In Sickness And Health ~Shikamaru~

Chapter 31

"So it was YOUR fault!" Atari's angry voice rang out in the otherwise quiet room. The information was still trying to process in my mind, so his outburst only half way processed in my mind. It was his fisting the collar of my shirt and pinning me against the wall next to Reira's bed that put my brain into working order again. My hand was still wrapped around hers, but our arms were stretched. I can't let go.

His eyes burned  a brighter red than before, his anger evident on his face and in his voice. The grip on my shirt was tight, and I had the feeling that if he could put his hands around my throat without finding himself in jail, he would. My shirt was just going to have to be a substitue for now. "You're the reason Reira started talking! You're the reason she's here now! YOU'RE THE REASON SHE'S GOING TO DIE!"

"Enough Atari!" Hanzo pulled at him with his arms around his middle. But he was far from done.

"Do you realize what you have done?! You're nothing more than a MURDER! How can you sit there at her side knowing wha you've done?! How can you still hold her hand like you care?!"

"I said that's enough Atari!"

"LET GO OF HER YOU BASTARD!" He let go with one hand, and I watched as that hand moved back and curled into a fist, and then, came right at me. I didn't do anything though. I closed my eyes and let his fist slam into my left eye. My head snapped to the side and pain raced through me. But as I cracked open my eyes, I saw Reira laying in bed and our stretched arms and clasped hands. If he wants to take his anger out on me, he can. But I won't let go of her.

His hands were yanked off of me, telling me that Hanzo was finally sucessful in pulling him away. But when I turned, I found not only Hanzo holding onto a thrashing and snarling Atari, but Reira's dad and the doctor as well.

Mr. Sumakoro looked up at me with sad and tired eyes. "You might want to take off before he breaks loose."

But I looked back down at Reira and took my seat. "I can't." Was my responce.

"Get away from her! You're no good for her if this is what happens, don't you get it?! How can you sit there?!"

How? Because... "Because I made a promise." The sounds of his thrashing stopped behind me and I tightened my grip on Reira's hand. "A few weeks ago our friend was caught in a fire. It scarred half of her body and after attempting to use the stove at home realized she was now terrified of flames, even the little blue flame used to cook. However, her fiancee still loves her more than anything in the world. She asked me if anything like what happened to our friend happened to her, would I still love her? I told her that I would love her no matter what happened to her. I told her there is noting that would ever make me think of leaving her. I promised her I would hold her hand until the end. And I refuse to break that promise."

If I'm no good for her... I'll leave that for her to decide. I won't make that decission for her. It would only hurt us both. The door slammed and Hanzo let out a tired sigh and sat on the edge of the bed. He was looking down at his hands in his lap like life was too heavy for him to bear. "Atari has loved Reira for a long time." I moved my head to get a better look at him. Mr. Sumakoro also seemed interested in what he had to say. "He's loved her since we were put on the same team. Did you know she wasn't even supposed to be on our team? The kid was supposed to be got hurt and had to go back to the academy."

He lifted his head and seemed to gaze out at nothing, but his eyes were in fact seeing everything. "Atari is my cousin, I love him and want to see him happy. I've never seen him more happy though than the day our sensei introduced us to Reira. He couldn't stop smiling and spent the whole time talking to her. However he never told her his feelings. She told us that she would never fall in love, she loved her job to much.

I had to watch him when we were told she was dead. Atari was real messed up about the whole thing, and I wasafraid he was going to do something stupid. He was never the same though. And when we found her alive I saw that old spark reignite in him. But the woman he loved chose someone else. There is no really geting past that. It becomes a back burner thought, becomes easier with time, but that is something you will think about from time to time. And Atari doesn't know how to deal with it." Hanzo pressed his lips together. "But I think... he's just terrified of loosing Reira again... and returning to that bad place in his mind."

It was quiet. I understand what he's saying. If Reira had choosen someone other than myself after I realized my feelings, it would have rubbed my heart in the dirt. Watching her lean on someone elses shoulder, hold another mans hand. I would be angry too. The thought of loosing her is terrifying. And he's right, this is my fault. I'm the one that encouraged her to talk and get better. If not for that she wouldn't be in this condition.

But then... the idea of her before... so lost and empty. I've seen her progress and grow, I've seen her smile become brighter as shegot closer to not only myself, but Alsono and Choji and Ino. She was happy. And even if I had known that was what was going to happen to her, I still would have done everything I had. Because I believe she would have wanted six months of joy and brain function instead of a life of never understanding the people around her again.

"We can save Reira."