Author's Note: Wow, I can't believe people are still following/reviewing this story. Just a warning, don't get your hopes up. I'm following an outline I wrote about 3 years ago, so I'm not sure it makes any sense.

It's just very hard to write for a story that you have zero interest anymore, but I feel bad that some of you are still waiting for an ending.

Part Two

Chapter Four: Wake Up

Seeing my brother in such a confused state of paranoia was probably the second worse thing I've ever experienced in my life. The first being when I held his lifeless body in my hands as he bled out. Kaoru had been sedated with the help of some nurses and his doctor. After that display, I heard them talking about transporting him to the nearest psych ward.

But if they do that, then it's all over. Kaoru would be locked up like some insane criminal, forced to befriend and talk to people he doesn't know. And I'd be damned if I just sat back and watched his life fall apart.

Soon after my brother's "episode" I stormed up to Ms. Namine and confessed to everything. I made her listen to every last detail about Kaoru and his ludicrous delusion – The Dead Boy. At first, her reaction was to get angry, which I understood. I withheld important information from a licensed professional who was trying to help Kaoru get better.

"I know you're upset, Ms. Namine, but now isn't the time for it. I'm done playing by Kaoru's rules. If he's serious about getting help, then he's going to have to play by our rules. If you still trust me, then I'd like you to hear my plan."

Ms. Namine hesitated for a moment before finally agreeing. She and I made our way to her office where we would discuss our course of action.

This would determine whether or not Kaoru was actually worth still saving.

"So, what you're saying is that Kaoru is just using the Dead Boy as a reflection of himself?" It sounded far fetched, but anything was possible after everything I've been through these past few weeks.

"Yes," Ms. Namine said, "he needs an outlet to blame for all of his anger and fear. What he really fears is himself. We need to get him to understand that he doesn't need to rely on the Dead Boy, that there are other, safer, ways to get your frustrations out."

I sighed heavily. "If this fails, he's only going to sink further."

"At this point, Hikaru, do we really have a choice?"

It wasn't too long later that Ms. Namine and I entered Kaoru's room. As usual, the lights were off, yet the curtains were left wide open. An ominous grey cloud covered the entire sky, expanding past the farthest mountains. It created an eerie mood inside this small medical room. Kaoru was restrained to the bed once more, staring up at the ceiling. No sooner had we entered did my brother say, "Get out." Without turning his head, he continued, "You've caused enough trouble."

"I am not the cause of your trouble, Kaoru." Ms, Namine pulled over a chair and sat. "You are."

This made Kaoru growl. "I am not!"

"Then who is?" the therapist asked calmly.

Kaoru remained silent. He stilled in his bed, staring up at the ceiling once more. A tiny, "You wouldn't understand," left his lips, barely audible.

"Really? Then why don't we ask someone who would."

That was my cue. I stepped forward and stood next to Ms. Namine. Kaoru's eye's locked with my own, and I'm sure my expression wasn't all too comforting. He looked shocked, to say the least.

"What's going on," I heard him quietly ask.

"I told her everything, Kaoru." I spoke with confidence, rather than with pity for my brother. "I told her everything because I want to help fix you. Now it's time for you to come clean to yourself."

"You betrayed me!" Kaoru's voice rang out around the enclosed space, hurting my ears. "Now the Dead Boy will – "

I interrupted his nonsense, sick of listening to it all. "I refuse to play along with your fantasies anymore!" I waited for a retort, yet none came. Kaoru just laid there, eyes glued to my face. I continued, "At first, I tired to help you by myself. That didn't work out. Then, I tried relying on friends, but that seemed to only make things worse. I thought, maybe if I backed off and let the hospital help you, they'd know more about the right things to do. I never thought that the only way to help you was for you to help yourself." I sighed and ran a hand through my hair. "You need to snap out of your fantasy world. Everything you're afraid of isn't real. I want to know what started all of this. No more lies, no more secrets. Or I swear, Kaoru, I will walk out this door right now and not look back."

Kaoru stared at me, his mouth agape. "N-No. You just want to hurt me."

"I will say this again," Ms. Namine spoke loudly, "We are only here to help."

Kaoru closes his eyes as if to block us out. "No! Go away."

"I'm not going anywhere." I said. "I have all the time in the world to wait for your answer. Now, tell me what you fear."

Kaoru's voice became shaky. "I-If I tell you... then..."

"Then what? I learn what you're afraid of? Good, then I can start helping you. I don't want you to bottle up your emotions anymore. We're supposed to be there for one another!"

A few seconds of silence fill the room before my brother speaks. His voice is low and dangerous. "It's funny how you say that, yet you haven't been entirely there for me."

I'm shocked and insulted. I talk a bit louder than I had intended to. "What are you talking about? I've been there for you since day one –"

Now, it was Kaoru's turn to interrupt me. "Ever... Ever since we joined the host club..." he thought for a moment, "no, ever since we entered high school, you've been pulling away from me!"

I raised an eyebrow. "No, I haven't." I glanced at Ms. Namine who switched between watching my brother and I, and writing on her notepad.

"Kaoru, are you worried about things changing?" Ms. Namine asked out of nowhere, startling me.

I wait for my brother to answer, but again, there is no response. Instead, I observe him look towards the window, to which he can partially see his reflection. I'm almost certain he's looking for his "Dead Boy."

"Kaoru, nothing's changed between us. If I was leaving, if I truly didn't care about you, would I be standing here right now?" I couldn't stand him looking away from me anymore. Without thinking, I walked up to him and placed both hands on his cheeks, forcing him to look me in the eye. "The only one who's changed here is you."

It was like a bomb was dropped; Kaoru's eyes became glossed over and his expression became one of mortified surprise. He slowly shook his head in denial.

"Everything that's happened is because of your ridiculous fears, ones that you made up. If you talked freely about them, maybe you'd start feeling free."

"But –" Kaoru glanced over to the window again, sizing his reflection up and down. Tears began to form and the corners of his mouth pulled down. "Hikaru... I-I..." Suddenly, it felt like a weight had been lifted from the room, like a fog had dissipated. "I'm afraid of change. I'm afraid of growing up. I'm afraid of losing you." My brother's long, pent up emotions spilled from his heart. I ran a soothing hand through his disheveled, identical hair.

"I'm afraid of that, too." My throat closed up, and I felt like a lump was blocking my airway. "I think about that a lot, especially now." I encircle his shoulders and pull him close. "Please, stop changing, and come back to me. You'll never have to be alone again."

As Kaoru and I cried, I couldn't help but notice the light returning to my brother's eyes, and he even smiled gently as the sun peeked behind the murky clouds and shined into that gloomy room.