"The way it was before?" I asked surprised at hearing the words leave my mouth. "Yeah... back when you would wait for me here when I would come back from work... when we could just be together... without this..." He whispered still clutching to my torso. His grip tightened slightly as his hands grasped my shirt. "We are still together. And I will always be here for you Shu~ So don't forget that we just have to live with what we've got." I said trying to keep my voice steady. 

"Don't get me wrong... I would love to go back to a better time for us... but we shouldn't be worried about that, we should be happy with what we have." He sighed. "I know Kichi, it's just... I wish you weren't so worried about me all the time... like before..." He said making me frown. 

I know what he is talking about... no matter how hard I try to hide it... he had always been smart... this is one of the things about him I adore while at the same time I wish he didn't know me as well as he does... "I will always be worried about you and you can expect me not to be... because I love you... and will do anything to keep you safe," I said moving the pot off the burner and putting out the flames. 

Shuichi jumped against me making me flinch. "But what about you? If you only worry about me what will happen to you?! If you were to get hurt or get killed..." His voice shook. I know what he was trying to say... but I know how painful that would be for him... "I won't die Shuichi! I promise we are going to survive this together!" My hands moved to his to try and stop them from shaking. "It's going to be alright Shu. We are going to make it." I whispered holding his hands securely.

I could tell he started to cry. He hated all of this and found it hard to think of anyone leaving. I knew this... more than anything I wanted him to be happy... or at least feel at ease. Almost every night he cried. He cried wanting everything to go back to the way it was... wanting everything to be ok again... It was so painful to watch him feel so sad... I moved my hands up and down his back as I turned around to face him. "It's going to be ok." One of my hands moved to his hair to comb through his raven locks. It always made him relax more if I combed through his hair.

"I love you, we love each other. So no matter what we are going to make it through this. You're ok. I'm ok. We are ok." I whispered into his ear continuing to whisper sweet nothings into his ear making him calm down. "Thank you, Ko..." He took in a shaky breath and let his eyes slip closed. I smiled and moved him upstairs into the bedroom. Upstairs was a lot safer than being downstairs because it was high enough where people can't break in through the windows. 

I laid him down on the bed and slowly tucked him in. Pulling the blanket over him, kissing him on the forehead, and left the room to bottle the water. While I was bottling the water I heard a crash outside and flinched. What the hell? 

I slowly moved over to the window and looked outside. I positioned myself so I could see outside and they or whoever was out there couldn't see me. A girl and a boy were arguing outside. I tried to focus on them and see if I knew them. Kaede? Rantaro? I pulled myself away from the window. Rantaro and Kaede are still alive? I felt some tears come into my eyes before I realized... they could be infected... Shuichi could get hurt. 

I rushed over to the door and put the heavy closet in front of the door barricading it. I heard them come closer before they went silent. I felt my stomach drop. What is going on? I moved back over to the window and could see them just standing there. They weren't moving at all... for a moment I thought they had froze because they had been infected before...

"This is Kokichi and Shuichi's house," Rantaro said placing his hand on the door. I moved my hand to my mouth to muffle my breathing and my gasp. "Shuichi," Kaede said before she started to cry. "Hey don't cry... We don't know if he is alive or not." He said to Kaede placing his hand on her shoulder. "I know... I just wish I could have talked to him before all of this..." She said letting more tears fall out of her eyes. "I know Kaede... we could check inside if that would make you feel better." 

My face paled. They are going to come inside?! I looked at them through the window still staying out of view. They walked to the front door. Click click click... Finding it was locked they walked over to the window on the other side of the door. I slowly walked over there and silently hoped they wouldn't make it inside. They broke open the window and they walked inside. I silently cursed at myself for not boarding the window up more after the last attack...

I quickly pulled out my knife. I might have to take them out... if they are already infected... I jumped out in front of them making them both jump. I pulled out my other knife and put one to both of their throats.

"K-Kokichi?" Rantaro asked looking nervous. I scoffed and glared at them. "Have you been infected!" I yelled pushing the knife closer to them. "No we both have made sure we don't have any marks on us we swear!!" Kaede yelled tears coming out of her eyes again. "Kokichi, I'm so glad you are still alive... so please... put the knife down," Rantaro said with a shaky smile. I pulled my hands back and returned my knives to my belt. "Ok, but if you show any signs of it... I have to keep Shuichi safe..." I said eyes going dark.

"Shuichi's still alive?!" Kaede and Rantaro gasped at the same time. "Yeah, we have been holding our own here since all of this started," I said softening my gaze. "I'm so glad we decided to come here!" Kaede yelled pulling me into a hug making me flinch. "I bet Shuichi will be glad too," I said softening my posture. 

"By the way... Where is Shuichi?" Rantaro asked looking over at me. Kaede loosened he grip and pulled away from me. "He is taking a nap upstairs while I have been keeping watch," I said nonchalantly. "So I guess the welcomes can wait until he wakes up." Kaede sighed with an awkward giggle. 

-Sorry for not updating this yesterday... I was going to but had math homework that had to be done... Sorry!! Thanks for reading!-

-ShuichiOuma010-