Well, I just thought I'd write another story, slap bang n the middle of my coursework/exam time! Still, it beats lying on my bed procrastinating : ) This will, obviously, be slightly out of canon, set in an English-esque early Japan, because I am not very well acquainted with historical Japan : ( Basically Mori is the heir to the throne of Japan, and Haruhi is… Well, I'm sure you can guess ;)

I own nothing : (

"Haruhi?" Haruhi was sat outside reading in the sunshine. When she heard her father come out of the house she stopped reading and looked up.

"What's the matter?" She noticed that he seemed jumpier than usual, and he sat down tentatively on the bench.

"You know I could never replace your mother, right?" Haruhi nodded slowly, uncertain of where the conversation was going.

"Well, I think it's time we moved on though, don't you?" Seeing her eyebrows raise, he hurriedly carried on. "I mean, not that we should forget your mother or anything, but… I worry about you Haruhi. All you ever do is read, or study, and I think it would do you good to have some friends, get out of the house sometimes." Haruhi was even more confused with where this conversation was heading now.

"Father-"

"No, don't interrupt me yet Haruhi, I worry about you growing up with only me for a role model, you need some female influences. Not a father who dresses as a woman. Or, at least, not just a father who dresses as a woman. And I've just got a good job, good pay, working at the palace. But, there's a downside. It means I'll be away a lot of the time, as they want me to work long hours, and I'll have to have quarters at the palace for sleeping most of the time, and keep all my equipment there. And so, I've decided to get married again. I've already met a woman, she's really nice, she's really looking forward to meeting you, as are her two daughters, who are both lovely girls. But it means you can make friends with them. And they're coming round to meet you in an hour or so, and we're getting married on Sunday."

Haruhi was just staring at her father open mouthed now. She couldn't even get her head round the multitude of things that he had just told her - she was gaining a mother - no, step mother- and two step sisters, it was happening in three days, she was losing her father to the palace, and she was meeting these people in an hour.

"Why - why didn't you say anything earlier? Why wait till now and make it such a shock and so much to take in? why didn't you say anything when you first started thinking about this?"

Her father looked slightly sheepish. "Honestly? It's all been quite a rush. I only knew I got the job about two weeks ago, and I wanted to make sure there was someone there for you for when my job starts. Which is another week and a half or so." Haruhi was stunned. He was marrying someone he had known for two weeks? She thought it was ridiculous and told him so.

"Maybe so, but it's happening. I don't want to leave you here on your own for so long, because I know you and you'll do nothing but study and read. Now go get ready to meet them." Haruhi stood up in a daze and walked to her room. She went in and sat on her bed, still not completely able to take in what her father had just said. That was how her father found her 45 minutes later, when he came in to check she was ready.

"Haruhi! They're due any minute now!" he pulled her up and began throwing clothes at her which she pulled on, slowly coming out of her stupor, and allowed him to do her hair.

"No time for make up, but that might be for the best, you always look prettier without it I think." He turned Haruhi to face him and beamed. Pulling her into a hug he told her that him getting married wouldn't change anything between them, it was just a chance for Haruhi to socialise and learn to act more girly - something her father had always wanted.

He then pulled her down the stairs, just as the doorbell rang.

"They're here!" he trilled. Opening the door, he welcomed the women who would soon become Haruhi's own personal tormentors.

Well, it's a story I've always wanted to write, although updates may be patchy at best, depending on when I get chance to write : ( Still, feel free to review and tell me what you think : )