A/N: This chapter should shed a little light(hehe, lame pun) on Sarah's past and bring our two heroes a little closer together. It is based on someone I knew who went through a similar thing. Thanks to everyone reading this story!
The sun finally dropped into the shadow of the earth as Nekozawa and Sarah made their way to her on-campus apartment, shrouding the sidewalks in an eerie darkness broken only by the occasional street light. Nekozawa grew more relaxed, but he could sense the petite violinist was growing increasingly nervous.
"Miss Sarah," he said, "Are you alright?"
"I'm fine," she said. She spoke far too quickly and softly for Nekozawa to be convinced.
"They seem to be quite comfortable together now," Kaoru whispered to Hikaru from the shelter of a long row of hedges lining the sidewalk back to Ouran.
"You're right," said Hikaru in agreement, "Nekozawa has been almost normal tonight."
"Don't say such things!" Tamaki whispered loudly, rattling the bushes next to Sarah during the tantrum.
Sarah grabbed hold of Nekozawa's sleeve as the juniper hedges next to her shook violently. He flinched at the sudden contact, causing her to let go abruptly.
"I'm so sorry, Nekozawa," she said, "Something startled me and I grabbed the nearest comforting thing on impulse."
"It's quite all right, Miss Sarah," he said, "Other people don't often touch me voluntarily. You find me comforting?"
"Well, yes," she said truthfully, noting the surprise in his clear blue eyes as he registered the response, "You saved me from being squished earlier and don't treat me like I'm dirty for not having money."
A rare smile graced his face, "I am happy to have met you today, Miss Sarah."
"Likewise, Mister Nekozawa," she mocked playfully before remembering the darkness surrounding them. The smile faded from her lips as she concentrated on keeping her fear to herself.
"Miss Sarah?" Nekozawa asked, tentatively placing a hand on the girl's slightly shaking shoulder, "What are you afraid of?"
Sarah sighed as she told him, "I've had a fear of dark places since I was little."
"Oh," he said, "Just the darkness scares you?"
"It's childish, I know," she said, "I can't help it."
"I cannot stand bright lights," Nekozawa told her, "It's a family curse."
"Is that why you wear the cloak?" she asked.
"Yes," he answered, "I don't think your fear is childish."
"Thanks," she responded.
"Pardon me for prying," he said, "but is there a reason you fear the dark?"
"There is," she replied, "but it's a depressing story and I don't want to scare you off the first day."
"I shall not be frightened away so easily," he said in an overly dramatic tone, earning a true smile from Sarah.
"We're here," Sarah announced as they approached the steps of her apartment at Ouran. She ruffled through the tiny purse she carried for a moment before pulling out the tiny, ornate silver key and unlocking the fine oak door.
Nekozawa glanced around the apartment as Sarah invited him in. It was simple, like most dorm rooms, but all of the furnishings were top quality. A cherry wood twin bed stood along the wall to the right of the door covered in a blush pink blanket that matched the painted walls perfectly. A cherry sitting table and chairs for two graced the rear-middle of the rectangular room, and a matching dresser adorned the left wall.
Sarah turned two white ceramic incandescent lamps on at the dimmest setting so as to not frighten Nekozawa and motioned for the young man to have a seat at the table.
"That should be enough light to repair your friend and keep the willies at bay," she told him.
"Willies?" he asked as he gingerly set Beelzenef on the table.
"Fears," she said simply as she removed a sewing kit from a drawer of the dresser and sat on the chair opposite Nekozawa. She picked up the cat puppet and expertly started fixing the tears, sticking her tongue out slightly as she worked.
Nekozawa watched the girl work and admired the intensity of her emerald eyes as she concentrated on patching up his trusted companion and only friend up until today. An unusual feeling wound its way around his core, but he could not pinpoint a description for it and merely accepted that it existed for now. He could not help but wonder what part of her past caused her to fear the shadows.
"Sarah?" Nekozawa asked softly.
"Yes?" she asked as she looked up from her work, her green eyes staring into his blue ones from underneath a stray curl or two of her chocolate hair.
"You mentioned a story before we arrived," he said, "Would you mind telling me what made you so scared of the dark?"
"I don't suppose it could hurt," Sarah said, a look of sadness passing over her features as she considered his request. "You have to swear not to tell anyone else, though."
"Miss Sarah, the only creature I could tell is here already," he told her while motioning to Beelzenef, "I will respect your privacy if you do not wish to tell the tale."
"No, it's okay, Nekozawa," she assured him, "I just don't like thinking about it more than I have to."
"My parents were really young when I was born," she began as she resumed sewing, "and my mother worked full time at a local deli during the day while my dad kept me. His idea of babysitting was not exactly healthy, and he resorted to locking me in their bedroom closet until near time for mom to come home."
"He kept you in a closet?" Nekozawa asked, "How long did that go on?"
"For a few years," she told him, "It was always dark and I was always alone."
"I understand now," Nekozawa said, "I'm sorry for asking you about it, Sarah."
"Don't be," Sarah responded, "It's actually good to talk about it with someone for a change."
"What stopped your father?" he asked.
"My mother did," she said, "She got off of work early one day and called the police when she found out what was going on."
Nekozawa listened intently as she continued, silently angry at the fool for locking her away.
"We ended up moving out of the house and into a mobile home at a park nearby," she explained, "My mom always seemed sad after all of that happened, and she started seeing all kinds of men. I ended up with a younger brother and three sisters in the same trailer."
"Sorry if I'm nosy," he said, "but what of your father?"
"He's still in jail," she said, "Turns out he had been in the illegal drug trade on the side, and he was charged for that along with the child neglect."
"He deserves that," Nekozawa said, "Pardon me for saying so."
"I agree," she said, smiling slightly as she held up an intact version of Beelzenef for his inspection, "Look, he's all better now, but he's still a little dirty."
"Amazing," he almost whispered as he gingerly took the cat and placed it on his left hand, "Thank you Miss Sarah."
"You're welcome," she replied, "I would wash him for you if the wash center was open this late."
"I think I can manage that," he told her.
"Just make sure you use a delicate cycle so his stitches don't come loose," she warned.
His eyes widened in horror as he pictured the puppet coming undone, "Yes, of course."
She smiled, "It's hard to believe this was just my first day. I don't know if I can take this much excitement on a daily basis."
"I am merely guessing," he said, "but I think it will get easier."
Five right ears picked up the words of the supposedly private conversation from the other side of the door. All of the Host Club stalkers except Haruhi listened to Sarah's story.
"Wow," said Hunny with a frown, "She's been through a lot."
"Yeah," Mori agreed.
"You guys really should leave them alone," protested Haruhi, "I don't think she wanted you all to hear whatever she told Nekozawa."
"She's still with the monster, Haruhi!" said Tamaki, "Now he's coaxing secrets out of one of my daughters!"
"He's getting ready to come out, Boss," Hikaru told Tamaki. They all promptly plunged into some nearby bushes with Tamaki dragging Haruhi before noticing they were holly with thorny green leaves. A whispered chorus of "Ow!" resounded from the hedgerow.
Sarah walked with Nekozawa to the door of her apartment, opening it for him once they were near enough.
"I enjoyed the afternoon, Miss Sarah," he said. Nekozawa took her free hand in his gently and placed a light kiss on her fingers with a dramatic bow, "Thank you for healing Beelzenef."
"You're most welcome,"she responded. She smiled and attempted an equally dramatic curtsy, but failed miserably, earning a laugh from Nekozawa and a wave of Beelzenef as he turned and faded into the surrounding shadow.