Eternal thanks to Hatorispring and K-chan, whoever you are P.S- I don't know if this chapter makes sense.

oooooooo It ended near the close of the month, but not in the way expected. There were omens and signs, both scientific and superstitious, saying that this would be Akiko's last day; it was a new moon, and had started to rain, Hatori had cleaned blood from Akito's lips. His bird had died.

Hatori didn't leave the room that day, not even to eat, and he could barely bring himself to take his eyes from his patient to even read. He didn't want to sleep, but he hadn't for the last few days and that combined with stress led to exhaustion, and he nodded off just as the sun set.

At midnight, though, something woke him. At first he was quite certain that it was due to his awkward sleeping position, but he quickly reprimanded himself for falling asleep, and his senses snapped back to Akito, apprehensive as to whether anything had changed for the worse as he slumbered…

Akito was sitting up in bed, silhouetted against the window. There was such a strange silence then; that strange surreal feeling, but it was different this time. This was the last thing anyone had expected to happen, and now here it was… Akito turned to Hatori.

'My bird's died, hasn't it?' He asked softly. The first words he had spoken since Honda Tohru had left the Sohma's villa.

Hatori replied, surprised with the recovery, his voice worn and tired. 'It has… I'm sorry. I could not take care of it well enough while I was tending to you.'

Akito was silent, and didn't comment, though Hatori had unintentionally implied that the bird's death had been Akito's own fault. Hatori stood, keeping his composure by performing a routine checkup on his patient, though still in a minor state of shock.

Akito should be dead.

Most certainly, he shouldn't have recovered as he did, for after the checkup, Hatori found Akito to be quite well. It was an answer to his prayers… Hatori was relieved that it wasn't Akito's death that ended it, but now he needed to know how his patient made such an astounding recovery. He went through his bag that he had left by the chair, taking out the equipment necessary to make a more in-depth examination.

'I had a dream, Hatori.' Akito said. His voice was very soft, but in the silence of his room Hatori had little trouble hearing him as he checked his patient's blood pressure. Hatori wasn't sure what to say to that, so he remained silent.

Akito's tone was strange, as though he were still asleep and dreaming. 'There was a sea… a vast endless sea. It was cold and dark, there was no place to swim to…'

Hatori tightened a rubber tourniquet around Akito's arm to draw blood, having finished taking his blood pressure, simply listening. He didn't flinch as he usually did when Hatori pressed in the needle and extracted a sample of blood, he only continued almost arily about his dream.

'I was like that for a long time, it seemed like my whole life was spent alone in that water, Hatori… I couldn't swim forever… and so the water took me…'

Hatori touched Akito's shoulder. He didn't talk about anything in this way… he wasn't sure whether it was still that Akito's mind needed some time to recover from his long period of unconsciousness, but there was so far nothing else physically wrong with him, so the reason had to be psychological.

Akito only idly brushed Hatori's hand away and continued. 'It only got colder, then…'

'Akito-san…'

'Let me finish…' Hatori sat back, having finished his examination, backing away due to the familiar sharp tone, though it was gentler that it usually was. 'Hatori… I couldn't breath. Hatori…' His voice softened almost into a whisper. '…I was frightened… but something came and lifted me from the water… I don't know what it was.'

'And then you woke up?'

Akito nodded wordlessly.

'Do you have any idea what happened to you while you were asleep?'

This time he shook his head, but he could draw an accurate conclusion from the equipment he saw around him.

'You were more ill than you've ever been before. Many of us thought that you wouldn't-'

'You hoped.' Came the cold interruption.

'None of us hoped, Akito.'

'And why not…?'

Hatori wasn't sure how to answer that. 'It's complicated…'

'I imagine.' Akito said, thoroughly unconvinced. 'If I'm fine now, then leave me alone.'

After a pause, Hatori stood with a sigh. If he wanted to be that way… then fine. Hatori left, but paused as he closed the door, leaving it slightly ajar, and watched.

Akito was still as he sat in his bed, looking at his hands in his lap. He looked lost again, more hopelessly lost than he'd ever looked before. Hastily he tore tape and IV tubes from his arms and let them fall to the floor before turning and leaning against the window. 'Goodbye, bird,' he said softly. 'I should have named you.'

Akito simply did not act this way… this was different from even those other times Hatori saw him alone. Something had changed… could it be as simple as the dream, or was there more to it…?

'Maybe I'll name the next one after you.' He looked out the window at the sky with an odd smile. Was there resolve…?

Or resignation?

Akito breathed a sigh, seeming weary not only of the same surroundings, but almost of the world. He slowly laid down, his face still shadowed by that strange smile. 'Tomorrow.'