Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is not mine...it belongs to Natusuki Takaya. The song this fanfic is based on is not mine. Credits can be found at the end.
A/N: I know, I know. I am supposed to be working on the next chapter of IOR and I have been, I promise. It is just becoming a very long chapter. I heard this song when I was listening to the Saiyuki Image Album Volume 2 and I couldn't get it out of my mind, it seemed so perfect for a fic. The images and the words just kept coming back to me and I had to put it down in black and white. If I could only draw, I know how I would depict the scenes, they are so clear in my mind. I don't know if this is as good as I feel it is but I hope it is. It's my first attempt at a song fic. I liked writing it but it was hard for me to put a complete story into so few words. Much of the background is left to the reader's imagination, but I suspect the people who read this will know enough about Fruits Basket that there won't be any problems understanding. I hope people will like it. Please read and review.
New Beginning
Take my hand right now
Just slowly open your eyes
Remember me from way before…
The late December sky was a sodden gray mass so thick that sunlight could not penetrate its depth. Only the lightning penetrated the lifeless clouds as the thunder rolled; all were a solemn counterpoint to a young woman's grief.
He watched her from the shadows as she knelt in the damp grass by two silent graves. Her head was bowed and tears coursed down her cheeks and still…still he saw her smile through her tears. The smile gave him cause to hope that life had not broken her; not yet. He slowly approached her kneeling form. For many years he had searched for her and now he had finally found her. It was only yesterday he had succeeded in his quest and already he knew all about her current life and much more than she knew of her past. He knew she had loved, married, and had a son. He also knew that the husband and son had both been taken in one moment by the actions of a single reckless driver and now she was alone again. He stopped by her side and watched as she laid a single white lily on each grave. She bowed her head once more and then straightened her posture. She turned beautiful tear filled eyes to him and accepted his hand; it was the hand of a stranger now but he had once been a friend if only she could remember.
On and on we go
Until we find what we've been searching for…
She had sensed him watching her from the beginning but she felt no fear. She turned her head and looked into warm brown eyes; she felt the comfort he offered to the depths of her soul. He was a stranger but she felt she had known him all of her life. She had promised Soujiro she would find her past once again. It was her last promise to him as he took his final breath. Somehow she knew this stranger was a part of her forgotten past. She accepted his hand and allowed him to assist her to her feet.
It was only for a moment but a friendly zephyr parted the clouds and allowed a single narrow ray of sunlight to gild her slight figure and place a halo about her golden brown hair. His eyes widened in surprise when he realized she was with child. Her slender fingers caressed the mound resting below her breast as if to reassure the small life sheltered within and to reassure herself as well. She looked at the graves one last time. "Sayonara Soujiro my love. Sayonara Kenshin my child."
If you could just believe
Then you and me would see
There's no need to hide; cry alone anymore…
He spoke for the first time. "You are with child…may I?"
She nodded her head, she knew what he was asking. Somehow a lot of words was unnecessary between them. He placed his hand on her stomach and felt the baby move within. He looked into the mother's fathomless eyes and knew he wanted to stay by her side.
"Her name is Shinaoko and she will be born with the coming of the cherry blossoms. Spring is a time for new beginnings, wouldn't you agree?"
"I've been searching for you. Let me stay and help for a season. I'll leave after that if you want me to."
"Come with me then…"
Cause I will share my life with you
The world can be too tough when you're alone
But you seem to be so far…oh tell me…
And so began the journey…from the moment she accepted his hand the icy wall of loneliness that had encompassed her heart began to melt away.
Why you're crying now
I'm standing by your side
Tell me why your tears are blue
And how to stop them too…
There were times when the tears would fall; when grief overwhelmed her senses. She missed Soujiro with an ache that would not go away. She would sometimes close her eyes and see him standing there with his dark hair falling across his clear blue eyes. He had found her by a forgotten road eight years ago. While he could not return her memories, he did help her discover her name and the place of her birth once again. At least she had that much and he believed she would one day recover her past too. Her life began at that point. She and Soujiro were both orphans; neither of them had parents and neither of them knew of any other family. He gave her a home and helped her find a job. Eventually they fell in love and married. When the memories became too much to bear, her stranger; her friend was at her side. He took her hand and pulled her close as he offered her his shoulder to cry on. The tears flowed, the pain lessened, and she found she could smile again.
Tell me what you want me to do
And I'll do it just for you
Just to see you smile again…
December faded to January and January turned to February. He watched over her with loving eyes and shared in the joy of Shinaoko's development. When the grief was too much to bear alone he was there to hold her close until she could smile once more. He thanked whatever gods existed that he could do that much. A time existed in his past when it would have been impossible to do so for his family was cursed. Somehow, in his overriding concern for this small woman the ties that bound him in the curse severed and he was set free…free to hold her and to love her. She was his salvation and he was her anchor in a crazy, hurtful, wonderful world.
We can make it through
If we hold on to ourselves
When times are hard you have my shoulder
I believe in you because I know
You were there from way before…
March came and Shinaoko's impending entrance into the world drew closer. The woman's eyes glowed and her smiles and happy laughter sounded more frequently. His heart was full and no matter the future he would have these few months to cherish.
She found that bits of her past were coming back. It was just a trickle at first and began when he took her back to where she grew up. He took her to his cousin's home where she had once lived; though now it was shuttered and boarded because he was on an extended business trip. He took her by what had been her grandfather's house but now had new occupants. When her grandfather died her aunt and her family had moved but he didn't know where. They visited the high school; this was the place where their friendship had blossomed. Each visit created a piece of a jigsaw puzzle that slowly clicked into place.
The ides of March came and went and the jigsaw puzzle began to take on a definite shape. The once small trickle of memories became a flood as the dam obscuring her past burst open.
If you could just believe
Then you and me would see
There is no need to hide; cry alone anymore
I will share my life with you
The world can be tough when you're alone
But you seem to be so far…so tell me…
April arrived with the cherry blossoms and Shinaoko announced she was ready to make her grand entrance. She arrived and on the way home from the hospital they stopped at the temple grounds to introduce Shinaoko to her father and her brother. He stood as her guardian and held her newborn child while she knelt at the graves and tears once more began to fall.
Why are you crying now
I'm standing at your side
Tell me why your tears are blue
And how I can stop them too.
Tell me what you want from me
I'll do it just for you
Just because I want to see you smile again…
The tears slowed and her smile reappeared as she placed a branch of cherry blossoms on each grave. She rose to her feet and turned to face her future. The joy of recognition and remembrance lit her eyes.
"Momiji-kun" She smiled.
"Welcome home Tohru." He enfolded both the mother and child within his arms.
We can make it through
If we hold on to ourselves
When times are hard you have my shoulder
I believe in you because I know
You were there from way before…
Album: Image Song Collection Volume 2
Anime: Gensomaden Saiyuki
Song: From Way Before
Lyrics by: Laynah
Music by: Koji Ueno
Performed by: Laynah
Author's Note: I was trying to find a Japanese name for a child that symbolized a new beginning. I found Shinaozu in my Japanese/English dictionary and it meant to restart, a fresh beginning...ko is a suffix for a females's name and Shinaoko was born. I won't vouch for the accuracy of the name, but what I want it to convey is that there was a new beginning. I hope I have succeeded. I have wanted to write another Momiji/Tohru story since I completed "So Far Away" and this seemed the perfect one shot to accomplish that goal. I guess it could have been any of several of the Sohma's but Momiji is a special favorite of mine.