Chapter nine, wow I actually wrote this chapter a lot, because it's sort of a filler and I hate those. So sorry, on the upside, Ranka's in it! Enjoy!

Ouran Academy was a lot like Tohru's old school, except some subjects were more advanced than her old ones. Still, she managed to get through her day without finding any trouble and then she was walking home with Haruhi.

"Where's the bus stop again?" Tohru asked, as they turned a corner.

"It's just up here," Haruhi replied, as a car started to slow down next to them. The window opened and then a woman's face appeared. She had short brown hair and shining pink lips hand was staring at the two girls unfathomably. "Hello, fair maiden."

"Oh not this again," Haruhi muttered under her breath while Tohru smiled shyly at her cousin's friend.

"Yes, I believe this is it again." The woman continued, turning her gaze onto Toru. "And who's this."

"Just keep walking, Tohru." Haruhi told her cousin, but Tohru kept her eyes locked with the strange woman's in the car.

"Hello," She said brightly and bowed. "My name is Tohru Honda. Pleasure to meet you."

"Politeness," The woman said in her strong voice. "A quality in a woman that is never forgotten. A pleasure to meet you Tohru Honda."

"Thank you," Tohru said with a smile.

"Tell me, fair maiden, where do you come from?" The strange woman with short auburn hair asked. "And what is your relationship to my dear friend Haruhi?"

"Oh," Tohru replied, her smile widening. "She's my cousin. I'm staying with her for a little while. Maybe I'll see you again."

"Maybe you will, Tohru Honda," The woman said, her eyes shining like Kyoya's glasses would at times, and then the car started to pull away, leaving a cheerful looking Tohru and an annoyed looking Haruhi in its wake.

"Who was that?" Tohru asked, cocking her head to the side slightly.

"Don't worry," Haruhi replied, pulling her cousin down the street towards the bench around the corner "Come on, we're going to be late."

. . .

Someone knocked at the door as Tohru and Haruhi were preparing dinner. They were making quick work of their task, Tohru chopping up vegetables quickly with a sharp knife while her cousin stirred some soup when someone knocked at the door hesitantly.

"Can you get that?" Haruhi asked turning to her cousin. "I'll put the greens in the soup, alright?"

Tohru nodded and walked over to the door, opening it and surprisingly finding Yuki and Kyo. "Kyo-chan, Yuki-chan?" She said surprisingly. "What are you two doing here?"

"We need to talk," Kyo said angrily, crossing his arms.

Tohru nodded, "Alright, come in."

The boys walked in just as Haruhi turned around. "Take of your shoes," She commanded them, turning back and stirring her pot of soup.

The boys did as they were told while Tohru walked over to the table and sat down, waiting for her friends to join her. When they had, she glanced at them curiously. "What's going on?"

"I believe that something's wrong," Yuki explained, his violet eyes troubled. "Something serious."

"What do you mean?" Tohru asked.

"Everyone is coming to the school," Yuki continued. "Kisa, Hiro, Hatori, I think even Ritsu may be there soon too, and I don't just think it's because our disappearance."

"No one's ever come like they are," Kyo said, mumbling under his breath. "I just doesn't make any sense. I mean, if he knows where we are why not just come get us. Why wait?"

No one had an answer to that question, even though they all wanted one desperately. It seems that that would be all there was. A lot of questions without a single answer, and that was just how life was. But now, it seemed like the answer was right in front of them.

Suddenly, another door opened from inside the house and Ranka appeared there. He was wearing his read hair and lip stick, with a pair of tight black jeans and a blue tank top, and at the sight of the two handsome boys he's entire face lit up like a child's on Christmas.

"Why hello," He cooed, walking into the kitchen and sitting down at the empty seat between Tohru and Kyo. "You must be Kyo-chan and Yuki-chan." I'm Haruhi's father, you can call me Ranka."

"Ranka?" The boys echoed their faces pale. "So, you're um-"

"Ranka works at a bar down the street," Tohru piped in cheerfully and Ranka nodded his approval.

"That's right; I work at the tranny bar down the street. Ranka is my stage name." Ranka continued, cocking his head slightly to study the two Sohma's that sat in his kitchen. "My, my Haruhi does like to keep a very attractive sort of company."

"Dad!" Haruhi cried, appearing into the living room with a spoon in her hand. "Leave them alone,"

"Oh, there she goes again." Ranka says with a smile, upping his face with his hands, and his mouth opening into a perfect o shape. "I always embarrass her around her friends, but that's because I don't know anything about them. She never lets me do anything, though all I want to do is protect my little girl."

Yuki smiled. "That's nice of you, Ranka. I think Miss Fujioka-san is lucky to have a father who wants to protect his daughter like that plus a group of friends who want to keep her safe as well."

Everyone stared at Yuki and there was a brief silence before Ranka appeared behind him, hugging him around the back to the point where Yuki was starting to turn blue. "Aw, that is the sweetest thing I've ever heard," Ranka said, tears streaming down his eyes. "I want my little Haruhi to find a man just like you in her life, I want to too!"

Tohru watched as Ranka shook Yuki around like a rag doll in his arms and then his gaze shifted to Kyo. "And you," He said with a spark in his eye and he moved onto Kyo, grabbing him and rubbing his hair. "How do you get this color? I've never seen it on the market? And I'm always looking for a change in color!"

Tohru grinned as Kyo tried desperately to get out of her uncles arms but which proved futile and Haruhi shook her head, and all talk of what was going on with the Sohma family's sudden appearance was put on delay for another day.

As always, I enjoy this story. Next I shall be working on my other fruits basket story. I need to get a real life…..seriously. Thank god there is Big Wreck to keep me sane. They is an amazing band that helps me get work done, lol, enough of my ramblings! Enjoy!