A/N: Sorry that this took me longer than usual! Thank you for all your kind reviews and support. I'll try to update sooner next time, but until then, Enjoy!

Izaya sat with Shizuo the whole time. In Celty's carriage, he ran his fingers through his damp, bloodied hair. In a corner of the operating room, he sat on a creaky, metal stool, even after Shinra ordered him to leave. He refused, not even looking up at him as he did so, because he didn't want to take his eyes off Shizuo. After a few moments, Shinra's shoulders relaxed and he resigned himself to the fact that Izaya wasn't going to budge. When the operation was over, they rolled Shizuo to a different room on a gurney. They lifted him into a hospital bed that was clad in pristine white sheets, and covered him with a soft comforter. Hooked up to an IV and a heart monitor, Shizuo was completely passed out and no one could be certain if or when he would wake up.

"Extensive injuries," Shinra had said as they took him into surgery, "cracked skull, broken tibia, probably a grade three concussion, he's probably bleeding internally too, judging by the swelling in his abdomen…" Izaya couldn't completely focus on what he was saying, but he didn't miss the final words Shinra had said before he began operating, "I'm going to do my best, but I can't promise anything." His tone was uncharacteristically serious. When he spoke, he had gazed into Izaya's eyes with the utmost sympathy.

In Shizuo's hospital room, Izaya sat next to his bed. His mind was unusually blank, and seemed to focus on only a few unimportant details. The scent of disinfectant. A noisy bird, chirping close to the only window in the room. Feet shuffling in the hall. The steady beat of Shizuo's heart monitor, which was the only truly comforting noise. His eyes roamed over Shizuo's motionless body. The blanket covered most of it, although his right leg, engulfed in a cast, stuck out, being supported by a sling. His hair was pushed back from his forehead, revealing bandages that Izaya knew hid a couple dozen stitches. One hand rested limply at his side. Izaya reached out. For a second, he hesitated to touch it, but then caressed his palm with a few of his fingers. It was rough. Calloused. He wove their fingers together, noting the differences that their hands had. Shizuo's was so much bigger and dryer, the skin flaking off around the nails. He enjoyed how this warm, hardened skin contrasted with his own, softer skin. He had never really thought that his skin was particularly smooth, but compared to Shizuo's, it was like silk.

"I'm sorry," he whispered so quietly, he wasn't even sure he had said it at all. There was so much he wanted to say, but exhaustion had taken a hold of his mind. He felt as though he had been awake for days, even weeks. He laid his head down on the bed, feeling the soft blanket against his cheek. In just a few minutes, he was asleep, his fingers still intertwined with Shizuo's.

When he awoke with a stale mouth and aching neck, he couldn't be sure how much time had passed. It was still light outside. Somewhere, a bird was chirping and he wondered whether or not it was the same one he had heard before. His fingers felt stiff, so he reluctantly removed them from Shizuo's unmoving hand, bending them sporadically to get the blood flowing again. It took him a moment to realize he wasn't alone.

"Hey," a strained, deep voice said from over his shoulder. Izaya almost jumped, but managed to remain calm, turning around to see that it was only Shiki, leaning against the wall next to the door. "How's he doing?"

Izaya raised an eyebrow as if to say How do you think? Shiki gave a weary smile in response. "How are your…arms?" Izaya asked, trying to remember where exactly Shiki had been stabbed.

"Not too bad, surprisingly. Shinra said I was lucky. That bastard just," he held up two fingers only a couple centimeters apart, "missed an artery in my upper arm. He did a number on my right forearm, and I lost a decent amount of blood from my left, but Shinra says I'll eventually heal."

"I'm glad to hear that." Izaya surprised himself by smiling and realizing that he was telling the truth. He really was happy to hear that Shiki was going to be okay. Shiki seemed slightly taken aback, as well. His eyes had grown wide; his lips were pursed and pulled off to the side.

"Yeah, uh, thanks by the way."

"For what?"

"If you hadn't stabbed Jin when you did, I don't know if I'd still be here."

"I should be thanking you. If you didn't block Aoi, I don't know if I'd still be here."

Shiki's smile grew, "I guess we make a pretty good team."

"I suppose we do," said Izaya, a certain smugness befalling him before a beep from the heart monitor brought him back to reality. He could feel the muscles in his face deflate.

"I'm sure he'll be fine," said Shiki, although his tone certainly didn't sound confident at all, "this is Shizuo we're talking about. He's been shot multiple times. Who even knows how many bones he's broken."

As true as that was, it didn't make Izaya feel any better.

"How about you, by the way? Akito got you with that pipe, didn't he?"

"Yeah, I'm fine though, just some bruising."

They were quiet for a while after that. Shiki took a seat in an armchair in the corner of the room. Izaya almost told him to leave, but realized that he didn't actually want him to. It made him feel a little better to not be completely alone. After about a half hour, the door creaked open to reveal Shinra and Celty. Darkness encircled Shinra's eyes. His tie was crooked; his lab coat was wrinkled. There was no trace of his usual pep or optimism. Just the mere sight of him made Izaya's heart sink.

Despite not having any facial features, it was obvious that Celty too, seemed utterly gutted. Her shoulders sagged; her neck was bent forward. She fidgeted with her fingers.

Izaya couldn't speak. His mouth was impossibly dry.

"I'm sorry," Shinra began, "I'm still not sure if he'll live through this. I'm just here to change his IV."

"But he is stable, right?" Asked Shiki.

"Yes, for now."

Izaya watched Shinra as he worked. There was something almost calming about the methodic way he moved. He barely blinked. It was like his muscles and bones were on autopilot. It only took him a couple minutes to change Shizuo's IV and check his vitals. Then, he and Celty left without a word.

"Do you remember what I said in your car this morning?" Izaya asked.

"We said a lot."

"You asked me if I'd die for him, and I said that I thought I would."

"Yeah?"

"Now, I know for sure that I would. Sitting here right now, sitting next to him and having to see him like this," Izaya inhaled sharply, his breath catching painfully in his throat, "I wish I had."

Shiki didn't respond.

A few moments later, the heart monitor began to beep frantically.