AR-kun: Gomen, minna, for taking so long. I've had some distractions recently and this was sort of a hard part to write......

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Part 3

Toshiya sighed and brushed Die's bangs back from his face. The guitarist had fallen asleep and slumped into Toshiya's lap. Not that the bassist minded. Die needed to rest. Shinya sat across the room in Yoshiki's lap, playing with the dozing producer's hair. He glanced over at Toshiya and bit his lip, eyes flicking over to Kaoru. Toshiya looked as well. Kaoru hadn't moved since they brought him in here. The doctors had said that as long as there was swelling in his brain, he would probably remain unconscious, but four weeks?

The sweet smell of flowers permeated the room, eminating from the many get-well bouquets fans had sent in along with their heartfelt letters. Totchi had read some of them last night in an attempt to distract himself and only ended up crying again. He sighed deeply and continued brushing Die's hair. Shinya sighed as well and curled up in Yoshiki's lap, wrapping his long, skinny arms around the producer's neck and laying his head on Yoshiki's chest, eyes slipping closed. Yoshiki murmured something in his sleep and tightened his grip on the younger drummer. Soon Toshiya was the only one not asleep in the room.

He stared at Kaoru's still form and prayed to whatever deity would listen. He prayed that Kaoru would wake up, or that he would and this would all be a dream. He wanted nothing more than to hear the stern leader fuss at him for annoying Shinya and Kyo, or to yell at Shinya for throwing drumsticks at Die, or shake Kyo in a desperate attempt to wake the sleeping vocalist. He wanted Kaoru back.

"Totchi...Totchi...TOSHIYA!" Toshiya jumped at the stern voice, so startled he dropped his cigarette. He turned around, mouth open to complain, and was met with the fury that was Kaoru.

"Ulp...Kao-kaoru...Ehehe...Daijoubu?" the bassist asked nervously, backing up instinctively.

"Iie...Toshiya, when I said practice was at noon, I meant it," the guitarist all but growled. Toshiya meeped.

"Ne, Kaoru, don't yell at me, I just got here!" he protested, holding his full hands up. "Is it my fault Kyo's car won't work?" There was a noise of protest from Kyo, who was walking in the studio. Toshiya smiled his most winning smile and batted his lashes. "C'mon, Kao-Kao...we haven't been late in a long time now, and it's only by ten minutes..." Kaoru sighed and raked his fingers through his bangs.

"Fine. Just, be here on time next time, huh?" Kaoru turned and walked back to the studio. Toshiya breathed a sigh of relief and turned to close the car door. The vehicle beeped, signalling that the headlights were still on. 'Kyo,' Totchi thought. He set all of his stuff down and leaned in the car to switch the lights off. However, the noise continued even after he flipped the switch.

Toshiya's eyes snapped open as he realized the beeping wasn't a part of his daydream. One of the countless machines was going haywire or something and making the most horrid beeping sound. Toshiya lept from his seat and flew to the door. Die, suddenly left without a pillow, fell harshly to the plastic seat, his head hitting it with a loud thump. He jerked awake. Meanwhile, Toshiya was yelling for a nurse or doctor, anyone. Shinya and Yoshiki stirred awake, and Shinya rose from the older man's lap, large eyes even wider than normal. Kaoru's once-peaceful sleeping face was contorted in agony.

Die looked on helplessly at his lover, desperately wishing he knew what to do. Suddenly a team of medical personnel was in the room, falling on Kaoru's bed like vultures. They talked back and forth rapidly. Die was shoved out of the way as they transferred Kaoru to a stretcher and wheeled him out of the room. Four pairs of eyes followed their retreat.

Yoshiki was the first to move. "Come on," he said, heading out after the doctors. Shinya followed, and Toshiya waited for Die, grabbing guitarist's cold, shaking hand and lacing their fingers together. Die's face was grim as Toshiya led him after the others.

The four ended up in a waiting room near one of the emergency rooms. Yoshiki was practically badgering the poor receptionist to find out where they had taken Kaoru. Shinya was sitting down, face ghostly white. Toshiya had to force Die to sit down next to Shinya.

"Keep an eye on him, I'm going to call Kyo," the bassist whispered. Shinya nodded, glad to have something to do. Toshiya sprinted to a secluded corner of the room and pulled his cell phone out. Kyo picked up on the second ring.

"Hello?"

"Kyo, it's me. You need to get to the hospital, now," Toshiya said, voice wavering ever so slightly.

"Na-nani? Is Kaoru..." Kyo's voice was full of dread, fear for the worst.

"I don't know what's going on. One of the machines started beeping and I called the doctors in here, and they took him out. Now we don't know where they took him, Yoshiki-san's trying to find out. Die's...he looks so lost, I left him with Shinya..I--"

"Totchi, Totchi, you're rambling. Listen," Kyo said, voice suddenly serious, "take a deep breath and try to calm down. Go sit with Die. I'm on the way." The phone clicked and then there was the steady beep of the dial tone. Toshiya drew in a shaky breath and hung his phone up as well. He slowly walked to where he had left Die. No one was there.

"Toshiya...this way." Shinya poked his head around a corner and motioned for the bassist to follow him. Toshiya walked over, and it occurred to him he hadn't told Kyo where they were. Kyo was smart, though, and damned determined; he'd find them quickly.

Shinya led him to a window. Inside there was a team of doctors and whatnot surrounding a bed. Kaoru lay on the bed. Die was by the window, palm pressed to the cool glass, watching the doctors' moves intently. Yoshiki wasn't looking at the window; his gaze was focused somewhere down the hall, probably at nothing. Shinya clutched at Toshiya's arm, bony fingers digging into the flesh. The bassist wrapped an arm around Shinya and hugged him, closing his eyes.

They stood there for what must have been an eternity, silent and somber as death. Shinya shook in Toshiya's embrace, crying noiselessly into the older man's shirt. Toshiya whispered gently to him, stroking his back. Die didn't move from the window, and Yoshiki was still staring down the hall, face gone ashen.

It's happening all over again, the producer thought to himself. They're going to lose him, and there isn't a damn thing I can do...

"No!" The three men jumped at Die's sudden outburst. The tall guitarist's face was disbelieving as he stared through the window. Toshiya turned and looked, feeling his heart all but stop at the sight. The doctors were stepping away from Kaoru, and one was glancing at his wristwatch. Faintly, the bassist could hear the steady, even rhythm of a heart monitor flatlining. "No!" Die repeated, slamming his fist against the window. He hit the glass so hard it actually cracked under the impact. Yoshiki was suddenly there, arms around Die as he slid to the floor. He held the guitarist and looked up and over at Toshiya.

Before Toshiya could move or do anything, the ER door opened and a doctor stepped out. His face was grim. "I'm sorry..." he said. Shinya made a strangled noise and clutched at Toshiya's shirt. "There was an aneurysm...it was deep in his brain," Totchi gasped. "We...it ruptured before we could save him. I'm so sorry..." Shinya began sobbing again. Toshiya just stood there, arms around the drummer, numb to the world. On the floor, Yoshiki cried silently as he held the shaking, sobbing guitarist.

Behind them, there was the raucous noise of another emergency being wheeled in. Toshiya caught the words "hit and run" and "critical condition." Something in his chest tightened, and for some unexplainable reason, he thought of his lover. He detached himself from Shinya and walked rather numbly to the corner. There were EMTs and nurses crowded around an ambulance stretcher. Two feet wearing a familiar pair of shoes stuck out of the stretcher. Toshiya gasped. He knew those shoes; he had bought them last Christmas as a present for...As the stretcher rolled past, Toshiya saw a familiar face and mop of unruly blonde hair.

"Kyo!" he shrieked, turning to run after the stretcher. A male nurse caught him and held him back.

"Ma'am...er, sir, you can't go in there. Please, wait outside." He set Toshiya down and walked back to the room Kyo had been wheeled into.

"Toshiya...where's Kyo?" Yoshiki had come running at the bassist's outcry. Toshiya looked up at Yoshiki, eyes wide and face pale. He pointed with one elegant hand to the room.

"In there...I--they didn't tell me what happened," he whispered.

"Oh my god," Yoshiki murmured.

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AR-kun: ^_~ One part left...