I worry about this story. It's turning out very different from when I first started with it. But as long as somebody still likes it, I will continue on and try my best to get it concluded.

Aside from that, have a good day dear readers. Hope this doesn't disappoint. :)

The last thing I remembered was the adrenaline in my veins as I made the quick decision to push Shizuka out of harm's way. I knew Natsuki would have been devastated and I knew I wouldn't have been able to bear to see her that way. And I do care for the girl despite our misgivings.

I have no regrets. Having seen a glimpse of what I truly wanted all along, I am satisfied to go this way. I wish I could have experienced it much more but I will take what I can get. For someone who has been so horrible in the past, I know not to ask for more.

The light is so very warm.

I close my eyes to the white nothingness that surrounds me, feeling at peace with myself. Breathing in slowly, I began to let myself drift further away.

"Don't."

Snapping my eyes open, I search for where the voice had come from. I know it. I miss it. It fills me with something indescribably tingly and makes my hair stand on end. When eyes of red tune in onto mine, recognition brings tears to my eyes and in no time at all I find myself running towards those open arms. The hand which strokes my hair, I have missed so much.

"I'm sorry."

Her voice can only be describe as one with care and regret. One that causes all sorts of feelings inside of me. I shake my head.

"You have nothing to be sorry for."

I am lying in her lap just as I have as a child, her hand still stroking gently as we talk. Suddenly, I can feel her straighten a bit more; the air around us stilling. She looks deep into my eyes. Searching.

"Natsuki. Do you love her, Ruru?"

It takes me awhile but I answer honestly despite my fears. Coveting your own sister's wife- wouldn't this be some sort of betrayal?

"I do."

The stroking never stops. Never slows. Never quickens. Steady and as calm as a stream.

"Good."

I look up at her, searching her eyes.

"You both deserve each other."

My jaw slackens.

"She loves you."

At first she looks away, as if remembering a long forgotten memory. Then she turns right back and smiles down at me.

"Yes. She does, doesn't she... But Ruru, she never was in love with me."

Onee-chan, are my ears deceiving me?

"Believe me, I know. I have been watching and the way she looks at you- I have never seen her like that before."

She swipes her thumb under my eye, catching the tear I was unaware of.

"Don't you worry about me."

I open my mouth to protest but she covers it with her hand.

"I wish for both your happiness and truly I am thrilled at this outcome. Nothing else would bring me so much joy than to see my whole family together and happy."

She pushes me lightly, leading me somewhere I cannot see. Not too long after, we stop. Tears brimming in her eyes, she twirls her pinky finger onto mine.

"This is the last promise I need you to make for me."

She kisses me on both cheeks.

"Take care of my family, you hear me Ruru?

Before I could answer, she whispers the last bit.

"That includes especially you."

Suddenly, she pushes me with the strength I never guessed her delicate frame would possess and it immediately feels like I am falling.

"Take care of our family."

She waves down at me with a wide smile on her face.

"I love you, Ruru."

When I awake again, it is in darkness. It is from my eyes being close that I am surrounded in darkness for I can feel the fluorescent light shining upon me. If I could just lift my eyelids, I could see it but my body refuses to move. My limbs feel so heavy, trying to lift them makes me shake.

"...lo...Shizuru."

Was that Natsuki?

"Ugh..."

My eyes try to open, only managing to lift into tiny slits as I groan from the pain at the sudden jerk my body did although I barely moved.

"Shizuru!"

I see a blurry figure at my side but that voice is so clear to me that I already know who it is. I try again to lift my hand, open my eyes a little wider, speak some words but I am much to tired; the edges of vision starting to black once again.

"N...I...lo..y..u"

I force those words out as best as I could with my lead of a tongue, fighting the sleep that so wants to pull me back.

"..need...rest."

My ears, they weren't working right, and it seemed that my words didn't come out right; didn't elicit the response I expected. I could still feel however, and the lips on my knuckles sends a spread of warmth within me. That was the last thing I felt before sleep overtook me once again.

This time the first thing I notice is the hold on my hand. Slowly lifting my eyelids, I find the task less taxing as earlier. It takes awhile for them to focus but in the mean time, my ears are occupied on the snoring I hear from my left where I feel my hand is being taken as well. I try to turn my head and thankfully there are no protests from my body. Encouraged, I try to lift my right hand to the beautiful mane of my Natsuki but at the moment I still don't have the strength to move that far. All I can settle for is feeling her presence beside me and relish in it.

I am frustrated that I can barely move but I understand that my body still needs time to recover. At the very least my brain is working fine and I don't seem to have any difficulty remembering so I'm grateful.

I want to hold Natsuki. I want to kiss her. I want to see her smile. I want to get up from this bed and experience all sorts of things with her!

"How are you?"

My ears prick at the sound of her voice. Automatically, I remember a part of the accident where her scared little eyes were staring right at me just before the car hit.

"Shi- sh-zuka."

My voice is raspy. Suddenly, I'm made very aware of the sandpaper like feeling in my throat. Before I know it, Shizuka is at my bedside on the right and handing me a glass with a straw. She doesn't expect me to take the glass from her, purposefully putting it so close to my mouth that the straw is touching my lips.

"Drink."

I do as she says, my eyes still on her; our wine reds meeting in wordless conversation. She doesn't waver nor does she flinch but the frown on her pretty little face seemed etched onto mouth as if smiling was rather a difficult task. Her gaze breaks when I let go of the straw and she places the glass back.

"Thank you."

She gives me this look and I understand the message quite clearly.

'I should be saying that.'

I smile, intending very much to say that I never want or expect anything from her. I made this decision. All these wounds, they are mine to bear. Her gaze falls to the ground, the furrow in her brow so reminds me of her mother. Very Natsuki.

"Hey."

The hairs on the back of my neck stand on end. My head jerks right back to where Natsuki had been laying her head, the pain from the sudden movement registering like a distant echo from the top of a mountain. It was worth the effort to see those clear green eyes. Oh, how I missed them.

"Ara. Hello."

She looks tired. Her hair in a mess. But all I could think of was how beautiful she is and how I wanted to kiss her. I should probably tell her to go home and get some proper rest and take a long, fulfilling bath. Tell her to go home and spend some time with her daughter instead of being here with for the moment stuck in bed me. But I am feeling selfish and I want her here with me. So I keep my mouth shut from these thoughts.

But as time passes and I see her trying so hard to keep awake, I start to feel guilty. We were engaging in quiet conversation of inconsequential things - basically anything that was light and didn't pertain to the incident. I think Natsuki is not ready to broach it yet. For now it seems she is just content that I am okay - the sound of her voice says as much.

One more yawn and I send her on her way. Stubborn as she was, it took a bit of a well planned mix of words. Now, all alone in this stark white sterile room, I am but left again to my thoughts. Quite soon after, I drift back into dreamless sleep.