Disclaimer: I own nothing. It's a rainy Saturday, so away I go writing for my loyal fans another chapter! I love you fans!
Chapter 17 Reunion
Tohru, Yuki, and Kyo slept fairly well last night. The boys slept peacefully, but Tohru found herself restless, tossing and turning in her sleep. She fell into a deep nightmare, and it only grew worse with each passing moment.
Flash! She looked to her mother in the car smiling as the windshield wipers went back and forth, she looked to the front window to see two giant headlights coming at them, screaming, the crashing and cracking of the windshield wiper "MOM!" Flash! Tohru walked through her grandfather's house being pushed around by her uncles and aunts yelling and glaring at her. "Tohru do the dishes!" Flash "Tohru its time for school lets go!" Momiji was calling out to her waving his hand. Flash "Don't resist" growled an evil Dark Haru's voice Flash Tohru fainting outside the classroom, hearing Kyo scream for her Flash Tohru slamming the star into her chest Flash Tohru singing at the bar Flash "You traitor!" Uo screaming Flash Tohru falling from the bridge, falling, slamming into the rocks. "They don't care about you....they don't care about you...."
"No...you're wrong....they care about me"
"Who are you trying to trick....they find your burdensome"
"A burden...no...they don't think that...they want to adopt me"
"Pension and inheritance. Using you...just like your family....everyone you love will die. Everyone around you will get hurt"
"No stop it! They won't get hurt! I won't hurt them"
"Liar!"
"STOP IT"
"Tohru? Tohru what's wrong?" Tohru could feel someone shaking her, but her kept her hands firmly clamped over her ears. "Stop...make him go away" She cried hysterically. That dark voice calling to her again and again "Everyone will get hurt....everyone you love will die"
"Make who go away? Tohru, Tohru its Yuki, open your eyes"
"Make him stop...." She cried again curling herself up into a ball, his voice was like sharp needles in her head.
"Tohru just open your eyes, its me, Yuki, I'm right here beside you, no one is here to hurt you, no one's here but us...please Tohru open your eyes" Tohru was still screaming when she felt something drop onto her face, and she opened her eyes slowly, was that a tear she felt?
Tohru felt the voice slowly fade away, and she opened her eyes and looked up, to see Yuki's lavender eyes filled with tears. She could not find words to speak, but Yuki only brought her close kissing her lips, and then quickly hugged her close.
"I was so worried" Yuki whispered stuttering on his own tears.
"I'm so sorry...so sorry Yuki....I never meant for you to worry" She whispered quietly, picking up the teary rat Yuki. Yuki didn't mention kissing Tohru, but for the rest of the night, there was a thin line of blush on his face.
'Miss Honda, please don't apologize. I was sleeping when I heard you start to whimper. When I looked over to you, you started screaming. It was like you were lost in hysteria. What happened Tohru?"
"Oh, it was nothing, it must've been a nightmare" Tohru smiled petting Yuki's head.. Tohru's mind wandered back to that voice. No, it wasn't a dream. His voice, was so evil, and cold, like the frozen snow...
"Tohru what's with all the racket?" A sleepy Kyo asked rubbing his head.
"Miss Tohru had a nightmare." Yuki replied, Kyo looked to Yuki and started laughing "I don't think this is so funny"
"Oh hell yes it is! You're a little mouse in her arms"
"At least I'm not an idiot cat"
"What you say Rat boy!" Kyo looked over glaring
"Now now, please guys, can we do this when later, I'm not feeling....so well" Tohru pleaded as she held her head swaying slightly.
"Cat catch her!" Yuki demanded as Tohru began to fall back. Kyo quickly scampered up to catch her, but only changed into a cat as well.
"Now is it so funny that I'm a rat?" Yuki asked triumphantly
"Yeah yeah, I only did it to help Tohru"
Tohru was unconscious against the ground near the dying fire. Yuki and Kyo didn't know what to do until they changed back, so Kyo curled up next to Tohru, resting his head on her neck, and Yuki curled up against her collar bone and shoulder.
Tohru...what's wrong with you lately? Did Uo really have this much of an impact on you? Kyo thought, lifting up his head to look at her teary but slumbering face. He licked at her cheek gently and she flinched slightly but continued sleeping.
Yuki couldn't relax either. He could only replay their kiss again and again, and he was still somewhat blushing from it. Yuki was so relieved that Kyo hadn't seen it, nor that he could see Kyo blushing now.
Maybe, about half an hour passed before Tohru's hand began to twitch and she opened her eyes.
"What happened?" She asked sleepily.
"You fainted again Tohru" Kyo answered and she looked over to her side to see him in his cat form and she sat up startled
"Eeep oh no did I do it again? I'm so sorry!"
"Its alright, I caught you when you fainted and yeah well you get the rest" he replied quietly
"Where's Yuki?"
"He changed back a little while ago, he went to go find us something to eat, since last time..."
"Kyo I'm so sorry you got sick. Everyone was trying to take care of me, and you pushed yourself too hard." She sniffled
"Hey, its okay. I had to feed myself too you know" he replied grinning rubbing his head against her leg.
"I want to be back with everyone else. I'm scared, I don't like it out here"
"Well Yuki and I are here"
"And I'm glad you are. I don't think, I ever really thanked you for saving my life"
"What was I supposed to do? Stand there and watch like everyone else did? Tohru I would never would've forgiven myself if you had been hurt, you were lucky" Kyo looked the other way blushing a little. With that a cloud of smoke appeared and Tohru shrieked throwing Kyo's clothes at him and covering her eyes. Kyo looked back at her and smirked "Nice to be normal sized again"
Tohru for the first time since she had her nightmare laughed. Kyo smiled gently and helped her up just in time for Yuki to come back around the corner.
"You find any food rat?"
"Why yes I did" He held out his hands, filled with leeks
"LEEKS! That's not food its poison" Kyo growled
"Well then you can just starve" Yuki replied swiftly taking a bite out of one of the stalks, Tohru took one and did the same. Kyo growled again
"Please just eat them Kyo, we don't want you to get sick again" Tohru pleaded. Kyo looked at her sad eyes, and he sighed shoving one down his throat and swallowing it quickly. He started to gag a little but Tohru clapped her hands together smiling "You did it!"
Kyo just spat and looked the other way.
"Shall we go then?" Yuki asked "we might be more use if we actually tried looking for the others" Kyo looked to Tohru and asked gently
"Can you walk okay?"
Tohru only nodded and walked around like a solider in a circle "I'm fine"
Yuki and Kyo glanced at each other doubtfully, but they could easily stay here forever. It was already the third day of the trip. Each took one of Tohru's hands, and together the three of them walked down the path.
It was a lovely day, and considering all that happened, Tohru was still happy to be out on this trip. She'd be at home right now probably cleaning, it was nice to escape all of it. The three decided to walk more upstream, back to the bridge, hopefully they'd find out where the others were. As they walked, Tohru took note of the river, realizing now how much she had gone through.
Kyo and Yuki tried not to let it bother her.
"Do you think Momiji has annoyed everyone to death?"
"Aww why would anyone be annoyed with adorable Momiji? He's probably just helping everyone search that's all" Tohru grinned giggling
"Every time that kid opens his mouth its annoying" Kyo groaned
Tohru only laughed again "I see you're not the big brother material"
"Yeah well, that's what he gets for living in a mountain for 4 months, he isolated himself" Yuki replied
"Hey shut up"
"I think it shows his dedication. To leave all he knew just to train, its real determination" Tohru added, and Yuki looked to her surprised, but Tohru only smiled. Kyo pretended to be unemotional about it, but he couldn't help but let a smirk come across his face.
A few hours past, and after a while the boys could see Tohru starting to fall slowly behind them, she limping but not saying. The two stopped her, and they all sat down taking a break.
"How long have we been going?"
"I guess about three hours" Yuki answered looking at the sun.
"They're nearby I know they are" Tohru added wearily. As she closed her eyes to rest a bit, she could hear the faintest sound. "What a nice voice...." she whispered smiling
"What are you talking about?" Yuki asked
"I really think she's lost it now"
"Who is strolling through the forest....the birds and the bees sing Mo-mi-ji"
"MOMIJI?" Everyone sat up at once. Tohru quickly got to her feet, stumbling slightly.
"Which way should we go?" Kyo asked looking every which way
"I don't know, only Tohru seems to hear it" Yuki shouted back
Tohru stopped listening again for Momiji's voice, it seemed so far away. They were going in the opposite direction they were, farther away, Tohru couldn't have that happened. They needed to get back together, they had to, she was, she won't let it happen.
Tohru took a huge breath trying to calm herself. Yuki and Kyo were getting tired, Kyo had to be clinically checked out, she was worried for him.
"No no no this can't happen" She moaned to herself. She banged her fists against her head, desperately trying to figure out what to do. Momiji's voice was still growing smaller and smaller. She took in one more deep breath and screamed
"MOMIJI!" Her voice was so desperate, she was crying, she really hated this, she couldn't keep in all the pain she was feeling anymore. Tohru sank to her knees and waited for a sound. The forest was silent, no response. Tohru took in another deep breath and screamed again "MOMIJI!"
Kyo and Yuki watched her helplessly as she called out for Momiji, only to hear the silent replies. She finally drooped her head feeling defeat. Kyo and Yuki bent down next to her and tried to comfort her.
"He was so close...and I just let him slip away...we're going to be stuck in this damn forest forever." she shook her head miserably. Her chest hurt really bad, it was a mix of her breaking heart and deep pain.
The three of them were silent, unsure of what to do next, and no one wanted to move anyway. There was a small rustling in the bush and Tohru looked up quickly, and found Momiji on his knees before her.
"You heard my song!" He cried happily. Tohru looked to him, her eyes widening with such a relief. "You and I can hug Tohru, I'm only with Haru, so it won't matter" He grinned.
Tohru was so happy, she hugged him so tight, she didn't care when he was a bunny. Her tears were falling so freely, and it was the first time any of her true feelings fell.
"I'm so glad I heard you" She whispered burring her face his back fur.
"Well lucky for me, it wasn't as hard to miss your voice, I just didn't think to call back, I had already started running towards you" The little bunny whispered.
"Where's Haru?" Tohru asked worriedly.
"I'm right here" Haru answered walking through the bushes, he saw the bunny in her arms and he sat down in front of her hanging his head real low. "Tohru....I never meant for....I never in a million years....I was just...."
"Being an idiot that's what" Kyo finished the sentence for him angrily
"Stop it Kyo!" Tohru shot back, Kyo surprised. "I know it really scared you when he did that, but you know that Haru would never in a million years mean to intently harm any of us!" Tohru looked to Haru gently as he lifted his head surprised "Look, the more you beat yourself up for the past, the more you miss out on the future and present times. Accidents happen, and Kyo and I are fine. Can we please just go back to the camp?"
'What about Momiji?"
"He'll change back before then I bet." Yuki answered.
The five of them stood up, and started heading back to where they were. Tohru, Haru, and Momiji, who was still in Tohru's arms, stayed near the front since they knew the way back. Yuki had Momiji's clothes folded neatly in his arms.
Haru would constantly look over to Tohru, as if he wanted to say something, he never did, but Tohru noticed it, and she'd only smile at him.
How can she be so calm and forgiving, when it nearly costed Tohru her own life? How is she so easily able, to put aside anger and not care?
"Is something wrong Haru?" She asked finally
"Huh? Oh...nothing...don't worry about it" Haru stuttered shoving his hands into his pockets.
Midway through their walk Momiji changed back, poor Tohru, she nearly threw him into the woods. But soon after he was dressed, but mostly everyone was silent the walk home. Haru was starting to worry about Tohru, because she was looking sort of pale.
By nightfall, finally, they reached the camp. They walked over to the fire pit, the main gathering, and everyone looked up seeing her. They all ran right towards her, especially Uo, Hana, and Kei. Kei was the first to take her into his arms, but as she was hugged so fiercely she let out a pained scream.
"Tohru? Tohru what's wrong?" Kei looked at her worried
"Oh, I'm sorry, you just caught me off guard." She blushed slightly but then started to cough miserably. Kei let her go as she bent over coughing, until finally she coughed out blood and everyone looked at each other terrified.
Tohru couldn't stop, and the whole class was running over to her. Sensei got to her, telling everyone else to back up. Everyone hadn't even had a chance to tell her how glad they were that she was okay, everyone wanted to just cry and hug telling her the horrible ordeal was over, but this had to happen. Namura pulled out a cell phone quickly.
"Hello. I need a chopper here at the camp ground. We have a seventeen year old girl who's coughing up blood. She had a bad fall from a bridge yesterday, we only now just found her. She needs immediate medical attention" There was another voice on the end of the line, and Namura laid Tohru down gently as she continued to cough "Tohru, Tohru listen, we're getting you some help, they're on their way now, I need you to stay still"
"No...don't worry...I'm fine, just a little cough" Tohru whispered
All of Tohru's friends hovered around her, at the distance Namura would allow. He then looked to Kyo quickly. "You should go with her, you got washed down that river too" Kyo nodded quickly, he'd use any excuse to go and watch over Tohru.
Uo was in the back with Hana. She just couldn't believe this, Tohru had always been so strong, and put everyone else's needs before her own, but there she was, she looked so horrible. Uo didn't know whether to scream at Haru, cry for Tohru, or just break down. Uo still hadn't apologized to Tohru, it most definitely wasn't helping her. But Uo couldn't do it now, in front of everyone either.
The chopped had arrived, and the medics came out with a stretcher putting her on it gently. Tohru looked to the Sohmas terrified, but Kyo climbed in with her taking her hand and sitting beside the stretcher. He was whispering something into Tohru's ear. But nothing anyone could hear. The shaft closed up, and everyone had to cover their faces as the chopper left. Kyo had a cell phone with him, he promised to call them later.
Everyone watched as the chopper slowly faded away. Hana looked to Uo sadly and then back to the dot in the sky.
"This indeed will be a test of her will to live, and I fear, that we might not see her smile again"
Author's Note
Dun Dun Dunnn! Love to use Hana for her tone! Anyway sorry it took so long.