Edited by TheLingeringWolf

Authors Note: Ok so I didn't have a disclaimer last chapter so might as well stick one in this time.

Disclaimer: I csidle… Don't own didally squat… big surprise…

Anyway THANK YOU to all who have reviewed! I really appreciate it…

I know I promised Hotel Rooms, Hot Springs, and Romance Novels... I'M SORRY... I was trying to make the Hot Springs chapter really good because you all helped so much on that one... this was part of it so instead of keeping you all waiting while i finish working out the kinks I'm just posting this half of the chapter and will finish up the other half by this afternoon... It was too long anyway... but still... I'M SORRY!

Read, Review, and Enjoy

NOTE: Rating may go up in future chapters

OF ROAD TRIPS AND ROMANCE NOVELS

CHAPTER 3: Of Tired Bosses and Sleepy Drivers

Mariko tiptoed around his desk. Leaning in close, she slipped the file she needed gently from beneath his head. He grumbled before his soft snores sounded once more. She flopped in her chair letting out a sigh of relief.

He should have left hours ago.

She should have not been back till the next morning.

Having still been in the area after a less then eventful evening of watching her young niece while her sister and brother-in-law were out on a self-proclaimed "date-night"; she desperately wanted to go home and rest.

When Katumi finally went to bed, Mariko sat down to read over her files and write summaries of the cases for Katsuo.

"Crap!"

She paused quickly scanned for the sneaky child. Not seeing her, Mariko relaxed.

I'll just run back by the office since it's on the way home…

She was just going to run in, grab the file, and leave. She wasn't expecting to find her boss sleeping at his desk or the file she needed under his head.

Replaying the night's events in her head while she calmed her breathing she lazily slid her eyes over the sleeping man. He was quite handsome, awake or asleep, but he looked less stressed as soft quiet snores emitted from his very attractive lips.

She shook her head. Standing up she grabbed his coat and threw it over him and turned off the little desk lamb that eliminated his face.

Smiling, she turned and left; tiptoeing as to not wake her sleeping boss.

After driving for five hours straight Mori was starting to get tired and after slamming on the breaks, hard, at more than a couple of red lights, the other hosts knew it too.

"Hey… Mori-sempai?" Kyoya asked after having his precious laptop, one again, torn from his hands and onto the bus's floor. "Would you like someone else to drive for a while?"

It wasn't the first time someone ventured to ask him if he needed a break; however, the reply was the same every time: a gentle shake of the head 'no' then back to driving. Finally, much to the extreme relief of everyone on board, fate intervened and they pulled in to the nearest gas station.

Tamaki was off the bus before Mori had even put it in park.

"So why wouldn't he just go to the bathroom on the bus again?" Karou asked his evil doppelganger as they both strolled off the bus behind Kyoya, who was concentrated on one thing and one thing only: black coffee.

Hikaru, with a perfectly straight face that couldn't quite hide the mischief in his eyes, threw an arm over his twins shoulder and said, "He was scared that Helga would weasel out from her crate that, as you know, we placed in the tub and sneak up behind him and bite his―"

"HIKARU!" Haruhi put her hands over Honey's ears while she stared down the twins, who just shrugged and strolled inside, giggling the whole way.

"Haru-chan?" Honey looked at her with tears in his eyes. "Can you help me please?"

She stepped back on the bus and saw Mori completely passed out with his head square in the middle of the steering wheel.

Why does he do this to himself?

"I'm too small to get him to the couch…"

Haruhi just looked at Mori and pictured herself pushing a conscious Mori onto the black leather sofa and―

Where did that come from?

Haruhi shook her head to clear the image of a very alluring scene from her mind.

"Um, Honey-sempai… I don't think I can't lift him either… Have you tried waking him up?"

Honey nodded his head and sniffled some more.

Haruhi shook her head as she leaned down by Mori's ear. She couldn't contain her giggles when her breath made him swat at the air, grumble, and turn his head to protect his ear. As he turned his head she realized she was going to have to get closer to his other ear so she wouldn't startle him by yelling and that involved leaning over him. Gently as she could she placed her hand on his shoulder and leaned over him on her tip toes. From where her hand rested she could feel his soft silky hair against her hand and had the strange urge to run her fingers through it.

"Mori-sempai, it's time to wake up..."

With a lot of grumbling the figure groggily awoke and turned toward Haruhi, who had not moved back from her perch over him. They were staring at each other nose to nose and it took a moment for the two to realize just how close they were, much to the amusement of Honey who was grinning ear to ear.

After a very long moment of staring into each other's eyes, two jumped apart and blushed deep red and turned their gazes from each other, muttering apologizes the whole time.

Honey, basking in his cousin and best friend's embarrassment, helped his cousin to the couch and made him lay down while Haruhi retrieved a light blanket to throw over him. Honey then tucked Usa-chan under the already dozing Mori's arm and patted the younger boy on the head, then turned to Haruhi.

"Takashi hasn't been sleeping well. That's probably why he's become such a fan of commoner's coffee. Can you get him a cup while I find him a pillow, please?"

By this time the little senior was all sniffily again and was clinging to Haruhi's shirt. Haruhi's maternal instincts were in full swing after tending to Honey all day. She kneeled down to wipe the tears that were threatening to fall.

"Of course I can and tell you what; I'll get you some ice cream too."

Of course this cheered Honey up to the point that little pink flowers bloomed all around him. Haruhi shook her head good naturedly and exited the bus.

When she returned to the bus she found that not only had Kyoya taken up the roll as chauffeur, and looked about ready to pass out, but the only seat left was by a completely knocked out Mori.

She handed Mori's coffee to Kyoya who, she was sure, had drank at least five cups already and was sure would need a bathroom break in the near future. Haruhi shook her head and went to take her seat.

"Did you get ice cream?" Honey asked while bouncing in his seat by Mori's feet.

"Yep, I got strawberry."

She reached over Mori's prone body to hand an already sugar high Honey the ice cream bar. When she leaned over however her thigh came into contact with Mori's head and he reflexively latched onto his new pillow. All Haruhi could do was look down in shock at the head that had weaselled its way into her lap and the arm that was tucked around her leg.

"W-W-WHAT!" Tamaki screamed from the sight of Mori in his "daughter's" lap. "MOTHER, OUR NEIGHBOR IS HARASSING OUR DAUGHTER!"

"... And?"

"MOTHER!"

"Neighbor?" Hikaru turned to Karou and asked. He was trying to concentrate on what Tamaki had said versus the jealousy taking over him at knowing that it was Mori and not him that was close to his toy.

Karou patted his brother's leg. "We've been over this before with him. In Tono's mind he's father, Kyoya's mother, Haruhi is his daughter, though we know that he's delusional on that part―"

"AM NOT!"

"Are too... he thinks we're her brothers and Honey-sempai and Mori-sempai are our neighbors," Karou finished with a breathless sigh. "We're all just one big happy family..."

He stole a glance at the couch Haruhi, Honey, and Mori were sitting/laying on.

Haruhi had taken up the role of playing pillow well. She ran her fingers through Mori's hair as he pressed his face into her stomach and wrapped his other arm around her waist. The large amount of entwining Mori had done of placing himself all around her had Honey smiling so big that Karou was sure the little seniors head would split in two.

"Would you all give it a rest please? We're here," Kyoya stated wearily.

Mori clung closer to Haruhi in attempt to block out the noise the others made about finally being able to get off the bus.

"Mori-sempai... we're here," Haruhi softly spoke by his head as she gently rubbed his back in order to wake him up. When he sat up in a daze, Haruhi slipped out from under him and ran outside with the others to retrieve her bag in order to hide the fact that not only was she flustered, but she couldn't wipe the blush from her cheeks or the smile from her lips.

Ootori... Why does that name sound familiar?

A receptionist at the Shirahone Onsen Hot Springs resort pondered on the name, sure she had heard it before when Kyoya had managed to escape Tamaki's theatrics and make it inside and up to the desk.

"Sir?"

Kyoya realized he must have zoned out for a moment and went into his "host mode" to make up for it.

"I do apologize miss, your beauty just captivated me so much so that I forgot where I was. I have a reservation."

The receptionist smiled and blushed modestly at his comment.

"Can I have the party's name, sir?"

"Yes, Ootori Kyoya."

"And that's for seven?"

"Yes."

She paused for a moment, her eyes widening.

"Oh dear... it seems we're over booked. We only have three rooms."
She looked so close to tears at the mix up that not even cold, heartless Kyoya could see being mad at her. It probably wasn't even her fault, he reasoned. Not to mention he was tired and ready to at least take a nap, if not sleep till morning.

"That's fine."

She looked like she didn't quite believe him but handed over seven key cards.
"Three are to the largest room."

"Thank―"

"KYOYA!"

The twins burst in and ran up to Kyoya with an ecstatic Tamaki behind them.
"You..."

Kyoya turned to them, missing the color drain from the girl's looked at him expectantly.

"Did you get the... Hey, you were the chauffeur that was going to drive us!"
She just looked at them with wide eyes, laid her badge down, and walked out the front door.

Karou looked at Hikaru, "What was that?"

Haruhi, Mori, and Honey finally made it to them at the front desk, having not been in as big of a rush as the others.

Haruhi looked confused.

"What was up with the lady that just left? She was muttering on and on about snakes and what sounded like twins."

The twins looked at each other with wide eyes then turned back to her.

"Nothing!"

"Enough," Kyoya's headache was quickly turning into a migraine. "Room assignments..."

Awww... Kyoya has a heart...

IM SORRY FOR THE CLIFFHANGER... But it really was suppose to be one chapter. I give you this and hope you stay for what will be (IN MY OPINION ANYWAY) a very funny, awkward Mori/Haruhi Hot Springs Chapter.

OH and the twins strike again! Poor girl...

Character Names

Yamada Katumi (niece) means Water