"Courage is the art of being the only one who knows you're scared to death."

– Harold Wilson

"Did you find anything?" Tamaki shouted. The silence up in the attic from Kyoya was taken as a 'no'. With only a few days till Christmas Tamaki had thought it would be a good idea to get his mother's tree down and decorate it for her. Surely that would give her some cheer and put a smile on her face. Yet his previous efforts of searching the attic for a tree had proved futile, so he enlisted Kyoya to try his hand at finding it. "How 'bout now, see anything?"

"Yeah I think I got something."

"Really hand it down!" The item blindsided Tamaki in the face, "Hey!! I wasn't ready yet. And that wasn't a tree." He strolled over to the item lying in a lump on the floor, "What is this Kyoya?"

"It's your new bed," Kyoya shouted down in a semi-sarcastic tone.

Tamaki picked it up, inspecting it more closely, "It's a sleeping bag! Commoners take these on camping adventures and sleep under the stars. One can often find meaning the outdoors, especially when you are poor and can't afford a more expensive vacation than sleeping in your backyard."

"Get back over here. I think I found it."

Under the ladder hatch Tamaki stretched out his arms to receive two medium sized cardboard boxes. "This must be the tree, a little smaller than I would have thought. And the other decorations."

Kyoya climbed down the ladder and let up the attic's hatch just as Haruhi tiptoed out of Anne Sophie's room.

"She's all tuckered out."

"Come over here. I'm going to open it," Tamaki pulled back the card board but was met with a disappointing sight, "Ahh geez, a bunch of the branches are broken and the needles have fallen off. It's practically a Charlie Brown tree."

"What's a Charlie Brown tree?"

"You know? In Charlie Brown Christmas he picks out that twiggy, pathetic tree and then with Christmas magic it turns into a beautiful tree."

"Sorry, must have missed that one," she replied.

"Good grief," Tamaki said in a very Charlie Brown-esque way, "It's a classic."

"I'm not sure even Christmas magic could help this tree," Kyoya said as he helped Tamaki stand it up in the corner.

In the kitchen Haruhi found the fridge empty aside for a couple of éclairs and a stick of butter, "Hmm this won't do… Hey guys I think I saw a grocery store on our way here. I'm going to go pick up a few things."

"That's a great idea," Tamaki smiled brightly, "Our daughter can make us a homemade meal. How wonderful! I'll go with you."

Haruhi thought about how taking Tamaki to the store was usually like bringing a 3 year old, "No, that's okay you need to work on your tree."

"I can't let you go alone! It's a strange and foreign world out there!"

"I agree, with Tamaki. You certainly can't go alone," Kyoya chimed in even though Haruhi sent glares his way. In a twisted way she looked cuter when she was angry.

"Fine," Haruhi rolled her eyes.

"Alright, Haruhi and I will go to the store. While we're there, Kyoya, you check and untangle the Christmas lights okay?"

"Not a chance."

With his friends gone Kyoya relaxed on the couch and thought about things. In his mind he lingered over when Haruhi had grabbed his arm on the plane earlier that day. The electric shock that went through his body was incomparable to anything else. It took everything in him to just act cool. Every time she looked or said something to him he felt all weird, more so in the past couple of days than ever. What was it going to take to get this out of his system? He didn't have any answers. At least she hadn't noticed. And if she hadn't noticed there was no way Tamaki had. Kyoya went back and forth with his thoughts until Tamaki and Haruhi came home, and he pretended he had been on his laptop the whole time.

Tamaki and Haruhi immediately set to their tasks of tree trimming and cooking. Eventually Kyoya pitched in to repair the broken light sets. Soon all three were in the swing of things. With a little work the tree was looking decent. "One last thing," Tamaki stretched his arm to hang the star on top. Then he stepped back and admired his handiwork, "Perfect." Kyoya nodded in agreement and they gave each other a congratulatory Christmas miracle high-five.

Excited about his creation Tamaki burst in the kitchen, "Haruhi come look at the tree. Kyoya even said so, and he's always right."

"Sorry, I'll come look at it in a minute. I'm almost done."

Tamaki had thought about playing this card for awhile and decided now was the time, "Oh I forgot to tell you that out in the shed, mom keeps canned veggies and potatoes fresh from her garden."

"Really," Food always piqued Haruhi's curiousity, "I'm going to have to check that out."

"Well you have to pass by the tree, to get to the door, to get to the shed, to get─"

"Okay I get it, I'll go look at the tree."

Haruhi had to admit it was a pretty impressive transformation. She hadn't seen many Christmas trees, but this one definitely had charm. "Job well done guys, the tree looks swell. I'm going to go look at those canned vegetables, Tamaki you wake up your mom, and when I get back we'll all eat together."

Tamaki went to get his mom and Kyoya sat on the couch. This was the best he'd felt in a while. When Anne Sophie and her son emerged from her room she was leaning on him heavily. "Now open your eyes." Slowly she took the hand away from her eyes. Her face lit up like the Christmas tree before her. With her mouth agape she looked at her wonderful son.

"It's so beautif—"Anne Sophie's hand went to her heart.

"Mom what wrong?" Tamaki looked scared, Kyoya stood up off the couch.

"It was just a spasm dear. Don't fret. I'm—"She grabbed her heart once more before her body went completely limp in Tamaki's arms.

The canned vegetables crashed to the floor spilling their contents. Instead of being met with the happy scene she had expected Haruhi found a most disturbing one. Anne Sophie was laid out in the floor looking literally blue despite Kyoya giving her CPR. Tamaki was hysterical, screaming in French incoherently. He didn't even notice Haruhi in the doorway. She felt she was observing the scene from very far away, like an out of body experience, until a booming voice brought her back to reality.

"Haruhi call an ambulance!!!" Kyoya shouted at her. Numbly she obeyed picking up the phone and dialing the number. She handed the phone to Kyoya when she couldn't understand the man on the line. Tamaki was still shouting, but Haruhi couldn't even hear him. To her the world seemed to be moving in slow motion, like trying to run underwater.

She didn't register the sirens outside until the EMTs were already inside lifting Anne Sophie onto a stretcher. She didn't feel herself follow them even though she did. Immediately after being loaded onto the stretcher they started to shock Anne Sophie's heart. "Une, deux, tueax." Shock. Kyoya bellowed at Tamaki and pushed him into the ambulance right before they shut the doors and drove away.

Several neighbors gathered outside, speaking to each other in hushed, somber tones. Kyoya addressed them in French and a man stepped forward to answer him. They talked for a moment before Kyoya turned to Haruhi and said, "This man has agreed to take us to the hospital. Let's move."

Haruhi looked at her feet, "I can't… I can't go to the hospital."

Kyoya grabbed her face forcing her to look at him, "This is why we came. Remember what you said that it's our duty to be there for our friend. Are you going back on that now? Tamaki needs you, I need you."

She looked up in his eyes. The fire in them leapt up in her heart. 'To be there for our friend.' She nodded her head believing that she could do it.

Every minute spent in the hospital waiting room felt like an hour. Tamaki was still completely frantic. Sometimes he would be quite and sob silently, others he would shout and cry harder. When Haruhi would ask what he was saying Kyoya would just shake his head. She tried her best to comfort him but he was lost to his grief. Finally Kyoya told her to let him be.

Soon after Haruhi gave up the doctor came in. Tamaki jumped up to meet him, Kyoya right behind him, Haruhi a little slower.

"She's stable. They're running tests to find out what's wrong," Kyoya interpreted back for Haruhi, "Only immediate family is allowed to go see her. We'll have to stay here." Tamaki was already shuffling down the hall behind the doctor to go see his mom.

"He doesn't even act like he can see us," Haruhi said bewildered.

"I think he feels guilty. I'm going to go check on the test s they're running on her to see what I can find out. Will you be okay alone for a few minutes?"

Haruhi nodded but really wished he wouldn't leave her. With Kyoya gone she started remembering things she didn't want to think about. She kept blinking the hot tears that threatened back forcing herself think of something else, anything else. She was trying to distract herself with pictures in a magazine when Kyoya came back.

"I think they've figured it out. It'll take a few days to properly diagnose her but they believe her condition was brought on by an infection. Anne Sophie's immune system was weak from years of illness and therefore made her more susceptible. The infection is air borne and spreads quickly, that's why it took hold so fast."

"If it's an infection then it can be treated."

"Not exactly. It only starts as an infection and can be taken care of in its early stages. In its more advanced stages it begins to attack major organs, like the heart in Anne Sophie's case. The damage to her heart is irreversible. She'll only retain 30% of her hearts normal function. She will have to be careful, and take medication every day, but as long as she doesn't over do it she shouldn't get any worse."

"She's going to be okay," Haruhi whispered to herself.

"Yes, she's going to be okay, and so is Tamaki. He's far calmer now. I've pulled some strings and we can go see them now if you like."

Of course Haruhi agreed, anxious to see her friend. Tamaki was looking down at his mom when Kyoya and Haruhi came into the room.

"Tamaki," Haruhi said moving toward him. Kyoya put his hand on her shoulder holding her back.

Slowly Tamaki started, "I want to thank you, both of you… for saving my mother's life," there was a long pause, "I want both of you to go home and rest. We'll still be here in the morning. I just need some alone time… with my mom."

Haruhi looked up at Kyoya, "I think that's best. We'll come back tomorrow." Before shutting the door behind her, Haruhi looked at Tamaki. He was moving a strand of hair from his mother's face, lost in thought.

Back at the house the tree had been knocked over by all of the turbulence. Kyoya stood it back up in the corner and picked up the broken shards of Christmas bulbs. With a wet rag Haruhi tried to clean up the mess she made when she had dropped the canned veggies. Try as she might the bright red tomato stain would not be coaxed out of the beige carpet. Giving up on the stain she went to her room, (it had been decided earlier that she would get the guest bedroom, Kyoya the couch, and Tamaki the sleeping bag) changed into her pajamas, and then went to brush her teeth in the single bathroom of the house. Kyoya was on the couch with his laptop, showing no signs of getting ready for bed. The TV was also on, muted, it was the only light source in the room.

Curious about the shut door beside the bathroom Haruhi opened it and found a linen closet filled with sheets, towels, and blankets. So she got what she needed and walked over to the couch. "Get up," Haruhi told Kyoya blankly. Kyoya put his laptop on the table and walked away as she worked. First she put on the sheets, then the blanket, and a pillow. Voila a bed! Feeling the need for sleep Haruhi thought she would go to her room but the energy or will to walk over there never came, so she just sat there on the newly made bed.

Kyoya came out of the bathroom wearing cotton PJ pants and a blue med school t-shirt. Haruhi hadn't even heard him get his things. She had her knees pulled up under her chin and was facing the haggard tree. Kyoya walked around the back of the couch and sat down, her back facing him, "Thanks for the bed."

He closed his laptop on the table not really caring anymore. As he sat there in the dark he felt he should say something to Haruhi. It had been a very hard and long day and she probably needed some encouragement.

"You were really um… brave today," he said. He waited for her response uneasily, however none ever came. He looked over at her to make sure she wasn't asleep, instead it was worse. She was crying. Her narrow shoulders were shaking trying to hold her tears back. Fearing the worst Kyoya started to apologize, "Haruhi, I didn't mean to upset you—"

"No, don't apologize, it's not you. Today I really didn't think I was going to be able to go to that hospital… It was just that at the moment it seemed so similar to when my mom got hurt in that car accident… They put her on the stretcher and into the ambulance… we went to the hospital," now she really started to break down and it was hard for Kyoya to make out what she was saying in between sobs, "We waited and waited, but she never came back… The only reason I could go today was because of you. You were really brave today Kyoya, not me. I was so scared; you gave me the courage I needed."

The words Haruhi said touched Kyoya because he knew they were true. He felt his heart burning. He needed to comfort her. He needed to protect her. He needed to love her. Was it right or wrong? At the moment it didn't matter to him.

Then Haruhi felt Kyoya move close behind her and his hand slid on top of hers, which was tightly clutching her knees. He bent his head down close enough for her to feel his breath on her ear. Black hair mingled with brown. In her ear he lightly whispered, "Haruhi, I was scared too. You also give me courage."

She turned around so fast it shocked him. Her arms squeezed around him like a tree trunk and her head was buried in his chest. Kyoya put one hand on her back and stroked her hair with the other. They sat like that for a long while him just rocking and her just crying. Finally the crying stopped and Kyoya knew Haruhi was asleep. As exhausted as he was tempted to just fall asleep right there with her in his arms. Then he thought that might be awkward in the morning. So he picked her up and carried her to the guest bed. On his shirt there was a dark blue, wet spot from her tears, but he didn't care. Before Kyoya shut the door he heard Haruhi mumble, "Goodnight… love you always…mom." He smiled and closed the door, letting her dream of long gone, happy memories with her mother.

Authors note: I added a little fluff there at the end. A whole lot happened in this chapter, and hope you guys liked it. I got the first 13 Ouran episodes in English and I love it (except for the opening and ending songs, there terrible)! When I first watched and read Ouran I didn't understand how people could see Haruhi and Kyoya together. In fact I thought it was bizarre and stupid. But then as I went on it grew on me. Anybody else like that? I think the moment when I realized they could work was when Haruhi stands up to Kyoya's dad. That was pretty big I think. Now I'm a full fledge fan of kyo/haru. PS lets go mountaineers 31-30, I miss pat white so bad already! (I'm a huge WVU fan!)