Okay, just as I promised everyone! This is gonna one hell of a long chapter. Read and review!! From emichii. PS. I don't own Fruits Basket.

Chapter Four: Meeting with Akito Part 2

"It's like… everything's falling apart… It's like they're all gone- all of the Zodiac," Akito mused, "Everyone one of them… they all drifting away from me,"

Tohru listened on from her painful position.

"But even you think its okay to simply take Kyo away," he cried. "Even you! And I've trusted you for long enough, let you live with the Sohma's for so long… and still you're all ready to betray me-"

"That's not true, Akito!" Tohru called out. "I don't understand what you're saying-"

"You… don't understand what I'm saying?" Akito's frail body shook with anger. "Because all of you normal humans out there, you all have no idea what its like to be a member of the Zodiac! None of you know what its like to have to avoid ever getting close to someone! Because of this all of the Zodiac members- they're all extremely sensitive and letting even one person know the secret, they put themselves in danger!"

He turned away from the window and paced back on forth along the floorboards.

"Even those few people who I ever entrusted with the secret… all of them- they all turned their back on us and walked away! And that's exactly why I've kept such a tight reign on everyone. Because all of you normal people can simply "love" one of the Zodiacs, then decide to turn away and walk away! And being from the Zodiac, they'll never recover because they themselves had trusted the traitor with the secret only to let them escape!"

"…" Tohru stared at the cold wooden floor and let the silence float around her.

Akito's voice grew, "So what are you going to do, huh? Are you just going to take advantage of Kyo and then leave him?"

"N-No…" Tohru finally found the strength to answer.

"You know everything about Kyo. And he's the cat. You even know about his disgusting true form. And you know Kyo is the most vulnerable out of everybody- but still you chose to love him… you don't know what you're doing!"

"I love Kyo," Tohru whispered, "and… I-I can't do anything to change that…"

Akito glared at her.

He was so angry. So, so angry. Tohru could feel angry waves coming out from him and even though she wasn't Hana-chan, she could tell that he was about to loose control.

Kyo sat cross-legged outside the room, leaning against the wall.

Gee, what was taking Tohru so long? He wondered. …then all of a sudden he froze. What a weird chill he had just felt. Maybe it was some kind of cat sense but for some reason he could feel something was very very wrong.

And Tohru was right in the middle of it.

"TOHRU!!" He didn't know why, he didn't even know what he was doing but by instinct, he crashed through the door and flew into the room.

Pain.

She could read it in his eyes. Pain. This is gonna hurt.

It wasn't even some big fanfare kinda thing. Just kinda impulsive. She knew right now, he was gonna hit her.

His hand moved so fast it was like a blur.

Tohru squinted her eyes shut to brace herself.

"TOHRU!!"

The noise was accompanied by a huge crashing/ripping sound. Tohru opened her eyes just in time to see Kyo flying towards her. Pushing her away, he took the blow himself.

Tohru's eyes widened. Her hand went up to her mouth.

"Kyo!" she leapt to her feet and ran up to him.

Kyo sat up. He coughed out blood and tried to soothe his bruised cheek.

Akito clenched his fists. "Why... why would you hurt yourself to protect her? Why would you do this for someone who will one day betray you?"

"Because it's what I choose to do," he said spitefully.

Tohru watched in horror as Akito struck again. And for someone as 'frail' and 'sick' as him… it always surprised her. How could he be so strong that Kyo was getting battered? And she couldn't do anything, just watch.

And Tohru also knew now, that the everyone of the Zodiac- they all seemed to have their boundaries with Akito. Even Kyo, he didn't even try to fight back… he just let himself get beat-up.

It was painful.

She didn't want to see Kyo to get hurt like this. She didn't want to see this Kyo. He wasn't defending himself, as if he was letting Akito take everything out on him instead of Tohru. It wasn't fair.

Kyo struggled to get up.

His lip was cut, blood smeared over his chin and together with his black eye, badly bruised cheek… it broke her.

His eyes met Tohru's. Now there was an expression she hadn't seen. Something in Kyo's eyes- kinda spiteful but something in it looked like total innocence, looked like he was bearing some horrible burden but didn't show any sign of giving up. He wouldn't let Tohru get hurt.

No. This wasn't fair. Why was she just watching as Kyo was taking the rap for her?

Tohru leapt forward, she didn't want him to suffer anymore.

Kyo watched in wide-eyed horror. "Don't- hug me!"

Even though he pushed her away from him immediately, it was a bit too late. The wisps of smoky stuff exploded and battered Kyo (cat) lay there, twitching.

"… I knew you'd take advantage of him!" Akito yelled. "That's exactly why I had my doubts about you all along!"

Kyo shouted, "Tohru get outta here! Find Kureno or something… just don't stay here!"

She didn't want to leave Kyo here with a dangerous Akito but Tohru obeyed his orders. She ran out the room, through the broken down door and into the empty hall. Then she stood there, alone, in the cool air, breathing hard.

Tohru collapsed onto the floor, eyes squeezed tight. Maybe now, she had experienced a totally new emotion. She was scared- terrified and she felt like she might never be able to stay with the Sohma's again.

Maybe… maybe this is exactly how Kana felt when she witnessed Hatori getting beaten up…

She took in another deep breath.

But then Kana was so horrified she was unable to forget about it and she completely broke down… so then Hatori had to do the only thing he could… erase her memories… and then Kana left and Hatori never saw her again even though he never stopped loving her…

Is that what Akito meant by saying we could just walk away from here? Did he mean that by… loving Kyo I'd end up leaving him as broken up as Hatori? Should I have left earlier? Should I have never stayed here with the Sohma's?

Tears welled into her eyes. But… I love Kyo so much- I won't! I won't ever leave him!

But even so… she was so scared. She didn't want to become as wretched and horrified as Kana was.

Tohru could remember what Hatori had told her. And those heartrending words Kana had said:

"It would… have been better… if you and I had never met!!"

She blinked tears away as she stared at her hands, which were hot and sweating. But even as she tried to tell herself that would never happen to her and Kyo, she hated herself for even thinking about this.

Tohru was in shock when she saw the tears dripping onto the floor. Why?

Why was this so painful?

Why couldn't she fully rely on her love for Kyo?

How come…

She shook her head in despair and then covered her face with her hands, feeling the fresh tears run through her fingers. Why??!

…Whoa… angsty. Heh read and review! I think I outdid myself there, ah well, hope you like it!