I'm in a rather damp mood, so bear with me here. If the chapter sucks, do me the greatest favor in the world and keep your opinion to yourself, but if you think it's great, then go ahead and tell me! Well, it really shouldn't suck, cause Wildefyre helped me write it, so let's all say thank you to Wildefyre. If it wasn't for her, it really would suck. Thank you Wildefyre.

Chapter 7

Shin didn�t think that it was possible for him to drive as fast as he was going at the moment, but the urgency in Seiji�s voice when he called him motivated him. Thank goodness that Shin was only a mile from the house when his friend had called his cell phone. He was on his way to visit the couple when the call came in and now he could feel that something horrible had happened.

As he approached the house his own senses were kicking in and he did not like what he was feeling at all. Seiji or Touma, or both were in trouble, that much he was aware of, he just couldn�t get a fix on who or what. //Damn this is what I get for allowing the link we have to fade somewhat. I should have kept my link stronger and then maybe I would have sensed all this sooner.// Not even bothering to knock on the door, Shin barged into the house, the door wasn�t locked, which added onto his unease.

"Seiji! Touma!" Shin shouted as he started searching the house. His concern doubled as he noticed that the house was completely silent. With Touma and a four year old boy around, there should�ve been some noise.

What also concerned him was that the bad feeling he was getting, had just gotten stronger! Being amongst the personal belongings of his friends increased the link and he began to tremble as the feelings began slamming into him. He was sensing fear, sadness, pain and... Oh god no! He sensed Death!

What could�ve occurred here that Seiji of all people actually needed help? Who could overpower both Seiji and Touma to put them in such a situation? Did someone break into the house? Were Touma and Kenji kidnapped and Seiji was laying on the ground half dead, waiting for Shin to come and help them? Perhaps some evil, twisted people had murdered Touma and Kenji in front of the poor blond and Seiji could have been beaten to within an inch of his life with grief weighing down his soul. Or maybe ... He was watching too many murder/mystery shows and allowing his imagination to get away from him. //God Shin the older you get, the more of a baka you become.//

He was sure that something bad had happened, why else would he be sensing what he was? Why else would Seiji have called him with such fear in his voice? //Okay Shin take a deep breath and just find Seiji... The answers will come after that.//

"Shin ..." Seiji called out weakly, his lower chest still hurt for some reason. Actually the pain was intense, unlike anything he had ever felt before. At first, when it started, he thought he was having a heart attack, but then he felt something more, and that�s when he really became frightened. He had barely managed to make it into the living room when he heard Shin calling out, the pain was getting worse, and the fear building within him was intensifying.

"Seiji! Are you all right? Who did this to you? Where�s Touma and Kenji? Are they okay?" Shin asked frantically as he helped Seiji stand. He feared that one of the scenarios that had played in his head was true. Seiji looked so pale and with the way he was clutching his chest, another scenario began to play in his mind.

"Touma left not too long ago to drop off Kenji. Please, we have to go find them! Touma is in danger!" Tears formed in the blonde�s eyes in hopes that Shin would understand. Seiji knew he wasn�t making much sense at the moment, but he was just too upset to think clearly. It seemed the harder he tried to regain control and concentrate, the bigger the need to find Touma became.

Knowing better than to argue with Seiji, Shin nodded his head. "Where did they go?"

"They went to Kenji�s mother�s place. We have to hurry!"

"Do you know where she lives?"

"No, but I bet Tenku does." Seiji took out the dark blue orb from his pocket. He had been shocked when the small orb had rolled itself over to where Seiji had been laying on the floor. When the blond had first grabbed onto it, he felt the fear in the armor�s spirit, as it tried to warn him of something.

It was right before that when he started getting the pains in his chest, and when he closed his hand around the orb the pain and sensations practically overwhelmed him. He found himself awash in more feelings than his body could process and he vaguely remembered screaming from the pain.

The one thing his mind kept bombarding him with were images of Touma and then his lover would fade from his mind in a haze of blood red. That image was the final straw and he quickly called Shin, pleading with his friend for help.

"Seiji, maybe we should look for an address or -"

"NO!!!" Seiji snapped angrily. "Touma could be DEAD by the time we find an address. Now you either drive me, or I�ll get there myself! I�ll get there faster if you help me though. Please, Shin ..." Tears slid down his pale face, begging his friend to help him, to help Touma.

"Do you really feel that Touma is in danger?" Shin was shocked at Seiji�s display of emotions, this was not something you witnessed on a daily basis, in fact Shin had only seen tears in Seiji�s eyes once and that was when he had realized that after Touma had left, he had no intentions of coming back. That was also the day Shin realized that no matter how much the blond denied it, his soul was forever bonded to the blue-haired archer.

"I feel it with every fiber in my body." Seiji winced at the pain as he willed his shaking and pain filled body to move. Touma was in trouble, that he was sure of, and that scared him more then he was willing to admit.

"Then let�s go." Shin was trying to remain calm, but he too was feeling the necessity to find Touma and quickly. The sensations of death were getting stronger yet he held that in, Seiji was already visibly shaken, he didn�t need that added on to his fear.

<<>><<>><<>>

Kenji stared blankly out the car window as the jeep quickly passed houses and stores, making them all a blur. From the back seat, he could hear his momma�s voice, she was talking to her boyfriend, a man that Ken now hated more than anything in this world. No matter what his mother said, he would never see him as a father figure or anything close to one. He had hurt his papa and that meant he was the enemy now. Whatever his mother was saying fell deaf in his ears as his mind was on other things at the moment.

His silvery violet eyes, which were usually so full of joy and life, now had a flat and sorrowful quality to them. In his mind, those few seconds he had seen his father laying on the ground at his mother�s house with a pool of blood around him were playing over and over again like some sick movie. Only this wasn�t a movie, it was real. His papa was hurt, or possibly dead that was the part that scared him the most.

He knew what dead was, his Grandpa Williams was dead. Ken could barely remember the funeral, but what he did remember was his mother crying and telling him that he�d never see his grandpa again. He remembered how much it hurt him, and the tears he also shed over that fact.

To think that his papa could be dead and he�d never see him again made Kenji want to cry and shout at Matsuji for whatever he had done to his papa. There was something that he didn�t understand though, how did his father get hurt? What did Matsuji do to him? All he could remember was being in his bedroom and hearing what sounded like a firecracker going off and then running out to see his papa lying there and not moving.

At one point his father had lifted his head and looked right at him as though he were begging for help. He had wanted to go to him but his mother had held him back. He wanted to save his papa, why wasn�t he allowed to? His mother wasn�t any better, she didn�t help Papa and she knew he was hurt ... Why? Why did she stop him from helping and then do nothing herself? Did his mother hate his papa that much? It made Ken angry that his mother wanted his papa dead.

He wondered if Seiji was dead too. Would he ever see the kind blond again or had he lost the two people who seemed to really love him ... Forever? Sadness swept over the four year old boy, he loved Seiji liked he loved his papa. Seiji made his father happy and that made him happy.

Never in all of Kenji's life had he ever heard his father laugh so much or smile all the time as he had since Seiji had walked into his papa�s life. Seiji was someone special to his papa and he thought it was magical at the way Seiji and his papa acted.

Why did this have to happen? His papa was finally completely happy, Seiji had just started living with them not too long ago and they now had a house to live in, thanks to Seiji, that was close to his Grammy and Grandpa Date's house. Everything seemed so perfect, like nothing could destroy all the wonderful things that were happening to them. But something did shatter that happiness and now he was being taken away like a prisoner.

Hugging his teddy bear to his chest, Kenji tried to be brave. There was always the chance that Seiji wasn't dead and he was going to save his papa, then they would come and save him. If that was going to happen, then Ken had to have courage, even though he found that bravery was hard to come by now.

In his head, he retold himself the story of the mystical armors his father had told him several times before, it always brought him comfort. It was Kenji's favorite story and he never grew tired of listening to it. He knew the story almost word for word, but he always wanted to hear it from his father. The way he told it made it sound like he was actually there and that maybe he was the wielder of Tenku.

Touma could tell the story best from the point of view of the boy who wore the armor of Tenku. He told about how scared the warrior really was, how he found strength from the confidence his new friends had in him and how he ended up falling in love with the wielder of Kourin. His papa told him how they destroyed the bad guy, Arago, and saved all the people of Shinjuku and how after the war the bearer of Tenku and Kourin found they were more than just friends. He explained that it was hard on them at first because it was a love that most people frowned upon yet the two lovers ignored it all because love was stronger than anything in the world.

Ken always liked the part where the wielder of Tenku had defended his leader, even though he knew he couldn't win against the demon lady and when he saved his three friends that had been captured by the enemy the best. It showed how brave someone could be when the lives of their friends were in danger.

Ken desperately wished that the story was true and that those warriors were still around, maybe they would save him then. Maybe they would save his father. He was told that the armor of Kourin had healing abilities, if there really was an armor of Kourin, then it could help his papa.

His eyes stung with tears. At a time like this, Kenji had to be realistic, there couldn�t possibly be mystical armors and heroes who saved the entire planet. Things like that just weren�t true. That meant that his papa probably had died already and Kenji would be stuck living with his momma and Matsuji.

This was what Ken hated about himself, while other children would believe in fairy tales and such flights of fantasy, Kenji could only believe in what could be proven to be real. He had inherited his father�s logical mind and that set him apart from some of the other children. He wanted to believe that there were mystical armors like the ones in the story his papa told him, but he couldn�t and it took away most of his hope.

Pressing his face against the softness of his stuffed animal, Kenji silently cried to himself. His father was dead and he�d never get to see Seiji or any of the other people he loved again. He was being taken away and there was no one to save him now. No one was going to come for him. He was trapped and he was scared.

//Please, if I�m wrong and there really are mystical armors out there, please help my papa, help him live and help him and Seiji find me. I don�t want to stay here ... I want to be with my papa and Seiji.//

<<>><<>><<>>

Touma was flying.

He was going through space, taking in all of the sights around him, amazed at the beauty hidden away from everyone back down on Earth. Thinking of the little planet, Touma realized that he couldn't even see the Earth anymore. To be honest, he really didn't know where he was, it didn't seem to matter at the moment though. Something was telling him to keep going.

It was like what he had dreamed of before. The chance to fly in space, his element, without the protection of Tenku. This was it, he was one with the stars and heavens. This was one of the places he had always wanted to be in, away from hurt and complications of life. Here, no one could touch him or try to harm him. He was isolated from other people. How could he be doing this though? He had always needed Tenku�s bubble for this ... Why wasn�t he dying from being in the frozen vacuum of space? He really couldn�t explain it but it was amazing just the same. He was alone with the heaven�s beauty, and above all he was free.

But was that what he wanted? To be away from all the people he loved and cared about?

Stopping his flight, Touma looked around him. All he could see were distant stars, nebulas, moons, planets and other wonders. Where were the two most important things to him though?

"Seiji ...? Kenji ...?" Touma whispered, his words were lost in the darkness, sucked away by space�s silent vacuum.

Maybe he should go back. There was one other place that he longed to be in more than the depths of space. Home. The small house in Sendai, in the warm arms of a certain blond while watching his son play in the living room. His family, he wanted to be with his family more than anything in the universe.

Space was beautiful and it was a part of his armor, a part of him. It was freezing though and couldn�t offer him the warmth that Seiji could when he held him. Nor the warmth he felt whenever his son looked at him with love in his big eyes. His stars could sing to him, but they were nothing compared to Seiji's loving voice or Kenji's laughter, which was a song more beautiful then any melody the stars could come up with.

And it wasn't just Seiji and Kenji, there was Shin, Mizu, Shu, Nasuti and Ryo, they all had special places in his heart, he couldn�t just leave them. He didn�t even know why he left in the first place. Why would he ever want to leave his home? For once he was completely content about the way his life was going. He had a affectionate boyfriend that he was madly in love with, a wonderful son who was just like him in all the good ways rather than the bad, a comfortable house and friends who he cared deeply about. He had no reason to leave all of that behind.

Turning back, Touma tried to go towards the Earth again. However something pulled him away, making him drift farther away from the place he wanted to be. There was something that didn't want him to go home and it was far stronger than he was.

Touma found that he was imprisoned in his own element and there seemed little hope in going back home. The harder he tried to go back towards Earth the stronger the pull into space became. He felt so weak, his strength had left him and now he felt trapped, trapped by the heavens he once adored.

Touma�s heavens turned into his hell.

<<>><<>><<>>

"Turn right! And go faster, DAMNIT!" Seiji shouted as he kept his eyes closed and concentrated on the orb that he held firmly in his hand. He could see the way to go as the orb guided them through the streets.

Shin did as he was instructed and just barely avoided crashing into another car as he turned right at the very last minute. The sound of a horn blasting at him caused him to jump and curse under his breath. Seiji was constantly giving him directions at the last second, almost causing about a dozen collisions on the way. Looking at the speedometer, Shin saw that he was going about twenty kilometers over the speed limit. It was difficult for him to drive this way, usually he was a cautious driver. It was surprising that they weren�t pulled over by the police yet or that someone hasn�t reported a crazed driver terrorizing the streets of Japan.

Shin was scared that he wasn't going to be lucky the next time and prayed to his armor that he'd live to make it to Touma in time. Then he darkly added in his mind that something better be going on or he was going to beat Seiji into a bloody pulp for all of this, although he hoped that it really was nothing. It was better to kick Seiji�s ass than to have a real tragedy on their hands.

"I'm going as fast as I can that won't get us pulled over or killed!"

Seiji suddenly cried out in pain, clutching at his lower chest. Sweat dripped from his face as he leaned heavily against the back of the car seat, his breath coming out in shallow gasps. "Hu-Hurry!! S-Something happened to T-Touma!"

"Gods, Seiji! We need to get you to a doctor!" Shin glanced over and did not like what he was seeing. �What if your having a heart attack? Jeez Seiji, we could be wasting precious time.�

"We have to get to Touma first!! We're close! And it�s not a heart attack, so stop worrying.� Seiji told him in between gasps for air.

The blond fought to stay conscious, he was afraid that this was what Touma was feeling at the moment, that Touma was hurt somewhere or even dying. The pain turned into a numb like feeling. His heart almost stopped in fear, where ever Touma was, he was just barely holding on. //Hold on, Tou, I'm not going to let you slip away from me. We�re coming, please hang on, I can�t lose you, not now, not ever.// Seiji felt close to tears as he thought about all the years he had missed being with the one person who made him the happiest. Now that he had found his way back to Touma there was no way he was going to let him go.

The armor orb in his tight grasp flared to life again, this time the message was for them to stop. Seiji looked out the window and the first house he saw he knew had to be Grace's. "Stop, Shin! We're here!"

The car was barely came to a stop when Seiji tore out of the car, running across the lawn with Shin not too far behind of him and opened the door, almost ripping it off its hinges. He had to only go into the front room to find what he was looking for and his heart contracted in pain when he saw what he was warned about.

His Touma was laying on his stomach on the floor, his blood pooling around his limp form. A whole was visible in his back, where the bullet had ripped its way through his chest and out his back. The archer's skin was horribly pale and had a sickly texture to it. It didn't look like Touma was breathing or showing any signs of life. Seiji once again grabbed at his chest as the shock of what he was seeing hit him and the blood seemed to drain from his face.

"TOUMA!" Seiji screamed as he ran over to his love, turning him over so Touma was on his back. He checked for breathing. Not even the slightest breath escaped cold lips which were tinged blue to sickeningly contrast with the gray ashen look of his lover�s face. Pressing his fingertips against Touma's wrist, he felt for a pulse. There was nothing. Touma's body was cold and lifeless. At that moment Seiji felt his world crumbling, tears streaked his face as he cradled Touma in his arms. Seiji rocked him slowly as his mind went into denial. No, Touma wasn�t dead. This was all a sick joke, it had to be.

How could this have happened? When everything seemed to be going so right in their lives, how could something like this happen? Touma wasn't dead, Seiji had just saw him less than an hour ago, leaving to go take his son to his mother's house. The archer had been walking, breathing, smiling, laughing and talking less than twenty-four hours ago. He had been alive just an hour ago, a fucking hour! Now as Seiji looked down at the lifeless body as he found himself hating the destiny that had brought his lover to this place.

It was just in the past day that they had done so many things together, stolen moments that they shared. They had silently made love early yesterday morning before Ken woke up. They had sneaked in stolen kisses whenever Kenji wasn�t looking, looks they gave one another that held a meaning only they knew, Touma�s teasing smile as he inched his hand up his thigh only to stop when Kenji turned around. How could someone like Touma be alive one moment and dead another? He wasn't dead, he couldn't be, it just wasn�t possible.

Fate could take everything away from Seiji and he'd still be able to stand up and bear it. If it took away Touma though, Seiji would lose himself just from grief. It didn't feel like Seiji had lost himself yet, so therefore Touma was still with him. Fate couldn't take away his Touma, not now. Not when they had worked so hard to find their way back to one another ... Fate couldn�t be that cold and callused.

"Touma ..." Shin put his hand over his mouth muffle his cries. �I�m calling for an ambulance.� Shin said as he grabbed for his cell phone. �Shit, I left it in the car ... Do you think I should touch anything in here, this is a crime scene after all. No I have to, Touma needs help and needs it now.� He more or less spoke to himself since Seiji was lost to his own grief.

"No Shin, it�s too late for that ... They can�t help him.� Seiji spoke mechanically. �He can't be dead," Seiji stated, cradling Touma's head in his lap. "I-I saw him this morning, he was alive." Tears danced in the blonde's violet eyes. "He was a-asleep and ... and I touched his face like this." Seiji put his hand on Touma's cheek. "He was warm and he muttered my name. Touma says my name a lot in his sleep, it's so cute when he does it, but this morning it was ... he was having a nightmare. He got that crease between his eyebrows." Seiji lightly traced that spot with his finger. �Touma, please, you have to wake up love ... You have to wake ...� Seiji�s grief became too much as his tears turned to sobs and he held Touma closer. �Please wake up, I need you.�

"Seiji, Touma's dead, you -"

"HE'S NOT DEAD!! HE CAN'T BE!!" The normally calm blond yelled at his friend in anger. "I'll prove it, he's not dead." Seiji took out his own armor orb and called the spirit of Kourin to him.

Shin watched as Seiji drained his body of his energy in order to heal the gun shot wound in Touma's lower chest. He noticed that it was the same spot that Seiji had been clutching before. It unnerved him to think that Seiji could feel Touma's pain, that he was warned of this. If only he had been warned maybe a minute, a second earlier, then maybe Touma wouldn't have had to die.

"Seiji, please stop, you're only going to hurt yourself." Shin�s pleas fell on deaf ears as he was forced to watch his friend attempt to heal what was probably a corpse now.

Seiji didn't reply, he was concentrating on healing Touma's wound, a soft green glow radiating from him and consuming the body in front of him. The power of Kourin was mending the flesh back together, fixing shattered bones and damaged organs, making the wielder of Tenku's body good as new. However it was just an empty shell without a soul in it.

Seiji's hands were shaking, it was taking too much out of him, but he wouldn't give up, not on Touma. He felt more strength flow through him as Shin laid his hand on his shoulder, offering the wielder of Kourin his energy. Nodding his thanks, he concentrated and gave everything he had as the healing continued. Seiji could feel his body weakening but he refused to stop, he couldn�t. This was the love of his life and he wasn�t about to give him up, not yet.

The blond almost fell forward once he finished with the gun shot, the only evidence that Touma had been shot was the blood all around him. Looking down at his lover's face, Seiji didn't see any signs of improvement. His body was still limp and cool to the touch, as if what Shin had said was true, as if Touma really was dead. But Touma wasn't dead, he couldn't be dead, Seiji kept telling himself.

But Touma wasn�t breathing. Surely healing him should have helped, shouldn't it? Why wasn�t it working?

"Why isn�t he waking up? He�s not moving!!" Seiji felt for a pulse again, there wasn�t any. "Is ... Is he really dead? Shin why won�t he wake up? Please make him wake up. I love him, he can�t ... No, he can�t leave me!"

Embracing Seiji, Shin nodded as his own tears spilled from his eyes. "Seiji, I�m so sorry, but there�s nothing else we can do. He�s gone now." Soon sobs tore from Seiji�s throat as he cried out in pure agony, feeling the loss of his love.

�NO! NO! NO! NO! He can�t be ... Oh god, he can�t be!� Seiji laid his head in the blue hair he loved to touch. �No Touma, please come back to me, I love you ... Come home.� His body shook as the sobs grew more forceful. Nothing mattered now, all he wanted to do was die as well. Then at least he would be with Touma, he could still hold and love the man who filled his heart with so much joy and happiness.

Shin held onto Seiji, allowing the blond to cry it out, it was all that was left to do, though silently he prayed for one hell of a miracle.

<<>><<>><<>>

The car finally stopped, Kenji recognized the place as the airport, he had been there a few times when his mother and father took him on trips. He usually was excited to go to the airport, there would always be tons of people there and he liked to ask the employees how something so big like an airplane got off the ground and stayed in the air. Today was an exception though, he was not in the mood to go anywhere.

"Kenji, honey, come on, we�re going to go on an airplane!" His mother�s cheerfulness was obviously forced and it didn�t calm Ken any. She got out of her seat and went around to his side of the car to open the door and let him out. �It�ll be fun, Ken! We�re going to go see a lot of neat places and I�ll buy you whatever you want. It�ll be like being on vacation for a very long time."

Kenji didn�t move from his seat, squeezing onto his teddy bear. The look he was giving his mother was a harsh, icy glare that made his eyes appear more gray than violet, something he had obviously picked up from Seiji. "You didn�t help Papa." His voice trembled as he spoke.

Grace�s cheerful mask faltered and she winced at his accusation. "Your papa�s fine, he was just playing around with you."

"You lie!! Papa�s dead and you didn�t help him!!" He practically hissed at her, knowing full well that his papa was not playing but was really hurt.

"Ken, there really wasn�t anything that I could do to help. Let�s forget about it and go on the airplane," Grace attempted to coax her son out of the car. She tried to smile and keep Kenji from making a scene and drawing attention to them, that was the last thing she needed.

"NO! You didn�t help Papa! You let him die! You�re just as bad as Matsuji!! YOU HELPED HIM KILL PAPA!!!" Kenji accused as fury was building up in him. In his mind he still saw his papa lying there on the floor as his mother whisked him into her arms and had the nerve to walk past his dying father. Hatred for what had been done was growing inside of him as he glared at his mother with cold, steel gray eyes.

Feeling her patience waning, Grace couldn�t afford to have Kenji acting up and shouting about what she had done. Without really thinking her hand swiftly smacked Kenji on the side of the head, no doubt leaving a bruise on his right temple. "Never say that again." She hissed dangerously. "Now get out of the car." Not even giving her son time to get out of the car, Grace yanked on his arm roughly, making the boy stumble out onto the sidewalk.

Tears rapidly fell from the little boy�s eyes as he held onto his bear tightly. "W-Why are you bein so mean?! You never hit me before!"

"Well, you�ve never been such a brat before. Behave or next time I won�t hold back." Grace threatened.

She hated that whenever she looked at Kenji�s face it felt like she was looking at Touma. And every word he said, everything he did, was just like Touma. The constant reminder of a plan made five years ago that went horribly wrong when she became pregnant with Hashiba�s child.

Though it sounded like she didn�t mean to get pregnant, she wanted to actually, that was why she had put the hole in his condom. But everything went downhill when she found out that she couldn�t manipulate Touma, even after bearing his child. There was one final glitch to her master plan ... She had fallen in love with him. She wasn�t supposed to love the target, she wasn�t supposed to befriend him, but she did both and it ruined everything.

This wasn�t the way things were planned.

//Great, just great. I just had to pick the wrong guy, didn�t I? But he fit so perfectly. Lonely, desperate for someone to show him affection, vulnerable, even cheated on by a previous flame! How could�ve I known that he would be almost unbreakable! Damn you, Touma, damn you for being so strong and for stealing my heart.// Grace thought to herself.

Touma had been her prey before he was her friend. The first time she had seen him in London, she thought he'd be easy to bend. Just by looking at his face, Grace could tell that he had all the right markings of someone she could manhandle and control ... He had been screwed over by someone, he had a crummy childhood, low self esteem and was in need of a friend. It wasn't hard to become his friend, all she had to do was throw him some smiles and be willing to listen and above all, be understanding. All things that she could convincingly fake.

Grace was able to get him into her bed for one night and that was all she needed. As Touma gave in to her, she felt triumph rise in her. She thought that she had gotten an easy one. He should've been easy to control after the pregnancy, but she couldn't seem to get him to fold. After awhile, Grace found herself admiring him, envying him and yes, loving him, for being so willful.

Even to this day she had strong feelings for the man. Whenever she and Matsuji would have sex, Grace would always have the memory of Touma making love to her in her mind. He was so gentle, so concerned about hurting her. She could tell that it had been Touma's first time having sex with a woman, he had almost asked her if there was any lube. Now thinking back on it, Grace couldn�t help but feel honored that she was the first and probably only woman Touma ever made love to.

Despite all that, he had managed to pleasure her in a way that no man had ever before or ever would again. His touch was heaven sent, his kisses soft and passionate and when they both found themselves in the throes of ecstasy he was like an animal yet caring enough to make sure she was satisfied fully.

Touma made her giggle and grin, he would sit with her for hours, just talking. With him, Grace felt as though she could tell him anything and he wouldn't think any less of her, though she knew that couldn't be true. She had dark secrets in her that were crying to be told, but couldn't, not to him, especially not to him.

Once she became pregnant Touma had done everything he could to ensure that she would give birth to a healthy child. He read every book he could get his hands on, he cooked well balanced meals for her. He accompanied her to every doctor visit and even took childbirth classes with her. He was everything a woman would want for the father of their child.

Even when she went into labor, he was there for her, coaching her and supporting her as she cried from the pain. He would rub her back and feed her ice chips, all the while talking to her in a soothing tone that would relax her. Touma never left the room while she was having Kenji, the excited look never left his face, even when she accidentally broke his hand in her crushing grip when the contractions became even more painful.

One nurse who was also pregnant had even asked her if she could borrow Touma for when she went into labor, stating that her husband was clueless as to what to do. She felt so proud knowing that her child would have him as a father and that she had him as a friend.

After having Kenji, she became closer to Touma, knowing that she could never be with him. Touma was one of those sweet guys who could never do anything that'd bring danger to another person. Even if he was attracted to Grace, she didn't want to pull him or try to pull him into her kind of life. She couldn't see herself doing that to someone she considered a friend and a love.

Now, Hashiba Touma was gone. His sweet smile gone, his deep, sexy voice silenced and his stormy blue eyes closed forever. Grace wouldn't blame her son if he hated her for what she had done, she nearly hated herself.

Quickly she guided her son through the airport, only a few steps behind of Matsuji, feeling his tug of resistance every now and then as tears began to sting her eyes. She felt as though she was detaching from her body as she moved through the throng of travelers, voices were distant and her movements were almost robotic. What had she done?

//Forgive me Touma ... If I could take it back ... If only you hadn�t been so stubborn ... If only you could have loved me ...//

<<>><<>><<>>

After awhile, Seiji�s sobs had died down and he sat there, trembling in Shin�s arms. The tears wouldn�t stop though, the ache inside of him for Touma was just too much to bear. Shin couldn�t stop his own tears either, he would give anything to have his friend back. There had to be some way for Touma to cheat death, he did risk his life to save this planet, shouldn�t he be given another chance? Then an idea came to him.

"Maybe the armors can help," Shin suggested. �M ... Maybe you can reach into Tenku�s soul and find Touma�s. I know it sounds strange, but look how the armors have always protected us. Look how Touma used that technique to reach you after we rescued you in New York. You had gone so far into your mind that we all thought you were dying, and in a sense you were, at least your soul was. Touma found you and brought you back ... Seiji, maybe you can do the same. Kourin and Tenku have the strongest bond of any of the armors ...� Shin looked at him, hoping the blond would agree.

Seiji could feel hope spark inside of him. Perhaps they were still connected by their armors and Tenku might be able to bring Seiji�s spirit where ever Touma�s soul might be. Though there could be the risk that he won�t be able to return to his body or it might drain too much energy from him, he had to take those chances.

"Maybe, but I�ll have to try now, before it�s too late." Seiji shrugged free of Shin�s arms. "I hope I can make this work."

"I believe in you, Seiji, bring Touma back to us." Shin gave a faint smile to his friend and brother in arms.

"I will." Seiji straightened up and wipe away the tears that still stained his cheeks. Keeping Kourin in a death grip, Seiji called out to Touma's soul. //If you love me at all, Hashiba Touma, then you'll come back me!// Reaching for Tenku, Seiji held the other armor, praying silently to both. //Please ... Help Touma. Help to bring him back to me, help me bring him back. I'll tear his spirit out of the depths of hell if that's where it is, just help me get him back.//

Already weakened from his healing of Touma�s body, Seiji knew it would take everything he had to make this work and so he used every lesson he had learned to place himself in a trance. Concentrating all of his energy into the orbs and his link with the man he loved, Seiji felt himself being drawn into a silent abyss and then he lost consciousness.

<<>><<>><<>>

Finding himself drifting through space, Seiji had no clue how he got there. He couldn't see Earth, or his solar system for that matter, it left him to wonder how far away he was from anything that looked familiar to him. The darkness was unsettling, old childhood fears of the dark began to rise up in him. He just about lost it when something covered his eyes.

"Guess who?" A soft voice said close to his ear causing him to shiver slightly.

"Touma!!" Turning around, Seiji found himself staring at the face of his lover. Flinging his arms around him, he began covering the archer�s face with tiny kisses as he held him closely, afraid that he'd slip away from him again. "You scared me, you blue haired fool." Seiji wasn't just talking about the little incident a minute ago, but about what was going on back on Earth. Tears began to fall from Seiji�s eyes and he buried his face in the soft blue hair he loved so much.

"What're you doing here, Seiji? What am I doing here?" Touma asked, oblivious to the fact that his spirit was currently detached from his body.

"Tou, you ... you're dead," the blond told him, still holding onto his love.

Touma shook his head, confused why Seiji would even joke about that. "No, I'm right here, I'm not dead." He pulled back from Seiji and saw the tears standing in the blonde�s usually bright, pale violet eyes and knew he was speaking the truth.

"Yes, you are. How else would you be able to be floating around here? This is just your spirit, you died, but you have to come back with me. There's still time to save you, or else the armors wouldn't have brought me here."

The archer leaned his forehead against Seiji's shoulder. "I don't think I can. I've tried, Seiji, but it keeps taking me farther away."

"What? What's taking you?" Seiji looked at him, confused and just a little frantic over the statement.

"I don't know!" Touma cried. "It just keeps pulling me farther away and I'm scared! What if I can't get back home!?"

"You're coming home! Whatever is holding you back won't keep me from taking the man I love." Seiji kissed Touma hard on the mouth, his arms tightening around the other man. With their lips locked together, Seiji aggressively explored the slick heat of Touma's mouth then Touma took over the kiss. A warm tongue caressed every inch of his own mouth before they started dueling for dominance, neither of them winning, almost like it was telling them that they were equals, two halves of a whole.

After they broke the kiss, Seiji muttered, "Now that Kourin and Tenku were kind enough to bring me here, maybe they'll be even more generous and take us home."

"Lead the way, my warrior of light," Touma smiled slightly as a green-blue bubble formed around them.

Seiji knew how to control the path of the armor bubble, but it wasn't moving the way he wanted it to. It kept moving backwards and to his horror, he found that Touma was slipping from him.

"Seiji, just let go, I don't want you to be dragged in too."

"I'm not going anywhere without you." His eyes went wide as Touma's spirit was torn from him and was nearly lost if Seiji hadn't been able to grab onto his wrist, using all he had just to keep a hold of Touma. "I'm not leaving this place without Touma and I intend on going home! You can't have him!! Do you hear me!?" Seiji shouted at the invisible force trying to take Touma. "I'M NOT LETTING YOU TAKE HIM AWAY FROM ME!! HE DOESN'T BELONG TO YOU!!"

"SEIJI!!" Touma's eyes reflected the fear in him, his wrist was slowly coming out of Seiji's grasp.

"I believe in you, Seiji, bring Touma back to us ..." Shin's words echoed in his mind and the green-blue bubble around him flashed a light blue, then orange, red and finally white. Seiji then heard the calls of the others and knew that they were all there with him and Touma, giving their strength to him. Seiji felt the energy cursing through him, and then he felt their love as it filled his heart.

"I knew Shin would come through for us!" Seiji smirked and found the strength to pull Touma back into the safety of his arms. Whatever force was out there couldn�t take Touma away now. "Let's go home, Touma-san."

Then the white bubble and its two passengers tumbled back down to the Earth. The last thing either man remembered was the sensation of falling and then blackness as they returned to their own bodies.

Shin watched as Touma's body jerked and spasm and then the most joyous of sounds reached his ears ... An intake of air as the archer's body was brought back to life. Seiji's body jerked forward, collapsing onto his koi, both men appeared to be sleeping, held firmly in each other's embrace.

<<>><<>><<>>

It had been a long trip, too long for Kenji�s taste. Not being able to sleep on the plane, he crawled onto the cold, hard bed in the hotel they were staying at. Where they were, he wasn�t sure, he didn�t recognize the place, it was very different from anywhere he had been before.

With the covers over his head and his teddy bear in his arms, Kenji couldn�t feel any warmth as he shivered under thin blankets and sheets. He wanted to go to sleep, but every time he closed his eyes, he�d see his father laying that pool of blood. And how could he sleep in such an unfamiliar bed? It was like a slab of rock compared to the bunk bed in his bedroom.

Throwing back the covers, Kenji leaned over to the side of the bed and grabbed his backpack. He found his sweater and put it on over his pajama top. It did little to heat him up, but at least he stopped shivering.

�Honey, are you cold? Do you want me to turn on the heater?� Grace asked, wondering if her son was coming down with anything. She went to feel his forehead, but he quickly moved away, refusing to talk to her or let her touch him.

Kenji turned his back to his momma and started looking around in his backpack again, looking for his pad of paper and colored pencils. He wasn�t going to get any sleep, so he might as well do something to try to keep his mind occupied. Pulling out the small pack of brightly colored pencils and his paper, he made himself as comfortable as possible on the hotel bed and started to draw.

Grace was curious about what he son was drawing, even at the age of four he was quite a little artist. She knew that Touma�s refrigerator was covered in colorful drawings that he taped up there, proudly showing off his son�s abilities. Touma would always say that such talents had to come from her side of the family, claiming that he could hardly draw a stick figure.

//Touma ...// Grace frowned to herself, Touma would no longer be able to tape the drawings up on his refrigerator or be able to do anything with their son ever again. He was dead. How could she have let Matsuji talk her into it? She had done some pretty horrible things in her life, but Touma didn�t deserve this. He was sweet and loving, unlike any other man walking this earth.

Cold arms wrapped around her waist and rough lips caressed her ear, she fought back a shudder. �What�s the matter, babe? Don�t tell me you feel sorry for that little bitch. I think we did him some good by ending his miserable life.�

Kenji heard this and it didn�t set too well with him. �Don�t you talk about my papa like that!!! I wish you would�ve died!!�

A small gasp escaped Grace as she watched Matsuji brutally slap her son across the face. Blood gushed from his bottom lip, right a way Kenji brought his hand to his lips, trying to stop the bleeding. Ken got out of bed and quickly ran into the bathroom, looking for tissues to clean the mess up. He slammed the door shut and a small clicking sound followed as he locked the door.

"I don't see why we had to bring your bastard son," Matsuji hissed, he was getting irritated just from the presence of the kid.

"Don't worry, he'll get used to things, Ken won't always be like this," Grace said to him gently, trying to cool his anger before he decided to take it out on her. "And don't forget that he happens to be my only child."

"He better adjust real fast." His voice still had threatening an edge to it.

�Matsuji, let�s go out for a walk, it�s a beautiful evening,� Grace said in her most sweet yet seductive voice. �I know a nice private place where we can play.� She carefully ran her hand over his crotch, slowly massaging it. Matsuji usually thought with his dick rather than his head, so she knew he�d be easy to lure him outside where part two of her plan would fall into place.

�All right, let�s go,� Matsuji�s voice was thick with lust.

�Just a sec.� Grace made her way over to the bathroom door. �Kenji, Matsuji and I are going to be out, are you going to be okay by yourself?�

�Go and don�t come back!� Kenji snapped from the other side of the door, wincing at the pain from moving his bottom lip. He sat on the tiled floor of the bathroom, a tissue pressed against his split lip, he was frightened by how much blood came out, but he didn't want to admit that he was scared to his mother.

�Well, let�s get going,� she grabbed Matsuji�s hand and pulled him out of the room. She led him away from the hotel, keeping a smile on her face, knowing that it didn�t looked forced, she had done this too many times to fail. Grace took him to a park not too far away from where they were staying, she let out a fake giggle each time he groped her breast or ass, her act was flawless.

At this hour the park was empty, like it had been several times before. The park sloped down by a wide and deep river, making a romantic setting with the moonlight reflecting off of the flowing water. Grace gazed out at the water, it was indeed beautiful, something that Touma would've enjoyed.

Her eyes narrowed as Matsuji start unbuttoning her blouse and slipped his hand under the thin fabric. This wasn't the time for messing around, she had to get down to business. Grabbing the flask, that was usually used for sipping whiskey, from where it had been resting between her belt and jeans, she unscrewed the cap and pretended to take a drink. She was extra careful not to let the liquid touch her lips or to breath it in. Then taking it away from her mouth, she offered it to Matsuji, fully aware that he would never be able to turn down liquor.

"Want some?"

"Of course." Taking the flat flask and he took a long drink from it before returning it to her. She smiled and put the cap back on, making sure that none of the liquid had gotten on her fingers.

"You know ..." Grace started as she started buttoning up her shirt. "I really would've liked to have kept you around, but there was one thing I've always promised to myself and Touma."

"What the fuck are you talking about?" Matsuji demanded, not knowing where she was taking this conversation.

"I promised that I'd never let my son have the same kind of life that Touma had when he was growing up. Not that I'm saying that I thought that Touma would end up like his father, but that I might end up with someone like Touma's father, someone like you. So, you no longer have a use, Touma's dead and we made it here safely. I'd like to say; Matsuji, you are excused from your duties."

"Wh-What?" He got out before he found that he could no longer breathe, his lungs seemed to have shut down and refused to take in any air. After about a minute, he collapsed onto the ground, his muscles felt as though they weighed a ton. He could no longer see and still could not breathe, his face taking on a bluish tint.

"Do you like it? It's a gift from a dear friend of mine, it's a special type of bacteria that works instantly, suffocating its victims. Very effective, very lethal." Grace smiled sadly, "Poor, poor Matsuji, if only you hadn't convinced me to kill Touma, then I probably would've let you lived." She waited until finally the man stopped moving before rolling him into the river, letting the current take him away. It'd be awhile till the police found his body, by then, she and Kenji would be long gone.

<<>><<>><<>>

Back at the hotel, Kenji slipped out of the bathroom and settled in the hard bed, sleep over took him, sweeping him into strange dreams of armors. There was a dark blue one and a green one, both were glowing and they gave Ken a warm, tingling feeling. He felt as though he knew the armors and when he reached out to touch one, his body was encased in a bluish green sub-armor.

Kenji would not remember this dream, nor would he know that the kanji of courtesy was shining a bright green on his forehead, overlapped by the dark blue kanji of wisdom.

He didn�t know that the armors he so badly wanted to believe in were watching over him.

<<>><<>><<>>

�When do you think they�ll wake up?� Shu looked worriedly over at Touma and Seiji, laying in their bed, their arms wrapped securely around each other. It had been two days since Touma had been shot and neither of them have woken up yet.

Shin ran a hand through his hair and sighed, �I have no idea. I hope that they�ll wake up soon, we still have no idea where Kenji is and Touma will be the only one who�d know where the mother might go.�

In the last forty-eight hours, Shin had gotten almost no sleep. After Seiji had lost consciousness and Touma came back to the world of the living, Shin had gotten them back to their house, where he had everyone else meet him. He got the couple dressed in their pajamas and neatly folded away their clothing, even Touma's, not knowing if he should get rid of the blood soaked clothes yet.

�The longer we wait, the further away Kenji and his mother are getting. Damnit! If only there was something that we could do! That poor boy, he probably saw Touma get shot!� Ryo growled, furious that there really wasn�t anything they could do at the moment.

No one said anything after that, they all felt helpless. If they had found Kenji, then everything would be fine, but they couldn't find him. It was assumed that the mother took him, that was about the most reasonable explanation, since she was missing, along with her boyfriend.

A soft groan broke the uneasy silence between the three friends and they all rushed over to the bed. Seiji's eyes were just fluttering open and he looked up questioningly at his friends as the three men started talking all at once.

"How are you feeling?" Shin felt Seiji's forehead for a fever. "Do you think that you need more rest?"

"Man, you had me scared for awhile Seiji! When you were trying to get Touma back, I didn't know if you'd be strong enough to come back yourself!" Exclaimed Shu, smiling down at the blond.

"We're all proud of you, you got Touma back. I never doubted you for second, I know you're too stubborn to let him leave us now." Ryo smiled softly, relieved to see that Seiji was all right.

"Are you hungry? I'll go make you some broth, I don't think your stomach can handle something too heavy yet." Shin checked Seiji's forehead again. "I hope you don't become ill, it could get quite serious if you do."

Ryo shook his head, "He'll be fine, he's most likely just worn out."

"Well, don't come whining to me if he gets sick!"

"How's Touma? Is he okay?" Seiji asked as he sat up, his voice very soft. He looked down at Touma with concern, he was afraid that he missed something while healing Touma and that's why the archer wasn't awake yet.

"Don't worry, Seiji, Touma will be fine. He's just very weak, his body did die for while." Shin told Seiji and was surprised when the blond started crying.

"Seiji! What's wrong?" Ryo wrapped his arms around Seiji, trying to soothe him.

"Ryo ... I ... I almost lost him! Thank goodness ... He's alive now, but I almost lost him ... He could be dead now, but he's not ... Touma's alive, he won't leave me yet ..." Seiji clung onto his friend as he was overcome by the distress of nearly losing Touma and the relief that he was alive.

"You're right, Seiji. You did almost lose him, we all nearly did, but he's alive, thanks to you. Touma owes you his life."

"His love is enough," Seiji whispered back.

Ryo felt his heartache a bit, he knew that he still loved Seiji, however, he was happy that Seiji had found the person was supposed to be with and he wasn't going to lose his own love. When they were together, Ryo knew he had Seiji's heart and his devotion, but Touma would always have his soul. Tightening his arms around Seiji, he let the blond fall asleep against him as his mind went back to a time when Seiji's heart still belonged to him instead of Touma.

<<>><<>><<>>

Three days later, Touma came around.

The first thing Touma saw when he opened his eyes was the smiling face of an angel, or more accurately, Seiji. He felt so tired, all he wanted to do was to lay in the arms of his lover and go back to sleep. He then became aware of his surroundings, he was no longer at on the floor of Grace�s house, instead, he was in the bedroom he shared with Seiji. Laying there in his warm, flannel pajamas, it seemed as though he was just waking up like any other day. It felt like the whole thing had just been a terrible dream.

//It was just a nightmare, I�m safe here at home with my family ...// Touma told himself. �Hey Blondie,� he said, his voice coming out weak and hard to hear.

Soft lips kissed his cheek. �It�s about time you woke up, I�ve never been so scared in my life.�

Touma blinked a few times, trying to figure out what Seiji was talking about. Then it came to him, his soul drifting through space and Seiji rescuing him. All right, so it wasn�t just a nightmare. �I survived too much to be taken down now.� He took Seiji�s hand when it looked like the blond was about to cry. �I�m fine, thanks to my warrior of light, I�d be gone if it wasn�t for you.�

�I couldn�t let you die on me now, I love you so much,� the blond murmured, kissing Touma�s hand.

�I love you too.� Letting his eyes close, Touma sighed softly as Seiji massaged the tense muscles in his shoulders. �Mmm, that feels good ... Seiji?�

�Yes, love?�

�Can you get Kenji for me?�

Seiji�s hands froze, he hoping that Touma wouldn�t ask about Ken so soon. He knew that Touma wasn�t going to be the least bit happy with his answer, hell, he wasn�t happy with the answer either. The others had looked for the boy, but he was nowhere to be found. The thought of calling the police had crossed their minds, but there was no proof that the boy was in danger or that Touma had even been shot.

�Seiji, where�s Kenji?� Concern overwhelmed Touma and it was plainly displayed in his now open eyes.

�Touma, I�m sorry ... We couldn�t find him. W-We think Grace took ...� Seiji couldn�t go on, the look on Touma�s face was too devastating.

It was a struggle for him to sit up, but Touma managed. He grabbed onto Seiji�s arm, dread filling every inch of him. �You can�t find my son?�

Seiji silently shook his head and held the archer tightly against him.

He sat there in complete shock, his only child, his anchor for four years was missing, if it weren�t for Kenji, then he probably wouldn�t have made it so far. Everything began to sink in and anguish consumed his soul, the shocked feeling wore off and all Touma could fathom was pain and panic.

His mind became a jumble of worries and thoughts, though the only thing clear to him, he had to get Kenji before anything could happen to the little boy. Pushing Seiji away, Touma stood up on wobbly legs and stumbled over to the door. His head felt light and the room was beginning to spin, tiredness washed over him, but Touma wouldn�t let that stop him. Finding his son was far more important than him getting some sleep. He was wasting valuable time, but in his fatigued haze, he couldn�t seem to get the door to open, nor could he find the doorknob.

�Touma!� Seiji picked the archer up and brought him back to the bed before he fainted. His growing concern was just about driving him off the wall. After waking up himself, he watched over Touma the last few days, making sure that he wasn't going to have a relapse or anything like that. Now that the archer was awake, it was clear that he still needed more rest before he would fully recover.

After tucking Touma back into bed, Seiji began to regret picking Touma up. He was still too weak himself to be doing things like that and he was starting to feel it. Sitting down on the bed, he hoped that his tiredness wouldn't show, he needed to be strong for his love.

�I have to go get Kenji! His life could be in danger! Seiji, please,� Touma begged, his emotions coming out all at once. His instincts as a father were kicking in and telling him to go search for his son. �Please, I have to find him. If anything happens to him ... Oh gods ...� Touma practically wailed, streams of tears ran down his cheeks. �I let them take Ken, Seiji, I�m a horrible father, I lost my own son!�

Pulling Touma in a tight embrace, Seiji rested his cheek against soft blue hair and whispered, �You�re not a horrible father, there wasn�t anything that you could do. This wasn�t your fault, love.�

�Then why does it feel like it is my fault? I should�ve known, Grace kept asking me for custody of Ken, I should have known that she would�ve done something like this. I should�ve ...�

�There was no way for you to know that this was going to happen. You have to stop blaming yourself for this and get some rest, then we can start looking for Ken, all right? You�re not doing your son any good by doing this to yourself.�

Knowing that Seiji wasn�t going to let him go anywhere till he was a hundred percent better, he saw no point in arguing and making himself upset and tired. Touma got untangled from Seiji and let himself flop down onto the bed. �Will you stay with me? Please?�

�Of course, you don�t have to ask.� Seiji laid down on the bed and right away Touma curled up next to him. Pressing Touma�s body closer to his, Seiji slowly rubbed his back and softly sang to his lover in his deep, smooth voice. �Misukasu you ni mitsumeru tsuki yo, boku no kokoro dareka yonderu ...�

Touma closed his eyes and mumbled, �I love it when you sing to me.� Yawning sleepily, he tried to figure out which song his lover was singing, it sounded familiar and it had a nice melody to it that Seiji sang well. After a few minutes he found himself not caring, any song would be heavenly if Seiji sang it. Forgetting his troubles for the moment, he let Seiji�s voice soothe him into a blissful, dreamless sleep.

Looking down at Touma�s sleeping face, Seiji carefully kissed his warm lips, thankful that he didn�t lose his love. //Don�t worry, Tou, I�m going to make sure that we find Kenji, then everything will be back to the way it was before.//

<<>>

Hiruma: So, that was my chapter 7, what did you all think?? Huh?? I bet you didn't expect Matsuji to die, eh? Are you all thankful that Touma is alive and well??? Are you? ARE YOU??

Touma: Yes, we're all thankful that I'm alive, I mean, there wouldn't be a story without me. When it comes to this fic, I truly am the center of the universe.

Seiji: His ego is almost unbearable.

Touma: Hey, do you WANT to sleep on the couch!?

Seiji: Um ... I'm happy Touma's alive!!

Touma: Great! Now we can stop the Touma angst, get Kenji back and live happily ever after ^_^

Hiruma: Who said we were stopping the Touma angst?? You have NO idea what I have in store for you, Blue Boy!!! *Insert evil laughter here*

Touma: WAAAAAAAAAH!!!!! Stop picking on me!!!!!

Seiji: Please, be kind and review this, before Hiruma decides to be even meaner to my Tou-san.

Hiruma: And you better start worrying about yourself, Blondie! I have it in for you too!

Seiji: Ah shit ...