Tohru's just gone through a terrible ordeal-she's been kidnapped and raped. What length will Yuki go to to get her to trust again? And who was behind the attack? Yukiru, and (some; maybe) Kyoutani. This is for Tess-kun. Merry Christmas!!!!

''line" ending a flashback

...- notes for the end of the chapter

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DAMAGED

Chapter One: Akito

-Thursday-

The room was dim and cold, the fan overhead swirling dusty air around the dark, enclosed quarters. The only source of light was from a small television by the wall. From somewhere in the confines of the room, there was a laugh. The pictures changed and illuminated the room, revealing the form of Sohma Akito wrapped in blankets.
"Hiroko!"
"Yes, Sohma-sama?"
The Head of the Sohma family pointed to the screen showing the mug shot of a man just escaped from prison. His hair was surprisingly short and clean, but his eyes were dull and his leering mouth showed crooked, stained teeth. "I want you to find this man, and bring him to me. Understand?"
"Yes Sohma-sama."
Akito laughed manically. "Let's see how they deal with this..."

It was Friday afternoon and school had just ended. Honda Tohru stood with Sohma Yuki and Sohma Kyou as Uotani Arisa and Hanajima Saki walked up to her.
"Oooooi, Tohru-kun, do you want to go get something to eat with us?" Uotani offered.
"Thanks Uo-chan, but I have to work." she answered regretablly. "But how about we do something tomorrow?"
"Sure, want to go shopping?"
"That'd be great! Today is payday, so I'll have money."
"Alright then, see you tomorrow!"

After convincing Yuki and Kyou that she didn't need anyone to escort her to work, Tohru headed off. The Cat and Mouse began their walk home.
"You know what Shigure said last night." Kyou said.
"About what was on the news?"
Kyou nodded. "I heard it this morning. They're saying the guy who broke out of the prison was convicted for the rapes of thirteen young girls." he finished grimly.
"So Shigure wasn't just messing around..." Yuki paled slightly. His image was reflected in Kyou's face. "We'll both go and get her tonight, got that Baka Neko." It wasn't question.
Kyou nodded, the situation so serious he even let the 'baka neko' slip. "She gets off at eleven?"
"Aa," The Rat said. "And one of us should walk with her to work during the day, just in case."
Another nod. "Should we put Haru and Momiji on watch too?"
"Hn. Maybe. Momiji won't be much help, but Haru would definatly be of some use. Hatori and Shigure as well."
"Much as I hate to say it," Kyou grimaced. "Kagura might be the most helpful. She is a girl after all, less suspicious."
"So you want to put both of them out there? Aiya Baka Neko use your head."
"Well, she's a good fighter, its an idea."
"That's true, but still...the two of them out together alone would be like bait on a hook in a pond full of hungry trout."
"So do you want to talk to Haru about it?" the Neko smirked.
"Actually, I was thinking of having you call Kagura to tell them." Yuki shot back with a sly grin.
"Kuso Nezumi!" But this wasn't something to brawl over, not now. But definatly later, the Neko thought.

"Taidama," Yuki called as he took off his shoes in the entrance way.
"Okaeri!" Shigure popped his head out of his office. "Is Tohru-kun at work?"
"Aa," Kyou replied, plopping in front of the TV in the living room and flicking the switch on.
--"Authorities say they are still on the lookout for the convicted child rapist, 35 year old Hojima Seiichi, who escaped from his prison cell late Wednesday afternoon. Police Chief Takanawa stated early this morning that someone spotted him in the Industrial District near a Sohma office building on the corner of..."--1
Kyou and Yuki looked at each other, hearts thumping.

-Thursday night-

A black car drove slowly down the street, bright headlights cutting across the road. A man sat in the back seat holding a cell phone to his ear. It was Hiroko.
"Yes Sohma-sama we're searching now. This is where he was last spotted, thanks to that woman tipping off the police."
The little box car crept down the street, coming up on a man walking staunchly down the sidewalk. Hiroko checked the mug shot printed off his computer and at the man.
"Pull up some," he told the driver, who complied silently.
With another look at the picture and then another at the man, Hiroko nodded. "Yep its him. We've got him Sohma-sama."
"Good, good." Akito's voice came over the phone. "Bring him to me."
"Roger that sir." Hiroko disconnected and rolled down his window. "You." he called to the man.
Hojima Seiichi turned around.
"Are you Hojima Seiichi?"
"Who wants to know?" he rebuttled defensively.
Hiroko grinned. "Someone with an offer you can't refuse. Get in."
Hojima studied him cautiously, and got into the car.

Dinner was tense; Kyou and Yuki checked the clock anxiously every thirty seconds like it would do tricks. Afterwards, they sat, mute as stones, watching the time tick by slowly. Shigure looked at them. Something was up.
"Aw, do you miss Tohru-kun so much you can't wait for her to get off so you can pick her up?" he laughed at his little joke.
Nothing but glares came his way.
"Sheesh. What's wrong with you both?"
Silence.
"You two are boring. I'm going to call Haa-san. It'll be be more fun than sitting here with you both." Shigure pouted. He left the room.
Another look at the clock.

Yuki sighed. This was really wearing on his nerves. He hardly ate at dinner, his stomach was too tied up. The silence pounded at his ears, he wanted to kick, scream, anything! Woe betide the bastard that harmed her, his Tohru...He had half the mind to leave right then and there and wait outside the building until Tohru came out. But instead, he sat, letting the nerves eat at him, and his eyes tick back and forth between the time and the orange-haired teen across from him.

Kyou was just as fidgety as the Rat. He was worried out of his mind, wating for the clock to say when it would be time to go. He probably wouldn't be able to relax until she was in the house and the door locked safely. His stomach churned at the thought of some sick psycho fucker putting his hands on her...his fists clenched involuntarily.
Back and forth, back and forth.

"Ah, Honda-kun, you're overworking yourself again!" Tanigawa stood over the girl scrubbing the floor.
"Gomen Tanigawa-san! Did you want to do this?"
"No," she laughed. "But that doesn't mean you have to. Why don't you leave early tonight?"
"A-are you sure? There's still a lot left to be done."
"Maa, maa, daijobu. Go home and get some rest, ne?"
"If you're sure...Arigatou Tanigawa-san!" she bowed and went to change her clothes.

-Thursday night: Dinner-

Akito sat in his chair at the end of the elegant table and ate daintily, as opposed to Hojima, who ate sloppily. Hiroko stood by and grimaced as he watched the man hog down his food. When they were both finished, Akito leaned on his elbows and put two fingers to his lips.
"I suppose now that we've had our fill, we can get down to business?" he asked amicably.
"Sure, sure."
"Wonderful. You see my dear sir, I want you to do something for me. I will pay you handsomly you can be certain." he snapped his slender fingers and Hiroko lifted a briefcase sitting beside him on the floor, and brought it to the table. He opened it.
Hojima eyes the contents greedily.
"A hundred thousand dollars. And this is only half, a starting payment you could say."
The convict's mouth dropped and shut again. He looked Akito in the eyes. "What is it you want me to do?"
Akito grinned madly. "This," he said, handing him a picture of a girl with long auburn hair and wide innocent eyes.
Hell, Hojima thought looking at the picture hungrily. I woulda done this for free. He shook Akito's hand. "You gotta deal."
Akito laughed.

Tohru punched out at ten on Tanigawa's orders. She hung her work uniform in her locker and grabbed her bag. She walked out the building's front door and automatically looked for Yuki, but remembered it was early, and he was probably still at home She began her walk home, looking around her cautiously. It was the first time walking home in the dark alone. It was scary without Yuki or Kyou there with her. She kept watching behind her every so often, but keeping her thoughts happy. /I hope they've all eaten...I wonder what I should make tomorrow...Shiokara sounds good, can't be leeks, Kyou-kun hates leeks...can't have pickles in it, Yuki-kun doesn't like them...Shigure-san will eat anything.../
Another look behind her revealed a middle-aged man with short hair and dangerous eyes. He gave her a leering grin. She turned her head and walked a bit faster. She took a quick look back to see him still walking at the same pace, and she sighed and mentally hit herself. /Baka Tohru, she thought. He's just a man walking. He was probably just smiling to be friendly./ She looked back again, and instead of seeing him a few feet behind her, she saw he had caught up with her. Before any thoughts could register in her brain, everything went black.

1...See, I don't know the name of the building she works at or what street its on or, anything about streets in Japan at all!! -shame- Maybe some kind person will tell me...

YIPPIE!!!! That's the first chapter. Stay tuned for chapter two!! And again, this goes out to Tess-kun, Merry Christmas!!!! WOOHOO!!!