Disclaimer: 'Fruits Basket', both anime and manga, don't belong to me and I'm getting nothing but a bit of simple joy from writing this story.

A/N: Hey there. Not much to say: I'll let you get on with the story and judge me by that (Not sure if that's such a good thing). Anyways, please, read on.

Warnings: Character death and general spoilers for the anime series.

And The Snow Falls

Chapter One

Autumn Leaves

That day, there was a thin frost on the ground, making everything look pale and distant. Tohru had breakfast ready for us as usual, and I woke to the subtle, appealing smell of perfectly cooked rice. Kyou was busy draining his usual carton of milk in the kitchen, a sullen look on his face, while Tohru put away an extra dish. She'd got out too many; there was more food than we needed on the table, as well. Her eyes were red.

Hatori picked us up soon after breakfast, and Tohru only nodded when I asked if she was ready to go. We drove in silence. I saw the last few red-gold leaves of autumn swirl to the ground on the way, caught in the cold breeze, skimming over the roof of the car. There wasn't much traffic; it was midmorning on a Thursday. Most people had already arrived at work or school, lives swirling on around us.

The main house loomed hazy and dreamlike ahead of us, and we went in the main gates. The traditional architecture made it even more apparent how set apart this place was; somewhere segregated and asleep to the outside world, dreaming of its past, snowed under a blanket of false peace, lost in the mists of its curses. It had never been so clear to me as it was that day how isolated we all were.

Momiji was the first to see us, a lone, blurred figure in the grey day. He waved a greeting, a small, sad smile on his face. We carried on past him, and I watched him in the wing mirror as he turned away, eyes clouded.

It's only a small place, the cemetery at the Sohma house. It's shaded by a few ancient trees, all bare at that time of year, looking lost and skeletal beyond the car windows, as Hatori stopped, and switched off the engine. The sudden silence seemed deafening, until it was broken by a little sob from Tohru. Kyou said nothing; he wouldn't look at any of us.

There weren't many people there, considering how popular Yuki had been. It was a small, quiet service, and Tohru's hand, which seemed so small that day, clutched at mine the whole way through it, as tears dripped from her chin.

I blinked slowly. Rain was pouring steadily outside the wide windows of my study, a fresh breath of air sighing into the room with the pattering sound of the rain. I sat at my desk, my chin propped in my palm. I wasn't too sure how long I'd been sat there, but I still hadn't written anything.

I closed my eyes.

Things had changed quite a lot in the last few weeks, and I instinctively knew they hadn't stopped changing yet. The three of them- Tohru, Kyou and Yuki- had all graduated from high school the summer just gone, and all three had had their own plans. Yuki had been accepted into a top university in Tokyo- he would have left a week ago. Kyou had intended to study martial arts further at a university closer to home, and he would have left three days ago. Tohru had planned to begin full-time work, but... Well, Yuki's death had left her in shreds, and by the time she was able to return to any kind of work, they'd given the position to someone else.

And I... I had planned to carry on living gleefully free of any responsibility that could be avoided, fantasising about high school girls and driving my editor insane with mind-games. But alas, little in this life goes to plan, especially when you're a Sohma.

"Shigure-san?"

There was a hesitant step out in the hall, making the floorboards groan slightly. The quiet voice was Tohru's, and I opened my eyes, wondering if I'd fallen asleep. My neck felt cramped. I sat back and stretched, yawning.

"Is there something you need, Tohru-kun?" I asked.

The door slid open and Tohru's face appeared. "Ah, I just wanted to let you know it's time for dinner. Ah!" she exclaimed softly, looking around at the shadowy room. I must have fallen asleep- it hadn't been this dark when I closed my eyes. The rain had eased, as well. "Are you all right, Shigure-san? It's so dark in here, you must not be able to read your writing!" She reached out for the light switch, but I lifted a hand, and shook my head.

"Don't worry, I haven't got any writing to read. Besides, I'm coming to eat the delicious dinner you've made for me now, aren't I?" I asked, smiling at her.

She half-smiled back, when the old Tohru would have beamed and been embarrassed at being complimented. As she turned away and vanished beyond the doorway, I saw the way her eyes fell half-closed with a sad look.

I stood and stretched more thoroughly.

Out of the corner of my eye, I saw something move, and a cold feeling danced up my spine as my glance darted across to see what was there. There was nothing but the rain falling outside the window.

I stepped across to close it, shivering slightly.

"You shouldn't be here," I told the room. There was no answer but the barely-audible wind, whining mournfully outside.

I left the study, closing the door behind me.

"Hello? Ah, Ha-san! How are you? ...Hmm? Akito? ...When? ...I suppose so. Why does he want to see me? ...Tohru-kun? I'm sure she'll be able to come... All right. I'll see you tomorrow then. Yes, fine. Bye bye, Ha-san."

Ah, another sleepless night. And I'd always been so good at sleeping. Perhaps the call from Hatori had made me think too much.

There was a creak farther down the hall, followed by another. Someone was awake, and I doubted it was Kyou; I'd heard the roof tiles clack less than half an hour before, so he was almost certainly still up there.

I knew, with a sad wretched feeling, who else was out of bed.

I rose and padded to the door, and out into the hall quietly. Sure enough, she stood in the doorway of Yuki's room, silent, not moving.

"Not again, Tohru?" I said. She turned slowly and stared at me, eyes empty and tears streaming down her face. "This must be the third time this week. Won't you stop soon?" I asked. She didn't respond at all, but just carried on staring at me.

It had been really creepy the first time- I hadn't realised right away that she was asleep. It was still distressing, on some level. I'd never been a sleepwalker myself- at least not to my knowledge- and I'd never had to deal with it before.

But Tohru was a good girl.

"Come on, let's get you to bed," I said, and walked over to her, reaching for her hand and grasping her little fingers gently, guiding her away. I couldn't help glancing beyond the open doorway as I steered her round, and the room overflowed with stillness, and a silence that welled up and over the memories that poured out of the floor, the walls and windows, the air itself. It had all been lost to this present calm, a world of cool moonlight between open curtains, and a perfectly made bed, ready for him to come home.

"He's not here, Tohru," I told her quietly, closing the door on the scene, leading her back to her own room and to her bed. Her tears still flowed, but she didn't make a sound. That was, perhaps, the most unnerving thing.

I got her into bed and tucked her in, bending to kiss her forehead gently. I felt some kind of regret, but I was too tired and too detached from it all to be saddened by it.

"Go to sleep now, my little flower," I whispered. She closed her eyes.

I stayed by her bedside some time longer, watching her sleep, and wondering when it would all end.