Hello again lovely readers! ^^

Sorry for the absence …things have been INSANE! I've been searching for a new job, I've gotten more parts for my voice acting, and I'm planning a trip to Scotland to go see my amazing boyfriend.

But now that the insanity is dying down I will now be focusing more on my fanfics and original writings of my own~

~thank you to everyone who is reading, reviewing, and has alerted or favorited this story and Forbidden~ it means so much to me C:

And now to the story! ~I DO NOT OWN FRUITS BASKET! I only own Megami Sohma!

Chapter 9: Forgiven

Megami placed her cell phone on the night stand beside Akito's bed—she turned back to see the God had started to cough again, finally he stopped and attempted to catch the breath he had lost from the coughing spell. He was pale and feverish, Akito looked over at her and she now saw how dull and lifeless his eyes were—they were just dark orbs with no light or hope in them at all. He smiled faintly at her worried expression and then closed his eyes before he started coughing again.

"Hang on Akito. Hatori is on his way, h-he'll know what to do."She replied.

"He can't do anything."Akito said breathlessly.

"Don't say that."Megami said, "Are…you in any pain?"

Akito was silent for a moment and then slowly shook his head as his answer. "I can't feel anything anymore Megami. I-I'm going to die."The God replied his voice breaking. "I-I'm sorry Megami. I'm so sorry…for everything I've ever done."He sobbed.

Tears trickled down the Goddess' cheeks as she watched the God breaking down before her. She grasped a hold of his hand, giving it a gentle squeeze, praying that the Dragon would arrive soon.

Hatori stood before the once glorious Sohma Estate—the splendor it had had in the old days, long gone—he shut the car door and strolled towards the entrance of the estate with his bag of medical equipment in hand. The Dragon carefully wedged himself through the broken entrance and entered the dead grounds of the estate where he had once been a prisoner along with Megami and the others of the Sohma clan.

The Dragon trudged carefully on the broken stepping stones that led the way past the broken houses to the Main House where the God and Goddess were waiting. Hatori reached his destination and lingered outside a moment, gazing over at once was his home—like the others that surrounded it, it was no shattered and abandoned—He strolled over to his old home, warily he took to the steps leading up to the porch and stepped inside the doorway. It was dark and dust and cobwebs seemed to cover everything, Hatori gazed up to see a spider scurrying up its invisible silken thread and then vanish into a crack in the corner of the ceiling.

He smiled faintly remembering the fond memories this place had to offer—Momiji always jumping around chatting away while he was attempting to work, Kana's last visit, Megami visiting every day with him, the first time he had kissed the Goddess, the first time that they had made love—this place had seen good and bad times alike and it saddened him to see what had become of it.

Hatori unglued himself from the doorframe and made his way back towards the Main House to attend to the God and get his wife back.

The God had started another horrible coughing fit and Megami was doing all she could think of to help. Blood was oozing from the God's mouth and dripping in between his fingers; he was covered in a light sweat and was quivering every time he erupted into a cough.

"Oh Akito, I-I don't know what else to do."The Goddess cried as she dipped a wash cloth into the basin of water she had sitting on the night stand next to the God's bed. She quickly wrung out some of the water and gently dabbed at Akito's forehead and then the back of his neck.

"Megami?"

The Goddess quickly turned towards the door hearing the Dragon call her name. "Hatori!"She sobbed in relief. "Akito, I'll be right back."She assured him before dashing out of his bed room, out into the sitting room where she and the God used to drink their tea and chat, and into the hall to see her husband running towards her. He dropped his medical bag and wrapped his arms around her,

"Megami."He cried as she buried her face into his chest, she clung to him tight not wanting to let him go. Hatori cupped her face in his hands; she could see the concern in his eyes, "Are you all right? I was so worried."

"I'm fine Hatori."She promised grasping a hold of his right hand and kissed it. "I-I'm just so glad you came."

"Of course I came. You asked me to."He said. Hatori picked up his bag from the floor, "So how bad is he?"

Megami gazed up at him and then moved her gaze to the floor, "Hatori…he's not doing well at all. I-I don't know what else to do."She said warily.

"I'll do everything I can."Hatori vowed.

The Goddess led the Dragon to the God's chambers, when they reached Akito's bedroom they found him hunched over trembling from the attack of a cough; Hatori's eyes widened at the sight of the ghost like God. He wasn't expecting to see Akito in such an awful state; he knew that Megami had said he was bad but…the doctor could tell—Akito was at death's door.

Akito rolled his head over towards them; his dark eyes were dull and inert. "Hatori," He wheezed, "y-you actually came."

"Of course I did."Hatori replied walking over to the God's bedside. He placed his medical bag on the night stand, pulling out the tools he desired before closing it back up and taking a seat in the wooden chair he assumed Megami had been resting in. "Megami asked me too."He said. Hatori arranged the stethoscope to his liking; Akito was donned in the traditional robes he had worn in the past, most of the colorful garments were hanging off of his left shoulder revealing his snow white chest. "I hadn't imagined you would still have your illness."He said softly gently placing the chilled metal of the stethoscope onto Akito's skin.

Hatori instructed him to take a few deep breaths, "…I already had this illness before I obtained my healing ability…besides…that can only heal injuries."The God answered between breaths.

The Dragon pulled his instrument away. The God's heart beat was faint, he knew that Akito was near the end of his life—the God's illness was incurable—Hatori had always known that. The Dragon glanced up at the God whose face showed fear and pain, he actually felt sympathy for Akito.

"Hatori, i-is he going to be all right?"Megami inquired worriedly.

Hatori gazed up at his wife and then over to Akito, "He has a few more hours left…there's nothing I can do."He replied. "I-I'm sorry Akito."Hatori said sorrowfully.

Akito smiled faintly at him before laying back against the pillows Megami had fluffed and placed perfectly for him to be comfortable, "Don't be. Thank you…for even coming to see me."He said sincerely weakly grasping a hold of Hatori's hand.

Hatori was stunned. Over the years whenever he would come for Akito's daily check-ups or late night troubles, the God had never thanked him, not even once. The Dragon could see that…the God had had a change of heart. "I knew…I didn't have much longer."The God admitted tears streaming down his pale face. "I-I'm the one who needs to be sorry…for everything."He cried.

"Akito…" Megami murmured taking in the scene.

"…I just hope you two can forgive me. For hurting you; for hurting our family. I've done so many terrible things to the both of you, to Kyo and Yuki. I was just afraid of losing everyone…but I-I just drove everyone further away from me."Akito sobbed. "I'm sorry Megami, Hatori. Please…please forgive me."

"Of course we do." The Goddess reassured sobbing, taking a place beside the God.

The Dragon felt tears swelling up in his eyes, he blinked them away. "I forgive you Akito."He said.

"Thank you."Akito coughed. "I-I want you to burn this place to ground once…once I'm gone…with me in it. Please…and tell the others…I'm sorry. That's my final wish."The God wheezed.

"W-We'll tell them Akito."Megami cried.

Akito coughed, blood oozing from the corners of his mouth, "I-I give you both my blessing."He replied softly. "The love you two share for one another…it's a beautiful and precious thing. Protect it."The God whispered his eyes growing dimmer.

Hatori grasped a hold of Megami's hand, the sobbing lovers gently squeezed each other's hand, "We will Akito."The Dragon cried.

"T-The curse…it will finally be broken…"The God said so softly that the Goddess and the Dragon for a moment thought they had imagined it. "Everyone will be….free…" He murmured holding back another cough. Akito's eyes grew heavy and eyes were darker, he grew motionless, "…the curse….is broken."He muttered and breathed his last.

The God had died—breaking the Soma family curse; he had freed his family and had a change of heart—the Dragon and Goddess wept.