A/N: FINALLY! here's chapter 4! This chapter is once again in Tohru's POV. And making an appearance in the NEXT chapter are Hiro, Momiji, and Kisa! *fanfare*=^^=

Poor Tohru. :'(

And as I have said before, it gets better and more intense (or in Tohru's case, it gets worse) in the up-and-coming chapters.

Oh BTW, here are some Reviewer Responses to those who avidly read this story and have kept my motivation flowin':

SnowyTears/CONTINUE: Thank you very much for being excited about this story. I believe you were the first person to review.

AngelofDarkness21: Thanks so much for reading and reviewing! And I'm glad you're hooked.

lostmoonchild: Thanks so much for reading/reviewing and glad you're excited about this.

nana1996: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

starlight luna: It seems as if you almost know what I am going to write next. Either that or you have given me inspiration from your comments. Thank you so much!

kouga's older woman: XD thank you for reading and love the enthusiasm :3

Obsession239600020305: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

mayleana francisca kika Ortiz: Thanks for reading and reviewing!

Wai Hullo Thar: hahaha glad you liked Kyo's line there. XD Thanks for reading and reviewing! And I'm glad this story is 'refreshing' :3

Conrii: Thanks so much for reading/reviewing and for giving me ideas!

Fwah: Thanks so much for reading/reviewing and love the enthusiasm!

MissBayley: I'm glad the characters are in character and that the storyline is working. That was my goal lol and as for the pairing, it's both a Yukiru and a Kyoru. And I bet you could write like this :) Thanks for reading/reviewing.

jsweetpea10: I am happy that you like the story so much X3 it will get updated as soon as I can. I promise lol thanks for reading/reviewing!

.Kyo8: I thank you for the support and the feedback. XD and don't worry; Yuki will get his moment...

So, ENJOY!


Tohru's POV:

I drifted…like a balloon…far away from the real world and all of its problems. The darkness was so serene and warm. It felt so welcoming, with no danger to make me feel so scared. I wished I could stay there and avoid all of the terrible problems of the world.

It was wonderful; feeling so calm and free. Not even those Prince Yuki Fan Club girls could hurt me here.

Or that's what I thought.

It was so vivid and realistic; like I wasn't in a dream. At first, I was alone in a dark world, enjoying the warmth, when out of nowhere; something hard collided with my face. The power from the force sent my spinning and flying back, and I skidded on the ground.

My skin burned from scraping along the ground. I opened my eyes and looked down at my legs and arms, my heart doing a flip-flop when I saw the condition of my body. Blood covered my forearms, knees, and shins. The skin was torn off completely in certain areas while it either remained on my body or was hanging on by a thread. But I don't think it was all because I skidded along the ground…

I looked up to see what bumped into me that could've thrown me back. All that was there were…

Black figures…

With gleaming yellow eyes…

Their mouths pulled back into evil smiles…

One held some type of item…but I couldn't see what it was…

The tallest one grabbed my hair and yanked me up on my knees, making me yell out in pain...Any harder, and I swear, all of my hair would've ripped off of my head…

The figure that had my hair locked in her strong grip looked me in the eye…

I couldn't see who it was…tears of pain and fright blinded me…

But I heard her say something…

In a cold, menacing voice…

"Die"

My eyes shot open.

I sat up straight, panting. A thick sheet of sweat sat upon my forehead.

I looked my arms and legs over quickly, seeing that my skin was fine and I wasn't bleeding excessively.

That face…

Those eyes…

What she said…

Hot, spicy liquid was bubbling up my throat, ready to make an appearance; I could feel it crawling up my esophagus. My hand flew up to my mouth as I felt drastically sick. But I forced the vomit back down my throat before it could surface, making me feel worse.

They even invaded my dreams. Those girls purely hated me. The same question rang in my head; why did they have to go out of their way just to make me feel horrible?

I looked up at the ceiling and moaned, "Why, Mom? What have I done wrong? I…w-wish you were here…to h-help…"

Little drops fell down my cheeks and I covered my face with my hands, sobbing louder than I should've been. But I didn't care then; the thought of waking up the others didn't even cross my mind. I had just noticed that I was shaking like a leaf. 'What a mess I've become' I thought, hating myself for acting like such a crybaby. I looked over at my clock, not at all surprised that it displayed "3:45 a.m." in bright green numbers. 'Great', I thought bitterly, 'I'm wide awake three hours before its time to get up.'

Loud footsteps echoed through the once-quiet house, growing louder as they got closer. I nearly jumped three feet in the air when the door to my room slammed open. I turned to see Yuki, in his light gray pajamas, and Kyo, in his black t-shirt and flannel pajama bottoms, panting.

"WHAT'S GOING ON?" they both yelled in unison. I simply stared at them for a while, until Yuki walked forward and wiped the sweat off of my head.

"Miss Honda, are you all right? We heard you yelling and crying."

I felt the world around me lurch, making me lean forward, clutching my stomach. I let out a low moan, but stopped when I sensed Yuki's hand on my cheek, rubbing the tears away gently.

A burp accidentally escaped my lips, and I tasted vomit again.

"Miss Honda…what's the matter?" Yuki asked, sitting down next to me on my bed. He rubbed my back which increased my burps and hiccups, and I turned red with embarrassment. He felt my forehead. His hand was so cold that it sent chills down my spine.

"You feel a little warm."

'I'm probably run down from the anxiety' I thought. But I didn't dare say it aloud.

"Do you want me to get her some medicine?" Kyo asked, jerking his thumb in the direction of the bathroom. Yuki nodded, but I waved my hands frantically.

"No! No! I'm all right, really! I…I'm…fine…" I yawned toward the end of my sentence, feeling exhausted. Yuki stared into my half-closed eyes, concern displayed in his expression. Unconsciously, I could sort of feel myself sway. My head felt like it was full of lead.

I heard Yuki exclaim, "Miss Honda! What's going on? Are you okay?"

He clutched my shoulders, trying to stop me from rocking back and forth. I let my head fall on his chest; he smelled nice. And I could feel heat coming off of his body; it was totally different from his hands…the smell…the warmth…it all…kind of reminded me…of that peaceful state of mind…where everything was warm…

His heart thumped in a steady rhythm. My consciousness was slipping with every beat of his heart…his smell was so comforting…his voice so cool that it could've stopped a fire right in its tracks…

I murmured something inaudible; I don't even know I was trying to say. But once Yuki asked me to repeat it, I cleared my throat and answered, "Yuki…you…you feel…so warm…"

I heard Kyo inhale sharply while Yuki stroked my hair. He was at a loss for words.

"Miss Honda-"

"Help…me…" I whined, cutting him off without realizing it. I couldn't take it anymore. I had to ask for help from somewhere. I actually hadn't intended to say it in words, but to scream it in my head. However, because I was so exhausted, I didn't realize that I was saying that aloud.

"What was that, Miss Honda?" Yuki asked, rubbing my shoulders tenderly.

"Please…" I groaned, hot tears falling down my cheeks again. "Please…Yuki…Kyo…p-please…h-help me…"

And as if someone had drained me completely of my strength, my body slackened and I laid across his chest, his warm grasp embracing me. I heard a loud POOF and I fell onto the bed, foggily knowing what had happened. Something underneath me twitched and scooted out from under my body. A tiny paw rested on my nose, and I faintly heard Kyo and Yuki yelling at me, asking me questions. But I ignored them; I was still under a spell, for the smell of Yuki was still there; his clothes were still warm too. I curled up and moaned, letting myself slip into the quiet blackness once more.


The space…so calm…

Once more, the serenity relieved me of the stress…

I felt lighter…

But yet again, I saw something out of the corner of my eye.

It was a tall figure…

'It must be the one from before!' I thought frantically.

My heart started to pick up its pace.

I turned around to meet the gaze with the figure.

It started walking toward me…

I backed up, holding my hands up…

It still proceeded for me…

A wall came from behind me, stopping me in my tracks. My heart was ready to leap out of my chest.

"No!" I yelled, covering my eyes and quivering. I was done for…

"Miss Honda…" the figure answered, stopping about a foot away from me. Wait...'Miss Honda'?

That sounded like…

I uncovered my eyes, and saw the teenage boy, with short, grayish-purple hair, standing in front of me; his gray eyes giving me a jolt of hope.

"Yuki!" I breathed, feeling my cheeks become hot. I started to relax; I wouldn't have to worry about anyone attacking me with Yuki around. He was the type of person who seemed quiet and cool at school, but when he was forced into action, like when he would fight Kyo, he was strong and protective.

I wanted to run forward and hug him, but I remembered that I couldn't; he wouldn't want to transform into a rat. So, I just looked down at my feet and started wringing my hands.

"Miss Honda…" he walked forward, his arms wide open. This confused me, but only made me feel uncomfortable as he approached closer. But I didn't know what to do; it was as if my feet were glued to the floor.

I was even more surprised when he managed to wrap his arms around me and hold me without changing into a rat. And I didn't do anything at first; I just waited there, becoming intoxicated by his scent, his heartbeat drumming against my own chest.

Finally, I decided to break away. He seemed hurt by this action, and frowned,

"Miss Honda…what's wrong?"

"It's…just…why didn't you transform?" I asked, not wanting to beat around the bush. This was something that had never happened before; and it was so sudden. He just smiled and responded with a laugh.

"That's not important right now."

"Yes it is!" I spat, raising my voice. But once the phrase left my lips, I covered my mouth. I never raised my voice…to anyone! I looked down at my feet again, guilt flooding my soul.

"I am so sorry…I didn't mean to-"

But I was silenced by Yuki's cold hands on my face. I flinched from the iciness of his hands. He lifted my head and drew closer to my face; I could feel his warm breath; it smelled nice too, just like his body.

"There's no need to apologize" he coolly answered, giving me a warm smile that sent chills down my spine. His thumb stroked my cheek gently. A spark flew through my body and I gasped at the feeling. Yuki frowned again.

"Is something wrong?"

I shook my head, staring blankly into his beautiful eyes.

"No…nothing at all…" I replied, my voice trailing off. He leaned in closer, forcing me to back up into the wall.

"You…are so beautiful, Miss Honda." He cooed, nose-to-nose with me.

He edged close and pressed his lips against mine. My eyes opened wider than they had ever before, while thoughts rapidly flashed through my mind.

I remember thinking, 'OH GOD! WHAT DO I DO?'

But that question didn't need an answer; it was as if I knew already. I closed my eyes, placed my hands on his chest, and pressed back. My head whirled as adrenaline rushed through me the instant he kissed me. I didn't know what to think of it. It was…a wonderful…yet somehow, guilty feeling…

But why, oh why did I feel guilty?

I soon found out the reason…

I heard a growl off in the distance that caught my attention…

I turned around…

And there stood Kyo…

And a deep, bottomless feeling of shame and remorse immediately took the place of the warmness…

"Ya damn rat!" Kyo hollered, tears forming in his eyes. He stormed over to us slowly, every step of his making the world quake. I held onto Yuki's arm for balance while Kyo stomped over to us. Yuki clenched his fists and his cool smile switched into an annoyed frown.

"What's the matter, you stupid cat? Afraid of a little competition?" Yuki sneered, taking a step forward. I released his arm and stood watching, motionless and unsure of what to do.

Kyo hissed and pointed his finger at Yuki, "You…you…YOU'LL PAY FOR THAT!"

He swung his arm wildly at Yuki's head, which I expected it to get hit. But Yuki ducked at the last minute and retaliated, delivering a powerful punch to Kyo's jaw. He was sent flying but skidded on his feet and came to a slow stop a few feet away.

Yuki spat on the ground and growled through clenched teeth, "You stupid cat…what makes you think you'd have a chance? You're no good for Miss Honda…"

I believe that that sentence shocked me more than it did Kyo. I felt my heart pump about seventy miles an hour. A sharp pang of discomfort bloomed in my chest…but why…from worry?

"And you think you're any better for her?" Kyo snapped back. Once again, I felt an ache in my chest…was it my heart…that hurt…?

I held a hand up to my chest and felt my knees begin to buckle…it felt like someone had taken a sharp, metal dagger and pierced my heart…over and over…I was surprised that blood wasn't leaking out onto my hands and in my clothes…

Yuki sneered and coolly presented his solution to the problem.

"Well, why don't we let Miss Honda decide?"

Kyo straightened up and snapped, "That's not fair on her part! You shouldn't put so much pressure on her conscience!"

The pain grew even more intense and I clutched my chest even tighter…I could feel a sense of being torn coming from the depths of my pain…

"Well, what do you say Miss Honda? Who do you like more? Me or that stupid cat?" Yuki asked, ignoring Kyo's outburst and turning to me. I looked up at the two of them with one eye closed in pain. That feeling of indecision was stronger now…my gaze darted from Kyo to Yuki…back and forth, back and forth, all the while my consciousness starting to slip…I couldn't…I didn't know who…

"I…I" I started to groan, swaying on my feet. Yuki and Kyo both began to look concerned when they noticed, but neither of them knew what to do.

"I…c-can't…" Fog was surrounding me once again...did I really have to make a decision? I liked both of them…but I couldn't decide…who to…choose…

"I…can't…decide…" I uttered before I dropped to my knees and passed out.


I opened my eyes suddenly, panting heavily and feeling sweat drip down my face. I took many deep breaths and clutched the bed sheets, trying hard to control my breathing. I sat up slowly, taking in my surroundings and realizing that I was safe at home, in my bed.

I took another deep breath and just stared blankly around the room, happy that I didn't have to make a decision like that in the real world. But a new fear crept into my spirit; what if I really did have to make that decision?

Choose between Yuki and Kyo? "Oh that's impossible!" I muttered to myself. I couldn't possibly choose between the two boys. They both cared for me very much, and they displayed it different ways too. The two of them had their quirks, but that's what made them human…even though there weren't fully so.

It suddenly dawned on me; the sun was shining clearly through my window, which wasn't normal when I woke up. I usually rose before dawn; so why was-?

Then I looked at my clock and my heart leaped into my throat.

It was 8:43 AM!

"I'm late! Super late!" I hollered as I jumped out of bed and ran out of my room. I sprinted downstairs and came to a stop in the living room.

I really didn't expect to see Kyo and Yuki there, since it was already past eight in the morning. But I didn't expect to see anyone in the living room, let alone Shigure, silently reading the paper. He looked at me when he heard my thundering steps down the stairs. He smiled warmly and chimed, "Well, good morning Tohru! How are you feeling?"

I was so distraught that I wasn't even forming real sentences…

"Uhhh…ah…I…um…school…and…late…ahh…and…clock…uh...!"

I went to run back up the stairs to get myself dressed, but I felt Shigure hold me back by placing his hand on my shoulder calmly. I turned back to him and stared in confusion.

He smiled again. "Tohru…don't you remember? Hari told you to stay home today and get some rest."

It came back to me right at that moment. I don't know how I could've forgot the session with Hatori.

"Oh…that's right…um…s-sorry…guess I forgot…" I could feel myself blushing.

"It's all right; nothing to apologize for. You should probably go back upstairs and go back to sleep."

I shook my head furiously.

"Oh no! I still have the laundry to do and-"

"Tohru, Hari told you to take it easy today. That means; no housework. Understand?"

I looked down at my bare feet and nodded slowly.

"Well, you should get back to bed." He started playfully pushing me in the direction of the stairs. I giggled at him and started back for my room. But I turned back and smiled.

"Thank you…Shigure…"

He nodded.

"No problem."

By the time I got back to my doorway, I heard Shigure call;

"If you want anything to eat, let me know!"

I nearly stumbled over in laughter. I wouldn't want to hurt Shigure's feelings, but he's not the best cook…


A/N: W00T! Sorry if this chapter was more...'low-key' than the others...but it'll get better!

Hope you liked it!