He was warm, his body tingled all over. He felt all light headed but in a good way, like he'd just slept for several years without interruption. He let out a groan, the type that is released when awakening, however his peaceful state of mind was short lived. His heart leapt from his chest as his eyes burst open, body jutting up to an upright position tossing aside the blankets. Searching about the place he found no remnants of the underground room that had become his nightmare. There was only sterile white. It truly felt like heaven.

"Kei..taro…?" He called out. From off on the side he heard a soft reply from the infant. Turning to his right there was a chair sat next to his bed. The occupant of said chair gazed with warm amethyst eyes, strands of chocolate falling softly about his face. In his arms, resting comfortably against the mans chest there lay a squirming body wrapped snuggly in blankets, mop of wheat blonde so distinct against the dark suit and color of his father. "Tsuzuki…?"

Relief washed over the purple eyed man, clear to all that looked as tears brimmed his eyes, threatening to fall. Moving swiftly from the chair to the bed the youth was pressed down against the bed, lips captured in a kiss. The infant, caught between them was cradled against his fathers chest. He remained, for the most part silent and still during the duration of the kiss, even as it was deepened, feeling none but the soothing relaxation and comfort that was overtaking both his mother and father.

By the time they parted tears were in Hisoka's eyes. He could find no reason for them, he wasn't saddened or frightened or angry. They were just there and he could not control them as they gathered and leaked down his cheeks in small trails. He had latched himself to Tsuzuki, fingers digging into the fabric of the mans suit and refusing to let go even after the kiss. A small sobbed escaped him as Tsuzuki lay his forehead against his. He really could not tell why he was crying.

"You were out for days. You had such a high fever, you were delirious by the time we got you here and you were so weak. I thought I may loose you…." A silence fell between them they drew strength from one another through contact of the skin. Tears streamed from both their eyes for long moments, each holding and running their hands through the others hair.

Hisoka's eyes were drawn to his son when the infant finally decided to make his presence known. It appeared he had thought he'd been ignored long enough. Reaching out Tsuzuki was understanding of the way Hisoka pulled the infant from his arms, though he was slightly worried for the infants bones at Hisoka's crushing hug. Something inside him snapped and tears ran down his eyes, sobs and murmurs incoherent escaped his lips uncontrollably as he held his son, placing the infant against his heart and feeling the two beat in unison. "My baby…"

Hours later the infant was still tightly locked in his mothers arms having been fed from Hisoka's own hand for the first time in so long. The blonde seemed so tired and worn yet even when Tsuzuki offered Hisoka would not release the infant, even long after he'd fallen asleep against his chest. He swore he'd never be able to put him down again. Yet as time went by, his mind began to play out nightmares that had yet to occur and thoughts that he'd rather never to have known. Tsuzuki too, seemed to sense that which Hisoka was worried so terribly about that it caused him illness.

"Did he…."

Tsuzuki shook his head. He closed his eyes, not being able to look his lover in the eyes while he explained. "How far Muraki had gotten before we were able to stop him we're not sure. We don't know if anything he tried had taken effect." He finally opened his eyes, meeting the wide emerald of his lover, yet there was no fear in them, no shock or doubt. There was nothing negative at all. They actually seemed to be understanding, accepting. It somewhat scared him. It was certainly not the reaction he had expected of his young life partner. Muraki had attempted to, due to lack of better term, possess their child after all. "We were hoping that you might be able to give some clue as to what had happened.. Or how Keitaro is….." A clamp had been placed on his heart, squeezing the life from him at having to say such a thing about his own son! To think that Muraki would have infected his son, making him to be his own image and taking from him the life he hadn't known he'd always wanted….

Hisoka turned back to the sleeping infant in his arms, running a finger along his features. His eyes softened.. Shaking his head lightly, he caught Tsuzuki's questioning attention. Tsuzuki was forced to wait for long moments until Hisoka finally spoke. "He didn't… He's still just as beautiful and innocent as he was the day he was born. There's no evil within him… There can't be…"

It was then that Tsuzuki realized what had happened. No one knew what had happened, or what had happened, but the love that Hisoka felt for their son, the unconditional love of a mother, gave faith that he was still pure. Though, he had to admit, he was quite willing to believe quite the same.

A thought came to his mind, an image. His head lowered as he tried to think of a way to approach the subject. He was honestly at a loss of how to begin. Deciding to just bring it up he opened his mouth as his head rose, very well intending to speak but stopped by the emerald that gazed at him so intensely. The look on the youths face spoke everything that his mind had been reciting to himself, and it was then that he knew, Hisoka knew everything that he'd planned to say.

The room fell uncomfortably silent again. Hisoka turned from Tsuzuki to stare at the white covering his legs beyond the lump of baby still clung to his chest. "I couldn't see it before. He always seemed so happy and energetic, like nothing could touch him. Behind the smile he was so lonely, letting it eat away at his insides until nothing was left but a hollow shell smiling at the world. The guilt of everything, it only hastened the determination and it began to drive him mad. He was jealous… almost like a child. Muraki… he saw through it even when I couldn't with all these damn emotions that flew at me I couldn't see his!" He seemed angry with himself, his voice broke and tears brimmed the edges of his eyes though he fought them back. Collecting himself enough as to not break down, he continued on. "Muraki turned him against his friends, planting evil things in his head and letting them grow until it finished what the loneliness had started." Deep down inside Hisoka's fears grew. Could that have been him? Could he too have been driven mad by the sheer loneliness of his cell in the dark hours of the night?

"I hope one day to get to tell him… he's not as alone as he thinks he is……"

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The blonde turned as the door opened. He was certain he still looked rather ridiculous, left eyed bandaged as was his head, hands and abdomen. They were quite itchy, though he'd done all he could think of stop it, but nothing had worked. Though an itch in comparison to eternal death… well, he guessed he shouldn't be complaining. From his view of the window he could see that the sun had begun to set and he was certain that the suited man was bringing him dinner. Since that night, Tatsumi had been the only one to visit him, though he did not expect any others to see him anyway, not after what he'd done.

The secretary placed the tray he carried in on a table by the mans side. Sitting in the chair that had been placed there since before the scientist had become aware of his surroundings , he gave the man a slight smile for reassurance. For some reason, the man had never shown malice towards him for what he'd done. It seemed there was something else there…

"Did the boy wake yet….?" He asked quietly.

"Kurosaki is quite alright. Hard to keep him down. He's quite eager to return home and get Tsuzuki backs to work." The image of the man falling flat when the youth had pushed Tsuzuki to go back so soon and the tears as the man begged to stay home made Tatsumi laugh in his mind, stifling the giggles that attempted to sneak from his lips.Watari made a sound of acknowledgement but nothing more. Tatsumi's laughs were quieted quickly as he placed his hand over Watari that rested in the blondes lap. The blonde looked to him, his one eye wide and they stared to each other for long moments before small smiles lightened each of their faces….

WELL, THAT"S IT!!!!! First steps is over and onto the next saga……. That I actually haven't thought of yet. Normally I'd have the first 10 chapters planned already… but I ran into a LARGE, SUPER LARGE,,TREMEDIOUSLY LARGE, large writers block. This ending was in the work for months!!! I didn't know how to get it done!!! It actually came to me when I was sleeping so… If I get good reviews, despite my super long waits and I'm so sorry, don't throw things at me, you might get a BONUS CHAPTER!!!! GOMEN EVERYONE!!!!! Oh, but see, I got a new job so… it's killed my time, I get up, don't even eat, just go right out and then come home and SLEEP!!!!!!! I finally have money and no time to spend it!!! TT.TT REVIEW!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!