"Stay"

-------

Elena pulled the plug from the drain in the sink and started putting dishes in their places. Mika watched the suds spiral down the drain as she thought of her three friends.

"What can I do mom?" She asked frustrated.

"Well this is entirely for you to decide. But remember to keep an open mind." Elena said.

"Can we let them stay?" She asked quietly. Elena looked at her from wiping her hands.

"Well of course they can!" Elena said. "They can use the spare room across yours, although it's a big bed, will it be okay with them to share one?"

'The room across from mine?' Mika looked at her mother. "But mom, that room was..."

"I know sweetie. But there are times that we must move on from the past." Elena said, sending a small sad smile to her daughter. Mika looked at her with sympathy.

"I'll go tell them." She whispered loud enough for her mother to hear. She walked out from the kitchen and went to the living room. There she saw the three sleeping on the couch, wrapped up in a big blanket. Mika smiled, JiJi was in the middle, John and Ryan had there arms wrapped around her.

Even with the distance she was with them, she can see JiJi lightly shivering inside the boys' arms and blanket. Mika didn't want to wake them up cause from the looks of it, it seems like they needed the sleep, badly. Though she didn't want to wake them but they'll be sore in the morning on the couch. Mika sighed.

"Hey, Ryan. Wake up." Mika whispered to the boy lightly shaking him awake. "Hey, wake up."

"Hn.. Hm, what? What time is it?" Ryan asked groggily, he unwrapped himself from JiJi and sat up properly. "Are you going to ask us to leave now?"

"Oh no! Uhm uh no. I was going to ask you to transfer upstairs." Mika said quietly, now aware of the half open eyed John and the murmuring JiJi.

"I don't wanna go home yet." JiJi murmured, eyes still closed as she dug herself deeper in the blankets and in John's arms, requesting for warmth. Ryan and Mika looked at her as John obliged her request, closing his eyes again.

Ryan sighed. "Well, where's the room then?" He asked.

Mika stood up. "This way, c'mon, follow me." Ryan slapped John's leg and he sat up abruptly, glaring sleepily at Ryan as he rubbed his leg. JiJi groaned as John stood up. He wrapped JiJi in the blanket and carried her, bridal style. Ryan picked up their bags and Mika led them up the stairs.

Mika slowed to a stop in front of a dirty white door. She hesitated at first but went to face her three friends. She opened the door cautiously and they took in the scene of the room. White walls caged the room, on the left side was a bookshelf between two closets, white bed sheets dressed a king sized bed in the middle of the room, there was another shelf above a little office at the corner of the room.

"Um, JiJi can sleep with me in my room." Mika said.

"No. It's okay. I'm used to sleeping with them back at our apartment." JiJi spoke up quietly. With John carrying her, they went inside first.

"Whose room was this?" Ryan asked. "I know this isn't a spare room." Mika sighed.

"It was once from my two younger siblings' room. Twins, a boy and a girl." Mika said. "But they got in an accident a long time ago and died on the way to the hospital."

"I'm so sorry, Mika." Ryan apologized, placing a hand on her shoulder.

"It's okay. Don't worry. It's not your fault." Mika said giving him a smile.

"It's going to be okay. We can talk tomorrow." Ryan said, Mika nodded silently.

"Bathroom's down the hall if you want to wash up." Mika said and Ryan nodded.

"And if you need anything I'll be in my room, it's just over here." Mika pointed to a room across theirs. "Goodnight."

"Goodnight." Ryan muttered back. He watched Mika enter her room before calling out. "And um, Mika?"

"Yeah?" Mika stopped closing her door halfway.

"Thank you." Ryan said with a serious face. "For everything." Mika smiled.

"No problem." She replied and then closed the door. Ryan closed their door and dumped their bags at the side. He dragged his feet to the bed and saw his best friends cuddling. He smiled warmly at them and dove inside the blankets and wrapped his arms around a shivering JiJi. JiJi opened up her arms and welcomed Ryan' warmth. Ryan closed his eyes hoping they'll be able to sleep long enough tonight.

-------

Ryan awoke to the sound of raspy breaths wheezing in and out from weak lungs. He opened his eyes to meet darkness. He squinted to his left and to spot the red glow emitting from the the clock saying 4:07 AM. He looked to his right and saw JiJi sweating profusely. Eyes squinted shut she was struggling to breathe. Breathing in and out heavy, shaky, raspy yet weak breaths.

Ryan woke himself up and placed a warm hand on JiJi's cold arm. "JiJi." He whispered loud enough for her to snap her eyes open and choke on her own saliva. She gagged and immediately sat up. She wobbled out of the blankets, grasping her mouth for dear life as she opened the door and stumbled down the hall to the bathroom. John woke up from all the commotion to see Ryan out of bed and running towards the door.

John took a second to settle in what's happening until realization dawned into him. He jumped out of bed and ran after Ryan. A glass shattering was heard down the hall then they saw light shining through a half opened door. They crept in to see JiJi puking her guts out on the toilet. Horrible gagging was heard from her. Her small body shook from each retch, making her look as if she'll fall any moment.

John helped her hold herself up while Ryan pulled her hair away to prevent from getting any puke on them. Dinner and lunch came out until she was heaving heavily, one hand clutched at her stomach and the other on John's arm. Ryan rubbed her back as she fell into John's arms, weak and tired. Ryan looked around the bathroom and saw shards of glasses on the floor, blood smudged on the tiles leading to JiJi's legs. He gasped when he realized what she had done. He looked up to see a shelf just below the light switch.

He came to a conclusion that a glass was on the shelf and she knocked it off when she tried switching the light on. Ending it up shattering on the ground and her stumbling down. Cutting up her legs and dragging them to the toilet just in time to hurl everything out. Footsteps were heard running to their direction. Ryan snapped his head to the doorway and saw Mika and Elena gaping at the scene.

"What happened?" Mika asked, both shocked and scared at the same time.

"Oh dear." Elena's hand flew up to her mouth. Ryan nervously exchanged glances with John before facing the Wests to anwer.

"Uh, look Mika, we really need to go." Ryan said.

"No! Stay, we'll help you." Mika said. "Mom--."

"I'll go get the kit." Elena quickly fled from the scene to scavenge for the materials they'll be needing.

"Mika--." Ryan started.

"Don't worry, we'll help you." Mika interupted.

"But--." Ryan's eyes shook.

"Stay."