HARD TO SAY GOODBYE 

~By Kayu-chan~
k-chan@rocketmail.com

*Ranma 1/2 characters are copywrited to the ingenius of Rumiko Takahashi
and company. I _own nothing_ on these characters or their "unusual"
situations. Ranma 1/2 characters used without permission.*
~Be warned, this will be a sadfic but as for a bitter ending? You'll just
have to find out... ^_~ 
~I'm taking this from the manga, so no Sasuke in this one.~
~I recommend reading the previous chapters before reading this one. It will
be pretty confusing otherwise and Kuno, especially, will seem OOC. Just
reply to this or the above addy for more info.~
~And for those of you who are new to my story and curious:
What happened last few chapters... Nabiki, after finding out that Kuno had
started the fire that she had been caught in and also rescued her, is
unable to forgive him but begins to understand the motives of a recently
orphaned and homeless Kuno, whose guilt has led to dramatic changes in his
character. He is now guilt-ridden and ill due to lack of food and shelter.
Only those two know who started the most recent fire. Nabiki, in order to
protect her sister from the severity of her injuries, gave the worrying
Akane an icy brush-off.~

Chapter 9: When Soft Voices Die

     Heaven. Pure heaven. And that was no mistake. 
     "Mmm, Kasumi, this is a godsend." Nabiki, sitting up in bed, supped
away on the chicken ramen with chopsticks and a smile. "You wouldn't
believe how bad the food is here. Finally, something edible." Heavily
fluffed pillows supported her bandaged back and Kasumi resisted the urge to
fluff them again. She sat down beside Nabiki's side and studied her younger
sister.  She was still pale, her dark hair was a mess underneath the
bandage around her head and her leg was still in plaster but she looked
more animated and at ease. Perhaps it was the new room she'd been put in
this morning, with sunlight filtering in through the blinds.... It
certainly was a beautiful if chilly day....
       "If I'd known, I would have cooked you something before I came."
       "Yeah, it's lucky that that ramen cart was passing the hospital.
Thanks for buying me this."
       "No trouble. It's comforting to see you eating again," Kasumi
commented.
       Nabiki paused her eating and looked at her strangely for a moment
before returning to the ramen.
       "Sis, I...." Nabiki drifted off, leaving unfinished the rest of her
words.  Kasumi decided not to ask her to finish because something unsettled
her in her younger sister's tone. What was wrong with Nabiki? "Could you
bring some more food the next time you visit?" 
       "Of course. But what will you do with the hospital food they give
you? Will you eat that, too?" 
       "Don't worry, I'm sure a solution will turn up soon." An enigmatic
smile drew itself across Nabiki's face and that puzzled Kasumi.
       "Like what?"
       "Nothing important. So, what's everybody up to? Anything
interesting?"
       "I got a phone call yesterday. The Saotomes and Akane should arrive
back from their trip, tomorrow."
       Nabiki's face remained cool and placid but her fingers gripped the
chopsticks more tightly. "Really?"
       Now was the time to broach the subject more deeply....
       "Nabiki?" Kasumi asked tentatively. "What happened the last time
Akane visited you?"
       The seventeen-year-old's dark eyes widened slightly in surprise.
"Nothing much. She came, we talked, she left." 
       Kasumi didn't like getting into confrontations with her sister but
this was important. Her hands clasped together on her lap and she listened
to the background noise of people walking outside in the corridor to steady
herself. 
       "What did you do to make Akane and Ranma so upset? They came home
early and went to straight to their rooms."
       "What makes you think it's to do with me?"
       "When I asked them if their moods had anything to do with you, Akane
looked very bitter and snapped back at me...."
      Nabiki raised an eye-brow at this. Obviously, she thought that was
strange for Akane, too.
      "And Ranma went very quiet and tried to change the subject." 
      For a few moments there was silence and Kasumi continued to listen to
the footsteps in the hall. Her eyes drifted around the room - so different
from the old one. For a start there were fewer beeping machines, an extra,
empty bed in it and Nabiki looked healthier. So different. She also felt
different... but why?
      "Hey, Sis, what's with the face?" Nabiki's question brought Kasumi
out of her thoughts. She smiled and looked at her injured sister, wondering
what to say. Nabiki had been through so much and Kasumi could tell that
there was much the schoolgirl wasn't telling her. Could she unload any more
of her problems onto her after she'd already released some of her fears on
Nabiki a few days ago? No, it would be better for her health if she didn't
know.  
       "Just wondering what to make for dinner, that's all."
       "Don't lie to me, Kasumi, it doesn't suit you." The
nineteen-year-old's face flushed in shame and she averted her eyes to the
floor. "Besides, it's my job." She lifted her gaze and looked at a wryly
grinning Nabiki before smiling a little herself. "So, what's up, really?"
       "I... I'm not quite sure...." Kasumi's voice softened a little as
she continued, "I've just been feeling different lately. More aware of
things and... I'm not totally sure why. I think it might have to do with
our mother."
       "Mom, huh?" Nabiki replied in a distant voice, looking away from her
sister's eyes. 
       "Yes."
       "Why?"

* * * *

      Oh, this would be such a surprise! 
      102, 103, 104, 105, 106....
      Akane smiled as she paced down the corridors lightly, reading the
numbers off the doors as she went. It was a big relief to finally get that
heavy backpack off, especially after all that running. How could Mr.
Saotome do something stupid like that the day before they were supposed to
leave? It was lucky they were quick runners or that cafe owner might have
caught them. At least Auntie Saotome was pleased to see them back early, if
surprised. She'd told Akane that Nabiki had been moved into a different
room and Kasumi had gone to visit her. She'd taken that to mean her sister
was doing better. Now, she would surprise the both of them and that past
incident at the hospital would become old news.   
       114, 115, 116, 117, 118....
       Her smiling face, bursting with healthy colour, and her slightly
untamed hair, broke hearts as she continued down the maze of corridors.
Where was Nabiki's new room? This hospital seemed bigger and bigger
everytime she visited it. Plus, it had that yucky smell! The flavour of the
chemicals seeped through her - a contrast to the fresh, earthy aroma of the
countryside bathed in a crisp iciness.
       124, 125, 126, 127, 128....
       Aha! There it was: number 133.
       The door was cracked open a little as she approached it and, feeling
in a mischievous mood, she decided to eavesdrop....     
       "C'mon Kasumi, what's she gotta do with what's happening?" That was
Nabiki and she sounded much more well than before. Her voice held
confidence and also that crisp coolness that the throatier, weaker voice
had lacked. 
       "Well," the softer voice of Kasumi answered, "truthfully, I'm
beginning to think it's to do with what happened to your friend Kuno."
Akane suppressed a giggle at that last comment; Nabiki wouldn't take well
to being referred to as Kuno's friend.
      A stiff silence ensued till Nabiki replied: "Oh. Him. Are you talking
about his family dying?"
      "Yes and it's not right that I'm feeling better because of a horrible
tragedy." Guilt tinged her older sister's innocent voice. "When I heard
about the fire, I couldn't help thinking of Mother. Finally, I could deal
with feelings left unresolved. I even cried."
       Akane's eyes went wide as she listened on, a faint melancholy
rubbing away her smile. They were talking about Mom? But why...? Why now?!
She was in a good mood!
       "It's not like Mom's death was anything like what happened to the
Kuno's." Nabiki's voice hardened as she went on, "For a start, Kodachi and
the Principal died suddenly and by 'accident'. Kuno never had a chance to
say good-bye."
       Akane's fists tightened anxiously as she stood still, listening, her
heart beating and beating, afraid but intrigued about what was going to be
said next. She knew she would regret listening but she couldn't leave at
this point, she just couldn't.
      "You're still angry at her, aren't you, Nabiki?" Kasumi asked. "You
still don't understand why mother did what she did."
       Did what? Did what? Why would Nabiki be angry at Mom? Akane couldn't
understand. How could she blame Mom dying so suddenly, without any warning?
It wasn't as if she knew she was dy-
        "Kasumi, for so long, Mom knew she was dying, knew something was
wrong." Nabiki's cool voice stiffened with pent-up, locked away emotion:
"I've seen the slips for her hospital appointments, for her medication. You
showed me that doctor's report, remember? She acted as if nothing was
wrong, leads us along with lies and died in her sleep one night. We never
got to help her, to support her, to say goodbye. Look what it did to Dad,
he blamed himself for not knowing!"
      Akane stumbled back as dizziness overcame her. It couldn't be true!
Not about Mom, no!  She held a hand to her chest as a hard ball of pain
slammed into her heart. Nabiki was wrong, she was wrong, she was lying, she
was lying!! Lying!
      "Lying..." Akane whispered to herself as she moved away from the ajar
door and slowly walked to the exit, her eyes blank.

* * * *
       
      If only....  
      Flowers, chocolates, get-well cards.... 
      They all needed money to buy, and without money he was....
      Tatewaki sighed as he stared through the window of the hospital shop,
his weary eyes barely able to focus. He ignored the hollowing that bored
into his stomach as he looked at the sweets and ready-made sandwiches. The
envy of his dry throat, with only water fountains to rely upon, scraped his
breath with the reminder of the cool, refreshing drinks on the shelves
inside.
      Once upon a time, he would have been able to purchase the whole shop
on a frivolity. Now, he couldn't even buy a simple, cheap, common drink.
Nothing till he was twenty-one. But he couldn't survive on water fountains
and scraps from garbage bins forever. Yet, perhaps, his body could endure
for a few weeks more just until she recovered. Then, his conscience would
be able to finally rest in the knowledge of his redemption from his mistake
made while in insanity; if only his other mistake could be so easily dealt
with. Not that this one was so easy. Nabiki wasn't the forgiving type.
      "I'm so sorry for leaving you, yesterday," he said to the reflecting
window. "But you said your sister was coming. I... could not face her, I
couldn't face her innocence and lie. Already I have placed your family in
much sorrow and worry over you and lying would have been too much dishonour
for me to bear." He slapped his hand against the cold glass, leaning
forward as he tried to steady himself, faintness capturing. This wasn't
him, this weak imitation couldn't be him! He sighed in resignation as he
knew it was and always would be his identity. 
      Staring into the glass, a pale reflection of himself stared back: a
fuzzy outline of his gaunt, bony face; shadowed eyes; thin, cracked lips
and thinning, uncut hair with straggly flicks of a fringe dangling over his
face. The window did not reveal all this but he knew it to be true. This
was what people saw of him, how they perceived him to be. Cruel mirrors
refused to let him see anything else. Once, he considered himself handsome
- oh, what a delusion. Now he cared little - as long as he could walk to
Nabiki's room. 
      "All that matters is helping her."
      Steadying himself, Tatewaki slowly strolled through the wide
reception area to where corridors split up the hospital. He knew people
were watching his dismal state stumble on but their opinion mattered not.
      "Lying, she's lying." A female voice broke his concentration as he
turned to see someone leaving one of the corridors.
      "Akane," Tatewaki whispered to himself, unsure of what to think of,
frozen in place.  She walked past him, her shoulders slumped forward. Her
sad, deep eyes stared off into the distance but he could feel his own
falling into hers, drowning without hope. But no, no, he had to remember
the truth! The only reason he had indulged in these love-sick fantasies was
to get away from terrible recollections of his past. He held no real, true
love for her! Yet her deep, sad eyes and her face, a picture of beauty
enraptured him so....
      His gaze followed her back as she walked further and further away.
All of her vitality and spark seemed to have been drained from her. How sad
and yet captivating that was! How could it be...? He loved her not! But his
chest tightened with every morose shuffle of her feet as she pushed open
the door to the exit and walked through it. The spell broke as the door
closed behind her but he found himself unable to look away from the exit.
Had it all been a dream? That couldn't have really been Akane, could it? He
heard people come to and fro, saw as they entered and left the building but
the image of her overlaid every one of them.
      "Hello? Tatewaki Kuno?"
      In recognition of his name, Tatewaki's stare left the doorway and
travelled to meet the owner of that soft, feminine voice. His eyes widened
slightly in surprise. It... it was Kasumi Tendo! 
      "A pleasant surprise to see you, K-Kasumi Tendo," he answered
nervously, remembering the last time he'd seen her. Guilt overtook the
remnants of romantic feelings in his mind. At least Kasumi was smiling this
time and no tears threatened to stain her cheeks. _That_ he could use to
light the small smile on his face.
      "Same here. I was unsure that we'd ever see you again, Nabiki was
worried." She seemed to be studying him, probably noticing how ill for wear
he looked and how he was still in the funeral suit. He was so sure of it,
he could feel her piercing gaze increase his sense of paranoia. Thankfully,
he had shed the Kuno family name and so they would suffer no shame from
this. "Did you hear about what happened to her?"
      Tatewaki choked on her words, an anxious and unsure tremor on his
lips. "N-Nabiki?"
      "Yes, she was caught in a fire." She smiled with obvious relief as
she continued, "But luckily someone rescued her in time."
      "...."
      "I know, you must be shocked to hear that, we all were at first. Did
you know that she's in this hospital? Is that why you're here?"
       She really didn't suspect that all this woe was of his doing. Oh,
what relief! ...But, what shame! He could not handle gazing upon her
innocent, unsuspecting face. 
       "I must depart, please excuse me." He turned to leave when her words
once again struck at his heart.
       "But it would cheer up my sister to see you. Before this accident,
she was worried about your disappearance and devoted a lot of time to
searching for you. She may not like to show it but she does care. Please,
won't you let me show you where she is?" The faint undertone of desperation
in her voice crawled through his conscience and he tried so hard to ignore
it.
      "Will it not be the end of visiting hours?" he asked Kasumi, hoping
that she would confirm this.
      "No, I-I," she hesitated for a moment, her smile thinning, "I left
early. There's still some while left." 
      Accidentally capturing the gaze of her eyes, Tatewaki flinched at the
disquieting unrest found there. Different from the one in Akane's eyes and
with a certain weariness about it. This left him with only one choice...
      "As you wish, I shall come with you to her room," he said with as
much sincerity as he could. Kasumi smiled politely back, relief in her
eyes. 
      "Thanks, I'm sure Nabiki will be happy to see you."    
      Tatewaki decided that the best reply for this was silence and started
to walk down the corridor towards Nabiki's room.
      "Where are you going?" Kasumi asked from behind his back. He shifted
round to face her and received a questioning look back. "Her room's up the
stairs."
      "Sorry for my mistake," he replied, nervous sweat moistening his
skin. As he walked towards the stairs, he became highly aware of the fact
that she regarded him with curiosity out of the corner of her eye. Nabiki
must have been placed in another section of the hospital and now Kasumi
must be suspicious of him going in the direction of Intensive Care. But,
she had never come to mind as especially perceptive, not till now, not till
that questioning look. She must have changed... but she wasn't the only
one. 
      Oh, the stairs were so steep, so tiring! Stopping at the top of them,
he took a few deep, cold breaths and leaned on a railing, his hands
clasping it tightly. The exertion of the climb had strained and stiffened
his joints as if he was rusty machinery. From behind his back, Kasumi's
concerned eyes seemed to bore into him. 
      "Do you need any help?" He could hear the worry and pity in her
voice. Pride he did not know still existed abruptly appeared at that offer.
      "Thank you, but I shall manage." Still breathing heavily, he lumbered
around to face her. "Let us continue on our journey."
      After a minute of walking in awkward silence, Kasumi suddenly said:
"Afterwards, why don't you come back and have dinner with us? I don't mean
to be blunt but you look in need of some nourishment and sleep. I can't let
a friend of Nabiki's become ill when they have... no-one to help them." She
looked at his darkening eyes and regret showed in her own. "Oh, I'm sorry,
I never meant to upset you."
     "There is no need to apologise," Tatewaki answered firmly. "There is
most certainly no need for anyone to apologise to _me_." Kasumi gave him
that unnerving, questioning look again and he regretted the last line,
knowing it showed his guilt. Again, his fatigue let his guard fall at the
wrong time! Oh, she so obviously knew about his deception and lies!
      "Uh, okay." Her tone wavered with hesitation. "So will you come to
dinner?"
      "I thank you for your kind invitation but I'm afraid I cannot
attend," he asserted apologetically, trying to keep the grieving guilt out
of his voice. After all he had done, after he had apparently worried Nabiki
and then placed her life in such grave danger, he couldn't scrounge for
food off her family. If only he had accepted her offer of a place to stay
when she first and never again offered it. Perhaps he would not be in the
pathetic position he was. Perhaps he would not feel like falling down on
the floor and never getting up.
      "Why can't you?"
      "All I can say is that it wouldn't be right of me to do so. Thank you
once more for offering." 
      "If you insist." She smiled doubtfully but confusion disturbed her
outwardly calm voice. "But any time you change your mind.... Oh, we're here
already." She slowed down and stopped outside of a door named
one-three-three, opening it. "It will be a nice surprise for her."
      With Kasumi's gaze away from him, Tatewaki grimaced, sure that Nabiki
might see this as a surprise but perchance not a nice one. After all, she
had yet to forgive him, as she had more-than-adequately stated. Sudden
doubt about helping Nabiki stumbled into his head. Would she even let him
help her or would he only cause more grievances? 
      As Kasumi stepped into the room, Tatewaki knew he had no choice but
to follow her in. He shivered involuntary as yet more cold sweat infected
his skin. Each echoed step through the doorway seemed to take so long.
Seeing a mildly surprised Nabiki sitting up in her bed, looking at him,
clouded him with inadequacy. Even though he had experienced such
self-doubts before, each time they surfaced, they felt strange and new.
Today, the strangeness seemed to triple in intensity.
      "Hello, Nabiki Tendo."
      "Geez, it's been a long time since I last saw you, Kuno!" Nabiki
answered, obviously feigning barely hidden shock. "What happened to you? I,
uh, we were all getting a bit worried about you." Kasumi seemed to be
holding back a knowing smile, probably thinking she'd caught Nabiki
slipping up while trying to hide the fact that she was the one worried
about him. But Tatewaki just caught the slightly upturned, sly grin on the
middle sister's face and knew it was no slip on her part. Utterly
deliberate. Only yesterday, she had seen him; only yesterday, she had told
him that she'd understood but still hated him. She held no desire for
Kasumi to know the truth, but why if she hated him, why not let everyone
know? 
      "What have I been doing? Just thinking," he replied truthfully, his
voice quiet with anxiety. Unsure of what else to say, he felt heady silence
descend on the room, so much so that the room began to sway a little from
side to side .
      "Hey, Kasumi," Nabiki finally said, "can you take this ramen carton
away before anyone sees it?" 
      "Yes, I'll just take it away on my way out," the oldest sister
replied. Nabiki stared down at her magazine as she held out the carton to
Kasumi, who found the blinded windows very interesting as she took the
carton. Tatewaki suddenly found himself quite uncomfortable with intruding
on whatever had happened between the two sisters but he couldn't help
watching them. "See you tomorrow, then." Kasumi left through the open door.
      "Tomorrow." Nabiki continued to read her magazine. As Kasumi's light,
quick footsteps faded, Nabiki looked up at Tatewaki, a different sort of
tension tied like a tight rope between them. "Close the door, Kuno, and sit
down." 
      After following Nabiki's orders, Tatewaki sat down stiffly next to
her, searching her face for that small smile he'd seen the day before, to
no avail. He breathed in as he found the smell of food lingered on despite
Kasumi taking the remains. Chicken, ramen and a stronger scent of something
else indefinable floated through his nostrils and painted itself on the
inside of his mouth like a permanent stain. Oh, the need for satiation
through sustenance was growing so strongly! He needed food... 
      "Right, before we 'chat'," Nabiki drawled sarcastically, bitterness,
though subtle in her tone, as haunting as the smell of food to him, "open
the drawer in the table beside you." He reached out his bony fingers to the
handle of the bedside table and slowly opened it, inwardly cursing his
weakening state. In the drawer lay, on a plastic plate, some sort of food,
divided into sections but still unrecognisable to him. Almost
involuntarily, he leaned forward, breathing in deeply the smell of food. "A
nurse brought this about a minute before you came." 
      He took it out of the drawer, his fingers trembling with either
weariness or the suppression of desire to consume the provisions. Just so
hungry....
       His body overruling his conscience, he grabbed the hot food in his
hands and roughly pushing it into his mouth. The bland taste ignored for
the feeling of satiation as he chewed and swallowed hurriedly, afraid it
was really a dream. Mmm, a gift from the heaven's themselves! So... so
beautiful, so... warm and filling, pervading and suffusing the emptiness
inside. Delightful.   
        He stared down at the empty plate, wishing that food would spring
unlimited from the dish. The need to beg for more touched the edge of his
lips but he found that he could not, would not, ask her. No, he was truly
lucky to receive as much as a nothing like him already had.
      "I was going to let you have some but not now, in your present
condition. Don't do that again. You should've just put it in the bin like I
was going to tell you to do." Her voice and face held little emotion and
that unnerved Tatewaki. Was this the way it would always be? Nabiki tossed
the magazine to the side with one hand, holding pieces of paper in her
other. What were they? "Now, there's a few things I want to ask you about
what you said in this letter." 
      "And... th-that would be?" Sudden dizziness swayed his balance like a
rocking boat as he spoke. Queasiness and sharp pain ripped down his gut and
into his stomach. What the...? He couldn't be that nervous about the
letter, could he? "I-I... s-said everything I needed... to, did I not?"
Words to carry on speaking drifted away from his mind like leaves in the
wind.
      "No, you're wrong, there are things I just have to know."
      "Mm-hmm." Tatewaki's eyelids futilely fought the urge to close. 
      "Hey, what's up?"
      Darkness came so easily to his vision as everything seemed to slow
down.
      "Kuno, say something."
      He felt so... distant from her, unable to speak.
      "Speak to me!"
      The plate slipped from his fingers and clattered to the ground.
      "Kuno!"
      So much darkness....
      "KUNO!!"  

* * * *

     Standing in the hallway, Kasumi slowly slipped the soft scarf round
her neck, enjoying the feel of one of the few luxuries she had allowed
herself. The scarf was lambs-wool and one of the best things about winter.
She almost felt calm because of the pleasure of wearing it.  
      "Stop looking at me, Ranma! You're annoying me!"
      "Why... why would I wanna be looking at _you_?!"  
       She slipped on her white gloves and inspected them. A little
tattered but still as fitting as ever.
      "So why don't you go and look at one of your _cuter_ fiancees, then?"
      "...What are you babbling about this time?!" 
      She just had to check that she had done everything: boots on, winter
coat on, a pair of house keys, her handbag and a bag with a small meal
prepared for Nabiki? Yes, she did. Good.
      "What is wrong with you, Akane?"
      "Nothing, jerk! Leave me alone!"
      As she opened the door, Kasumi felt a blast of cold wind and was glad
of having such a nice scarf. Very nice. 
      "Goodbye, everyone," she called loudly but softly through to the
family room. The fighting stopped and she could almost hear those two
glaring at each other.
      "Goodbye, daughter! Don't be too long in that cold weather!"
      "See ya, Kasumi!"
      "Bye, Sis."
     The lock on the door clicked as she closed it behind her. Slightly
muffled but still clear shouting voices began again to reign through the
Tendo household. As Kasumi gazed up at the white snow-filled skies for a
few seconds and let the chilly zephyr whistle through her ears, she felt
calm. Almost.
      A few minutes of walking, waving to people she knew, gave no respite
to the troubling thoughts in Kasumi's head.  She tried to put on a smile
for others as she trudged through the stifling snow but it never reached
her downcast eyes. Life could be too complicated sometimes, too full of
worry and, yet, for so long, few things had bothered her. Now, so many
issues wrapped themselves tightly around her mind. 
      "My snowman's better than your snowman."
      "No, mine is!"
      She stopped in her tracks through the snow to see two little girls
playing in the park on the opposite side of the street. Wrapped up snugly
in heavy jackets, they carefully built up haphazard snowmen. Suddenly, one
took some snow, rolled it into a ball and threw it square in the face of
the other one. Kasumi couldn't help but giggle at that sight, remembering
the times she used to play with her sisters in the snow. The giggling faded
away as quickly as her fake smile. 
      Her younger sisters. That's who had been plaguing her mind these past
few days, even more so since yesterday. Nabiki was still bitter about Mom,
despite Kasumi's long-thought explanation of Mom's reason. It had ended in
a fight that should never have started.  Hopefully, the lunch that she had
made would ease the tension between them. Then, Akane's bad mood tainted
the pleasant surprise of see her and the Saotomes back early. Even Ranma
had no answer, looking disappointed for some reason he blushed when she
asked him about it. Auntie Saotome had no answer either. 
     Kasumi starting to walk through the snow again, hearing it crunch
against her boots and  abruptly looked down at it. The strange thing about
Akane's mood wasn't that she was angry, more that it seemed to be a cold,
cynical passion only ever seen on Nabiki. So very cold and icy like the
snow. What sign had she missed? What had happened to her baby sister...?

....A while later, Kasumi couldn't tell how long, she reached the hospital
and went up towards Nabiki's room. Yet, her mind was still on that of
Akane, wracking her brain and conscience for answers that weren't there. 
     The hospital corridors seemed so empty and the lights, so harsh, so
very harsh on her eyes. She barely noticed as doctors and nurses went
passed her, busy and distant. As she approached Nabiki's room, Kasumi
thought of yesterday and became only slightly glad of a change of thought.
Yesterday, she had accompanied that Kuno boy to her sister's room, he too
had been acting strangely. He refused her help and the offer of food and
shelter even though he was obviously in desperate need of both. So
obviously full of self-loathing and nervous anxiety, as well. What was
wrong with him? He didn't seem to be grieving but yet... was so ill at ease
around her. Few people seemed so uneasy around her that Kasumi had noticed
it instantly. 
      "Nabiki, it's me," she said in a cheery voice as she opened the door,
only to see her younger sister still deep in sleep. In a way, that brought
slight relief at the thought of a possible but thankfully delayed
confrontation. Putting down her bags near the bedside, Kasumi looked at her
sister, at the dark circles under her closed eyes. Something had kept her
awake. Oh well, it would be better to let her sleep a while longer before
giving her some lunch.
      Nabiki's arm lay drooped over the side of her bed, her hand dangling
in the air. On the floor were a few pieces of crumpled paper. Unable to
suppress her housekeeper instincts for very long, Kasumi kneeled down to
pick up the pieces of paper, straightening them out with the intention of
placing them neatly on top of the table before a few words caught her eye:
"too cowardly to draw the knife". Her conscience screamed at her to stop
reading but she read on; a tense, tight coldness grew in her chest with
every word. She knew who wrote this and wished she didn't. Horrifically,
suddenly, all his recent strange behaviour made much more sense. The letter
was dated on each page and it was over two days old. 
      With a paling face, she turned to look at her sister and whispered in
gasps, "Why didn't you tell me? Why?"

End of chapter 9...
It's been a while but RL and writer's block interfered. Please let me know
what you think and helpful C&C much wanted! ^_^
NB: I've just returned to University and discovered that my timetable is
twice as big as last year with a much heavier workload, as well. Plus, I
work a job at weekends. So if, at times, my fanfics seem to be grind to a
halt, that's why. But I will try to make more time for them as term time
settles down.
And thanks to everyone who wrote in in response to my questions.
Au revoir.