My thanks out to Bronze Dagger, ShadowSheWolf, missy, mickyX, ratatatat and Satar. Thank you so much for your reviews!
Moving on! Chapter four has been one of my favorite chapters to write. Even though it might confuse you, you'll understand it in the chapters to come. Though I'm not sure how long this fic will be. I just make it up as I go but when I write a chapter I always know what's gonna happen in the next one to come... so I guess it is kinda planned out. Hmmm.... anyway I want to have a Sohma's perspective in the story but I don't want to write Akito's take on this situation so I chose Hatori. When I was writing Hatori's little section on what going on I had all these new ideas for this story flow down into me. And now I'm newly inspired to write. hehehehe Oh... I also wanted to ask... have any of you seen His and her circumstances? I've seen the first dvd and it was really good. I want to see the next dvd really bad! Well I must stop my babbling now.... ne way on with the fic.

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket, Natsuki Takaya does. But I do own Shade.

Chapter Four: Breathless encounter

I took a quick step back from him as the shock sunk in.

Akito

He was the one...he was the one they were looking for...he had to be. I can see the resemblance in his face. He took a step closer still holding out his hand, his face indicting no emotion. Feeling that I had to act in some way I grasped his cool hand with my sweaty one and shook it. I felt all too uneasy about this transaction.

Our hands parted and I took a deep intake of breath letting the tension flow out of me.

"It is alright, nothing is wrong," I murmured to myself running my hand through my long black hair.

Then I turned to face him. His head was tilted questioningly and his eyes were full of something that I could not place.

What is he thinking?

"What did you say?" he asked softly, though he knew full well what I had said.

I recoiled unsure of what to respond with.

"I said nothing...absolutely nothing," I breathed out, giving a small nervous laugh.

A hint of a smile appeared on his face as if he knew exactly what I was thinking.

"Do you come here often," he said as he stared at me through his bangs.

"Yes." So many questions hummed within me... Who was he, why were they looking for him, and most importantly what were they trying to hide. Was it just me or was everyone today trying to avoid questions about their family. The thought just struck me weird.

After a few moments I realized that I had dazed off into my own little world. Laughing to myself I looked back at Akito and found him doing something very surprising. He was studying me. Like a damn scientist looking through a microscope.

"You seem preoccupied," he said assumingly, while picking up his books from a nearby table.

"Yes well I have a lot of things on my mind," I said unconsciously tugging at my black shirt.

"Would you like to get something to drink," he asked thoughtfully while darting his eyes to the front door uneasily. He had picked up all his stuff and was slowly moving away from me.

"Umm...I guess I am kinda thirsty," and turned to follow him as he walked past me and headed for the door.

Hatori

"Akito!!!" Shigure and Hatori called as they drove down the streets.

They had been looking for him just over two hours now and there was no sign of him. No one else was looking for him, just them. It was as if they didn't care that he had gone. Searching the library, the woods, and the supermarket had been a total waste of time. Up and down the streets they had searched but to no avail either.

Where could he be?

The only possible clue that they had found was that new book they had discovered in his room. It was highly unusual to find one of the newest releases just lying around the main house. Since Akito didn't go out much. It was then that Shigure had suggested that they look at the local bookstore. And that was where they were heading now. But it couldn't hurt to scream his name out as they went, could it? He had disappeared like this before but never this long. And his health....God how stupid he was to forget that. He would need his medicine soon.

Where in Gods name is he?

Shade

I cleared my throat and began to shift nervously. We had walked down a couple of streets to a nice little restaurant and ordered tea. A few couples occupied the tables inside but since the night was clear and beautiful we decided to sit outside on the deck. The table which we were seated at was set for two and was made of a rich mahogany wood. We got our tea surprisingly quick and I silently congratulated the service for its work. But it seemed we couldn't think of anything to say to each other.

There must be something I can say to him...

"Is the tea to your liking," he said as he took a small sip of his tea.

"Umm...yea but I've never had this kind before. What is it called?" I looked at him waiting for my question to be answered.

"Oolong"

I stuttered spitting out my tea in the process, "O what?"

A smirk appeared on his face and he lifted his napkin to clear away the mess I had made.

"You've never heard of it."

Embarrassed I shook my head.

"What kinds of tea do you drink?" he asked while sitting up in his chair, leaning in to hear me a bit more clearly.

"Kinds?" I repeated stupidly.

"I've only had iced tea. You know... brisk... in the can?" I heard the muffled snickers of two women from the table behind me.

My answer seemed to amuse him, but he didn't say anything.

Trying to make up for it, I started talking about myself.

"I guess me not knowing this isn't that surprising. I grew up mostly in the U.S. My parents died when I was young and since then I've moved around from relative to relative. Finally I was sent here to live with my aunt Narumi."

"So you haven't been here long?" he asked suddenly interested.

"No, only about two years. My sisters were going to stay here too but they decided they would rather stay in the U.S. with a cousin. So here I am." I laughed nervously.

"I've lived here all my life." he said softly.

"I wish I could do that but staying in one place for so long seems impossible." I said smiling.

I had never met someone like this before. For the next two hours we talked like this, about interesting things and sometimes ...not so interesting things. But for some reason he seemed to evade every question about his family that I asked him. Always changing the subject when it came to that.

I wonder why...

Hatori

Great, now we've been looking for 4 hours. If we keep this up, I won't be surprised if we just keel over and die within the next thirty minutes.

"Well the bookstore clerk said she saw him earlier," Shigure said stepping into the car.

"It's a start, but now can we get something to eat? I'm starving!" he said exasperated.

"No!" I said firmly, "We need to keep looking. What if something is wrong."

"Nothing is wrong," Shigure said rather loudly.

"And how do you know that?" I growled.

"Well I...don't I just have a feeling." he leaning back into his chair casually.

"Shigure," I said threateningly, "You're lying tactics haven't been very good today. Tell me."

Shigure giggled but he said nothing more. So I decided to let the matter drop. It was a waste of time to try and force it out of the dog. For I knew a spew of poetry was all I was going to get...but the way he reacted bothered me.
Shade

Akito glanced at the clock across the room and muttered to himself.

"Hmm...?" I mumbled looking up from my plate with a muffin currently half way lodged in my mouth.

"I hadn't realized how late it was," he said as he began to clear away his plate.

I looked towards the clock which read 10 pm.

"Oh!" I said loudly spewing muffin everywhere.

Had we been here that long?

"I guess when we're having fun time flies," I said cheerfully.

He raised an eyebrow at me. At the moment I was completely out of character.

"Hey don't blame me it's the sugar. The sugar I tell you." I laughed out flipping my hair in the process.

He burst out laughing and it was my turn to be surprised. I asked him why he was laughing but he said it was nothing. Then he paid the bill and we left the warm lit restaurant to the damp streets of the town.

minutes later (Shade)

The streets were dormant but I could still spot some people silently scurrying about in the alleyways. The sight of the dim lighted streets was captivating, giving it a pleasant aura. We moved stealthily down the street. He was in complete disarray; breathing heavily, hair aghast and standing on end. I wondered why he was in such of a hurry to get home.

"Why are we in such a rush?" I shouted out as the wind picked up.

But he didn't answer instead he moved faster, almost frantically. Houses and businesses passed us, entire streets faded away and still we walked. Then abruptly he stopped and we were at the same bookstore from earlier. Breathless he turned to me and took my hand placing a small piece of paper in it.

"Tomorrow at 1 pm meet me here," he whispered urgently between breaths.

Then with a nod of the head he walked swiftly across the street and sped down the sidewalk. I watched him race away frigidly, I had wanted him to stay longer...

Was he related to the Sohmas?

He hadn't even told me his last name. Looking down I opened my hand where he had placed the slip of paper. Slowly I unfolded it, and then I brought my hand closer to read the tiny neat writing of its interior.

(118) 441-1874
4221 Pour toujour

I folded the paper back up and tucked it into my back pocket.

"Pour toujour," I murmured.

Somewhere in the back of my mind a little light clicked on.

If I remember it straight pour toujour means, "forever cursed"

The words stood out in my mind, cutting through all my thoughts like a knife.

"Forever cursed."

The Tiger By: William Blake

Tiger! Tiger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Could frame thy fearful symmetry?
In what distant deeps or skies
Burnt the fire of thine eyes?
On what wings dare he aspire?
What the hand dare seize the fire?
And what shoulder, and what art,
Could twist the sinews of thy heart?
And when thy heart began to beat,
What dread hand? and what dread feet?
What the hammer? what the chain?
In what furnace was thy brain?
What the anvil? what dread grasp
Dare its deadly terrors clasp?
When the stars threw down their spears,
And watered heaven with their tears,
Did he smile his work to see?
Did he who made the Lamb make thee?
Tiger! Tiger! burning bright
In the forests of the night,
What immortal hand or eye
Dare frame thy fearful symmetry?

I just love this poem.nods You know actually I don't think this chapter is that confusing. I think that the next one is, maybe because I haven't finished writing it. Hmm...ne way the next chapter is in the works. It should be done soon but I have to finish a research paper for school first. So I'll see how that's gonna fit in. Well I hope you liked it. Oh and my thanks again to mickyX for editing. -kaguara-