A/N: Every time I post a new chapter, I am humbled again and again by the reception of my writing. Thank you everyone. There have already been 100 reviews on this story. This chapter is dedicated to all of you! The chapter is a set up to a couple things I have planned. Enjoy!

Chapter 11 – An Unexpected Meeting

Hanging up his phone, Hunny ran a hand through his hair and scanned the area, allowing his eyes to seek out his taller cousin… and then they spotted something, something that made him shake his head. Once again scanning the area that had given him pause, he saw it again. The figure was moving further away and from the back, it was only a person wearing a trench coat, but there was something about that person. He could have sworn it was Haruhi when he originally saw her exiting the hotel.

Without waiting another moment, he took off after the questionable person and proceeded to get crushed by a mob of people who had just crossed the street. Granted NY would have been a bigger disaster, still this group had enough force to push him back a few paces before he was allowed to move forward again. Pressing on, he jumped onto a metal newspaper stand in order to observe his surroundings better and caught a glimpse of the person he was attempting to follow and started to run after her. He didn't want to call out her name because he was afraid if he did that, there were enough buildings and alleys around that he could easily lose her. Right now he had to follow and hope that it really was the girl he sought.

The ringing of his phone captured his attention and still he never pulled his eyes away from his target as he continued down the path he had chosen. "Takashi, I think I found Haru-Chan. She is walking north away from the hotel and hasn't turned down any streets yet. Come and find me. I don't want to wait and lose her."

"On my way," Mori hung up the phone and gripped it in his hand tightly before he started to run at a fast clip in order to catch up to his cousin and what could possibly be the female host. They had to find her and convince her to talk to Kyoya, but then again, the stoic host knew that may be harder than the others believed. After the way the cool host ended things and then set her up just a matter of days later, it was a wonder she had not completely crumbled. To Mori, when they had said their goodbyes at the airport, it was almost like she had shut that part of her off in order to cope. In a new place surrounded by new people, Haruhi hoped to forget, but if she was running away like this… she had failed in that mission.

Haruhi felt like someone was following her, however when she turned around, no one was there; at least no one that she recognized or who seemed to be acting strange or focusing on her. Three times she did this, and each time she was met with the same result. "I must be losing my mind. Like those guys wouldn't actually follow me here," she mumbled to herself, and then allowing herself to think about it she sweat dropped and face palmed, "No, if they knew, they would follow."

Hoping she didn't have a hand print on her face, she entered a tall building and waited with a crowd of people for the elevator to arrive. Now was the time to forget about the hosts and do her work to the best of her ability. She was here to learn and that is exactly what she would do. Later she would allow herself to deal with her friends and her ex. Later she would call them and apologize. Later… she just had to put them out of her mind for a brief period of time. She had done it before and she can do it again.

Hunny had followed who he thought was Haruhi walk into the building she entered and now that she only stood a couple feet away, he was certain it was his friend. A chance meeting, a stroke of luck, or maybe Kami had smiled down upon him, he wasn't sure, but he was going to stick to her like glue.

As soon as the elevator doors opened, he stealthily maneuvered into the elevator so that she was unaware of his presence. It was more than apparent that she didn't want the hosts to know her whereabouts, and yet he had found her. He would wait to confront her… like when they weren't surrounded by an elevator full of strangers.

A ding and the doors opened for a floor. Haruhi remained on the elevator. With each ding, the population was starting to get sparse and Hunny was slightly nervous that she would catch him; not that he was worried she would make a scene. He knew she wouldn't, but he would still rather face her with a modicum of privacy than to confront her around others.

A fifth ding and finally Haruhi walked off the elevator with two other people and Hunny followed. When he emerged the doors closed behind him and he saw his friend take a seat in the lobby while the other two people left her alone. "They were probably employees and she was probably waiting on the people she is working with," he thought to himself. Taking a deep breath, he slowly approached her and smiled, "Hi Haru-Chan."

Her head was bowed and her eyes were focused on the ground when she heard his voice. It was soft and melodious as always, well except when he was excited or hyped up on cake or in demon mode, but otherwise the same. It couldn't be him. They couldn't have found her this quickly. Then again, this was the Ouran High School Host Club and they seemed to be able to pull off the impossible. Slowly lifting her head, her wide eyes finally met the brown eyes of the Loli Shota host and she couldn't help but wonder if she was trapped in a dream… or nightmare. Shaking her head to clear it, when she looked again, he was still there. "Hunny-senpai? How?" Her voice was tinged with disbelief and wonderment.

Before he could answer, Hunny's phone started to ring and he had to answer it, "Takashi, tall blue building with a tapestry of a dove hanging on the building. 14th floor." He hung up after hearing the grunt.

"Mori-senpai's here too?" Haruhi couldn't believe her luck and ran a hand through her hair forcing her bangs to stand on end.

"We need to talk Haru-Chan," Hunny told her.

"I can't right now. I have to help prepare for trial and I am an intern right now. This opportunity…"

"I understand that Haru-Chan, you can either talk to me and Takashi alone, or we can tell the others where you are."

Eyes growing large, her head swung back and forth in denial as her hands started to wave furiously in the air, "NO!"

"He's right, Haruhi. We need to talk," Mori had just gotten off the elevator and joined them when he heard his cousin's "suggestion".

Elevator doors opened and the legal team she had been waiting on walked off. Now was not the time to have a long drawn out discussion with her friends, but she also knew she couldn't get away from them… not this time. She was effectively trapped, and she had, in a way, painted herself into the proverbial corner. It was a bitter pill to swallow.

"Miss Fujioka," one of the lawyers raised his brow in question.

She knew her boss was asking her about the two teens who had joined her and call it manners ingrained from the Host Club or whatever, she found herself introducing her friends, "Mr. Webster, this is Mori-sen… I mean, Takashi Morinozuka and Mitsukuni Haninozuka. They are…" She was unable to finish and quietly grumbled about people interrupting her. This made the second time this morning.

"Yes, I know both names very well. How do you do? I am one of the senior partners for the law firm that handles some of your families' business dealings here in America," Mr. Webster quickly introduced himself and tried to make a good impression.

If she could have, Haruhi would have face palmed again. It figures that the one place she interns for knows someone from the Host Club… correction, two people. With her luck, her boss may know them all. She could already see the glint in the partner's eyes. He wanted to get in on their good side and would bend over backwards for them. It was something she had seen time and time again with each of the guys, and it made her want to laugh. What did this lawyer know about Hunny or Mori? Nothing except their name and that his firm got money from their family. Did he know that Mori had a soft spot for animals or that he liked to help those weaker than him, playing knight in shining armor (more than once for her in fact)? Did he know that Hunny, although no longer took it to school, slept with his bunny Usa-Chan every night and offered it to Haruhi a couple of times to calm her during a storm? Did he know that these men cared wholeheartedly about their friends and wanted to help them any way they could and that included her? No. There was no way Mr. Webster knew any of that, and that is what made it laughable; however, she didn't laugh. She kept it bottled in and only smiled.

"Miss Fujioka. I had no idea that you were acquainted with such exemplary people," the lawyer simpered.

Inwardly rolling her eyes, she responded, "Yes, they are my friends from high school." Silently adding, "And you have no idea what you are talking about."

"We were wondering if we could borrow Haru-Chan for about an hour," Hunny inquired, his eyes growing large and slightly wet. He still knew how to work it when he needed to.

"Haru-Chan? Oh you mean Miss Fujioka?" Webster glanced at his watch. He wanted to comply, but he also knew they needed both researchers in the meeting this morning. Finally he answered, "Well we have a meeting this morning, but she should be able to take a long lunch at about 11:30."

"That's would be great! Thank you Mr. Webster," the Loli Shota host smiled as flowers appeared to float around his head.

Mori bowed his head, "Thank you."

Sighing in defeat, Haruhi also gave her thanks and then followed the legal team to the conference room. There was no way around it now, she would have to meet and talk to her friends. Then again, maybe the sooner she ripped off the band aid the better. She briefly pondered how easy it would be to convince them to leave without telling the others, and then realized that it was more likely that they would enter the next ice age by tomorrow before that happened. She would think about that later though, right now she had a job to do.

As they exited the building, Hunny asked, "Takashi, do you think we can convince her?"

"I don't know Mitsukuni. He hurt her," Mori replied. He had the same questions and doubts, but right now they were Kyoya's only hope, at least on the front line.

They started to walk down the sidewalk hoping to find a cab when the shorter man questioned, "Why do you think Kyo-Chan didn't think to look for her here?"

"The name of the firm is different."

"Oh. Should we tell him?"

"No. Let's wait until after we meet her for lunch. We need to prepare her."

"What about the others?" He face palmed when he saw the deadpanned expression his best friend shot him, "Yah, bad idea."

Placing his hand on his cousin's blond head, Mori smiled, "We will talk to her, and hopefully she will be willing to talk to Kyoya."

"You're right!" More flowers appeared around Hunny and he jumped up into the air excited about playing matchmaker. Silently he prayed it worked.

Back in Japan…

"So he followed her to Seattle? Keep me appraised," Yoshio snapped and then returned his phone to its resting place. "What are you doing Kyoya? What is your plan? She would have been an asset to this family and you let her go. So what changed?" Spinning around, he stared out the window and looked up at the moon that seemed to light up the sky. It appeared his son was once again forging his own path and doing what he wanted to for him, much like when he decided he wanted to try to become the heir of the Ootori zaibatsu. The question was, would Kyoya be successful?