Notes: eep. o.x Two people have asked me when Rei and Kai got together. And, to tell you the truth, I don't know. I guess it was in the park...o.o I don't remember how my mind was working when I got to that point, so I don't know... Sorry!

Okay. I'm annoyed. I was re-reading chapter 6 and I realized that I'd said Mussie was mustache in Swedish. I thought it was, my sister thought it was, and my mom thought it was...But my grandma says it's Mickey as in Mickey Mouse...Or maybe it was Mouse, as in Mickey Mouse. I dunno...But we all thought it was mustache..Whatever...

Too lazy to answer reviews o.x Sorry. Thanks to all who reviewed, though .- Much appreciated.

Chapter 11

"Kai, I think the vet is here." Dane said, steeping into the room. She's left to take Kate to her room and now stood behind the couch, looking anious.

Taking a deep breath, Kai nodded and stood, running a hand through his hair. "I hate this..." Kai muttered.

"We all do...Are you going to explain it to her?" Tala asked, referring to Hikiuma.

"Of course." Kai responded, heading for the front door as a soft knock reached his ears. Kai opened the door to find the vet standing there, looking rather upset himself.

"Mr. Hiwatari...I am ready when you are. Shall we see her now?" The man asked.

"Yes." Kai stepped past the man, leading him and the other three out to the stable where Hikiuma waited in her stall. When Kai entered the stall, the mare lifted her head from it's place on the ground and watched him approach. Kai sat down at her head, allowing her to lay it back down in his lap. "Hey, girl..." Kai whispered.

Hikiuma snorted in response, watching Kai with one eye.

"Listen, you know you're not going to be able to keep this up, Hiki..." Kai murmured, combing his fingers through her cropped mane. The mare made a motion with her head that Rei could have sworn was a nod. "So...We thought it best to put you to sleep...Stop it before it gets worse, you know?"

The mare snorted again, making the nodding motion again. Kai took another deep breath and looked up at the vet. "In a moment." Kai said, managing a sort of smile before returning his gaze to Hikiuma's face. "Are you ready?" Kai asked. Hikiuma watched him for a moment before nodding. "Smart girl..." Kai said, smiling sadly. "I love you, Hiki." Kai kissed her nose, earning him self a lick on the chin for the action.

As the vet approached, Hikiuma shifted to look at the wall seperating her stall and the next. "Wait." Kai said. "Tala, can you fetch Wings and the dogs?" Kai asked his brother.

"Yeah." Tala left the stall, coming back a moment later with another mare that looked remarkably like Hikiuma. Behind the draft horse were two dogs that Rei figured must have been Khuss and Dale. The vet, Rei, and Dane all moved to the side so the mare could step in.

Once the way was clear, Wings slowly moved forward to stand at her mother's side. Lowering his head, the young mare nudged her mother's cheek. Hikiuma returned the gesture, neighing softly. Rei was starting to think that none of these animals were your ordinary pet...

Khuss and Dale went to her next, both covering her muzzle in licks before she managed to give them both a lick of her own. Reluctantly, the dogs left the stable after Wings, who paused at the door to look back at her mother and neigh a farewell before the left.

"You...ready now?"

Hikiuma nodded, giving Kai's chin another lick.

"Okay...Uhm...Go ahead..." Kai said, without taking his eyes off of Hikiuma's face. The vet complied.

"Kai?" The two had sat in silence on the plane for the first ten minutes and Rei was wondering if something was wrong. Besides the fact that Kai was still upset.

Kai, taking his eyes away from the clouds outside and look at Rei. "Yes?"

"Are you okay?" Rei asked, looking concerned.

Kai smiled slightly. "I guess so, yeah. Just thinking. And not feeling much better than I did on the way there." Kai responded.

"You think you're sick?"

"Might be. Don't really know." Kai shrugged, absentmindedly tracing circles on the back of Rei's hand which sat on the arm rest between them.

"Maybe you should stay home tomorrow. I'm sure Kenny wouldn't mind taking care of Dranzer for another day." Rei said, watching Kai's hand.

"Probably..." Kai muttered, resting his head against the back of his seat and closing his eyes. "I guess a headache would be a bad sign, right?"

"Yes. Do you have one?"

"Yes."

"You know...Why don't we just go see the doctor when we get back? You haven't been feeling well for the last few days and it doesn't seem to be getting any better." Rei suggested.

"No."

"As in "no it doesn't" or "no, we're not going to the doctor"?"

"Both."

"Kai."

"Rei."

"We're going to the doctor."

"You can go to the doctor all you want. I'm not." Kai muttered, his eyes still closed.

"Kai."

"Rei?"

"Yes you are."

"No, I'm not!"

"Kai."

"What?"

"Stop arguing with me." Rei said, watching the older man as he spoke.

"There's no point in going to the doctor. All I need is sleep."

"You've slept fine for the last few days but it hasn't done any good." Rei said. "Please. Can we just go see the doctor? Figure out if it's the flu or something?"

Kai opened his eyes and looked over at Rei. "If it makes you happy." Kai responded, finally giving in.

Rei smiled. "It would."

"Fine." Kai sighed, closing his eyes again.

"Well, Mr. Hiwatari, it does seem too bad. As long as you get a lot of rest and don't go out of the house much."

Kai didn't respond, only shrugged and followed the doctor out. "Mr. Kon?"

"Yes?" Rei answered, getting to his feet.

"You ought to keep an eye on him. He appears to be the type that never follows the doctors orders." The doctor said, smiling before bidding them farewell and disappearing down the hall.

"What'd he say?" Rei asked.

Kai shrugged again. "That it doesn't seem too bad."

"And?"

Kai glared at him. "Rest. Don't go out." Kai responded, annoyed.

"And you will, right?"

"Will do what?"

"Rest and not go out. You know what I meant." Rei sighed.

"I'll rest."

"Kai."

"Hmm?"

"If you aren't going to do what the doctor says, -I- will."

"Fine. You rest and stay inside for me."

"I meant what he told -me- to do."

"What?"

Rei smiled. "I think I'll be staying with -you- until you're feeling better."

"Damnit. Leave me alone."

"No. I don't trust you." Rei responded, starting off towards the elevators.

"Gee...thanks..."

You know. Between this, reading fics, and playing around on VirtualHorseRanch, it took me from 1 o'clock AM to 9 PM to finish this...Anyway. Thanks for reading and please review! .