A flame within their hearts

Chapter 2- My new home!

Samantha POV

The Sohma's walk me to their house and we sit down at the table. While Shigure is still laughing like an idiot at me.

"So…you've been living in that tent by yourself?" Yuki asks me.

"Uh huh…" I say, embarrassed to speak to him.

"For how long?" He asks me politely.

"I do not know just over a week I think," I say, still looking down.

"Well that explains it, all this land is Sohma property," Yuki informs me. "It'd seem odd that we would suddenly have a new neighbor," He says.

"I-I'm sorry," I say. "But please," I say, looking up at him. "Can I not stay there a little while longer? It's only for a few more weeks, I don't have much money but I'll pay you. Please let me stay?" I ask.

"Those woods aren't too safe," Shigure informs me. "You got wild animals, landslides, and the occasional weirdo prowling around. It's not a good idea for a girl to be living out there alone," He says.

"So you're done laughing?" Yuki asks Shigure.

"Do not worry too much about me," I say standing up; they look at me like I've grown a third eye. "I'm already used to the woods so if I can stand up to that I can stand up to anything!" I say proudly. That's when my legs give out.

"Miss Kingsmon?" Yuki asks, worried. He then puts his hand to my forehead. "A fever," He says simply.

"I'll get ice," Shigure says. "It's ah…it's…" His whole kitchen is filled with clutter.

"And you call the woods unsafe?" I say.

"Well…technically speaking…" He then gets silent. In the distance, I hear wolves howling. "There, hear that? There's been another landslide somewhere," Shigure says.

"Really?" I say, wondering if he heard what I heard. "How do you know that?" I ask him.

"I guess you could say its instinct," He tells me.

"Was it close?" Yuki asks him.

"Close to the tent…I mean not at all!" He says a little too happily for my taste.

We then walk over to the tent to see it's completely buried by rubble. "This is terrible! My mother and father's picture were in there!" I say running over to the buried tent. I start to dig up some of the dirt.

"Please calm down, you already have a fever," Yuki tells me, coming to my side instantly.

"B-but everything I owned was in there!" I say, hunched over the dirt. "What am I going to do? If I don't get it out soon, I-I…" I say starting to sob.

Shigure then puts his hand over mine, "Don't strain yourself, we'll come back when it's bright out," He tells me. "I believe your parents are glad it wasn't you in there, I think they'd be upset if you were hurt now," He says, making me feel a little more in ease.

They then open their doors to me which I praise them for. "There, that's better," Shigure tells me. "You can still look for some ice if you want it," He says.

"I'm sorry," I tell him.

"You must be tired," He says. "A lot has happened in one day," He says looking at me.

"Mhm…" I mumble. "I-I lost my home again…" I say.

"Are you okay?" He questions.

"Yes. It's sad, but not as sad as other things," I tell him.

"Like what?" He asks me.

"Like; not telling my mother 'be safe' on the day she died," I say. "I said that every morning. 'Goodbye! Be safe!' except that day, I did not get a chance to say it. I had a test so I stayed up studying all night. But when it was time for my mother to leave, I did not wake up. I couldn't tell her 'be safe'. And she never came home that day.

"I used to think about quitting school, working, but my mother told me she never finished school; but she always wished she did.

-Flashback-

'That's why I need you and Nico to stay at school, so you can tell me what it feels like to hold a diploma in your hand, and maybe you can have that life that you always wanted to have,'

-Flashback End-

"When she said that, that's when I knew, why she worked so hard. It was all for me. And with everything she did, I couldn't even get up long enough to say goodbye when she was walking out the door. But even that one little thing and she was gone. So, now I have to finish High School like my mother wanted me to. No matter what I have to hold that diploma in my hand. I have to. For them. I can't give up, just because, a fever; like this." And with that, I'm out like a light.

Yuki POV

"It's amazing," I say. "She always so cheerful in school, you'd never think she'd been suffering this long," I say. "When I was young, there were many times I wanted to run away from Sohma house," I say. "I always did, but I always found some rationalization to stay. The fact of the matter is I just wasn't strong enough or I could have left, I could have lived in the woods by myself in a tent. I could have done what she did," I tell Shigure.

"You could call it amazing, but the word wouldn't do it justice," Shigure tells me.

"No. No it doesn't." I tell him truthfully. "Do you mind keeping an eye on her? I'd like to go out for a while," I ask him.

"What? Where? You're not going to dig out that tent? You are, aren't you? Do you want me to come with you? It won't be an easy job for you alone," Shigure tells me.

"Alright, but I don't think I said I was going alone," I tell him.

"Be safe, Yuki," Shigure tells me when I leave.


Samantha POV

-Flashback-

'Samantha? Nico?' My mother asks as we sleep on her legs. 'You've got to be brave right now. You don't have to push yourself so hard; you don't have to do the things I did. You can just be yourself, do things your own way, one step at a time. I promise,'

-Flashback End-

That's when I wake up. "Mother, Father, Nico," I say. Only then do I realize I'm looking at my family picture.

"Oh my God!" I say. "But how?" I ask.

"Good morning, Miss Kingsmon," Yuki says outside on the porch. A real, gentle smile on his face. "How are you feeling today?" He asks me, holding bags in his hands.

"Um, I guess I…huh?'" I ask, Yuki putting down the bags.

"I brought your things for you. I believe this is all of them, if you'd like to check." He tells me.

"Yuki, this must have taken you all night!" I say.

"Heh…Don't be silly," Yuki tells me.

"So, then h-how'd you…I mean there was so much," I say.

"It's a secret," He informs me.

"Oh," I say.

"I know the place is dirty, and I realize the idea of living with two strange boys would seem a little awkward; but there is an extra room upstairs. You're welcome to stay there if you like," He offers me.

"No!" I say. "Out of the question! Absolutely not!" I tell him.

Yuki's eyes widen and he acted a bit offended, "We aren't that strange," He tells me.

"O-oh, I-I didn't mean it that way, it's just…" I stutter.

"Of course it won't be free," Shigure informs me, coming out of nowhere. "I do intend to pay you for your services," He says.

"F-for my services?" I question.

"As our brand new housekeeper!" Shigure says, dreamily. "We'll just bring your things to your room now. I assume all your references will check out," He says; Shigure and Yuki taking a bag each and walking away.

"I-I can't let you do this! Not after all you've done for me already! Please, that's too much!" I say.

"Miss Kingsmon, we're doing this because we want to, you don't have to worry that it's causing us any trouble," Yuki informs me. "And besides, where else would you go?" He asks.

"Uh…" I say, knowing he's right. "Well, if I'm going to stay here; I'll work for room and board, but that's it! I don't want any money, and I want to know the rules of the house! I…" I say.

"Just relax, it's alright," He tells me. "You can do things your own way here, all you have to do is be yourself. Fair enough?" He asks me.

With Yuki saying that, it reminds me of what my mother used to say. 'Just be yourself, you'll be fine,' She used to tell me.

Yuki POV

"I don't know about this," Shigure informs me. "Do you really think it's a good idea having a girl in the house?" He asks me.

"Naturally, now it occurs to you to worry, its okay if she doesn't try to hug us," I tell him.


Samantha POV

'All's well that ends well, I guess,' I think. 'Though I'm not really sure how I ended up in Yuki's house, or borrowing his clothes,' I think looking down at the black button up top and his cargo pants. 'It's like being in a dream,' I think.

"I apologize for the smell," Yuki tells me. "We've had this room closed away for sometime. It's probably best if you keep the windows open for a while," He advises me. That's when I hear the ceiling falling apart.

"Yuki…" I warn him.

Then the roof collapses and an orange-haired teen falls to the ground unharmed. "Yo; time to pay the piper, rat boy. I'm here to collect," The teen says.

'Rat boy?' I think.

"Funny, I thought you would send someone bigger," Yuki says, as if this is completely normal.

"That's right; get your tough-talk out of the way, because I'm about to wipe that stupid little smirk off yo face," The orange-haired, crimson eyed teen tells Yuki. He then lunges at Yuki.

"Wait, stop! Don't fight!" I say, accidentally tripping on a piece of wood. I then accidentally fall on top of the crimson eyed teen and wrap my arms around the boy.

Both boys look at me in a state of shock. *Poof* Then all of a sudden there's a cloud of smoke in my face. And I fall straight to the solid ground.

"Yuki? What were all those crashing sounds I just heard? He's not here is he?" Shigure stands in the doorway, asking Yuki.

"What in the world?" I say, now holding a cat. 'Wasn't I just holding onto a boy?' I think. Then from the ceiling, another piece of wood falls and knocks me on my head, and I fall into the arms of Yuki and Shigure.

*Poof* another cloud of smoke in my face. Then in front of me are a dog, a cat, and a rat.

'What has my life come to?' I question myself.