Authors Note: IM SO SORRY… Both for taking so long to update AND the crappy last chapter… Maybe this will make it up to all of you… I doubt it… I'm happy ya'll are still reading…I ended up coming home to INTERNET for a couple days to go to a funeral… If there is a bright side… I can update a couple of chapters before going back to the country…
Oh one more thing... Then I'll shut up and let you read I PROMISE... Mori may seem a little... OK A LOT... OOC... But hey... Do we REALLY know WHAT he's really thinking?
OK maybe just one more thing... A POLL IS UP TO DECIDE WHERE TO SEND THEM NEXT!... If you have any other ideas don't hesitate to tell me!
OF ROAD TRIPS AND ROMANCE NOVELS
CHAPTER 6: Of Restless Nights and Crazy Mornings
Katsuo stalked into his apartment slamming the door in irritation. It had only been a month since Mariko had begun working in his office as his personal assistant and the other men in his office were really taking notice.
He had no real interest in the woman. Sure she was unbelievably pretty, especially when she blushed, and her short chestnut hair accented her big eyes in just a way that he lost all since of reality as he got lost in their depths.
She was an excellent assistant, predicting his needs before he had to ask. In all honesty he hadn't said more than twelve words to her in the four weeks she had worked for him.
He did a mental count as he walked into his small living room with the mail.
This is the main office; Here is your desk; (and when she asked where the restroom was) That way.
Ok… make that eleven words he had spoken to her in the month she had worked for him.
He could not understand his irritation…
Mori scanned the pages at first out of boredom, but a little after page twenty, he was hooked. He felt like he knew the girl that was woven into the story. Mariko, the bright, blunt, independent office assistant, she seemed so familiar to him but he could not place who she reminded him of.
He continued reading for another hour or so, stretching his poor battered brain to the limit. He still had no clue as to what happened to him; although he had figured out he was getting one hell of a headache. So engrossed in the story however, it wasn't until the nurse came in to take his vitals and give him more pain medicine for the pain that had started dully at the base of his head then slowly working its way up behind his eyes, growing in pain every minute.
As the pain medicine worked its way into his system, the pain in his head slowly left making him feel a little light headed and somewhat drowsy, which, of course, preceded in making him slightly more talkative then normal. He closed his eyes letting them rest from the strain he had administered to them while the nurse finished up taking his blood pressure. When she closed the door with a light blush, Mori turned over, tucked the book under his pillow, and drifted off to sleep.
The Next Morning at the Hotel
Breakfast went over with little excitement. The twins kept their mischievous selves under control… for the most part… and didn't attempt to aggravate Tono… too much…
"Hey, where is Haruhi?" Karou asked setting down his orange juice and looking around to the others that were around the table.
"MY DARLING DAUGHTER WAS KIDNAPPED?"
"Tamaki, shut up, the dead don't need waking this morning." Kyoya said with a sigh walking down the stairs. He was of course last down to breakfast.
"The dead's already walking." Hikaru stated while Karou suppressed a laugh.
"KYOYA!" OUR LITTLE GIRL IS MISSING!" Tamaki jumped up and ran around the table hysterically and grabbed Kyoya by the arm.
"First off she not my little girl and she is not your little girl either." Kyoya stated while pulling his arm free of Tamaki's death grip.
"WHY IS MOMMY BEING MEAN?" Tamaki wailed from the floor where he fell when Kyoya yanked his arm back.
"Secondly," Kyoya stood a little straighter while straitening up his button up shirt that Tamaki had almost ripped off his shoulder, "She is not lost, I passed her in the hallway on my way down. Apparently she spent the morning in the springs." He said all of this while walking toward the kitchen so he could have some much needed caffeine.
"Oh… and Tamaki…"
Tamaki looked up from his spot on the floor.
"I'm NOT your wife." At he ducked into the kitchen.
Tamaki crawled over to the corner to grow mushrooms while he wept, muttering about how "Mommy" should love him more and not be so mean to him.
The twins, laughing their heads off and pointing at Tono, sobered up very quickly when Kyoya came back into the room looking every bit worthy of the title "Shadow King".
"Hikaru… Karou… Why exactly was there a snake in Haruhi's bag?"
Karou shuffled behind his older brother and peeked over his shoulder. "Um… We don't know…"
"Yeah Kyoya-Sempi," Hikaru had paled considerable and looked wearily at his sempi, "we didn't know that Henry decided to take a nap in her bag."
"But you did know there were snakes on the bus?" Kyoya asked without lifting his eyes from his computer that he had opened while he sat at the table with his coffee, knowing that both boys were terrified.
As they should be…
"Y-Yes…" Both boys stuttered and cringed not wanting to know what the Shadow King had in store for them.
*CRASH*
The twins jumped and turned toward the crash before falling to the ground laughing.
Tamaki, who had bounded out of the corner to see what had happened, slipped on a mushroom and slid across the room before landing on his face. When he turned his head to get up, he realized he was nose to nose with a big white marble nose.
"YAHHHH"
Jumping up, he then fell backwards once again Kyoya caught his arm pulling him to his feet. "Tamaki can you please contain yourself?" Kyoya looked down at his dimwitted friend before he turned his attention to the out of breath, sandal clad girl picking up the fallen statue.
"I … Thought you all… might… have already left…" Haruhi, in a light blue spaghetti strap dress that ruffled in layers just below her waist and stopped right above her knee, was out of breath.
"Left?" Hikaru looked at Karou with a confused face.
"Where would we be leaving to?" Karou turned the confused look to Haruhi.
"I… I… Kyoya said that we were going to the hospital to see Mori-Sempi."
Haruhi's Room The Night Before
Haruhi could not sleep. She had been tossing and turning since she came up from dinner.
Relax… He's fine… Just a concussion… He'll be back day after tomorrow good as new… No screw driver needed…
Her last thought caught her off guard. She had never believed the twins when they referred to Mori as a robot. She knew for a fact he was kind, caring, and protective of the host club and its members. That may be why she never agreed with the twins theory of him being mechanical. The thought, however, had made her laugh and the worry easy a little.
She was still worried though.
Board and unable to sleep she went down to the kitchens for a snack, and while sitting down there board and nursing a cup of tea she decided to bake.
Baking calms my nerves
Why do your nerves need calming?
She searched the cabinets for everything she'd need.
Honey would probably like a cake since he's been at the hospital all night.
She stood on her tip toes trying to reach the cake pans.
You know Mori-Sempi would be happy to get those for you…
I don't need help.
She pulled herself herself onto the counter and retrieved the pan she needed.
See I'm fine I don't need help.
But help sure is nice…
She shook her head and gave a deep sign, and then out loud she said, "I can't argue with that."
When the cake was done, frosted, and put away, Haruhi glanced at the clock and sighed.
Only three o'clock… I guess I should try to get some sleep.
She cleaned up the kitchen then walked upstairs to her room.
It was lonely in there, not that she shared a room with anyone at home, but this room was so large. It had a king sized bed that took up the middle of the room and a day bed under a window that looked out over the springs. She stalked over to the large bed hoping to get some sleep. Closing her eyes her mind ran wild.
Stupid twins… Stupid snake… Stupid feelings…
Feelings?
I don't have feelings, besides normal friendship, for Mori-Sempi.
She defiantly stood by her last statement.
I didn't go there… you did…
Tired of arguing with herself about the feelings she didn't have… (ROLL EYES HERE)... She rolled over in the big bed. The question had crossed her mind earlier whether to sleep in the large king sized bed or the twin daybed under the window. The answer was simple, Mori was in the hospital and Honey with him, and the big bed was closer to the door.
She rolled over and tried to get comfortable. Finding it less comfortable on that side she rolled on her back. Then, putting a pillow over her head and letting out an irritated growl she jumped out of bed.
She stomped over to the closet to get a swim suit out of her bag; after all, she was scared to go naked again. She looked for her bag before remembering what had transpired a few hours earlier.
She looked around the room for something to do. She really regretted not going back in her apartment to grab her book, at least if she had it she would have been able to keep her mind busy for a while.
While looking around the room she spotted a white sheet of paper on the dresser. Picking it up she scanned it…
Dear Haruhi,
We are really sorry about the whole snake thing, so we took your UGLY grey bag and sent Henry home. We also designed and made you a whole new wardrobe to replace the cloths we threw away.
YOUR WELCOME
Hikaru & Karou
Damn Rich Bastards… At least the snake is gone…
Walking to her closet she saw a white hard shell suit case with a strawberry littered in a random design.
It could be worse…
She shuffled threw the cloths and sighed. Finding a sleek back swim suit she stepped out of her T-shirt and boy shorts; she hadn't changed cloths after the incident with Mori, since she was scared to go near the bag, and went down to the springs.
She apparently had fallen to sleep basking in the warmth of the temperate waters. Jerking awake she looked down at her pruned hands and shook her head. Getting out she wrapped a towel around herself and headed up to the room to get dressed.
While walking down the long hallway in a days she ran into a hard chest.
"Sorry Si- Sempi…" Haruhi looked up into the face of resident Shadow King. Looking a little dazed himself, she assumed he had just left the confines of his room.
"Good morning Haruhi," Kyoya suppressed a yawn, he needed coffee… BAD…
"Good morning Sempi." She shuffled from foot to foot not enjoying the feeling of being unclothed in front of him… again…
"I had planned on everyone going to the hospital to visit Mori-Sempi." Kyoya looked down at her. He was even scarier when he first woke up. "You should hurry up and get dressed if you want to come."
She nodded and scurried to her room. She wanted… No needed to see for herself that he was ok. She grabbed her new suitcase and grabbed the first thing she saw, not caring how girly it was. Slipping on a blue dress and the gladiator sandals she found in the closet she ran downstairs.
Knowing him… He'll leave me… Or worse… Leave me AND Tamaki…
The stairs proved to be hazardous as she slid on the last step. She caught herself on the small end table in front of the dining room. The force she came at the table with pushed it into a lovely white marble nude statue to the ground severing its nose.
Shit… bet that will be added to my debt…
The twins laughing at poor Tono, broke her from her thoughts. Looking up she saw Kyoya trying to keep his anger under control and holding fumbling Tamaki by the arm.
"Tamaki can you please contain yourself?" Kyoya looked at her while she quickly tried to pick up the falling statue. His quizzical stare made her want to explain herself.
"I … Thought you all… might… have already left…"
Really Haruhi… Stuttering…
She scolded herself.
"Left?" Hikaru looked at Karou with a confused face.
"Where would we be leaving to?" Karou turned the confused look to her with an equally confused look
Damn it Kyoya…
"I… I… Kyoya said that we were going to the hospital to see Mori-Sempi."
"Come on then." Kyoya was by the door guiding a dazed Tamaki out to the limo.
Before you all break something else…
Piling into the limo, Kyoya directed the driver to the hospital.
Wow… Haruhi is eager to see Mori isn't she… anyway sorry there wasn't... well any Haruhi Mori moments but it was getting long and hey... the novel finally made it back into the story...
Ok… Book character names:
Katsuo (the guy) name mean Victorious, Heroic Man
Mariko (the girl) name means True Village Child
IDK… They seemed fitting…