Cause and Effect
Chapter 5

Request story for Wolfiestarr. She didn't request it, probably cause she knows I'm not fond OCs, but I chose to put Zoey, Jenna, May, Ashley and Riley in the story. They belong to Wolfiestarr, on DA, fan fiction dot net and TDfan. They are support charries, only there to make an impossible situation even worse.

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Sid ran out of an alley and found himself on a crowded street. He lost track of where he was and nothing looked familiar. There were people shopping and milling around between street vendors. A store was having a grand opening. Even though he was confused about where he was, he felt safer in a crowd. Sid put Sue down, kneeling with her to keep her head and back off of the wet sidewalk while he used his phone to call for help.

A few people looked at the teens on the sidewalk as they walked or drove by, but, no one stopped. Most folks were much too caught up in what they were doing to offer help, or even notice Sid and Sue. Nana answered Sid's call, even before her phone rang. "Sid! Where have you and Tobey been? You have to get Tobey back to the hospital!"

"I know Nana, but we found Sue and rescued her from Kong Li. She's in worse shape than Tobey, I think. I don't know what Kong Li did to her, but she can barely breathe. I'm really scared."

"I see you on Orchard Street. I'll be right there – but how's Tobey feeling?"

"He was feeling pretty bad."

"What do you mean was? How is he now?"

"I don't really know, he stayed behind 'cause he couldn't keep up with me. He sent me ahead to get Sue to safety and promised he'd catch up."

"Oh Sid, you mean he's alone right now? Tobey's head injury is very serious, much more serious than the doctors first thought!"

"But he promised he'd be okay! I left him hiding near where we found Sue! - what if Kong Li finds him!"

"Okay, Sid – stay with Sue – I'll be right there."

Sid repositioned his sister, hoping she could breathe a little easier, "Mei-Mei, can you hear me? – I know, probably not, but Nana's on her way with help – hang on okay?" Even though the area was poorly lit, Sid could see that his sisters lips looked bluish.

"Hang on Mei Mei; I don't know what I'd do without you." Sid held her head under his chin, hugging and rocking with her. After a few moments, he glanced back at the alley where he had come from, hoping to see Tobey any second, but had no such luck.

Someone else showed up instead. Five other female someones. It was Zoey and her gang. He set his jaw and watched them closely.

"Hey Sid, what's going on?" Zoey and the others sauntered up to Sid and Sue. Zoey laughed, "Sue get tired of riding around in the van with that old man?"

Jenna added, "Hey, maybe she drank a little too much or something! Hahaha."

"How dare you? My sister doesn't drink anything with alcohol - just go away and leave us alone."

Zoey added, "No way – were not going away. Jenna thinks your cute – I told her you would take her on a date."

"Zoey! Don't tell him that!" Jenna cried, and blushing, tried to hide behind Riley.

"Just go away." Sid sounded tired. He was still thinking more about Sue than any of the five bullies. "I blame you girls for Sue being in this condition - Sue was already sick, I heard you tried to give her your cold – and succeeded. Then you stole her bike. That was why she left home – to find her bike. I heard you were there when she got kidnapped so I know you already know what happened."

"We were not! We were no where near the library." Zoey said angrily.

"How'd you know it happened at the library then?"

"Shut-up Sid! Keep running your mouth and I'll close it with my fist!"

Sid put Sue down, gently and got up. "Not even all five of you could shut me up. Sue was sick – and exposed to stressful situations over and over because of you and got even sicker. Now she could die because of you!"

Zoey still argued with him. "You can't blame us!" but she didn't approach him, knowing he probably could take all of them at once.

"Why not? The cops are coming with the ambulance. After I tell them what you've done, I'm sure they will want to talk to all of you."

"No way!" Zoey and Jenna cried at the same time. Four of the girls took off running, but not May. She looked like she wanted to run with her friends, but hesitated. She sounded reluctant to say anything, even though she spoke. "Sid, I'm really sorry and I have to know - how's Tobey?"

"I don't know. He's lost somewhere in the city with a concussion."

"A concussion? You mean he hurt his head?"

"Yeah, he was hurt when the van hit him. I think he didn't know how seriously hurt he was when he came with me to find Sue. I regret leaving him alone so much I can't stand it, but now I can't leave Sue to find him until help arrives!"

"I'm sorry Sid - really." May cried as she ran away, wiping her eyes. She heard the ambulance siren getting close.

The tires squealed to a stop at the curb. Nana jumped out of the ambulance first, followed by two paramedics. She was at Sue's side before the paramedics even got their doors open.

"Sid! Have you heard from Tobey?"

"No, but he promised he'd be here! He said he'd follow as soon as he caught his breath and Kong Li left the area."

The paramedics came over and Nana made Sid back away a little so they could help Sue. Nana whispered, "Tobey could be in serious trouble Sid – even he didn't know how badly he was hurt."

"He knew Nana, I think he was in more pain than he admitted."

Sid watched the medics put blankets under Sue and over her legs. One adjusted the rate that clear fluid was running into her arm, through an intravenous line. He made it drip faster, until it was almost running in a steady stream instead of dripping.

Sid snapped himself out of watching the dripping in the plastic line like he was hypnotized when they pulled a gurney over. He watched them lift his sister onto the gurney. A metal box with lots of dials and lighted screens was placed next to Sue on the gurney. It was connected to a heart monitor.

Sid didn't lie to the gang of girls, the police really did show up, right behind the ambulance. An officer was directing traffic to go by, and another joined Nana and Sid on the sidewalk.

A female paramedic was on the radio, talking to the doctors at the hospital. She was relaying the information about Sue, and the officer reported in to let headquarters know that the Amber Alert issued when Sue had been kidnapped, could be canceled.

There was more equipment on the gurney around Sue. Another box of some kind was lying between her knees. Sid's thoughts were all jumbled up and he hated feeling so confused and helpless. As badly as he wanted to stay with Sue – he also wanted to go find Tobey.

The paramedic named Jim reported to the others that she was on oxygen and now here blood oxygen levels were rising. Sid wasn't sure what that meant exactly, but it sounded like whatever they were doing, was making Sue better. Sid finally took a deep breath as he turned to face Nana. "Tobey sacrificed himself so I could save Sue didn't he?"

"I think so, like his mother did when she protected him from Kong Li. Only now . . . like his mother, I'm afraid Kong Li will permanently 'banish' him!"

"No – I can't let that happen! Sue wouldn't want it that way - either!"

As if reading his mind, Nana told him, "Sue will understand why you left . . . Sid, go . . . go find Tobey. Everything possible is being done for Sue, and Tobey is still in trouble. I'll stay with Sue unless you need me."

"Alright Nana." Sid ran back down the alley without looking back, afraid if he did and saw Sue, he would cry.

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May ran through the alley to catch up to her friends. When she caught sight of them ahead, she cried. "Zoey stop!" They didn't stop so she yelled loudly, "GUYS WAIT!"

Zoey stopped. She impatiently rolled her eyes and put her hands on her hips. "What, May?" the other girls stopped and put on attitudes too.

"Tobey's lost – and hurt! We have to help find him – I love him so much – he has to be mine!"

"No way. We have other things to do."

"Like what? . . . Look! I need you guys – I have to be with Tobey! Its not fair - that girl, Sue is being rescued right now – and Tobey is still out there, somewhere alone and hurt!"

Zoey rolled her eyes as she looked at Riley. "How about that crap? One of our own is going soft on us because of that skunk-headed creep."

"I want him for my own – Tobey and I will be married someday – I just know it!" May started sobbing hysterically.

Zoey rolled her eyes and started to walk away. "Come on you guys, let May find her boyfriend on her own. We were gonna go bully some quarters off the kids at the arcade."

Riley frowned, "I think she's right. We should help find the skunk-kid if we can."

Jenna joined in, "Where do you think we should start? We have no idea where they were when Tobey went missing."

"We can start back where we first saw Sid carrying Sue and backtrack." May quickly answered, hoping they were all listening and really willing to help. "Alright, I guess. Maybe we can cause some trouble along the way." To May's surprise, even Zoey said she'd come with them.

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Kong Li was sitting on the discarded air conditioning unit that Tobey was hiding inside. He didn't know it though; he was still unconscious. Being scared, trapped and the head injury caused him to pass out even before Kong Li got close.

The shape shifter approached his master from further down the alley, trying to follow Sid and Tobey's footprints. Of course at this point, the footprints had been mixed up and partially erased by Kong Li and the shape-shifter's footprints and he was having no luck figuring out for sure which way they went. Kong Li yelled at him, "Shape-shifter! Why haven't you found them? Don't you dare let me down again! I'll turn you into the grease they use under the city buses!"

"But Master, the only clue I can find, while hard to see; the kid's footprints seem to stop and separate in this area – I think only one of them left this alley – the other should be here."

Kong Li stood up to take a look around himself. Suddenly he grinned evilly and kicked the air conditioning unit with Tobey inside. He kicked so hard that it rolled; the panels flew off and Tobey fell out, groaning.

"Good work Master!" the shifter kissed up.

Kong Li triumphantly strode over and picked Tobey up by his shirt front; Tobey moved weakly, as though nearly unconscious, and Kong Li shook him. Tobey groaned. Smiling wickedly, Kong Li slapped his face. In a sing song voice, he said, "Wake up my son – nap time's over." Tobey still didn't wake up but Kong Li spoke to him like he had. "I thought you died when the van hit you, m'boy – too bad. Shifter! Since he isn't dead yet, he may still be of some use to me. Prepare accommodations for him, in the basement where he will be harder to find. And make sure he doesn't have his infernal phone with him!"

"Kong Li, your son lives, isn't that good news? The prophesy can still come true!"

"It's neither good or bad, good that the prophesy can still come true as it was written, and also good that I get to kill him all over again. The down side is that I thought I was already rid of his annoying interference."

"I wonder what's wrong with him."

"He's scared of small places, hiding in there wasn't easy for him. He probably passed out he was so scared. He isn't usually so scared of me though, I thought he would have faced me rather than hiding in such a place."

"He knows he is no match for you my master."

"Stop kissing up. Go quickly. I expect you to have inescapable, extremely uncomfortable, accommodations ready for my son before I get inside with him. He will not escape as the girl did."

The Shape-shifter turned on his heel and quickly ran back toward the side-entrance to the warehouse. He ran by the area where empty chains hung, where Sue had been suffering and dying only minutes before. Shifty was frowning, trying to think of what to do with Tobey that would please his master.

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Instead of carrying him gently across his arms, Kong Li put him over his shoulder and carried him like a sack of potatoes. Before Kong Li got back inside the warehouse, he realized there was a lump on Tobey's hip pressing into his neck, and he knew what it was.

"There's that phone of yours, my boy." Kong Li pulled Tobey off of his shoulder and tossed him roughly on the hood of an abandoned car nearby so he could find the phone. To be sure it was off, he took the battery out and threw the phone and the battery in different directions. While he checked his son's pockets for anything else that might get in his way, five teenaged girls came up silently and stood in a half circle behind him.

In his son's front pocket, Kong Li found a napkin with five hard, dried out shrimp that had been 'saved for later' and forgotten. He tossed them over his shoulder and Zoey cursed him, "Ew! What did you just throw at me?"

"What have you done to Tobey?" May cried anxiously.

"Get away from him!" Zoey grinned, thinking this mission might get interesting after all.

"Well now – who dares to try to sneak up on me?" Kong Li picked Tobey up again before turning slowly to face them. "If you know what's good for you, you will turn and leave very quickly, right now."

"You put him back down – gently – we're taking him with us!"

Instead of doing as the girls demanded, Kong Li held onto Tobey and sent a magical energy blast from the end of his red dragon staff. The blast made Jenna jump to the side. Not one of the girls backed down, in fact they got closer, seeing that they couldn't let him get inside the warehouse with Tobey.

Before Kong Li could open his mouth to make more threats, all five girls charged him. He got off another blast that hit the ground in front of Zoey. She jumped over it and kept running right at him. Trying to hold onto Tobey, Kong Li couldn't fight them all off. Ashley punched him right in the gut and Zoey put her knuckles right in his face. May was holding both of Tobey's hands in her own, trying to pull him away from Kong Li, who angrily pushed Tobey at them suddenly, needed both hands he reached under his cape for a sleeping spell.

May and Ashley caught Tobey, but feel back with him. He landed across their laps. Ashley quickly got out from under him to rejoin the attack. Tobey rolled off of her lap onto his back. May paused for a moment and brushed Tobey's bangs off his face. "Oh Tobey . . . hang on." May sat back down next to him and pulled him up in her lap to hold him.

"I don't know who you girls think you are, but you will be very sorry you interfered in my family business!"

Kong Li had his hand in his cloak looking for the magic vial containing the sleeping recipe to rid himself of all five annoyances at once. Sid came from the rooftop of the warehouse, yelling at the girls as he jumped down, "Look out!"

Sid landed on Kong Li before he could use his evil magic. The four girls took a few steps back. Sid and Kong Li landed on the ground; the vial flew out of his hand and broke against the building.

Kong Li push Sid off, rolling with him he wound up on top with his fingers around Sid's throat. "Well Sid – you're late. How's your little sister?"

Sid had no air to use to yell back at him. Jenna body-slammed Kong Li to get him off of Sid. He rolled over, coughing as the villain rolled into a pile of tires.

May wasn't even watching the fight. She was stroking Tobey's hair and cooing softly at him, as though he were a sleeping child in her arms.

Zoey, Ashley, Jenna and Riley ganged up on Kong Li again. They didn't give him time to fight back. Jenna grabbed a hubcap lying nearby and hit Kong Li in the head with it, while the others held him. After the third hit, Kong Li fell face first on the ground and stopped fighting. Zoey cheered, "Good job girls!"

Sid ran to May and Tobey, "How is he?"

"He's fine – Tobey's mine . . . "

"He doesn't look fine." Sid quickly stooped down to pick Tobey up out of May's lap. She met his cheek with her clenched fist. Sid growled angrily, "What's wrong with you? Let me take him!" May's punch didn't hurt much. It was more like a sparing punch from Sue during practice.

May blinked as though she woke up from a trance of some kind. She leaned back a little and let Sid pick Tobey up when he tried again. Sid took Tobey as quickly and gently as he could down the alley to the street. Zoey and Ashley beat him there and waved a cab down.

Sid got in the back seat with Tobey in his lap and said, "Hospital!" but before the girls closed the cab door, he added, "I'm glad you were here this time – I appreciate your help."

After the cab pulled away, May, Zoey and Ashley watched it go for a moment, but two of them ran away, joining Riley and Jenna. May stayed at the curb – watching, even though the cab was long gone.

The others found Kong Li was still lying face down on the ground. Zoey grinned, "Pants him girls!" Zoey and Jenna rolled Kong Li onto his back and pulled his black pants down, revealing polka-dotted pink and white underwear. They all squealed with laughter. Jenna handed Riley and Ashley permanent felt tip pens from her fanny pack. Each girl had a different brilliant color. Ashley yelled, "Doodle on him!"

So they started drawing their best works of art on Kong Li. Riley worked on the standard circles around his eyes and a mustache, and Ashley added circles with 'frowney' faces around his knee-caps. Zoey added flowers and butterflies everywhere his skin was showing. Ashley took his shoes and socks off of his feet and holding her nose from the stink, as a final touch, Ashley and Jenna painted his toenails bright red with nail polish that also came from Jenna's fanny pack.

To show their masterpiece to the world, it took all four of them to drag him out to the main street. They left him lying on the sidewalk where passersby would be sure to see him. May watched her friends, smiling, but clearly thinking about something else.

They stayed nearby for a moment, watching Chinatown's residents giggling as they walked by. Drivers in their cars slowed down as the went by, pointing and laughing. Thinking him drunk, the first patrol car that happened on the street, stopped and loaded him in. Under arrest on a 'drunk in public' charge, the officers laughed the whole time as they admired the artwork drawn all over the villain.

Later, when Kong Li awakened in a jail cell with other passed-out drunks, first thing, he saw the 'youthful' drawings all over his body. His scream of frustration could be heard all over Chinatown as he vanished in a puff of mist from another vial he had in a pouch around his neck.

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Arriving at the hospital emergency room entrance, Sid tried to pay the cab driver as he stopped the car, but the driver waved him away, "Go - hurry! Take care of your friend." the driver instructed him.

"Thank-you sir." Sid replied quickly and carried Tobey in through the emergency entrance. A male nurse, happened to see him and recognized Tobey. He yelled across the hallway, "Doctor! Doctor – your missing head injury patient has shown up!"

Doctors and more nurses swarmed around Sid. They took Tobey from him, placed him on a gurney and wheeled him into a treatment room right away. One of the nurses knew that Mai Hua was already there and went to find her.

Upset and feeling frazzled, Sid was breathing so hard his chest hurt. Holding his arms across his chest with discomfort and despair, he backed against the wall in the hallway and slid down to sit on the floor right where he stood.

A female nurse with blond hair and fake eyelashes saw him as she came out of a treatment room. "No honey, not on the floor – someone will roll a gurney over you. Come lie on the couch in the waiting room until you catch your breath." She guided Sid by his shoulders toward the waiting room. But Sid objected, "But Tobey? . . . and what about Mei Mei! Is she okay? Is Nana still here?"

"I'll find out for you, but first lets make you comfortable, I want to be sure you're alright - you look like you just fought a pack of crazed monkeys, sweetie; are your parents coming?" The nurse was counting his pulse and checking him over as she spoke.

"I d-don't have p-parents, but my guardian, Nana is already here – with my sister. I think someone went to get her."

Just then Nana showed up at the waiting room door and saw the nurse helping Sid. He thought the worst when he saw Nana's sad expression.

"Nana – Is Sue?"

"Sue is still hanging in there – did you find Tobey?"

"Yeah, Tobey's here. Zoey, May and their friends found him first and kept Kong Li busy until I got there . . . Nana! Tobey wasn't conscious."

"Where did they take him?"

"He's in Emergency I guess, they hurried me in here."

At May's insistence, the girls appeared at the emergency room entrance and just stood there. For the first time ever, even Zoey looked shy. They were all wondering if they'd be allowed to stay after Nana or Sid saw them.

Nana saw them and reacted kindly, "Girls. Thank you for finding Tobey. I'm sure he and Sue will be as grateful as we are for your help."

"No problem Mrs. Wu. I'm sorry for the part we played in what happened to Sue and Tobey." Zoey offered, mumbling.

"What do you mean?"

Sid interrupted, "Nothing Nana, I'll tell you later."

"When they wake up, you'll tell them we were here right?"

"And tell them we're sorry." Ashley added.

"Of course." Nana assured them.

May spoke urgently, "Especially me – tell Tobey, I was here - okay?"

Nana smiled at her and nodded. The girls left, but as they went May stopped out of sight of the waiting room. Zoey looked at her and the others stopped too. "What are you doing? Come on."

"I'm not leaving my Tobey here alone. You guys go on."

"'Your' Tobey, since when? And no one is 'left alone' in a hospital – I've heard my mother complain about how they wouldn't leave her alone to sleep while she was in the hospital having that surgery."

"Yeah, you're acting all weird, May."

"Am not! Just go away. I'll call you later." May started back down the hall away from her friends.

Jenna and Riley watched her go. "She's lost her mind you know?"

"Yeah." Jenna agreed and left with the others.

The doctor came to the waiting room, and without saying anything, he motioned for Nana and Sid to follow him. He took them to his office close by. Thinking that no one ever came to a Doctor's private office unless there was bad news, really bad news, Sid was terrified and his hand was visibly shaking when he reached for a chair to sit down. Nana held his hand as the doctor started to speak.

"I'm sorry Ms. Wu . . . and Sid – we did all we could, but we couldn't save . . ." Sid interrupted, "No!" Tears were already rolling down his cheeks. He stood up quickly and Nana thought he was going to run from the room. She stood up with him, holding onto his hand tightly to make him stay with her.

"But Nana – Tobey – No! I never should have left him! I was too late getting him here! Fighting with Kong Li was too much for him!"

"I'm sorry son, there's been a little confusion. Tobey is still in radiology we don't know much about his condition yet. I was speaking about your sister." the doctor said grimly.

"But Doctor – I got her here fast – I left Tobey to get her here! She has to be alright~ the EMT's said . . ."

"I'm so sorry son, Sue's pneumonia was too severe – we couldn't even keep her alive with the machines, her lungs were full of infection and just couldn't process oxygen anymore."

"Can we see Sue; sit with her for a few minutes at least?"

"Of course, stay as long as you like. I'll come find you when we know more about your son's condition." Nana nodded and shook the doctor's hand before she left the office. Sid followed Nana into the hallway, but then held back like he didn't want to go. "Sid? . . . Sid - come on." Nana encouraged him.

"Nana – I don't want to. I don't want to see Sue now - you know; like that. As long as I don't see her, I can at least pretend that she's okay – that I didn't fail her. I don't want my last memories of her. . . like that."

"Aw- Sid, come on. It will be alright. Its important that we see her." Nana encouraged him, smiling gently as other visitors and hospital staff walked by.

"But Nana . . . how can you say it will be alright? Mei Mei's dead . . . " Sid spoke softly – like he didn't even want to say it out loud, he whispered, "Dammit."

Nana smiled kindly at Sid, but led him almost forcefully down the cold, white hospital hallway to the treatment room where Sue's body was still on the hospital bed; covered with a white sheet. Nana pulled a chair over to the bedside for Sid to sit down, but he didn't sit. Instead, he nervously pulled the sheet down and saw his sister's face. The sight of her made him break down. Crying, he leaned over her to talk to her. "Sue. I'm sorry." he moaned. Once again, Nana guided him a little forcefully to sit in the chair out of her way. She put her bag next to Sue on the edge of the bed and started unloading her ingredients.

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May cautiously wandered around looking for Tobey. She finally found him, being put in a hospital bed by two nurse's. Even though his face was hidden under his white forelock, she could still tell he was unconscious.

A nurse turned his head straight on the pillow and brushed his bangs out of his eyes. May involuntarily gasped and it made her hiccup, but no one heard her. Jenna came up behind May and spoke kindly, "He'll be alright – he has to be, right?"

"He was hit by the van trying to save Zoey – even though it was our fault Sue was there. It was our fault Sue was sick too. We shouldn't have stolen her bike – what were we thinking?"

"We were just teasing – having fun."

"Is this fun? Are you having fun now? I'm not. Is what we do for 'fun' ever fun for anyone else? What kind of weirdos are we, that we think causing trouble and bullying others is fun?"

May started to cry and Jenna led her away so they wouldn't be caught by a nurse and told to leave. They went to an empty waiting room in the opposite direction from where Nana and Sid were still with Sue's body.

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Leaning forward in the chair, Sid had his head down; crying with his forehead on Sue's cold arm when he smelled something weird, like moldy mushrooms. He coughed and pushed his face down harder on Sue's cold arm, his nose pressed into the sheets so he wouldn't smell whatever it was. He was too upset to wonder what the smell was.

He thought at first he had to be dreaming, or imagining it, but Sue's arm suddenly felt very warm – almost too hot to touch. He rose up blinking tears out of his eyes and found his sister was enveloped in a warm, pink glow. He saw that Nana was smiling, watching him. Sid saw Sue's chest rise, as if taking a breath. Wiping tears off his face he asked, "Nana. What's happening?"

"See Sid? I told you everything would be alright. Its the mold Tobey found. My master was wise. He taught us that this mold could be poisonous, or as beneficial as we need it to be, if our intentions are good. Sue's pneumonia is cured. Her lungs are clear. Look how easily she is breathing."

"Nana, thank you."

"Thank Tobey. He found it, remember? This is what I scraped off of his shirt. A tiny bit was all it took. Sue will wake up soon with the only side effect being a really bad taste in her mouth."

"Nana - can it help Tobey too?"

"Its gone Sid, we only had a little. Tobey will have to recover on his own."

"But what if he can't? Can't you do anything for him?"

"Avoid thinking such negative thoughts. Tobey is stronger than he looks, or acts sometimes. Stay with with Sue; be here when she wakes up. She will probably need something to drink to get the bad taste out of her mouth."

"Where are you going, Nana?"

"I'm going to find Tobey, and the doctor who can tell me about his condition."

"Okay Nana. Thank-you for Sue . . . you know."

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Tobey woke up slowly to a sensations of something being pressed over his lips. The heart monitor he was attached to, beeped faster when he realized someone was very close – too close. He brought his hands up to try and push whoever it was, away. Last he remembered, only Kong Li and his shape-shifter had been near him. He thought briefly that Kong Li was trying to kiss him, and gasped in horror. Then heard a female voice.

"MMMmmmm, Tobey! You're awake!" May cried, lifting herself off the edge of the bed, but still staring at Tobey with her face uncomfortably close to his face.

"May, what were you just doing?"

"Nothing much. You were rewarding me with kisses for rescuing you from some old man."

"I was unconscious! You were kissing me? Ew!"

"Of course, and you're welcome."

"Where's Sid? How's Sue?"

"Why do you want to know about her already? Is she all you can think about? I rescued you, and I've been at your bedside the whole time you were unconscious."

"Thanks, I guess – I don't even want to know what else you did while I was passed out. Was it a long time? Where's everyone else?"

"I hid in the closet the last time the nurses and doctors came in to check on you. I heard them talking . . . Guess Sue died - so that leaves you available for me. You love me now - don't you?"

"WHAT? Sue died? NO way!" Tobey tried to get up, but paused, holding his head. "Ow," tears welled up, and ran down his cheeks. May pushed him back down on the bed, and put one knee up, when Tobey opened his eyes again, she was over him. Smiling at him, like she was looking at chocolate dessert she wanted to eat.

"May - get off my bed - I have to find out what happened to Sue – it can't be true that she died."

"I told you, she croaked – I heard the nurse say so. I imagine Sid's pretty broke up about it, but you don't have to be – you have me know."

"Have you for what?" Tobey was oblivious, and also starting to feel angry. He started feeling around the bed for the button that would call the nurse. May found it first and threw it off the bed, where Tobey couldn't reach it. "Hey – what did you do that for?" May laid across Tobey's chest, trying to kiss him again. "Get off of me! Help!"

"Whats going on here?" Nana paused at Tobey's doorway.

"Mmmmm-nnn-Nana!" Tobey cried, his head hurt and he felt too weak to hold May off any longer.

"May. Get off of my son."

"No he's mine – we will be very happy together when . . ."

Tobey interrupted her, "Nana-mmm!" he turned his head away from May, "What's happened? She said Sue's dead!"

"No Tobey, Sue will be fine. Sid is with her." Nana sounded calm.

As she spoke she moved close up behind May, who was still occupied with trying to kiss Tobey.

Nana grabbed May's ear. With a 'pinch and twist', she pulled her off of Tobey, and all the way off the bed. May screamed angrily, "NO! LET ME GO! Owee-Tobeeeee – don't let her separate us!" May started swinging her fists at Nana. She just held her at her arms' length and since her arm was longer, and she was taller, May's fists came no where close to hitting her, but she kept trying anyway.

"Tobey, what's going on here?" Nana frowned at him.

"I don't know Nana – really! When I woke up a minute ago, she was on me. I think she was trying to kiss me."

"I did kiss you, and you kissed me back over and over! You love me - why are you denying it?"

"Nana, I don't remember I swear! When I woke up, she seemed to be entertaining herself – using me! Ew – for the first time, I think I want a shower."

"I wasn't using you for anything! I love you and you love me!"

Nana raised her eyebrow and spoke cautiously, wary of this girl's strange behavior under the circumstances. "May dear, you seem a little confused."

"No I am not confused! I saved you twice! Tobey, remember? Now you love me!"

"Twice? I'm sorry I don't remember. I've been out of it a lot lately."

Sid and Sue appeared in the doorway next. Sue still a little unsteady on her feet, but she insisted they find Tobey. She was so relieved to see that Tobey awake, she cried from the doorway, "Tobey! You're OKAY!"

May glared at her, and replied in a most threatening tone, "What are you doing here?"

Sue growled at May, "More important, what are you doing here?"

"None of your business! Go away tramp. Tobey doesn't want to see you!"

"What? . . . Sue – of course I want to see you! She's nuts – Nana? Can't you make her leave."

"I am not nuts and I'm not leaving!" May lunged at Sue, before Nana could get there. Tobey sat up in bed, just by reflex, but saw Sid was already taking care of May. He groaned, holding his head and laid back down. When he held his head, he noticed his arm was bleeding where one of the IV lines had pulled out. "Oh crud." he moaned and covered the bleeding hole with a wad of sheet.

Sid grabbed May's wrists and squeezed until she let go of Sue. He was surprised how hard he had to squeeze to make her let go. He didn't want to hurt her, but he was not going to let her hurt Sue. May argued, "No! She wants my Tobey! Cant you see? I won't let her have him!

"May, you're crazy. Tobey has loved Sue since we were little kids. All he knows about you is that you and your friends are mean to everyone else at school." Sid shoved her out of the room and pulled the chair with Sue in it, in front of the door. Trapped out in the hall, May pounded on the door and screamed for Tobey.

Sue got up and moved away. Sid sat down to keep weight in the chair so she couldn't open the door. "Sue are you alright?"

"Yeah . . . um . . . what did you mean, Tobey loves me?"

"Oh, um – Mei Mei – I just meant he loves you, I mean – I- like I love you too, I mean – w-we're all f-family."

They couldn't hear May yelling anymore, and the pounding stopped. Nana looked out; May was no where in sight. Sid went with Sue, over to Tobey's bed side. "Tobey I'm glad your okay."

"Do I look okay to you?" Tobey held up his bleeding arm, and pointed at his bandaged head, but he was smiling mischievously. They knew he wasn't really upset.

"The doctor said you would be okay, at least. All you need is some rest."

"Yeah Sue. Thanks, you looked pretty rough last I saw you - are you alright now?"

"Yes. Thanks to Nana and Sid, and the mold you found, Tob'."

"The mold? How did the mold help? It was poisonous! Kong Li wanted to use it to get rid of everyone in Chinatown."

"True, Kong Li would have used it that way, but if the person cooking with the mold has good intentions and wants to help others, the mold changes accordingly."

"That's good to know. Guess I heroically saved the day again, even though I was unconscious - huh?"

"Guess so buddy, what would we do without you?"

"I hope we never have to find out."

Nana interrupted, "Sid, come with me please, I want to go tell the doctor's that Tobey is awake now and tell them he pulled out an IV. I want to find out if they've seen May too."

"Yeah, that girl was having some serious issues."

"Come on Sid, you can't really blame her - all the girls go crazy for me – May just took it a little farther than most. She couldn't control herself - its my charm and handsomeness."

"Right Tobey, keep telling yourself that. But Nana, should we leave them alone?"

"We won't be far. They'll be alright." Nana motioned for Sid to walk in front of her. She glanced back inside just before she closed the door.

Sue sat shyly on the edge of Tobey's bed. The bed rail was already down or she wouldn't have sat there. "Its okay isn't it?"

"Is what okay?"

"Will I bother you if I sit here? Are you comfortable? Can I get you another pillow?" Without giving him time to answer, Sue got up, intending to go to the empty bed in the room and get him another pillow whether he needed it or not.

"Sue wait, sit back down . . . please. I like having you sit with me."

"Tobey did you hear what Sid told May?

"When? Just now? There were a lot of loud voices. My head was spinning."

"Sid said you've loved me since we were kids."

Tobey blushed. "I have, we grew up together, right? I love you as if you were my blood-related sister."

"Is that it? You love me like your sister. I think when Sid said that, he meant love in a different way."

"Different?"

"Yeah, different. Like you two are friends . . . and maybe you've confided in him about your feelings for me. Like maybe you feel romantic love for me. Silly huh?"

"No, not silly Sue. He's right, and you're right – I confided in him."

"Why didn't you just tell me?"

"Because, why would you like me that way? You're so beautiful. I was afraid you'd laugh at me . . . so . . . go ahead and laugh – lets get it over with." Tobey turned away.

"Tobey . . . silly." Sue said softly as she leaned down, parting her lips slightly as her face got close to his. She closed her eyes. Tobey gasped – it was to good to be true! "I knew it! I'm still unconscious aren't I?"

"What? . . . No – Tobey?"

"Wow, this dream really had me going there for a few minutes!" Tobey started pinching his own arm, above the blood smears from the pulled-out IV.

"Tobey! No – what are you doing?"

"Pinching myself to try and wake up!"

"Tobey, think about it. I was about to kiss you. Do you really want to wake up?"

"Oh. I see what you mean. Well. If you didn't mean it – it would just be too sad. I couldn't go on once I woke up and found out you really were laughing at me."

"Oh Tob." Sue smiled, "Does this feel like I don't mean it?" Sue pinned Tobey's shoulders to the bed and leaned with all her weight to hold him down. She turned her head and planted her lips on his, before she closed her eyes, to make sure she hit the mark.

Tobey tensed at first, a reaction to being held down, but soon, relaxed completely, returning her kiss, and thinking of nothing else. He tried to hug her, but she held him down so tightly, all he could do was bend his elbows enough to touch the backs of her arms. He groaned with pleasure and she cooed, making a sound that sent chills up his spine.

Tobey even forgot his head hurt. "Um Dream Sue, that certainly felt like you meant it – would you do it one more time so I can be sure?"

Sue smiled as she started kissing him again.

[[[[[[[[*]s]t]a]r]]]]]]]]]]]]

A cold pair of eyes watched Sue and Tobey through the window. Four stories up, a figure crouched on a scaffolding that the window washer's had left vacant during their break.

"Dammit, little Sue Yi – you witch! I won't let you work your magic on him. Tobey IS MINE!"

May swung down on a rope to a ledge, and ran along it until she came to an open window. She kicked the screen in and landed in the room with an elderly couple.

The husband was recovering from heart surgery. The wife screamed and the old man grabbed his chest. Alarms, screeching ringing sirens and loud beeps flooded the hallways. Nurses and doctors started running toward the room.

No one paid any attention to May as she ran out and down the hall. "I'll get you, Sue Yi!"

[[[[[[[[*]s]t]a]r]]]]]]]]]]]]
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