Chapter 15: God's intervention

To be with her. Was that really such an impossible thing to ask for? Tezuka thought, his hands at his sides. "...Sahya..."

The others stared solemnly at their captain. "Tezuka..." Oishi murmured worriedly, but didn't—couldn't bring himself to—say anything else. Ryoma pulled his cap down over his eyes. Kaidoh remained silent, but he was glaring at the ground. Momoshiro had his fists clenched, gritting his teeth. Eiji had an outright crestfallen look on his face, and Kawamura looked depressed. Inui bit his bottom lip slightly.

Sahya had made her way into all of their hearts in some way. They hadn't known her those extra few weeks Tezuka did, didn't know everything about her like he surely did, but they had still spent the last six months with her. And one month had been enough for them to know that she was special. Special, and irreplaceable by someone else. Going into the change room to see her embroidery of them on the wall would bring painful memories.

Suddenly, a golden beam of light shot down to strike Tezuka through the chest. His body lifted and glowed, then disappeared. The others went back to staring. "...Tezuka...?" It was half thought, half spoken among all of them. Now what would they face?

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Tezuka slowly opened his eyes. He was surrounded by light. Where was he?

It was a test.

What? The voice had come from nowhere. "...What was a test?" He asked, not too worried about a bodiless voice. Not after seeing Sahya as a bodiless soul.

If she was alive, would she be selfish? Would she move on?...Would she let someone else die instead of her, she who had a second chance to live without regrets?

So the time she was alive...was a test to see what she would act like? Tezuka thought in understanding. If that was the case... "Then did she pass?" He asked worriedly.

Tezuka held his breath as he waited for an answer.

... ... Yes. She has passed. Now she awaits someone to come bring her back. Retrieve her, and all will be resolved.

Turning, Tezuka saw a large silver chair. Sitting on it and looking quite small and delicate in comparison, was Sahya. Her eyes were closed and she looked like she was sleeping. Striding over, Tezuka stroked her face gently, making sure she was real. "Sahya..." He said in relief. Carefully he picked her up in his arms.

Take care of her.

That was the last he heard from the voice as he saw a doorway open up. He slowly started walking towards it, out of this realm of light.

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"Look!" Eiji exclaimed. A large beam of light shone down on the roof from the sky. They all watched with baited breaths for what would come from it. Slowly, they could make out a figure coming towards them through it. Their eyes widened as they saw Tezuka, carrying Sahya.

"Tezuka-buchou!" They shouted in relief.

The light disappeared. Kaidoh looked to the side and said suddenly "Where did that go? The one who rigged the rail?"

"Granger?" Tezuka asked. He looked around the roof, but the man from England was nowhere in sight.

"Over here." Fuji called. They all went over to the tensai to see what he was looking at. Reaching the edge of the roof, they looked down.

There on the ground was the body of Mark Granger.

"...How...?" Inui asked to no one in particular.

"Some things are better not to ask." Ryoma answered.

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Sahya slowly opened her eyes to find herself on the roof of the school. The sky was just starting to turn red and clubs were finishing up and dismissing students out in the courtyard. She was sitting between Tezuka's legs, leaning against him. Looking behind and up, her eyes held unspoken questions.

Tezuka looked down once he realized she was awake and his arms tightened around where they were around her waist. Pulling her into an almost crushing embrace, he dropped his head onto her shoulder. "...You're awake. It's all over now." He said quietly.

"What is?" She asked.

"Kami-sama interfered. You're alive for good." He answered. "...Granger fell. He was tampering with the rail and then it broke on him. We came up just in time to see him go, but couldn't help." He paused. "...That's what everyone believes they saw."

"..." Sahya closed her eyes and tilted her head back to lean on his shoulder. "So...does nothing stop us then? Can we..."

"...Stay together?" Tezuka finished. He nodded, a smile forming. "Yeah." He held up her left hand to show her a silver ring that was now on her finger. "Tezuka Kunimitsu." He read, turning the ring a bit so she could also read the tiny engraved writing.

He then brought her hand to his left ear, where she saw a small silver ring earring was now hanging, when he hadn't even had a piercing before. "Tsuriko Sahya." She read. Slowly, she started smiling as well. Noticing Tezuka leaning in, she closed her eyes.

Softly, he kissed her, letting it .

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"Sahya."

Sahya looked up from where she waited on a bench to see Tezuka coming out of the change room. He smiled and took her hand as they started walking out of school for the day. Behind them, the Regulars caught up, and they walked as a group of strong friends.

Thinking of the embroidery hanging in the change room, they thought how it would bring back happy memories and good times.

Thinking of Sahya's smile, they thought how it would bring peace of mind and a smile on their own faces.

Thinking, they watched the two ahead of them.

Sahya leaned into Tezuka a bit. His grip tightened slightly, protectively, around her hand. That hand that he swore not to let go of for as long as he lived. He would stay with her, his doll, his love, his ...his Sahya. And she would not leave him. Not for her parents, not for past acquaintances, not for anyone.

That is love. They thought, smiling at the happy couple ahead of them.

That...is a miracle.

And that...is The End.

Author's Notes:

So I'm sorry if you felt Tezuka was too OOC at times, but I wanted to make it seem like he was softening up...you know? And the Regulars didn't have many active roles in this, so I'm sorry to those who hoped for them to be more involved. I'll try to do that with a different fic. Thank you for reading!