A/N: Wow. The first update to this story since August 11, 2009. D: I decided to pick this up again because I have this 'dream' that somehow, by the end of this year, every story that is unfinished will be finished. So this story is one of the five 'incompletes'. I don't know how possible that is but we will see. In the mean time, I hope that this chapter is good.

THE ASCENT: The Search, Pt. 1

"Tooooommmmiiiiiiii!"

At the sound of her nickname, Hitomi turned around. Her brown eyes opened wide at the sight of Ayame running toward her. In a matter of seconds, the snake of the zodiac swooped her into a bone crushing hug.

"How are you dear Tomi? You missed me right?"

"I saw you like ten minutes ago," Hitomi forced out.

Ayame dropped her and took on a thoughtful expression. "Oh yeah. You did. But you didn't sit with me and the others. Did Shigure do something?"

Hitomi gave him a weak smile before she noticed Hatori and Shigure coming toward them. Walking home together as a group wasn't something they did often. Sometimes she would walk home with a school buddy – always a girl just to avoid the obvious catastrophes – and the Mabudachi Trio would go home together. Sometimes they would leave the school in pairs – Hatori and Hitomi and Shigure and Ayame or Ayame and Hitomi and Shigure and Hatori or, if life decided to be cruel that day, Hatori and Ayame and Shigure and Hitomi. Actually, life would have to be exceptionally cruel that day.

Shigure and Hatori finally reached the pair. Shigure noticed that Hitomi immediately cracked a smile at Hatori. A new school year and nothing has changed, Shigure thought.

"Hi Hari," Hitomi greeted.

"Hello, Hitomi," Hatori said.

Her gaze landed on Shigure and he swore her enthusiasm died down a little. "Hi."

"Yeah, hi." He had hoped that after he had run and gotten that poster for her sake last year, their relationship would have improved. Well it had but then she found out she got a B and she flipped. If her partner had been Hatori or maybe even Ayame, she would have gotten over it. But because it had been Shigure, who had been so lazy and unmotivated, she felt that he was to blame. Maybe it was his fault but couldn't she get over it?

"So how are you?" Hatori asked.

"I'm doing good," Hitomi replied. "I'm glad I got homeroom with you guys."

"Naturally I was the exception."

"It's great that we have the same homeroom," Ayame said. "We can do homework together."

"Maybe we'll have no projects that our partners could screw us over," Hitomi said with a grin.

Shigure raised an eyebrow. He should have seen that one coming a mile away. She had asked one of their teachers if they would have to work in pairs at one point. But she had called him out on it – indirectly but still – and he had a desire to even up the score. "Hey, Hitomi." The girl looked at him with raised eyebrows. Shigure smiled mischievously at her. "You're over Hari right?"

Her face heated up immediately. He expected her to fire something back but she didn't. Instead she started to walk away. Shigure quickly grabbed her hand. "I'm kidding, I'm kidding."

"You kid too much," she said. The blush had yet to clear her cheeks. In fact, it seemed to be deepening.

"She's right, Shigure," Hatori said, his eyes briefly landing on Hitomi. "You do."

"Not you, too, Hari," Shigure said, feigning dismay. "That means I might have to take Hitomi seriously."

"Can you let go of my hand now?" Hitomi suddenly asked.

Shigure looked at their hands. He quickly let go, feeling the color rising to his cheeks. He hadn't realized that he had still been holding onto her. Not like it meant anything. She turned away and he was glad that she didn't try taking off again.

"So what are you guys doing this weekend?" She asked as they started to walk as a group.

"Hatori's father invited us to the beach Saturday," Ayame said. "Saturday is supposed to be really hot. We're all going."

"Actually I'm not going anymore," Shigure said.

Hatori looked at the dog of the zodiac. "You're not?"

"Last minute dentist appointment," Shigure explained.

Aya stared at his best friend and frowned. "Why Gure?"

Shigure sighed. "Well, my mom insisted."

"But Gure." Ayame gave Shigure this odd, infatuated look. "You know my weekend won't be the same without you." Hatori and Hitomi raised their eyebrows. They thought that was as bizarre as it was going to get. But they were wrong.

To their shock, Shigure returned Ayame's gaze. "Ah, mine without you, Aya."

"Maybe we should spend our last few hours together," Ayame suggested. "You know, before I leave."

"Indeed we should. My place?"

"Yes! Oh, Shigure."

"Oh Aya."

The two boys gaze longingly into each other eyes before they started laughing. They laughed even harder when they saw Hatori's and Hitomi's faces. Shigure calmed down first. "It's this new act me and Aya are working on," he explained with a grin. "Does it make you feel uncomfortable?"

Hatori didn't respond because quite frankly he didn't know what to say. Hitomi, on the other hand, replied, "Hardly." She was not going to give them the satisfaction that something so stupid had made her feel like running away.

Ayame stopped laughing and looked at Hitomi. "What are you doing this weekend?" he asked.

"Nothing much."

"Then you should come with us! You can take Shigure's spot."

Hitomi gave a weak smile. "It's okay. I kinda want to stay in this weekend."

"Come on, Tomi," Ayame pleaded. "I want you to come. Hari wants you to come."

Hitomi blushed again at the mention of Hatori. "No. I'm okay."

"Come on, Tomi."

"Aya, I'm okay."

"Please."

"No."

Ayame and Hitomi went back and forth a few more times. Finally Hatori stepped in. "I want you to come with us, Hitomi." Shigure and Ayame stared at him in surprised. Even Hatori seemed a little taken back by his sudden boldness.

The girl's face was redder than ever but she still shook her head. "I'm okay. Really, Hari. I just want to stay home this weekend."

"You see, she had other plans..."

Around noon that Saturday, Shigure came home from the dentist. Usually one of his parents would go with him but today they had to take care of family business. Whatever it was, it would occupy them the whole day. He was happy about that. While his home had not fallen apart like those of some zodiac members, at times it could be uncomfortable. So he was ready to come back to an empty house and just relax for the rest of the afternoon. But when he arrived, he found Hitomi, out of all people, sitting on his house steps. She looked up at him and immediately stood onto her feet.

"Hi Shigure." She tried to give him a smile but failed miserably.

Shigure ran a hand through his black hair. "Hi." Quickly he thought about what he did the last 24 hours. He was almost certain that he had done nothing wrong. Unless she's still upset about that Hatori comment. Knowing her, she would be. "So... what are you doing here?"

Hitomi looked at the ground and shifted her weight a little. "I was hoping you wouldn't mind doing me a favor."

Shigure laughed but then he saw Hitomi getting frustrated. "You're serious, aren't you?"

"I wouldn't waste my time here if I wasn't."

"That is true." Shigure examined girl, trying to figure her out. He couldn't think of anything that would prompt a visit from Hitomi.

"Do you want to go on a trip with me?"

"...Just the two of us?"

"I would rather ask Hari or Aya but they're at the beach today."

So that's why she was asking about our plans this weekend, he realized. "Where are you going?"

Hitomi averted her gaze. She looked so unsure of herself and Shigure wondered if she was going to tell him. Eventually she did. "I'm going to see my father."

His eyes narrowed slightly. "Didn't he leave a long time ago?"

"About ten years ago," she said.

"And you want to see him because?"

"I think my mother would be happy if he came back home," she replied. "I'm pretty sure she still misses him."

Hitomi was one of those zodiac members who had a broken home. It was something Shigure had overheard about. Sometimes from his relatives, sometimes from his parents. Despite the warnings from various members of the Sohma house, Hitomi's mother Minako had dated an outsider. They were due to get married a few months after the baby was born. But that never happened. The wedding was continuously pushed back until the whole thing was called off. And then the man left Minako to raise Hitomi because their life together was not what he had imagined. At least, that was the simplified version.

"Are you sure about this?" Shigure asked Hitomi. "Chances are they wiped his memory."

"I can't believe someone could forget their own daughter. I don't think he forgot my mother either. I would go by myself but I've tried before and I always change my mind. I just want you to come along to make sure I don't this time."

This isn't going to end well, Shigure thought. It never ended well for members of the zodiac. "Do you know where he lives?" She nodded. "Alright. Let's go."

Shigure and Hitomi left the Sohma estate about an hour later and took the train to a town up north. After a ten minute ride, they got off at the station. Shigure looked at Hitomi. "Where do we go from here?" He asked.

"Just follow me." She started walking and as directed, Shigure followed right behind.

He couldn't believe that this was how he was going to spend his Saturday afternoon, allowing Hitomi to head straight into... Disaster maybe? Hitomi was a strong girl. She should be able to handle whatever disappointment came her way. But what if she couldn't? He didn't even know how to comfort her. They weren't even that close to begin with and the only reason he was going so that she would owe him a favor in the future. Even then he wasn't sure if a favor from Hitomi was worth all the possible trouble. Maybe I should have convinced her to go next weekend, he thought. Hari and Aya should be free then. They would know what to do if she breaks down.

The two teenagers passed a park. Right by the entrance was an ice cream truck. Shigure realized that it had been a while since he had eaten ice cream and a nice, warm day practically called for it. "Hey, Hitomi, do you want some ice cream?"

"Not right now," she replied. "I want to get this over with as soon as possible."

Shigure looked at the ice cream truck one last time. "If you say so."

They turned onto a residential street and walked a few blocks. They passed a few houses where dogs ran up to the fence and looked eagerly at Shigure, wagging their tails. The scene caused Hitomi to laugh a little as they continued walk down the sidewalk. "I wonder if sheep would do the same thing to me if they lived around here."

"Well, you are the sheep of the zodiac," Shigure said matter-of-factly.

"They say something similar happens to Aya's little brother right? And Kureno too?" Shigure nodded his head. "It must be a sight then although I wouldn't want to be around Yuki when that happens. Rats are kinda freaky."

"You're scared of rats?"

"And mice, too. Actually, I think there are several zodiac members I wouldn't want to meet up close. I'm happy we don't live in places where tigers, monkeys, boars-!"

"How about dogs?"

"Dogs live around here."

"I mean do you like dogs?"

She stopped in her tracks and looked at Shigure with a puzzled look. "Is that a trick question?"

"No."

One of the dogs barked. The two looked at it and it started panting happily. Hitomi smiled. Shigure couldn't remember a time where Hitomi had smiled so much while being in only his company. To be honest, he liked this side of her. She wasn't making snide remarks or nagging him about something.

"If you must know, Shigure," she finally responded, "there is one dog I know I don't like."

"You do realize I don't have to be here, right?"

Hitomi smiled and started walking again. "I didn't say the 'dog' was you, did I?" She paid no mind to Shigure's yeah-right look. "Now come on. We're almost there."

They walked down another block – this one was particularly long – before Hitomi stopped in front of a house. The house was medium sized and white with a black roof and a brick chimney on the side. The lawn had been recently cut and the flowerbed was starting to grow again.

"So this is where he lives?" Shigure asked.

Hitomi pulled out a piece of paper and looked at it. "Apparently so."

"Well, aren't you go to go ring the doorbell or something?"

Hitomi started combing her black hair with her fingers as she mulled the idea over. Then she looked at Shigure. "Be honest: this is stupid of me, isn't?"

"Yep."

She frowned. "You really didn't hesitate on that one."

"No. It's just that I thought it was stupid from the start.

"Really because most people don't let people go through with things if it's stupid from the start. If I was with Hari or Aya, they wouldn't let me get this far." She started to walk away but Shigure grabbed her wrist. "Can't you let go?"

"I would but I can't do that."

"You're such an-!"

Shigure pulled her back and forced her to face him. "Look. The only reason I let you get this far because I think you need to do this. Even if it's the dumbest thing you're going to do in your life."

"Actually Hitomi would say it was the second dumbest thing in her life."

The teenage boy sighed and let go of her shoulders. Yep. This was definitely not how he wanted to spend his Saturday afternoon. But he was not about to let this trip be for nothing. "Hitomi, what's the worst that could happen?"

"I'll humiliate myself," she replied.

Shigure grinned. "Then we should get going."

"Shigure."

He placed a hand on her back and steered her toward the front door. "I'll come with you to door." She looked at him with so much uncertainty that he had to wonder if he was being dumber than she was at the moment. But then she allowed him to lead her without question. The walk seemed like an eternity but it took under a minute for them to reach the top most step. Shigure looked at Hitomi. He could see the doubt in her brown eyes already and the only thing that kept her from running was the hand on her back. It was strange; even though it was not his father on the other side of the door, he felt every bit as anxious as Hitomi. "Ready?"

She nodded and knocked loudly. She stepped back when the doorknob turned and inhaled sharply when the door swung open. A man appeared in the doorway. He had rather unkempt black hair and dark eyes. He had quite a beard going for him and eyebrows that had lives of their own. Shigure couldn't believe his eyes. Was this really the man Minako Sohma had fallen for? Even Hitomi seemed a bit caught off guard.

"Can I do something for you kids?" He asked. His gaze passed over them both. "If it's about magazine subscriptions, I'm not interested."

"N-no, it's not," Hitomi forced out. Her eyebrows knitted together as she examined the man. "Are you... Satoshi Saito?"

A/N: And that's it. For now anyways. Thanks to Maggiepie34, Knight4Jack, JubbieOokami, and xLilim for reviewing way back in '09/'10. And thanks to those who added this story to their favorites/alerts lists. Hopefully the next chapter will be up soon. So in the mean time, review please.