AN: Sad chapter alert. Things'll perk up before too long!

Yuki sat in the waiting room, his foot impatiently tapping and his fingers twitching against his mouth. He hated how he allowed his nerves and unease to physically show, but frankly, this was the worst feeling in the world - worse than anything Akito ever put him through when he was young. The doctors had made him stay outside while they examined her wounds... He didn't trust them. He didn't want to leave her in their care without him watching over her. But he didn't have a choice. He would gladly take many more years of Akito's abuse if it meant Tohru never got hurt, never had to be in the hospital in the first place.

Yuki couldn't stop the tears from running down his cheeks as he waited. The scene of finding her in such horrible condition kept replaying in his head. Blood caked onto her skin mixed with dirt, the same substance clumped in her hair. Her clothes torn to pieces, particularly her skirt...

A hand on his shoulder jolted him back to the present and he turned wet-eyed to the nurse standing behind him. Her smile was sad yet sympathetic. "Sir, please come back here with me."

The former rat stood and followed the woman to the hall just in front of Tohru's room. "We have some bad news and some good news... Bad news is...she was raped. Violently. Unfortunately there was no DNA evidence that was salvageable...She had cuts and bruises all over her body, even...between her legs. Some of them required stitches, some will heal within a few days..." Yuki felt his heart and breathing stop, his vision blurring and the world spinning. Who could've hurt Tohru in such a way... Why would anyone do such horrible things to someone like her- he knew she was very appealing but... She didn't deserve something like this to happen. He promised to protect her... The girl he loved and never wanted to be hurt was unconscious in a hospital after being hurt in the worst possible way... "The good news...is that he didn't ejaculate inside her and she contracted no STDs. Even so, as a precaution we gave her a shot to prevent any conception. And this..may be a silly obvious thing to say, but since you appear to be close to her, we recommend no sexual activity for at least a couple weeks to give her wounds time to heal-"

Yuki inwardly scoffed. He wouldn't even think about it. He was no idiot, and he's not so selfish as to want that from her after what she went through. If she never wanted "interaction" again, that would be absolutely fine. He just wanted her to be okay...

When he was finally allowed inside the room, Yuki walked to the side of the bed, kneeling down beside it and taking one of her hands in his own, pressing his forehead against hers.

"Tohru... I'm so sorry I couldn't protect you... I'm so sorry..."

She lightly stirred, clearly coming out of the sedative. "Yu...Yuki...kun?.."

"I'm here... I'm sorry..."

Tohru shifted trying to get closer to him. Straightening his legs he stood just enough to be able to climb onto the hospital bed beside her. Immediately she pressed into his chest, burying her face in his neck. "No...I'm sorry I couldn't... Couldn't stop it from happening..." He could feel her tears against his neck, and his chest twisted once again in agony. "It's all my fault..."

"Shhhh don't say that... It's not your fault at all..." He rubbed her back, cautious when she flinched under his hands until she relaxed into the touch. He wasn't going to say much about the ordeal or bring that lowlife piece of scum into the conversation. It would be easier on her, and the ass deserved death, not discussion with the sweet girl in Yuki's arms.

"But... I should've fought harder... Screamed louder... I shouldn't have tried to walk home alone in the rain... I-"

"Tohru, please... Believe me, it's not your fault... Don't blame yourself."

The riceball didn't respond, instead pressing closer to him and clinging tightly to him.

"Please don't go..."

"I'm not going anywhere." He pressed a kiss to the top of her head. A soft sigh escaped her as her body noticeably eased. Within seconds, her breathing slowed and her body relaxed into the bed, sleep clearly taking over her mind once again. Yuki stayed where he was, running his fingers through her now cleaner hair. The doctors had done a good job at cleaning her up... But it still pained him it was required in the first place. However, he wouldn't think too long on it. She was hurting much more than he was, and he had to be there for her.

It wasn't until the next day the hospital released her. Yuki offered to carry her home, but Tohru being the strong person she is, determined not to be a burden, refused and said she'd walk on her own. After much hesitation, Yuki complied but kept an arm around her to help her keep balanced. She leaned more and more into him as they walked, and he wasn't sure if she was tired, sore, or needing comfort... Possibly all three.

Yuki helped Tohru walk upstairs to her room. She had been given clothes from the hospital - a spare nurse uniform it seemed - and she desperately wanted to change into something else. He knew why. She wanted to push the memories back as far as she could and wearing the clothes reminded her of what had happened. As she pulled the top over her head, he turned and walked towards the door to let her change in privacy.

"Yuki-kun?..." He stopped in his tracks but didn't turn to face her.

"Hai?"

"P-please don't go... I don't want to be alone..." That was easily understandable... Yuki simply turned and closed his eyes, leaning against the still closed door.

"I won't go anywhere until you ask of it."

"Thank you... I'm sorry, I know it's silly-"

"Tohru-san. I understand. I was only leaving because I thought you would prefer to be alone to change. It's not silly at all... I'm happy to do anything you need me to do to make you more comfortable. Don't hesitate to ask me."

She was silent for a moment, and he started to worry maybe he said something he shouldn't have. Before he could open his mouth to speak, she broke the silence.

"Anything?..."

"Hai." Again silence. He swallowed thickly, apprehension gripping him for a moment. He would do anything for her, but the unusual prolonged silence had him nervous about what exactly she was going to ask for.

In the next moment he felt small hands press against his chest. Opening his eyes he found Tohru standing in front of him, shirtless with her bra unlooped from her shoulders- the straps hanging loosely to her sides. She was gazing up at him, her green eyes shimmering with what he knew from their few previous intimacies to be desire. His chest tightened before she even spoke again.

"Yuki...I don't want... Sex to be ruined for us... Can we..." Her hands curled marginally, gripping the fabric of his shirt. "Please... I want it to be a good thing with you again..."

"Tohru..." He moved his hands to her wrists, gently urging her to release her grip. "We can't."

"But..."

"It could hurt you if we did anything now, you need time to recover. Besides you're worth so much more than sex..." That's when it dawned on him. "You know that, right?... I don't just see you as something to satiate my desires and lust. You are much, much more than a sex object."

"I..." She lowered her head. "I know... I just... You make me feel so special and loved and... I don't want to lose those moments..." Yuki could tell from the way her voice quivered just a bit she was on the verge of tears. He pulled her close against him in a tight embrace, kissing her head.

"Tohru-chan... We won't lose anything unless you want to. If you want to engage in sex again we can but in a couple weeks after you have healed. I don't want to hurt you. And you'll have to be the one to want and start it first, okay?" He moved his head so he could kiss her neck softly. "On the same note, if you never want to touch or be touched again, you will never have to. Just tell me what you want. Don't worry about me. I want to know what you truly want for yourself..."

A tiny sob was her answer, her arms moving around his neck and pulling him closer.

"Just hold me?..." Yuki did just as he was asked, holding her in a tight hug and rubbing her back. Tohru's quiet cries - she was clearly trying to choke them back which made them more heart-wrenching - rattled his heart. He wished there was more he could do to calm her... Or rather, he wished he could rewrite time so she never had to go through what she did, or at the very least he could save her before it got out of hand.

He felt her knees give and all of her weight fell on him. He steadied himself, bending down just enough to pick her up and carry her to the bed. As soon as he laid next to her she gripped his shirt tightly, pressing her face into his chest, shaking as she kept her cries in her throat. Everything in Yuki's existence ached, his heart feeling as though it was wilting. He wouldn't show his own pain but seeing her like this, knowing what she went through... He never could've imagined such agony.

But he had to focus on her.

He pressed a very faint kiss on her head, mindful of her reaction. Thankfully she didn't flinch away...

"I love you, Tohru... I love you so much. Don't ever forget that fact..."

"I know... I love you too, Yuki..." She pressed further into him. "I'm sorry... I'm sorry I couldn't protect myself... I-"

"Tohru-chan, shhhh... It isn't your fault."

"But..."

"No buts... It wasn't you. You aren't to blame at all here. I promise all of this will be sorted out, and I'll be here for you however I can help."

She was silent for a couple beats before finally muttering a 'thanks' as she gripped his shirt tighter. He moved a hand just an inch short of running his fingers through her hair.

"May I pet your hair, Tohru-san?"

"Mm-hmm... I would like for you to..."

Gentle patient fingers combed through her brown hair, curling around the locks and letting them fall. A content sigh as she noticeably eased told him she was at least attempting to relax. He would find whoever did this to her and make them pay... For now, he simply held her and stroked her hair, long after she drifted into another sleep.