Authors Note: Originally, part of the first half and all of the middle was going to be a part of the previous chapter, but I decided against it in the end. As such, I had a good chunk of this chapter written before I had finished the previous one. Hence why this update was quick.

Also, to be quiet honest, though I always enjoy reading your thoughts on the chapters, this is one of the ones I'm particularly interested in your opinion on.

"You really didn't have to come with me," Sayaka said, watching Homura out of the corner of her eye as they walked, her brow scrunched up in worry, "I mean, you said you weren't feeling that well this morning, you really don't have to push yourself for me. I'm fine on my own so you can go home and rest if you want to, if you need to."

Homura shook her head in response, "My stomach just didn't like my breakfast is all, and some fresh air is what I need is all," after that she gave Sayaka a worried look of her own, "Besides, I can't leave you on your own. You may say you're fine, but I still worry."

What she was worried about was what had happened the previous day with Sayaka, Hitomi, and Kyosuke. It had ended decently but still when the two had returned to Homura's apartment after resolving the conflict, Sayaka had broken down crying once again. Kyosuke had confirmed that even if Sayaka had asked him out first, she would have been turned down. He saw her as a friend and only that, and it had hurt so much. But Homura just held her and let her cry it out, telling her everything would be alright and even offered to let Sayaka stay the night again which the latter had refused.

Oddly enough, it hadn't hurt as bad as she had expected it to.

And even if she had been so upset and angry at them, Sayaka was still happy she could keep her friendship with them intact. She didn't want to make the same mistake as she had with Madoka and not be able to save their friendship. She would have not been able to handle repeating that again.

It was good the others wanted it as badly as she did.

When Sayaka had returned home later that night, she'd received texts from both Hitomi and Kyosuke, asking to talk about it some more. Work out any lingering issues that could hurt them in the future.

Maybe in a different time with a different Sayaka, she would have bitterly ignored their attempts for further appeasement. She did after all have a terrible trait of lashing out when angry without a care of who got hurt in the process or if she hurt herself more in the end. But this one in the here and now wanted to make amends just as much as they did and so that nasty trait never showed its head that night. All night and well past midnight the three texted, eventually slipping into the familiar jokes and safety before going off for bed.

Of course the three had a long way to go before they could be as close as they could without the awkwardness and tension, but it was better than animosity.

Sayaka also never did tell Homura about Hitomi's reasoning behind confessing to Kyosuke. She doubted she'd be able to explain it to the girl, it was too embarrassing. It would have probably been too much for the other too.

Still, what Hitomi had said... she and Homura? Together, as in a couple? she had thought about it a lot yesterday and it was a foreign idea but...she didn't exactly hate the idea.

What did that mean? Did it even mean anything?

"Nah, it probably means nothing."

"What does?" Homura asked, looking at her curiously.

Sayaka swore to herself as her cheeks began to heat up in embarrassment, did she say that out loud? Stupid, stupid! Pay more attention! "Oh? Uhh," her mind quickly raced for any excuse and she shrugged lightly trying to play it off as nothing, "Ah, it's nothing to worry about, just thinking about stuff. Anyways, what do you say we get a shake?"

Her friend pursed her lips at the topic change, but let it go, "Only if you're paying."

"Aren't I always paying when I offer?"

"Shouldn't offer if you don't plan to pay for it."

"Maybe if you offered now and then instead of being stingy."

There was a pause before the two began laughing, shaking their heads with smiles at the friendly banter. Simple playful exchanges like that were just one of the many things that they found so enjoyable despite its simplicity. Then again the two would find enjoyment just by being in the others presence so it wasn't odd that the previous one would be found fun.

"Fine, fine, I'll pay for it and not be 'stingy' this time around," Homura said, still smiling. Sayaka would never get tired of watching her smile, it was like Homura's smiles could light up the whole world. "Sayaka? Sa-ya-ka, you there?" Homura asked, her smile dropping into a worried frown as she waved a hand in front of the others face.

Blinking in response of being dragged from her thoughts, Sayaka pushed her hand away, "Huh? What?"

"You were staring at me with a dopey smile. What's going on in that head of yours?"

Cheeks began to redden once again, she hadn't even realized she'd been staring. Damn, Homura must have found it pretty weird. This was all because of Hitomi, wasn't it? Oh well, Sayaka would get over it sooner or later, "Never mind that, we've got shakes to drink and you just said you'll pay!" Sayaka said brushing it off and sprinting ahead.

"You are so weird," Homura said, shaking her head and chuckling to herself as she quickened her own pace to catch up. She'd have to scold Sayaka about spacing out later and how it'd be bad if she walked into a pole or something because of it. But truthfully, that was just another thing that Homura came to like about her friend, so maybe she wouldn't scold her...too much at least.

They still had about ten minutes before they reached their designation and there was no real rush to get there so they took their time. The walk was mostly filled with idle talk with some jokes Sayaka threw in here and there. But after a while, Homura came to a stop, a sudden wave of nausea coming over her. It was the same feeling that would come and go the past few days, only this one was stronger. And it wasn't fading away.

Ba-dum

Sayaka came to a stop a few steps ahead of her, turning back and looking at her with worry, "Hey, what's wrong?"

"It's...It's nothing," Homura mumbled the life, her voice clearly strained as she placed a hand almost reflexively on her chest and forced herself to start walking again.

Ba-dum

She only made it one step before staggering and grasping the sidewalks trash bin for support to keep from falling over as her legs nearly gave out under her. The world was spinning around Homura as she felt all the blood rush to her head. Her grip on her chest tightened, nails digging into the fabric and into her skin. She could feel pain start shooting up from her back and winding all the way to her jaw, and she understood the signs, understood what was happening.

Ba-dum

"Homura!"

Sayaka rushed forward, catching her just in time as Homura fell over, her thin frame crumpling against Sayaka's sturdier one as the latter sank to her knees so Homura wouldn't have to stand. Still holding and supporting the dark haired girls trembling form against her own. "Homura! Homura, what's wrong?"

As much as she tried, Homura could only let out gasps and groans of pain, unable to get any words out. She could feel white hot pain course through her torso, and her chest felt like it was constricting...crushing itself inside of her. Why was this happening?

Ba-dum, ba-dum

Terrified, Sayaka had fished out her phone and had already dialed the needed numbers, muttering a harsh 'hurry' like a mantra until she heard the operator pick up on the other end. "Hello? Yes, this is Miki Sayaka, my friend needs an ambulance right away!" she practically yelled into the phone, still holding Homura close to her.

There were pedestrians circled around them, muttering to each other in worry and fright over what was happening, not that Sayaka ever noticed one. Her focus was only on the phone and on Homura in her arms, she could care less that people were looking at them like some kind of attraction.

"Mommy, what's going on?" a kid asked from somewhere in the crowd.

"It's...don't look darling... dear God..."

"Someone call an ambulance!"

Sayaka continued to ignore them, the crowds mutterings weren't any different then those. Wondering what happened and shocked by what they saw but not doing anything but watching. She just glanced down at Homura and her worry grew at seeing the glazed over and unfocused look in her eyes.

She repeatedly mumbled to Homura to 'Stay with me,' and 'They're coming, helps coming' hoping it would offer some comfort in between answering the operators questions. "Fourteen. ...Yes she does ...Some kind of heart condition, she never told me the specifics ...Yes, she took her damn meds, I watched her do it! How long until the ambulance gets here?!" Her anger was flaring up with each question. Why wasn't that stupid ambulance here already? Five more minutes? That was too long, they needed to go faster! Homura could be dying in her arms for all she knew!

Almost in response to that very thought, Homura let out a particularly painful groan, her breathing becoming even more ragged. The color had already left her skin, leaving her a sickly white tone though it glistened with sweat.

No, no, no, no! Don't think that! Homura was going to be okay! She's not going to die!

Sayaka quickly shook her head at the thought, not even hearing the operator until she was jolted back to reality by the yell through the phone, "What? Yes, yes," she said.

She looked up when a man in a business suit crouched down beside them, giving him a suspicious look and pulled Homura closer to her out of a protective instinct. What was he planning to do? But the man just gave her a worried look, glancing between her and Homura. Oh. He was just wanting to try to help.

At Sayakas non-verbal 'go ahead', he began wiping at Homura's forehead with a handkerchief, collecting the sweat from it and mumbling to her that she'd be OK. All Homura could do was groan weakly in response.

After what felt like forever, the sirens became audible and soon the ambulance pulled up. The man backed away from them and the crowd parted like the Red Sea for them as the paramedics raced out with a stretcher and a few other things that Sayaka didn't recognize. Sayaka didn't want to let Homura go, but she allowed them take her from her arms and place Homura on the stretcher.

She hovered over them best she could as they did their job, watching as Homura was hooked up to a few different machines. An oxygen mask was placed over Homura's face, an IV was attached to both the stretcher and Homura, and soon they were bringing her into the vehicle. The female of the pair barely even managed to finish asking Sayaka before the girl was climbing in with them and sitting next to Homura.

Homura wasn't moving, and Sayaka's panic and fear was making her on the verge of tears.

The paramedics with her were talking to each other in hushed voices, probably to try and not alarm Sayaka, and they were continuously checking on Homura. They could have tried hiding their fear a bit more if they wanted to assure Sayaka that Homura was fine.

She wanted to reach out and take Homura's hand, or even just a brief touch, but she wasn't sure if it would be a good idea. She didn't want to get in the medics way, not here, not now.

Soon they were at the hospital and Homura was being quickly wheeled out and in to the building. Sayaka following right behind them for as far as she could, determined to stay by Homura's side the entire time, but she only made it as fair as the ER entrance before a nurse intercepted her and Sayaka had to watch Homura get farther and farther away, eventually out of sight as they turned a corner.

"Miss, do you have her information?"

What?Information? Oh, right, "Akemi Homura, she was a patient here before... um... two months ago, more or less?" Sayaka answered, watching the nurse jot it down, and answered any other questions she could. There wasn't much that she could tell her and it made Sayaka feel useless. The nurse then left when all was done, instructing her to stay in the waiting room for the time being.

So now she had to play the waiting game, was there anything crueler?

Sayaka tried to occupy her time the best she could; pacing around the near empty room, sitting down and fiddling with her hands, and biting on her nails. A terrible habit she knew but it was one she did when nervous and scared, and that described her best right now. Time passed by at an agonizingly slow pace, and eventually Sayaka's parents arrived. At least she now had company to wait with, not that it did any good.

"Sayaka, please relax, she'll be okay," Chiyo said, taking Sayaka's hand in her own, trying to ease her daughters worry but it wasn't much good.

More time passed on, and if the hands on the clock were to be believed it was almost midnight. God, how many hours had passed? It couldn't have been a good sign, right? There also hadn't been any word on Homura's condition yet. Sayaka began gnawing on her thumbnail again as she stared at the door. She was beyond nervous or scared, Sayaka was terrified at this point. The more the clock ticked by, the more the possibility that Homura wasn't going to be OK seemed real. If something happened to Homura...if she... if she didn't...

Sayaka wouldn't be able to handle it.

"Madoka...please if you're out there, if you're listening...please let Homura be okay," Sayaka whispered the prayer, closing her eyes tightly as tears began trickling down.

"Excuse me?"

Sayaka's eyes snapped open and she shot up to stand as a doctor walked over to her with a clipboard in his hands.

"You came with Akemi-san, correct?"

At his question, Sayaka nodded, not trusting her voice to speak.

"I'm afraid to say she is in ICU and is in a critical condition," he said, his tone didn't hold any sympathy however, he didn't really care it seemed, "To put it simply; Akemi-san's heart has failed."

Sayaka's eyes widened and her blood got colder and colder with each word, "F-failed? But...but she had a procedure...she got it all fixed."

He flipped through the papers on his clipboad, not even bothering to look at Sayaka now, "Yes, well, the surgery was not as seamless as we had been initially led to believe. The artificial valves failed on her," he explained in an almost monotonous tone, "To make matters worse, one of the valves ended up partially reopening the hole we had sealed. This resulted in a mixture of oxygenated and oxygenated blood, and thus the massive heart attack she had."

The tears were back and Sayaka's hands were curled into fists, trembling and shaking. Her blood was no longer cold but running hot as he explained what had happened. Chiyo saw what was about to happen before the doctor had, and quickly grabbed onto Sayaka as the girl tried to lunge at him. Her fist missing the doctors face by a few inches.

"This is your fault!" Sayaka screamed, tears streaming down her cheeks as she struggled in her mother and fathers strong grip. She was seeing red at this point, anger let loose at full force. The raw emotion she had coursing through her body and lacing her words would have had anyone else trembling in fear, "If you hadn't screwed up the surgery, Homura wouldn't be here! This is your fault, your fault, your fault! She did nothing to deserve this!"

"Sayaka, calm down!" Her dad yelled, though his words never reached her, she just continued to struggle and yell at the doctor, earning a few looks from the others in the room.

The doctor just stood there letting her yell at him, this wasn't an unusual occurrence so to him it was best that they let it out of their system early on. So he bore the brunt of her fit, not letting her continue for as long as it took while glancing at his clipboard now and then. He was grateful, however, that her parents were keeping Sayaka from likely killing him.

It was hard to tell how much time had passed, no one was really keeping track. But Sayaka was no longer able to scream and was no longer trying to attack him, her parents finally let her go and she just dropped to her knees in defeat. After a long silence of staring at the white floor, she looked up at the doctor and swallowed hard.

Her voice was hoarse and dry from her anger and yelling, but she still tried to speak,"Will she...is she going to..." She couldn't bring herself to finish the question.

For the first time since talking to them, the doctor actually had an 'I'm sorry' look on his face, "Akemi-san is stable...for now, but that's honestly not saying a whole lot," he said and looked away, unable to meet their eyes for what he said next, "I... her heart's not going to get any better, she'll need a transplant more than likely. But honestly, I don't expect her to live long enough to get one."