Author's Note:

Yay, I got my computer back! I'm glad I waited because I had two chapters done! Thanks everyone for your patience. Feedback is appreciated.

Chapter 21 – Observation

"Morning!" Anna called happily scooting down the stairs on her butt.

"I see you're feeling better," Elrik said, happy to see that Anna was in good spirits. "I got your pain medication."

"I think I'll be okay without it. It only hurts when I touch it."

Kyoya adjusted his glasses, irritated, "Stop touching it Anna." He handed her the crutches.

"We made eggs and hash browns and grits," Sun said, pulling out two chairs. Anna situated herself as Kyoya prepared her plate.

"So," Elrik sat across from his daughter, "who tripped you?"

"What?"

"Jeff," he called instead, "who was it that was so drunk he knocked my daughter down stairs and didn't even apologize?"

"Dad, I hardly feel down the stairs… just to the first landing." Jeff occupied himself with a cup of coffee. "Look my foot is fine," she picked up her foot and tapped it. She winced in pain.

"Anna stop touching your foot," Kyoya scolded her. "Honestly, Anna," Kyoya adjusted his glasses, "if you keep messing with it, it won't heal properly. You could cause your bone to shift."

"He's right, you know," Soren said, coming in from his morning cigarette. "The less you mess with it, the faster it will heal. Trust me, I'm a doctor."

Anna arched her eyebrow. "I know many sports players who just tape their toes together and run off into the game."

"Yes and it never sets properly and no one cares enough about it to let it heal right."

"If it doesn't heal right," Kyoya interjected, "you might need pins."

Soren nodded as he smacked Kyoya on the back, "Your boy's right."

"Guys," Jeff started to speak. "You're going about this the wrong way." He turned to Anna and in an overly dramatic fashion, he held her hand. "You like your open toed shoes, sandals, and pedicures right?" Anna just looked at him. "If you screw up your toe, think how ugly it'd be to show off your feet." Anna's face fell. "Think about it, it might be twice the size of your right foot and then you'd have to buy shoes in two different widths!" Satisfied with the look of disgust on Anna's face, Jeff got up to get more orange juice. "That my friends, is how you get a girl to stop messing with her foot. It's all about looks…"

They spent the rest of the morning, laughing together, much like a big happy family. Kyoya was really enjoying this atmosphere. It felt like the times with the Host Club. He missed them, barely having any time to speak to any of them, especially Tamaki. However, he would be with them soon enough. He was leaving at the end of the week to resume his studies at Ouran. He had many responsibilities at school (let alone with his father) that being gone for a month was almost too long.

"Anna?" Kyoya called, adjusting his glasses. "How are you going to get along with Soren and myself leaving this week, Jeff being in school and Sun and your father at work? Are you going to hire a nurse?"

Although he was genuinely asking, Anna obnoxiously laughing in his face peeved him a bit. "Kyoya, we don't do things like that. I'll be fine on my own."

"And how do you expect to make your own breakfast and carry it while using crutches."

"I'll walk on my heel."

Kyoya inhaled through his nose sharply. He half wanted to ask Elrik to speak some sense into her. They had enough money for a nurse; extra help wouldn't even make a dent in his budget.

Anna rested her hand gently on Kyoya, "Babes, just because I have money doesn't mean I use it like that. And don't even think about going to my dad, we do things ourselves. And he'll just tell you how I want to do it is fine. It's just a broken toe. There are people who have broken arms and still have to go to work to feed the family. If my biggest struggle is going to be having to stand at the counter to eat, I'm fine."

"And bathing? Going up the stairs?"

Anna put a hand on Kyoya's cheek. "I'll be okay."

Kyoya look at her foot, which she kept twitching, and sighed helplessly. "What? I can feel it wiggle when I shake it."

"ANNA!"

Days passed. As much as Kyoya hated to leave Anna home alone, Elrik requested his and Soren's attendance with him to work. Of course, Kyoya went, the information proving most beneficial to have.

However, Sun and Jeff took noticed of Kyoya, watching him in the evenings when they were all together. Jeff, Sun and Elrik were in the kitchen watching Soren, Kyoya and Anna.

"He really dotes on her," Jeff mentioned to no one in particular. Elrik got up and watched as Kyoya propped Anna's leg up and served her tea, brushing her hair behind her ear as she brought the cup to her lips.

"You jealous?" Elirk teased.

Jeff playfully pushed him back in response, "You do know incest is illegal." They watched as Soren brought up information on bones and was explaining to Anna, again, the bones in her foot, what was broken, explaining healing times.

"That's interesting," Sun said, joining the peanut gallery.

"What is dad?"

"Anna's actually listening to him," Sun said simply. Sure enough, Anna was recalling facts, questioning information that Soren presented. Soren explained and occasionally Kyoya would affirm his response.

Jeff shook his head, "Kyoya's going to die young if he doesn't relax." He walked into the living room, "Popcorn? Ice cream? Floats?! ALL OF THE ABOVE!?"

Sun stepped closer to Elrik as they watched the kids play. "This hasn't helped in your succession debates has it?"

"No closer my friend. No closer."