Your Love Frees Me

11, Emergency!

"Obi, there you are. Did you get them?" Hana asked, stacking the last tier onto her 8-tiered cake. She actually had to stand on the table to reach properly. "Sure did." Obi said, setting down the boxes containing the cake stands that she and Shirayuki had shopped for earlier. The two of them had become quite good friends over the last month. "Wow, it's bigger than I was expecting." Obi said, looking at the giant cake. Hana giggled. "The other 5 are in the freezer, too." "So are you about done, then?" Obi asked, placing his hands on his hips. Hana nodded, "the 5 cakes in the freezer are done, and I just need to touch this one up and paint the pipe work, but that will take a considerate amount of time. I was thinking of picking the roses today, too, and placing them in vases, so that they'll be ready to go on the day of the wedding tomorrow," Hana said, stepping back on her way down, when she slipped on her rag, causing her to fall backwards. The entire kitchen staff gasped in horror as they watched her fall.

She closed her eyes and braced herself for the tile floor, thankful more than anything that she had fallen away from the cake. But it never came. She opened her eyes, finding herself within Obi's arms. "It's a good thing I got here when I did," he said, straightening out, keeping her within his arms. The whole kitchen sighed with relief. She giggled, "I guess it is. Now set me down, Obi, the cake needs to go back into the fridge." He did so, and watched her as she pushed the rolling table into the fridge. He then jumped towards her, scooping her back into his arms before she could even try to protest, and carried her out of the castle. "She's been kidnapped again!" Kareine laughed, as the rest of the crew got back to work.

"What, no candles or picnic this time?" Hana teased, as Obi set her down next to the fountain. "No, but I could go get some," Obi teased right back, knowing it would work her anxiety up. "Oh, no, th-that's not what I meant!" Hana fretted. Obi laughed, "don't worry, I know! Now let's get to work so we can go eat!"

The sun shone brightly as they snipped away at the roses, setting them in prepared vases as they went. She would need hundreds. She had pricked herself a few times, but her cuts didn't worry her. The bees did. She looked around. There were far too many of them now, and they were getting much too close.

"Obi!" She screamed. He was by her side in an instant, "what's wrong Hana!?" "The bees! There's too many out now!" she swatted around randomly, terrified. He sighed in relief, "oh, is that all? As long as you leave them alone, they'll leave you alone, you know." Hana shrieked, slapping her neck, revealing a bee in her hand as she lowered it. Her eyes widened. Her neck became hot. Throbbing. Swelling. Her heart rate quickened. Her breathing became shallow. "Obi, I," she gasped for air, collapsing onto him, her body going numb as she began swelling up. Obi was immediately alarmed, catching her, "what? Don't tell me you're allergic.... dammit." He knew the answer, and picking her up, rushed straight over Shirayuki as fast as his legs could carry.

"Obi!" Shirayuki started happily, until she saw him. "Oh no, what's happened?" She asked, running up to him. "She was stung by a bee," Obi's heart was pounding so hard he thought that it might burst from his chest. Shirayuki nodded, "set her there," she pointed towards the bed, following behind. Obi quickly set her down, stepping back so that Shirayuki could do her work. Ryuu walked in right then, "Ryuu! Bring me the adrenaline needle now!" Ryuu dropped what he was holding, and took off as quickly as he could, immediately seeing how dire the situation was.

"I-is she going to be alright?" Obi looked over her shoulder, more anxious, he was sure, than he had ever been in his entire life. Hana's heartbeat was going far too fast, and would likely stop at any given time, as she rasped for air, unable to breathe. Her body had swelled, covered in hives. She was unconscious, burning with fever. "It's not good, Obi," Shirayuki responded, wishing that she could have seen her as soon as it had happened. Hana's heart beat dropped, and her rasping suddenly stopped. Shirayuki began CPR immediately. "Hana!" Obi cried. He had never felt so useless. "It's here!" Ryuu ran in, jabbing the needle immediately into her chest.

Hana's eyes shot open and she shot up to a sitting position as she gasped for her first real gulp of air in several minutes. She went crashing back down, shivering fiercely. Zen, Mitsuhide, and Kiki came barging in. "Is she alright!?" "She will be. We can take care of her now," Ryuu assured. Everyone sighed in relief, albeit shaken. Shirayuki and Ryuu continued their treatment for her.

Later that evening, Obi carried her to her room, for she was still unconscious.