Shatter.

A/N: Man, I am just NOT NICE to this pairing. I don't know why, but I love putting them in these kinds of situations. Probably because it's so unexpected and contrasts with their relative youth.

Konoka's left hand shook badly, trembling even as she struggled to clutch the prescription paper. She clenched her fist, and pressed it against her side. Try as she might, she could not suppress the shaking.

"I can help who's next."

Konoka looked up from her feet to see a woman in a light blue RN uniform looking at her pointedly.

Her large brown eyes widened as she realized she hadn't even noticed the two people in front of her leave.

"Y-yes, I need these three p-pre...things filled." She struggled with the word, and gave up. Today was just going to be one of those days. Her tongue felt heavy, her mind thick, all her thoughts flowing through her mind as if it were filled with molasses.

"Sure, honey. Do you have an insurance card on you, or is it in the system?"

Konoka stared at her, then blinked. "Wait, what?"

"What is your name?" The woman asked her, slowly realizing that this girl had some problems.

"Konoka K-Konoe." She stuttered. The woman turned to her computer, and typed it in. A moment later, and an insurance notification was brought up. It covered 100% of the cost.

"I'll take that from you." The woman said. Konoka looked down at her hand, then brought the prescription paper up and held it out. Her brow furrowed as she once again tried to quell the shakes. The tighter she clenched her fist, the more she shook.

The woman gently took the slightly crumpled piece of paper, and turned it right side up to read the writing.

"Okay, honey, this will be ready in about fifteen or twenty minutes."

Konoka nodded slowly, and walked over to the bench. She sat down, and placed her shaking hands on her knees, staring at her feet as she kicked her legs back and forth. She shouldn't have put this off for so long, she thought slowly. She knew that she got like this when she did.

888

Setsuna yawned softly, thinking of how much paper-work she had to do when she got home. Luckily, that wouldn't be for another five or six hours at least, and the rest of today was dedicated to her favourite client.

She preferred to call them clients. If only for the sake of not knowing what to call them. She certainly didn't charge them money; in fact, up until recently, it had all been volunteer work. The group she had been helping out had liked her so much, that they had hired her for the summer.

She was glad they did. The work had changed her life. Given her a new perspective on things. Made her eternally grateful for everything she had. Everything she used to take for granted.

The bus slowed to a stop, and the mid-section doors opened. Setsuna waved to the driver as she stepped off, and raised her face to the sunny sky.

"Another sunny day..." She murmured softly. She wondered what her and her client would do today.

Lowering her gaze, she turned to her left and began walking. Within a few minutes, she would be at her house.

888

Konoka slowly stood when she heard her name being called, and she moved to the Pick-Up window.

"Here's everything you need. Have a good day!"

Konoka took the small white bag, and nodded slowly. Turning away, she walked down the aisle, headed toward the front of the store where all the coolers were lined up in front of the tills.

The second one she passed was stocked with water, and she stopped to grab a bottle.

One of the checkouts had no line, so she made her way over to pay for her water.

"Good afternoon, how are you?"

Konoka fumbled with the zipper on her wallet, and looked up at the cashier.

"I'm...good. How are you?"

The young male rang her bottle through and nodded. "I'm good. Will that be all for you?"

Konoka nodded and held out a few pieces of change.

He accepted it, and realized that it was at least three dollars too much. Before he could say anything, Konoka had grabbed the water and walked away.

Konoka made a beeline for the nearest bench, and sat down. She sighed, and brushed her long, dark brown hair out of her face. Slowly, with a look of intense concentration on her face, she opened up the first of her three prescription bottles. One big blue pill. She popped it into her mouth. A drink of water. Swallow. Next bottle. Four tiny white pills. Drink water. Swallow. Next bottle. Two orange pills. Swallow. Reach into purse. Another bottle. A very small purple pill. Swallow.

She took slow sips of water as she looked around. In about half an hour, she would have most of her cognitive function back. She didn't know why she waited so long this time to get her supply of pills. It was a slow, confusing, downward spiral if she didn't that would eventually lead to heart palpitations, shortness of breath, and dizzyness, before she would pass out and ultimately die.

The thought didn't scare her. She wasn't sure her brain even fully registered the impact of those thoughts. It was like there was a barrier between her brain and the world, filtering out eighty percent of the perceived information, leaving her with little idea of what was going on around her.

She wasn't sure why she was like this. She tried to remember what it was called. Every time she went to visit her doctor, she asked him, and he told her. Then she forgot. Perhaps, she thought, she just really never wanted to know.

She raised the bottle to her lips to take another drink, but there was nothing left.

She frowned. She wasn't aware that she had drank it all. That was disappointing.

A look at her watch made her blink in confusion. It was already one-thirty. And, her watch informed her that it was Tuesday.

Her eyes widened.

She was supposed to come over at one.

She stood up fast, almost losing her balance. She made sure she had everything, then checked the bench she had just been sitting on.

She saw a bottle sitting on the bench.

Picking it up, she read the label, confused. She totally thought she had put this one back in her bag.

Just her mind playing tricks on her.

888

Setsuna knocked on the door, then let her hand fall down to her side. A movement to her left caught her eye, and she looked over to see a grey cat looking at her from the window, his tail swishing back and forth, disturbing the white curtains that hung from the ceiling.

Setsuna smiled softly, and waved. She had a soft spot for cats, she knew.

"Hi, Viper." She said softly to the cat. It stared back at her through the pane of glass, blinking lazily before licking one of it's giant paws to wash it's face.

A second later, and the door opened, interrupting Setsuna's thoughts.

"Hello Setsuna. Come on in." A woman in her thirties, aged until she looked in her late forties from stress, worry, and repeated lack of sleep, smiled at her as she put an arm around Setsuna and gently pulled her inside.

"It's good to see you!" She smiled, wrapping her arms around Setsuna. Setsuna responded briefly, not too comfortable with the interaction.

"That daughter of mine will be glad to see you as well!"

Setsuna offered a crooked smile, and inquired about the girl.

"Speaking of, where is she?"

"She took off to the mall about half an hour ago, or so. She should be back soon. Want something to drink or eat while you wait?"

Setsuna nodded her head. "Uh, water would be great, thanks." She said, somewhat shyly.

"You just sit down on the couch in the living room and relax, I'll be right back with your water."

Setsuna nodded, and meekly made her way to the living room. This wasn't her first time in this house, but it was her first time here alone with just the mother of the client, and it was a little odd.

Setsuna sat down and made herself comfortable, and a minute later the older woman appeared with a glass of ice water in her hand.

"Here you are, dear." She said softly, handing it to Setsuna.

Setsuna accepted it gracefully, and took a sip.

"So tell me, Setsuna, how is life treating you since we last talked?"

Setsuna leaned back against the comfortable leather couch and hummed softly.

"It's pretty good." She answered, unsure of what to say. "Nothing to complain about, I guess."

The client's mother smiled. "That's good."

Setsuna raised the glass questioningly to her. "And how have you been?"

"I've been quite alright, tha-" The sound of a door opening distracted them both. "Oh look, Konoka's home. Right on time. Konoka, Setsuna is here. Come say hi!" Her mother called.

Setsuna twisted in her seat, and made eye contact with the brown haired girl.

Konoka smiled, and raised a hand in greeting.

"Hello, Setsuna."

Setsuna swallowed nervously, and nodded. "H-hello, yourself." She stammered.

A/N: You can't really tell where this is going yet, but it is going to get interesting. Thanks for reading! Reviews are appreciated.