Author's Note: Here's a new chapter for the new 2011. Happy Chinese New Year to all readers celebrating the new Rabbit Year! Many thanks to those who had R&R! Remember to R&R after reading this one! Sorry if it seemed chaotic.

Disclaimer: Nothing in POT, Ouran High School Host Club or Hana Yori Dango belongs to me. All OoC-ness, OCs, events, situations, venues and tournaments are just figments of my imagination. No profit of any kind was made from this story.

"xxxxx" Conversation

'xxxxx' Thoughts

xxxxxxx Flashback

: xxxxxxx : Text Message

Summary: What Would You Do If You Were Given A Second Chance In Life And In Love?

Previously in Chapter 18

"Thank you so much for taking care of my grand-daughter. I am in your debt." Sumire bowed again.

"It was our pleasure, Ryuzaki-san. We are happy she's with her family again." Leiko returned her bow.

"We have a reward for you, Keiji-san." Kazuki said as he gladly took out his checkbook from his briefcase.

"Iie." Washi shook his head, "No reward is necessary. We were glad to help the young lady."

"But you have spent a lot on my daughter-in-law and you deserved…" The Keijis gasped when another woman slapped the back of Atobe Kazuki's head.

"Kazuki, stop it. Don't hurt their pride." Kirimi gave the Keijis an apologetic smile.

"Sumimasen. It's just that we are eternally grateful for all you have done." A chastised Kazuki explained.

"We understand. Having her with us for the last 18 months has been a source of joy itself."

Kazuki, Kirimi, Sumire and the Keijis turned to look over to another group of young people and a toddler.

Chapter 19

10 MONTHS AGO

AT ATOBE MANSION

"Oh you really can't remember anything, Sakuno-chan?" Kana Oshitari tearfully asked while her husband held their sleeping son in one hand and wrapped a comforting arm around her shoulder.

Inari/Atobe Sakuno squirmed a little in her seat and nodded silently. The revelation of how these people are related to her had left her reeling with questions. What had happened to her? How did she end up in a boat with a head injury? Lastly, what is she going to do with a silent husband who's a stranger now?

Sakuno glanced over the still tall dark figure seated in an armchair on her left to find his dark eyes pinned on her. Unexplained emotions swirling in his eyes made her want to cry. She was startled when he leaned forward and gave her a tentative smile that sent her heart fluttering.

"Ore-sama is happy to see you are well, Sakuno."

"Ore-sama?" Sakuno's confusion amused Kana and Yuushi who were watching over them.

Atobe Keigo flushed and corrected himself, "Sorry, what I meant was I'm happy that you are well."

"Thank you, mmmm Atobe-san." Sakuno was unsure how to address her newly discovered husband.

"You used to call me Keigo, Sakuno."

"I…I'll try to remember that, Ke…Keigo." Sakuno's cheeks heated but she swallowed and gathered her courage to ask him some questions, "Ano, may I ask you something…about us and our marriage?"

"Anything, my love!" The unexpected endearment from Keigo's lips made their eyes connect and held. Sakuno felt like they were lost in their own little world.

Kana and Yuushi exchanged knowing looks, got up from their sofa and excused themselves, "Please excuse us while we put little Yudai to bed."

The staring couple were unaware of the other couple's departure and in a blink of an eye, Sakuno found Keigo sitting next to her.

"You have questions, Sakuno?" His prompting and close proximity made her shivered.

"Ha…Hai, ano, could you please tell me about me, my life, our …mm…courtship and marriage?"

"I'll try but I warn you that not everything is smooth sailing."

"Okay."

"You are Ryuzaki Sakuno and Sumire-san is your paternal grandmother. Your parents…" Keigo fixed his eyes on Sakuno's face and gauged her feelings as he poured out anything he could think of to share with his wife.

An hour and a half later, Kazuki, Kirimi, Washi and Leiko walked over to find a sobbing Sakuno being held in Keigo's strong arms.

Kazuki turned to the others to say, "Let's leave them alone for the moment."

Once they left the room, her turned to the Keijis, "Washi-san, Leiko-san, we've prepared a room for you. We hope you'll stay for a few days. It will be our honour to have you as our esteemed guests."

"But.."

"We want to thank you properly and to get to know you as well. I'm sure Sakuno-chan would be happy to have you near."

The Keijis looked at one another and agreed. They too wanted to know this unusual rich family who wasn't pretentious or snobbish.

Back in the study, Keigo stroke Sakuno's back as her sobbing lessened and finally stopped. Sakuno steadied her breathing and enjoyed listening the rhythmic beating of his heart.

"I wish I could remember that night."

"Me, too. If someone had hurt you, I want them to pay."

"I want to remember about us too."

"One day, my love, you will. Then I could properly apologize to you for my abominable behaviour and distrust in you. I want to hold you and never let you go."

Sakuno pulled away and Keigo reluctantly let her go. She looked up into his gaunt lean face and palmed one of his cheeks with a hand, "If I don't remember for the rest of my life?"

Keigo smiled and placed a kiss into her palm, holding it there with a free hand, "Then I'll spend the rest of my life wooing you and loving you, my love."

Sakuno nodded with sudden shyness, "I dreamed about you when I was in Kutaka."

"Really?" Hope filled Keigo's eyes and heart, "Tell me about it."

"There's isn't much. I saw parts of this house and another smaller one. I also see faces of our family. Ano…your face appeared most frequently. Maybe that's why I'm so accepting of you and your family."

"They are your family too, my love," Keigo cuddled her close to him, "I still love you even without those memories. We'll make new ones."

Sakuno turned her head toward him and smiled gently, "Honto?"

Keigo answered with a gentle passionate kiss that made her curled her toes. After he had released her delicious lips, he caught his breathe and stood up to pull her from the sofa.

"It's getting late my love. Let's go to bed." Keigo smirked when Sakuno's cheeks flushed red.

"Demo…"

Keigo led her upstairs with an arm around her shoulder, "We won't be sharing a bed for the moment, Sakuno. I can tell you aren't ready for the intimacy side of our marriage and I love you too much to push you."

"Thank you, Keigo."

They stopped in front of a bedroom door and Keigo opened it to reveal an opulent room that made Sakuno gasped in awe. "This is our bedroom but you'll be its only occupant for awhile."

Keigo was glad to see Sakuno exploring the room with excitement just as she had done when they first got married. His heart was almost bursting to go to her and sweep her into passion-filled hours in bed but he knew he had to be patient with her.

"Where are you going to sleep, Keigo?"

"Across from you, my love," Keigo smiled, leaned down to kiss her lips and left her standing alone in their bedroom.

Sakuno dreamily touched her lips and turned to take in the room. She had seen this room before in her dreams. Her eyes strayed to the huge bed and the large walk-in wardrobe and her cheeks bloomed again as her mind recalled the erotic dreams she had with Keigo, the husband she had forgotten.

Keigo walked into the guest bedroom across from his and Sakuno's bedroom and plopped himself down on the bed wearily. Her disappearance had taken a toll on him physically, mentally and emotionally and finally he's feeling the effect. Before Sakuno re-appeared, he was too numbed to notice anything.

"Thank you God for keeping her safe until she's back at my side. I promise I'll never take her for granted nor hurt her again. Dear God, I beg you…please keep us safe from those who seek to separate us!" Keigo slipped into a deep restful sleep for the first time since Sakuno's disappearance.

9 MONTHS AGO

AT ATOBE MANSION

Atobe Kazuki and Ayano Kirimi grimaced when Honda-san, the butler announced the visit of the last person anyone wanted to meet.

"Atobe Mara is here, Atobe-sama."

"She's not welcomed here, Honda-san."

"I know sir but she insisted. She said she desires to speak to Keigo-sama."

Both shared troubled looks before Kazuki directed Honda-san to place his estranged wife into another sitting room.

"Honda-san, please send someone to get Keigo, Sakuno and the Oshitaris from the rose garden."

"Hai."

"Also, alert Kabaji-kun and the guards for possible altercation."

"Hai." Honda-san bowed deeply and left.

Kirimi tightened her grip on Kazuki's arm, "She's here to cause trouble isn't she?"

Kazuki grinned, "I hope so. That way we could get rid of her for good. She's just a step away from being officially disowned by Kana and Keigo."

"Kazuki! She's still their mother."

"Kana and Keigo are adults now. They can decide on how to handle their relationship with their mother." Kazuki patted her hands in comfort.

The door to the main sitting room burst open to reveal a livid Keigo, an apprehensive Sakuno, a worried Kana, a stern-faced Yuushi and an alert Oshitari Yudai held by a concerned Sumire. They were playing with Yudai in one of the large garden after tea time when they were summoned by one of the servants.

"What is she doing here?"

"Mara told Honda that she's here to see you, my son."

"I have no desire to see her."

Sumire watched the heated exchange between the father and son before interrupting, "Someone has to deal with her soon or she'll be coming here looking for you, Keigo-kun."

"That's right." Kirimi agreed with a grim nod, "Why don't the women stay here and you men go and beard the tiger?"

"Beard the tiger, huh?" Kazuki, Keigo and Yuushi exchanged dark looks and immediately left the room.

"Will they be alright?" Sakuno asked with her eyes trained on Keigo's departing figure.

"Daijobu." Kana patted her back.

Sakuno nodded absent-mindedly and turned her attention to her family. The past month had been spent getting re-acquainted with her family together with the Keijis. Sakuno truly missed Keiji Washi and Leiko who had stayed for 2 weeks to make sure Sakuno get settled in. Before taking their leave, they had promised to visit the Atobes again.

Her face flushed more when she remembered the wooing and dining her husband had lavished upon her for the past 4 weeks. She felt like falling in love with Keigo all over again. Not that she could recalled their earlier courtship yet. Despite the specialists brought in to examine her and the countless tests done, her memories were still locked away somewhere within her brain. Sakuno wondered when she'll recover her memories. With growing restlessness, she decided to go out for a stroll in the gardens surrounding the mansion.

"Be careful, Sakuno." Sumire reminded her grand-daughter gently who replied with a nod and a smile before exiting through the French windows. The other ladies turned their attention back to little Oshitari Yudai who was entertaining them with cute smiles and gibberish sounds.

ATOBE MANSION – ANOTHER SITTING ROOM

"What can I do for you, Oka-sama?"

Atobe Mara frowned with displeasure to find her soon-to-be ex-husband and her son-in-law following Keigo into the room.

"I'm here to inquire about your well-being, Keigo. You looked ill at the last press conference." Mara explained haughtily. The three men exchanged disbelieving looks and turned their attention back to her.

"Let's not make anymore small talk. Tell us exactly why you're here, Oka-sama."

Mara squared her shoulders and looked straight into her son's eyes, "I'm here to seek reconciliation with my children."

Her declaration took the men by surprise.

"Why?" Kazuki finally voiced out.

Mara glanced at Kazuki condescendingly, "Despite our separation, I'm still the mother of your children and I hope to be part of their lives."

No one re-acted and Mara turned to Yuushi with a fond smile, "You and Kana have given me a grandchild and I want to experience the joy of spoiling him."

Everyone continued to stay silent and Mara turned her gaze upon her son, "I hope we can forget the past and rebuild our ties as mother and son."

"What about Sakuno? If you can't accept her, Oka-sama, then that's impossible." Keigo warned her with a stern look.

Mara sighed heavily and nodded her head, "You are right, Keigo. She is your chosen bride." Her unusual acceptance of Sakuno made the men uneasy.

"We know you well, Mara. You gave in too easily. What's the catch?" Kazuki asked with morbid suspicion.

No one noticed the tightening of her hands on her lap as she said with a mask of serenity "There isn't any catch, Kazuki. I realized the errors of my ways and wishes to spend the rest of my days enjoying my children and grandchildren."

Kazuki, Keigo and Yuushi exchanged glances and after some silent communication, Keigo said in a softer tone, "I'll consider it, Oka-sama."

Mara sat stiffly when Keigo gave her a brief kiss on her forehead and left the room. Yuushi nodded at her direction with a grim smile, "Kana and I will call you later to invite you to our place. We would be glad to introduce my son, Yudai to you." After that, he too departed from the room.

Kazuki stared hard at Mara making her say nervously, "I am sincere, Kazuki."

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that your family had turned their backs on you." Kazuki shot her a lazy knowing smile, causing Mara to squirm in her seat.

Mara's jaw clenched, "How…how did you find out?"

"I had my sources just as you had yours, Mara."

"It's only my brother, Kazuki. My mother is still talking to me. But I am really sincere about this reconciliation."

"I hope so. May God help you if you messed up the children's lives again."

"What?" Mara shrunk back to see a grim-faced Kazuki approaching her with blazing fire in his eyes.

"I was just giving you a friendly warning, that's all." Kazuki leaned over to look deeply into Mara's widened eyes, "If you hurt the children again in any way, I will use all my artilleries to bring you down."

Mara nervously laughed, "I'm not so foolish, Kazuki."

Kazuki stepped away and bellowed, "HONDA-SAN!"

Immediately, the sitting room door was thrown wide open to reveal the butler, Kabaji and 2 other guards.

"Hai, Atobe-sama?"

"Please escort Mara-san to the door." Kazuki directed.

A serene-faced Mara stood up proudly and with a regal nod, walked out with the butler leading and the guards following behind her.

Mara stood near her car and watched the butler and the guards entering the mansion through its huge entrance doors.

Once alone, her fake serene and friendly façade left her and her face resumed its cold calculating and bitter demeanour with a sneering smile, "You think I would give up my place as an Atobe, Kazuki? You mark my words for I'll get back at you and those 2 women who had ruined my life."

What Kazuki had said about her family turning their back on her was true. Once Kazuki, Ohtori Kyouya and Tsukushi Doumyoji made known to the Shirogawas about the part she played in the tampered agreement and the set-up for Sakuno, her brother immediately disowned her. Her mother was disappointed in her nevertheless even though she didn't shun her only daughter.

"If that Kirimi wench and that Sakuno brat hadn't showed up, Kazuki would still be mine and Keigo would have married a girl of my choosing by now." Mara angrily spatted out. Before she could enter her car, she spotted a figure walking toward the gardens. Some lights from a few windows revealed the person to be Sakuno and Mara felt vengeful. 'That girl has no right to be here! Those thugs in Osaka should have done their work thoroughly instead of leaving me to clean up their mess.'

Sakuno ambled her way around the mansion and headed toward another garden plot with a small hill. 'There're so many gardens around the mansion. It will take me sometime to explore everything.'

She spotted a gazebo surrounded by roses on top of the hill and made her way toward it, unaware that she was being followed. She steadily climbed the many steps to reach the top. Sakuno spent a few minutes admiring and touching the colourful blooming roses. She realized it was almost time for dinner when the orange, red and yellow hued sky darkened more and more with passing time. "I hope Keigo is done with his mother's visit." Sakuno sighed and turned to return to the mansion.

Mara hid herself well among some trees and watched her quarry. Once the girl stepped toward the stony steps, she came out quickly and pushed hard against Sakuno's shoulder. She watched gleefully to see the body tumbled down the steps but her rejoicing was shattered when Sakuno rolled to rest on an even slope halfway down the steps.

Mara waited to see if the girl was conscious but the girl continued to lie stiffly still. With a satisfying grin, she quickly left to collect her car to get away.

10 MINUTES LATER

"ATOBE-SAMA! KEIGO-SAMA!" Kabaji shouted as he swept into the sitting room to shock everyone who was gathered there. Everyone gasped to see Kabaji carrying a limp Sakuno with dirt and scratches all over her. A small trail of blood oozed from the side of her head to her cheek.

Keigo, Sumire: "SAKUNO!"

Kana: "Oh no!"

Kirimi: "What happened to her?"

Kazuki: "Lay her on the sofa, Kabaji."

Keigo: "Wake up, Sakuno!"

Kazuki: "HONDA-SAN! Call for Sakuno's doctor now!

Honda: "Hai, Atobe-sama."

Yuushi: "Kabaji, did you check her for broken bones?"

Kabaji: "Usu. Nothing's broken."

Kazuki: "Arigatou."

Keigo: "Where was she?"

Kabaji: "In the rose hilly garden. She was lying halfway down the steps."

Kazuki: "Was it an accident or was it…..?"

Kabaji: "No camera in that area. No guards were there."

Honda: "Atobe-sama, Keigo-sama, the doctor will be here in a few minutes."

Sumire: "Keigo, take her to her room. I'll make her comfortable before the doctor arrives."

Kirimi: "I'll help you, Sumire-san."

Kana: "I'll help too. Yuushi, call me when Yudai wakes up."

Yuushi: "Alright. Go on, my dear."

Kazuki: "Take a seat, son. Here take this!"

Keigo took the offered glass of whiskey and drowned it with a gulp. The other men did the same to their drinks as well. No one spoke as each dealt with their own shock and contemplated what has happened.

Keigo: "It must be her."

Yuushi: "There's no proof, Keigo."

Kazuki: "Kabaji, was she there when you found her?"

Kabaji: "Her car left already when I found Sakuno."

Keigo: "Kabaji, call up Ootori Kyouya-san and arrange for Oka….Mara to be tailed day and night. You make sure she doesn't go anywhere near Sakuno or I."

Kabaji: "Usu."

Yuushi: "Keigo, you might want Sakuno to be tailed too for her protection."

Kazuki: "Yuushi's right."

Keigo: "Okay, I want Sakuno protected day and night."

Kabaji: "Usu."

A knock on the door interrupted the men and it was opened to reveal a weary Sumire-san. "The doctor's here, gentlemen. She's examining Sakuno along with her nurse."

Before long, Kirimi and Kana too returned to the sitting room. Later when Honda-san announced that dinner was ready, no one felt like eating. So, the dinner was delayed until further notice. Even as they waited for the doctor to finish examining Sakuno and give her diagnosis, no one talked.

Finally, Honda-san ushered in Dr. Fuji Yumiko [Fuji Syuusuke's older sister] and her nurse assistant. Dr. Fuji glanced around the room to see everyone had sat up straight with great expectation.

Keigo asked directly, "How's my wife, Yumiko-san?"

"Despite her nasty fall, she's no broken bones or major injuries. At the moment, she's fine." Kumiko smiled with slight amusement to see everyone relaxed at hearing her news, "However, a hard knock causes her head would. I recommend her to be X-rayed at the hospital first thing in the morning as a safety precaution."

"Of course, we'll bring her to the hospital first thing in the morning." Kazuki said agreeably.

"In the mean time, she needs a lot of rest in a peaceful environment. I left her some pain-killers so she can take them if she experiences any minor headaches."

"Thank you Yumiko-san." Keigo shook her hand. Once the good doctor and her nurse were escorted out, everyone looked at one another sighs of relief.

Kana: "Oh, I'm starving already!"

Kirimi: "Me, too."

Kazuki: "Me, three."

Yuushi: "Now that Sakuno's out of danger, let's eat."

Sumire: "That's a good idea."

Kazuki: "Honda-san, the dinner can be served now."

Sumire: "Kazuki-san, remind them to bring a tray to Sakuno's room for Keigo.

Everyone looked around but Keigo has disappeared.

IN KEIGO & SAKUNO'S BEDROOM

"I don't know what I will do if I loose you so soon after having to spend those months of pure agony and darkness."

"My heart couldn't take anymore surprises, my love."

"I'll have to bind you so close to me that nothing will keep us apart."

Sakuno heard all these endearments and tried to swim out of the heavy darkness surrounding her. Her heavy eyelids soon lifted and after some blinking, she found her husband her holding her hand with his head next to hers.

"Ke..Keigo?"

"Sakuno, you're awake?" Keigo's eyes locked on her.

"Mmm. Why are you here Keigo? And why am I back here in our bedroom?"

"What?"

"I thought you were angry with me about Takeshi Hoshi."

"What…do you remember, Sakuno?"

Sakuno stared at Keigo for a moment before she closed her eyes tightly. She realized the memories of her past, their past and their present had finally returned.

EEEEEEEEEE To Be Continued EEEEEEEEEE