Akiza dreaded going back to work on Monday morning. However, she got herself up and ready for work. She couldn't avoid Yusei during their homeroom period, but she made sure to avoid him during the rest of the day. She even let her last period kids leave early, so she could leave early.

Instead of heading home every day after school she would head over to the hospital. She spent most of her free time at the hospital, but lately she found herself at the hospital more time. She liked to check in on Carly and Jack.

For the first few days, there was no change in Carly and the more Carly stayed asleep the more Jack looked like hell. Akiza was on her third day avoiding Yusei, when she walked into Carly's room and the man she was trying to avoid actively, was sitting in Jack's usual seat.

Akiza turned on her heel and almost made it out before Yusei called out to her.

"Hey, Akiza, hold on."

Yusei got up and Akiza sighed.

"Look I wanted to say sorry about the other night."

"You have nothing to apologize for because nothing happened."

"Aki-"

"No Yusei please stop making this so hard for me."

Yusei grabbed onto Akiza and pressed her against his body. He placed her hand of his chest, so she could feel the beating of his heart.

"W-what are you doing?"

"Akiza do you feel this? You have to take responsibility for what you do to me."

Before Akiza could say anything the door to the room opened and Akiza pulled away from him. Yusei cleared his throat and pretended to look at something on the ground. Jack walked into the room not noticing the tension.

"Dammit Jack right at the good part…"

Everyone's head snapped to the groggily voice. Carly was awaking. Jack was at her side at in impossible speed. Akiza focused on checking her vitals and doing her job. While Jack bombarded Carly with kisses and attention.

"She and the baby are fine. Her recovery will take some time, but they both will recover."

Akiza went to walk off before Carly called out to her.

"Akiza wait I need to speak to you. Yusei can you get Jack into a shower please? I love you honey, but no offense you stink."

"Come on Jack." Yusei pulled Jack out of the room leaving Akiza and Carly alone.

"What do you want to talk to me about? Does this have to do with why you're here?"

"Yes. Akiza I don't remember very much, but I do remember following some suspicious men. I-I was pushed into that pool and the man that did it is after you."

"It can't be." Akiza stiffened.

"Akiza do you know, who is coming after you?"

"N-no Carly I'm sorry, but you were unconscious for quite some time maybe you're imagining all this?"

"No impossible."

Akiza looked at her and sighed.

"Carly can you not mention anything to anyone I don't want anything bad to happen to you and your baby. Please think about your family and your safety. Look I hired 2 substitutes so you and Jack can take all the time you need. I'll talk to Goodwin, so you guys can stay in the building while you guys are on hiatus."

"Are you sure?"

"Yes, Carly just remember not to say anything. I promise I will get to the bottom of this. I won't let anyone hurt you and your baby."

"B-but…"

"Carly please. Promise me."

Carly reluctantly nodded. Akiza walked away from her feeling both relieved and fear. The doors swung open and suddenly the room was no longer silent and tense. As the room filled with teachers and people who cared for Carly, Akiza quietly ducked out.

Her heels clicked with every step she took and her mind began to race.

"Akiza you woke me up from a coma when I was 12 years old."

"You saved my sister."

"Aki, I love you…I want to spend the rest of my life with you."

"When you were tending me, I could hear you telling me to live for Toby."

"I'm sorry."

"Aki-Aki!"

"Dr. Izinski are you alright?"

"Um yes I uh." Akiza shook her head in attempt to clear her mind. Her eyes meet with Mina's worried face.

"If you don't mind and aren't too busy is it possible I could have a word with you in private?"

"Yes of course follow me to my office."

"Oh um could we possibly do this somewhere else?"

Akiza nodded and motioned her to follow. They walked to the roof of the hospital.

"We're here." Akiza shrugged.

Mina looked around before pulling a folder from inside her suit. Akiza furrowed her eyebrows confused how such a tiny woman could hide a folder in a very tight power suit. Mina pulled a picture out and held it out to her. Akiza took it and stared at a picture of a middle-aged man and woman with a small child in between them.

"Akiza do you recognize this man and woman by any chance?"

She stared hard at the picture feeling something picking at her brain. She traced the picture with her fingers, but she couldn't shake the feeling that there was something about the family that resounded with her. Akiza shook her head.

"I'm sorry Mina, but no, should I?"

"Are you sure?" Mina looked at her expectantly. Akiza sighed and shook her head before returning the picture.

"The man he seems familiar, but wait wasn't he a senator?" Akiza questioned.

"Yes."

"Yeah I remember now."

"You do?" Mina's eyes widened in hope and her voice changed pitch.

"Yeah they were all over the TV looking for their daughter. Then I think a couple of weeks later their personal plane went down and they didn't make it."

"Wow you sure know a lot for someone who just arrived to the city."

"Like I said before, it was all over the news everywhere and I worked a lot of ER shifts I'd catch bits and pieces."

Mina looked at her and pulled out a final picture.

"How about her? Do you recognize her?" Akiza took a step back shocked. It was picture of what looked like her in a school uniform.

"I-is this some sick joke?" Akiza grabbed the picture in her shaking hands.

"This can't be her. She looks just like… is this Aki?"

Mina nodded.

"I guess I can't blame them we look identical."

"I would argue that you're the same person." Mina whispered.

"Oh not you too." Akiza groaned.

"There's only one real way to know for sure."

"And what's that? Wait you can't possibly mean…?"

"A DNA comparison."

"Wait I –"

"Please Akiza it's important for me. I was assigned this case five years ago and I became so obsessed with it that both my partner and I were reassigned from head of sector security to simple school guards. The results of this test I might finally have some closure."

"So, you're doing this for yourself?" Akiza raised an eyebrow.

"No that's not what I meant." Mina shook her head.

"But it is what you said."

"Look if there's a chance you are our missing Aki, you're entitled to your family's properties, bank accounts, and belongings."

"Are you trying to bribe me officer?"

"No, I'm simply stating facts."

Akiza hesitated.

"Why are you so reluctant? Unless of course there's a possibility-"

Akiza wordlessly held out her hand.

"Nu uh I'll do the honors if you don't mind."

Akiza rolled her eyes as Mina slipped on a pair of disposable gloves and pulled out her DNA kit, a plastic tube with a swab. Akiza opened her mouth to let Mina swab the inside of her cheek.

"Seriously? Where do you keep this stuff?"

"You haven't kissed anyone recently by any chance?"

"What has that got to do with this?" Akiza asked.

"Nothing just being cautious."

Akiza sighed as she watched Mina put away her kit and hiding everything in her suit.

"I'll let you know when the results come through."

Akiza nodded as she hugged herself. Mina watched her carefully before opening the door leading back into the hospital.

"Are you coming doctor?"

"Go ahead I'll be right down."

Mina nodded before disappearing through the door. Akiza sighed before she let her mind race.

Aki my little rose…

I love you Aki…

Aki…

"Aki am I really you? Even if I was I'm not you anymore. How can I possibly stand the thought of losing parents I never knew I even had? I'm so confused." She grabbed her head between her open hands.

XXXxxxXXX

The next morning…

Akiza was passing out a study guide when the bell rang signaling for the end of the school day.

"Ok guys remember next week are entrance exams, so study hard. There will be lists for your test location posted at the end of the week, so keep a look out."

The students filed out of the room and Akiza picked up her things before heading out herself. She decided to head out to the library, which turned out surprisingly empty. Akiza nodded to the bored librarian and headed towards the back shelves. She was so concentrated on her book that she didn't notice how late it had gotten.

"Dr. Izinski I need to be heading out soon…" The librarian trailed off.

"It's alright I can lock up for you. I need to do some research."

"Ok um usually at this time of day rarely anyone comes in, so I'll just leave a light on and one of the doors unlocked."

"That's fine." Akiza mumbled not really paying attention to the librarian.

Akiza went from shelf to shelf picking out books with exam problems to make up another study guide for her students. Akiza took a stack of books with her and made her way to her table to set them down. She went back towards the end of the library.

"Aki? What are you doing?"

Akiza turned to find Yusei standing next to her way to close for comfort. Akiza closed the book she had and took of her glasses to rub her nose. She sighed before acknowledging him.

"Research Dr. Fudo."

"You shouldn't be in here all alone Akiza." Yusei stepped closer to her.

Akiza in turn stepped back, her back hitting a wall. Yusei had her cornered. Yusei tucked a stray strand behind her hair. Akiza felt her face flush as Yusei's fingers lingered on her face. Akiza was lost in his cobalt blue eyes. He tipped her head back his fingers on her chin. As his face got closer to hers, Akiza held her breath.

Their breaths mixed as he got agonizingly closer ever so slowly. Much to each of their surprise, Akiza got on her toes, intertwined her fingers into his hair and closed the distance between them. The book and glasses discarded and forgotten.

Yusei placed his hands on her waist bringing her closer to his body. They broke apart gasping for air only for Yusei to place small kisses on Aki's neck and nibbling on the tip of her ear eliciting a moan from her. Akiza slid her hands underneath his blazer to swiftly take it off.

She quickly replaced her hands underneath his shirt. Her cold fingertips caused him to lightly shiver under her touch. Akiza threw her head back as Yusei lightly bit her neck. She discarded his shirt onto the growing pile of clothes at their feet.

Akiza realized her blazer was in that pile and her blouse was four buttons undone. When had she wrapped her legs around his waist? She felt his hard body pressed against her soft body. The rough fabric of his pants rubbed the delicate skin of her inner thighs.

Her blouse slid slowly down her shoulders joining their pile. Yusei lightly kissed down to her chest placing chaste kisses at the top of her breasts. His fingers trailed up to her thighs as he inched closer she felt heat pool in her lower belly. She bit her bottom lip holding back a moan as his finger entered her.

Her eyes hooded with desire and her cheeks flushed crimson only made Yusei want her even more. He gently introduced one digit then another until Akiza's chest was heaving and she could no longer take it. She mewled as she felt waves of pleasure overtake her.

"Aki? Are you alright?"

"Aki?!"

Akiza quickly opened her eyes only to reveal a worried Yusei. Fully clothed. Akiza looked around disorientated and quickly realized she had fallen asleep at one of the tables in the library, books scattered around her.

"Yusei?"

"I heard you groaning and uh you were breathing heavily I was worried. Did I wake you from a nightmare?" Yusei averted his eyes knowing well why Akiza had been sighing in her sleep.

"Um yes…" Akiza's face reddened as she thought about her almost sex dream.

"I see…then I plague your nightmares?"

Akiza's face reddened even more.

"What?"

"You kept calling my name and I'm not talking about your formal way of addressing me, I mean you using my first name. Well more like chanting it repeatedly."

Akiza cleared her throat as she gathered her things.

"Do you want to talk about it?"

"N-no…" Akiza was flustered as she tried to gather her books.

Yusei reached for the same book Akiza was reaching for. As their fingers touched Akiza snatched her hand away.

"Woah the way your avoiding me I'd think you weren't having a nightmare, but a totally different kind of fantasy."

"No of course not!" Akiza dropped the stack of books flustered she got on her knees gathering her books.

Yusei got down on his hands and knees. Akiza crawled away from as he stalked after her. Eventually Akiza realized how stupid she was acting and stopped suddenly, which Yusei hadn't anticipated as he didn't stop. This caused him to run right into her and topple over her. Akiza laid on her back her hair sprawled above her like a halo. Her hands sprawled above her head.

Yusei watched her curious reaction. Her eyes filled with unfulfilled desire and her cheeks flushed crimson. He wanted to touch her and study her reaction to him, but decided not to, opting to not taking advantage of her. Instead he got up and pulled her up from the floor. As Akiza straightened herself out as Yusei picked up the discarded books.

"I um have to put these books back before heading out so…"

"How about you take half and I'll take the other half."

Akiza nodded in agreement too flustered to argue. Between the two they finished quickly and ten minutes later Akiza was closing the library with Yusei watching her closely.

"What?"

"Are you sure you're okay? Yusei asked.

"Just fine. I'll see you tomorrow."

"Why don't I take you home."

"No! um I'm not heading home yet I uh bye." Akiza took off.

Akiza didn't know what was going on with her, but as she approached her office she found a vase full of dead roses in front of her office. She took the note and opened it quickly.

Love isn't for witches like you. Watch your back and stay away if you know what's good for them. The games are just beginning. -S.

Akiza angrily grabbed the vase and opened her office door. She trashed her dead roses and closed her office up. She rushed to her apartment building sighing in relief as Carly arrived with Jack, and she watched from across the street. She saw Kalin trailing behind Misty and Crow playing soccer with local kids in the nearby alley. Sherry, Bruno, and Yusei were out front working on their runners.

Akiza was filled with relief as she watched the teachers go on with their individual lives. Akiza had calmed down, but instead of heading towards the building she headed down the street towards the hospital.

XXxxXX

TBC…

PS- There's about 4 or five chapters left on this story so hang in there guys.