A/N: So...I started feeling guilty. So couple that with listening to music from Prince of Tennis...I felt like writing. I didn't know what I was writing half the time...so this is the product. I find this chapter rather dragged out, but hopefully next chapter will be better. Heh, so school's back full force now...my friends are all worrying about APs and stuff...I feel so weird saying that I'm not taking any APs, but I have SATs to worry about so...I'm not completely free from stress...and to think i'll be applying to colleges next year...geez...it feels like only yesterday I was just fresh meat at my school...

Any of my readers actually watch any of the Prince of Tennis musicals? I personally loved the second cast the most XD but I think that all the casts did really good jobs.

I'm a bit disappointed with the length of this chapter but well...shrug...there's not much else I can do with this chapter.

Write to you again soon,

~ [Aoi-Kun]

It was…different. There were no worries of school, of friends, no plans to go over, there was…nothing. And that was different. She wasn't sure if that different was good or bad. There was no pain emotionally or physically. It felt…like nothing. But it was dark. And darkness was never something she'd wished to see again. Not when her life had been so bright and cheery with all of her companions by her side. No. She decided. The darkness was a bad thing. But what of the nothingness…? What of it…?

The waiting room was silent, as it had been for the last hour or so. A nurse had come out to tell them that Kairi had been placed into surgery. The wounds to her stomach needed to be operated on. She had been lucky that in her frenzy Nann had missed any other vital organs. The news had helped to slightly lower tensions, but nerves were still stretched as the group waited for more news.

Some of the tennis team had had to step out to answer phone calls a few times, always returning as solemn as before they had left, murmuring something about parents or something along those lines. Afterward, they would all fall back into the tense silence.

In his seat, Yukimura had his head in his hands, worry for his friend clear on his face as it was on any others. Next to him sat Fuji and Yuuta, both staring unwaveringly at the doors that their sister lay behind. The rest of the Rikkai team was scattered throughout the waiting room, lost in their own thoughts.

Niou sat on his own in a corner, also staring at the doors, though that wasn't what he was seeing. All he could see was the blood that had been leaking out of Kairi when she'd been pulled out of the pool. The knife that Nann had held stained red with Kairi's blood. And the words that Nann had said to him when he'd confronted her.

'I did it for you 'Haru-kun. Everything was for you…'

He hadn't even had the courage to call home to tell his sister about what had happened to one of her favorite people. Marui actually, wasn't in a much better position. It had been his sister after all that had inflicted the injuries onto Kairi. His face was incredibly pale as he kept fidgeting in his seat, eyes wide.

As everyone was lost in thought, Tezuka took the time to look at everybody in the room silently. He hoped that the girl that had managed to bring them altogether would be able to pull through this as well.

How much time had passed since she'd entered this darkness? She couldn't tell for obvious reasons. That was fine though. Some part of her told her that it wasn't. That she should be fighting to get back. But get back to what? What was she supposed to be fighting for? Wasn't this enough? Just floating along aimlessly was fine wasn't it?

Finally, someone snapped. It was bound to happen, what with everyone's patience already running thin. Marui launched himself out of his chair and started apologizing profusely in a rush of words to the Fuji brothers, as they were the first people that he reached. Fuji stared at him, his eyes open, with an unreadable expression on his face while Yuuta stared at the pink-head with a look of utter bewilderment on his face.

Thankfully enough, Marui's tirade was cut short as the doors to the operating room were opened. The poor doctor was surrounded by a mob of teenage boys almost as soon as he was through the doors, most of them spouting off questions as fast as they could think of them.

"Please calm down boys. Let him have some space."

The teenagers slowly backed off, waiting for the verdict.

"Who are Fuji Kairi-san's immediate family members?"

The Fuji family immediately went forward, Fuji's eyes had closed again. The doctor spoke in a hushed voice with their parents before turning to the rest of the boys.

"Your friend has gone through the operation successfully. She has yet to wake up though."

With that said, he immediately left.

A hush had fallen over everybody as the information sank in. It was quickly followed by a wave of relief. She was alive. Unconscious…but alive.

"Syuusuke…I think we've had enough excitement for one day. We'll be going home first then." Yumiko said to her brother, gesturing to their parents. Fuji nodded and then glanced over to Yuuta. "Maybe you should take Yuuta home too Nee-san. He looks like he might collapse soon." Yumiko glanced at her youngest brother and nodded her head in agreement. Slowly, the four Fuji's left.

Once his family was gone, Fuji turned and left the waiting room, heading for the directory to look for the room that the doctor had said they had moved his sister into. If he had any say in it, he would be spending the night at the hospital. The Rikkai team was quick to follow him.

Upon reaching the room, Fuji knocked before entering. The Rikkai regulars crowded around the doorway to get a glimpse of their friend. She was paler than normal and lying on the hospital bed with a peaceful expression on her face. They winced a bit upon seeing the IV's hooked up into her arm.

"E-excuse me…"

All heads turned to the nurse that had spoken.

"I'm going to have to ask that some of you leave. Kairi-san needs as much rest as possible and-"

"We understand." Yukimura interrupted with a soft smile. He turned to his team. Most of them looked like they wanted to argue but eventually they started to slink off. Kirihara stared mournfully at the doorway of Kairi's room before leaving with Sanada. Soon, only Yukimura and Niou were still standing in the doorway to Kairi's room. During that time, Fuji had moved a chair closer to Kairi's bed and had taken one of her hands into his own and sat, staring silently at his sister's face, the gentle rise and fall of her chest bringing a sense of calm over him.

Yukimura didn't say anything to Niou before entering the room and stopping next to where Fuji sat. Niou followed in a moment later, leaning against the wall silently. Yukimura nodded slightly towards Fuji before raising a hand to move a few strands of Kairi's hair out of her face.

"I have to go now Kairi, but I'll come see you before practice tomorrow." Yukimura murmured, pressing a soft kiss to Kairi's forehead. He shot Niou a look before leaving as well.

And then there were two.

The minutes ticked by as the only sound filling the room were the sounds of the machines in the room. A knock from the door caused both boys to turn and stare at the nurse.

"Uhm, I wanted to tell you that visiting hours are over…"

"Saa…is that so…" Fuji replied before turning back in his seat and resuming his staring. When the nurse looked to Niou for an explanation he raised an eyebrow at her.

"He's her brother."

"Oh…and what about you?"

"…" Niou turned his gaze back to Kairi's unconscious form. "Boyfriend."

Niou caught the tensing of Fuji's shoulders when he said that. The nurse uttered another small oh before retreating from the room. Something told Niou that she wouldn't be back anytime soon.

"Boyfriend, hm?" Fuji asked, his quiet voice distracting Niou from his thoughts. "Can you really still call yourself that Niou-san?"

"…I believe so."

No. That word suddenly rang clear through Kairi's mind. No, this wasn't right. She had people who still needed her. People that she couldn't leave just yet. She had a family. She had friends. No. This darkness wasn't right. No. This emptiness wasn't right. Somehow, with each repetition of no, Kairi felt that the darkness was becoming lighter. And with one final thought of her friends…her family…the darkness was gone.

It took a lot of effort but Kairi succeeded in getting her eyes to open. The dim lighting in the room was something she was grateful for. A tired gasp of air left her lips as she swept her gaze around the room.

"Sy-syuu…nii…"

A shocking blue suddenly filled her vision as Fuji jerked awake from the light sleep he had fallen into and he leaned in closer to his sister.

"Kairi-chan…" The relief that filled his voice made Kairi smile tiredly.

"Syuu…nii…" Warmth filled Kairi as Fuji threw his arms around her and held her securely in his arms. Yes…this was why she had to come back. Because of her precious people like her dear older brother. As Kairi relished the warmth of Fuji's hug, her eyes wandered through her hospital room and ended up on a second figure slumped in the only other chair in the room, asleep.

"He's been here the whole time. I think he fell asleep an hour ago." Fuji whispered into Kairi's ear.

"Oh…"

"What are you going to do Kairi-chan?"

"It's his move now Syuu-nii…I've used up all my moves."

"I see…"

"How…how is Seiichi?"

"He said he'll come see you before practice…" Fuji glanced at the clock and chuckled softly, "Later today." Icy looked in the direction of the clock as well, and laughed softly.

"I see."

She let her eyes slide shut again. "I think I'll…take a nap…until then…neh…Syuu…nii…?"

Fuji smiled at his slumbering sister and brushed her hair to the side with his free hand.

"Sweet dreams Kairi-chan."