Chapter 16
Five Dayz:
Hospital
Kaiba could do nothing but watch his wife slowly breathe in and out. Or at least, that was what his eyes wanted him to see. For what seemed like hours he watched Serenity for the moments that passed as his eyes in observing her. She was pale, he had to admit that. But not too much right? She was originally peach…
Right?
Please god no. You have already taken me. Not her…Not her… Seto eyes didn't leave Serenity's face. Her color, it was peach. He breathed in. He found his hand supporting her head as he gently took her head into his lap. She was so much like peach.
His breathing quickened. In out in out—it wouldn't stop. Faster and faster, his heart beat like the silent drums of a drummer boy. The song duplicated over and over again like repeating soundtrack. Faster! Faster! He couldn't stop it! In out in out in out. Calm down Seto! You won't get anything done while in this state! His mind argued in the back of his head. What was he to do? Calm! Stay calm, and don't panic. It's the number one rule!
Peach. She's also smells like peach. Seto couldn't help himself as his head slowly closed in on Serenity's forehead. His face was buried in her hair as he waited. And waited. Where are they? Why wasn't anyone coming?
Biting his tongue, Kaiba realized something.
No one can hear him. Absolutely no one.
You're dead.
Remember?
If there were two Kaibas, he would have punched the other one out right then. Gulping down his pride, Kaiba head shunned away from Serenity's face and looked at the porcelain tint in her expression. It was no longer the color of a sweet nectarous fruit. It was white as a ghost. If he didn't do anything so, she'll be….
Kaiba quickly lied her body down as he stood up. He couldn't bear it. He couldn't. Swiping his face roughly to ignore his pleading side to be with her, he spun around on his heel and sprinted out of the room. Five years ago….Serenity was in the same position he was in.
Is this what it
feels like to loose someone you love?
"Someone help!" Kaiba burst out the doors of the bedroom and began searching for anyone that could, at least, hear him. Sakura and Mokuba were his only hope. But it would have to be a miracle for him to find either of them, let alone be able for Sakura and Mokuba to hear him. They could be anywhere; the house is huge and with Kaiba being dead and with no maids who could hear him, what ware the odds of Mokuba suddenly appearing out of nowhere and being able to help his older brother.
But then again, Mokuba had kicked Serenity out. He must still be mad or angry at him. He had (almost) betrayed his own flesh and blood, or at least gone behind his back to get what he wanted.
Sprinting down the hallway, Kaiba realized something. A floor above him was the mansion office. His old office, now Mokuba's. Didn't he say he was going to be in here for the rest of the night? If Kaiba could recall, hadn't he said something about if anyone needed anything he'd be there?
It was as if the light bulb when off in Kaiba's head when he stopped abruptly then turned on his heel to go in the opposite direction. The stairs were just down the hall and to the right. With nothing to spare, Kaiba, if possible, quickened his sprint as he ascended the stairs up to the third floor.
"Help! Mokuba!" Kaiba rand down the hall as fast as he could with all his strength. The door to the office was extravagant as he approached it fast. "Mokub—" The door flew open and a very tired and irritable Mokuba stood before his older brother.
"What!" He looked almost agitated like he was in the middle of something important.
"It's Serenity! She's—"
"Not right now." Kaiba stood stumped as the door snapped shut. What the hell? Taking action he walked up to the door and stood in front of it like it was nothing but a small ant. Lifting his fist he pounded on the door as hard as he could. "Mokuba, if you value Serenity's life, then you'd call 911."
A few second passed before the door flew up and blamed on his hinges. "What are you talking about?"
"We sort of had a talk. I wanted to prove to her," he cut himself off, "you know what, that doesn't matter, all that matters is you picking up the phone and calling 911 because I can't do it." Kaiba growled without meaning too and took off leaving Mokuba in the doorframe to consider his words. Taking a deep breath, he spun around and ran to the phone and dialed the three digit number as hastily as he could.
If Kaiba were still alive, he would have had a heart attack when he ran into the bathroom. He noticed the blood had almost stopped, but it was everywhere. The floor, the towel, on her clothes. If his stomach wasn't as willed as it was now to be looking at such a scene, if he was any younger, he would have left the room to find another bathroom to be sick in.
It was almost sickening to have that thought enter his mind when he slowly walked into the room and picked up Serenity's body.
That would have happened.
Except, he couldn't. His hand went right through her body. He wasn't solid anymore. Kaiba stared down at his hand. He could slightly see the surface of the bathroom floor through his hand. This isn't happening. Kaiba's fear grew. He couldn't lift Serenity off the floor to take her down the stairs to the front door where the ambulance would be. His chest rose and lowered. Quicker. For the second time that day, he felt like he was having a panic attack. What was he going to do? He couldn't do anything. If it wasn't for his fault, Serenity wouldn't be in this position. It was his entire fault, and now he couldn't do a thing to fix it.
Lights filled the night air as Kaiba watched three men lift the bed into the back of the ambulance. Mokuba hopped into the car as Kaiba started to quickly follow behind. He spun around and barked at Kaiba, "Get Sakura!" The door's slammed shut. It took him a moment to figure out the men had no idea he was standing outside the vehicle. Suddenly, sirens echoed into the air, shrieking, as the van started up and began moving.
The brunette turned around in time to see the doors to the mansion open and maids walk out baffled, and completely perplexed. With their eyes wide, they stared at the descending ambulance down the driveway and glanced at one another uneasily. Kaiba stood there silently. He'd have to find Sakura, and quick! He took a step before he could hear her high voice. Her body appeared in the doorframe, "What's happening!" Kaiba ran up to his little girl and put his hands on her shoulders lightly. He feared his hands might go right through her too. He didn't want reality to kick in until after all this was cleared up.
"I'll tell you on the way, just get one of these maids to call the driver." She nodded and turned to the closest maid standing next to her with blonde hair.
"Call the driver!" The maid nodded without any further explanation and jogged into the home followed by a couple of other maids. The last one who appeared quite old came up behind Sakura and put her hand on her shoulders in comfort. Sakura glanced up at the old woman with brown hair and let the edges of her lips twitch with an acknowledging smile.
Her gentle voice rang in Kaiba's ears, "Everything is going to be alright Saku," the old woman murmured.
Sakura couldn't do a thing except for the edges of her lips twitched with extreme worry.
x x x
Kaiba paced back and forth like a grandfather lock. With every step you could hear an imaginary click which each swinging of his leg took in front of the other. His steps were within rhythm as he paced from one end of the room, to the other. His eyes furrowed in concentration as Mokuba sulked in the seat next to Sakura in the waiting room. With his hand on his chin, the younger Kaiba did nothing but gaze at the ground in silence waiting for the unpredictable.
Silence passed by as if it was a song. The climax of the melody rose when the passing of a nurse, patient or doctor passed in the hall. Their beating of their footsteps clicking with each passing beat. Each time, Kaiba would have to stop and gape at them. He'd wait as his heard would stop beating and his lungs stop breathing before they would take a direct turn into in the opposite direction. He'd once again resume his pacing, letting father time take over.
Mokuba watched as Kaiba did this. He'd never seen his brother so incapacitated in his life. It was almost…unnatural to him. It was as if he wanted to spring out of his chair, grab Kaiba by the shoulders shake him until he became aware of his surroundings and then scream at the top of his lungs, "Who are you!" But no matter how much he wanted to, he knew Seto would only look into his eyes searchingly for a split second before he'd shrug his little brother off him and resume in his own world.
Just like he had done when he was alive.
Mokuba glanced worriedly to his right at the little girl sitting next to him. She had her head in her hand trying not to let her eyelids fall upon her bottom lashes in the tormenting sleep that wanted to overtake her. They had been here since almost eleven; just sitting and waiting. Naturally, when one was bored, and especially a little girl at the age of five, they would want to take a nap as it neared three o'clock in the afternoon.
For her taste, it was taking way too long.
Suddenly Kaiba stopped. Mokuba noticed and glanced up from staring at Sakura and noticed a man entering the room. Mokuba jumped out of his seat and greeted the aged fifty year old doctor.
"Mr. Kaiba, we have her stable and have moved her into a private patient's room." He paused and raised the clip board from his right hand. He glanced at it as he rubbed his five o'clock shadow with his left, "It seems to me that I have noticed a couple of things with your sister-in-law I need to talk to you about."
Mokuba's eyes furrowed. Kaiba stepped forward and immediately asked, "What kind of things?" Noticing nothing coming from the hesitant doctor overlooking his board, Kaiba's hand punched Mokuba in the arm. He flinched and immediately repeated, "What kind of things?"
"That, Mr. Kaiba is something I want to talk with you alone," he replied as his head slightly moved towards Sakura's direction.
"Right," Mokuba slightly spun around to face Sakura and spoke softly, "Sakura, I'll be right back. Stay here."
Sakura nodded excluded even more as she sunk farther into the seat disappointed.
Mokuba spun around and motioned with his hand at the exit towards the doctor. He gave a quirt nod in acknowledgement and he began to walk out of the room with Mokuba following behind at his heels.
Kaiba was stuck. Should he follow, or go with him? He took a step before Sakura replied stubbornly, "You know you can't leave me here all by myself. Mokuba only left because he knew you were here. He couldn't talk to you without looking like a lunatic, and making Serenity look bad." She grumbled and then huffed as she crossed her arms and stared at the ground without waiting for any kind of response from Kaiba.
He was taken aback as she sat her in chair. He was flabbergasted at her attitude. He didn't do anything except drop his hands and let his shoulders sag when trudged over to his daughter. He landed in a chair beside her. "Glad you decided to join me." Kaiba turned to stare at his daughter. What was wrong with her? It was like all her sugary sweetness was suddenly burned up in a flame, and was replaced by the demonic devil himself. He was about to open his mouth and reply to her sinister comments when she interrupted him, "Please Seto, I don't want to hear it." She turned her head in the opposite direction and continued to stare at the entrance of where Mokuba and the doctor had exited.
Kaiba did nothing but stare at his hands in his lap. After as second or two he sunk inside the chair. Great, I've landed my wife in the hospital, and now my daughter is extremely mad at me. He sighed and let his body sink even further as he threw a fit of his own.
"Mr. Kaiba, I'll have you know that Serenity has not only tried to commit suicide, but—"
"Wait, what?" Mokuba interrupted quickly. He held his hand up as the younger male stopped walking along with the doctor. The man in the scrubs turned to face him as Mokuba spoke again, "I know for fact that Serenity would never commit suicide."
"I am not so sure about that." His face held lines of old age and concentration as his brown eyes bore into the younger Kaiba's overwhelmed ones. "She's also got excessive marks on her skin." His face hardened in to seriousness, "tell me Mr. Kaiba, would there be any reason for Ms. Serenity Kaiba to try to harm herself. Anything at all?"
Mokuba's eyes furrowed, "Five years ago, her husband—"
"I'm well aware of what happened five years ago, Mr. Kaiba. As does the rest Japan and any international country," he interrupted. "Is there anything else? Have you noticed anything?"
"Like what?"
The doctor glanced at a passing nurse. Instead of turning to face Mokuba again, he began walking down the hall with Mokuba at his side, "could be a few things. For example: anger, frustration, stopping in thing she likes to do, crying, and/or borderline or excessive fatigue. Anything that could mark her personality somewhat different."
"What are you getting at?"
"Some of these signs are of depression."
"Are you saying Serenity has not only tried to kill herself, but is in depression of some sort?"
"Yes and no."
Mokuba's eyes narrowed at the doctor's head. Suddenly he stopped outside a glass window. "Take a look Mr. Kaiba." Mokuba followed the doctor's gaze and came face to face with Serenity's body on the other side of the blinds. Her bed lay parallel with the glass as her head faced the other side. Her red hair streamed over the pillows. "Upon stitching up her wrist, I found bruises on her forearms." Mokuba stared at her pale and fragile body as he angrily faced the doctor.
"Listen here, Serenity is not capable of hurting herself. It's…its just stupid!"
"Most friends or family of the patient usually have no idea what is going on," he countered.
The Kaiba was stunned. He couldn't believe it. They were not talking bout Serenity. His Serenity. This wasn't her and never will be. He had the wrong idea. Seriously. Suddenly, Mokuba took a step forward and began to walk towards the door to the left and open it.
A hand stopped him, "Mr. Kaiba, no visitors for another hour in a half." Angrily, Mokuba began to walk away as the doctor began again, "There is also some—"
"You've got the wrong girl." He stormed off like there was no tomorrow.
x x x
Jumping out of his seat, Kaiba joined Mokuba at the entrance of the waiting room. "Well?" he eagerly asked.
Mokuba's hands flew up as he landed in one of the waiting room chairs, "He thinks she tried to commit suicide!"
Kaiba paused before speaking, "Impossible."
"I know!" Mokuba explained, "And she's depressed!"
"No I mean, impossible because I did it."
Kaiba watched as Mokuba teeth clench and unclench as his hand gripped the arm rest, "What?" His eyes slowly traveled up Kaiba's body.
"NO! No…not like that. I was trying to prove I am not here to stay…that I was dead. She still thinks it some kind of dream, or that I am alive. I got a razor and was about to—"
"You tried to commit suicide!" Mokuba was about to stand before Kaiba walked right up to him and spoke angrily, "I'm already dead, remember?"
Silence. Nobody could hear anything but the footsteps out in the hallway and the occasion ding! from the elevator.
Mokuba spoke softly to the ground as he leaned over his knees with his elbows supporting himself on the rest, "Alright, I get it, go on."
"She tried to stop me. She jumped, we fell, she got up…she had interfered with the razor and before I knew it, she was it he bathroom unconscious." Kaiba stopped speaking and waited for Mokuba to say something. Anything.
Sakura suddenly spoke, he had almost forgotten she was there, "You did this to mom!" She was past angry and into outraged!
Kaiba took a step back, "Sakura it's not what you think." She was about to lunge out of her chair when Mokuba stood up and quickly held her hand with his hand and told her no. He gave her a warning look before Mokuba himself glanced back at Kaiba, "But why would the doctor think she's tried to kill herself, and it definitely doesn't explain the bruises on her forearms."
Kaiba gulped. "You forget she hates the sight of blood. Let alone," he eagerly tried to come up with an excuse from what they had done the night before, "I was applying pressure pretty hard to stop the bleeding."
Mokuba hung his head.
Letting go some breath, Kaiba exhaled as he realized Mokuba had taken the bait. He glanced sideways at Sakura. She was unwilling to look at her father, but he knew she trying to let some of her steam go, and was going to forgive him.
Kaiba looked away in guilt.
"Can I see her?" Mokuba shook his head to Kaiba's question. "Why not?"
"No visitors," he replied bluntly.
"Have you forgotten?"
Mokuba's head snapped up as he watched his brother exit the waiting room and down the hall. His head fell back as he whispered, "He doesn't even know which room she's in." His eyes shut as he felt Sakura's head hit his arm as she began to get comfortable. Might as well, Mokuba thought as his eyelids fell and sleep begin to overtake him and the young girl next to him.
x x x
Kaiba roamed the hallways for what felt like an hour before he actually came to Serenity's room. He couldn't believe he was stupid enough to walk off without asking Mokuba where it was first. It would have at least saved him forty-five minutes.
After finding it, he did nothing but watch the red-head as he stood right next to the bed. Every time a nurse came into to check up on her, he always had to move out of the way to make room. But secretly, he didn't want to face reality of having someone walk through him to remind him, once again, he's dead.
For what felt like hours, suddenly the door behind him opened. Only, it was silence that fixated the whole room, not chitchat from nurse to nurse, just silence. Turning around to see who it was, Kaiba noticed the blond hair, and brown eyes filling with sorrow. The brunette watched as Joey gulped before taking a step forward. Moving out of the way, he made room for Joey to take his place next to the bed. Kaiba backed up far enough to lean against the wall right next to the door and crossed his arms as Joey made his appearance known to Serenity. "Hey Ren," his voice quavered as he reached up and grabbed her hand, "I wanted to surprise you. You know…for your birthday." His stood silent for a second or two in his jeans and t-shirt.
Kaiba choked. He had almost lost his balance against the wall as he as he took a sudden step forward. He had forgotten. It wasn't today, it couldn't be. Was it tomorrow? In fact, what day was it? The brunette rolled his eyes, "I suppose I could ask you." He mentally smacked himself. He was in a room alone with Joey and an unconscious Serenity.
A thought entered his mind. Might as well get it over with now.
"Wheeler." Kaiba waited to see if any response would come from the blond. When nothing came he began again, "You, Joey Wheeler." Still silence took over as Kaiba watched as Joey indistinctively started to rub Serenity's hand. Kaiba took a deep breath and readied himself as he opened his mouth, "Wheeler, I'm sorry. It's my entire fault." Kaiba took another step towards Joey's back and keenly watch Joey continue to give affection towards his sister. "I underestimated you." Kaiba watched as if Joey had heard something in the room and spun his head around in alarm, but he continued anyways ignoring the sudden movement from the blond, "Serenity told me how you kept your peace. I'm thankful for that. If it wasn't for you, I wouldn't have had the most wonderful woman in the world." He paused for a split second before he whispered, "thank you." Joey had his head facing Serenity for the last two words.
"And I wish you could hear me. Serenity, Mokuba and Sakura at least get to."
It wasn't before long before Joey spoke to his sister as Kaiba stood in the room completely hopeless, "Well, Serenity, if it wasn't for your prick of a husband, you wouldn't be here."
Suddenly, Joey spun around and nailed Kaiba in the jaw. Completely taken by surprise, the brunette flew back and landed on the ground and slid into the wall. His head hit the hall behind him. Holding his jaw as blood seeped from his lips, Kaiba stared up towards the blond, amazed.
Kaiba's eyes widened as his eyes connected with a fuming Joey Wheeler standing over him.
A/N: am I loosing my touch? Or are you more confused?
I want to aploogize for any spelling mistakes. I tried to get this out asap.