Well that certainly was dramatic. Yes, I officially am trying to work pairings into this. Current possibilities: Tohru X Inuyasha, Yuki X Kagome, some Kyo X Kagome so he doesn't feel left out. (I apologize heavily to Animefreakkagome, I originally wasn't going to put any pairings into this, but they just worked their way in.;; Please, put the axe down, and not by hurling it into my vital areas if you please.) I was positively gleeful after writing that last chapter! I plan to work the infamous Akito into this, along with Shigure's dark past. Here ya go!

Chapter 10

Secrets Shrouded in the Night

Shigure's side bumped painfully into the sharp kitchen counter. Poor Yuki. He doesn't know what he's gotten himself in for. he thought with remorse, his own painful memories surfacing.

"No! You can't control me, Akito." a younger Shigure yelled.

"Yes I can. I'm the head of this family now, you have to do what I say." the boy said darkly. There was a sharp sound that cut through the air like the cracking of a whip. The younger Shigure cried out in pain. . .

Shigure was brought out of his painful revere by a crashing and the sound of ripping paper. He rushed over to help Tohru back to her feet.

"I'm sorry, so clumsy of me." she mumbled apologetically. Shigure lifted her out of the remnants of yet another paper door.

"Don't worry about it, Tohru. It's not the first time this kind of thing has happened, really." Tohru still looked dazed. "You look tired, maybe you should go to bed."

Wordlessly nodding, Tohru staggered up to her bedroom and flopped down on her soft mattress.

"You too, Kyo." said Shigure.

"Why do I," he started angrily, " . . . oh all right." Kyo passed Shigure, walking wordlessly up the stairs.

"We'll be off, then." said Arisa, standing up with a little help from Hanajima.

"I wonder what happened, everyone's acting like they've had a bolt from the blue." said Shigure innocently.

"Yeah, I guess that's what you'd call it." said Arisa, almost stuttering from the nervous jitters running through her. The two left in silence. Yes, a bolt from the blue . . . he thought, slipping into another painful revere.

"Ha'ri, please," sobbed Shigure, "please, don't do it. She'd never . . . you know her!"

"Yes, but it must be done." he said sadly. "You could never be with her, you know that."

"I know," he sniffed, "but I'd do anything for her. It's my brother that's doing this, but it's not his fault."

"It never has been. That's the curse." Hatori leaned down to comfort the whimpering dog. "You're not alone in this."

"Shigure?" Yuki's face still had some of it's red hue, but he had recovered from the incident for the time being. "Shigure, is something wrong?" A strange look had come over the dog's face, a look of extreme seriousness and, almost, pain.

"Hm? Oh, no. I'm alright. You get off to bed, Yuki. You need your rest. I'll be up shortly." The rat turned, almost reluctantly, away from his cousin and began walking up the stairs.

"And Yuki," Shigure began. The boy turned back to look at him. "you're not alone in this."

He nodded somberly, and continued his assent.

Shigure sat down heavily in the living room, rubbing his temples. They keep coming back. he thought. Maybe I need to call Ha'ri. He reached for the phone, but decided against it. If I can't deal with my memories after all these years, what kind of adult would I be? As if on cue, he sunk into his third, and not final, revere of the night.

"Come on, little brother," said a child-hood Shigure, his short black hair tossed messily from running, "live a little! Come with us to the park!" He began to drag the small boy along behind him.

"Come on! I can't carry all the way." he said defiantly, letting the small pale arm go slack.

"Why?" said a quiet voice.

"What do you mean why? We're just going to have fun!"

"No, you imbecile." said the cold voice. "Why live? I'm just going to die anyways." The words were like daggers of ice, cutting through the bond of brotherhood.

"No, Akito. You're coming with me to the park and you're going to have fun." said Shigure defiantly. He put the small, pale, little wisp of a boy over his shoulder and began to carry him.

"Let me go!" Suddenly, an adult Akito began beating Shigure with a vengeance.

"I just want us to be like brothers! Ah!" Akito picked up Shigure by the neck.

"You have no authority over me." From some unknown fold of his robe, Akito brought out a sharp knife. "You are nothing to me." He raised the knife to Shigure's neck, laughing cruelly.

There was a sharp thump as Shigure's head hit the table, rudely awakening him. He had dozed off and his imagination had gotten away from him. Just a dream . . . he thought. But it wasn't all a dream.

Heaving his tired body up the stairs, he began counting the atrocities his younger brother had committed. Lets see, hurting Ha'ri and Kana, hurting Kisa,

He was counting them off on his fingers as he opened the door to his room. Hurting Rin, I wonder if she's out of the hospital, but that includes hurting Haru. Torturing Yuki, that's a big one, ah yes. He removed a stray blanket fold and dusted off an old photograph. He hurt you too, didn't he.

The picture contained a woman, but she was still quite young. She looked around 16 or 18, but very mature and very beautiful. Her wavy auburn hair was back in two braids, but it couldn't have been far below shoulder-length. She was in her prime of life, enjoying every minute of it, and smiling delightedly at the camera.

"Uh, um, hello." A teen-age Shigure said awkwardly to the second most popular girl in the school.

"Oh, hi." She turned to him swiftly, her hair fluffing in the wind.

"I was wondering if, well, you know," he scratched his head nervously, "you'd like to study with me."

"Well, I have been having a little trouble in science lately." she said, agreeing.

"Great! Um, I mean, it's not great that you're having trouble I just meant that . . ." he stammered.

"So, when were you thinking of getting together?" she asked, smiling.

"Is after-school today okay? You could . . . come over." Shigure said, butterflies filling his stomach to the brim.

"Sure. I'll see you then!" she waved to the boy as she walked away toward her friends.

It can begin so innocently, he thought, remembering something more cheerful, but it always ends in guilt and sadness. Kana's guilt, Hiro's guilt, and mine. He put away the picture and changed into his pajamas. Curling up under the covers and staring at the ceiling, Shigure fell into a fitful sleep.

"Her memories will be erased." Akito stated coldly.

"No! You can't do this to me, to her! You can't!" Shigure shouted in denial.

"Yes I can. And I will. You have been spending too much time with that silly little girl."

"She's not silly and she's not little. She's very mature, she accepts the curse, Akito, and she accepts me! She swore she wouldn't tell a soul!"

"And you trust her? Would you trust her with your life?" he said, his unfeeling fists clenching.

"I've given her everything I can. I want to give her my life, my whole being, my very existence rests in her!" Shigure tried in vain to make him understand. "You've never truly lived, you wouldn't know what it's like! Akito, I'd do anything for her!"

"Tomorrow, bring her to Hatori's office for a . . . check up."

"I won't let you hurt her!" He stood up in an attempt to be commanding to his younger sibling. "I'm the oldest, you have to listen to me and I'm telling you," silent tears began to well up in his eyes, "I'm telling you that you can not erase her memories!"

"You . . . Dare . . . To Order . . . Me . . . AROUND!" Despite his weak health, Akito grabbed on to his brother's shirt collar, yanking him up to eye level. From an unseen fold in his clothing, he brought out his biting whip.

Mercilessly, he threw Shigure's head against the wall. The poor dog slumped to the floor as a small trickle of red blood ran from his head. Akito brandished the whip in his face.

"You'll pay for your insolence." he said icily, raising the whip and bringing it harshly down on his own flesh and blood. Shigure cried out in pain, but his cries were overpowered by the stinging swish and thwack of the whip. The anguish was excruciating, but it was the laughter that lingered in the air like winter's last deadly chill.

Shigure woke to the ring of the alarm clock. He groaned as he went to turn it off. I forgot to turn it off last night. It's Saturday and I'd prefer to get some sleep. Groggily, he trudged back to his room, but found he couldn't fall back asleep no matter how early the hour.

He tossed and turned fitfully, unable to get Akito's cruel laugher fully out of his mind.

Down the hall, Yuki laid awake as well, the events of the past night still going through his head. How would he confront Kagome? How could he even look at her?

Two rooms down, Kagome woke up, Yuki's words still ringing in her ears. What could she have done differently? What should she have done?

Suddenly, the three simultaneously shoved their covers aside and, rubbing sleep out of their eyes, got up and opened the door to their rooms.

The first person Yuki noticed was Shigure. I suppose something really was bothering him, it doesn't look like he got much sleep. The thoughtful rat began to ponder what could have been troubling the old dog. Next, he noticed Kagome. His face began to redden slightly as he once again recalled the night before. He deeply considered closing his door to the world and going back to bed, but it was too late.

Shigure noticed Kagome and Yuki the moment they opened their doors. He suddenly felt a wave of pity for the girl. She didn't know what she was up against. Yuki knew full well what Akito would do if he heard about what had happened, and he seemed ready for it. He had braced his emotions for the impact as best he could. I see it's time for the younger generation of us cursed members to feel the true pain of the Sohma curse.

Kagome's eyes had been still closed when she first opened her door. She saw Yuki, his soft violet eyes looking her way. What should she say to him? What could she say to him? Her eyes wandered to Shigure. Did he know what had gone on that night?

All three were stuck in their doorways, afraid to continue on into the world, but too resolute to go back to bed.

"Well, good morning. I trust no person here slept particularly well?" Shigure said, trying his best to act normally. "I thought not. I'll keep my troubles to myself and let you two keep yours. Now, if you don't mind, I'll be the first in the bathroom."

The door shut with a small click, leaving the two teenagers alone in the dim hallway. The one person they had been hoping to avoid that day was standing right in front of them.

Author's Pole!

I need to see who likes my current pairings: Y/K and I/T.

And who hates my guts for making them. If you happen to be one of those who hate my guts, input other substitute pairings. I am open to suggestions, the story can be woven any way.