Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket or any of the characters.

Chapter 1 – An Old Friend

"Tohru? Tohru Honda?" Tohru looked around for the person calling her name. The voice sounded familiar, but until she saw the face she wasn't sure who it was.

"Hatori! It is so good to see you!" She smiled when her eyes fell upon the doctor of the Sohma family.

"What are you doing here? I didn't know you were back? Where is Kyo?" Hatori was smiling too. He had not seen her in almost three years. She was sorely missed by all of the Sohmas, but he knew that she needed to be with Kyo when they left to start a new life for themselves now that the curse was broken.

"Grocery shopping of course, what else do you do at a market?" She laughed and winked at him. "I have been back about a month. I thought Shigure would have told you since I am staying in his old house. He said since no one was there right now, I could stay there and not be bothered. I was wondering why I had almost no visitors. Of course with your hand on the pulse, I would have thought you would have been one of the first to know. As for Kyo, he is in America." She was still smiling, but it faltered a slight bit. He wondered why that was.

"No, he didn't tell me, but I have been very busy with my practice. I have also started volunteering a couple of nights a week at a free clinic. Akito is doing better and doesn't need as much of my time as she once did. I may have to pay a visit to that dog and have a few words," he said as he chuckled. "So why are you here and Kyo there?"

"Oh you really are out of the loop. We broke up. I didn't want to leave Japan and we had grown apart. I couldn't find it in myself to follow him. Don't get me wrong, a part of me will always love him, but it wasn't meant to be. We broke up about seven months ago. I got back here a month ago and started work at my old job again." She was still smiling and as genuinely enjoying talking to Hatori. She had missed them all, but also needed time to herself before she was bombarded at the house. She still figured she would have a couple of visitors. Other than Yuki, Shigure, and Akito, no one has stopped by. She now knew why and she was ok with that, but now seeing Hatori, she longed for the company of her treasured friends. She was going to have to throw a dinner party so that she could see them all again.

Hatori did not want the conversation to end, looked at his watch. It was just about lunch time, "Do you have time for lunch? I took the afternoon off and was going to try a new restaurant. My treat."

"Ok, I can do that. I will do my shopping afterwards then," She smiled and they walked along the side walk together.

The restaurant was only about a block away from the market and according to Hatori had gotten a lot of good reviews. Several of the other family members had already tried it and fell in love with it, so he had wanted to try it for weeks. Today was the first day he was able to take enough of a break to do that though and he was happy that he ran into Tohru so that she could join him.

They sat down and the waiter took their drink order. There was easiness in the atmosphere around them, but then that feeling followed where ever Tohru was, Hatori mused. He always liked the young rice ball, turned beautiful young woman. She went through a lot to be with Kyo and to break the curse for the family. They would all forever be in her debt. Kyo settled down and knew he could be his own person without people judging him for being the cat. Yuki discovered who he really was and opened up. Momiji grew up and left many of his childish ways behind under her care. Even Akito became a different person. Tohru was a God send for the family and himself.

"How is everything with Mayuko-sensei?" Tohru asked about her old homeroom teacher. She and Hatori had started dating around the time she had graduated from school.

"Last I heard she was doing great and got engaged. It didn't work out for us, but she was a great friend and I was glad we had our time. Thankful that it didn't end abruptly like it had with Kana," he smiled. He had meant it. He was grateful for the time he had with both of the women in his life, but neither was meant to be and he had come to terms with that. In fact, he was ok with it.

"Oh, I am so sorry. I know how much you cared about her." Tohru said sadly for the doctor.

Hatori smiled. She always cared and was concerned about everyone around her. She thought of others before herself, "Don't be sorry. I am alright with it. It took me a long time to come to terms about Kana, but I eventually did, with your help," He smiled at her. "As for Mayuko, our season was over with and we ended on good terms as friends. She went on to travel a lot where she met her fiancé and that is the reason we don't keep in touch much. Sometimes relationships are like seasons, they are only there for a short period of time, but sometimes they change into something else."

The waiter came up to take their food orders and after he had left again, they continued to talk, "What happened to you and Kyo?" He was curious. When last he saw them, they were very much in love and were talking about maybe getting married someday. He had been expecting word of their engagement for a while. Then when he heard about Yuki and Machi's engagement, he wondered about Kyo and Tohru.

"Like you said, sometimes people are only with you for a season. We both grew up and changed. We realized that although we loved each other, we didn't love each other to stay forever and get married. And we were ok with that. We still talk at least once a month. He is working in a dojo in New York and is very happy. It was sad in the beginning that it didn't work out. We both tried long after we knew it was over, but in the end there wasn't heartbreak." She said with a genuine and honest smile.

"Good, I am glad to hear that. You deserve happiness and the last thing you need is heartbreak. Everything you went through and did, you deserve all of your dreams to come true," Hatori said with a small blush. Tohru gave him her biggest smile and told him thank you, she thought so too. Then they both laughed and continued to catch up through lunch. Lunch lasted two hours because they kept talking and just enjoying the company of each other.

Hatori walked her back to the market so that she could do her shopping and was about to leave her when she put her hand on his sleeve. He looked down at her and into her blue eyes, "Yes?"

"What are you doing for dinner tomorrow night?"

"I don't think I am doing anything since tonight is my night at the free clinic."

"Good, you are coming over to the house for dinner. I will not take no for an answer. I will probably go ahead and invite Shigure and Yuki also." She was smiling up at him and he couldn't tell her know even if he had wanted to.

"Ok, I will be there. Is it still the usual time?" He asked. She ran her schedule like clockwork and always had. He had missed her home cooked meals. They were always so good.

"Yep, I will see you then." She gave him one last smile and wave and walked into the store to complete her shopping.

Hatori was thinking about how much she had changed. She had grown into a beautiful woman, but she had also come into her own. She wasn't as soft spoken and easily frightened. She knew who she was now and it showed. Old feelings started to stir in him. He knew what they were, ever since Tohru first came to the main Sohma estate and answered his riddle; she had awoken things in him that he thought were dead. The more that he got to know her, the more he cared and the more alive he felt. He knew that she was destined to be with Kyo. He knew that they loved each other, but that didn't stop the feelings from forming. He moved on with Mayuko and he was happy with her while they were together, but he always had a feeling that she could not replace Tohru in his heart. He knew that he didn't want her to. Kana was his first real love, but she was not strong enough to survive this family. He erased her memories and she lived happily without him. She was married and had two kids now. Tohru was so different and yet so much like her. He felt things for her that even the love he felt for Kana didn't come close to. When he realized all of his feelings long ago, he realized why he and Kana could not be together. He would never tell Tohru his feelings. He didn't think she felt the same, but he also knew that if she showed even the slightest interest, he would do everything thing he could to love her the way she deserved to be loved.

The rest of the day he was in the best mood that he had been in in a long time. Before leaving for the clinic, he stopped off at Shigure and Akito's house. Shigure was outside smoking a cigarette and when he saw Hatori with a smile on his face, he had to pounce and find out what the dragon was so happy about, "Hari what brings you by and why do you look like you are on cloud nine? Did you find a new maiden? Did you do dirty things to her? Oh Hari, did you find a high school girl?"

Hatori knew that he was joking, but sometimes he couldn't get past his perverted ways and he has known him since they were kids, "Actually, I have something to discuss with you dog. I ran into Tohru today and had an excellent lunch with her. I found out that she has been back for a month. I also found out that she and Kyo broke up about 7 months ago. Interesting isn't it? I also found out that she is staying in your old house and you have seen her since she has been back. Why didn't I know about any of this?"

Shigure had the decency to look ashamed, "Well you see, she said she needed a little time to settle in and everything. As for the Kyo thing, I thought you knew." He knew that Hatori hadn't known about Kyo, but he felt like he was in it deep enough and didn't want to antagonize him some more. He also knew how Hatori felt about Tohru. He has known for a long time and wasn't sure what his friend would have done. He never told anyone about his feelings for the young woman, but Shigure was one of his oldest and closest friends, so he could see it. Shigure could see it every time he came over or when her name was mentioned. He knew Hatori was happy for her, but he wanted to see if he could move on without her. When he started to date Mayuko, he thought that he had moved on, but that didn't last and Hatori had yet to start dating again. He knew where his heart lay.

"I see. Do you really expect me to believe all of that?" Hatori knew that the dog had something else behind his reasoning, but he wasn't sure what it was.

"Hari, you wound me with your words. I would never lie to you. You are one of my oldest and dearest friends."

"Fine. How is Akito?" He asked changing the subject. He didn't want to hear more whining.

"She is wonderful. We actually just got back from a little walk in the gardens when you came over."

"Good, I will check on her tomorrow. I am on my way to the clinic, so I will see you later." Hatori started to walk off before stopping a few steps away, "By the way, I will see you at dinner tomorrow at Tohru's house."

"What? Dinner? I don't know anything about that." Shigure was confused.

"After lunch she invited me over for dinner tomorrow night and said she would call you and Yuki over also. I am sure significant others are invited as well." Hatori continued his walk and got into his car so that he could drive over to the clinic.

As Hatori was walking off, he went inside and checked on Akito. She was sleeping so Shigure went into his study and called Tohru.

"Hello, Sohma residence." Tohru said as she picked up the phone.

"You know, there aren't any Sohmas that live there right now, so it would actually be Honda residence." Shigure teased.

"Shigure how is everything? I was just about to call you. I was wondering if you and Akito wanted to come over for dinner tomorrow night. I have invited Yuki/Machi and Hatori." The way she said the last name made him wonder what the rice ball's feelings were for the dragon.

"Yes, that will be wonderful. Should we bring anything?" He asked knowing that she would not want them to go to any trouble.

"No, no. Please just bring yourselves." She insisted.

"Ok then, we will see you tomorrow night for dinner." He hung up the phone and started to think about the two people that meant so much to him. He knew Hatori's feelings for Tohru, but he didn't know hers. In fact, he didn't know if she did have feelings for Hari, but if anyone deserved love it was those two.