Authoress' Notes: I've got just a couple things to tell you. Chapters 1 - 4 have been revised slightly. There were some questionable things that needed editing so I did…and I've also changed "Kiev" to "Moscow." I originally wanted to have them go to Kiev as a different city other than Moscow, but it's just not working. So now they're headed for Moscow. Sorry to confuse everyone! Oh, and this one's going to be a little shorter than normal.

Warnings: Same as Chapter 1. See chapter 1 if you're that concerned about it. EMOTIONAL TRAMA WARNING FOR THIS CHAPTER! I'm so mean to my characters sometimes…but I'm going for realism, even if it means they're a little OOC (though what can you expect in an AU fic?!).

Disclaimers: Nope. Still don't own Beyblade or MI:2. Don't own the song Train Wreck, either. That's Sarah McLauchlan's. (Is anyone sensing a theme here? O.o)

Reviews: Thank you my wonderful reviewers! @ FF.Net - FireGurl, Dannee-san, Kai-lovr, Bloody Mary, Kiina, Dragi, Joce, lokisash, & Nanashi2; @ AFF.Net - Yami Dranzer, L, Xzanayu, & Brickwall (Soph); @ Mediaminer - Flamable_Devil (aka Jen!); & @ my group - kirei_16. Thanks so much y'all!! *huggles*

blah - normal speech, blah - thoughts, {blah} - telepathy, blah - electronic speech (com-links, computers, etc.)

Chapter 5: Train Wreck

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"That should do it." Rei said, removing his hand from Kai's nose as the golden glow died away. "I can't do anything about the vodka in his system, though. I imagine he'll feel like absolute hell when he comes to."

"Yeah, well, he's welcome to the club." Tyson muttered, angry yet still tenderly stroking Kai's hair from his face where his head rested in Tyson's lap. The shock had worn off completely but now he was just hurt, confused, and really mad. "He deserves it, the bastard, for putting me through hell six years ago."

Hilary and Kenny were sitting on the bench seat against the far wall (not that the interior of the plane was that big), out of the way. Hilary knew what was up but the Chief didn't, and was listening avidly to the conversations.

Rei sat back on his butt on the floor, legs crossed Indian-fashion, and flicked his pony-tail over his shoulder. "Maybe. I can't blame you for feeling that way and if it were me, I'd probably feel the same way." He sighed heavily, tired after all the emotions and excitement of the day. "But I also know that he did what he thought best at the time. And you know as well as I do that wit hall the blame you or anyone else places on him…well, it's nothing compared to the guilt and blame he places on himself every day - and has since he made the decision."

"I know. Damn fool. He always takes all the blame on himself and lets it eat at him like acid." Tyson pouted in annoyance. "Makes it really hard to stay mad at him, too. And if you ever tell him I said that, I'll have to kill you." He glared at Rei warningly.

"Not going to hear it from me, dude." Rei held up his hands. "Tyson…" He hesitated. "You know everything he does is for you. You're his everything."

"I do know. But I wonder if he doesn't realize that he's my everything." Tyson sniffled and carefully moved around so that he could scoop the unconscious Phoenix up. "Is there somewhere I can put him, Rei? He shouldn't sleep on the floor."

"Sure. There's a sleeping cabin on the other side of the kitchenette. Follow me." Rei got up and gracefully and led Tyson to the small room. Inside were a double bed and a single bench seat along the other wall under the small windows.

Tyson carefully laid Kai down on the bed, smiling slightly when the dual-haired blader whimpered and reached out blindly for him. "Shh…Kai. Sleep. I'm not going anywhere." He turned to say something more to Rei but the neko-jin had left, shutting the door behind him.

{Tyson?}

{Yes, Dragoon?} The bluenette responded, stripping off Kai's bloody, ruined shirt from his broken nose then tugged off his shoes and socks, and finally his pants.

{Are you okay?}

{Surprisingly, old friend, I'm feeling better than I have in a very long time. I'm just…tired right now, I suppose.} Tyson replied, kicking off his own shoes and socks and stripping down to his boxers. As he crawled onto the bed with Kai, he got a good look at the various scars and marks that were scattered all over his body. Tyson made a low sound and gently traced on particularly long, nasty-looking scar that ran in a diagonal line over Kai's heart and nearly to his navel. {He's so beautiful - in a dark way. How can anyone survive and stay so strong through all of this?}

{Some few have been blessed with such fortitude. Some also thrive on adversity and challenge. Your mate certainly seems to.} Dragoon observed wisely. {On the other hand, when in his life has he been able to be anything but? First the Abbey for nearly his entire life, then the explosion and the aftermath of it, then his work for the Spirit Squad…}

{When this is over I'm making him take a leave of absence and we're going to go hide somewhere that they'll never find us.} Tyson frowned and drew the covers up over them both, cuddling up next to his mate and brushing his lips over Kai's brow lightly. {If I can talk him into it, that is.}

Dragoon laughed. {At least your time together will never be boring. Rest, Tyson. Who knows how much of it you'll be able to get after today?}

{Yeah. So you think we should help, then?} Tyson closed his eyes, inhaling the scent of Kai's hair and burrowing his nose into the soft strands happily.

{I do. Boris must be stopped.}

Tyson snuggled closer to Kai and shivered a bit, trying to ignore how good the skin-on-skin contact between them felt, how right it felt to be so close to this man he loved with his whole being. He would never be separated from Kai again. Not if he had anything to say about it.

Just as he was drifting off, he heard Kai mutter something that sounded like, "My Tyson. Hands off!" before rolling over and curling into the bluenette's arms with a noise of contentment.

Tyson fell asleep grinning.

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POV Change

I woke up to the feeling of a warm body pressed against my back, an arm slung over my hips and that hand resting on my stomach. My legs were tangled with the sheets and the other person's legs and I could feel their warm, even breath on the back of my neck.

It was an altogether wonderful way to surface from my forced slumber.

I decided it was even better when I tentatively wriggled my nose and it didn't hurt.

My head was pillowed on both our arms and I rolled my wrist a bit so I could look at my watch. My fuzzy-headed mind had to slowly calculate the time differences to figure out what time it was now and how long I'd been out for, but I managed it. As far as I could tell, we were due to be landing in Moscow soon.

"Hmm…what's in Moscow?" Tyson murmured sleepily against my skin. I bit my lip to keep a moan from escaping and shivered slightly as the hand on my stomach traced patterns with his fingertips around my navel. I placed my free hand over his and linked our fingers together, effectively stopping the movement and held his hand still. Deprived of that, he made a disappointed sound and started lightly kissing my neck and the back of my shoulder instead.

Just those simple touches felt so good that I couldn't hold back my soft moan of his name any longer.

"Tyson…" I squeezed my eyes shut tightly and felt tears spill out and trail down my cheeks. I whimpered when he pulled away from me and I felt so alone and cold at that moment that a sob escaped my throat.

But he surprised me by rolling me over onto my back and hovering over me, staring down into my eyes with an intense, considering glint in his blue eyes, his fingers gently wiping away my tears. I stared back, confused, silent, and scared. I'd never been so scared in my life, because I knew that whatever happened next, it would mean either we could fix things between us or he would reject me.

We stared at each other for so long that I lost it. I felt that dim light that was still burning inside me dwindle down to a mere ember, so faint I could barely tell it was there. I went totally limp, and I looked away from his penetrating gaze, dying inside. I wanted to curl up into a ball and I tried but he just pinned me down with his body and turned my face back to look at him again. The tears were pouring freely down my face at this point, and I didn't care. In fact, I don't think I cared about anything at all anymore. He wasn't going to take me back. If Tyson had chosen to pull out a knife and stab me with it I'd have just lain there and let him.

It was, after all, no more than I deserved. And I knew it.

So I stared up at him, crying, totally helpless and silently begging him to either let me go so I could roll over and die or to put me out of both our miseries himself. I was a complete and total wreck.

I don't know what it was he suddenly found in me but hen he finally spoke he sounded both satisfied and sorrowful at the same time.

"There you go. Now you know exactly how I felt all those years I thought you were dead. Every…damned…day, Kai. You're lying here now wishing for death, and you would roll over and let it come to you. You're still strong enough to do it that way rather than try to end it yourself, even now. Well, guess what? I'm not that strong." He held up the inside of his right wrist for me to see and I stared, my eyes going wide with shock, horror and mind numbing fear. My mouth opened and closed several times, but I couldn't seem to say anything at all. I wanted to scream.

There was a set of scars across his wrist. Not just one - a set.

I had to swallow hard when my stomach threatened to rebel, but this time I didn't look away. I concentrated on breathing, trying to get control of myself since I was close to hyperventilating.

Then Tyson lowered that wrist and held up the other one. It was far worse than the right since he was right-handed.

That did it.

I fought free of him and bolted for the lav for the second time that day. What little was in my stomach came up and my body shook with dry heaves for a while after that.

I vaguely recall seeing Rei in the kitchenette when I zipped past him and I think I gave him a pretty good scare.

I felt Tyson's hand on my forehead and his other on my back, rubbing circles. When the heaving stopped I broke down into, I'm ashamed to admit, hysterical sobs. He bundled me up into his arms and I clung desperately, shaking so badly it was a wonder my bones weren't rattling, as he carried me back to the sleeping cabin past a wide-eyed, freaked out neko-jin.

He set me on the bed and knelt in front of me so we were at eye-level. "Kai…love, you have to breathe, okay? You're hyperventilating. Kai!" When I didn't stop - couldn't - he gave me an apologetic look and slapped me sharply.

I yelped and sucked in a deep breath.

"Good. Now let it out slow…that's good. Again. That's it. Just keep doing that, love." I closed my eyes and did as he told me. I heard him get up and opened my eyes again. Rei came in and handed him a damp face cloth and a bottle of spring water. He looked back and forth between Tyson and I, as if he wanted to ask something, but decided against it and said instead, "We'll land in about half an hour. I can take care of most of the details for now. Just…do whatever you have to. I'll be out there if you need anything. Either of you." He nodded at us once more, tail waving behind him as he left.

Okay. I was definitely going to have to do something nice for him - perhaps buy him a beach house in Fiji or Tahiti.

Tyson went over to the bench seat and dug out two cloth wristbands from the pile of his clothes, slipping them over his fist and settling them in place before coming back over to me and sitting next to me, using the wash cloth to wipe away my drying tears and the sweat from my face and neck. I gave a shuddering sigh at the coolness of the cloth on my hot skin, leaning into the touches a bit.

"Feel better?" He asked quietly, handing me the bottle of water after a moment.

"Not…" I stopped because my throat was really raw and my voice came out all raspy. I took a careful sip of water then continued. "Not particularly." I sipped again and stared down at my lap, feeling so many emotions I could barely think through them.

"I didn't think you'd react quite that badly. I guess I miscalculated slightly. I'm sorry for that." He stared out the small window across from us.

"No." I said harshly. "Don't be." I set the bottle aside, turned to him and grabbed his right hand, holding firmly when he tried to jerk away from me. "No more secrets. No more hiding. Not for either of us." I tore the suddenly extremely offensive cloth away and tossed it across the room. Then I went for his other wrist, doing the same with that wristband. I heard him give a startled whimper and it tore at me.

Holding both his hands in mine, scars up, I looked into crystalline eyes gone dark with emotion and shiny with tears. "Never again. If you'll let me, Tyson, I'll spend the rest of my life making up for seven lost years. I will swear on these," I rubbed my thumbs across his wrists and his tears spilled over. "I'll swear that I will never hide anything from you again, least of all myself." I paused and he opened his mouth but I went on again quickly, before he could give me his final words of rejection. "Kinomiya Tyson, I love you. I will always love you. If…if you don't want me or can't or won't forgive me then…I'll let you go again. I…"

{Kai! Shut up so I can say something, motor-mouth!}

I blinked and snapped my mouth shut. That had been Tyson's voice in my head, and I was just a tad startled.

"That's better." He tugged his hands out of mine and I let him, dropping my hands to my lap helplessly and waiting for the hammer. "Now you listen to me, for a change. No interruptions."

I nodded warily.

"Good. First of all, Kai…I love you, too. Will always love you. And I want you, my love. Gods…so much! I want you with me now and for the rest of our lives, right beside me through whatever life throws at us."

I started crying again. At this rate I was going to shrivel up like a raisin. Tyson sniffled and continued. A feeling of dread hit me. I could hear a 'but' coming.

"But I think we have to get one thing straight before we can even think of starting over, Kai." He ran a hand through his mussed hair. "You wanted me to grieve, to get over you and move on because you honestly believe you're not good enough for me, that for some obscure reason only your warped mind can comprehend your darkness isn't worthy of my supposed light." Tyson snorted indignantly. "It's complete shit, Kai. No one's perfect - not you and certainly not me. I think I've already proven that to you. There is a bit of light and dark, good and bad, within each of us." He got down on his knees in front of me and leaned in so close I could feel his breath on my face. "Do you get what I'm trying to say? You made vows on the scars of my imperfection. For us to begin again, that's a good place to start."

I made a noise and my hands came up on their own to cup his face between my palms. "Tyson…"

"Kai, let me finish. I let you think I wouldn't take you back because I needed you to experience, even if only for a moment, what it's been like for me without you - your touch, your presence…" He closed the distance and pressed his mouth to mine hard and briefly then pulled back again. "Your taste, your scent…your love." He laid his palm over my pounding heart and I closed my eyes as I swam in my emotions, trying not to drown though I was rapidly losing the fight. "You've never understood how much you mean to me. But I intend to spend the rest of our lives showing you…"

I couldn't take it any more. Relief and a sort of giddy euphoria were taking me over and I tugged him up into my lap, his knees on either side of me. I gripped his fingers tightly and he rested his arms on my shoulders, his fingers diving into my hair. Looking up into his eyes I felt the ember spark a new flame - one that burned a billion times brighter than the old one had.

This existence I'd led for the last seven years faded into a memory. I had been a train wreck waiting to happen, waiting for Tyson to pick me up off the tracks and to re-ignite the fire within me as only he could.

"You're my everything, Tyson." I said brokenly.

"You are my everything, Kai." He returned just as tearfully before he bent down and crushed his mouth to mine with a tiny cry of pure need, hands fisting in my hair as he kissed me with seven years worth of passionate love, and longing, and want, and need, and lust…

I kissed back with equal fervour, my tongue darting out to taste his, to explore his mouth thoroughly and memorize its interior.

As the new flame exploded into an inferno within me, I pulled back and cried out in joyous triumph as life returned to me.

The Phoenix was reborn from the ashes of the past.

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Authoress' Notes: Well. That was fun. *passes out tissues* Anyway, I'm happy to announce someone finally figured out those numbers! Our winner is: kirei_16! *applause, applause* Yami Dranzer also got it right, but kirei_16 got it first, so she's our happy winner and will receive a one-shot KaTy lemon just for her…as soon as I can write it. ^-^;; Congrats! Does anyone else think that this is turning out more like Alias than MI:2 or is it just me? *shrugs* Oh well!