Time Tells All

Sayuri's eyes drifted down to her lap. So her brother didn't believe their mother would last much longer either. Everything he said about looking on the bright side and that there was still the possibility that she could get better were just false hopes. There was that mirror though; could it really be the key to saving her life? Possibly, but it seemed to good to be true. There just had to be a catch, right?

The door to the roof flew open suddenly, drawing everyone's attention to an out of breath and panicked Rei.

"Shuichi, Sayuri! It's your mother!" She practically yelled at the two. The siblings could tell from where they sat that the woman had been crying and still was.

It took only a second for Shuichi to grab his sister's hand and race down the steps and through the hospital halls to their mother's room. Rei and Yusuke were hot on their heels. A doctor greeted the siblings as they entered, while several nurses hooked up supplies and medical machinery to keep Shiori Minamino breathing and alive as long and in as little pain as possible.

"I'm afraid there's not much we can do. The illness suddenly got worse and she's in a critical state. I'm sorry." The doctor, who's name escaped the youngest Minamino as she clung to her brother's arm, informed.

There was no hope left now. Not unless that mirror worked magic to bring their mother to good health again, otherwise they would certainly lose her tonight.

Sayuri rested her head against Shuichi's arm, which in response he placed his free hand on her arm and tightened the grip of the hand that held hers. Tears stung her eyes, but never fell. The entirety of the situation still sinking in. It wasn't real. It couldn't be. It had to be another one of her nightmares, she couldn't lose her mother.

Shuichi pulling away from her to leave the room, brought her slightly out of her daze. He had almost let go of her hand, but she kept a firm grip and followed him out and down the hall. Yusuke was right beside them.

"I have to use it now." Shuichi spoke, more to himself than the two with him.

"You're going to use the mirror?" Yusuke confirmed as the three ran down the hall. "I heard that you have to give something in exchange for the mirror to grant your wish, do you know what it is?"

"Yes." Kurama nodded, glancing over at the Spirit Detective. "It's life."

Sayuri froze at that answer, almost falling from Shuichi taking a few more steps before completely realizing that she had stopped. The tears that filled her eyes moments ago cascaded down her cheeks as her world came crashing down around her.

"Sayuri..." Her brother said softly turning towards his little sister, eyes full of sorrow. She looked up at him and began shaking her head.

"No..." She whisphered. She closed her eyes and tilted her head forward to face the ground still shaking it back and forth, not wanting to believe what was happening. "No, no, no, no!" Her voice grew louder, the hurt she felt became more prominent with each 'no' she said. It caused the old fox before her to be more heavy hearted about his decision than he already was.

Kurama noticed he still held her hand and used it to pull her to him, holding her tightly against him in a protective and comforting way. He knew she was beyond mad at him, but was thankful she didn't push him away to yell at him, instead the young girl took fists full of his shirt in her hands as she cried.

"You can't leave me! You can't die Shuichi! I can't lose you too!" She had begun to draw unwanted attention to them with her screams, but Sayuri was unaware of the stares. Shuichi held her tighter and shushed her as he ran a hand through her hair.

"I'm sorry Sayuri, there's no other way." His voice was low with the sadness he felt, but still held that calm tone to it he always had.

"There has to be, I don't want you to die. I don't want to lose you big brother."

"I refuse to let mother die, if there was another way I would choose it for your sake, but there's not. Besides little sister, you and mother can live happily now without any worries other than normal human trouble. You'll be okay."

"Normal? I don't want a normal human life Shuichi. I want to find out who I really am. I want to master the rose whip and I can't do any of that without your help. Please Shuichi, don't do this." Sayuri pleaded, pulling away from her brother slightly to see his face. He smiled sadly just a little while wiping some tears from her face. Leaning towards her, he pressed his lips against her forehead.

"I'm sorry Sayuri." With that said, He turned and hurried away to the roof of the hospital, leaving his heart broken little sister behind him.