My chest was growing heavy. Or was it the air? Either way it was getting harder to breath. Crumbling forward I collapsed onto my knees. My hand which a moment ago had been tightly gripping the white sheet that covered my exposed body was now clawing at my chest. The sheet fell around me as I chocked on the air trapped in my malfunctioning lungs. Inside I could feel parts of me turning off and on, flashing like police car lights, and crippling me. Pain racked my body and I felt as though I was stuck in traffic...each car hitting me head on, but none of them seemed to succeed in killing me. I would of screamed. But the person I saw when my eyesight managed to clear itself stopped any noise from climbing up out of my throat. I struggled with words but they weren't coming. Only that building scream, the one that I just couldn't let out. Reaching out; my hand tightened on T.k's shoulder as he looked into my eyes with that familiar concerned expression. I hated when he was concerned about me. It was one more thing that made us so different. As though I needed another reminder. "What's wrong? Kari, what happened?" Why did his voice sound so far away? Blinking I tried to focus him in my vision but only managed to blur it even worse. "G-ge-get out..." God I sounded horrible. "No I'm not leaving you like this, you need he-" "Get Out!" there we go, that sounded better. "Kari..." "T.k...i-if they f-fi-find you in here..." my hand gripped his shoulder even tighter, and I could feel the energy leaving me. My body jerked and spasmed as I crumbled into myself. It felt like I was being torn apart. My food came up and T.k just managed to turn my head and hold my hair up as I hurled onto the carpet. I would have to clean that later. Great. Gripping onto my chest again I had the uncomfortable sensation of actually feeling when my heart stopped beating. It froze beneath my fingers...starting up what felt like a century later. "G-get.." by now T.k had laid me on my side and was kneeling beside me, his strong arms wrapped around me. Taking on hand he brushed a sweaty strand of long black hair from my face. I have no idea how he could look at me like that when I got like this. Suddenly his body grew rigid and he turned his head a bit to fast for my liking. Was it my mother? Or Ty? They couldn't find out...not like this. "What are you still doing here angel?" the voice was so familiar, so comforting. Some one's heavy footsteps, followed by smaller more graceful ones made their way to where I lay on the floor. The room was filled with the scents of incense and fireplaces, the sounds of rustling clothing as the new arrival crouched down on my other side and promptly moved the discarded sheet to cover my naked skin. Clearly trying to preserve some sort of modesty I wasn't aware I still had. "When did the attack start?" another, female, voice said. "About a minute ago." Was that really all? It felt like hours. Turning my head I looked up into two pairs of golden eyes. My father reached out and pulled me away from T.k's arms. Replacing the painful warmth of my lover's body, with the oddly comforting cold of his own. Behind him was Galexy, my guardian and she had her attention on T.k at the moment. "I suggest you put your clothes on and leave before anyone else walks in here." "I didn't want to leave her..." "I know, now young man please leave. She'll be fine" my father's voice had taken on a softer edge. He always spoke to T.k like that. Like a son. And maybe some day I suppose that's exactly what T.k would be. For now though...I should sleep....who knew the cold could be so comforting....