An Alternate Ending
Disclaimer: These characters are the property of Natsuki Takaya. I take no additional credit.
She continued to cry, clinging to Kyoko's grave as Arisa Uotani fought to get to her and Saki Hanajima kept Arisa back as she yelled at Tohru Honda. It was the middle of the night and it was also raining. Tohru was making no effort to move from the spot she had chosen at her mother's grave, thinking of the thing her friend had changed to. She coughed as she remembered the smell of him again. It was horrible. Could she still accept him now that she knew what he really was? No. She wasn't strong enough.
"You have to go!" Hana yelled louder as she held Uo down.
Tohru brought her head up, suddenly realizing that her friends were in the same area as her. But she went back down to her fetal position. "I can't. I just can't." She cried. She was actually trying to block out the voices of her best friends.
"Tohru! We're here for you!" Uo yelled as she continued to try and fight Hana off of her but was pushed back down again. "Damn you, Hana." She cursed as she tried to get back up and get to Tohru.
"We can't help her, Arisa. Tohru has to do this on her own. We cannot help her." Hana tried to convince Uo as she still held her back. Tohru still did not move though. Daylight could be seen in the distance and still, Tohru only sobbed harder on her mother's grave as she realized that she wasn't strong enough to accept Kyo's "other form".
Meanwhile, as the sun rose, Yuki was fighting Kyo. "I for one am sick of running!" He yelled at Kyo. Kyo finally changed back to his human form and brought forth all his strength to fight Yuki with. Of course, as a human he was nowhere near stronger than Yuki and was soon KO'd by the boy that would transform into a rat under certain circumstances.
Kazuya Sohma entered the area where Kyo was panting on the ground from their fight, his expression saddened more as he realized that Tohru was not in the area. He placed the bracelet on Kyo's left wrist and was immediately attacked by the orange haired boy. As they fought, Kazuya never getting hit and also not throwing a single punch, Kyo yelled angrily at the man who he looked to as a father. "Why? Why did you do that? Now she'll never come back! She'll never come back!" He yelled louder and louder until the truth hit him like a ton of bricks and he stopped fighting and fell to his knees, tears falling from his eyes. "She's gone and it's all my fault. If I hadn't been such a coward…I should've told her a long time ago and now…she'll never come back…she's gone…" He felt so weak. He picked himself up and slowly returned to the house. As Shigure saw him approaching the house alone, he quietly retreated into the house as well, realizing the damage that had been done and what it all meant. Kagura did the same as well. Yuki and Kazuya weren't far behind. They would all go into the house and not speak another word for a very long time.
Realizing it was too late, Hana stopped trying to hold Uo back. Once she realized that Hana had stopped, Uo slowly approached Tohru, now afraid to touch her. "Tohru?" She asked quietly. She didn't know what to do now that Hana wasn't trying to fight her back.
Hana approached Tohru now that the sun was shining, showing the world that it was morning, which was the sign that it was too late for what Tohru should have done. Hana placed her hand on Tohru's back. "Come on, Tohru. You'll get sick if you stay here." Tohru felt completely numb as she allowed Hana to help her stand. "Arisa, help me get Tohru home."
"Sure." She replied as she went to Tohru's other side and helped to support her. The two girls carried her to Shigure's house and knocked on the door. Shigure let them in without a word and watched as they took Tohru upstairs to her room. They put her to bed.
"Are you coming Arisa?" Hana asked as she started to leave.
"No. I'm going to stay here with her. Maybe ask someone in this house what exactly happened last night."
"You can't. They can't talk about it with us." Hana told her. "Just stay out of it Arisa. Only Tohru can know what happens in this house. We can't."
Uo sighed. "You know, I'm really getting tired of you telling me what to do. But alright, I won't say anything. You have my word on it." Said the blond as she turned her attention back to Tohru who had finally gone to sleep.
Hana then left. As she did, she crossed paths with Yuki who at first looked at her, then looked down as if ashamed of something. "I don't know what happened here last night and I won't ask. But what happens next is her decision. Even if it hurts some and causes her to do something that she doesn't want to. But it is her decision and hers alone. So don't let anyone tell her anything otherwise." With that, the dark haired girl left the house, tears flowing silently down her cheeks as she made her way home.
Hours later, Tohru woke up to find Uo smiling at her. "Hey, you're awake. Are you alright?"
"U...Uo…" She said as she sat up slowly. "No, I…I can't live here anymore. Something happened last night and…I can't stay here."
"Hey that's okay. You want me to help you pack? Just tell me what to do. You know I'll help you out as much as you need me to." Uo said, trying to be a good friend. "Are you going to move back in with your grandfather?"
"Yes. I should probably call first and make sure they still have room for me. E…Excuse me." Tohru said as she checked the time. It was around noon. She couldn't help but hope that no one else was home. She didn't know how she would face them after what had happened. Especially…him. She couldn't even think of his name she was so ashamed of herself. She left the room and headed straight for the phone. "Hello? Grandfather? I was hoping there might still be room for me there. I'm sorry. Something happened here and I can't stay anymore. Yes, I'll stay with a friend until the arrangements are finished. Thank you. I'm sorry. I know I just feel like I am. Sorry. Thanks again, Grandpa. Thank you. Goodbye."
"Miss. Honda?" Said the silver haired boy as she hung up the phone.
"Oh, Yuki. Thank you so much for letting me stay here for so long. Really, thank you." She said sadly.
"It was no problem, Miss. Honda. It was a pleasure having you. Your presence will be greatly missed." He replied. She then returned to her room.
Tears flowed heavily and she ran to Uo, seeking comfort and finding it as Uo held her closely. Once she had composed herself, Tohru began packing her things, Uo helping out as much as she could. "I know you live in a small place Uo, but would it be too much trouble if I stayed with you until my family is finished making room for me?" She asked as they packed.
"No, not at all. I'd love to have you over for a couple of days. You won't be any trouble at all." Uo said, realizing that of course they would have to make room for Tohru before she could actually move back in. She was trying to sound cheerful so that Tohru wouldn't know just how worried she was about her.
Once they finished packing all her things, they left without a word to anyone else in the house. She didn't have much so they were able to get all her things to Uo's apartment in just one trip.
The next morning Uo woke up in time for school to find Tohru still sleeping. She gently shook her friend's shoulder, trying to stir her. "Hey Tohru? Tohru? You feeling okay?" She asked.
Tohru slowly opened her eyes and looked up at Uo. She had slept in a cot on the floor that night and was still there. "Uo…no. I…I don't feel well."
Uo felt her forehead. "Well, you do feel a little warm. Stay here and rest today. I'll explain things at school okay?" She said as she stood up and grabbed her school bag.
"Uo, will you do me a favor please? Ask Yuki for the phone number for Hatori Sohma?" Said Tohru, her voice breaking as she thought of her only way out. She wanted to hold on to her memories, but this was too painful. She just couldn't handle the pain it put her in every time she thought about it.
"Sure, no problem. I'll see you when I get home. Get some rest, Tohru."
"Thank you, Uo." That was the last thing Tohru said before falling back into a deep slumber as Uo made her way to the door and left for school, locking the door behind her.
When she got to school, the first person she found was Hana and she explained to her that Tohru was staying her place and was taking a sick day. When Momiji found out that Tohru was sick, he was quick to volunteer to fill in for her at work that afternoon.
"She asked me to get a phone number from the Prince. There he is now." Said Uo as she talked to Hana in the hallway before class. "Hey." She said, getting his attention by waving an arm in the air. "Tohru's taking a sick day. She asked me get a phone number from you. Someone named Hatori Sohma?" A deep sadness crossed Yuki's features as he realized what this meant.
"Sure. No problem." He said as he went into the classroom and pulled a few things from his bag. He wrote down the phone number for Hatori on a scrap piece of paper then returned to the two girls in the hallway. "Give this to Miss. Honda. Tell her that if anyone besides Hatori picks up, to just insist and continue to insist until they get Hatori for her."
"Um, sure. Thanks." Said Uo as she shoved the bit of paper into her skirt pocket. "Where's orange top today?" She asked.
"Taking a sick day." Yuki answered before he returned to his seat.
When Uo returned home, Tohru was sitting on her bed holding the picture of her mom close to herself. "I think…if Mom were here, she would know what I should do..." Tohru gave a soft chuckle and looked up at Uo, her eyes still clouded with fear.
"I got that phone number you asked for." Uo said as she sat on the bed next to Tohru and handed her the bit of paper from her pocket.
"Thank you." Said Tohru as she shoved the paper into her own pocket.
"Will you be coming to school tomorrow, Tohru?" The blond girl asked.
"No…no…I'm not ready yet. I…" She was looking down like she was about to cry with her fists balled up. "Tell me though…which of the Sohma's were at school today?"
"Well, the prince was there and Momiji and Hatsuharu." Answered Arisa.
"And what about…" She couldn't bring herself to say Kyo's name.
"Orange top? He took a sick day today."
"Oh…I see…" Tears fell from her eyes unexpectedly.
"Tohru?" Uo said worriedly as she moved over to her and placed a hand gently on her shoulder.
"I'm fine. I don't…I mean…" She wiped her eyes with the back of her hands and tried to sober as she pulled the slip of paper back out of her pocket. "I need to call this number." She said as she clenched the slip of paper in her hand.
"I'll get it for you." Uo said and she went to go fetch it. "The Prince told me to tell you that if anyone besides who you're looking for picks up, to just insist and continue to insist until they get him for you." She said as she handed the phone to her.
Tohru nodded as she took the phone. "Some privacy please?" She asked.
"Sure." Said Uo as she left the room and closed the door behind her. Tohru dialed the number on the paper and waited for an answer as she listened to it ring. Her heart clenched and ached more and more with each ring until finally someone answered.
"Hello, Hatori Sohma speaking." He waited for an answer but didn't get one. "Hello?" He asked.
"Oh umm…hi…H-Hatori…It's me umm…Tohru…Tohru Honda…" She said finally. "I umm…It…it's too painful…" She said, trying not to start crying again.
"I understand. Just come by after school tomorrow and bring a friend." He said.
"Thank you." She replied as she hung up the phone. "Uo, do you have an envelope?" She asked her friend.
"Sure, no problem." Uo quickly found an envelope and handed it to Tohru. She watched as Tohru inserted what looked like a letter and a small key. Then she wrote 'Yuki Sohma' on the front of the envelope.
"I'm sorry to be asking for so but Uo but…" She was holding the envelope out to her.
"Sure, don't worry about it. I mean, you've already done so much for me."
"And there's one more thing…"
The next day after school, after Uo got home and dropped off her school bag, she walked with Tohru to the Sohma estate. "Wow! This place is amazing! This is where the prince grew up? Damn! I never would have guessed!" She laughed. Tohru was still looking down sadly when the big doors opened.
"Hey guys, Hatori is waiting for you." Momiji said solemnly. They followed him inside all the way to Hatori's main office.
"Thank you for bringing them here, Momiji." Hatori said once they had arrived. The blond boy nodded then left, unable to bear the thought of his friend wanting to lose her memories. They had made a promise together to always hold on to their memories no matter how painful. And now…she had painful memories that she was unable to handle and she was choosing to forget everything. He didn't know what to think of her now. She had been so strong to him and now she was just as weak as his mother had been. "Miss. Uotani, would you mind stepping outside for just a few minutes? This won't take long."
"Sure. I'll be right outside, Tohru." Uo said as she stepped out and closed the door.
"Tohru, are you sure you want to do this? You still have a choice to hold on to your memories." Hatori said, knowing how much this would mean to so many of the other Sohma's that Tohru's heart had touched since she moved in with Yuki.
"I want to be strong Hatori. I do. I just…" She started crying as she thought of it again and her eyes bulged from the sight and the smell and she coughed as if it were all happened all over again. "I can't. I just can't. I can't." She cried. "I'm so sorry. I'm so very sorry, Hatori. I know this is painful for you too. And Yuki, and…and…" She still couldn't say his name. She felt like she was about to scream from the pain of the memory. "Please Hatori…I'm sorry but…I'm begging you…please…"
"It's alright now. I'm going to take your memories from you and you won't remember a thing. I promise." He placed his hands over her eyes and used his unique gift to wipe her memory of everything she ever knew about the Sohma's. "Kureno." He said after she was unconscious. Kureno Sohma walked into the room and picked her up. He carried her to one of Hatori's patient beds and lied her down gently. "Miss. Uotani, you can reenter now."
Uo came in and looked around the room. "Where's Tohru?" She asked. He pointed to where Kureno was watching over her and the blond girl walked over there. "Will she be okay?" She asked as Kureno stood up to give Uo the seat.
"She's had her memory erased. When she wakes up, she won't remember ever meeting the Sohma's. The spell will affect you and your other friend as well. But it will happen tonight while you are sleeping. Now, we're going to take her to the hospital while she is still sleeping and make it like she hit her head while living out in woods and had been there for a while. Do you understand?" Kureno said. Uo nodded. "The spell will also affect anyone else that Tohru associates with who knew she had a connection with the Sohma's." The man picked up Tohru and took her to his car, allowing Uo to get in first. Hatori sat in the passenger side seat and Kureno slid Tohru in so that her head rested on Uo's lap then he took the wheel.
"How are we going to get the doctors and nurses to play along with this story?" Uo asked.
"I have connections. It's why I'm coming along." Said Hatori. Uo understood that. He was a doctor after all.
Hey I hope you liked chapter 1. Let me get 10 reviews, and I'll upload Chapter two! ;D