DISCLAIMER: Ouran High School Host Club is the property of Bisco Hatori

Chapter Two

The conversation with his father was short, tense and cost Kyoya several of the stocks he inherited from his grandmother. But he didn't have to wait long to see the results.

A sleek black car pulled into the hospital parking lot as a black helicopter carrying a lawyer and a medical team landed on the roof. The emergency room doctor was aghast and protested at the interference.

Kyoya reminded the doctor that his staff hasn't even determined what caused Haruhi to collapse and bleed so he was taking her to another facility. Then he gave the mirthless smile that never failed to intimidate allies and opponents alike.

The lawyer presented a release form to the cowed doctor who signed it hastily. The medical team stabilized Haruhi and loaded her into the chopper.

Kyoya got into the car and found a freshly ironed shirt next to the seat. He changed clothes as the car sped on its way to the Ohtori hospital but refused to discard the blue shirt stained with her blood. He folded it neatly and told the driver not to touch it.

As the doctors worked to save Haruhi and the baby, Kyoya notified the other former Host Club members who promised to be there soon. There was no one else to call since Ranka-san died in an accident a year after Haruhi graduated from Ouran.

Tamaki, surprisingly enough, wasn't hysterical for long. It was the older Hitachiin twin who lost it.

Hikaru snapped at Kyoya for not calling him sooner and demanded details of Haruhi's condition.

"She and the baby are still not out of danger. I'm waiting for the doctors to…"

"Why wasn't she taken to the city's best hospital in the first place? The doctors at that commoner hospital sound like idiots! Don't you care at all about her? You money-grubbing, heartless piece of …"

Kaoru winced at his twin who had found a convenient target for his anger. Hikaru's voice was loud enough to draw stares from the half-dressed models and harassed-looking stylists surrounding them. The younger Hitachiin grabbed the phone from his brother, told Kyoya to hang on and dragged Hikaru to their office. He closed the door and put the phone on speaker.

"Please continue Kyoya-senpai," Kaoru said softly.

"The ambulance rushed her to the closest medical facility which is why she ended up at that public hospital. I had her transferred to the Ohtori hospital where I assure you, the medical care and staff are the best that money can buy. And Hikaru, I really do not have the time or the patience to listen to your accusations."

From Kyoya's tone, the redhead knew he was treading on thin ice with the older man. He bit back an angry retort and curtly told the former Shadow King he and Kaoru will get there as quickly as they can.

Kaoru instructed one of their assistants to take over the fashion show, grabbed his brother by the elbow and steered him out of the place to a waiting limo. He told the driver to take them to the airport then turned his attention back to his twin who looked scared.

"Kyoya-senpai must have been desperate enough to call for help from the Ohtoris. Aside from occasional calls from his older sister, I don't think he's had any dealings with them since he was disinherited by his father."

"He's not the only one who gave up a lot to be with her."

"Mother still talks to us, Hikaru. And although he disapproves of our lifestyle, milord's father hasn't cut off ties with him. Neither have Honey-senpai's parents or Mori-senpai's father and brother. Kyoya-senpai only has Haruhi and us."

Hikaru's answer was to turn his back on his twin. Kaoru sighed. His brother still needed to grow up.

It's been nearly a decade since they left Ouran and chose this path, Kaoru thought. They established their own line of designer clothing and even created affordable fashion for the middle class. The latter was his idea and a birthday present to the only woman he allowed into their world.

She had looked puzzled when he announced that he was calling the clothing line "Refreshing" in her honor. He reminded her of the "refreshing battle" he and Hikaru won to get the sole room at the Karuizawa pensione she worked at one summer.

"Oh I see now. That's when you asked if I wanted to sleep in the same bed with you and Hikaru," she said.

"As I remember it, you refused and said there wouldn't be enough room," he said then couldn't resist teasing her. "You certainly changed your mind later."

"You have a bigger bed now," she said, merely stating a fact.

Tamaki, who overheard the exchange, wailed that he couldn't believe his pure, precious Haruhi thought like that. To annoy their milord more, the leering twins wrapped their arms around the slim woman.

Haruhi just turned her face toward Kaoru and thanked him for the birthday gift. He leaned in and kissed her while Hikaru nuzzled her neck.

Mori gave a short cough and Hunny reminded the twins that it was Takashi's day with Haruhi according to the schedule. Kyoya agreed while Tamaki called them lecherous doppelgangers. Kaoru reluctantly broke off the kiss.

Sharing her with the others was one of the conditions he had to meet to remain with the ex-Host Club members. And Kaoru didn't want this carriage ride to ever end.

He didn't even want to think of a life without Haruhi so he could understand Hikaru lashing out at Kyoya. But unlike his brother, he wouldn't take his anger and frustration out on someone convenient. Kaoru always had better control over his emotions.

"What will we do if she doesn't make it?" Hikaru suddenly asked.

Kaoru only looked at his other self. He didn't know how he could answer such a question.

It was the same question Tamaki asked himself as he ran out of his office.

Living with everyone after high school and long after the Host Club ended was something Tamaki never imagined. His inner mind theater featured fantasies of life with Haruhi, not with the rest of his friends.

He remembered being appalled when Kyoya suggested the arrangement which he immediately called indecent and disgusting. His best friend pointed out that their individual efforts to woo the girl were leading nowhere and were only causing arguments to break out among them.

His dog, Antoinette, happily ran past them and he sighed in agreement. She still hadn't grown back most of the fur the twins shaved off. All because Haruhi agreed to help him train Antoinette and they ended up going on a picnic twice.

Although his friends and family thought him a blithering idiot, Tamaki was far from stupid. He knew Kyoya wouldn't propose such a thing out of the blue.

"What brought this about Kyoya?"

"Haruhi has no reasons to stay here. Her father is dead, she could easily transfer colleges and she's not beholden to be with us anymore in order to pay off a debt."

Tamaki stared in horror at his friend. What Kyoya said was indeed true but his princess never talked to him about leaving.

Kyoya didn't want to alarm his friend further but Haruhi had mentioned Harvard to him over lunch. She admitted talking to an admissions official about the university's summer programs. She also asked Kyoya if her chances of getting into a law school would be better if she earned her undergraduate degree at the same university.

"She wants to fulfill her dream, Tamaki. With her brains, she could go to any school she wants. What makes you so sure …?"

But Tamaki was no longer listening to him. He called the others in a panic, yelling that Haruhi was abandoning them all. Kyoya was then prodded to unveil his proposal.

It took awhile for all of them to agree to the idea and even longer to convince Haruhi.

Tamaki's grandmother refused to name him the Suoh heir when the former Host Club members moved in together and scandalized high society. By then, Haruhi's gender was no longer a secret.

Since the Suoh matriarch never liked her grandson to begin with, her decision came as no surprise. Tamaki bounced back from this blow and now ran a thriving empire of his own; importing and exporting goods "the commoner needs." He still had his father, his friends and more importantly, Haruhi.

Whenever he played pieces that left listeners teary-eyed, she knew he was thinking of his missing mother. His fingers conveyed his longing and love for the woman who bore him.

She always sat next to Tamaki after he finished playing and listened as he happily talked to her about his mother. She'd heard all of the stories before but would never say so because she suspected he may not have the chance to make any more memories with his mother.

Living with six people was never boring. Even Haruhi could be unpredictable.

He was surprised when she handed all of them a packed lunch one morning. She'd never done that before. He hugged her and called her the most wonderful wife in the world.

"It's just leftovers from dinner, Tamaki. Food shouldn't go to waste."

But Tamaki was on a roll and rambled on and on about her loving him the best to pack him lunch. Mori held up his lunch to contradict that statement followed by Hunny, the twins and Kyoya.

He got depressed and hunkered down in one corner of the kitchen. While the rest left, Haruhi walked over to the still sulking Tamaki and whispered in his ear that his packed lunch was different. He stood up suddenly, gave her a big kiss then ran out of the house.

He smiled when he saw she'd sprinkled seasoned ground up codfish into the shape of a heart on top of the rice.

Haruhi was hardly a romantic. She just heard enough about Tamaki's newlywed fantasy from the others to know what to put in his lunch. Besides, it wasn't that hard to do and seemed to make him happy. She figured Tamaki already had enough soap opera elements in his life. He just didn't let them affect him.

But as Tamaki sped toward the hospital, he worried about a future without seeing her every day, hearing her exasperated sighs and watching her smile. How could they go on without Haruhi?