Shiki stared at the sealing, it was another two hours until the doctor came out looking for them.

"excuse meae you two friends of Abby?",he asked Shiki and Xing.

Shiki jumpped up."yeah, is she okay??", he asked near panic.

The doctor sighed."as good as she can be, there was a-lot of enternal damage ... a-lot had to be done, shes had a blood transfusion ... she's still unconchous, shes had brain scans, were waiting for those to come back .... but, its up to her now, we've done all we could"

Xing bit his lower lip nervously. "Do you think she'll make it?" He asked. I hope so...I don't want to see another friend die..... he thought, keeping his nervousness under control. At least, as best he could at the moment.

The doctor looked to Xing."at the moment , its hard to say , we'll know more as we rin tests",he said looking to them."if you wish ,you can go see her,she's in the last room on the left",he said and excused himself to cheack on other paitents.

Shiki slowly nodded."thanks",he said as the doctor left and sat back down looking at the floor.

"Thanks," Xing said. When the doctor had left he looked to Shiki. "You going to see Abby, or wait a bit?"

Shiki looked to him."i cant ... if i see her, hooked up to all those machines, ill go after that low life ......"

"Heh...you and me both, I think." Xing said.

Shiki looked up yo him."its hard not too, but if we do, we get booted from the tornament , then if Abby makes it, we wont be able to help her..."

"I know...." Xing said, closing his eyes. And I won't be able to give my own family a wake-up call.....

Shiki sighed. "i dont know what to do"

That makes two of us, Xing thought sullenly.

Shiki stood."i'm ggoing to go update Elliot on everything",he said and headed out to where they had left her.

Xing nodded as Shiki left. Not that it'll do any good. He thought.

Once outside Shiki looked around, spotting Elliot he went over."hey",he said calmly.

"Hey. What's the news?" Elliot asked.

Shiki sighed."not the best ...they still dont know if shell make it ....."

Elliot frowned. "Damn..." She muttered.

Shiki nodded."shes hooked up to all kinds of things ... they have to run more tests"

Elliot nodded. "I hope she makes it.." She said.

Shiki sighed.'yeah ... me too"

Elliot pulled a pack out of her jacket pocket. "You mind?" She asked, pulling out a cigarette.

"I thought you'd given those up..." Spire sighed.

Shiki shook his hed."no i dont mind",he said with a small smile and looked back to the ground.

__________________________________________________ ______________________________

As Xing sat out in the waiting room Kijjo walked out of a room, having been stitched up from his fight with Abby. Looking up he smirked seeing Xing and walked over to him."so has she died yet?" , he asked ina board tone.

Elliot nodded and lit the cigarette before taking a draw. "For your informantion, I only smoke when I'm under stress." She replied, smoke billowing from her lips.

---

Xing looked up and glared at him. "No. Way. In. Hell. Bastard." He replied acidly.

Kijo smirked. "oh, then you wont mind if i go see for my self will you?",he said heading for Abbys room.
__________________________________________________ ____________________________________

Shiki smiled some."understandable..."

Xing's blood chilled. In a second, he was up and in front of Abby's door, standing with his arms crossed and glare on his face. "I'm not letting you go in there. She's in bad enough shape after what you've done to her." He said coldly.

---

"She's been smoking for two years," Spire said dully. "She said she quit six months ago."

"Which is about as old as this pack is." Elliot replied. Spire sighed, wishing he had hands so he could facepalm.

Kijo laughed some."but, isnt that what you risk in this tornament, i cant help it if he wasjust a little too slow....even though it ene in a tie .... ",heid shrugging."but , unless she can recver by thtime theyreshedual or ht .... then she iis out ... and even if she makes t ... our nex battle .. i wont go easy on her,he said looking at Xing with cold eyes. Then backed off and headed ou the door.
__________________________________________________ __________________________________________________

Shiki looed to Spire."you have to admit, six months is good"