Okay, this is the new chapter 14! Edited and modified November 22, 2005- 9:30 a.m. I took out the old Author's notes too!

Zodiac Love: Chapter 14: Remembering A Past Forgotten

Hatori's mind was troubled as he went in the search of Kisa. Who was that man who was abusing Kana? I don't know what's going on…and it's been so long…since I saw her last…Kana…

Hatori looked up from his sort of daydream as he heard soft feet pattering towards him. It was Kisa. She smiled when she saw him and ran into his arms. "Hatori ojii-chan!" (Ojii-chan is either uncle or grandpa….sum1 pwweez tell me which! I need 2 know cuz im confused!) Hatori gave her a fond smile.

"Kisa, I was looking for you. I need your help with something okay?" he told her in a fatherly tone. Kisa nodded as she walked back with Hatori to his office. When he opened the door, Kisa gasped when she saw Kana and all the blood and dirt.

"Hatori ojii-chan…" she whispered in an enquiring tone.

"Kisa this is Sohma, Kana remember?" Kisa's eyes got wider as she nodded. "Okay, I want you to help her get changed and cleaned up all right? The spare clothes are in the bathroom." Kisa nodded again as she moved towards the young lady. (Kisa nods a lot! Lol! But she's sooooo kawaii! (cute)) "Oh, and don't tell anyone about her okay? I don't know what Akito will do…" Kisa slowly nodded again before she turned back to Kana and gently grabbed her hand, tugging her up onto her feet. Kana smiled down at Kisa.

"Konnichiwa Kisa-chan. (Hello) Hatori-san has told me a lot of things about you before. You're a very cute girl." Kisa blushed and ducked her head shyly. Kana giggled as she let the shy 6th grader tug/help her out of the room. (her legs/feet are a bit better so she can walk with help)

Once the girls left, Hatori sank down into his office chair, deep in thought once again as the minutes ticked by. Soon Kana and Kisa reappeared. Kana was wearing a spare kimono Hatori found some where in the Sohma estate on his search for Kisa. Hatori looked up, "Ready for your check up?" Kana nodded. "Kisa you may go, but remember not to tell any one ne? Not even Honda-kun, she'll find out at some other time ne?" Kisa murmured a 'hai' (yes) and quickly ran out of the room.

"She's adorable." Kana smiled a moment later. Hatori nodded in agreement. (I don't wanna write about the check up so we'll say Hatori already checked her up in the time im writing this n now he's telling her whts wrong.)

"You have a sprained ankle and a slightly fractured arm. Of course you obviously have a lot of bruises as well, but other than that and a few days rest you'll be fine." Kana smiled thankfully as Hatori explained everything and bandaged her up.

"Arigato goziamasu Hatori-san!" (thx)

"No problem…demo…(but) I won't ask for any payment since I just want you to get better, but I would be much obliged if you would tell me who that man was…" Kana tensed and her eyes took on a cold, hard gleam. Hatori immediately regretted his words. "You don't have to tell me, I was just wondering because the police are probably going to ask…and…" Kana kept a steady gaze on him as her eyes filmed over with crystalline tears. As the tears slowly dripped down her face, Hatori subconsciously stepped forwards and wiped the tears away. "Onegai…don't cry. (plz)" I shouldn't be doing this…this is a bad idea… Hatori berated himself.

Kana suddenly looked up into Hatori's concerned eyes as she felt him wipe away her tears. Some vague feeling began stirring up in her chest as she saw his face so worried and so…close. Some memory was trying to pound its way back into her head…something about a sea horse and fresh or salt water…the tatsu…(dragon)…the zodiac…Hatori is the tatsu of the Jyuunishi curse…

Suddenly, a pounding pain stormed into Kana's mind as she let out a small shriek and collapsed in Hatori's arms, the vague sounds of him shouting at her echoing in her mind. Memories flooded back into her head. Suppressed memories…happy memories…sad memories…painful memories…Kana began to sob as she re-lived the fairy tale love she had shared with Hatori at one point. Her first love, her only love. Guilt over took her again, the pain, the anguish of not being allowed to marry…of being the cause of Hatori's eye injury. She saw in her mind happy walks as she held Hatori's hand. Their first kiss under a Sakura (cherry blossom) tree…the more intense kisses that came later, the hugs, the joy, and the more painful scenes. Asking Akito permission to marry…the blood pouring from Hatori's injury...the guilt… "All my fault! All my fault!" sobbed a hysterical Kana. "Hatori!"

As Hatori held a collapsed Kana in his arms, he realized that her memories were coming back. Dread filled his heart as he watched the hysterical young lady relive the happiest and the most painful moments of her life. And for the second time, Hatori began to cry. He sank down to the floor with Kana in his arms, gently rocking her back and forth, holding onto her tightly until she fell into a fitful sleep, not realizing he wasn't transforming….

(In Kana's dream/nightmare thingee…)

"Shh…Kana, please hear me…Kana it wasn't your fault…" came a voice through the bottomless pits of a nightmare.

"Iie…Iie…IIE! (no)ALL MY FAULT! My fault…" she half whispered/half screamed back.

"Kana-chan…onegai…just hear me out…" (plz) Kana didn't reply so the voice continued. "Kana-chan…it wasn't your fault…it was Akito…it wasn't your fault…Onegai! Believe me for your sake and Hatori-kun's…Hatori-kun needs you Kana-chan…but you have to be yourself again…the Kana he loved and still loves despite everything that's happened…Kana-chan, it wasn't your fault…Akito lied to you…"

Kana remained quiet, but the tears still flowed down her face as she remained curled into a little ball.

Finally she said, "Who are you…"

Lilting laughter was heard. "Eh…silly me, I forgot to introduce my self again!" Suddenly a feminine figure materialized in front of Kana. "Sohma, Kohaku at your service! I am among the First. The first Sohmas to be cursed with their Jyuunishi forms! I was/am the neko. (cat) I came here to help you as I have helped others. As I was saying earlier, Kana-chan what happened was not your fault…it was merely ill chance that Akito's tantrum managed to hit the spot. So please, stop blaming yourself. Hatori is also in pain, but he doesn't have anyone to help him or cheer him up…except for you…you're his strength and he needs you…so please….don't blame yourself any longer." Kana just stared at the strange girl who had suddenly appeared in front of her and just happened to know everything that went on.

"It wasn't…my fault?" Kana stammered. Kohaku smiled gently.

"Iie (no) Kana-chan…It's not your fault…Akito just fed you dark lies. I have to go now ne? O and expect a surprise for you and Hatori when you wake up! Sweet dreams and one other thing…please make Hatori happy once more…he deserves it…and keep yourself happy too! Gambatte ne! (good luck)" Kohaku slowly faded away and Kana slowly calmed and slipped back into the more restful waters of sleep.

………………………………………………………………………………………………

The next morning, Kana woke from on top of something that was breathing and holding her tightly. She looked up and found herself face to face with a sleeping Hatori. She blushed but suddenly, she remembered the Akito incident… "My fault…It was my…matte (wait)…it wasn't…it wasn't my fault? It was Akito's fault…right?"

"Hai." Came the decisive and surprisingly cold answer from Hatori. Kana shrieked and jumped up.

"Hatori! Don't scare me like that!" she berated. Suddenly, she fell back down, forgetting about her ankle and arm before the pain engulfed her again. Hatori merely stared at her.

"It wasn't your fault Kana…it wasn't your fault…" Kana's face sobered as she nodded.

"I know that now…" she whispered, scooting closer to Hatori and wrapping her arms around him. Hatori stiffened, expecting a transformation…nothing happened… "Hatori-kun…why aren't you transforming?" Kana asked slowly.

"I don't know…"

"Oh! So this is what Kohaku-chan meant!"

"Kohaku? Sohma, Kohaku, the neko?" Hatori suddenly blurted.

"Hai! (yes) How do you know about her!"

"She visited Yuki and Kyo...you remember, the neko and the nezumi (rat)…"

"Oh! So that's who she helped!"

"Hai…their curses are gone now, along with Kagura-the boar. I guess mine is too!" Silence…Kana suddenly squealed as she tackled Hatori, this time forgetting about her bruises and her arm…again…

"Iitai! (owww) That hurt!" she grimaced as her eyes watered from the pain. Hatori sighed as he got up from where he fell down.

"Here, I'll bandage everything." 10 minutes later, Kana had calmed down considerably. She now sat on the floor next to the door leading outside, her bandaged arm resting in her lap, while the other one supported her slanted position.

Hatori sat next to her, staring at her with a calm gaze. Kana turned her head when she felt some one starting and locked eyes with Hatori. The two got lost in their own world as Hatori scooted closer. He brought his hand up to her cheek, cupping it with gentle fingers while he placed his other hand on Kana's waist. Kana encircled both arms around Hatori's neck as they leaned closer.

Suddenly there was a loud :BANG: as some one dropped something heavy nearby. The two sprang apart with blushes on their faces. A few moments later, a bell that would summon Hatori to Akito also rang. Hatori's heart clenched as he wondered if Akito found out about Kana. He quickly told Kana to stay put as he ran out the door.

Kana stared after Hatori with a hand on her lips. That almost kiss would be wonderful, except for the fact that I'm…already married…