(A/N): I'm bAcK…. Sorry, had to. Alright, I'm gonna give up on apologizing. I'm late. You know it, I know it, all of my plushies know it. But to everyone that puts up with me. I LOVE YOU GUYS! I hope I didn't disappoint you this chapter, I'm still trying to find all of my spelling errors and other grammar issues, but I make no promises.

Anyways, I almost forgot to thank Koneko(I hope I spelled it right) I always love you're reviews. Thanks so much for caring so much. You are just too nice. Because you are awesome I'm adding a little fluffish HaruXOc moment early in this chapter. Feel special, because you are.

Oh, and furuba-suzume: I'm glad you like it! I was going for different, and this had been buzzing as a plot bunny. You're very perceptive, but I'm afraid I can neither confirm nor deny you inquiries. Although I will say that I am more comfortable writing this as more based off of the anime than the manga, so Akito will indeed most likely be male.

As always suggestions are like candy which I hoard like nobody's business, so please send it this way! I can't wait to here what you all think.

Disclaimer : I own nothing but my poor little Jaden. *Sigh*

ONWARDS!

11

When I woke up the next morning it was late. The sun was streaming through my window coating my floor with its warmth and making everything golden. I blinked at the harshness of the color as I tried to get my bearings. What happened again? Oh that's right, I just spilled my life story to everyone I wanted to keep it from. "Crap."

I sat up quickly, my sore muscles protesting ever so slightly as they always have as I tried to detangle myself from my bed sheets. Once my feet were on the floor I hissed in disapproval. The sun has been shining on the floor for hours and it still has to be freezing when I get up? This is so not right… Growling to myself I made my way across my room to get clean clothes, and head to the shower. As I was walking down the hallway I began to wonder were everyone could have run off to. "Well, I guess they wanted to let me sleep in after yesterday, but Kyo and Tohru aren't the type to spend the day sleeping away." I muttered to myself. "Yuki might still be asleep." I mused as I neared his door. It was open so I cautiously peeked in. Sprawled out across his bed in not a very princely fashion with his face squashed against one of his books and only half of his shirt still on his torso, the rest tangled around his shoulders was the poor princeling. "If only your fan girls could see you now." I chuckled to myself and continued forward.

"That's Yuki, now what about the others?" I lifted my head as I smell wafted from below. Found Tohru…The giggles that accompanied the smells of what I could only guess to be lunch verified Momiji's whereabouts. Just as I was about to inquire to my self about Kyo and Shigure's location I heard the familiar crash of Shigure's door yet again, and the howling of outrage from Kyo about some 'stupid mutt'. "That's five of them." I neared the bathroom door, "I wonder where number six is?" I reached for the door as my head spun from trying to figure out where he could be. My hand landed on the cool, firm, and slightly…damp door?

"Well isn't this a surprise?" The door then wrapped its hand around my wrist and pulled me forward into a hug. The steamy bathroom making his skin feel warm all over as I out of instinct returned his gesture. I looked up into his surprisingly warm gray eyes. "Good morning Angel. Did you sleep well?" I nodded, my face feeling warm for some odd reason as I tried to keep my eyes from moving to look at his chest again. "Too well, why didn't any of you wake me up?" He chuckled and I could feel it radiate through out his entire chest. "We weren't going to wake you up before Yuki got up." I scowled as I lightly began to let go of him. "So I was supposed to sleep until next week?" He grinned and pulled me back. "That was the plan."

I slapped his back. "That wasn't necessary." He bent down to whisper in my ear. "It was, you know you needed to sleep. I know you don't get nearly enough." I let my head droop until it was resting against his chest. He shivered slightly as I exhaled in frustration. "Fine. I need a shower, so move." He scoffed. "I don't think I want to Princess. Why don't I help you out, make sure you're okay?" Before I could even growl at his teasing a dark aura that radiated evil intentions could be felt behind us. We both shivered as we turned to see a sleepy and apparently irritated Yuki standing in his doorway watching us. "Haru, please be so kind as to remove your hands from Ms. Jaden immediately."

Haru looked up and wrapped his arms around my waist. "What if I don't want to?" Just at that moment pounding on the stairs could be heard followed by Kyo's grumblings. "Hey, ya dumb rat! Get your lazy butt out of bed! I don't want to have to hear Tohru whine about you not eatin-" He was silenced as he took in the current scene.

Yuki: Disheveled and glaring from the door way

Me: Pinkish, sleepy eyed still, and attached to Haru

Haru: Shirtless, damp, smirking, and attached to me in a rather possessive manner while standing in the door way to the shower.

He stood, his mouth hanging open from where he had been planning on finishing his sentence. We all turned to look at him. Yuki glanced between the two whose eyes were now locked in a challenge. He shrugged and shuffled past Kyo's stiff form down the stairs. Patting his shoulder as if to say 'Your turn, you get to handle this one'.

Despite being in his purely human form I watched his eyes narrow and his ears lay back as he growled, lunging forwards. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF-" His forehead made contact with the palm of Haru's hand as he lazily reached up to fend him off. It was easy to tell that this did little to quell Kyo's anger, as he reached up to twist Haru's arm. Deciding it was best for me to not be in the middle of this as the electricity between them was practically visible by now I ducked under Haru's arm which had now been bent rather awkwardly above his shoulder and dashed into the bathroom.

The door slammed behind me loudly, and the sound of their voices was muffled by the solid wood. I slid down the door to land on the floor, my knees pulled up to my chest. I replayed the entire situation in my head and couldn't help giggling. "Idiots." What did I do to deserve such doting, adorable, rash, and protective idiots? Shaking my head I got ready for my shower. The hot water working its way over my rough skin, trickling unevenly down my arms and soaking my hair. I fingered my long locks thoughtfully, the color at the ends turning a royal purple with the water. When was the last time I got my hair cut? I had never really planned for it to be this long, but I also hadn't had much time for trivial things like hair cuts up until now. I'll get it cut soon then, something different.

I rinsed my hair of soap and stepped put of the shower, wrapping myself in one of the fluffy strawberry towels Tohru had let me use. Wiping the fog off of the mirror I was met with my eyes, my ears, and my very own face. For some reason it felt wrong almost to see myself with out some part of the Sohma family present. I reached up to pat wet head were I would normally find soft fur. My fingers drifted down my face, remembering the feel of scales from when I had hugged Hatori. I sighed briefly before gasping. "Crap." My towel fell as I fumbled for my clothes. I had just remembered that Hatori was supposed to be coming today. "There is no way he isn't here by now." I grabbed my towel from its spot on the floor and glanced once again at the mirror. The scars spider webbing across my skin contracted with my muscles, stretching tightly as I pawed around for my clothes.

I sighed. "Stupid Dragon is probably gonna have more of that stupid stinging crap. That stuff hurt like heck last time." After I had my pants and what not firmly attached to my person I began pulling my shirt over my head, heading for the door. The long sleeves seemed to pose some trouble as I my elbow managed to get wedged into one, leaving me tied up as the door swung open. "Crap!" I began plummeting to the ground as my sense of balance was thrown off quite a bit due to my current predicament. Right before my face felt hard floor I was snatched backwards into a pair of strong arms.

"Now, I knew grace wasn't one of your strong suits, but I didn't think that you were this much of a klutz Angel." I scowled over the bunched fabric at Haru, my mood dampened by the heat I felt in my face. "Shut up. I got stuck. What are you doing out here anyways? Waiting for me to get done?" He nodded. "Yes, someone has to catch you before you eat floor. I just have to pleasure of being the only one stubborn enough to wait for an hour for you to finish. Why is it girls have to take so long in the shower?"

I smacked him with my free arm. "I was not in there for an hour. As to the why, it's just one of life's mysteries that are there just to mess with the heads of males such as yourself. Now why don't you continue your random streak of usefulness and help me with this stupid shirt." Chuckling he made sure I was set firmly on my feet before grabbing the fabric from my hands. "What has you in such a bad mood Princess?" Sighing I explained dejectedly. "Shigure said he called Hatori to come make sure everything is healing fine." Haru raised an eyebrow as he let go, my shirt falling lightly into place around my hips now that my arm was free. "And….?"

"…I hate antiseptic, and I'm not particularly fond of doctors. Don't get me wrong, I like Hatori fine, but still…." I mumbled half heartedly, pouting as I turned away from him and began my descent downstairs. "Aww, that's cute." Haru snickered behind me. I couldn't help making a rather rude gesture at him behind my back as I continued my trek.

He scoffed and I couldn't help grinning a little. "Oh, that's not happening Princess." Before I could protest, or was even aware of what was happening I was picked up and flung over his shoulder unceremoniously. "Hatsuharu Sohma put me down!" He clucked his tongue in defiance. I pounded my fists against his back in an attempt to get him to release me from his clutches as he carried me down stairs. "Do you want me to trip and fall down the stairs?" Oh he was enjoying this. I huffed and elbowed him the head for good measure. "Don't tempt me."

He chuckled at my stubbornness to concede to having lost this fight due to his much larger build as we were reaching the landing. "Shut up Haru, I'll tell Kyo it was your fault I'm making nothing but leeks for dinner from now on." He paused and I felt his shoulders stiffen. "You wouldn't…" He trailed off, because he knew I would. I grinned triumphantly. "Match point, Jaden." Growling he let me slide from his shoulder.

Apparently though he wasn't quite ready to concede to either, as I suddenly felt a smarting slap on my rear end. "What the heck?" I spun around to see him grinning like the cat that got the canary. My eyes narrowed and I made to punch him in the gut when an ear splitting scream made me falter and fall into what would have been my victim.

"You two are just too CUTE!" Eyes wide I grabbed Haru's arm for support, which only caused him to grin bigger. A long silver haired man with bright yellow eyes was staring at the two of us with the most devious look on his face. "You must be one of the flowers my dear Shigure has told me so much about. You are so much more adorable than he described." All I could do was blink as I clung to Haru, staring blankly at the extravagantly dressed stranger before me.

Suddenly Shigure flounced in from the other room, the rest of its occupants close at his heels. "Aya!" The longhaired stranger flipped his bangs out of his face to look at the mutt. "Shigure! It's been so long. I hope you haven't been too lonely without me." He cast a sidelong glance at Haru and me and I began to feel the need to glare. Something told me this must be the infamous Ayame I'd heard so much about, and I couldn't quite decide how I felt about him. "It would seem however that you've made new friends though Shigure. Have you been keeping these little flowers all to yourself?" Yep, has to be Ayame. Only a cohort of Shigure's would risk saying those kinds of things with all of the Sohma boys present in the same room without a hint of fear on his features.

Yuki gently tugged Tohru behind him and began walking at a frighteningly steady pace, a chilling look in his eyes that made my own glare soften in sympathy for the poor, no doubt idiotic, soul before me. "Brother. What are you doing here?" Ayame twirled around to look at Yuki. There's a surprise, Yuki's related to him? "Oh, Little Brother, when I heard that Ha'ri was going to be coming I just had to tag along to meet your new friends and check up on you!" The exuberant posturing and exaggerated hand motions hadn't been at all subdued by Yuki's death glare. The ice in his voice was making me want to turn around and run, I don't see how Ayame could just stand there and smile.

"Well I'm fine and you've seen them, now GO. AWAY." Only then did the slightest hint of hurt appear on Ayame's features. He lifted a hand in what might have been an attempt at an apologetic gesture, but the opening and abrupt closing of the front door made everyone turn to see Hatori sliding in. "Ayame." With one word the silver haired man had traipsed off to stand by Hatori, bouncing like a puppy. Hatori looked at Ayame with his usual cool gaze, before gently closing his eye and letting his head droop. "If you don't behave I'm going to take you home." At this Ayame gasped and looked at him pleadingly once, almost like he was about to beg, before he sighed and nodded. "Yes sir! I'm on my best behavior from this moment onwards!"

I watched all of this unfold while leaning against Haru, trying my best to regain my equilibrium and figure out what in the world was going on. I looked over to were Yuki stood, his head hanging low as he muttered very un-nice things I hadn't known the Princeling was even capable of saying. It was too much.

"AHAHAHAHAHAHAHA!" I lost all control and fell to the floor, my head thrown back as I clutched my sides. I felt the cow ears on my head flop around as I rolled backwards, landing against Haru's ankles. "Oh this is just perfect! It all makes sense now!" I felt every eye in the room turn and question what little sanity I had left. I coughed as I tried to find my voice, only to be stopped when another giggle fit hit me. "Oh, the threats, the stories, I finally get it!" Haru folded his arms and looked at Hatori across the room. "I think she's finally lost it." I slapped his shin half heartedly and stood up slowly, still chuckling. I walked over and hugged Yuki, and for once he didn't stiffen, only slumped further as I pet his head. "Poor Yuki. He's not at all the kind of person your Princeling self can comprehend is he?" I giggled quietly as he nodded into my shoulder, never ceasing his muttering.

I heard Yuki's older brother scoff across the room. "What does that mean?" he called out indignantly. I looked over my shoulder at Ayame and smiled. "Think about it would you? You're you, Mr. Flamboyance, while Yuki is Mr. Reserved, do you not see clashing personality traits?" At this he huffed, but didn't deny it in the least. Shigure chuckled at the scene before going over Ayame and Hatori. "Alright, I think we've had enough fun at the brother's expense. Hatori needs to take care of Jaden and we need to catch up. So why don't the rest of you run along?" He made a shooing gesture with his hands that received less than pleasant looks from the boys.

Haru raised an eyebrow and looked at me. "Am I invited?" I sighed and let go of Yuki, rubbing his shoulder softly in reassurance. "I think I'm good Haru. Thank You though." He looked slightly put out but nodded. He stalked off after Kyo, Momiji, and Tohru who had decided to go buy groceries. Yuki looked up, having finally calmed down again. "Are you sure you'll be alright Jaden?" I nodded. He tweaked my now rat ears and I felt them flinch in response. "I'll be upstairs studying if you need anything then." He sighed and cast one last loathing look at his brother before heading toward his room.

I let my hands rest at my sides as I spun around to look at the three men in front of me. Shigure clapped his hands together and smiled in his goof ball fashion that can't help but make me crack a smile. "Alrighty then! Let's go to the kitchen. Will that work for you Hatori?" Hatori nodded and we all walked into the kitchen, Ayame for once it seemed calm and quiet. Shigure leaned against a counter and I out of habit hopped up next to him, sitting in my usual place whenever I had kitchen duty. Ayame leaned on the wall across from us and Hatori stood in front of me. He looked down at me impassively, the same way he almost always looked. I cocked my head to the side, feeling ever so slightly uncomfortable with the silence that had fallen as the Sohma trio stared at me.

"Are you gonna do something Doc or am I just gonna need to start stripping?" I smirked a little, knowing Haru would have approved of the started look I had managed to make appear on Hatori's face. Shigure chuckled beside me and I shot him a conspiratorial wink. "You know you'd like that Shigure." He laughed out loud this time before pulling on my hair and winding it around his fingers. "Oh I would, but the boys would kill me. Over protective of you as they are." He yanked on my hair once teasingly before the grin on his face started to fade. "This is a serious matter though Jaden. As much as I want to just tease and help you pretend it all never happened as you seem keen on doing my little Rose, we need to be honest with each other and admit that you were hurt and that you need to be looked after." I grumbled softly, but nodded nonetheless. Hatori seemed to finally have composed him self and sent me a withering look, making me feels about six inches shorter than I already was.

"Since you failed to mention to me the last time I was here about your health issues I suppose a complete examination is in order." I sighed but looked up at him waiting for my orders. "Shigure? You said that the extent of the injuries were on her back?" Shigure nodded and Hatori asked me to turn around. I carefully swung my feet up on to the counter and turned around so I was looking Shigure in the eyes as Hatori gently lifted my shirt. He didn't make a sound as he tucked the hem of my shirt around my collar so as to get a full view of my back. Surprisingly enough Ayame didn't shout out or say something idiotically worrisome as I had expected someone with his flamboyant reputation to have. Instead all I heard was a small thoughtful sound and soft footsteps coming to lean on the counter next to me on my right. I looked up at him curiously and he mirrored my gaze.

"No questions? You're actually going to just leave me alone about it?" I asked him, surprise layered with intrigue and the heady feeling of elation. He smiled crookedly at me and snickered. "I assumed that everyone had been bugging you, it couldn't hurt to wait till later anyways right? I only know what little Shigure has shared about you," at this he pouted and shot a glare past me to Shigure who was talking softly to Hatori. "And he hasn't said much at all." I giggled softly before wincing as Hatori poked my shoulder. "That hurt still?" I narrowed my eyes in no general direction to keep from rolling them. "No, I just like the sound that people make when they are in pain. I know it's kind of sadistic to think like that but that's just who I am." Shigure flicked me on the forehead without even looking up from my back. Hatori and he seemed intent on making sure they knew each of my injuries like the back of their hands. "Looks like my little Rose still needs pruning, would you please be serious and explain the injury so Hatori will know whether he should be worried that it still hasn't healed." Sighing at their seriousness I racked my brain to find the best way to explain the tolls that had been placed upon my poor shoulder. "Seeing as I dislocated it not to long ago, it the battle with the fan girls and then stupid stuff in general…I'd have to say that it's just a much abused shoulder. Things keep reopening because I have terrible luck." I shrugged and immediately regretted it as Hatori had yet to stop his hands from poking and prodding the wounds along my shoulders. I winced but managed to stay silent this time.

Ayame raised a pale eyebrow at me as he caught me facial expression, so I stuck my tongue out at him. He chuckled at me childishness and let his head droop against the cabinets. His long hair slid down to pool on the counter. I caught myself admiring it and fingered my own less then well cared for locks. "I love your hair." Ayame grinned brightly. "Why thank you my dear! It really is my best feature, right after the eyes of course." With this he winked flirtatiously and I couldn't stop my eyes from rolling. "You are nothing like your brother, you know that?" His grin faded into a softer smile, his eyes becoming distant. "I know. I never got to know him much; we grew up apart from one another for the most part. But I'm trying now, even if he does shut me out every chance he gets." I reached out, careful not to move too much or get flicked by Shigure for being unreasonable to something silly like that, and set my hand on top of his squeezing it gently once. "You're just a little too flamboyant to be the kind of person the little Princeling takes to easily. Give him time and little more space, he'll come to his sense soon enough. If not I'll get it through his skull one way or another. The Princeling just can't quite see what an amazing big brother he has." I let my hand drop, my piece said. Ayame stared at me wide eyed before wrapping his arms around my head and neck in a hug. "You really are just too cute aren't you?" He said softly into my bunched shirt. I scoffed at his mushiness but I found myself smiling anyways. I'm getting so soft aren't I?

Just then I felt the sting of cold antiseptic as Hatori wiped rubbing alcohol across the majority of my back. "WHAT THE CRAP!" I cried, smacking in their general direction. Hatori dodged easily but I managed to grab hold of Shigure's collar. Snatching him towards me I yanked him across the counter until we were eye to eye. He let out a whimper as he caught sight of my eyes. I was seething. "Give a girl some warning next time would you? I hate that crap." Shigure reached up, I presumed to flick me again for being a nuisance when I heard a soft hum coming from Hatori. "What is it Dragon man? Don't think I don't remember that you're at fault here too." When I looked backwards I blinked at the harsh light that was streaming in from the kitchen window. Hatori raised his eyebrow and pointed at me. I hissed at him. "How is that supposed to answer my question?"

At this Shigure slunk around so he was in my line of vision, which was a fairly astonishing accomplishment seeing as I hadn't let go of my death grip on his shirt. "Um, what Ha'ri is trying to say is that you seemed to have discovered your newest 'zodiac' form if you will." I sat there for a minute watching Shigure twitch in my grasp before it dawned on me. I let go if Shigure and let him fall into a heap against the cabinets as I reached up to feel my face. It wasn't scaly like when I had hugged Hatori that time; instead it felt more like leather, smooth and cold. "Why didn't you just say so then? Really you guys can be hopeless." I grinned down at Shigure who had fallen to the floor.

"It isn't the kind of thing we are used to having to explain, cut us some slack Jaden. Besides, you don't look nearly as cute as when you hug Yuki or Kyo. You kind of look creepy this time." At this I looked back at Ayame who jumped before leaning in so our noses were practically touching. "Amazing! I must say you really pull off that color, and I don't think people normally can." I frowned, having no real clue what they were talking about. Ayame however went and got me a hand mirror from the bathroom so I could see without getting up.

Hatori didn't let our newest development deter him and instead finished up with the sterilization and wrapping of the wounds he had deemed worthy of extra attention. (Which sadly ended up being more than half of them) By the time Ayame had gotten back he had moved on from my back to my arms. I was sitting with my legs dangling over Shigure who was sitting at my feet, having finally lost interest in meddling with Hatori's work. He had opened an old school yearbook and was showing me the trio's high school years. "Here's the three of us right after Ayame got elected Student Council President. Hatori you look so dashing, always the scholarly one of the three of us."

Hatori hummed quietly as he finished wrapping my bicep. "As I recall it was only my 'scholarly' nature that kept the two of you out of the principal's office quite a good deal of the time." Shigure feigned hurt and cast a broken look up at me. "Jaden! Hatori is so cruel to his old school chum don't you think?" I laughed and tapped the top of his head with my foot. "Poor Shigure, I'm sure you deserve it." That managed to crack a smile on the stoic face of our resident Dragon.

Ayame pranced into the room with the elusive mirror in his grasp. He held it in front of me and I stared at what I was told was my own reflection. My skin was patterned like snake skin, paler than normal and it seemed to almost shimmer. My eyes matched Ayame's golden orbs. I stuck my tongue out, relived to find that it wasn't forked, but I let my mouth hang open when I realized that my canines had grown long and thin, just like fangs. "Wicked!" Shigure sighed from his spot on the floor. "Oh why aren't you a delicate lily like little Tohru? I think that hanging out with that rough and coarse Haru has wilted your femininity." I kicked him in the head and he ate floor crying out as he did so. "How many more stupid flower jokes do you have left? You have got to be running out by now right?" At this he rolled over and shot me a smirk that made want to run as far away as I could. "I've only just begun Jaden dear! Do you not like my flower jokes?"

Hatori pat me on the arm, distracting me from my sudden urge to jump on Shigure's face. "You're finished. However I have to say that my new rules are for you to keep the wrestling to a minimum, no fighting or beating up on Haru, and no heavy lifting." I scowled. "What does that leave me to do? Am I just supposed to sit still and get the guys to wait on me hand and foot? They coddle me enough as it is!" Hatori only had to narrow his eye at me for me to get the very clear quit-whining-now-or-it'll-get-much-worse message. "Fine." But can I go scare Yuki with my new face before I'm bound to boredom?"

Shigure snickered from the floor, so I jumped down on his stomach after receiving the go-ahead from Hatori. Running up the stairs to Yuki's room I slid in my sock feet past his open door before grabbing on to the door frame and slamming into the wall, clumsily stopping myself from face planting. Hatori's warning shouts of being grounded if I didn't watch it rang throughout the whole house. Yuki shuffled to the door, leaning out to see what in the world had just collided with his wall.

"Jaden is that you-" He cut off as I stepped back and steadied myself, posing in front of him. "Yuki! What do ya think of my new look?" I grinned wide letting my fangs glisten as they lightly rested against my lower lip. Yuki's eyes widened and he reached forward to touch my face. "Snake skin…" He muttered.

Then he got this murderous look in his eyes that made me step backwards in surprise. He stormed past me, leaving his door wide open as he stomped through the hallway. "Yuki?" I questioned. This wasn't what I was expecting. I followed behind him, pulling on his elbow as he refused to answer me. "Yuki! Come on, tell me what you're doing!" I grabbed his arm and dug my heels in as he continued onwards, the action failing miserably and resulting in me sliding along behind him.

Yuki swung into the kitchen making me fall sideways and slide down the hallway only to hear Yuki get the closest I had ever heard to yelling as he caught sight of his brother "AYAME! What the heck were you doing hugging Jaden!" A small cry of "Yuki!" and then lots of smashing sounds made me think it was better to stay outside. I inched backwards and it wasn't long before I was joined by Shigure and Hatori. "Think it's best we give them some of that brother bonding time they've been needing. Don't you?" Both Sohma men nodded and we all inched away to Shigure's office where we promptly locked the door and cowered- I mean quietly decided to spend our time while we waited for Yuki to finish him- I mean for them to finish bonding.

(A/N): Alright! I hope you enjoyed your little Christmas present. If I screwed up please tell me. I love opinions, ideas, plain old random questions that I will try to answer should my magic eight-ball show up… Ya'll now the drill.

Lots of Love!

-Rat