The finest silks dressed you as a sterling diadem made of purest metal with a jeweled nine-pointed star in the center, crowed upon your head, replacing your old yellow headband. Bangles and bracelets decorated your wrists and arms, asserting your prominence. You kept a face of poise and grace as you stood before the heavy, long ivory doors engraved with the same star as your jewel. Your ears heard the muffled cheers of adoration waiting to swallow you the moment you appeared.

The music began; trumpets blaring and drums beating, shakers shaking…all of it. Your heart pounded against your chest as always, filling your ears with the rushing sound of your blood and hitched breaths. That was always your cue; the doors began opening; a rush light flooded the long halls and...

An infant's cry and a woman's voice suddenly echoed through the halls.

Your eyes snapped open with a hitched gasp managed to swallow before it reached Adam's ears and woke him. Feeling the rapid pulsating of your heart begin, you laid a gentle hand over it and took a few moments of the night's silence to regain control. You counted down from ten four times, and each time, you struggled slightly. Once you finished, you quietly lifted your head off the side of Adam's bed and, through the darkness, found him sleeping soundly under his blankets tucked safely away. There was no bleeding from his nose anymore or any bruises or scrapes, even though his hand was wrapped. You kept it on, though he didn't need it, and you took care of that for the medical staff at Karakura hospital to lessen any suspicion. Once again, you received the call; it was during lunch. A few minutes after you released the students, though some would stay back or remain near to eat their lunch, you had to cancel. Again you flew straight to the hospital and rushed right by the receptionist; within seconds, you located Adam. This time he was up, and Dr. Ishida was with him; the moment your eyes fell on the doctor, his narrow eyes speared you momentarily. You returned with a swift hardening glare and went over to Adam. He had an IV attached this time with an oxygen mask. When you called his name, he lit up and greeted you, ignoring his bandaged injuries, and jolly welcomed you with his arms out.

You should never have ever made that choice to allow the students to help; none of this might have happened.

Though you were glad to see him well, you had caught a glimpse of the distance look tinted in his eyes. Your heart dropped, feeling everything the moment you placed a hand warmly on his back. Adam smiled and began chatting away, even turning to Dr. Ishida several times to verify his story. After ten minutes of Adam talking, his medication took effect, and soon slumber took him. Once the room fell quiet except for the beeping of the medical equipment, Dr. Ishida informed you of Adam's injuries and the report. Tentatively you listen to Dr. Ishida's mannerisms and choice of words, not just to the information. When he finished and asked if you had any questions, you responded with a firm no. The whole time neither of you broke eye contact.

The rest, you thanked him and asked him to leave. He did, and after 45 minutes, you packed up Adam's things, carried him out, and took him home. You stayed in his room for the remainder of the day until you woke and found yourself halfway on his bed asleep. He woke twice before falling back asleep.

Adam's little chest rose and fell carelessly; slowly, you reached out a hand and set it with a feather touch. You could feel his heartbeat and feel each breath. Each one was healthy. There was no aliment you could sense or feel. Slowly you rise to your feet while taking your hand back and lean over Adam planting a light kiss on his head.

Now awake, you slip out of his room, careful not to wake him, and after a long glance at him and a quick one around his room(his walls decorated with his drawings), exit. The halls held a slight chill, but you didn't mind and made your way down to the kitchen, where you filled a pot with water for tea. As the water heated, you took down a cup and found a tea bag. It wasn't the one you wanted, but you took it. The candle's flame was still holding, meaning Adam was safe there. You just wished the same was said when he was at school.

The pot whistled, turning your attention back. You pour the water in and let the bag steep before taking the cup and walking toward the table. As you pull out a chair, you stop, struck in your heart with a tightened pain. Your other hand flew over the pained area and clenched it; you knew where this was from and who it was for if you had sat down.

Your nails dig into your flesh, and your eyes remain lowered to the floor. You couldn't bring them up to look across. But you could hear the voice as clear as the sun.

"Sit down, May. Relax. Everything's okay."

Masaki's words were clear as day, even after the years that passed; if only those words were so easy. You could still hear them and see...her sitting there while hearing the cheering laughter of the children upstairs with their father. You could hear Adam's peachy babble laughter fill the house from something humorous. It eased you every time, and you always remained seated with them unless one of the children came down and asked for something or told you something. That someone was always the eldest of the children, the only one with orange hair and brown eyes.

Ichigo.

You didn't go further on that memory and pushed the chair back in. You hadn't the right to think of a time such as that, so you decided to head to the backyard. The moon hung high overhead in the sky. It was half-shaped. The silent night and cool air greeted you like an old friend; your bare feet welcomed the ground's chill and all of life beneath.

How poetic, you thought, taking a sip of your tea.

It would be full within the next few weeks, which always meant something new. Some change. You took another sip and moved your gaze from the moon to the sky behind it. There were few stars scattered about, none near the moon. Your eyes remained fixated on the emptiness around the moon, and from it, rising echoing sounds of the procession came. Banners hung high from poles, cheers, lanyards, and banners connected across rooftops. Cheers like crashing waves came with the lively tribunal and jolly music.

Smiles on thousands if not millions of faces, hands thrown up, releasing confetti petals. Other hands reach out for a simple touch.

Another sip from your tea and the sound of a soft thud from what seemed landed on your roof turned your eyes behind you and upward. Your hand slipped up to your bare neck; you nearly froze but remained calm, and just as you raised another hand, a rustling sound came from behind. You whip around and steadily walk toward it. No one to anyone should be here at this time; with your free hand, a slight spark flickers from the tips, and your mind shuffles to the right words.

The rustling continued as you crept toward it with your hand raised and ready to strike, only to discover something black drinking from the milk-filled bowl Adam left out.

It was a stray, sighing to yourself. You turn and walk back. You stop momentarily and turn your eyes upward once again, dwelling on the moon. Your eyes narrowed with a painful softness, and your chin began trembling, matching the clutching despondent in your heart. It grew as you lifted a hand and clenched nothing but the air that slipped through your fingers.

"May, what are you doing?"

You heard your sister's voice whisper cheekily while stifling a chuckle; your hand returned to your side. The stray finished the milk and turned its golden eyes upon you before it left. You paid little attention, having turned around and gone back inside. You finished the last bit of your tea and placed the cup in the sink, reminding yourself to wash it in the morning.

Taking a deep breath, you let your head drop slightly from the heavy amalgamation of thoughts laboring your mind. From memories to now, and most prominent, what do regarding Adam. Dr. Ishida's glare remained branded in your mind; you wish to know what he wrote on that clipboard. You had to do something about this; Adam wasn't in any condition to return to school, not now, at least. Not to mention you needed to change some things up regarding that as well. That could take a toll, but it was the logical choice you promised her, Adam would have a haven; you wondered how Master Splinter would have approached this way. A part of you wished you could ask him or E'mbyr.

Straightening yourself upright, quickly relinquish these feelings and flicker your eyes to the landline phone mounted on the wall before moving your eyes to the candle's flame and reach for it.

The sound of a hard muffled cough woke Adam slightly from his sleep. Rubbing his eyes, his sight hazily searched through the darkness for the owner. He heard it again; the cough was more profound this time. His eyes landed on the dark outline figure of you with your back against his bed, sitting on his floor, asleep. Another cough came from you, yawning. Adam came under his covers and climbed off his bed, taking his comforter. He reached your side and snuggled up close, and with a tiny gesture of his hand, the comforter lifted and covered you.