Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket!

Between Seasons

Chapter 1:

"Before the screaming and cursing... before the cruelty and blindness... all we had was time. No longer winter, not yet spring. My love and I were caught in a dream... somewhere between the seasons."

--

It was a very cold day. It was actually rather shocking to be so cold, since it was nearing the end of winter.

The sun was high in the sky, and yet the snow some how stayed fluffy and frozen. The long blanket of white glimmered and shone like gems on the grass.

I was entranced by it all. It fascinated me.

So gentle it was, yet so powerful in abundance.

I never understood why Akito always compared me to it. I believe he was trying to insult me, but staring out the window at this moment, watching as the idividual snowflakes fall so perfectly into place... it didn't seem like an insult to me, more like an insult to the snow.

It seemed like I had been staring out that window for hours, ignoring all of my paper work. Usually I was more responsible then this, but there was somthing strange in the air today. It was thick and suffocating, yet gentle. It made it feel like my heart was going to stop, the same feeling you get right before watching a tragic ending to a loved movie.

I felt like somthing very important was going to happen to me, somthing life changing. But that idea is preposterous, so I brushed the thought out of my mind, and the suffocating feeling went with it. How silly of me to think something was going to happen.. Nothing was ever going to change for me.

But then again..

The sun seemed to be shining brighter then ever before.

That's when I heard a knock on my door. It startled me and stole me from my thoughts. I walked calmly but curiosly to the door, placing my usual stoic look upon my face, and slowly I opened the door. In front of me stood a very beautiful young woman. She smiled up at me for what seemed to be years.

Oddly enough that suffocating feeling returned.

"Hello." the woman said with a wide, childish smile. "My name is Kana Souma, you must be Hatori."

I nodded once. At first I was confused. What did she want with me?

Her next comment answered my question.

"I am here to be your assistant." Her smile never wavered.

I nodded again and stepped to the side. "Please, come in."

She bowed politely and pranced inside. She was very colorful. It was refreshing to see someone so happy in a hospital office.

Or was it unsettling? I couldn't quite tell.

I watched her glance around the room and then moved quickly towards the window, as if something amazing had caught her attention.

"Oh look! It's snowing!" She said, smiling brighter then before.

I joined her at my usual spot by the window. I searched for some way to respond, but I had nothing to say. She stated the obvious, what else could be said?

After a long moment of joining her in staring out of my window I started to move slowly towards my desk. It was time for me to start on my ignored paperwork, but that's when she spoke again.

"Can I ask you a question?" she smiled back at me. "When snow melts.. what does it become?"

I gave her an insulted look.

"The answer is water.. of course." Is she insulting my intelligence? Or perhaps she was just that clueless.

"BZZZZZT!!" was her response.

I was wrong? I couldn't help but stare blankly.

"It becomes spring!" she smiled at the falling snow. "I think spring is my favorite type of season."

I was speechless yet again. I don't know if it was her words or her smile that stopped me in my tracks, but when she spoke I wanted to stop what I was doing and listen to every word she said. Maybe I was sick?

I supose there is no better place to be sick then in a hospital office.

--

Fianlly I went back to my desk and I started on my paper work. She took small stacks over to her own desk and helped me with them. She hummed happily as she glided her pen gracefully across the paper. I read the same line over and over again on the paper in my hand. I tried hard to consentrate on my work, but her humming stole me away from it.

I couldn't believe how awkward it was that my assistant would be the visual embodiment of spring. She was so happy and full of life. Every little thing she did, she did with loving care. Everything was a new adventure. You could see it in her facile expressions, even for something so dull as my paper work. For every new paper she read over her face reacted to the words. I couldn't believe it. She wasn't afraid to be happy, almost like she wasn't aware of all bad in the world.

The only person I have ever met whom acted like this was Momiji.

How could they be so foolishly happy? Almost completely clueless, and yet uplifting.

And still she hummed without fail, her smile never weakened. She couldn't even act her own age, but some how I was drawn to her smile. I wanted to be more like her, more like spring.

Oh dear... I'm starting to sound like winter.

"Done!"

I looked up from my paper work to see Kana standing and walking merrily towards me, a stack of papers in her hand. In twenty minutes she had finsihed fifteen sheets.. in twenty minutes I had only read a single line.

She handed her stack to me and I began looking through them. I wasn't trying to be rude, but I couldn't believe she had finished so quickly. I was checking for mistakes, or maybe it was messy. But it wasn't. It was all filled out correctly and neatly. She was just that good. This erased my original thoughts of her being foolish. When I looked back up from her sheets I found her looking at my stack of papers. At first her face looked distressed, and then she giggled.

I blushed slightly. I was getting laughed at.

"Not a paper work kind of person, huh Hatori?"

"No... not really." Why won't my blush go away, it wasn't that embarassing.

"Here then." She smiled at me while she picked up the pile of papers. "I will do the paper work! I'm sure there are much more important things that you would like to be doing!"

And with that she made her way back to her desk and quickly started on the paper work. I could hear her humming again.

She was wrong though.. there wasn't much else to do at the moment, it had been a slow day. Not even one single call from Akito.

Perhaps I could finally re-arrange the medicine cabinet.

--

Quitting time was less then an hour away and I hadn't accomplished much.

I made myself look like a fool, I've been out witted by the spring, and i've passed my work off onto a young lady. Impressive.

I was still trying to re-arrange the medicines, but after all of this time the names were mixing together forming words that would scare most people. I couldn't take my mind off of Kana. Her humming had turned into a soft singing. She was trying to be quiet about it, but I could hear a word here and there. Oddly enough I formed the sentence 'sing like no one's listening.'

Used to it would be quite in this room. From the start to the end there wouldn't be a noise, but now that she is here it seems there is no such thing as quiet. I couldn't tell if I liked it or hated it. I felt weird on the inside, like it was the best day of work I have had in years, but I didn't do anything. I didn't file one paper, I didn't cure any sickness, I didn't give any shots, nothing. But then why do I feel so happy, so acomplished.

"Haaaatori!"

This voice was singing as well.. but it wasn't nearly as beautiful as Kana's. Right away I recognized the voice as belonging to Shigure.

"Haaaarrrii!"

And he brought Ayame with him.

My eyes were wider then usual as I looked over at Kana. I wasn't surprised to see her smiling at me. Together we watched the door.

All at once the door burst open and in jumped shigure in his house robe and Ayame in his... dress.

"Hatori we have come for your needle!!" Shigure said with a large 'Gure' grin!

"Yes! I do believe I need a shot!! Only yours can help me Hari!!" Ayame practically sang every word.

I had suffered that innuendo since I first became a doctor. At first I thought 'No, they'll forget about it soon." And sure enough, here I am years later suffering the same fate.

Ayame and Shigure hadn't yet noticed Kana, who was sitting at the desk behind them, but it didn't last for long, because finally the irony set in for her. She was laughing out loud now.

Ayame and Shigure looked very shocked. They both gave me a sly grin before turning and facing Kana.

"Oh my! What a pretty young lady!!" Shigure said, leaning over on her desk. "Have you come for one of Hatori's famous shots as well?"

I stood up now and started towards her desk. When the time is right I will rescue her from these moronic friends of mine.

"I'm afraid I havn't heard of Hatori's 'famous shot'." Kana laughed.

"Oh you should really try one, they're quite amazing!" Ayame said with a smile.

I couldn't believe she was amusing them. She wasn't frightened by them at all.

"Hatori! Why didn't you tell me you have such funny friends?!" Kana asked me, staring at me between Shigure's body and Ayame's.

"GASP! Hatori! You didn't mention us?!" Ayame turned around, looking hurt.

"They're more then friends, I'm afraid.. they are my cousins." I said, ignoring Ayame.

"Is your name as pretty as your face?" Shigure asked, leaning in closer to Kana.

"Oh, it's much prettier! My name is Kana Souma!" She smiled, stood, and bowed to them both.

Shigure and Ayame exchanged glances.

"Oh really? My name is Shigure Souma, but you can call me gure!" I could almost see the devious thoughts in Shigure's mind.

"And I am the beautiful one, Ayame. But please, you can call me Aaya!"

I knew that they were planning somthing. Perhaps I would have rescued her.. if she didn't look so unbelieveably happy.

"Aaya and Gure! What cute nicknames. I never got a nickname because my name is too short." she smiled.

"That could change." Shigure said more to me then to Kana.

She looked confused, I looked angry.

"So what are you to Hari?" Ayame asked intently looking her over.

"I am his assistant! I just started today! And what is it that you two do?" she asked again.

"I am a writer! I will have to bring a book in for you to read!" Shigure said with a wide smile.

"Oh that would be--"

I had to cut Kana off.

"You will not bring that smut into my office." I found myself saying.

"Oh Hari! Ouch!" Shigure said looking back at me. But then he looked back at Kana. "Don't worry I'll call you and read you a chapter a day!"

Kana laughed again.

"I make clothes!" Ayame said, very excited to talk about himself.

"Do you!" Kana asked. "Did you make that beautiful gown that you're wearing?"

"Well naturally!!" Ayame smiled.

I should have warned her not to flatter him.

"I can make you one too! It will be beautiful! Long and flowing and light green with bright flowers and vines!! Oh you'll look so beautiful in it!! Now what're your mesurments?"

"You don't have to tell him that." I said quickly.

Kana giggled.

"Oh please Hari! I'm not a pervert! It's my job to learn a woman's bust size!"

Kana laughed out loud.

"You know actually you would be the perfect model for me! Kana if you ever get tired of Hari, and trust me, somtimes it is easy to get tired of him, you should come down to my shop! I'll treat you right!!" Ayame was talking a mile a minute. Almost like he would never shut up.

"Tired of Hatori?" Kana smiled brightly at them. "How could you ever get tired of Hatori? He's sweet."

Very slowly Shigure and Ayame turned and smiled evily at me. I had never been so frightened in my life.

"What has he done to you child?!" Shigure asked. "Sweet? Hatori? Are we talking about the same person?!"

Ayame pranced over and stood beside me, sitting his hand upon my head. "Yes, our Hatori is about this tall!" he put his hands on my waist. "He's about this weight, he has black hair, and he is always frowning!"

"Well my Hatori.." Kana stood and walked over to me. ".. is about this tall," I could feel her fingers in my hair. "This wide," now they were on my waist. "He has black hair and he smiles softly, like this!" She put her fingers at each side of my mouth and she pushed up, altering my facile expression.

I could feel myself blushing now. She fit in with them better then I did.

Shigure and Ayame was snickering at Kana and I.

"Oh my! He smiles for you?!" Ayame asked, sounding a little jealous.

"We've been trying for 27 years to get him to smile, it hasn't worked yet!" Shigure added.

Kana turned around and smiled at them both. "You see you can't force it on him! It's more of a watch and wait kind of thing! If you watch him long enough with out his knowing you can catch him smiling sometimes!"

She had been watching me? My cheeks had to be red now.

"Oh gasp!" Shigure said. "Is it as beautiful as I had always dreamed it was?"

"It was like the sun on a spring day!" She said with a smile.

She laughed along with Shigure and Ayame as she slowly glanced down at her watch.

"Oh my!" she said, looking slightly worried now. "I talked right through the last hour of work! I'm sorry Hatori." she looked up at me.

I had to fight smiling down at her.

"Don't worry, I did too. You finished all of your work today, you are free to go."

She was smiling again. I wonder what I would say to keep her that way.

"Why don't you come with us?" Shigure asked, smirking. "Ayame and I were going to drag Hatori down to a coffee shop! Why don't you come along?"

Kana frowned." I would much rather go with you three... but sadly my friends are forcing me to go out with them." she smiled widely. "I know! How about we go out tomorrow?!" she smiled back at me.

"I don't know... our time is valuable." Ayame said.

It was a bad lie.

Finally all three of them smiled back at me, like they were awaiting my approval. I nodded once.

"Oh thank you so much Hatori!!" Kana said smiling brightly. "Now then, I must go!" She walked to the door, turned, and waved at us all before turning around again. Slowly she shut the door behind her. I could hear her singing again.

Then I could feel those eyes on me.

Shigure and Ayame was smiling evily.

Suddenly Shigure threw an arm around me.

"Hatori! You dog!"

"Shigure.. I believe you are the dog." I replied.

"Hari dear!! She's so beautiful! Why didn't you tell us about you getting an assistant?" Ayame asked smiling.

"I didn't want you two to bust in and make a fool out of me." I paused for a moment. "My plan didn't work."

Shigure laughed out loud all of a sudden.

"What's so funny?" I asked him, pulling my keys out of my pocket so I can lock up.

Ayame and Shigure walked out of the door and I followed behind them.

"HA!" Shigure finally replied. "I'll get you a girlfriend, yet!"

And with that I locked the door.

Chapter one

end

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