I sat down and looked up expectantly at Will, taking a sip of my coffee and waiting for him to answer my question.

"You don't give up do you, Rin?" he laughed. I didn't answer, just waited. He sighed and turning slightly away said, "Look, long story short I got drunk and into a fight and Lucas found me and ended up helping me. Ever since then I've… felt indebted to him or something and his family has welcomed me so I help them. They're important to me. Especially Lucas."

William stood and looked like he was about to walk away when he turned back to me with one last thing to say, "You know I didn't really get your story yesterday about why you quit music after you lost your brother. I think I understand now."

"So you're saying that if Lucas had died today you would have quit music too?" I asked softly.

"No," Will answered, "I'm saying that if I had lost Lucas today then I would keep playing for the rest of my life but I would only be playing for him. Same as you only I might to do it in front of people so they would never forget Lucas Curl's name but I understand why you couldn't."

With that Will turned and grabbing two of the coffee cups walked quickly out of the café. I stayed behind deep in thought. The last couple weeks all came flooding back: the forest, the encounter at school, the café with Sesshomaru and now this.

I thought about Shou, about how when the car had hit him, he hadn't been as luckily as Lucas. I thought about our dreams together and how he had given his life for me. I thought about Will and his painful past and I thought about how Sesshomaru had tried to bet my records but never could.

Finally I remembered something my mother had told me not long after Shou died. She had said that it was much better to live for the living than for the dead. I hadn't understood her then but I thought I did now.

Very slowly I walked back to the hospital and up the stairs to Lucas's room. That walk felt like the longest trek of my entire life.

When I finally walked through the door of Lucas's room I saw Will sitting on the bed next to Lucas and smiling as his friend laughed at something he said.

I watched them for a moment as images flashed through my mind: Shou's smiling as he played the piano, Shou laughing at a joke, Shou crying the day our grandfather died, the serious look on Shou's face as he read a new piece of music, and finally the look on my brother's face as he pushed me out of the way of the car on that fateful day.

I saw all of these things and as I watched the two boys laughing in front of me, I saw the face of my brother in all of them and not only them but on the whole group of music students. Even Sesshomaru Ito, maybe him more than anybody. I knew then that I was finally doing the right thing.

Stepping up to the bed, I reached out and placed a hand on Lucas's arm. He looked up at me and I smiled. "Hey guys would you mind if I maybe went to your next practice for the NSHMC?"

Rin is finally joining them! Smiles all around! Review in order to find out what happens next! Oh and I know there hasn't been much Sesshomaru/Rin yet in this story but starting next chapter there defiantly will be so hold on for that! I know this wasn't the way you all thought Rin would join but authors like to surprise so I hope I managed to. Review!

Note: If people want me too I might add a bonus chapter about what happened to Will and Lucas that night. Good idea? Don't care? Review and let me know!