Trapped

A/N: Well, lovely readers, this fanfiction is nearly at its end. I enjoyed writing this a lot, to be honest. I cried at some points *cough* Chapter 6 *cough* but it was worth it because you're all fabulous! *sprinkles glitter and confetti everywhere* This isn't the last chapter, there will be one or two more. :) Thanks for reading, reviewing, favouriting and following! :)

Akashi:

A typical day.

I drag myself out of bed and force myself to get ready for work. I find it particularly hard to stay awake during my shift, courtesy of another sleepless night. Ever since that day, exactly three months prior, I haven't been able to let myself rest - not properly at least. Sure, I'd take the odd sleeping pill, but most nights were spent pondering upon Tetsuya's current condition and worrying about his death. If he dies, my whole world will shatter. His death will kill me too. I'll be breathing but I won't be alive.

When my shift is finally over, I hurry out of the office and run for the bus. I stay on board for seven stops and get off at the hospital. I take the elevator to the sixth floor where (I read off the signs) the Intensive Care Unit, renal dialysis unit and three surgery theatres are located.

I enter Tetsuya's hospital room and am met with silence, apart from the whirring and beeping of about half a dozen machines, surrounding Tetsuya's bed. I walk over to his bed and sit in the chair beside it. Tetsuya lays there, unmoving. I sigh. He hasn't responded to a single thing for three months. I feel my heart twinge with guilt and pain. If only I hadn't gone over to his house that day. If only I hadn't let my curiosity get the better of me. Then, Daiki wouldn't have lost his temper and hit Tetsuya in the head, causing him to whack his head against the door frame.

Tetsuya took the blow that was meant for me and now he's paying the price. I groan in frustration. Why can't God have mercy on me? Why am I being put through this unbearable pain? I rest my elbows on my lap and let my head fall into my hands. Tears form in my eyes and start to slide down my cheeks - slowly first and then speeding up as I break down, like I have done so many times these past few months. I just want Tetsuya back.

I wipe my tears and start to speak to Tetsuya.

"Hey, Tetsuya. I love you and I'm shattering into pieces without you here. Please... come back," I shake my head. Shintaro had told me to talk about positive events with Tetsuya and chat normally. I inhale and exhale a few times, trying to calm myself down. "So... today. Well, I had an average day at work. I got an e-mail from Taiga - you remember him, don't you? Anyway, Taiga said he's coming back from America. He went to study abroad for a little while. He'll be back in Japan on the eighteenth of this month. He wants to see you as well as everyone else. Shintaro, Ryota, Daiki," My teeth clench at that bastard's name but I suppress my anger and carry on. "Atsushi, Tatsuya. Also, the rest of your friends from Seirin,"

I look up at the ceiling. Bland as always. White, white, white. I hear the door open and tear my eyes away from the uninteresting colour. I look at the figure standing in the doorway and my expression hardens. What's he doing here?

"Come to hurt Tetsuya again?" I ask, my voice venomous. Daiki shoots me a look but manages to keep calm.

"No. I came to see him. I haven't done so in a while. I've been sort of busy with working overtime," Daiki walks over and kneels on the floor.

A strange feeling arises inside of me, filling me up. I feel the need to protect Tetsuya with my life. From Daiki. From abuse. From torture. I lean over Tetsuya carefully, making sure I don't disturb the work of the machines that are keeping him alive.

"Don't fucking touch him," I whisper fiercely. Daiki looks surprised but then that expression changes into something like amusement.

"You still think I'm the bad guy, don't you?" Daiki raises an eyebrow.

"Well, yes, considering this whole thing was your fault," I spit back. Suddenly, I feel some movement underneath me. I look over at Tetsuya. His expression has changed slightly - it looks... pained? I lift my body up and he stirs at the loss of my weight.

"A-Akashi-k-kun?" Tetsuya's voice is barely audible, his eyes remain closed. Hope encases me and I feel strangely happy. The feeling is foreign to me, after not feeling it for so long. "S-stop arguing..."

Daiki wears the same shocked but gleeful expression on his face that I do as we stare at Tetsuya in disbelief. I pinch myself. This isn't a dream is it? I feel a slight pain. No, I'm not dreaming. This is real. Tetsuya is waking up. A wide grin breaks out on my face as Tetsuya's eyes flicker open.

"Daiki! Go and get the doctor! Quickly!" I urge in a hushed tone. Daiki obediently gets up and walks out of the room, leaving me alone with Tetsuya for a few moments.

"Tetsuya," my smile is much too wide for my face. "You're finally awake,"

"Akashi-kun, do you mind telling me where we are and why?" Tetsuya inquires. Shintaro had told us that Tetsuya might forget a few things, so I fill him in on the details.

"Well... um, tell me the last thing you remember..." I say as a starting point. Tetsuya looks thoughtful for a moment and then starts to reply.

"Aomine-kun... he whacked me in the head and I hit something,"

"Ah, well, you hit a door frame. So, we got you to the hospital - which is where we are now - because you were bleeding quite profusely from your head. Then, after they'd performed some checks on you, Shintaro - who is your doctor - told us you were in a coma," I explain bitterly and quite slowly, as Tetsuya may have slow responses to begin with. I still need to get my revenge on Daiki. "That was three months ago,"

Tetsuya takes a moment to process this information before nodding.

"Thank you, Akashi-kun. So, am I getting discharged today?" Tetsuya asks hopefully. I shrug my shoulders.

"I don't know, Tetsuya. Shintaro needs to check on you first,"

At that moment, Shintaro, followed closely by Daiki, enters the room, a rare smile graced upon his face.

"It's good to see you awake and well, Kuroko," Shintaro says, putting his clipboard on the bedside table. "Can you breathe?" Tetsuya nods. Shintaro takes Tetsuya's oxygen mask off cautiously.

"Tetsu," Daiki acknowledges, smiling. I glare at him but he doesn't notice.

"Okay, well, your heartbeat seems to be regular," Shintaro says, before prompting for Tetsuya to sit up. "All we need to do now is check your body's responses and movements, run a few blood tests and then you can go. Hopefully, if it all goes well, you should be out of here by tomorrow,"

I watch Tetsuya sit up and I feel giddy with joy. He's alive, he's awake, he's well so far. Tetsuya is okay. He's really okay. I smile again, not taking my heterochromatic eyes off of him. He looks as beautiful as ever.

Tetsuya is back with me.