**A/N** Okay, no more excuses. Here's chapter 9 and I give you all permission to send me hate e-mail if I ever take this long to get a chapter up again. All right?

Chapter 9 The Cure

Yuki woke up early the next morning. His body wouldn't let him sleep past seven; in fact he had been waking up ever half-hour since about five. There was nothing he wanted more than to see Tohru and Shinta again.

Downstairs he could hear someone rummaging through the kitchen. His stomach growled. Food really sounded good at the moment. Yuki quickly got up and dressed before heading downstairs to get something to eat.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Tohru slept soundly with Shinta by her side. He had had a nightmare and crawled into bed with her. She was having a wonderful dream about what life would be like if they really were a real family.

"Mommy." However, the little boy could not sleep as long as she could.

Slowly she opened her eyes. "Hmm... Morning baby."

"Morning Mommy. Tummy hurts."

"Oh, poor baby. Let's go make breakfast." Shinta agreed and headed into the kitchen while Tohru pulled on a robe before following him.

When she arrived in the kitchen Shinta had already pulled a box a cereal out of the lower cupboard. She took our two bowls, two spoons, and the milk. Then she poured the cereal and the milk while Shinta put the box away.

Then together they sat down at the table to eat. "I love you Mommy."

Tohru giggled, "I love you too Shinta. Now what is it?"

The little boy's face changed from the happy smile to a slight frown. "Who was that man Mommy?"

This startled Tohru. Of all the things that could be wrong she didn't think it was that! "Shinta, his name is Yuki Sohma. And he is a very good. friend." It pained her to say that last word, but she couldn't tell him the whole truth just yet, could she? "I haven't seen him since before you were born because someone in his family didn't like me very much."

"That's not nice. You should go tell him that."

Tohru laughed, "Oh he knew he was being mean, but he didn't care. And I would tell him, except that he died a few days ago. Remember last night Aunt Hana and Aunt Uo came to stay with you? That was so I could go to his funeral."

"Why? If he was mean to you then you shouldn't have gone."

"No, maybe I shouldn't have. However, I was friends with lots of people in the family and I thought that they might need me."

Shinta smiled and finished eating his cereal before going to watch cartoons. Tohru took a shower and then got dressed.

*~*~*~*~*~*~*~*

Yuki found Shigure in the kitchen making a mess. "You could be less noisy. You woke me up."

"Noisy? Me?"

"Yes, and I was even thinking about not yelling at you about all the noise you and Chi were making last night. Just what were you two doing?" Yuki asked slyly.

Shigure got an innocent look on his face. "Us? We weren't doing anything."

"I think you were. Now what were you two doing?"

"Playing Monopoly."

Yuki laughed, "Whatever. What's for breakfast?" He could never stay mad at Shigure for long, he was always making him laugh.

The two ate eggs and then went into Akito's study. "I have something to show you. We found it after Akito died."

"What is it?"

"A journal we think. It's very old," Shigure said as he took it off the shelf and set it on the desk.

Yuki leaned over as Shigure opened it and slowly flipped through the pages, trying to be careful. Finally Shigure arrived at the page and began reading aloud.

"After years of studying we have found that there is an escape from the curse that was placed upon us so many years ago. All of the cursed members must come to care for and trust one person, an outsider. Only then will the curse of the Sohmas be removed."

"A cure? There's a cure? Who else knows about this?"

"Just Hatori and myself. We thought you might want to know."

"Does that mean Tohru.."

"She can set us free."

"But I thought everyone loved her."

"All but one."

"Who?"

"Ritsu."