Don't hate me! I'm sorry that I haven't uploaded in a while! So, I made sure to make this chapter extra looooonnnngggg! Enjoy!

Chapter 5

The pain was excruciating. Mayu's chest felt tight, and pressured, as if there was a pile of bricks on it. Breathing was difficult, and every time her eyes tried to open, they would slam shut again. It didn't matter anyway, because even though she had been asleep for a long time, it felt as though she'd been awake for years. And worse, she felt paralyzed. She was afraid that she might have lost her mobility.

Mayu could hear the voices of people, but couldn't make-out what they were saying. Most of the time it was angry, or demanding, like someone was upset. Sometimes, she could hear crying, as if someone were thinking that she was dead. The only reason Mayu didn't panic was because of what she could feel. She knew Kid was there, the whole time, because he was holding her hand. This was her only comfort in the darkness.

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The sunlight pouring through the window shone into Mayu's eyes as they cracked open. She looked outside to see the leaves swaying gently in the breeze. She looked around the sterile white room, wondering where she was. Her eyes went from the counter, to an oddly familiar looking swivel chair, to the monitor watching her heart rate, to her hand in which Kid's was locked in.

Mayu looked at Kid, whose head was resting on the edge of the bed, was sleeping. He had bags under his eyes, as if he hadn't slept in a while, and his hair and suit were untidy. He seemed small and frail as he snored softly, almost so soft that it wasn't audible at all.

Her awakening sped up her heart rate slightly, but it was enough to jolt Kid from his slumber. His two-toned amber gaze fluttered around the room and locked with Mayu's before closing and his head dropping. Then, his eyes shot open with surprise, and Kid stood up quickly, knocking back the chair he'd previously been in.

"Mayu!" he shouted. "I…I thought that it was like every other time. Y-you would be s-sleeping and the monitor was just you dreaming, but you're awake!" Mayu giggled and slowly sat up. She wasn't in too much pain, but did not want to push her body too much. She hugged Kid tightly, and he hugged her back. They sat in this position until Stein burst through the door.

His eyes were wide, and his breathing was frantic, as if he'd seen something terrifying. He spotted Kid and Mayu, and let out a sigh of relief.

"Good to see you're awake." He told Mayu, fixing his glasses. "How are you feeling?"

"I'm tired." Mayu's head began to throb. "And I think a headache is coming on." Stein sat backwards in his swivel chair, his chest leaning against the back of it, and began writing on his clipboard. He nodded as she spoke, and eyed Kid warily every now and again. "Ok, did you and Kid get into a fight or something?" Kid glared at Stein, who sighed.

"No, it's just that he hasn't left this room for two weeks, and -." Stein was interrupted as Mayu yelled.

"I've been out for 2 weeks?!" Mayu screamed. Her heart rate sped up, and the monitor was going crazy. She ripped her hand from Kid's and began shoving her blankets off.

"Mayu." Stein said warningly; Mayu's head jolted up.

"What?!" she snapped.

"The earliest you can leave here is tomorrow afternoon, so I wouldn't get too worried about leaving yet." He explained. The monitor slowed down as Mayu sighed and reluctantly agreed to stay in bed. There was a long pause, and Mayu broke it.

"What happened to Kisa?"

"The Dragon Witch?" Stein inquired. "No one knows, after you passed out, she left. Lord Death did send a couple of Meisters after her. And your bro-." Kid cut him off.

"We think she may be hiding somewhere outside of town." Mayu turned her attention to Kid. "That's where the Meisters are looking right now. You should get more rest." He grabbed her hand and gave it a gentle squeeze, then focused his two-toned gaze on Stein. "Stein, a word please?"

Mayu watched through half-opened eyes as the pair disappeared into the hallway. She could hear them talking, but fell asleep before she could make out the words.

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Stein shut the door behind him and turned to Kid who stood there, analyzing his movements.

"If there's something you got to say, then say it." Stein ordered, sitting calmly on his swivel chair. "I don't have all day, and I have to record what Mayu's just told me."

"Don't mention her brothers; pass the message on to anyone else that comes in." Kid said, turning to leave.

"Wait, why?" Stein asked, fixing his glasses.

"Think about her reaction when she figured out that she was in a coma for two weeks. Now imagine what she'll do when she figures out that the only family she has left just vanished." Kid explained. Stein blinked, processing this, and then nodded.

"Yeah, okay, I'll pass on the message."

"Good." Kid nodded a thanks and turned, walking down the hall and out of the hospital. Liz and Patty were walking in with Tsubaki and Maka.

"Kid!" Liz exclaimed in surprise. The other three had a surprised look on too. "We were just coming to check on you."

"I thought you said you weren't leaving until Mayu woke up." Maka said. "Wait, does that mean she's awake?" Kid nodded. "Let's go see her!"

"She's resting." Kid said. "We should leave her be." He walked down the steps, the girls anxiously firing questions at him.

"Is she healed?"

"Is she feeling well?"

"Is she eating okay?"

"When are they releasing her?"

"Will she recover?"

"Is she going to go on missions again?"

"What does Stein have to say about it?"

"Does she know about Makoto and Katashi?" (Heh heh heh… 8 questions. XD) Kid stopped abruptly, and turned to face the group behind him.

"Girls, Mayu is fine. Stein says she has made a full recovery. She will be released tomorrow afternoon, and do NOT mention her brothers." He continued to walk although the girls paused in confusion.

"Why not?" Tsubaki asked tentatively. Kid stopped again.

"When she figured out that she had been in a coma for two weeks, she panicked. Now tell me," he turned to face them. "How do you think she'll react when she realizes the only family she has left disappeared?" There was a long pause.

"She'll –she'll blame herself." Tsubaki said quietly. Kid nodded slowly.

"Say that she wasn't strong enough." Maka agreed softly. Patty whispered something, barely audible, in objection.

"What?" Liz asked, very close to tears.

"But it's not her fault." She repeated.

"We know." Liz said, putting an arm around her sister's shoulder. "But she won't see it that way. When your mind is filled with grief, it tends to cloud your judgment; makes think differently about things." Suddenly, the building next to them had a huge crater in its side; bricks cracking and falling as Kid's fist crashed into it. "Kid, what's gotten into you?!" Liz demanded. "First, you don't leave the hospital for two weeks, and then as soon as you get out you start destroying buildings!" Kid whirled on her, knuckles white and bleeding.

"Imagine it!" he snapped. "You're second day at a new school and you defeat one of the strongest Meisters there only to get beat by a witch and lose your only family! How would you feel?!" Liz paused, thinking.

"Yeah, that would be hard." She decided. Kid sighed.

"It's my fault." He slumped to the ground. "She was right there, and I'm virtually invincible! All I had to do was step to the right, that's it! I almost let the most symmetrical being in the world die!" he began to beat the ground and cry. "I'm scum! Garbage! I'm the one who should be in the hospital! Not Mayu! Dammit! I deserve to die!" The girls were next to him instantly.

"You don't deserve to die." Patty said.

"Yeah, Mayu needs you." Tsubaki said.

"Who will look after her if you die?" Liz asked. Kid stopped crying and looked at the kneeling girls before him. He stood.

"Yes, I need to be strong for her." He straightened up, and then faltered. "Do you think she'll forgive me?"

"MAKA-CHOP!" Maka smashed a dictionary down on Kid's head.

"Where did that come from?" Kid asked, on the ground again, holding his head.

"You idiot!" Maka hissed. "You sat with her in the hospital for two weeks. You risked your life for hers. You fought a witch blindly to save her, and a dragon!" You said that if Black*Star looked like he might hurt her during their fight; you would jump in, WITHOUT WEAPONS!" Maka was now standing, screaming at Kid. "If she can't forgive you, she's not worth it, but you won't have to worry about that because she WILL!" Maka was gasping as she sat. Kid looked at the girls, blinking.

"You really think so?"

"YES!" Kid fell over backwards. The girls stood and Liz offered him a hand.

"C'mon, we're going shopping." She said, pulling Kid to his feet.

"What? Why?"

"Because it's your birthday soon, remember?" Liz asked.

"Oh yeah, how could I forget that I'm turning 16?" Kid thought.

"And don't worry," Liz added with a wink. "We'll get Mayu something too." As Kid blushed, the girls giggled.

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"Are you comfortable?" Stein asked before retreating to his swivel chair. Mayu nodded. He sat and fixed his glasses. "Now, what would you like to know?"

"What happened after I passed out?" Mayu asked instantly.

"Right to the point." Stein chuckled. "Well, Maka and Soul were the first to try and re-locate the witch. Lord Death sent Black*Star and Tsubaki after her, too. He could've sent Kid, but-." Stein shrugged.

"What?" Mayu asked, leaning forward slightly.

"Well, he never left your side." Mayu froze, and then relaxed.

"Oh."

"Yep, and then he just sent people to patrol our borders until the witch was- well, is- found." Stein finished.

"Wait, you mean you don't have any clue at all?"

"Nope."

"Damn her. It's just like Kisa to hide." Mayu muttered.

"Hold on," Stein looked at her in surprise. "You knew the witch?" Mayu sighed.

"If I explain, you can't tell a soul." Stein nodded; Mayu sighed again. "Ok, she's Makoto and Katashi's mother." Stein's jaw dropped. "I know! Anyway, she raised them well enough, but when they figured out she was a witch, they didn't trust her. They argued, and she hit Katashi, That's why he's so quiet; he's afraid. Makoto became upset, and they left that night. They lived on the streets because they were abandoned, like me. We met shortly after, but not the way any of us expected. I had been jumped by an older guy who took my money. He wanted more than that, considering I was young and female and he was drunk. But like I said, they were raised right, they knew wrong when they saw it. They attacked the man and fought him off, then returned my money. When I realized they were weapons and they realized I was a Meister, we began training as a team. We got left alone, and we were inseparable." Mayu's voice was full of pride, and then dropped. "Then, Kisa found us. She promised she could be a better mother, but Katashi and Makoto refused. A battle broke out that we narrowly escaped. We crossed a marsh-swampy thing, then a forest, and then wandered the desert outside town for a few days and then ended up here. Sid took us to Lord Death where we enrolled and, finally, joined." Mayu sighed. "But it looks like he's back."

"Does she hate you? Kisa?" Stein, who'd been sitting, silently listening, asked. Mayu nodded.

"Probably."

"Probably a good theory on why she attacked you and not Makoto, or even Lord Death."

"So you saw the glare, then?"

"What?"

"How Kisa glared at Lord Death; you saw it?" Stein nodded.

"You know why?" he inquired.

"No clue." Stein stood and stretched.

"It's getting late, you should rest."

"Please don't leave." Mayu whimpered, uncomfortable with the thought of being alone. Stein chuckled.

"I'll wait until you fall asleep, and I'm in the next room over. I don't leave until my patients do." A though crossed Mayu's mind.

"That means I've been keeping you here for two weeks… I'm sorry."

""Don't be." Stein said as Mayu drifted to sleep. "As long as you recover, I'm fine." The last thing she saw was Stein light a cigarette.

Kid, Liz, and Patty walked into Mayu's hospital room as Stein was fitting her into a wheelchair.

"What happened?" Kid asked. Stein jumped and whipped around.

"Oh, it's you. My hearing must be off." Stein, twisting the screw in his head, turned to Mayu. "Is it comfortable? Are you able to control it?"

"Yep, I feel great!" Mayu said optimistically.

"Good. And nothing happened." Stein turned to face Kid. "As her doctor, I feel that it's she has one day on this wheelchair." Mayu rolled her eyes with a smile.

"Thanks, doc." She said sarcastically. "Can I go now?" Stein hesitated. "You could go home and rest." Mayu offered. "Don't tell me you slept in these beds, I didn't."

"Right, that's why you fell asleep instantly?" he asked, looking at her with a smile.

"Ok, I was injured and stuck here with nothing better to do, so I have an excuse." Mayu retorted lightly. Stein rolled his eyes, fixing his glasses.

"Fine you can go, but the wheelchair is the hospitals so it must come back."

"Got it." Mayu rolled over to Kid.

"And take the pain pills I gave you."

"Got it."

"And make sure you get more rest!"

"Got it!" Mayu sang as Kid wheeled her out the door. "Bye!"

"Goodbye!" Mayu sighed as Kid drove her down the hallway end out the door. They stopped they saw the stairs.

"Sis, how is this supposed to work?" Patty asked Liz.

"Well, we could go slowly?" Liz said, although it was more of a question.

"Or, we could do this." Kid summoned his skateboard, Beelzebub. He picked up Mayu, the way a groom would pick up his bride at a wedding, and stepped on. Mayu grasped his suit firmly as she realized his intentions. "Can you bring the wheelchair to the mansion?" Kid asked Liz. Without waiting for a reply, he took off. Mayu squeezed her eyes shut as Kid flew up over buildings. "What do you thin- uh, Mayu? You okay?" he asked.

"Sure." Mayu yelled over the wind, eyes still locked shut. After a while, Kid touched down at the mansion and summoned back Beelzebub.

"Are you afraid of height?" he asked, walking through the door.

"No." she lied, softening her grip. Kid set her down on the couch.

"Ok, suit yourself. You want something to drink?" Kid asked, walking over to the fridge.

"Just some water." Mayu replied, leaning back against the couch, relieved that she was on solid ground. Kid gave her a bottle and she drank it in 10 seconds. Kid stared at her, mouth agape.

"Thirsty much?" he asked, smiling. Mayu crushed the bottle and threw it directly in the trash.

"A little bit." Kid laughed, realizing that he hadn't done so ever since Mayu had been hospitalized.

"She's the only one that can make me do that." He thought. "Make me forget how to feel emotion."

"Kid?" Mayu asked, jolting him back to reality. "Do you want me to get the door?"

"What, did it ring?" Mayu sighed.

"I'll get it."

"Uh, NO!" Kid pushed her back as she sat up. "Stein ordered you to a day of bed-rest, you're lucky I'm letting you stay down here." He ran to get the door as Mayu let out a huffy breath and pouted. "Liz and Patty wouldn't knock, Soul and Maka are out looking for Mayu's brothers." Kid thought. "So that means- oh no!" Kid opened the door to see what he was dreading on the other side.

"YAHOO! YOU'RE GOD IS HERE!" Black*Star shouted, shoving Kid out of the way and striding through the door. Tsubaki followed slowly, apologizing to Kid.

"SORRY! Liz texted me saying that Mayu was released now so we came to visit." She explained, handing him the large white box she was holding.

"What's this?" Kid inquired.

"Pizza." Tsubaki tilted her head with a smile, eyes closed. "I thought we could all eat and, you know, catch up." Kid shut the door and smiled.

"That would be great." He said.

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Mayu leaned back against the couch, full from all the pizza she ate, as she listened to Black*Star's umpteenth story. Tsubaki had to clear points up as Black*Star overly exaggerated.

"I'm the greatest assassin ever!" Black*Star shouted, standing on the table.

"Not after Mayu beat you." Kid said, taking a swig of soda.

"Uh, I won that!" Black*Star retorted.

"How so?!" Mayu demanded. "I knocked you out!"

"Yeah, but you ended up in the hospital!"

"Not by you!"

"Oh, yeah, how about a rematch?" Black*Star stepped off the table only to pass out on the ground with a bloody nose.

"Black*Star!" Tsubaki kneeled next to the unconscious ninja.

"Kid!" Mayu said surprised. "Why did you punch him?" Kid's bangs covered his eyes.

"I just got you back; I'm not taking any chances." The room went silent; Mayu could seriously hear a pin drop upstairs.

"Awww!" chorused a pair of voices in the doorway. The conscious trio turned to see Liz holding shopping bags and Patty holding the wheelchair.

"Where have you been?" Kid asked sternly, wheeling the chair over to Mayu.

"We traded in Mayu's old dress." Liz said. "I changed my mind and found a better color for her." Kid glared at her, thinking. "It's okay with you, right Mayu?" Liz added quickly, nodding slightly. Kid looked at Mayu expectantly.

"Oh yeah, of course!" Mayu exclaimed. Liz looked pleadingly at Kid

"Ok, you're forgiven." Liz squealed as Tsubaki yelled from the doorway.

"I'm going to take Black*Star home now. See you later!"

"Bye! Wait, why am I getting a dress?" Mayu asked after the door closed.

"Two days from now is Kid's birthday." Liz explained. "We're having a party. We're not sure who all is coming yet, but we'll figure it out soon."

"Oh." Mayu looked thoughtful.

"Speaking of which," Kid said, locking his amber gaze with her sharp green one. "When is your birthday?"

"August 8th." Mayu said, and then noticed Kid was on the ground. "Is he okay?!" she demanded.

"Yes." Liz sighed as Patty laughed hysterically. "It's just that the number 8 is symmetrical and your birthday is 8-8."

"Oh."

"Yeah, but don't worry about it; you need some sleep." Liz dropped her bags and easily carried Mayu up the stairs and into bed. "Goodnight." She turned out the light. Mayu was so tired that she fell asleep with even considering where Makoto and Katashi were.

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"Ok, Mayu, you are free to walk again." Stein said, shoving the wheelchair in a corner of Mayu's old hospital room.

"Thank you, Stein." Mayu said, and her and Kid left the hospital. "It feels great to walk again!" she stretched. Kid chuckled, and then glanced nervously at his watch.

"We should hurry. Liz and Patty are waiting for us at the restaurant near the mansion." They picked up the pace, yet talked along the way. Kid was complaining about the street-lamps. "The actual lamps only links off one way." He said as they walked into the restaurant. "Some have two, which I love, but some have one-."

"Which I/you hate." They said in unison, and then laughed. They found Liz and Patty at a table with Soul and Maka.

"Look who we found!" Liz called, beckoning the pair over. Kid and Mayu sat, ordered food, and joined the conversation. After a while, Kid noticed that Mayu had become quiet.

"Mayu," he said, and all conversation at the table stopped. "Is something wrong?" No one moved except Mayu who absent-mindedly rolled a meatball over her spaghetti. She stopped abruptly, and looked up directly at Maka.

"Where are Makoto and Katashi?" Liz and Patty froze; Kid's jaw dropped; Soul stiffened; and Maka flinched. Maka looked at Soul who shook his head and continued to stab his lasagna with his fork, which he couldn't quite grab. Maka looked at the Thompson sisters, who exchanged a worried glance before copying Soul. Maka looked desperately up at Kid, who stood.

"I need to go complain to the chef about my meal not being symmetrical." He stated before leaving. Maka turned to Mayu, whose eyes never left hers, and sighed.

"Mayu." She swallowed. "We have r-reason to b-believe that they-they are-are-." Maka stuttered, looking ready to cry.

"SPIT IT OUT!" Mayu snapped.

"They're gone!" Maka cried out. Mayu felt her heart skipped a beat.

"What do you mean gone?"

Review….. please?