Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is owned and copywrited by TokyoPop and Natsuki Takaya. I do not own any of the characters, main themes, or original places. I do own the original characters and the original storyline. I ALSO do NOT own any of the original text from the books.

Author's Note: I'M SO GLAD TO BE BACK! I didn't ditch any of my stories, I promise! I'm going into my third year of college and my second year was filled with so much reading and papers that writing stories got pushed to the back burner. But I am back and I have a chapter ready to post! =D

Also, 7/16 was the 2 year mark for this story. I was hoping that this story would have been move developed, and maybe even finished, but life happens. =/ I hope to get working on it and finish it by the time it's four years old! I'm trying really hard!

Okay, so here's the chapter that you've been waiting for!

The Cherry Blossoms Will Bloom Again

Chapter Seven~ She's With The Sohmas!

After Ayame regained his composure, the two cousins began talking about a dinner party that Ayumi was planning. She wanted to invite all the members of the Zodiac to a "Welcome Back" party for herself.

"I really miss everyone," she said while Ayame braided her hair. "And I've only seen most of you for a little bit."

"Who haven't you seen yet?" Ayame asked.

"Well, I haven't seen Rin at all," she answered, propping her chin on her hand as a physical sigh. "And Ritsu lives so far away that he hasn't been able to see me. I don't think he even knows that I'm back." She paused. "And, of course, Kureno."

Kureno was a sore topic for some members of the Zodiac, but especially for Ayumi. She had played a lot with Kureno when she was little, but Akito had torn apart their relationship. She had learned that Ayumi also had a bond with the Zodiac, and that she knew how to break the curse. Akito had been furious, and had tried to keep as many Zodiac members from Ayumi as possible. Suddenly Akito wanted to keep Kureno to himself, not to just claim him as her own, but to keep Kureno from using his bond with Ayumi.

Ever since that day, Ayumi tries to avoid talking about Kureno altogether. When she does bring him up, she usually talks about memories of him from childhood.

Ayame had paused after she had said Kureno's name. As he started finishing her hair, he spoke.

"You probably won't get to see Kureno," he said as he moved the hair tie he had from his wrist to her hair.

"I know," she answered. "I can still try. It'd be nice to see him. Even if it's just for five minutes. Maybe he could sneak away for a little bit."

"Maybe," the snake responded as he twisted the tie around the unbraided hair. They were both quiet as he finished and as he gathered Ayumi in a hug similar to the one they were in earlier. "But please don't get your hopes up, Tenshi-chan. I don't want you to get hurt."

"I know," she said again dully. She snuggled back into him. "I'll be fine," she said with a more light-hearted tone. "I'll send him an invite, but he won't have to come."

Ayame nodded and gave his little cousin one last squeeze before he let go of her. They both sat up on the couch as Mine came to the doorway.

"I'm ready to fit your dress Ayumi-chan," she said with a smile.

"Wonderful!" Ayame said happily, as he stood and offered a hand to Ayumi. "Shall we?"

She just giggled and took his hand.


"Alright, so we'll take the dress in here. Is the hips area too tight? We don't want you to be uncomfortable."

"It's a little snug. About a centimeter or two should be enough."

"Well, I think that the dress is wonderful," Mine said as she wrote down the alterations. "You said you wanted it for a party, right?"

"Yes," Ayumi answered. "I want to host a party with all of my closest friends and family. I've been out of town for so long that I've missed out on so much. A party will let me catch up with everyone."

"That sounds wonderful! I hope you can get everyone to come," Mine said as she began checking the dress for loose strings and cutting them off.

"Well, I have a plan of about 20 people. And I know that 16 of them are sure to show up." Ayumi spun in her dress after Mine moved to put her materials away.

The dress was pure white, the whole skirt covered in lace. There was lace up the sides of the bodice that made Ayumi's waist look smaller. The knee length skirt got its full use from all of the petticoats underneath. To keep the strapless dress on, it laced up in the back with a white ribbon covered in lace.

Ayame pulled a mirror over. "Take a look Ayumi-chan," he said like a fancy butler.

Ayumi smiled a huge smiled. "It's absolutely perfect!"

Ayame beamed. "Wonderful! I will make sure these small alterations are done at once and we will keep the dress here until you need it."

"Perfect!" Ayumi responded. She jumped and gave him a hug. "You're the best Nii-san."

Ayame actually blushed as he hugged her back. "Thank you Ay-chan."

She quickly released him and hugged Mine. "Thank you, thank you for making this dress a reality. It's perfect."

"Oh," Mine said, flustered about what to say and do. She looked at Ayame as he chuckled. He gave a facial expression that told her to hug the younger girl back.

'It's okay,' he mouthed.

Mine hugged Ayumi back. "You are so welcome. It was a lot of fun." The two girls separated and Mine gave the teenager a huge smile. "It was great to make something normal for once."

"Normal!" Ayame gasped. "What is that supposed to mean!?"

"Manager; making a tutu for a grown man isn't normal."

Ayumi giggled. "I have to agree with Mine-san on that one Nii-san."

"Well then!" Ayame said as he turned around in a huff, his arms crossed. "I guess I'm just not normal."

Mine and Ayumi giggled. Ayame was between being upset and being happy that they were getting along so well. Suddenly he felt two arms engulf his waist. Then he heard the childish giggles that only his cousin could make.

"But we wouldn't want you any other way Nii-san."

Ayame placed a hand over hers and held back the overwhelming urge to cry.


About 15 minutes later, Ayumi was changed and ready to head out.

"What are your plans for the rest of the day, Yumi-chan?" Ayame asked her as she moved to stand in front of the door.

"I'm going to meet everyone up at the school and then we're going to Shishou's."

"Sounds like fun," Ayame smiled. "I'm sure he will be glad to see you."

His little cousin beamed. "I hope so!" she replied happily as she opened the door.

"Give Yuki a big hug for me Tenshi-chan!" he called out as she walked out the door.

"Will do Nii-san! Love you!"

"Love you too Ten-chan!"

Ayumi set out towards her cousins' high school. It was getting very close to the time that their last bell would ring and they'd be filing out the doors. Ayumi knew Yuki could have Student Council after school, but she was hoping that he wouldn't go because of his earlier headache.

'I'm so terrible,' she thought. 'Wanting to keep him all for myself.'

She made it to the gate of the school just as the bell rung. Ayumi set herself up against the inside of the pillar. The flowy top she wore moved with the breeze as students began to file out of the school.

"Who's that girl?"

"She's cute!"

"She must be a model."

"I saw her walk Yuki Sohma to school today!"

Ayumi just giggled. 'Oh no. Rumors are going to start.'

The first person she recognized leaving the school was Tohru.

"Ayumi-san!" she called out. "What are you doing here?"

"We have plans to go to Shishou's," she answered. "Where are you going without everyone?"

"I have to work today."

"Awh, that's too bad." The Sohma girl thought for a second. "Tell ya what; I'll make dinner tonight so you don't have to worry. I'll even make sure that the boys save you some."

Tohru was a little shocked. "You don't have to cook dinner again-"

"I'm family, remember Tohru?" Ayumi said as she moved to put her hands on Tohru's shoulders. "And I'm staying with you guys. It's the least I can do for taking up half of your room."

"I really don't-"

"Tohru," the Sohma girl said firmly. "It's alright. We can share the chores. Gure-nii told me about your living stipulations. I'm not messing with that, so don't worry."

The other girl smiled. "Okay Ayumi-san."

"You should get to work."

"Oh that's right!" Tohru looked around frantically. "I have to go. Bye!"

She took of quickly. Ayumi giggled. "Have a good day at work!" she called after her.

Before she even turned back around, Ayumi heard her cousin running for her.

"Ay-chan!"

As she turned to look at him, Momiji had already jumped into her arms.

"Ay-chan!" he yelled again, rubbing his face against hers. "I missed you!"

"Oh Momi-kun," she laughed as she held him up and against her body. "I missed you too."

"Just gotta make a fool of yourself."

Ayumi looked over Momiji's shoulder to see her other three cousins.

"Shut up Kyo!" Momiji said with a whine in his voice. "You're just mad that you can't be picked up by Ay-chan!"

Kyo huffed. "Whatever runt."

"Whaaa! Kyo's being mean to me!" wailed the smaller boy. "Ay-chan!"

"Oh Momi," she sighed as she put him down. "Enough of the fake crying." She kissed his cheek. "Better?"

Momiji was in a little bit of shock and then a huge grin broke across his face. "Yes!"

Ayumi giggled and then gave Kyo a slightly angry glare. "No more name calling."

Kyo was kinda scared. Ayumi looped her arm in Haru's as he kissed her cheek.

"I always name call!"

"Don't care," she said as Haru led her away from the school with Yuki next to her. Momiji ran around to walk backwards in front of them.

Kyo was really shocked now. "Whaaat!?"

"If you want to go to Shishou's with us, you need to hurry up!" she called. Kyo grumbled some things to himself and followed.

"Ohmigosh! She's with the Sohmas!"

"Is she dating Hatsuharu-kun?"

"I can't tell."

"That bitch!"

"Sempai…"

"Cozying up to the Sohmas like that!"

"But sempai…"

"She doesn't have the right to be so close to Yuki!"

"Oh sempai…"


"How was school Haru?" Ayumi asked as the five of them headed to Shishou's. Momiji now walked behind Yuki, Ayumi, and Haru with Kyo.

"Alright," he responded blandly.

"Good!" she smiled as she squeezed his arm. Keeping her arm looped with his, she turned to Yuki. "What about you Yuki? How was school?"

He was taken by surprise. "Oh, it was good."

"Your headache go away?" she asked, stopping and reaching her hand towards his forehead.

"Yeah," he said, pulling away and blushing. "It's gone."

"Yuki's blushing," Momiji gasped. Yuki put a hand over his face and mumbled something that sounded like "Shut up."

Ayumi was taken aback. She had slowly returned her hand to her. Haru sensed her feelings at once and pulled her into a hug.

"Don't worry," he whispered. "He's just not used to people touching him all the time."

"He used to," she whispered through her closing throat. "He never moved away from me before."

Kyo and Momiji just watched the whole thing unfold. Kyo held himself back so he wouldn't hit Yuki for upsetting Ayumi, while he also held back Momiji from tackle hugging her.

"But that was before," Haru whispered to Ayumi. "He's grown up since then." She tensed up. "Go walk with him."

She waited for a bit and then slowly pulled out of Haru's embrace. The Sohma girl took hold of Yuki's free hand and used her other hand to move the one off his face.

"I'm sorry," she gasped, trying not to cry. "I forgot," she said as she hung her head. Yuki moved their hands together to raise her head. Tears fell off her face and he quickly wiped them away.

He leaned his head down to kiss her forehead, their emotional connection overwhelming him. "I'm sorry My Grace," he whispered. "I didn't mean to hurt you."

She placed her hands on his cheeks. "It's alright Yuki." One of his hands moved to cover one of hers as he kissed her forehead again.

'I forgot how sensitive she is,' Yuki thought.

'God her emotions are going crazy,' Kyo thought as he put a hand on his chest.

"You feel it too Kyo?" Momiji asked, his face showing heartache. "I guess she couldn't keep the doors closed."

"Gotta get used to it again," the orange-haired teen retorted.

Yuki and Ayumi separated and held hands. Ayumi cracked a big smile at Kyo and Momiji that washed away all the sad feelings they had.

"Let's go!" she giggled. Her and Yuki walked ahead as Haru joined the other two boys behind them.

"Did you not feel that Haru?" Kyo asked.

"Eh," he said. "It's nothing." Kyo just gave him a face.

"What Kyo?" the ox asked. "Can't handle it?"

"That's not what I said!"

"I read between the lines."


On the way to the dojo, Ayumi asked questions about how her cousins' days at school were. She learned about the goofy things that happened in Hatsuharu and Momiji's class and about the people on the Student Council with Yuki.

When they were down the street from the dojo, Yuki looked at Haru.

"Hey, does Rin know we're coming?"

Ayumi stopped cold. Yuki was pulled back when he tried to walk on without her, but he continued to look at Haru, even when he stopped. She looked up at him with wide eyes.

"No, I didn't tell her," Haru answered.

Kyo noticed his cousin's face. "Yumi…"

Yuki looked down at her and met her eyes. He realized at once. "You didn't know Rin was-" But it was already too late. Ayumi had already bolted from where they had been standing and was on a beeline for the dojo.

"Ayumi!" the boys yelled as they followed her. She ran the rest of the way, continued through the garden and passed Kunimitsu.

"Hello, welcome to-" She wasn't listening. She flung open the front door. "Hey! Excuse me!"

Ayumi pushed around her aura until she found Rin's. She slowly moved towards the sliding door she knew the other girl was behind. The four boys showed up behind Kunimitsu.

"Who is that girl!?" he asked the panting boys, with a tone of voice that displayed that he was still a bit freaked out.

"Our cousin Ayumi," Kyo answered.

"Why in the world did she barge in here!?"

"We didn't tell her that Rin was here," Haru said. "She hasn't seen or spoken to Rin since she moved away." He paused. "Since we were kids."

Kunimitsu calmed down a bit. "Well she didn't have to rip through here like she did." He noticed where she was standing. "How can she tell where Rin is?"

"Sixth sense I guess," Kyo told him, trying to avoid suspicion.

Ayumi just stood outside the door, not letting Rin know that she was there. When she calmed down enough, she reached out her thoughts to Rin.

'Rin…Rin…' she thought. 'Isuzu…my beautiful horse, come out and see me…'


Rin sat in shock. She didn't know what to think. She knew that voice, but she didn't think it was real.

'Rin…come to the door…I feel your heart.'

She slowly got to her feet and took slow steps to the door. Tears filled up her eyes as she stopped in front of the door.

'Your heart is aching Isuzu…oh it hurts. Let me heal you…'

Rin still couldn't move to open the door. 'I'm dreaming…' Rin thought as she began to cry. 'This has to be a dream…'

'Isuzu, dreams come true. Open the door.'

And so the horse opened the door.


The five boys watched as the door to the room opened. Rin stood on the other side, tears streaming down her face. She looked dumbfounded, completely shocked. Her eyes met Ayumi's and they just stared at each other.

"Hey Kunimitsu," Kyo said evenly. "Go get Shishou."

"On it," the assistant answered, clearly ready to leave the awkward presence.

"You feel that?" Momiji asked as he grabbed ahold of the front of his shirt.

"Yeah," Yuki muttered. "It's a whole mix of feelings."

"It's Rin's sadness and joy mixed with Ay-chan's excitement," Haru chimed in. "And a little bit of anger. Ay-chan's kinda mad at us." The other three nodded.

Ayumi looked deep into Rin's eyes. The angel almost couldn't contain herself and held back the wash of tears. After what seemed like forever, she thought, 'I missed you.'

That's all Rin needed.

She was instantly folded into Ayumi's arms, bawling. Ayumi was soon in tears herself and they cried into each other's shoulders.

"I missed you too," Rin said through her sobs.

Ayumi pulled her closer. "I've got you," she whispered.

The boys were overcome. Momiji cried into his arm, hiccupping. Haru covered his eyes with his hand as his lip trembled. Tears rolled down Kyo's cheeks and he quickly wiped them away. Yuki stood there with his arms crossed, a single tear down his cheek.

"Stupid girls and their stupid emotions," Kyo mumbled as he quickly got rid of a few more tears.

"But it's all happiness," Momiji said through his crying. "Rin's happy."

"She is," Yuki stated.

Tears rolled down Haru's cheeks. "Yeah, she is. She's really happy…"

'I'm so glad…'


Author Note: Okay, soooo…I'm back. Lol I didn't mean to be away for so long, but school and work, and then moving, and then school again gaaaah. I just haven't found the time. I finished this chapter two months ago and then forgot to finish copying it. =/ I hope it was worth the wait. I'll work harder!

Please R&R!