"This girl's bleeding call an ambulance!" A voice called as Kyo bent over Tohru's unconscious body. He lifted his hands away and they were covered in blood. "I'll never forgive you," the hairs on the back of his neck stood up as Kyoko's voice came from behind him…

That damn rat. He didn't know what he was struggling with. He wanted to be with her more than anything else in the world, but he kept having nightmares about hurting her. And when he had hurt her he couldn't even do anything to help. Surely she was happy enough without him right?

"Kyo!" Tohru turned around and smiled as he walked in the classroom. She was the only one in there.

"Where did everyone else go?" he asked.

"Oh we finished rehearsing today so everyone went home," she got up and walked over to him, "But I noticed your bag was still here and they rewrote the play. They made my lines a lot easier and I thought you might want to look it over."

She was waiting here for him? "Are your feelings the only ones that matter?" What had she been thinking about as she waited? "Is what you want all that is important?" That damn rat! But… he was just trying to blame Yuki for his own short comings. Because if he were to be honest, all he ever did was try to protect himself… Wasn't he keeping a distance and being cold so that he didn't have to feel the pain of losing her again when he became imprisoned? Or because he didn't want to relive her horror at seeing his true form? And then at the same time selfishly wishing to keep the moments he had with her for himself? And in the process he was ignoring her feelings… What did she want? Was she happy?

He took the script she was holding for him. "Okay, I give up. Just don't laugh at me, okay?" He grabbed his bag and swung it over his shoulder. "I'll walk you home."

"Yuki's brother looks just like him!" Tohru said at they walked along. Ayame had come into school the other day to make costumes for everyone. "I can't wait to see what he makes! I bet they will turn out great!"

"You are living with your grandfather, right?" he asked.

"Yes, how did you know?"

"I thought I heard Hanajima mention it," he lied. "Do you like living there?"

"Oh yes I am so thankful my grandfather has opened his home to me. His daughter and her family are living there as well. I couldn't ask for more than he's already given me, but…" she stopped walking and trailed off looking down at her feet.

"But what?" He stood in front of her.

"…I have a lot to be grateful for… a mother who loved me very much and two best friends…" Tears came to the corner of her eyes shocking him. It was just like before when she had gone back to her grandfather's after the renovations. What had she said then?

"You know, it's okay to be selfish every once in a while. To say what you want," he told her gently…again.

She put an arm over her eyes. "The truth is… I'm miserable there. My grandfather is very kind to me and it's not right for me to think that way. But his relatives don't like me… they didn't like my mother. They thought she took my father away from them… they blamed her for his death," she sobbed. "It doesn't feel like home to me," she continued, "I feel like it's somewhere else. Some place I can't reach." "I want to go back." But he couldn't take her back to Shigure's house this time…

He grabbed her arm and lowered it away from her face. "It's okay to let yourself be sad," he said and used the end of his sleeve to wipe away her tears. She looked at him surprised. "You cry a lot."

"Sorry."

"Come on," he said grabbing her hand and started walking again.

She deserves to have a home surrounded by people who love and cherish her. And he had let that be taken away from her. Why? Why didn't he stop Hatori or fight Akito against the decision. But that was the curse….he couldn't have gone against it. Still. No matter what he wanted to her to have a home again. Somewhere she can feel loved. Somewhere she can be happy.

Today was the cultural festival. She hurried along the corridor of the school. Their class's play was going to start soon and she still needed to change. She smiled to herself as she thought of what Kyo had said when he walked her home. The whole event had felt almost like déjà vu, like something from her dreams. But she was so happy. For the first time in a while, she felt she could relax around someone and let her guard down. She was horrified that she had cried, she didn't like to do that around people, but it didn't seem to bother Kyo at all. It made her feel…

"Well you are looking awfully smug today, Ms. Tohru Honda." She froze in her tracks. That voice… that same icy voice from her dreams. "He will be imprisoned forever." She turned towards the young, dark haired man standing on the opposite side of the hallway from her.

"Akito," she breathed out.