Brotherly Bonds

Ch 13

Okay! After three months: WE ARE BACK! Woo hoo! Sry it took so long!

Please read and review!

000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Everyone, except for Sam (and Hari), sweatdropped. She glanced around at all of them. "Well didn't you?"

"Yes, but," Shigure began to explain, trying to do so that Sam wouldn't know that he wasn't lying, but just twisting the truth, slightly. But Kyo and Momiji's inborn reflexes were faster.

"What are you talking about? There's no dog living here, except for that idiot." Kyo exclaimed, pointing at Shigure who responded with a 'who, me?' expression.

"Momiji, maybe you and Hatori should go back to the main house. I don't want you two to be tired tomorrow on my account." Tohru told the young blond cheerfully, picking up the table.

Momiji looked doubtfully at her. "Yeah, but I don't know how'd we get home. Hari drove over here and I can't drive, and Aya's staying the night…"

While Shigure chirped with joy, Kyo gave a strangled yell, "What! No way is that idiot staying here!"

"Ah, Kyo," Shigure whined and Tohru continued quietly, "Perhaps it would be better if he did stay, Yuki might enjoy his company." Kyo hmphed but didn't continue his protest.

"Can I stay the night too?" Momiji asked hopefully from around his lollipop.

"No I think you and Hari should go back Momiji. What if someone calls for Hari and he isn't there?" Shigure disagreed peacefully.

Momiji pouted, "Kay, but how? Hari's asleep and no one else here can drive!"

"I can." Sam volunteered helpfully. "I walked here so I don't have my car with. You'll just have to show me where you live."

"Do you have your license?" Shigure said pointedly. "Yes, don't you?" Sam asked, raising and eyebrow at him. "Nope!"

She shook her head at him. "How odd. So what do you say?" Sam asked Momiji, turning towards him.

Momiji grinned at her. "I say yes! But wait, what about Hari? If we wake him up he might not get back to sleep again."

"Oh. Well, I don't want that, and I doubt I could carry him…" Sam paused thoughtfully, then abruptly turned her head to look at Shigure again. "How about you?"

"Me?" Shigure pointed at himself, causing Sam to roll her eyes. "Yes, you. Who else could I be looking at?"

"Well, I suppose so."

Sam nodded. "Trying's good. I have my coat, did you wear one Momiji?"

"No. Hari thought it was warm enough so we wouldn't have to."

"Well, we should start off then." Sam announced, standing up. "Thank you for the dinner Tohru, it was really good."

Tohru blushed, mumbled something and bowed slightly causing Kyo to scowl and lightly tap her on the head. "You don't have to bow you know."

"Don't hurt her Kyo, 'sides, its cute." Shigure playfully scolded the cat who scowled and leaned back against the wall.

Shigure, smiling triumphantly, stood up and walked over to the still sleeping Hari (once he's out, he's out), then after he paused picked his cousin up bridal style (ew!). "You ready?" He asked quietly.

Sam and Momiji nodded. Shigure walked back over to them and followed the two out, pausing to give a few directions to his fellow housemates.

"Kyo, Tohru, you're in charge of the house while we're gone. Please don't disturb Aya or Yuki, it's an opportune time for them. Oh, and Kyo you don't need to upset either of them any further." He paused thoughtfully for a few seconds. "That's it! Have fun!"

All of them, Momiji, Sam and Shigure turned and began walking out of the room. Then Shigure turned suddenly and stuck his head back in. "Oh, and Kyo make sure that you don't do anything to our dear Tohru while I'm gone." He chortled happily, when Kyo scowled darkly at him and Tohru looked confused, then left again.

The trio, plus the still asleep Hatori, made their way to Hari's car that was parked a little ways down the path. Momiji was oddly subdued, as well as Sam, although she was deep in thought, and Shigure as well, probably because he didn't want to wake his 'dear Hari.'

They found the car sitting blocking the path. Sam stopped in front of it and turned to her companions. "Okay, who has the keys?"

Shigure looked at her innocently. "Not me, Hari doesn't trust me with them." Sam sighed annoyedly and turned to Momiji, "How about you?"

Momiji shook his head. "Nah uh, not me." He smiled, I can't drive, why would I have them?"

Sam laughed, "Too true, too true. So that means Hatori has them." She sighed. "Wonderful."

Sam turned to Shigure. "Alright, fetch." He turned open-eyed to look at her. "What?" She rolled her eyes. "You're going to have to get the keys from Hari."

"Whats wrong with you fetching them?" Shigure protested.

"Why don't I just get them, so we don't have to keep standing out here in the cold." Momiji interrupted, always the peacemaker of the group.

Sam and Shigure turned to look at each other for a few moments. "Alright then." Sam shrugged. "That would work." Shigure added.

Momiji nodded happily and smiled. "Kay." He slowly walked up to Shigure, and stopped in front of Hatori. He slowly studied his older cousin, glancing up and down his still, tall form. "Where'd you think he put them?" Momiji scrunched up his nose and turned to look at them.

"Check his suit pockets first, then his pants pockets." Shigure instructed the rabbit, then shifted the way he was holding his cousin.

"Alright, lets see." Momiji quietly and slowly reached up to stick his hand into Hari's left side pocket but then quickly removed it and shook his head. He then tried the other pocket, and let out a quiet exclamation of triumph.

"Did you get it?" Shigure whispered quietly, well as quietly as he could whisper.

Momiji nodded and held up a key ring with at least half a dozen keys hanging off it.

Sam sighed, "Wonderful, okay which one's for the car?"

Shigure and Momiji looked at each other, then back at Sam with a 'are you kidding me' look. The mutt took the keys from Momiji and dangled them in front of Samantha. "I don't know, maybe the one that has the Toyota logo on it?" He drawled sarcastically, then threw the keys to Sam who caught it easily.

"Ha ha." Sam said, picking out the correct key and walked over to the car then swiftly unlocked it. "Put him in." She instructed Shigure, who walked over and gently sat him upright in the back seat. Momiji clambered in from the other side and Shigure joined Sam in the passenger seat as she started the car.

"Sam, I should remind you before we take off that you don't know where you're going." Shigure commented as he buckled his seat belt.

Sam rolled her eyes, "Yes, I know. That's why I was depending on you for directions." Shigure winced slightly. "Alright we'll start on the path to the walled fortress."

"Huh?" Momiji commented from his seat in the back seat, currently on his knees peering at the dragon. "Nothing Momiji, he's just being odd." The rabbit nodded and sat back down to gaze out the window.

They made it to the main road and turned down it towards the main house, at least that's where they thought it led.

"Shigure, do you care to explain why we've been driving down this road for twenty minutes and have yet to find the street you mentioned." Sam asked angrily with clenched teeth, glancing over at the dog who blushed and mumbled something.

"Care to repeat that?"

"I said, 'we're going the wrong way.'" Shigure announced brightly, risking Samantha's temper.

"Shh!" Momiji scolded, a finger to his lips. "You'll wake Hari!"

Sam rolled her eyes. "No duh." She turned on the blinker and made an abrupt u-turn, which was most likely illegal. When they returned to their starting place she turned to the dog again and said mock-patiently, "You want to repeat those directions again?"

Shigure looked over at her and childishly stuck his tongue out at her. "Yes, I will." And with that he proceeded to give her directions, the correct ones, to the Sohma house.

When they arrived, Shigure and Momiji convinced the guards to let Samantha in and so they drove inside the compound then stopped just outside what Shigure and Momiji told her to be Hatori's house.

After the group had piled out of the car and Shigure was carrying Hatori again, they locked the vehicle and began to walk towards the house. Momiji skipped happily beside Sam and told her confidingly, "While you're here, there's just one thing to remember." Sam turned towards him and raised her eyebrows. He leaned in closer, "Watch out for Akito, he doesn't like strangers walking around the main house."

"I see." Sam commented, following them up the stairs of the house. She waited as Shigure unlocked the door. After he shepherded them inside, Shigure walked in front of them and turned into a room on the left side of the hall.

The others caught up to him in the room to see the dog laying Hatori down on the couch and covering him with a blanket. When Shigure saw them behind him he waved them out with a hand and smile. Once outside the dog closed the door.

"We'll let Hari sleep. Sam, I'll show you out of the compound." They were at the front door now, standing on the steps. Shigure turned back to Momiji who had followed them out, "Will you be alright Momiji? You can take care of Hari by yourself?"

The bunny nodded and waved cheerfully to them then disappeared back into the house. Shigure laughed and waved for Sam to follow him.

At Sams questioning glance he responded, "Hatori adopted Momiji after his parents, well-" Shigure smiled, "that would be a Sohma secret. Come on then."

They renewed their walk on the way to the gate, weaving in and out of plain view. Luckily, they didn't meet anyone on the path and were nearly to the front gate, when…

"Shigure, you've come to visit me. How wonderful." They both turned at the cold, flat voice that spoke behind them to see Akito standing there, a cold smile gracing his lips.

"Hello Akito." The dog greeted, pretending as much as he was able to to be happy at the sight of the teenager. Sam bobbed her head slightly in greeting as well.

Akito noticed her behind Shigure and smiled. "You are the woman who is helping Yuki and Ayame with their… problems." Sam nodded and Shigure looked at them surprised. "You've meet Samantha, Akito-san?"

The head tilted his head slightly. "Yes, I had the fortune of meeting her earlier this afternoon." Sam stared slightly at him, here was a nineteen year old head of an important family, wearing an completely black outfit who spoke as of he had just time-warped from the eighteenth century.

"Now, what are you doing here?" Akito demanded of Sam, glaring at her.

She stared right back at him. "I drove Shigure, Momiji and Hatori back here to Hatori's house." Akito laughed. "Very well then, you may return to your home Shigure." He walked up to them and then past Shigure before turning back.

"Does she know, about the curse?" Akito asked coolly, whispering into Shigure's ear. The dog slowly shook his head.

"No, Aya and Yuki were under the impression they weren't allowed to." The head smiled. "And the rest of my jyuunishi?"

"There were some awkward moments, but we gave nothing away." Shigure responded to which Akito smiled. "Do you, or the others, wish for her know?"

The dog hesitated with his answer and the head smiled mischieviously before pushing Shigure on his back towards Samantha.

Unluckily he wasn't able to stop himself before he ran into Sam, then fell to the ground together. It was only a few seconds before he transformed.

00000000000000000000000000000000000000000000

Dun dun dun! Sorry that was a really bad cliffie... but I promise to get the next chapter up soon!

Thanks to everyone for being so patient with me! I appreciate it!

Just FYI, after August school starts so be ready for monthly updates... hopefully! Sry!

Thank to my reviewers:

Dolphindreamer, Winter's Light, Tuki and Yanikei

If anyone wants me to do a Random Omake Scene to celebrate our 49 reviews please message me!

Dont forget to review!

sya,

mijichan