So...it's been awhile. But I bring you a chapter, I swear! And it's got fluff...and something special at the end, enjoy!

Thanks to my amazing beta, uyay. Check her out, will ya?

Chapter 15

"Hello? Hello, boy?"

Mori opened his eyes slowly, his consciousness slowly returning. He started when he found Dariath in front of his face, barely six inches away.

"Good, the boy is awake. Dariath was hoping he wasn't dead. That way it's fun, all good fun. Dariath woke the boy. Dariath must get the master now. Maybe the master has the girl now. All good fun, the master says. All good fun, Dariath agrees. The girl and the boy, just all good fun."

Mori's heart stopped and he subconsciously pulled at his bonds. 'Maybe the master has the girl now.' "Haruhi?" he asked quietly.

Dariath either didn't hear him or ignored him and exited the room. Mori took a deep breath and pulled at his bonds again. Pain shot through his arms and his legs. No doubt his wrists and ankles would be rubbed raw when he got out. If I get out, he corrected himself.

Mori sat for ten more minutes before he heard footsteps in the hallway outside his door. The footsteps were odd and it took him a moment to realize that it was two people. As the couple neared his door, Mori realized one pace was even and steady while the other seemed to be stumbling. The footsteps stopped in front of his door and Mori heard a key clicking in the lock. The door opened and he was shocked to see the girl that stumbled through the door.

"Haruhi," he gasped.

Haruhi was shoved to the floor and she caught herself with one arm but still winced when her other arm was jostled. She grunted and started to get up when Kurai walked in with a smug grin.

"Told you I'd get her," he said with a conceited look on his face.

Mori felt a rage come over him when he saw him graze his hand over Haruhi's back. "You bastard!"

"Now, now, now. I promise you I was a perfectly legitimate child. I believe that boy you are in a club with, that Suoh," Kurai smirked, "He is the true bastard."

Mori pulled at his bonds with a renewed vigor. "You son of a-"

Kurai pulled Haruhi to her feet by her shoulder and pulled her head up to look at him. "I apologize. That was a low blow, wasn't it?" Kurai asked Mori. Before Mori had a chance to speak, Kurai looked back to Haruhi and stroked her chin. "But regardless, I knew Haruhi was beautiful, much too beautiful to ever be put in men's clothes. Much too beautiful for you. She deserves me."

Haruhi pushed Kurai's hand away. "Get off of me." She backed up from the stalker to the wall, cradling her arm against her stomach. "Let us go."

Mori watched Haruhi in horror as he saw her arm was twisted awkwardly and the arm hung limp. "Haruhi," he whispered.

"Let Takashi go. You said you'd let him go," Haruhi continued, her voice desperate.

Kurai smirked. "I did say that, didn't I? I suppose," he said teasingly, "I could let him go after I finish with you. By then, he'd probably not want to do anything - except maybe die. And of course, I'll need some time to think it over…"

"You promised," Haruhi growled as she took a step forward.

Kurai's face twisted into a face filled with anger and rage. He took a step forward and Haruhi flinched so hard, she hit her head off the wall. "And you just trusted me," he said angrily. He forcefully stepped forward to her and Haruhi flinched into the wall. Kurai put his arms on both sides of Haruhi, locking her from moving anywhere. He leaned in and whispered in her ear, "Why did you trust me? Do you feel something for me? Deep down inside you?" Kurai pulled a strand of Haruhi's hair out of her face and stroked her face. "Admit it," he ordered. "You-"

"Leave her alone!" Mori shouted. He gritted his teeth, cursing Kurai in his mind.

Kurai ignored Mori. "You know you want to," he added with a smug grin. He pulled back to look at Haruhi's horrified face and lowered his face to hers, just inches away from her. "I know you want to."

"Get the hell away from her!"

Kurai sighed and glanced back at Mori. "But now is not a good time. We will get acquainted later, once he is out of the picture." Kurai took a step back and smiled at Haruhi. "See you later, sweetie."

The door slammed shut and Haruhi took several deep breaths before making eye contact with Mori. "Takashi," she breathed after several moments.

"Why are you here?" Mori asked, accusation in his voice. "You should have never come here."

"Even if it meant you dying?" Haruhi countered.

Mori growled, "Yes!"

Haruhi walked to stand in front of Mori. She frowned and shook her head. "No. Believe it or not Takashi, but I care about you, a lot. And I'm not just letting you die."

Mori looked at Haruhi and didn't say anything. Haruhi couldn't tell if he was too furious to say anything or if he had caught her slip up. I care about you, a lot.

Haruhi sighed and put her hand on Mori's cheek. "Okay, listen," she started when Mori didn't say anything. "Why don't we just drop the topic until I get you out of this chair?"

Mori nodded. "Fine."

Haruhi started to untie Mori's left hand. "How is Mitsukuni doing?" Mori asked after a moment.

Haruhi was silent for a moment before answering. "He's dealing with it. He can't do much more."

The two were silent the rest of the time as Haruhi worked on Mori's bonds. It took a long time since Haruhi untied the rope with one hand. Once Mori's hand was freed, he assisted her with the other hand's bond, after which, he untied his own feet. Once he was freed, he rubbed his wrists were the ropes had left bruises and marks. He stood from the chair and Haruhi noticed his wrists.

"Do they hurt?" she asked.

Mori shook his head. "Does your arm?" he asked as he gazed at the twisted arm.

Haruhi bit her bottom lip. "Yes."

"Here let me see." Gingerly, Haruhi held her arm out for him to hold and winced as Mori's hand ghosted over the swollen area. "How did this happen?" he asked with hidden rage in his tone. "This is a spiral fracture."

"He twisted my arm behind my back. It's broken, isn't it?"

Mori let Haruhi's arm go gently. "Yes," he murmured distractedly. "Now we have to do the best we can to help it heal." Mori thought for a moment before pulling his shirt over his head.

Haruhi's eyes grew wide as she stood in front of the now shirtless Mori. She blushed and averted her eyes from his naked chest. "Wh-what are you doing?" she asked, her voice shaky.

Mori ripped the bottom of his shirt off. "Making a sling," he answered. After a bit of tearing the shirt, Mori finished and held the sling up for Haruhi. "Here." Mori wrapped the sling around her arm so gently, Haruhi hardly felt any movement. Then he reached behind her neck to tie the sling. Gently he moved her hair and smiled when he felt Haruhi's breath on his neck.

"T-takashi?" she stuttered.

"Hmm?"

"What're you doing?"

"Tying the sling."

"Are you done now?"

"Ah."

"Are you going to move?"

Mori sighed. "Ah." He moved back and resisted the urge to smile when he saw Haruhi's flushed cheeks, knowing his were likely pink as well. "Better?" he asked.

Haruhi nodded, making a point not to stare at his chest. "You don't have a shirt."

Mori nodded. "I made you a sling."

"Thanks, I guess." Mori nodded again and pointed to the chair. "You should sit down."

Surprisingly to Mori, Haruhi listened and sat in the chair. Mori stood awkwardly in front of her, feeling the marks on his wrist.

Haruhi took his wrist from him and placed a gentle hand over the marks. "I'm sorry for dragging you into this. He knew I would come after you so he…" she trailed off. "I'm so sorry."

Mori was still reeling from feeling Haruhi's hands on his. "Haruhi," he breathed.

"No, no. I know you're going to say that it's not my fault because that's who you are," Haruhi said. "You're sweet and handsome and strong, so much stronger than I could ever be, and I just can't do this anymore."

Mori's thought process freezed as he heard Haruhi's words replay in his head over and over. "You're sweet and handsome and strong."

Haruhi was finally breaking down. The stress caught up with her. Mori knelt in front of Haruhi and took her good hand in both of his. "You're wrong," he said quietly.

"Takashi…" Haruhi took a deep breath. "I had to come here, to protect you."

Mori tightened his hold on Haruhi's hand and looked up at Haruhi. He watched as her eyes swept his face, looking for some sign of insincerity. Her eyes bored into his and his heart raced. "Then you must understand why I must protect you."

Haruhi took another deep breath and nodded. "I know what you are thinking and as much as I hate it, I understand."

Mori reached out to Haruhi and his gaze went to her twisted arm which she was still favoring. "I don't think you know what I'm thinking," he said quietly as he looked back up at her face, this time his eyes flickered down to her lips. "Haruhi, I-"

Haruhi didn't say anything once Mori stopped and waited anxiously for him to continue.

Mori gathered his courage and reasoned that if there was going to be a time to tell her how he felt, it would be at that moment. "Haruhi, you mean more to me than anything else in this world and I would do anything for you. Be it that I have to die for you, I would do it without a second thought. I…I love you Haruhi. I refuse to let you die or go to that man."

Mori searched Haruhi's face, nervously searching for a reaction and finding none.

"H-Haruhi?" he asked, not caring how much emotion was in his usual stoic voice.

Haruhi said nothing but instead closed the distance between their lips.