Chapter four: waking up to … TAMAO-CHAN?

Shizuma carried her flaming girlfriend to the infirmary where Sister Clement helped to lay the fourth-year on a hospital bed and began running some tests checking Nagisa's temperature and heartbeat. Once the tests were finished Sister Clement placed a cool flannel to Nagisa's burning head before turning to Shizuma. "Is she alright?" Shizuma asked jumping down the nurses' throat, her emerald eyes focused on Nagisa.

"She will be alright she just had a fever, we'll keep her in for a few days to see how she is"

"Okay"

"Do you want a blanket?"

Shizuma's head snapped up to look at the nurse. She hadn't expected to stay. She smiled weakly "that would be lovely, thank you"

"Of course"

Soon Shizuma was nestled in a chair beside Nagisa, a woollen blanket wrapped lightly around her shoulders, her knees drawn up to her chin, one of her hands wrapped around Nagisa's limp, cool fingers. "I'll be here when you wake up I promise you"

Miyuki was doing her last-minute rounds around the corridors. She was just walking past the infirmary when I cluster of silver-white hair caught her eye. She reversed her steps and walked quietly into the infirmary. Shizuma did not acknowledge her presence until she rested a hand on her friends' shoulder. "Shizuma?"

"Mmm?" Shizuma did not turn to look at her.

"How is she doing?" Miyuki asked pulling up a chair beside Shizuma.

"Sister says she should be out of here by the end of the week" came Shizuma's exhausted reply.

"Well that's good … right?"

"Yes! I hate her being here! She looks so small and vulnerable" Shizuma's fingers tightened around Nagisa's. Miyuki looked at Shizuma and noticed that she, too, looked fairly small and vulnerable, however she dared not to voice her opinion.

"Shizuma maybe you should go and get some rest"

"No" the ex-Etoilé shook her head stubbornly "I don't want her waking up to anyone else, otherwise she'll think that I didn't care enough to wait for her"

"Have you heard yourself?" Miyuki mused lightly before growing serious once again "no sleep and too much stress is making you paranoid"

"I guess"

"Go on go and get some sleep"

"I can't leave her!"

"Sister will watched over tonight … and then you can come back right after breakfast alright?"

"You won't leave me alone until I go will you?"

"No"

"Alright" Shizuma stood up and stretched her arms and legs "goodnight Miyuki"

"Goodnight Shizuma"

~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*~

Both Shizuma and Nagisa had a fitful night. Shizuma kept worrying over her little Nagisa and whether or not she was getting any better and Nagisa, in her subconscious mind, worried over Shizuma and her reactions and also what the hell was actually wrong with her.

Miyuki was eating her breakfast with Shizuma at the head table when suddenly Hitomi-chan walked in rather flustered and late. "You're late, Hitomi-chan" Miyuki mused. "Did you check up on Nagisa-chan for me?"

Shizuma's ears pricked up waiting for Hitomi's reply "uh … actually … I couldn't so I sent another student to check on her"

"Who did you send?" both Miyuki and Shizuma's blood ran cold.

"Uh well…"

Shizuma stood up and fastened her glare on Hitomi "Hitomi-chan who did you send?"

"Hmm who was it? Oh right! Tamao-chan!" at their identical stony faces she frowned "why? What's wrong?" the only answer she received was Shizuma and Miyuki running out of the breakfast hall, their heels clicking as they sprinted towards the infirmary.

Nagisa tossed and turned restlessly in her hospital bed, the thin sheets irritating her skin. "Shi-Shi-Shizuma-Sam-sama" she groaned breathlessly against the starchy pillows.

"Aw Nagisa-chan how is my little Nagisa-chan feeling? Any better?"

Nagisa cracked open an eyelid as whoever was by her bedside stroked her cheek "Shizuma?"

Whoever it was giggled, "no silly it is I, Tamao-chan"

"AYAH!!!"

"NAGISA-CHAN?"

"What's going on?" Sister Clement rushed in, worry creasing her brow. The sight before her made her want to scream. Tamao-chan was kneeling down beside Nagisa-chan. Said red-haired girl was cowering in a muddled heap at the bottom of her bed, her arm twisted around her back at a terrible angle, Sister Clement assumed it was broken, poor Nagisa was shaking and sweating, and then she started doing something she'd never seen anyone do. Nagisa began to scratch at her arms! Blood flew to the surface, lining her pale skin with red lines. "Nagisa! No!" Sister ran forward and forced Nagisa's hands away from scratching herself "what are you doing child?"

Nagisa pointed at Tamao-chan "s-she touched me! Impure! Impure! Shizuma-sama will never take me back! I'm a whore!" she glared at Tamao who stepped back at the vicious glare on her once sweet friends' face "are you happy now? How could you? Murderer!"

"MUDERER! MURDERER!" came the screams from down the hallway. Shizuma increased her pace, Miyuki on her heels.

"NAGISA!!!" Shizuma cried barging in through the doors.

"SHIZUMA!!!" the younger girl leapt into Shizuma's arms, shaking and sobbing against Shizuma's shoulder. Shizuma stroked Nagisa's hair and kissed her, before looking down at Nagisa's arms. "What did you do?"

"She … she … touched me! I thought you wouldn't love me!"

"Nagisa … Nagisa … listen to me okay? I will love you … no matter what!"

"Okay" Nagisa shivered and burst out crying "I'm so sorry … please … forgive me"

Shizuma didn't know what to say. "Alright I can't … I can't do this any more"

"What?" Chorused the other three.

Shizuma shook her head and looked down at Nagisa as she settled her girlfriend on her feet "I don't think I can do this, be with you, anymore"

"W-why?"

"It's just this tart is never going to leave you alone … I trust you Nagisa … but I'll never trust her" Tamao bristled at being referred to as 'her'.

Nagisa grabbed a handful of Shizuma's dress "please … Shizuma … please"

Shizuma squeezed her eyes shut. It was too painful. She took Nagisa's wrists and forced her to release her grip on her uniform. "I need some time to think" and without a second glance she retreated out of the infirmary. Nagisa watched her girlfriend walk away and felt her heart crack into shards within her chest. She collapsed into Miyuki's arms.

"It'll be alright Aoi-chan"

"No it won't" Nagisa sobbed.

"Yes it will, I know Shizuma better than she knows herself, we'll all be alright. Now go up to your room and get some rest in the meantime Suzumi-chan and I are going to have a very serious talk"

Nagisa nodded "hai" was all she said before gliding dazedly out of the infirmary.