Though their figures were blurred Enishi saw Aoshi busy over Misao's prone body. The white-haired boy shoved his glasses back on and shouted angrily at Aoshi.

"Hey! What do you think you're doing!?"

Aoshi turned around and opened his eyes. Enishi was a little surprised to find that they had been closed before. "It's just a precaution. Don't worry." He closed his eyes and turned back around.

"By the way, you close your eyes, too."

Enishi did, but not before he saw Misao's shirt being lifted off over her head.

"What's the precaution for?"

"If the seizures start again she shouldn't be in her school clothes. They could strangle here."

When Aoshi told him it was okay to open his eyes he saw that Misao was dressed in a fading pale levender nightgown. It was a little too big for her and the neck was scooped low to begin with. The result was that it would be nearly impossible for Misao to strangle herself on the nightgown. Enishi noted that the short sleeves extended past her elbows. The nightgown was obviously made for somebody much taller than Misao.

"Whose is that?" he asked as Aoshi handed him the drink.

"My sister's."

They stood silently, letting the alcohol seep into their bodies before Aoshi tried to speak again. "You need to understand what's going on. Why Misao passed out. I was being an asshole when I told you about Himura Tomoe the other night. I won't do that again."

There was the sound of breaking glass from the couch and Aoshi whirled around. Misao's body was jerking again. Her flailing arm had knocked over a glass of water Aoshi had set on the coffee table. Aoshi set his glass hastily on the kitchen table as he rushed past and Enishi did the same.

"Hold her head. Don't let her bite her tongue off." Enishi leapt over the piano and grabbed Misao's head between his two hands. He saw her mouth opening and closing violently and hastily shoved two fingers in her mouth. Her teeth hurt as they closed on his hand, but she didn't bite herself.

After what seemed like an eternity Aoshi appeared at the side of the couch. Too peroccupied with keeping Misao still, Enishi didn't notice the needle until it was placed on the table with a faint hollow clink. A few moments later Misao began to still.

"What the hell was that!?" Enishi demanded. He grabbed the small phial out of Aoshi hand as he tried to pass it to him and read the label. "...'diazepam'? What the hell is that?" Aoshi waved a hand at Enishi and he continued reading. "'VALIUM'!! You just gave her a dose of VALIUM!? Why the fuck do you have Valium!?"

Aoshi looked weary and sad. "My sister used to get siezures towards the end. Sometimes when my parents were out I had to give it to her."

"Doesn't this stuff expire after a while?"

Aoshi nodded and rose on unsteady feet. He walked to the kitchen table and took another sip of his vodka.

"Well?"

"Yeah, but we agreed to keep some just in case I ever got whatever killed my sister and her mother. That stuff is almost brand new."

Enishi glanced warily at Misao. She was sleeping peacefully now, but his eye was drawn to the sloppy puncture on her vien. A small line of blood was marked on the inside of her elbow.

"You sure you knew what you were doing? I don't think it's suppost to look like that."

Aoshi made a bitter noise. "You ever try giving somebody an injection in their arm while they're flailing around without any control whatsoever? Especially when the person you're trying to inject is as strong as Misao when she's in a trance?" Enishi just looked at him.

"But you cut her."

"She'll be okay." He drew in a quick breath and touched a hand to his lip. Enishi slowly made his way up the stairs and sat down across from Aoshi. Even though the suite was richly furnished and filled with expensive things there was a feeling of neglect and sadness in the very grain of the parquet floor. The pain showed in Aoshi's face.

'The memories that must have stirred up when he injected Misao...' Enishi realized. 'That must have hurt him bad.'

He watched silently as Aoshi set his empty glass down and rose. He walked to a decorative mirror and glanced at the reflection, then walked over to the kitchen sink. He spat blood into it and picked up a fresh-looking cloth. He brought it back to the table and tossed it unceremoniously at Enishi.