I DO NOT OWN FRUITS BASKET, though I wish I did! I would love to own Shigure, Kyo, and ALL the others but unfortunately I am not Natsuki Takaya and I only own Megami Sohma. Hope you enjoy! So anyway enough of me blabbing, on with the story!

Forbidden

Chapter 1: Prisoner

Megami sat on the edge of her bed gazing out the window watching the clouds floating by without a care in the world; they had something she desired—freedom. Her captivating blue-green eyes moved down to the floor, to the spot where her small pale feet were swinging back and forth; a single tear trickled down her face. She knew it was no point in yearning for something she would never have—she was Akito's favorite Sohma—meaning she would never leave the Sohma Estate—ever. The Sohma family had been forever cursed by the spirits of the twelve Chinese Zodiac animals and the cat; Akito the head of the family was possessed by the spirit of the God of the Zodiac, while Megami was possessed by the Goddess of the Zodiac—Megami would be forever Akito's, even if she ran away and she had tried but that only lead to one of Akito's punishments.

Megami brushed the tear away and finally got up, she strolled over to the large closet of her room and pulled out one of the many dresses Akito had bought her—this one was one of his favorites, the dress was a pale pink sundress with lots of ruffles where it met her knees. She stripped from her pajamas and pulled the dress on; Megami then sat down at the vanity and brushed her long dark brunette hair, leaving it down for it pleased Akito. After she was presentable she left her room and walked down the hallway to the kitchen to prepare her master's breakfast.

As Megami was cooking and arranging the tray for Akito, Hatori paused in the doorway watching over her. "Good morning Megami."He replied.

"Oh good morning Hatori."She smiled glancing back at him and then she went back to work.

The twenty-seven year old Sohma cursed by the Dragon (only to transform into a cute little seahorse) wandered inside and paused beside her; he gazed down at her with his usual serious look. "You know if you need help all you have to do is ask."Hatori said.

"I know but I'm fine. Besides if Akito found out you helped me—"Megami paused already imagining the scene and quickly shook it away, "—he would be upset."

"I care about you Megami."Hatori said taking her hands in his, "Akito runs you ragged around here and I hate that for you."

Megami flushed as she gazed up at him; Hatori's short black hair reached his neck, his bangs were long and covered his left eye from an injury caused by Akito. His green eye twinkled with compassion for her—Megami and Hatori have been in love with one another for a long while (after the Kana incident) but since she was the Goddess the two could never be together—it would enrage Akito, "I'll be fine Hatori, I promise."She reassured with a smile.

"All right."Hatori grinned faintly brushing a piece of her hair back behind her ear. He let his hand linger there for just a moment; Megami raised her hand to his and held it.

"Good morning!"

They looked over to see Momji (who was cursed by the Rabbit) bouncing up and down in the doorway wearing a huge smile. "What are you two doing? Huh?"He questioned innocently gazing up at them with his large brown eyes.

"We were just talking Momji."Hatori replied, "Now leave Megami to her work; she doesn't need you bothering her."

"Oh he's not a problem Hatori; I always have time for my Momji."She said wrapping her arms around him which made him giggle—Megami could hug any of the male Sohmas and not have them transform into their Zodiac forms like when they held girls not from their famly. Hatori smiled and then left the kitchen, "So Momji are you hungry, I can fix you something too."

"No I'm okay Megami."

"All right sweetheart."

"But…I do want to ask you something."

"And what is that?"

Momji hesitated and stared at the floor sorrowfully, "I heard you crying last night, I know Hatori did too but he didn't want to be nosy…I just want to know if your okay Megami."

Megami froze. She gazed down at her hands which were now shaking and then looked over at Momji, "I'm fine Momji thank you for asking, I just had a bad dream that's all."She said and that was true—she had a nightmare about Akito.

"Okay."He smiled.

"Megami!"Akito's voice rang through the halls,

Megami and Momji both froze and gazed at each other, "You better run along Momji."She said.

"All right."

"Hey Momji, how about later I make you some of those cookies you like so much?"

"That sounds great!"Momji smiled before running off into the other part of the house.

Megami finished placing everything on the tray and then carried it to Akito's room; she paused before the large, exquisitely designed sliding doors, switching the tray into her other arm and opened the door to find Akito waiting for her by the large window of his dark room. "Finally."He smiled darkly looking over at her with his dark gray eyes.

"Sorry Akito, I had to make Momji's breakfast as well."She lied.

The smile remained on Akito's face, "That's all right."He said, "Come have a seat."Akito replied patting the space beside him. Megami obeyed—she placed the tray before him and started pouring his tea when he grasped her wrist abruptly. She gazed up at him wondering if she had done something wrong in his eyes, "That can wait Megami, sit beside me."

"Um okay."She said slowly raising and positioning herself at his side.

Akito wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close to him, "I missed you."He purred into her ear, "We may have seen each other yesterday but it feels like an eternity to me."He whispered. Megami could feel Akito's warm breathe on the back of her neck which caused her hair to stand on ends; her heart pounded inside her as he planted a kiss on her neck,

"Um…how about your tea now Akito?"She suggested wiggling herself free from his embrace. "You know Hatori says you need your strength so please eat." She cooed.

Akito chuckled lightly and smiled at her. "I don't know what I would do without Megami."He said watching her as she poured his drink, "Now I like—"

"I know—"Megami smiled up at him, "—two spoons full of sugar and a drop of cream."She said placing the cup in his chilled hands.

"You know me too well Megami."

"Of course I know my Akito."She said pouring herself a cup of tea—one spoon full of sugar and cream, just the way she preferred it. "So what would you like to do today Akito? We could take a stroll by the pond like we used to when we younger or we could just sit outside and talk, it's a lovely day, a bit chilled but not bad."

"Those sound like wonderful ideas Megami—"Akito said before sipping his drink, he then placed his cup down and glared up at her with a fierceness that caused her to freeze—she had seen that look many times when Akito was displeased by something, "—but are you forgetting my illness? I will not go outside."He snapped glowering out the window. It was a beautiful day—the seasons were changing from summer to fall so the leaves of the trees were slowly changing to their autumn hues. "You must be blind Megami because it is revolting out there."

"I'm sorry."

The smile returned and his expression quickly softened watching the fear displayed on her face. "Now is there something I can do to bring back that beautiful smile of yours?"He inquired.

Megami gazed up at him and then back to her hands folded in her lap, "Well…I did want to ask you something."She replied softly.

"And what is that?"

"I was wondering if you'd allow me to leave the Estate…just to visit Shigure and Yuki or Ayame or K-Kyo, I haven't seen them in a while and I just would love to see them but if not there's always New Year's. I just wanted to leave to visit with—"

"You want to leave me!"Akito suddenly snarled.

Megami stared up at him stunned, "What? No I just wanted to—"

"Don't lie to me Megami! You want to abandon me here so you can run around and care not for me!"He yelled glowering at her darkly. She lowered her head not wanting to look at him—she upset him and she knew a punishment was to come from it. He was now towering over her, Akito grasped the tea pot and threw it at one of the walls causing it to shatter—a waterfall of tea and glass rained onto the floor. "You ungrateful wench! I have given you everything you could possibly ask for and you want to leave me?"He snapped yanking her by her hair with so much force that she cried out in pain.

"Akito! Please stop it!"Megami sobbed.

"Shut-up!"Akito bellowed pulling her to her feet. Akito then slapped her across the face with such force that she collapsed to the floor; tears poured down her cheeks, her face stung and her right hand was glued to where he had smacked her.

Akito bent down to her, "You realize I must keep you here not because of what spirit your possessed by but because no one out there would want you."He whispered harshly in her ear before rising to his feet once more.

Suddenly the door opened and Hatori paused in the doorway, "What's going on in here?"He inquired his gaze fixed onto Megami who was still on the floor and Akito towering over her.

"It's none of your concern."Akito replied strolling over to him, "Clean this mess up Hatori."He ordered and then paused at the door, "Megami, I wish to see you later, we need to finish up our discussion."He said before disappearing down the hall.

Hatori rushed inside and bent down before Megami. "What did he do to you, Megami?"

Slowly she stared up at him through tearstained eyes, "I-It was my fault. I upset him—"

He wrapped his arms around her, pulling her close to him. "It's all right."He cooed as she sobbed into his chest.

Night came and Megami sat alone in the darkness of the backroom of the Sohma house waiting for Akito appear. She sat in the corner, her legs close to her chest and her chin resting on her knees. She trembled with fear anticipating the beating that was to come, "Why did I ask such a thing?"She asked herself. "I should've known it would upset him."

The door abruptly slid open, "Megami, Megami, my lovely Megami."Akito's voice sang out before he moved into the slivers of moonlight that painted the wooden, creaky floorboards. Megami's eyes were fastened on the long, black whip in his hands and then they moved to his face.

"Akito…I-I'm sorry."She cried, "I don't want to leave you, it was foolish of me to ask such a thing."

A smile played on his lips, "I know you're sorry but unfortunately I still have to punish you." She gazed up at him with terror in her eyes as he unraveled the whip and that horrifying glower washed across his face.

The first Crack and a scream, "How dare you even think of leaving this place?"Akito roared.

The next Crack and a scream, "You belong to me Megami and no else!"He retorted. And the pain continued….

An hour later Megami sat trembling as tears rolled down her face, her ankles were raw and blood oozed out of the cuts, pain crawled up her legs as Akito loomed over her. Roughly he gripped her arm, squeezing so hard she thought he would break the bone, "Do you understand now Megami? Do you? I hate doing this but you must learn! I am only trying to protect you!"He snarled.

"Akito please! You're hurting me!"She sobbed as he continued to dig his fingers into her skin.

"Stop changing the subject! Answer me Megami! Do you understand?"

"Y-Yes!"She whimpered, "I understand, I'm sorry."

Akito's expression softened and suddenly he wrapped his arms around her, "Good."He whispered. "I despise doing this to you Megami; I only do this because I love you. Don't you love me?"

Megami was stunned and still trembling, "Yes, I love you Akito."She whispered.

He kissed her forehead before standing up, "Good girl, well pleasant dreams my Megami, I'll see you in the morning."He replied and then he left the room sliding the door behind him.

Megami sat unmoving, tears continued to roll down her cheeks and drip off her chin soaking into the floor. Slowly she arose, her ankles still stung and ached and her legs felt like jelly beneath her. She stumbled towards the door, slid it open and walked out into the hall. Megami left the main house and wobbled down the pathway leading to Hatori's home; she staggered onto his porch and paused at his door and knocked.

Hatori knew it was Megami and quickly made his way to the door and forced it open; his eyes widened at the sight of her. The dress she was wearing had a few blood splatters around her knees and her ankles looked awful, tears were flowing down her face and she seemed exhausted. "Megami."He said softly ushering her inside,

"I hope I'm not intruding Hatori but…I-I—"

"It's fine Megami."Hatori said leading her to the back of his house where his doctor's office was. He guided her inside and helped her onto the doctor's bench; Hatori gathered the tools he needed and began to tend to her wounds. "I'm sorry Megami."He whispered.

"For what?"

He stared up at her, "For not being there to protect you."

"Hatori, this is my fault…I should have never asked Akito for anything."She said as Hatori finished binding her injuries. He rose and gently cupped her face in his hands,

"Listen to me; you have never done anything wrong, Megami. You do everything he asks and more, when he says no one wants you don't believe that!"He said, "I-I want you."

She gazed at him and smiled faintly, "I want you to Hatori."

The two drew closer together, Hatori brushed his lips against Megami's and before they could stop themselves they were locked in each other's arms. Megami's heart fluttered inside her as if it were a bird taking flight—when Akito and her kissed she never felt anything like this. She knew that Hatori was her one, true love—and they couldn't be together—because it was forbidden.