Kami sighed. Shigure had kicked him out saying that he was getting under the house keepers feet. He'd called his father to see if he could see his brothers and sister but they were all in school. Once he'd explained the situation his father had sent a car to drive him around. It had now been three months since his surgery and he was feeling as good as new and would even be returning to school on Monday. He was to take it easy or Hatori would confine him to his bed again. He'd had the driver take him to the library but he'd taken one look at who was working and had bailed. He was now sitting on a bench in the plaza near by.

His hair had grown in three months and had gotten curly. He wore it in a high ponytail. and the curls still his upper back. He wore a long sleeve black shirt that showed his stomach and tight black jeans that hugged him in all the right places according to Kyo. Black boots and a puffy black coat. He'd had a growth spurt so he now stood the same height as Kyo only his body was thing and shaped more like a girls. His face looked like a girls too.

His eyes caught someone in the crowd and his nose confirmed it.

"Uncle Hari!" he yelled running over and smashing into the man. "Uncle Hari!"

People around them smiled and chuckled at the two of them as Hatori hugged Kami. Then Kami took Hatori's hand and walked beside him.

"What are you doing out?" Hatori finally asked as they walked through the plaza. "Are you feeling okay?"

"Uncle Gure kicked me out saying I couldn't come back until Kyo got home from school." Kami replied, "I wanted to go to the library. "

"I'll take you."

"I wanted to." Kami spoke again. " But she's in there."

"She?" Hatori asked as they went inside his eyes instantly caught sight of the "she" he was referring to. "I see." he lead the boy away. " She doesn't know you anymore, Kami."

"I know." Kami replied as he browsed the shelves. " and I'm glad it's just... I didn't expect it to hurt this much." he got a far off look in his eyes. " I thought I would be okay about her not knowing me. She was a foul cruel person but... I even talked to Momiji about it since it was sort of the same... when I saw her today my chest began hurting. Not like when I have an attack or anything but it hurt in another way." he seemed to think. "It hurt like it did when Kyo went away for four months."

"I see you miss her." Hatori explained, "Even though she was terrible to you she is still your mother and some part of you misses her. "

"Yeah." Kami agreed. "That's what it is. " he sighed, "When I saw her in here even though I have books to pick up that I ordered I left right away because that pain started. It's been three months, Uncle Hari and she already looks a lot healthier. She always seemed pale and sickly before. " he looked over to her. " She would go into rages and blame me for everything. She'd hit me and claw at me. She tried to drown me too. She'd take a frying pan to me. She always said it was my fault. My fault he left. My fault we lived in that shack. My fault we had no money. My fault we had no food. She kept me inside until I was old enough for school. She never let anyone see me. When I finally went to school I met Kyo. She heard his last name and almost killed me. I spent the first month of school in the hospital. Kyo came to visit me everyday. He was my saving grace. He's the only reason I survived that house. The only reason I survived that woman. And even though I know all that I still feel like I miss her. " He looked up at Hatori. "Uncle Hari, I don't understand. I know it's not my fault that we lived like we did. But... was it because I am what I am that she treated me like that? Is it because of my curse that she hated me so much?"

"Yes." Hatori said, simply, he rubbed Kami's head. " Yes, it is Kami. Because you know what? Children born to the Zodiac ... their mothers either hate them to the point that they reject them and their memories must be erased or they become so over protective that it's hard to breath. Your mother rejected you because the first time she ever held you you turned into a wolf. " Kami was crying so he held him and rubbed his back. "She didn't tell your father about you until you were school age and then refused to let him take you." Hatori wiped Kami's tears away. "Because part of her wanted to protect you and another part of her wanted to reject you. The part that wanted to reject you won." he gently kissed Kami's head. "But you don't need to worry about that anymore, Kami." He let the boy see him smile, "Do you know why?" Kami shook his head. "Because you have a father who loves you. You have a new mother who loves you. You have two brothers and sister that love you. You have me, Shigure, Kureno, Akito, Yuki, Momiji, and Kagura that love you. and most of all." he wiped the tears away again. "You have Kyo who loves you so much he would do anything for you. We are your family now, Kami and we all love you very much. "

Kami felt so much better. He'd gotten to say everything that was bothering him and Hatori had made him feel so much better about everythin because he was right. He had a new family now. A better one and it would just keep getting bigger. they were now walking around the plaza, after several stops to rest so Kami didn't push himself too hard, eating crepes and talking about nonscence.

"and then... then Uncle Gure did the meanest thing in the whole world." Kami said dramatically. "He moved Kyo into the girl's old room! He says he doesn't want us moving too fast and that we're both growing boys who need our space to do what we like to do and spread out. I guess he's referring to our hobbies and it is much easier to do my work now but I miss sleeping in bed with Kyo!

Hatori chuckled then stopped Kami from walking into a group of women.

"Oh!" One of them looked shocked, "Hatori"

"Kana." Hatori said a little shocked himself. "Oh, this Kami Sohma." he nodded to Kami who shuffled to hide behind his arm and still eat his crepes. "I'm looking after her today. "

"Hello there." Kana smiled, "I'm Kana Sohma."

"Uncle Hari!" Kami cried loudly, holding his hand tighter and trying to hide more.

"Please don't get to close." Hatori explained, " She doesn't like people. "

"I apologize." Kana smiled, " Are you out shopping?"

"No." Hatori answered, "We went to the library. Are you going to the main house?"

"Yes, I am." Kana replied, "See I'm getting married and need to talk to my parents."

"Congratulations ." Hatori said, "Please excuse us. I need to get Kami home. He just had surgery and needs to rest."

Kami glared back at Kana and her friends causing them to all flinch.

"Uncle Hari?" Kami asked, when they got home, "I don't want you to go back to main house with Kana there. Will you spend the night?"

Shigure had tensed upon hearing the name. Kyo and Yuki had both frozen.

"I'll be fine." Hatori replied petting Kami's head, "You just remember what I told you today. "

"I will." Kami nodded, then bowed, "Thank you very much, Uncle Hari."

Hatori smiled at him then left.