Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or any of the bands that may show up in here. That is not yet my privilege…

A/N: Hey guys! Or girls… or… never mind. I've been thinking this up for a while, and now it's actually here! My story! Yay! It's Hatori/Kana, the whole way through. Well, most of the time. The end is a bit different. Unexpected, I think. Yup. Read and review!!

Hatori Sohma stood in his bathroom in front of his mirror. His black hair hung in front of his left eye. Both his eyes were a startling blue-green in color. He had dressed as usual. A white undershirt, followed by a well-ironed white dress shirt, tucked into a just as nice pair of grey dress pants. He turned, selected a red tie off the doorknob, and tied it perfectly around his neck. He slipped into a grey-blue vest and buttoned it up. His reflection was of a well dressed, attractive man. He frowned and unbuttoned the vest. He dropped them on the floor. He'd get it later.

Kana Sohma also dressed. A standing mirror in her bedroom was her point of interest. She had put on a matching jacket and skirt. Her blouse poked through the half-buttoned jacket. The look she loved. Her feet slipped into shoes, and she moved closer, nose almost touching the mirror to check her make-up one last time. Today was an important day for her. It was her first day as an intern to her distant relative, Hatori Sohma, a well studied family doctor.

Kana walked to the main house. It was cold out, but she didn't mind. To her, winter was a long, dark tunnel. At the end, was spring. Kana loved spring more than anything. The estate was very large. She was glad to have finally found the entrance. A man stood against the door. He was tall; his black hair hung in front of his left eye. His other eye was a bright blue-green. She assumed both of them were. He bowed as she approached.

"Hello. I take it you are my new assistant?" he asked, straightening. She nodded. "I am Hatori Sohma. Come in, the office is a short ways from here. It's quite cold out." He turned, opened the door, and she walked in. Hatori was a fast walker. He led her through hallways, out doors, over paths winding through gardens, and under covered walkways, quietly naming off buildings and gardens to her. She talked with him as well.

"I'm so honored you chose me, Hatori-san! I'm sure this job is very coveted." He shrugged.

"Not quite. Most of the interns flock to the hospitals for positions. I am only a lowly family doctor."

"Oh," she replied. "I'm sorry." He smiled.

"There is nothing to be sorry about," he told her softly.

He finally stopped before a small building and took a key out of his grey pants. She followed her gaze upward. Over a pressed white shirt was a perfectly white lab coat. The door swung in, and he beckoned her inside. The door shut behind her. He walked, past two overstuffed chairs, off of the thick rug they sat on, into a tiled back room with two desks (and computers) and rows of shelves filled with files. It lead to what appeared to be an examination room. A file cabinet stood behind a desk covered with neat stacks of papers. He draped his coat over the leather chair in front of it and opened a drawer. He turned, hand to his head.

"Where are my manners?" he asked, slightly annoyed. "I have not had you introduce yourself!" She smiled.

"I'm Kana Sohma! I'm so pleased that you selected me! Thank you again! It's a little strange that we're in the same family and we've never spoken before. But, Hatori, you're so handsome you're popular even 'outside!'" she told him gleefully. There was something about him that made it hard not to smile. He nodded in his serious way, slightly taken back.

"It was cold out. Would you like something hot to drink?" he asked. She shook her head. "Well, to continue, your files and work will be over here on this desk. And I know it's sudden, but I've got a job for y-"

"It's snowing!" she cried happily, gaze drawn to the window. Then she looked horrified. "Oh no! I'm sorry for interrupting, Hatori-san!" She turned, smiling radiantly. His breath caught in his chest. "Hatori-san, can I ask you a question?" He nodded, intrigued. "When snow melts, what does it become?"

What the hell? Was she kidding?

"It becomes water, of course," he replied, skeptical. She was smiling even brighter.

"Wrong! It becomes spring!"

It becomes spring.

"Spring is my favorite season," she said, beaming. Then she apologized again and let him continue with his instructions.

Noon hit. Hatori had been working fervently, but looked up as his phone vibrated in his pocket. He flipped it open and turned the alarm off. Standing, he was glad to see that Kana was hard at work, smiling happily. He picked his coat up off the chair and slid into it. Kana looked up, surprised.

"Where are you going?" she asked, standing as well. He motioned for her to sit, but she ignored him.

"The head of the family, Akito, needs his medications now, seeing that it's noon." She nodded and made for the door. Hatori stopped her. "There's no need for you to come. Akito is not fond of strangers." He was secretly worried. Kana saw it reflected ever so slightly in his eyes. She nodded.

"I could just stand outside the room," she suggested. Hatori paused in getting his black leather bag to watch her. Slowly he nodded.

They left the office and took off down the covered walkway. Hatori looked straight ahead, but directed his questions to her.

"So, Kana-chan, what made you decide to become a doctor?" She smiled.

"I've always loved to help people and take care of them. A doctor was an obvious choice. And I love challenges. It seems like a challenge, being a doctor. In a good way; so I took it on." She laughed at her last sentence. "Sorry. What about you, Hatori-san?"

He glanced quickly at her. "I love to help too; and to take care of people. It makes me feel invincible; like I can take on anything and know I'll win in the end." A smile flickered at his lips. "The position was inherited. I'd always wanted to do this anyway, after my mother died. I vowed to never lose against a death that could be prevented. My father died a few years later. I moved here. They were always very supportive to me." He stopped and sighed. "Unfortunately, this job wasn't the only thing I inherited." Kana looked at him questioningly, but he said no more. "Maybe…maybe I'll tell you one day."

Kana waited as Hatori went to give medicine to Akito. The conversation on the way there was playing through her head. "Unfortunately, this job wasn't the only thing I inherited." He had sounded so regretful. The door opened and Hatori came out, looking nonchalant, expression the same. He nodded to her as they walked.

"Akito's in a better mood today," he told her. She made to turn toward the office, but he gently took her arm and steered a different way. "We're going to the kitchens for lunch. I noticed you didn't bring anything." Kana's eyes widened.

"Oh no, I totally forgot about lunch!" she cried. He smiled.

The kitchens were bustling. Hatori spoke with the cooks and came back with two trays of steaming food. She took one gratefully.

"We'll eat back in the office," he said, looking around warily. She nodded and followed him back out into the cold.

Lunch ended up lasting until 1:30; Akito's medicine, walking, ordering, more walking and the actual eating took up about an hour and a half. They sat on the floor and chatted over their trays of fresh warm food. Hatori watched her.

"Do you like it? The cooks here are amazing. It's where I usually eat." She nodded as she chewed. Swallowing, she said,

"It is good." They talked about personal lives, joked, about college and work. It was quite fun. Hatori stood and put the trays outside by the door. The maids would retrieve them. Reluctantly they returned to the desks to work. At three, the door burst open.

"Hari!" cried a voice from the doorway. They turned to see a young blonde haired boy waving frantically and walking towards them. He was carrying an armload of books; school books. Hatori smiled at the boy, looking to be only in elementary school.

"Hello, Momiji. Need help with your Algebra again?" he asked, just like a father. As fatherly as Hatori would ever get, anyway. His emotions were so well hidden behind his mask of a face.

"Ja!" the boy cried. He was German. He plopped down on the floor and began to spread out his papers. Kana watched in amazement. He looked up at her and smiled, unwrapping a lollipop.

"Hallo!" he grinned, holding it out to her. "Would you like some?" he asked. She shook her head and smiled. Hatori got down on the floor with Momiji and began to sift through the papers. He reached up to his desk and felt around, frowning. The boy held out a pair of glasses.

"Here you go, Hari. I thought you might need them." They smiled at each other.

"Momiji, this is my new assistant, Kana Sohma. Kana, this is Momiji Sohma. I help him with homework and watch him. Needless to say, he needs it sometimes." Hatori was smiling. His eyes met hers, and an indescribable fire flickered to life. It coursed through them, and they looked away from each other, faces growing hot. Momiji was saying something.

"I'm fourteen, and in the eighth grade. Math is sooo hard," he sighed. Kana looked at him in surprise.

"You're fourteen?" she asked, unable to stop herself. He smiled brightly at her.

"Ja!"

Hatori stood up, frowning. He was still wearing his glasses.

"Is it three, Momiji?" he asked. The boy nodded. He silently cursed, and grabbed his coat and bag.

"Akito needs his medicine. Kana might be able to help you with your Algebra, Momiji. She's smart." His eyes were twinkling as they met hers. She felt herself blush.

"Okay, what's the first problem?" she asked, kneeling next to him on the floor. Hatori smiled as he left.

It was eight at night. Hatori hopped out of the shower of his apartment and slowly, fighting sleep, dressed. He blew his hair dry and didn't bother to comb it. His bed was calling to him. He pulled the covers up and laid there thinking. Kana was a wonderful assistant; he had chosen her because she was so eager to learn. He found himself smiling.

"I will teach you how to heal anything. I will teach you everything I know." Her face, smiling so brightly, hung in front of his eyes. He drifted off to sleep, unable to rid himself of her.

A/N: What'd you think? Sweet, right? Lol. It's only the first chapter; give me some time to work my magic. Review please! I'll take flames, I guess.