Title: Ten Days

See first chapter for warnings/disclaimer/pairings/etc.

A/N: The Tenth day marks the end of the ride.

I'm sorry for the over a month wait, between medical school (exams anyone?) and rotations and my own health problems I took my sweet ass time on it. (I'm not sorry.)

I only kind of sort of proofread so if there's typos that is totally my fault and I am a horrible terrible person for not triple checking.

DAY TEN

'Cause baby time has changed nothing at all
You're still the only one that feels like home.
And I've tried cutting the ropes,
I let you go but you're still the only one
That feels like home, yeah

If some stranger had walked up to me ten days ago and told me that ten days could change my life forever, I would have looked them straight in the eye and asked them if they were insane before shrugging them off and going back to reading some intensive text book attempting to memorize the content, attempting to keep my nerves from fraying and my thoughts from wandering to everything I was about to come face to face with. It would have resulted in me lightly dozing off on the plane. It would have likely ended up me waking abruptly as the plane had started it's uneven descent into the airport, I would have probably ended up apologizing to the passenger sitting beside me as I'd startled them upon awaking.

But ten days ago I was admittedly in denial of what I was really going home to, of who I was going home to. Ten days ago I had just finished writing my third year medical exams and was looking forward to a short break before hospital rotations.

Eight days ago was when everything changed. I don't think I could forget what happened that late spring night at the river, I don't even think the medication they give people to forget memories word prove effective. When hands touched for the first time in so long it was like what I imagine being struck by lightning feels like. One touch was all it took to cause a series of kisses and almost kisses, awkward moments, confrontations, emotions and realizations that had been buried deep so long ago.

It had been a mystery what had pulled me back to beycity after almost eight years running away from the place and the people. It had been a mystery until I had been granted a new found clarity one late night, a blessing amongst many curses perhaps. A smile graced my lips as I was pulled out of my thoughts by a prod to my right hip. My gaze shifted to stare at the oceanic eyes of my blond friend who was sitting beside me in the busy airport, one of many sitting with me likely talking to me and knowing immediately I wasn't listening.

"What are you thinking about, Taka?" I heard Max ask curiosity lacing his eyes as he gazed into my own seemingly searching for something. What he was looking for, I wasn't sure.

"Just thinking about this past week." I replied looking around at all my friends the smile on my face laces with sadness, I looked around the airport expecting to see crimson eyes amongst the crowd of people but knowing that wasn't going to happen. It was almost bittersweet, it was almost overwhelming. That we could come so far and yet nothing had changed, everything would stay the same. Max must have understood the implications in my words as he gave my shoulder a squeeze and pulled me forward into a half hug, I returned it, tears almost spilling free, but not quite.

I heard my flight get called over the PA system and I pulled away from Max and stood up, my friends following me as I moved to grab onto my overnight bag, hoping to some unseen force this wouldn't be hard, but knowing it was going to be almost unbearable. It was Hiromi first to grab onto me and pull me into a tight hug. I heard her speak into my shoulder:

"Don't be a stranger Takao." I heard her sniffle and it became apparent she was crying again, hysterical like she had been the day before when her anger over Kai's vanishing act had subsided. She held onto me with almost death grip waiting for my response, I honestly wasn't sure she'd let go if I didn't reply.

"Hey, hey, I promise, I'll keep in touch this time, okay." I muttered rubbing her back trying to console her, finding it almost surreal that Hiromi was sobbing against my shoulder.

"Besides, if I'm awol for more than I week you can just send chief after me with his super hacking and stalking skills." I teased lightly pulling her away from me and I heard her make a noise between a sob and a laugh.

"We tried that before, you managed to elude us then." She pulled away entirely and wiped her eyes and shaking her head. I chucked as response and grabbed onto her hands pulling her back into a hug.

"That was before I gave you my student email address as well as what university I'm attending." I said against her shoulder hearing her laugh softly, and I continued

"If you don't hear from me in over a month call search and rescue, I may be stuck under my medical books." I said jokingly as I pulled away from her again looking around at the rest of my friends who'd come to see me off. six out of seven, not bad I had to admit to myself, especially when the seventh was never reliable anyway. I moved away from Hiromi and turned to Rei, Mao and Rin.

"Invite me to the next big birthday, yeah." I said and we both chuckled and shared a half embrace and he made some remark about me not being crushed under medical books before her sixth birthday.

After all the hugs were shared and goodbyes were made I made a move towards the security gates to enter into the boarding area. It was almost hard to believe that ten days had gone by so rapidly. It had been just yesterday that Kai and Gabriel had left without a word, something that had sparked fury from Hiromi specifically but obvious agitation in everyone as we had spent the duration of the day lazing around the backyard talking about my plans upon retuning to London. Kenny's eventual wedding planning, which as it turns out Emily is some kind of bridezilla and really anything in between.

I waved behind me and moved to get into the line of people going through the security check when I heard Max call to me causing me to turn around and look at him questioningly. I saw him point off to his left and my vision followed his hand and my eyes stopped when they caught crimson. I had to admit I hadn't expected to see him at the airport, in fact I hadn't expected to see him anytime in the near future. It was almost like I had known when our eyes met briefly as he and Gabriel had left the property that, that was the last time I'd lay eyes on Kai Hiwatari.

"Kai." I said softly as I let my bag fall to the floor beside me and my body moved carrying me towards the taller man on it's own. I didn't stop until I was standing in front of him. Briefly I glanced over towards the others and noticed they seemed to be abruptly departing, perhaps not to intrude on our goodbye, perhaps to gossip and speculate over Kai's sudden arrival without Gabriel.

"Hey." I spoke noting that I sounded something like a shy blushing bride and hoping Kai wouldn't notice or make fun of it, I averted my gaze down to the floor, cursing because this wasn't the time or place to decide to have a lapse in confidence, especially not after our last conversation.

"Hey." I heard him reply in a similar tone which caused a small smile to appear on my lips and I looked up at him, laughing softly, my frayed nerves incredibly apparent. I didn't know what to do, or what to say, and worst of all I didn't know how to say goodbye.

"So you're going back to London then?" He said attempting to seem nonchalant our eyes met and then averted immediately, I did some stupid little foot shuffle before I finally gathered my composure enough to speak:

"Yeah. I have rotations at the hospital, you know, medical school and all that." I tried to make it sound like the conversation wasn't forced, but truthfully it was, and I knew he could tell, everyone probably could.

"I should probably be going... my flight isn't going to wait and I need to do the security check, so I'll see you around yeah?" I said suddenly moving to turn away from him and make my way towards the gate but before I could make any distance Kai's hand moved and latched onto my forearm pulling my back towards him, and more shockingly pulling me into an embrace, it caused me to freeze up.

"Gabriel and I aren't together anymore." He mumbled against my forehead as he remained there holding me unmoving. It took me a minute to comprehend what he was saying but when he did I jerked upward bumping my head against his nose causing him to pull back slightly and our eyes met.

"Y-you aren't?" I said stuttering and not exactly caring how obvious my nerves were suddenly because when I understood those words I felt a flutter in my stomach but as quickly as I felt that elation, that happiness, I fell back to reality. It wasn't that simple. It was never that simple.

He shook his head in response a ghost of a smile gracing his lips which caused me to smile slightly in return. I leaned slightly in to him, resting my head against his chest and sighing, a sigh between sadness, frustration and happiness.

"It's not that easy though is it?" I muttered bitterly moving my hands to meet with his own, listening to his heart beat. Hearing another call for my flight over the PA system, knowing this moment was going to have to end soon.

"Life isn't easy." Was Kai's response, good old typical realistic Kai, to rain on my parade instead of consoling me in my misery and telling me it would be alright. I pulled back from where I rested and our eyes met again.

"I have to go, my flight boards in five minutes." I mumbled looking over my shoulder at my discarded bag and the security area.

"I know." Was his reply as our hands separated and I stood in front of him, fighting back tears knowing that no matter what he said, I still had to leave, I still had an entire life back in London that I had to live, a life filled with responsibilities. I moved to grab my bag where I'd left it, noting that he was following me towards the security check.

"I... I finish school next year." I started after I'd picked up the discarded overnight bag slinging it back over my shoulder. I turned towards him, trying to get some emotion from his face, I wasn't disappointed, I was able to distinguish confusion through the mask.

"I guess what I'm saying is that I could try to find some residency programs in the area instead of doing my residency in London." I said, noting that he seemed to understand what I was getting at. That maybe, just maybe when I finished medical school, I could come back here and we could pick up from this point, and move forward. Twelve months that he could have to work out the left over issues pertaining to Gabriel, twelve months.

"So twelve months, a year." He said suddenly bringing me out of my thoughts, I watched him trying to pick up on his thoughts of the idea. But to my dismay, I couldn't decipher his thoughts.

"Yes. Twelve months." I said nodding my head nervously looking at him internally pleading for him to say something else, to do something that made it apparent how he felt about the idea, as the seconds passed by I started to get discouraged until I felt him grab onto my arm and pull me forward, not close enough to be touching, not close enough to be am embrace, but close enough that his lips were ghosting against my ear, eventually his whispered into my ear:

"I'll see you in twelve months." The words caused me to break out into a smile and I looked up at him again not caring anymore if tears fell from my eyes, ignoring the people in the line waiting for security check pass me in the line. I felt him move his lips away from my ear and he leaned in to kiss my forehead softly before pulling away and giving me the once over. I heard him snort.

"Don't be such a crybaby Kinomiya. It's not becoming of you." I heard him jeer, out of reflex I rolled my eyes and pushed him backwards away from me, just like I would have when we were teenagers.

I saw that trademark Hiwatari smirk grace his lips and I grinned in return, he shook his head and turned around without another word to exit the airport, his hand raised to acknowledge me, a silent goodbye, a silent promise just like he did so many years ago in the frigid climate of Siberia on that war torn ice.

And for the first time in ten years I didn't regret even a little leaving Beycity because I knew that this was the right thing to do, and that my life had finally found the right path to venture forward on.

And I never looked back because there wasn't any point in doing so.

Not when everything I desired stood so clearly in my path ahead.

You're still the only one that feels like home,
You're still the only one I've gotta love.

THE END.

I really love the ending of this story, and I knew this was how it was going to end as I was writing the third chapter.

I'm leaving this story opened because I have an idea for a sequel, however I'm intending to work on some other beyblade stories as well as some original projects for a while. If I write a sequel (and I think I just might) you can expect it around the end of the year. (assuming the world doesn't end, you know.)

This is a short end to a short story, and I would totally appreciate reviews.

Finally: I want to thank those who watched, liked, reviewed the story and additionally want to thank my friend Bljad for his help on the story and psychology.