Chapter 4

Hatori's car came to a sudden stop on the gravel outside Shigure's house.

Coming through the open door Hatori saw the mess of the room…including blood, he felt his stomach drop. He looked further to see Yuki, Tohru's unconscious head resting in his lap. Shigure held blood soaked wadding to her arm and leg.

Taking off his jacket and kneeling down, Hatori, assessed the visible damage and Tohru's shallow breathing.

"How long has she been unconscious?"

"Just after we got here… right before we called you." Yuki answered.

Nodding Hatori indicated for Shigure to move out of the way, checking the seriousness of the gashes.

After wrapping the wadding in place Hatori gingerly picked Tohru up.

She had a quick intake of breath through the movement. Pain.

"Yuki, grab my bag and take me to her room. Shigure, there's an emergency oxygen kit in the trunk of my car, get it." Shigure's and Yuki's eyes caught each other in alarm as they followed Hatori's instructions. Shigure left the room as Yuki watched Hatori wondering if he would transform while carrying Honda-san.

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Yuki and Shigure sat at the table as Kyo paced the room in silence, waiting.

They all looked up upon hearing Hatori's footsteps come down the stairs.

"How is she?" asked Yuki, getting to his feet.

"She's unconscious still. I've given her some morphine and tended to her cuts but the damage is extensive," reported Hatori tersely.

Yuki sat back down in a sense of defeat looking at the floor.

"She has sustained severe bruising to her face, neck, torso and arms. The cut on her face is only minor but her arm, leg and hand needed stitches. She has also fractured a few ribs, possibly broken," Hatori informed them bluntly before sighing and sitting down.

Shigure hung his head. "To attack our poor Tohru like that."

"Those bastards," whispered Kyo.

"What exactly happened?" inquired Hatori lighting a cigarette.

"We believe she was attacked by burglars. As you can see the place is a mess but I don't know if anything is missing, I haven't bothered to look yet. Kyo-kun took after them but they had a vehicle waiting," said Shigure

"What did they look like?"

"I don't know! They were wearing black and I only saw the backs of them," the cat snapped, his anger rising as he paced in the corner of the room.

"Mm. Shigure, I will need to stay the night. If Tohru worsens I will need to take her to the hospital."

"Of course."

"If you'll excuse me I need to call the main house and let Akito know I will be staying here for tonight," said Hatori as he got to his feet with a tired effort.

"A…are you going to tell Akito what has happened to Miss Honda?" Yuki asked in an almost emotionless whisper.

"No, not tonight," and with that Hatori left them room.

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"How's Tohru?" asked Kyo as he rubbed his eyes.

"Her breathing wasn't great through the night. Hatori is looking her over now," replied Yuki who looked exhausted.

Kyo and Shigure didn't look much better. All not getting much sleep.

Ring ring. Ring ring.

"I'll get it, again," Shigure stood and left the room.

"Again?"

"Yes. Hatori told Momiji who I guess has told a few of the others, they've all called to see how Honda-san is," replied Yuki, his voice flat from exhaustion. "Would you mind making some tea?"

"Why would I make you tea? Stupid rat."

"Because I watched over Honda-san all night," he sighed, in no mood for a fight.

"Oh. Well don't ever ask again," Kyo snapped quietly as he headed for the kitchen.

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"Hatori, lunch is down stairs if you would like some? Don't worry it's take-out, Shigure or I didn't cook it. I'll watch Miss Honda for a while."

"Thanks. Any changes let me know."

"Of course," nodded Yuki.

Hatori paused at the door. "I'm going to go and get some more supplies from the main house later. If she gets worse suddenly call an ambulance immediately."

Yuki just quietly looked back, nodding again. Hatori assessed Tohru a final time with his eyes before leaving the room.

Yuki's gaze drifted between the open window and Tohru. His stomach becoming sickeningly empty every time Tohru shifted or sighed. Her face was white, breathing shallow and laboured and a small crease of pain across her brow. The oxygen seemed to be helping, her breathing had been even shallower before Hatori arrived last night.

"I'm so sorry Miss Honda. We should never have left you alone in the house by yourself." Yuki gently picked up her uninjured hand and held it. What if we had been later? Yuki continued to think to himself. The image of Tohru shaking and bloody from the night before swept across his mind. "No!" Yuki shut his eyes to block out the image.

"Why Miss Honda? Why did we leave you here alone?" Tears brimmed his eyes.

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"Hari-san, I didn't realise you had left the house," commented Shigure as Hatori came through the front door.

"I went back to the main house to grab some more supplies."

Shigure frowned as he eyed the IV stand Hatori was holding. "Does Akito know about what happened?"

"I told her when I went back to the main house just now. I said I would make sure Tohru was in a stable condition before going back."

"I bet she wasn't too pleased about that."

"Quite. But I still have a duty as a doctor."

Hatori came in to find Yuki still sitting beside Tohru's bed, gently stroking the top of her hand. He put the IV stand down in front of Yuki, startling him slightly.

"So that is what you meant by more supplies. Wouldn't it be better to just take her to the hospital?"

"This will help to stabilise her. I have to be back at the main house tonight. For now she should be alright and I will get her chest x-rayed when she is awake," Hatori informed Yuki as he pulled a drip line and needle from his bag.

After setting up the IV Hatori checked Tohru's pulse and turned down the oxygen slightly. "Where is Kyo?"

"Sulking on the roof I imagine," spat Yuki.

"We do all deal with grief in different ways," Shigure murmured from the doorway.

Stay tuned, more chapters to come! Please give a review if you are enjoying this or have any suggestions, thanks!