Hi everyone! This is my first fanfiction in quite a while, but the spark of inspiration to write came to me after the remake of the first season of Fruits Basket- gah! So good! Anyways, this story is multi-chaptered. If you like what you read, please leave a comment to let me know/feel free to follow!

All my love,

Ally

Chapter 1

Two days after new years- that's how long it was before Yuki and Kyo were hounded enough by Shigure and the others to come and visit the Sohma estate. While they had fought tooth and nail, Momiji's wailing and constant calls were the real kicker that pushed the boys over the edge.

"Hello? Oh, hi Momiji!" Tohru answered with the little surprised spring in her voice. She wasn't really surprised; he had been calling at least six times within the past two days.

Yuki sighed, looking towards miss Honda. "Is it him again?"

Tohru placed the phone to her chest for a moment and sighed. With a weak smile on her face, she nodded before pressing the phone back to her ear. From afar he could hear the excited rambling coming from the high-energy rabbit. "...and the banquet had been a mess with Akito's bad attitude. Anyways, are they coming? Did they say they'd come? Akito is not happy and I'm worried about what will happen if they ignore him any longer!"

Tohru lowered her voice and shut the door that divided the living room from the hallway. "Um, I'm not so sure they'd be happy doing that...to be honest I don't think their decision has changed since the last time you called a few hours ago."

Cutting back to the living room, Yuki was playing on his phone, truly emotionally exhausted and slightly frustrated with Mimoji's calls and the numerous texts from Shigure. He knew that he should go, but he really didn't want to see Akito. He had known he'd screwed up by defying him. He had been violent towards him before as a young boy, and back then he knew that Akito had been holding back. But now….

"Is that the damn rabbit again?" Kyo stated agitatedly, walking into the living room and into the kitchen, promptly grabbing the milk carton from the fridge. "Why can't him and Shigure just lay off?" -his statement was slightly gurgled as he took a swig of milk.

"Can't you have a bit of class and try not to get your cat spit on that? It's disgusting. I know that you spent forever in the woods fighting bears, but you have to at least have some human decency instilled in you."

Kyo's face turned red. "Oh shut up you damn rat! Go buy your own milk if you're that anal about it. Besides, at least I won't give everyone the plague."

"If it means I won't have to see you again, hand me the carton and please, drink up."

Kyo narrowed his eyes and started for Yuki when Tohru walked back through the door. She seemed hesitant, with the slightest bit of worry in her eyes. "Um...guys?"

Both quickly dropped their current feelings toward each other in that moment and gave her their full attention. "What is it, miss Honda?"

"I really think you guys should go." She quickly straightened up. "Not that I don't love having you here! I adore you both! It's just..." she shifted. "Momiji gave the phone to Haru, and it seems to be getting worse the longer you are away...I'm worried that Akito's anger may get out of hand."

"The bastard's always got a stick up his ass." Kyo puffed. "Us going there isn't going to fix that. If anything he'd be more pissed to see me. Not like the cat is important. Besides, its Yuki's fault. If he had gone everything would've been fine."

"Don't blame me." Yuki spat. Akito was one of his weak spots, and he'd be damned if he let Kyo get to him in that way. The fire in his eyes made Kyo freeze temporarily before he relaxed again.

"It's not either of your faults, really!" Tohru responded. "Besides Akito, though...I think being with your family is still important. You never know when they'll be gone." Tohru said this with a sad smile, but it was warm. She missed her mom dearly and wish she hadn't taken her for granted- at least she had felt like she did. "Please, you both have already done so much for me. Even if Akito is mad, you have others who love you and would love to see you both.I know you two always make me happy, give the gift of your presence to them, too."

Yuki looked down and Kyo blushed.

"Yeah...whatever." Kyo replied. "Not that I want to spend any more time with this asshole, but at least at the estate I have a better chance of getting away from him."

"Likewise." Yuki responded with a roll of the eyes. He walked forward towards miss Honda, getting close to her face. Her eyes were a dark chocolate color, he loved them. "Are you sure you'll be okay by yourself?"

Tohru shivered at the closeness. "Of course. And I'll be here when you all come home, okay?" she said with her usual smile.

"Okay."

"...okay."

After about two hours, the two boys had packed and Tohru was standing at the front door, waving to them as they left. She was happy they were going- really. She would miss them of course, but it would only be a couple more days before she saw them again.

It was about five o' clock when they had departed, and Tohru decided to head towards the kitchen to prepare herself some dinner. "Miso soup would be perfect!" she said to herself. Sadly, she noticed that she would need to pick up some ingredients from the store. For one, they were all out of dashi, and she wanted to pick up some vegetables just to restock the house in general.

She smiled, perking up as she normally did. "A quick trip to the store! Gives me something to do, I guess."

With that, she picked up her purse that was sitting on the couch, put on her coat and went off on her merry way.

She loved the location of the Sohma home. Even though she had been living in a tent in the forest, she had loved all the greenery. Since she got to live with the boys, she felt lucky that she was able to still enjoy the beauty of nature. Sure, all the trees have died. But the snow that glistened on the branches made her feel at peace.

Tohru wasn't one to be on her phone. She hadn't even had one until Shigure gifted one to her. She felt really guilty taking it, but he said that it would give him peace of mind for her to be able to check in with him. He cared about her safety.

Focusing in on the pretty landscape, she took out her phone and held up her camera to take a photo. Click!

Smiling, she looked down to see the image. "Just as beautiful as...what?"

Tohru was quickly confused. The trees were gorgeous. However, she saw someone standing behind a tree further back in the woods. Her heart started to race with fear.

"Um...hello?" she called out shakily. "Is...is someone there?"

No response. She clutched onto her purse and slowly kept walking. Her thoughts were racing.

"I'm sure someone is just lost...or it was my imagination! The brain can play silly tricks, that's what mom always said. But what if it's a person...or a bear! Aren't they supposed to be in hibernation? Oh no, maybe it's lost? A baby bear? Or maybe it's just hungry. Oh no...OH NO! If its hungry...oh please don't eat me. Do bears eat people?" Her thoughts became cluttered as she walked faster, frantically looking around.

Suddenly, something-or someone- had grabbed her shoulder from behind. With a small shriek, she turned and smacked whatever it was with her purse, eyes closed out of fear as to what she might see.

"Calm down, my dear." Said a voice. She knew that voice.

"Huh?" Tohru opened her eyes to see...Akito. "But isn't he supposed to be at the estate right now?"

"I'm sorry to have scared you." He smiled dangerously. That was the best way for Tohru to describe it, dangerous. She was afraid of him, and she had every right to be.

Tohru suddenly realised what she had done and instantly started bowing apologetically. "Oh my gosh, I am so sorry! I thought you were a bear! Please forgive me!"

Akito just laughed lightly and grabbed her hand to stop her bowing. "It's quite alright, being in the woods at this time of the evening is scary enough on its own. How have you been?"

"Oh...um, alright I suppose. The boys have just left for the estate. To see the family and, well..you."

Akito's eyes turned dark. "A little late, aren't they?"

Tohru gulped, turning her eyes to the ground before Aktio placed his finger under her chin to lift it up. "You know," he started, "They seem to really care about you. Enough so to defy me...that's not good now is it?"

Tohru didn't breathe. She couldn't; she didn't know if she would ever be able to breathe again. The grip on her chin got tighter and her body froze.

"Your...involvement with this family is getting out of hand, my dear." His nails started digging into her chin, and he made his way to grasp his hand around her neck. He squeezed. She choked.

"I'm going to tell you this now." he whispered, his eyes lit with fire. "You have been walking a very thin line. And because of their actions, ignoring my orders to come to the banquet. Ignoring my wishes in visiting at all...they deserve to be punished, don't you think?"

Tohru grabbed his wrist trying to pull it away, but his grasp only got tighter.

"And the best way to get to them is through you."

Tohru's vision started going black, and the hand that was once fighting to save her breath went limp.

"Please…" she managed to get out. She suddenly felt a searing pain in her side before she was dropped.

"Your time is coming."

With that, Tohru felt the chill of the snow beneath her as she slowly slipped into unconsciousness.