In Sickness And Health ~Shikamaru~

Chapter 34

"I get the feeling Reira would never give up. Like if she was standing at the edge of life and death and something was pushing to death she would hang on and just float on it and laugh." Choji said as he sat in my usual chair and smiled. It didn't reach is eyes though. He's just trying to make us all feel alittle better. Choji and Alsono decided to visit today, but unfortunatly, so did Hanzo and Atari. So the tension in the air was thick, not to mention the room was crowded.

Reira sat up in bed today and ran her fingers across a comb that Al had brought her. She looked at it like she had never seen a comb before and the teeth inteagued her greatly. I think what she really liked was the sound they made when she ran her thumb over it. "No, I think she would just look around like, where the heck is this force coming from? Stahp dang it." Alsono chimmed in. "Shikamaru, eat your lunch before I force feed you."

Alsono, out of worry, had prepared a cold meal for me and practically shoved it down my throat when I admitted I hadn't eaten anything since Reira's hospital admittance... three days ago... At her snap I instantly started eating the sandwich again. That woman scares me sometimes, but I know she's not really mad at me. "Oh yeah, hows the therapy going?" I asked.

Alsono got an unhappy look on her face while Choji flinched. "Um... well..."

"Al kind of..." Choji rubbed the back of his neck. "She can look at a lit for a few seconds now..."

"What's that mark on your arm, Choj?" I asked.

"Aren't you supposed to be eating?" He shot back. Damn...

Hanzo smirked next to Atari who was trying to squish my head with his fingers in the corner. "It's like a husband and wife fight."

As I shoved the rest of the sandwhich in my mouth, I felt a light tug on my sleeve. Looking down, Reira looked up at me with that vacant expression and held the comb out to me. "Do you want me to comb your hair?" I asked. Of coure she didn't answer, but I took the comb from her and she turned so that her back was to me. The comb swished through her long black hair over and over again. She sat there nice and still and just let the teeth go through any small tangles she had.

"I wonnder what she's think about..." Hanzo mused.

Atari muttered something under his breath that caused Hanzo to smack him upside the head. "Ow! What the hell?!"

"Quit being a prick and get over it."

I wanted to laugh, but did a good job of holding it back. Choji and Alsono had gotten the whole story run down before these two had shown up and both had hands over their mouths to hide their grins. "Why the hell sould I?!" He screamed as he stood up. "He's the one that did this to her and yet he just sits there and combs her hair like nothings wrong?! Fuck you Hanzo! I'll be upset and a giant prick if I want!"

"Damn it Atari, if you're going to yell, get out." The doctors tired voice floated in the room from the door. And, grumbling, that's exactly what he did. The doctor shook his head. "That boy ain't right. Anyway, I have news. It looks like we can plan on Reira's surjury being on Friday."

The date is being set now. I don't really know how to feel about it, but I feel like it should be a good thing. my hand that was combing Reira's hair stopped momentarily and she turned to tug on my sleeve again. "Sorry Rei." My hand started combing again and she resumed her previous possition.

"Hm, That's interesting."

"What is?" Alsono questioned.

"It looks like Reira recognizes Shikamaru in a way. She shouldn't be reacting like that." He kneeled down in front of her and tried to get her attention, but she kept the same expression and looked forward as the comb went through her hair. "This girl is my own personal head trip, I swear." He looked at me. "I don't think se really knows who you are, but theres something in that little had that tells her you are someone. If I could read her mind..."

Trust me doctor, we all want to read her mind sometimes. WHat she thinks aout is a true mystery. It's a nice thought though, that se might know me in some way. I thought that yesterday when she hugged me. What was she thinking about when she decidd to comfort me like that? What is she thinking right now? What is going through that head?