Dearest Readers, I am sooo sorry that I've been gone so long! I had a horrid and hectic semester, but now its summer and I'm back! And new chapters are in the forecast for this summer, so without further ado, please enjoy this late, but very new, chapter. (I didn't spend these months acquiring the rights to Ouran, sadly.)

Chapter 19: A Damaged Discovery

My eyes flutter open in a blindingly white room. The sound of dripping, beeping, and shallow breathing echos off its pristine walls. My head feels heavy, drugged, and the world looks blurry. I try to push myself upright and my head spins and pain shoots through me. It is too much and I lie back down, trembling slightly, only then do I notice the ebony-haired person sleeping by my side. One arm wrapped around his head for a pillow, the other hand clutching mine. Takashi. His left arm is wrapped in bandages. What happened to him? Why am I in a hospital? Then I remember-the car, the phone call, the scream, the darkness.

Takashi stirs and sits up in the chair that was pulled beside my bed, making me regret moving. There are bags under his eyes and exhaustion is written all over his face, but when he looks at me, his face lights up with relief. "Oh thank God, Misuki. I was so worried. I am so sorry. I love you so much, so very much." He kisses my hand, avoiding the IVs as he rambles on. "I am so happy you are alright, I love you. I can't lose you like that again. I haven't slept for two days. It should be me in the bed, not you. I love you, I will always love you, I can't live without you." I laugh and then wince because everything hurts, but I can't stop smiling. He has never been this open, this emotionally vulnerable. His wall is gone, smashed by the car crash.

"I love you too, Takashi," I say, interrupting him.

He coughs, trying to put his mask back in place. Takashi swipes at his happy tears, trying in vain to rebuild the wall. He jumps up, banging his bandaged arm against the bed rail. He mutters "ow," before awkwardly trying to fix the blankets around me. "Just trying to keep you comfortable." He smoothes the sheets and brushes off imaginary dust.

"Takashi," I mumble, my voice heavy and slow from whatever is flowing into me from the IV's.

"Yes, Misuki?" He is resting a hand on my thigh.

"Why can't I feel you touching me?" I ask, confused. "Why can't I feel my legs?"

His eyes dart to mine, then he turns away. I try to reach for him, but my arms ache and my head spins with every movement. "Please Takashi, please. Don't keep this from happened?"

He turns back to be, guilt pooling in his umber eyes. "I am so sorry, Misuki. It should have been me..."

The doctors explain to me that because I am so small, the impact caused the airbag to explode with such force that my lower spine has been damaged. So far, no tests have shown any positive response from the nerve endings in my legs, but the paralysis could be temporary due to swelling. Could be temporary. They smile and try to be hopeful, explaining various therapies and how many people have gone on to live full lives without the use of their lower bodies.

I may never walk again...

"Takashi?" I count the shadows that stretch across the ceiling.

"Yeah?"

"Will you still love me if I stay a man forever? If I can never walk again?"

"Will you still love me if I don't turn into a woman? If I have to help you walk?"

"Of course, your questions are ridiculous."

"Only as ridiculous as yours. I love you Misuki. I could never stop loving you. Wherever you go, I go. I don't care about the outside, I love you. The you inside. Do you feel this?" He takes my hand and places it over his chest and I nod. "Do know why it beats?"

"Because our blood needs to pump oxygen-"

"No, my heart beats because I love you. If I ever stopped loving you, my heart would stop, too." He reaches past the IV's and kisses my lips. I can't move my hands to embrace him and he is gentle with me, as if I would tear apart if he kissed too hard.

The room fades in and out of my vision and I struggle to stay awake. Sleep wins and overcomes me, dragging me down into its calm embrace. I wake again in shadow, the only noise is the steady beeping of the heart rate monitor. Takashi is fast asleep on the reclining chair in the corner and the halls are motionless, without a single nurse rushing around. The peaceful silence engulfs me, but then a voice, smooth as a snake's whisper, startles me.

"You are very lucky, with an impact like that you could have died." Reiko stands in the corner shrouded in shadow.

"I'm sorry to disappoint you, but yes, I am lucky, and very much alive."

Her trademark smirk appears as she glides towards me, her black cloak billowing behind her. "I am not your enemy, Misuki, merely an informer."

"Then what could you possibly want to tell me now? I can't do your bidding anymore, I can't even stand." I look away from her. "Just go Reiko, there is nothing left for you to play with."

"Then you are mistaken, once again, my little friend."

"Friend is a stretch, isn't it?"

"I'm a better friend to you then you will ever know. Here, this is all I wanted to give you." She tosses a book onto the bed. I watch as it lands on my legs, not that I can feel it. "Kyoya's on his way. I'd figure out a way to be gone before he arrives, if I were you." Her heels clicking echos as she exits down the hall, leaving me with my heart thudding in my chest. I grab the book. Karuizawa: A Traveler's Guide. One of the pages is bookmarked and I open to it. Emergency Care: Hakken Hospital.

I look around, and notice the same logo throughout the room, Hakken Hospital. I cry out and Mori wakes up, stretching in the corner. "Misuki? Are you okay?"

"Takashi, we made it!"

End of Chapter 19

To Be Continued...

Thank you all for your continued support! Thank you for reading, reviewing, following, and favorite-ing, you all mean the world to me! I am so sorry that I've been gone, so please forgive me. I hope you all have enjoyed the story so far, and have a great week! -Magical Momoka