A/N: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of its characters.

In the truest sense, freedom cannot be bestowed; it must be achieved.

~Franklin D. Roosevelt

"Why don't you love me? Isn't that what a family's supposed to do?"

"You are a foolish girl! Who would love you for what you are?"

"It's nice to know the love I felt for all of you was for nothing!"

"You're so dense; you don't even know what love is!"

"Anyone meeting you would be disgusted."

'All alone again…' Miyako thought, staring up at the night sky. The stars above her dimly lit the alley she was in. Small purple black clouds drifted through the sky like bruises. Soon the stars would be gone, and hopefully her as well.

'This always happens…'she thought, watching the clouds thicken slowly. 'It's a good thing I can't hurt anyone if I die alone…'

"Mew!" A small body pressed up against hers, begging for attention.

"No Amaya, go away, I'm bad luck…" Miyako coughed.

'At least I am for humans…' The kitten mewed again and curled up against her, its bottle green eyes locked with hers. Miyako smiled and pulled her coat from her shoulders.

"Here you go Amaya; it'll be of more use to you than me." Miyako wrapped the kitten in her coat, sitting up as she did so. The position proved to be unfavorable to her sickness and sent her into a coughing fit.

"Miss Honda! Where are you going?" Footsteps echoed in the alley.

'People…great…' Miyako sighed inwardly, grimacing in pain as she lay back down.

'This always happens…'

"Sohma-kun! I think there's someone in the alley!"

"Careful Miss Honda, it could be a mugger."

'Or worse…please go away…' Miyako screwed her eyes shut, willing the girl away; she didn't want another person hurt. Her conscience couldn't handle it.

'Maybe if I stay still and quiet, she won't find me…' Much to her dismay, the girl, Miss Honda, appeared at her side, her face full of concern.

"Oh! Sohma-kun! Come quick!"

'No… why…' A boy materialized out of the dark and loomed over Miyako and the other girl. He had dark gray hair and a girly looking face.

"Oh, wow…" the boy with gray hair leaned over and put his hand on Tohru's shoulder protectively.

"She doesn't look so good, what should we do Sohma-kun?" Honda said in a panicky voice, looking at the Sohma boy. Miyako closed her eyes.

'Maybe they will go away…'

"Should we call an ambulance?" she asked, worried. Miyako's eyes shot open.

"No!" she cried, sitting up awkwardly, fear filling her emerald green eyes. Honda and the Sohma boy looked at her in alarm. The kitten mewed at her side, frightened by the commotion.

"Don't. Don't call…an…ambulance…" Miyako slipped out of consciousness. Tohru looked at her helplessly before whipping around to face Yuki.

"Can we take her home? Just until she gets better; she can stay in my room." Tohru begged. "Please, she has a fever…" Tohru turned and looked at the girl sadly.

"I don't see why not… let me call Shigure, there's a pay phone around the corner," he said, reaching into his pocket for change. Tohru watched him run out of the alley. An icy cold drop hit her skin, making her shiver.

"Rain…" she said. Miyako moaned in her sleep and rolled over. A single tear rolled down her cheek, blending in with the rain.

"The clouds are crying…" Tohru said softly watching the sleeping Miyako as rain like tears fell all around them.

"The rain's really picking up," Shigure said, looking out the window. He was waiting for Tohru and Yuki to get home with the new ward. Apparently Tohru found some girl in the alleyway, sick with a fever. Worried for the girl's safety, Tohru asked, well, begged Yuki to take her home with them, "just until she gets better," as Tohru said.

'Something tells me that girl has no home… or doesn't want to go home.' Shigure glanced at the television; the local whether report called for flash flooding and a typhoon. It was quite unexpected weather, the last storm of the summer.

'That girl,' he thought, turning his attention back to the problem at hand. 'It would be nice to have another flower grace this house of barbarians…' Shigure glanced up at the ceiling.

Kyo was upstairs sleeping; he always got tired when it rained and usually slept during the lightest drizzle. 'Especially with the number of barbarians increasing…' he smiled at the thought of more girls in the house.

'I'll have to speak to Akito.' A dog howled outside. Shigure glanced at the door. 'Danger's approaching… what danger? Does he mean the storm?' Someone knocked on the door, making him jump. 'There's our new flower now…'

He opened the door to a drenched Yuki and Tohru, the unknown girl supported between them. Her black hair was matted down with rain and her clothes were dirty and torn. 'Where has this girl been?' Shigure thought, moving to help them. A small black kitten darted into the house just as he closed the door; they paid no mind to it.

"Here Tohru, Yuki and I will carry her in, you go get some towels." Shigure said, taking the arm Tohru had. He and Yuki guided her into the living room and sat her down.

"We need to get her out of these wet clothes," Yuki said, pulling off her shoes. Tohru came in the room, her arms full.

"I have the towels and a change of clothes for her," she said, handing a towel to Yuki. Tohru looked at the Shigure and Yuki, a slightly embarrassed look on her face.

"Umm, you guys get out so I can change her clothes," she said, trying and failing to give an order. There simply was no authority in her voice.

Yuki smiled and stood to leave, but Shigure looked unwilling. As a result, Yuki had to drag him in to the kitchen so Tohru could have a chance to change the girl.

In the kitchen, Shigure and Yuki were having a serious conversation about the new potential ward.

"Where are we going to put her?" Yuki asked, staring out the window.

"I know Tohru offered her room," Shigure said. "But I don't think that's enough space for two girls." Yuki nodded slowly.

"We have no other place for her though; I'm not sharing a room with that stupid Cat." Shigure nodded in understanding, a small smile on his face.

"Yes, I don't think we could afford that either."

"I say she stays with Tohru, it'll only be for a short time, right? Just until she gets better?" Yuki asked, ignoring Shigure's comment.

"Yes, I suggest that too, but I don't think it'll be for a short time; that girl's obviously homeless, I mean look at the state her clothes are in. Even a runaway would have better clothes." Shigure said, thinking.

'Not to mention the way Akito's been acting; if this girl is indeed homeless and wishes to stay, Akito is bound to jump at the opportunity. It'll be another way to prove the world hates us.'

"Yes," Yuki said, eyeing Shigure suspiciously. "I suppose you're right. But still…"

"Umm, Shigure…Sohma-kun…" Tohru's panicky voice cut Yuki short.

"What is it Miss Honda?" Yuki asked, casting a worried look to Shigure. Both guys immediately headed into the living room. Tohru looked up at them, a frightened and confused look on her face. The girl was nowhere in sight.

"Where is she?" Shigure asked looking around the room. 'There's no way a girl that sick could get up and walk out…'

"Shigure," Yuki said, but he already saw. Nestled in the center of what Shigure recognized as the kimono Tohru got for the girl, was a small, black form.

"A…a cat?" Yuki said in disbelief. Tohru nodded.

"Her fever was getting worse…when…" she gestured to the sleeping cat. Shigure straightened a serious look on his face.

"We can't say anything to Kyo about this; not until she wakes up and we know more about her. I think there are enough people who know about this." The other two nodded, not saying anything. Shigure turned and walked out.

"Where are you going?" Yuki asked.

"I'm calling Hatori; we need a doctor and I have to see Akito in the morning; he'll want to know about what occurred tonight," Shigure called over his shoulder. Yuki turned to Tohru.

"Will you be alright with her?" he asked.

"Where are you going?" Tohru asked, confusion in her voice.

"I have to protect my secret base I was telling you about, this rain will destroy it." Yuki said. Tohru's eyes lit up.

"Why don't you both go?" Shigure asked, leaning into the room, phone at his shoulder.

"I'll stay here and watch the girl; Hatori should be over soon." Yuki and Tohru smiled.

"Let's go then!" Tohru said enthusiastically. She stood; ready to go, then stopped suddenly, a thoughtful look on her face.

"Shigure," she asked. Shigure poked his head in.

"Are you sure you can do that? I mean all by yourself…" Shigure chuckled softly.

"Of course I can, you two go on now," he said, a small smile on his face. Tohru smiled back happily and followed Yuki to the front door.

'I wonder what that girl is...' Tohru thought, glancing back at the bed before going out.

"Be careful," Shigure called after them.

"Hello? Shigure?" the phone on his shoulder called to him. 'Back to the problem at hand…' Shigure thought grimly, putting the receiver back up to his ear.

"So sorry Hatori, so can you come by? I think you'll find this fever rather interesting…"