He sat up quickly panting in a cold sweat. It had all been a dream. A nightmare. That was all. As he caught his breath he took in his surroundings. This wasn't his room at Shigure's… He was at Shishou's. That can't be right, what was he doing here? Standing up he caught sight of Kunimitsu walking through the yard with Hatori. What was that dragon doing here? He reached out a hand to grip the window frame. Oh, that's right….
The car came screeching at them. He had barely registered the look on Tohru's face: shock? fear? More than anything that moment he wanted to protect her, to save her. He grabbed her hand and pulled her close to him. He couldn't stop her from falling as he changed into a cat but he at least got her out of the way of the car that crashed just a few feet away. She fell… she hit her head and he remembered seeing the blood. But then the voices came.
"Did you see that?" "Is she alright?" "That kid just turned into a cat!" "A cat! That's impossible! How did that just happen?" "This girl's bleeding call an ambulance! She's unconscious!" "Are those his clothes?" "Is the driver alright?"
He ran. He fled with his tail between his legs. Tohru… Tohru. He just left her laying there hurt. Bleeding. How could he have done that to her?
He punched at the frame of the window snapping the wooden beam in two. Hatori. Hatori was here. He'd know if Tohru was alright. He hadn't even gone to the hospital to see her. Walking down the hall he paused outside the living room listening to Hatori and Shishou's voice inside.
"Akito ordered it," Hatori was saying.
"…Surely he…. but… all of them?..." Shishou's voice was stern, but Kyo could hear the controlled anger behind it. He leaned in close. All of them? Was he talking about the people? He shouldn't be surprised that all those people's memories had to be erased. They had seen his cat form. It suddenly occurred to him that Akito might punish him for this. Would he lock him up sooner? That means even less time with Tohru. He should go visit her this afternoon.
"She has no more memories of dealing with the Sohma family." Kyo's blood ran cold. He could scarcely allow himself to think who the 'she' was.
"…I suppose she would move back in with her grandpa then?" Shishou said.
"I was also order to erase her two friend's memory and her families. They are all under the impression that she has been living at her grandpa's this whole time. No one will remember her spending time with Yuki, Kyo, Momiji, or any of the others."
"How could Akito do this to everyone? Tohru meant the world to everyone. He can't just take her out of their lives."
"It's been done. You know I can't disobey Akito, Kazuma… I suppose it his way of displaying his control over us."
"…Did she hurt her head hard?"
"The doctors seemed to think she'd be out in a few days when I went to see her. It was mostly just a concussion."
"Everyone will hate Kyo." Shishou pointed out bitterly in a lower voice.
"He saved her life." Hatori said. "That car would have hit her."
"But that won't change facts now will it?" Shishou challenged.
Kyo couldn't listen anymore. He stumbled back down the hallway his head spinning. He felt sick. Shakily he fell to his knees and strained to fight the sharp bitter tears pricking his eyes. He got Tohru's memories erased. She didn't know him anymore. To not be able to see her face when he got up in the morning anymore. No more sitting on the roof and talking to her. No more watching her do laundry or humming happily as she cooked for them. No more laughs. No ore silly grins. No more Tohru. It can't be true. It can't be…
