A/N: Well the poll resulted in a tie, ergo, a new one has been posted at the top of my author page. The tie was between our favorite Shadow King and second son. That's right: Kyoya and Chika. So vote on who you would like to see paired with Haruhi for Christmas. The poll will be up through the weekend and I will check the votes on Monday morning. Second place will get either a New Year's story or a Valentine's story.

Ok, you guys have been asking for some romance and fluff. I will give you a little taste in this chapter and it will grow from here.

Chapter 13 – Seeds of Love

He felt like he was floating through time and space. Periodically he could hear muffled sounds, but they never lasted long and seemed to pass by him never drawing him away from his peaceful bliss; and yet, he felt as if he wasn't supposed to be so content here…as if he wasn't supposed to stay in his cocoon. It was so comfortable here. He could relax and hadn't a care in the world. Maybe this was heaven. He wasn't sure, but here in this world, he had Beelzenef on one side walking alongside him as if he were a real cat and on his other, a small feminine hand had wrapped itself around his left arm. Haruhi. Even if she wasn't real, he didn't want to let her go. She settled him and gave him a feeling of being complete.

"Nekozawa-senpai…" another muffled voice entered his peaceful state, but this one seemed stronger, seemed able to pull him away from his utopia and towards it. "Please senpai, you have to be okay. I don't want to lose you too."

"Lose me? Why would anyone thing they were losing me?" He questioned and took a step towards the voice, but he was stopped by the hand on his arm. Looking at the other occupant, he smiled. Everything he wanted was here. Both he and Haruhi were here in this blissful world, and he couldn't leave her. Didn't want to leave her. Besides, he wasn't even sure how to leave. Periodically he would start to see a glowing light in the distance, and with it came an unease, a feeling that his body was not quite right; and as quickly as it arrived, it would disappear, leaving him once again floating and enjoying his unhampered world. Besides, he wouldn't leave Haruhi. He couldn't. Why? Why was she dressed as a girl? It was as if he was forgetting something important and most of the time it didn't bother him. He had everything he needed here, and that was that. As long as he had Haruhi and Beelzenef, he had the world.

Kyoya had pushed Haruhi into Nekozawa's room right before lunch time and had allowed her some alone time with him. Wire going from various machines to her senpai were everywhere, and he was so black and blue, she didn't know where it would be safe to touch him because the last thing she wanted was to cause him more pain. He had been through enough without her causing him more. Finally, she settled on lightly brushing his left arm.

She sat there for the longest time without saying anything and then the beeping of the machines, the hiss of the oxygen, and the buzzing of the automated blood pressure cuff overwhelmed her and she could no longer stand the machine filled silence any longer. Her mouth practically opened of its own accord and she just started to spew any word that came to mind, "I'm so glad you're doing okay, senpai. I was so worried we wouldn't find you in time, but we did and that's all that matters. I know you have a long road ahead of you, but…but…Please senpai, you have to be okay. I don't want to lose you too. I don't think I would have survived if it hadn't been for you, but it's more than that. I just need to see your blue eyes again, your smile, hear you talking to your puppet, or freaking out because of any amount of light. You have to come back to us…to me as a friend, as a senpai…as more." Her hand once again went to lightly touch her cheek where he had kissed her before returning to his arm.

Her eyes burned, but she refused to cry. Her body ached, but until she could no longer stand it, she would stay with him by his side. Her heart ached, but she didn't know why. Why was he so special? Sure he was good looking without his dark wig and robes; however, even with those on, he could command a room and drew her attention to him. That's how it had been since she was a first year because honestly, he intrigued her. There was a purpose and method to everything he did, and he didn't care if the twins pulled pranks on him with flashlights, he didn't care that people looked at him as if he were from another world or had grown another head, and he didn't care that people whispered about him behind his back. He remained steadfast to his true self at all times, in all places, and that was what she admired about him.

The feeling of gauze scratching her face again told her that she had touched her cheek once again. She couldn't stop touching it and it was fast becoming a bad habit. Was it admiration that made her act unconsciously? She wasn't sure. The only thing she knew for sure, the only thing she wanted, was for him to wake up and be all right; however, that wasn't going to happen anytime soon since they purposely had him sedated to help him heal. How long was too long though?

When the door opened and closed behind her, she didn't bother looking away from her senpai. It was probably Kyoya come to take her back to her room, but she didn't want to leave yet, "Kyoya-senpai, just a few more minutes."

"Are you Haruhi Fujioka?" A feminine voice asked.

Slowly, Haruhi turned her head towards the voice that had called out to her and found a regal looking foreign woman with blond hair and blue eyes standing next to a proud looking Japanese man. To Haruhi's surprise – though it shouldn't have surprised her considering which school she attended – the woman spoke perfect Japanese, "Hai. I'm Haruhi Fujioka."

Looking at each other before staring at the young girl again, the couple gave her a small smile and the man bowed low, "Thank you for helping return our son to us."

"Your…son…?" Her eyes widened. She should have known when she first saw the woman. Her son looked strikingly like her, "Are you Nekozawa-senpai's parents?" She tried to bow in her wheelchair, but between the angle and being in the chair itself, it came out rather awkward.

"Please don't worry about bowing. We are indebted to you," the man spoke. "I am Hajime Nekozawa and this is my wife, Tatyana Nekozawa."

Indebted? "No, he saved me and I wouldn't be here if it wasn't for your son." Her eyes dropped to the floor and she mumbled her confession, "If it hadn't been for me, he might not have been hurt as badly as he was. I heard him screaming after he helped me to escape."

The older woman smiled and walked up to the young girl, cupping her cheek, "No, if not for your help, he would not have been returned to us alive. For that, we are grateful. In fact, our daughter tells us that you have helped both of our children. Thank you."

Haruhi didn't know what to say or how to respond to this praise. She had only gotten involved with the whole oddball plan to cure Nekozawa because of Tamaki, but it had been rewarding to see the two siblings reunited. "How is Kirimi-Chan?"

"She is worried, but I think she has been stronger than we have throughout this ordeal," Hajime answered.

Haruhi knew all about how strong young kids could be when faced with adversity because she had had to grow up quickly after her mother had died, "Kids are stronger than we given them credit for sometimes."

"That is very true, and I believe you speak from experience," Tatyana spoke softly, one of her brows lifting. After they had found out that Ranka had called Kyoya Ootori, they had done their own research into the other kidnap victim, and of course Ranka regaled them with stories of the young girl, and even explained why most thought she was a he. Considering the boys they had been discussing, it didn't surprise either parent that most of the boys had mistook Haruhi's gender. The students of Ouran tended to be a little self-absorbed and didn't always notice things right in front of their face. Then again, their son was one that still believed Haruhi was a boy, so what did that say about their own children? However, now that Tatyana looked at the girl closely, she only saw feminine features, but she hadn't been there on that first day of school when Haruhi dressed more like a boy than a girl.

"Well, my mom died when I was young and I had to help take care of my dad," Haruhi answered truthfully. Waiting only a split second, she asked, "What has the doctor said about senpai?"

Both parents' gazes fell on their son and the father told her, "They are still working to get him stable, but they are confident that he will pull through."

Did she dare ask? This was Haruhi, so of course she did, "When we were locked up and then after when we were looking for senpai, there were things…."

"Things you can't explain?" Tatyana supplied when the girl seemed to be having some difficulty.

"Yes. And even Kyoya-senpai said that most people would have died from the wounds Nekozawa-senpai sustained."

"My son's abilities supersede most others in our family, but then again, both my family and my husband's family practice…alternative activities."

"So it really was magic?"

"It was whatever you want it to be. Sometimes there are things in this world that cannot be explained. Some call it magic, some call it divine power, and some even call it supernatural. It is what you want it to be," Hajime answered cryptically.

She was saved from further conversation by Kyoya arriving to take her back to her room. The other hosts had arrived and it was time to face the music, but she just wanted to stay by Nekozawa's side. Leaning forward, she kissed his hand and then left the room.

After she was gone, Hajime and Tatyana glanced from their son to the door. Haruhi had seemed agitated. Could it be that in the midst of a crisis, the seed of love had been planted? Things like that had happened before, and it wouldn't completely surprise them if it happened this time. That being said, could it be possible they were looking and seeing something that wasn't even there? Did their son feel the same? What exactly had happened while they had been gone? There were so many questions and as of yet, no answers. Both parents wanted to ask a million questions today, but had resisted knowing Haruhi was still healing and coming to terms with things herself. They would not pressure her…yet.