The hospital room was dark except for a light on from over the divider. My room mate was quiet, perhaps sleeping. Tetsu was slightly on top of me, his arm over my body completely. Slight wet sounds let me know he was sleeping, finally asleep.

He'd been so tired and soaked when we arrived. It was ankle deep in water outside, the rain so massive that places that didn't ordinarily flood were flooding, and places that were flood prone were drowning in water. That explained what happened at Fleeting World. When we'd gotten outside, the rain and wind hit us immediately. Tetsu was in the boat with me and threw his body over mine, getting absolutely soaked in the process on top of already being water logged from being in the water itself.

He'd thrown himself over me once again, just like when we'd had the earthquake earlier in the year. No thought for himself. What if there'd been debris? What if he'd been carried away by the wind? But, there he was solidly. Shielding me, even though I wasn't that important. I wanted to protect him instead, hold him and make him warm. I watched him as we went on by the buildings. The whipping wind took away everyone's voices, so I was left with the stinging rain, the whistling wind, and Tetsu's warmth, his t-shirt soaking me, but I was already wet like I was swimming.

In the end, all of us were rescued by the same boat in turns. We all made it here. Keitaro bought us all new clothes from the gift shop, but we found that the clothes didn't fit me. They didn't have my size. Yami found a kids' coat on a rack, and that fit me, to my embarrassment. Tetsu was just happy that I had something warm. Now, I was wearing that along with sweat pants and a t-shirt that were too large. I felt like I was swaddled like a baby, hot and steamy, under a double layer of covers, and Tetsu's body heat perfectly topped it all off like a much desired cherry on an ice cream sundae.

I had an I.V in my arm. They found I was a little dehydrated, my salt levels kind of wrong due to that. They thought it was enough of a danger to give me saline. They found some other things that weren't on the right level, so they gave me some medicines. It was all due to stress and not drinking enough, but they were glad I'd had a large dinner the night before. It was also later in the morning than we'd thought. We'd arrived at 10am. I'd almost missed two whole meals.

The others had helped themselves to the vending machines, but were careful to leave enough for other patients and their families. There was a vending machine where you could get a frozen good, like a hamburger or a chicken sandwich. There was a microwave next to this. Tetsu got a chicken sandwich, and he gave me a little bit of it, but I couldn't eat much of it due to the breading and white bread. I appreciated the taste, though, and his effort. There wasn't anything except for nuts in the vending machines that I could eat, which had been our original problem at Fleeting World.

So, very kindly, the hospital gave me a late breakfast of eggs and tofu. This was good enough for me. As I ate, Yami finally got in touch with Sawai-san. We told her about Shion and how she'd been the one to spot the police boat, swimming frantically to wave them down. Sawai-san of course remembered her, and Shion blushed in this recognition. Sawai-san was overwhelmed with gratefulness, and begged to see her again. Shion just looked embarrassed.

I thought through the whole conversation that I wanted to forgive her. There was pain in my heart, but what she'd done for us? For me? Taking care of me last night, helping me get on the couch so carefully. Trying to be kind to me, talking to Tetsu and introducing herself so politely. I didn't detect any malice there. Throughout her conversation with Sawai-san, I couldn't help but think that maybe I'd been wrong. Maybe, there was something deeper there than hatred. Was it possible that she'd stopped talking to us for a different reason? It made me reconsider, think that maybe it could be different.

The storm was letting up outside. It was still raining, but it wasn't pounding the window anymore. The nurse had told us that last night, they'd kept everyone in interior rooms where there weren't any windows. The storm had let up some since then, and they'd gotten the all clear to send everyone back to their regular rooms. It sounded scary, all those people who needed help and monitoring in a place that wasn't ideal. I admired her and the rest of the staff's perseverance and bravery. Knowing that the storm was that strong, to worry about the outer structure and patient safety?

I listened to the storm like ocean waves. Watched the clock on the wall ticking by. Felt Tetsu's warmth, his assuring weight.

Like this, I drifted off.

It only felt like a few minutes, but when I awoke it was dark and there wasn't any more rain. There were no wind sounds. Outside was clear, and there was the familiar glow of streetlights from below. It was as if nothing had happened from up here. In the darkness of the room, it was immediately apparent what had woken me up, but I wasn't angry.

"The following businesses and schools will be closed tomorrow. Please view our website for further, up to the minute, closures. Roads are still blocked, flooding in Adachi-ku, Sumida-ku, Koto-ku, and Edogawa-ku is still severe-"

"Fuuuuck," Yami moaned from the other side of the divider. My eyebrow raised.

"Too loud," Shizue scolded him. "You could wake them up. We shouldn't have even turned this on."

"I'm sorry, but I can't get home. I'm just glad I brought Eclipse over to where my mom is when I did."

"Well, I can't go home, either. My way home is blocked."

"I guess you can stay with us when Sana is released."

"You guess? Kind of you."

"Shh, they're saying something about Shibuya."

Shizue made a tsking noise with her mouth.

The door opened, and I jumped a little bit. My eyes followed Hikaru, who was holding more of the sandwiches from the vending machine we'd found. He closed it with his foot, and quietly made his way to the other side of the divider.

"Oh, oh," he hissed. It wasn't a tone I'd ever heard him use before. "Don't do that. You could wake up my boss." The TV switched off. My eyebrows raised further.

"That's what I told him," Shizue tried to explain, the frustration obvious in her voice.

"The news is on. I wanted to see what the local news is saying."

"Watch it on your phone. There's earbuds in the gift shop." There was the crinkling of opening plastic.

"How am I supposed to get the local news on my phone?" Yami sounded a little defeated.

"Go watch it in a waiting room."

"I tried that earlier. You can't turn the sound up."

"Well, I guess you can't watch it, then." Shizue made a non-committal sound. She paused, and there was the noises of them all eating. "Hmm. Don't you think you're being a little childish? Even if you want to watch the news, you know how important it is that Sana gets some sleep. And Tetsu? He tried so hard. He's exhausted, emotionally and physically. Have a heart."

"Yes. My boss needs sleep. He was awake all night and swam through all that water, and lowered Sana-san down the stairs."

"And we didn't?!" Yami let out a sharp sigh.

"Shh. Would you lower your voice? I swear..." Shizue hissed at him.

"It's different," Hikaru said, showing a wise soul beyond his years. It made me see him in a whole new way. He made a pondering sound in his throat. "That mental stress, it takes a toll on the body. I know we did the same, but he's three times as tired. He used three times as much effort, because he was worried about Sana-san, himself, and the outcome."

"So smart," Shizue admired him.

Yami let out some grumbling noises, along with the sounds of his own plastic to go with it.

I found myself blushing. I peered at Tetsu's sleeping form. He was just as fast asleep as the last time I'd woken up. He really was exhausted, and I wanted him to get as much sleep as possible. I wanted to tell him how much I loved him. That I appreciated him, and that I wanted to make sure he was protected and safe. Just as he'd made sure that I was, I wanted to make sure that he was. I'd do anything.

Quietly, like a secret, I shifted my body a little. My lips puckered, and with my effort, I kissed him on his hair. He didn't feel it, but, making contact was enough. My small kiss of thanks, all I could do. I settled back the little ways I'd went, and found my heart pounding at this. My breath was a little quicker. From the energy I'd just spent, or from my love? He could leave me breathless, that much I knew. The memory of him, trying so hard for me. Seeing him above me as he lowered the tabletop. Seeing the strain on his face, his teeth showing and his lips curling back as he tried to lower me slowly down the stairs. Seeing the sweat on his face and neck when we were on the landings, watching him breathing hard as he waited to lower me down another flight. Seeing him take off into the water to see what was going on. Him helping lift the tabletop to get me and it into the boat as he stood in the water.

All his effort and love.

I wanted to do everything I could to show him the same love.

Out of the corner of my eye, Shizue's face appeared beyond the divider. Her curious look. Checking on us. I stared back at her. Her face became a surprised one. My finger rose to my lips, and I kept it there. She nodded, smiling, and went back.

"Can't we turn on the TV? The news is almost over. Five minutes-"

"Hell no," Shizue tsked. "Eat your sandwich. I'm not sure how your mom deals with you."

Yami grumbled again, and thankfully, there was finally silence.