This is chapter 2 of Coming Home: I worked very hard to get this to you fast.

To any of the people who reviewed for me, thank you all. I just wanted to mention that the repetition in the last chapter was intentional, and meant to show the similarities between the families. However, it seemed to have annoyed most of you, so I'm sorry... T.T

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran High. I mean, really, do you think I'm Bisco Hatori?

Hitachiin Household, Japan

Kaoru Hitachiin watched the dark night through his bedroom window. The block on his bedside table pronounced in neon-red numbers that it was midnight, but Kaoru couldn't sleep.

Outside, all was quiet. Kaoru had always loved the midnight hour, when the whole world seemed to be asleep and yet somehow the air thrummed with life. It was the time when little children cried out in their sleep, when teenagers met friends, when adults gave up the fight and allowed sleep to claim them.

Inside, however, Kaoru was fervently trying not to replay that day's actions over and over in his head. He knew if he did, if he thought about his mother allowing him to marry Haruhi, he would begin to hope. Kaoru did not wish to be broken hearted.

"Hey." Kaoru knew the voice almost as well as he knew his own. It was Hikaru, his twin, his other half in a sense.

"Yeah, Hikaru?"

"I was thinking, Kaoru," Hikaru voiced pensively, "and I know we can't work together, but I want your help. I came up with one idea, but it requires that you ignore me the whole time. You see, if Haruhi thinks we're fighting, she might be more likely to think of me kindly. I know I've made her life difficult before."

"Very well, Hikaru, but listen. I will not help you with anything more than that." Kaoru rolled over in his bed to face the disembodied voice he knew belonged to his brother.

"Why? Or is it something to do with your plan?"

Kaoru shook his head, then, upon the realization that Hikaru had probably not seen, he spoke. "I have no plan. Don't you see? We need Haruhi to fall in love with one of us, not fall in love with a ploy! I plan simply on being myself and hoping I have luck on my side."

He knew from the silence that followed that Hikaru could not understand what he was trying to say. He sighed. The knowledge that he and Hikaru had grown apart at all pained him. He had taken a step further, into actual maturity, while his brother chose to remain a child.

"Kaoru, you still awake?"

"Yes."

"Well, I can't honestly claim to understand what you're talking about. We've always had a ploy, and her falling in love with you would mean we let someone into our world. But either way, Kaoru, I will always be your brother and your friend no matter which one of us gets her."

"Why do you assume it will be us?" Kaoru voiced the words he had been trying to ignore all night. "You know, she might have a boyfriend or a fiancée even. And even if she doesn't, I bet Tamaki and Kyoya will be in this little contest also. Our families are very competitive. Even if Kyoya and Tamaki aren't already taking part, they will be when they learn we are."

"Good point. Well, that just makes this a little bit more interesting."

Kaoru snorted, throwing a pillow in his brother's general direction. He could tell from the muffled mmph that it had hit its target. "Sleep, silly. We don't want to look bad from sleep deprivation when we see her next."

"That's true. Good night, Kaoru."

Kaoru attempted to relax, but sleep would not come. It was fighting: there was too much for his brain to process for him to calm down. He sighed, then addressed the issues he had been hiding from.

What if she had changed? Kaoru knew he had a fixed image in his head, where she was a small, flat-chested girl with enough spark to catch his eyes and obstinacy which, if converted to food, would solve the problem of world hunger. He would not—could not—admit she might be any different. Haruhi was Haruhi, he assured himself: she would be too stubborn to change.

What if she was already in love? Kaoru denied this track of thought completely. It was not in Haruhi's nature to fall in love easily, and even if she did she would not burden the object of her affections with the information that she did in fact love him.

What if she fell in love with one of the others? Kaoru knew it would become a fight. He could not stop it, and he only knew two people who could.

Compulsively, he rose from his bed and paced to the phone. He dialed a few numbers and leaned back to relax on a chair.

On the fifth ring, a medium-pitched voice answered. "Kao-chan! Why are you calling at midnight?"

He winced. "Sorry, Hunny. Did I wake you?"

"No, I was just going downstairs for some cake. How are you?"

"Good. Listen, is Mori there?"

"Yes. Should I put him on?"

"No, just put the phone on speaker, please."

"Okay."

Kaoru spoke quickly, informing the two of all that day's occurrences and his thoughts about the others. "So, as you can see, if I'm right, things will be getting messy fairly fast. That's why I called. I was wondering if you could head over to Cambridge, Massachusetts tomorrow."

"So you need Mori and I to be referees?"

"Pretty much."

Kaoru heard quiet conversation in the background. "Okay. See you soon, Kao-chan."

Kaoru hung up the phone and returned to his bed. Curious thoughts satiated for the night, he drifted off to sleep.

Ohtori Family Jet

Kyoya knew it was not in his nature to fret over trivialities. Still, over the hours-long flight between Japan and Massachusetts, his brain had been sparking off ideas one after another.

Everything had to be perfect. He planned to whisk her away, to put her in a world so sophisticated and alien to her that she would be not only amazed but forced to use him for support. He knew he was handsome, and she unaccustomed to his rich life, and he would use all his facts for his cause.

Kyoya looked down at the silvery laptop he was holding, and went over his facts once again.

Haruhi Fujioka was twenty-two and about to go into Harvard Law after four years of college. Of course, he had been funding her schooling: she owed him a significant chunk of money. She had brown hair, brown eyes and was 5'10" tall.

Dissatisfied, he closed the machine. Those were physical traits, the shallow surface of the only girl he had ever loved. She was kind, yet somehow managed to say in a good-hearted manner the most painful words to her audience. She was almost psychic in her ability to guess what others were thinking.

Kyoya did not like the concept of love. It made him feel weak, useless, to be so intoxicated by some else. Each second that he depended on her he was out of his own control. Haruhi would never intentionally hurt him, this he knew, but it was uncomfortable none the less.

"Sir, would you care for some champagne?" Kyoya turned to face the pretty flight attendant. She was dressed in a uniform of blue and silver, and the name tag on her chest proclaimed her name to be Marianna.

"Yes, thank you." Kyoya added a seductive note to his voice. He would gain no merit from wooing her, and he did not intend to, but he was out of practice at flirting.

She giggled, then added suggestively, "Can I get you anything else?"

Confidant in his skill, he put on an icy smile. "No."

She remembered her place by his sudden mood change, and stiffened. "I'll bring you some right away, sir."

"Thanks."

Kyoya leaned back and gave his mind over to details.

Suoh Private Airport, Cambridge Massachusetts

Tamaki stood outside for the first time in hours, stretching his limbs.

America. It was certainly different, and beautiful too, but he could not help but remember the only reason as to why he was there.

Haruhi Fujioka, the girl of his dreams. She was the one who filled his overactive imagination, who played lead in his inner mind theater.

Tamaki smiled. He would be seeing her soon, and would lead her into the ultimate romance. He could picture their walks on the beach, them running home in the rain laughing, drying off in front of a wooden fireplace and having hot chocolate.

His car was late, and so Tamaki's dreams had time to elaborate and grow intricate little details. That locket she always wore, for instance, the empty one, was filled with a picture of them in his mind.

He pictured seeing her again. His heart would be racing, as was usual, but hers would be too. He could see her being mad at him for not writing, then forgiving him and smiling that gorgeous, heart-warming smile of hers.

Tamaki Suoh was confidant in himself and in his ability to please girls. Haruhi was different, it was true, but he felt as though, in the past, he had almost gotten through to her once or twice.

Tamaki wanted her to be happy above all else. He knew that he would be angry if she loved someone else, but he believed he could let go. It would hurt him, but would shield her from the pain.

And if Tamaki was only her shield, that was fine with him. He ached for her company, yet had barely bothered to keep in touch for fear that he would ruin everything.

It was his time, and he would win her over if it was the last thing he could do.

He could hardly wait.

Song's Apartment Complex, Floor 5, room 6

Haruhi Fujioka was content with her life. It was a bit hard at times, but she had done well on her own. Her old family and friends were fine without her, and she was soon to start the process of becoming a lawyer.

She hummed at a sizzling pot in which broccolini were cooking. Lunch was almost ready, and she was happy with herself.

A few more minutes and the food was ready. She scooped it onto a platter along with a lightly grilled salmon and a bed of rice and set it down on her table.

Haruhi moved to the bedroom before eating to remove her bandanna. Long coils of glossy chestnut-colored hair spilled out. With mild annoyance, she pulled them up into a ponytail.

Finally, she sat down to eat. She served herself some salmon and speared a bit of it with her fork. Raising her utensil to her mouth, she prepared to eat.

A knock came on her door.

"Coming," she called. With a glance down at herself (blue tank-top and cargo shorts) she moved to open the door.

She would not know until later how much that knock would change her life.

Sorry about the cliff-hanger ending, but it was the best I could come up with.

Anyway, to anyone who has bother to read this far, I thank you. I'm not going to blackmail you for reviews, but I honestly want to hear your opinions on my writing. Oh, and by the way, I need some help deciding on which of the four should get Haruhi.

No Flames!