Feeling and consciousness returned slowly. Eiji pushed against the darkness and opened his eyes as he felt the soft grasp of fingers laced within his own. He looked over and saw Ash in a chair, asleep, his head resting on Eiji's bed.

"He's been here all night."

Eiji looked up and Shorter smiled. "Me too, you know."

Eiji's eyes followed a red IV line that trailed off the edge of the bed and curved up where it disappeared under a bandage taped to Shorter's arm.

"Lucky for you, I'm everybody's type," Shorter said. "O negative. We would have lost you if we had to figure out your blood type first."

Eiji just stared at him. His mind felt heavy. There was a strange pressure in his chest that he knew should register as pain but it just felt numb. He felt like he had been very far away and the journey back was exhausting.

Ash shifted in his sleep and Eiji watched his green eyes open slowly and rise up to find Eiji's face. He looked like he had been tired and worried for a long time. Still heavy with sleep, Eiji dimly wondered if he was okay.

Ash closed his eyes and pressed his forehead against Eiji's hand. "Never do that to me again."

"No promises," Eiji whispered. He gave Ash a weak smile but it didn't wipe the worry away from Ash's face.

"What happened?" Eiji asked.

"Marvin's dead. Arthur has Banana Fish. He got away," Ash said and watched the confusion of relief and fear in Eiji's face.

"I'm sorry," Eiji said. "It's my fault he got it in the first place."

Ash's hand squeezed against his fingers. "I really don't care, Eiji. You're okay. That's all that matters."

Eiji looked away and shook his head. "No. I shouldn't have come back."

Ash's heart sank as he registered the meaning behind his words. I shouldn't have come back for you.

"We'll get it back," Ash promised. He squeezed Eiji's hand but Eiji pulled away.

"It's too dangerous, Ash." Eiji's eyes looked hurt and afraid.

"What's too dangerous? Banana Fish? Or me?"

Eiji opened his mouth to speak but the look in his eyes did more damage than his words could mend.

Shorter cleared his throat uncomfortably. "Look I'm sure you guys have a lot to talk about, but it's not exactly like I can step out of the room." He lifted up his arm which was tethered to Eiji through the IV line.

The momentary vulnerability in Ash's face changed back into stone. He stood and turned away. "I'll get it back."

"Wait," Shorter said. "What am I supposed to do?"

"Keep him safe," Ash said.

Ash glanced at Eiji's dark eyes.

"Ash, wait. I-"

"Stay," Ash said. He turned away and left the room without looking back.

Eiji looked at Shorter frantically. "He can't go alone."

"I don't even speak his language!" Shorter shouted at the empty doorway Ash had left through. He looked at Eiji helplessly.

Eiji scowled and pulled back his blankets, moving to follow Ash. Shorter caught him just in time as he winced in pain and collapsed.

"You almost just died, Eiji. You can't go running after him."

Eiji blinked back tears as he stared at the empty doorway.

Shorter shook his head and mumbled, "What does Ash expect me to do with you?"

Eiji just looked at him, uncomprehending. Japanese might have shared a common ancestry with Chinese but they were too far removed to have any useful amount of shared vocabulary.

"Right," Shorter sighed. A thought passed his face.

"Sing!" Shorter shouted, startling Eiji.

After a few seconds, footsteps appeared and Shorter's second in command poked his head through the doorway, unimpressed. "What?" His eyes narrowed when he saw Eiji. "Who's the blood bag?"

"I'm the blood bag." Shorter said. "Sing, I need you to get something for me."

"Sure. What, boss?"

Eiji's eyes lit up. He grabbed one of the books and started rifling through the pages.

"Japanese-English dictionaries?" Sing asked.

"Yeah!" Shorter smiled proudly. "Two copies. One for me, one for him. He doesn't speak English and I don't speak Japanese, so this is how we'll communicate."

Sing looked doubtful.

"Well, it's better than charades," Shorter mumbled.

Sing watched Eiji. "Not much better."

"Hey! I think this is a pretty smart idea. As my second in command, it's your job to praise me when I have brillant-"

Eiji shoved the book forward.

"Ash," he said and tapped his finger on a word. Where.

"Uh…" Shorter flipped the pages of the second dictionary. "Ash, uh. Dino. Uh…. Banana Fish." He pointed at a word only to realize he had pointed to "bandana". He frowned and squinted at the page in confusion. Sing rolled his eyes and took the book from him.

Eiji pointed. Flipped and pointed again. Alone. Question.

Shorter shrugged and Eiji looked at Sing, panicked.

Sing flipped through the pages. "Ash," he said. He pointed at the page. With. Gang. Keep. Safe.

Sing looked at Eiji. "Ash." Strong. Good. Fighter.

Eiji didn't look comforted. Dangerous. Hurt.

"Ash." Smart. Safe.

Eiji shook his head frantically. Follow. He pointed at himself.

Sing shook his head. Hurt. Heal. Stay.

Left. Me. Eiji looked at Sing and Shorter, tears forming in his eyes.

Sing looked at Shorter and Shorter shook his head helplessly. Sing hesitated then flipped to the right page. "Ash." Come. Back.

Eiji looked terrible. His face was pale and weak. He pointed again at the word again. Follow.

Sing pointed at Eiji. Stay.

He looked at Eiji, fixing him with a hard look. "Stay," he said in English, pointing at the word again for emphasis. "Ash wants you to stay."

Eiji looked hurt, guilty, and heartbroken. He nodded weakly. "Stay."

"What did Ash get himself into?" Sing whispered.

Eiji had finally fallen back into a fitful sleep and Shorter and Sing spoke quietly in the corner of the room, as far away from Eiji as they could get while Shorter was still connected to him with the IV line.

Sing looked at Shorter. "That kid is dangerous. He's a weak spot."

Shorter nodded solemnly. "I've never seen Ash act that way around someone. Not even Griff. I think Ash would actually die for him if it came down to it."

"What are we going to do?" Sing asked.

Shorter looked at the boy. Thin and pale, traces of heartbreak following him even in his sleep. "We do what Ash asked. We take care of him."

It had been three weeks and there still wasn't any news from Ash. Eiji tried to hide his worry, but Shorter and Sing could see it gnawing away at him.

Eiji and Sing were sitting together at the table, the dictionaries between them. Shorter cleaned his nails disinterestedly as he listened to them practicing.

Nadia knocked on the door and they all three looked up hopefully. She nodded.

Eiji sprang to his feet and Shorter and Sing had to scramble to keep up with him as he ran down the stairs.

"Ash!" Eiji yelled happily.

Ash turned. There was no smile or warmth in his eyes. "Hello, Eiji," he said.

Eiji stopped. The hope in his eyes faded and was replaced by guilt and hurt.

Ash turned away from Eiji and looked at Shorter and Skip. "I found it. But I'm going to need your help to get it."

"Ash," Shorter whispered, pulling Ash aside. "You should go easy on him. He's had a hard time since you left."

"Bullet wounds will do that to a person," Ash said coldly.

"He thought you left him."

Ash stopped. He turned back. "What?"

"He tried to hide it, but it broke his heart."

Ash grit his teeth. "He's the one who said-"

"I know," Shorter said. "But whether either of you like it, whether it's smart or suicidal, he needs you. And you need him."

Ash glared at Shorter but his friend just held his gaze calmly.

"He was right," Ash said. "It's dangerous. I'm dangerous."

"He's already proven that he'd rather die than lose you. And you'd do the same for him. You guys might just be the death of each other. But you might also save each other, bring yourselves a little happiness. Isn't he worth that chance?"

The group had gathered in the back room of the Chang Dai restaurant. Ash glanced at Eiji but he was sitting in the back, staring quietly at his feet.

"42 Westwood," Ash said. "California," he clarified for Eiji. "The home of Alexis Dawson. He and his brother, Abraham, created Banana Fish by accident. Abraham sold it to Dino. It's the closest link to Banana Fish I can find. Alexis will lead us to Abraham and Abraham will lead us to Banana Fish… and Golzine."

"Super," Shorter said. "What do you need us for?"

"It's Chinese territory. You guys are backed by the Lees, you can get us through."

Shorter looked doubtful. "I don't know… California ain't exactly our jurisdiction. And if the Lees are involved in this, it could be a problem. I like you, Ash, but split loyalties and all that… The Lees aren't a family you mess with."

"I know," Ash said. "It'll be risky. But Eiji's right. We can't leave Banana Fish in the hands of someone like Golzine. This affects all of us. All the gangs. Our families. All our cities. Golzine needs to be stopped and Banana Fish needs to be destroyed."

Shorter nodded darkly.

"What about me?" Eiji asked.

"Shorter can keep you safe here," Ash said.

He looked at Eiji. "Or you can stay with me."

Brown eyes met green and something silent passed between them.

"I want to stay with you."