This is it. Here's the epilogue to Year by Year. I hope you enjoyed everything up until this point and that maybe you can understand Yuki-kun just a little bit more than you did before. That was sort of my point in writing this you see. Well, that and I love writing about his past and I didn't want to suddenly shove a bunch of one-shots at you.

By the way, OfAmethystEyes actually has amethyst eyes now. I got a pair of purple color contacts for my cosplay. Squee! I'm so happy! I'm wearing them when I go trick-or-treating on Monday (with my Yuki cosplay) and yes, I'm seventeen and still trick-or-treat. Come on, it's free candy! (I feel like I've said this before…)

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket or its characters. All rights go to Takaya-sensei.

Epilogue – Year Twelve – Sixteen Years Old

I don't understand. I haven't been this confused in a long time, and I wish I didn't have to be now. Honda-san seems to genuinely care about me and I don't understand. I don't know how to respond to some one caring about me this way.

It seems so out of place. As if it's something I shouldn't even be allowed to have, but she gives it to me anyway. When someone cares about you, what are you supposed to do? I care about her, but how am I supposed to respond beyond that? How do people show gratitude for things like this? I want to show her how grateful I am.

OoOoO

He's here. He came to the school. Akito. Damn it. Damn my stupid weakness. Damn my worthless life. How long can this possibly go on? How long is Akito going to demand my presence so that he can feel superior make me feel like a nothing? I know that I am what he says, but why does he have to continually remind me even after I've left the main house?

My whole world has suddenly become frozen on a precipice, ready to tip and send me falling into darkness. It's less than an hour ago that I had been able to fool myself that I lead something of a normal life with friends and acceptance, but now Akito's come to snatch all of that away again.

I walk through the halls, hardly thinking of anything but the presence I'm now painfully aware of. I have to avoid him. I could do that so easily; find my way to the classroom without letting him see me. He can't be everywhere at once.

Then I realize something that makes me feel cold. Honda-san went ahead of us. She's on her way to the classroom with no idea that Akito's here somewhere. Recalling the way she went, I switch directions and follow her knowing that I have to make sure Akito doesn't touch her or say anything to her. He can't. He could frighten her, or say something nasty to her, or… or… The possibilities urge me forward even more.

I won't let him. I won't let him ruin that caring person who's come to mean so much to me. She's one of two people I can trust everything to, and I won't let Akito take that away. She's the first person to accept me and I can't allow her to be hurt.

I can still avoid him, but I don't. I want to but I know that I won't. Her safety means more than mine and if I'm with her he won't… won't say or do anything to anyone but me. That's how he thinks.

As I turn the next corner my heart stops and my mind begins to spin and pound. She's talking to him. What's he saying to her? I can't… I can't let him continue. I can't.

"Akito," I say, my voice coming out more frightened than I'd meant it to. All the same, I gain his full attention, like I knew I would. I know my eyes are wide with fear and I can feel sweat breaking out along my hairline, but I don't back away from him and let him come up to me.

He says something to me, but I ignore it. "What did you do?" I ask. "What did you do to Honda-san?"

"Nothing. We were just exchanging greetings." His answer is too innocent, but then he even has Honda-san confirm it.

I don't believe him, but I also don't have time to think about it. His voice is all around me and echoing in my head while he speaks; I can't even comprehend what he's saying. I'm too terrified of his presence to realize seemingly anything. Honda-san's safe though, and that's all that matters.

But then his hand rests on the side of my face and all I can think is, "Don't touch me. I beg you not to touch me." I hear his voice coherently say, "I may have to re-educate you."

I know he did it on purpose, but I'm thrown back into painful memories. The acrid smell of paint as he shoved a bucket and brush into my arms and ordered me to start coating the walls with it. The way he screamed at me and the way he whispered into my ear. My mother and brother looking rigt through me as if I wasn't there, and turning away even when they saw my suffering.

Darkness. An inky black that swallowed me whole.

I feel as though I'm falling, my mind screaming for it to end. Make it stop! Make it stop!

Akito's hand is suddenly gone – Honda-san has a slightly shocked look on her face and her arms are outstretched, still in place after pushing Akito away. My mind settles a little. I can hear Honda-san's voice say something about being late for class, and Akito's response.

He looks at me, a small smile on his face. "You should come visit me soon." After that, he turns and walks away.

I try and compose myself as best I can before I asked her, "Honda-san… he… he didn't say anything strange to you did he?"

Honda-san shakes her head. "No. He really did just say hello."

"Oh."

I try to breathe normally again, and center myself. She's okay. He didn't touch her or say anything. She's safe.

Few things in this world make me feel even slightly wanted and needed. Honda-san is one of them and even if I don't know how to show my gratitude for her caring about me that way, I'll protect her innocence from the darkness of the Sohma family as best I can.

She's the light at the end of a dark tunnel, and I'll do anything to make sure the light doesn't fade or go out.

"Yuki-kun, let's do something fun together!" she says suddenly.

I'm confused. "Eh?"

"School ends early today and Hana-chan and Uo-chan have said how it's been a while since we've had some fun." She's… smiling so brightly, and I can almost forget about what happened watching her smile that way. "It's a rare opportunity, so let's do something fun!"

She grabs my hand and takes off running, leading me behind her. Her hand is so warm and loving. Only minutes ago, the last thing I wanted was to be touched but I don't mind if it's Honda-san. I can completely trust that she won't hurt me.

There's something I wanted. Something I've envisioned. Parents who hold you. A home you feel you can return to. A place where everyone smiles. A me… that people don't distance themselves from. A warm place. Warm people. They really do exist.

Honda-san's hand in mine is that warm place and she is that warm person. She's the home I want to return to. Everyone around her can't help but smile, and she willingly spends time with me and doesn't distance herself.

Someday, I'll tell her how I feel. Someday I'll repay her for all that she's done for me. But for now, I only want to stay by her side and never leave.

Yes. I quoted. I'm allowed to do that, right? I hope so. I found the quote on Kativa-chan's profile because I still don't own the manga *shakes fist tearfully* I had to Google for the direct quote and hers seemed the closest. I can't say that all the other quoting was quite as dead on as I would have liked, but I looked up the scans and wrote as closely to what I remember being said in the Tokyo Pop translation. What did you think? I seriously want to know. This chapter came out better than I thought it would and I want your opinions. So please...? Review!