NOTE: This was originally done by Pash, but she left it, and said I could Take it up. I present to you the unaltered first chapters, and then I will create my own.

Cursing Winter

Chapter 1 - Back in the Saddle Again

Tohru smiled and sipped her tea, gazing out onto the Sohma gardens. Winter is a beautiful season for the gardens, everything is so white with snow, like a shimmering wonderland. Enchanting. She knew this for Akito had said so, the fourth time she had visited him after their first encounter in which he raised fury on her. But now, she was beginning to understand Akito a bit better day after day, and it seemed to be doing Akito well to, he hardly got sick as much and he finally let Tohru see his smile, a sort of one-sided smirk. It made Tohru so happy.

The girl rubbed her hands together and breathed into them, though winter was beautiful, it was so cold! Akito sat down beside her on the porch and looked out to the garden as well. By now, Shigure and Hatori had allowed her to come in unaccompanied, though that was to Akito's wishes of course.

Akito glanced at Tohru, who was marveling at the sight of the garden, and said, "I told you this time of year was the most beautiful. The coldness freezes everything, killing everything."

Tohru nodded, thinking back, "But my Mom always said that it also allows them to start over new as small plants, to let them come up from their hiding places in the ground and grow when winter finishes it's cleaning." She smiled, "I'd like to think of winter as a season that cleans everything for the new spring again, sweeping the past away, saying, 'Come on, time to tidy up for Springtime,' and Spring does indeed come, bringing new life and new possibilities for the dead plants."

Akito looked over to Tohru, thinking about this as the frost nipped his nose. He downcast his eyes and watched the snow drift down. Then would it bring new life to me? Looking over at the girl, he sighed grimly, Don't be stupid, I'm going to die anyway no matter what.

"But you know," Tohru said, "My mom also said that the winter brings new life to people too, in more ways than one. She said that we people get so tired of the cold that we just wish for Springtime, hoping it will come sooner than it does. Then we start looking at ourselves, thinking back on past warm days and find more than we knew about ourselves. And then, when Spring finally does arrive, you have a whole new prospective on this year, knowing that the winter will not come again until next year."

Akito gazed at Tohru, the snow around them seemed to magnify her beauty to him. She was beautiful, but he sighed and turned away. Silly thoughts, he thought to himself, stupid silly thoughts. I'll never tell her, because it won't do any good. I'll never escape from this house to tell her privately, just like I'll never escape the curse.

~**~

Tohru waved goodbye to Akito and followed Shigure and Hatori out of the Sohma estate. Yuki didn't come this time because of a meeting at the school for the board, and he was president, so he had to attend.

"So, did you have fun?" Shigure asked, having trouble imagining Tohru having fun with Akito of all people.

"Uh-huh!" Tohru nodded, smiling. "I had a lot of fun, really, I did." She caught a snowflake as it melted in her hand, "Akito isn't really a bad person at all --- really he isn't. I'm beginning to understand him a little bit more every time."

"Then that's all that counts," Hatori said in his tedious voice, walking on the other side of her.

Kyo waited on top of the Sohma entrance for any signs of Tohru, she appeared and he quickly hopped down to greet her, "Took ya long enough."

Tohru smiled, "Sorry, Akito and I were talking about winter."

Shigure and Hatori fell behind for a second, looking at each other, then at their surroundings, listening to Tohru.

"...Oh, winter he said was his favorite season. I can understand that. The garden is so beautiful too! You should see it Kyo, Akito has the best view of it too. He's lucky in ways." Tohru said, looking back to the main house one last time, seeing Akito hanging out the window. He looks so sad...maybe I can ask Shigure if Akito could stay at his house for a while, just to get away from the main house. I'm sure he has never even been out of the main house for very long. She sighed, Oh, but then it might be a burden to Shigure and I couldn't ask him of that. Besides...Yuki is still terrified of him.

"Hey, Tohru? Anyone home?" Kyo waved a hand in front of her face and she quickly snapped back.

"Oh! I'm sorry, must have zoned out for a moment there," She laughed slightly. "Sorry."

Kyo rolled his eyes and sighed, "It's alright, just don't zone out again while we're here. You know how I don't like this place." He grabbed her wrist and pulled her forwards, out the gate.

Shigure and Hatori looked at each other with an eyebrow raised - the entrance door slammed in their faces.

~**~

Akito sighed and pulled back into his solitary room and coughed. His time was drawing near. Only a couple more months...he knew it. He stood up and walked into the middle of the room, looking back out the window at Shigure and Hatori both pulling their faces out of the entrance door, then to Tohru laughing.

"I wish I could come with you..."

~**~

Tohru was still giggling as they walked into Shigure's house, holding her sides, but trying not to be rude. Shigure rubbed his head and glowered at Kyo for a second, who turned away - face red with embarrassment.

"Kyo, why did you have to slam it in our faces?" Shigure pouted, sitting down at the dining table.

The cat growled and turned around (with cat ears and tail), "If you would have hurried your damn asses up, that wouldn't have happened!" He crossed his arms and turned away again.

Tohru laughed one last time before turning into the kitchen, "Better get dinner ready." She hummed and set a pot on the stove, beginning to boil it.

"What're we having?" Kyo asked, walking into the kitchen.

Tohru turned around and smiled innocently, "Leek soup."

Kyo keeled over, twitching.

Tohru giggled, "Meso soup silly."

Kyo sat up and yelled, "Don't scare my like that damnit!" He stood up and sighed, saying quietly, "You know I don't like leeks."

"And meso when it's not in soup, I know," Tohru said, fishing through the refrigerator. She closed the refrigerator, arms full of food, and dumped it on the cutting board. "It'll be ready in a little while ---"

"Oh Tohru!" Shigure popped his head into the kitchen, "Could you make some tea for us please? It might be a good idea seeing that it is so cold outside."

The girl nodded, "Your right Shigure, tea will be wonderful." She heated another burner on the shove and set a kettle on it with tea inside.

Shigure stood in the kitchen doorway, with his hands on the top frame, "Say, when is Yuki coming home? He shouldn't let another one of Tohru's wonderful meals get cold."

"Let the damn rat stay where he's at," Kyo muttered, walking out of the kitchen, up the stairs to his room, "He sure isn't missed much."

Tohru ignored the comment, as did Shigure, and said, "Well, he had a meeting at school today ---"

"On a Saturday? My my, I do feel sorry for him," Shigure playfully pouted. "What for though? A school board meeting or something another?"

Tohru nodded, beginning to cut on the dicing board, "He's president you know, for the school year, and a lot of things have happened that the board needs to talk about with him."

"Hmm, just like when Aya was president." Shigure said to himself, and then sighed, "Well, I better be off! My editor will be here any time now, and I have the perfect plan..." He laughed hauntingly and rubbed his hands together, stalking off to another part of the house.

~**~

Yuki sighed and exited the room with the other board members, flipping through some information on paper. He groaned and fit them into his book bag, walking out of the school and down the street.

He checked his watch and yawned, "Ten - thirty already?"

Rubbing the sleep out of his eyes, he started down the long road to the Shigure's house. Cars passed by and the distant sounds of voices could be heard. He closed his eyes for a moment --- and bumped into someone.

"Oh, excuse me." Yuki bowed politely and walked around them until a familiar voice called his name.

"Yuki Sohma, pleasant meeting you here," Saki Hanajima said in her soft voice, turning to greet Yuki.

Yuki turned quickly, "Oh, Miss Hanajima, I didn't expect you to be out here this late."

Hana looked down at the boy beside her, "My brother was at a friend's later than expected, I had to pick him up."

Yuki looked down at the young boy, "Oh! Your brother?"

"Yes, my brother, I have many." She ruffled the boy's head slightly.

The boy squinted at Yuki, as if scrutinizing him repeatedly with his dark eyes. Finally, he looked into Yuki's eyes and said, "A curse hovers over you like a deadly disease, an ancient, powerful curse. It is one I've never seen sister."

Hana closed her eyes mystically, "He intends on not talking about it, it makes him...uneasy." She turned along with her brother, "It was nice meeting you Yuki... I sense that you have much on your mind. About what? I have to wonder..."

The two started into the darkness, disappeared out of sight, leaving a stunned Yuki in their wake. He looked at his hand, "How do they ---"

"Yuki!" Tohru called, waving her hands in the air and running towards him.

Yuki blinked, "Miss Tohru? What are you doing out here?"

"I was worried, so I came to walk you home," Tohru smiled and pointed behind her, "Along with Kyo."

Yuki raised a questioning eyebrow and looked over Tohru's shoulder at the steadily appearing figure of Kyo, sulking along, clearly wondering why he even bothered coming. "Stupid cat," Yuki muttered and followed Tohru back to Kyo, who turned around abruptly.

"Don't be thinking that I actually care. That damn Shigure was getting on my nerves," Kyo said and stalked forwards, leaving Tohru grinning and Yuki sighing.

Yuki looked over, seeing Tohru grinning, and blushed slightly. She looked so beautiful, especially with the lamplight illuminating her flawless face. One day he would get the courage to ask her, one day. However, tonight, her smile seemed troubled, like something was on her mind.

"Miss Tohru, is something bothering you?" He asked as soon as Kyo was far enough away so he could not hear.

Tohru's eyes became downcast.

"Is it Akito? Did he say something to you?" Yuki grew worried.

She sighed, "It is...about Akito, but he didn't say or do anything to me. Either way, you still hate him, don't you?"

Yuki nodded, "I do Miss Tohru, I am terrified of him. But why do you ask?"

Tohru looked back up and smiled the best she could, "No reason." Though, Akito must be lonely by himself in the main house, never spending any time with anybody...by himself all the time... She closed her eyes and they walked together to Shigure's house.

...Not knowing that eyes were following them the whole way...

~**~

A man with long black hair looked from behind a tree, watching Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru walk down the long dirt pathway. A gleaming coin hung around his neck, the symbol of a phoenix engraved on it. He grinned and placed a walkie-talkie up to his mouth.

"Checkmate."