A little, I replaced the chapter notes on reviews, with the real chapter, checklist. You might wanna read the actual chapter seven before chapter 8... oo hehe it might help. X Sorry if it's caused angry wait, it's not my fault ppl who get notified on chapters don't get notified when a chapter is replaced... gomen!


Chapter 8 – Finishing Up Part 1

Tohru walked quickly to the Estate again the next day, she still had a job to do. She hummed happily as she searched the compound for Hatsuharu, the next one on her list. She needn't search anymore because she was so carefree she almost bumped into him, almost...

"Oh Haru, hello, sorry 'bout that." Tohru bowed slightly to Haru, he did the same to her.

"No problem how's Yuki? Free yet?" Haru asked with genuine concern.

"No, his is a hard one, but yours isn't." Tohru smiled sweetly.

"Oh?" Haru inquired.

Tohru nodded and said, "Rin Sohma is your girlfriend is she not?"

Haru looked down at the ground, "Yes, she was. She... dumped me but wouldn't say why; I haven't spoken to her since."

"Oh, Haru... well... looks like yours isn't as easy as I'd hoped." Tohru laughed, "Please take me to see Rin." Haru did as she asked, they (cursed ones anyway) were all under strict orders (via Akito) to obey whatever Tohru said.

"Kagura?" Haru called.

Kagura appeared at the door and smiled, "Tohru, Haru! Hello."

"Hello Kagura, um... Haru, Rin is here?" Tohru asked slightly confused.

Haru nodded, "It's a long sad story, and we prefer not to say."

Tohru nodded respectfully.

"You're here to see Rin Tohru?" Kagura asked sweetly, she had changed so much since her freedom. Tohru nodded, and Kagura gestured for them to come inside. They came inside and Kagura called Rin down.

"Haru..." Rin gasped slightly.

"Rin." He nodded respectfully.

"Tohru..." Rin faced her.

"Rin, it's okay. I'm here to help; we need to talk, please?" Tohru asked as kind as she could.

Rin nodded and gestured for Tohru to follow her to her room, when Haru tried to follow she glared at him, and he backed off to sit with Kagura and ask about her freedom.

"Rin, you skip a lot of school I hear." Tohru said plainly.

"Ya, so?" Rin asked her voice edgy with attitude.

"Nothing, what happened between you and Haru?" Tohru asked absently so as not to attract too much attention.

"Hmm? Oh... well..." Rin stopped.

"Please continue." Tohru looked at Rin hopefully.

(A/N: I have no idea how this goes, so I'm making it up as how I thought/think it goes... I hope I'm right...)

"When we were going out, Akito found out. He... confronted me at the Main House and... kicked me in my chest. It was a pretty bad injury... I had to be hospitalized. I spent that time wondering if what we were doing was right, and when he was finally allowed to visit, I broke up with him, for both our safety. Even if Akito had confronted Haru... Black Haru would've taken over most likely and killed Akito... or something. So it was safer..." Rin stopped again hoping Tohru was done, she wasn't.

"Okay... progress... why do you live here?" Tohru asked absently again, and again Rin gave the answer freely.

"When I was 5 I had the notion in my head that my parents loved me, they didn't, they beat me horribly. So I told Kagura, she was always someone who'd listen and I moved in here with her and her mom." Rin said sadly.

Tohru wasn't discouraged by any of this, if she ever wanted freedom she needed self-respect, and love.

"You're not very happy with yourself or your life are you? Would you like freedom if I could offer it to you?" Tohru asked sweetly, she smiled at her.

Rin gave a slight grin, but it was gone as quick as it came, "No, my life is Hell... freedom? I'd love freedom, from Akito, the Curse... life."

"Don't turn into Ritsu please! I can help you..." Tohru said nervously, and Rin laughed, her voice rang like a sweet clear bell, Haru heard it and Kagura had to contain him from running upstairs.

"Try and help, I'm ordered to do whatever you tell me to." Rin said bossily.

"Just because someone tells you something doesn't mean you have to obey, Akito or not. Well let's see, would it help if you knew Haru loved you very much?"

"No."

"Do you have any friends?"

"No. Unless you count Kagura."

"Hold on." Tohru went to retrieve Haru.

"Rin, I love you very much, and I'm always here." Haru said kneeling in front of her as soon as he walked in.

"Haru... Akito..." Rin stuttered.

"He beat her because of you. She was hospitalized because of you." Tohru said shyly.

Haru gazed at Rin in awe, "I... Rin..." Haru wanted nothing more then to hold Rin, nothing more then to comfort her, but he knew she wouldn't allow it. She saw all he wanted to do in his eyes, and he was right she wouldn't allow it...

"I don't want your sympathy!" Rin spat angrily. She turned her head away from him, but he put her hands on her face and turned her head to face him again, she just stared at him, as if he was invisible.

Tohru stood up, "Stop being defiant Rin!" Tohru was forceful and angry, a one time things... be happy she's not directing it at you.

"I lost my father when I was small, and I lost my mother a few years ago. I found some happiness in my friends and this family. You're being miserable for no reason, you have people who care. Parents or not, you should be grateful. If you wanna stay cursed, go ahead." Tohru has lost it, she had gone mental on Rin, anyone who knew her would think she was possessed, and in a way she was. She had realized to get through to Rin she had to be forceful.

"She's right Rin." Haru said softly. Rin's sharp gaze pierced him but he didn't flinch.

"I..." Rin started, she never finished, and Haru was kissing her.

"Haru..." Rin said her eyes gleaming; a smile flickered on her face.

"Now, tell me, my love, how much does thou love me?" Haru said fingering her hair.

"I love you too much to say." She hugged him tight.

Tohru bowed, "Then I'm done. Haru, a hug to test my theory?"

He gave her a hug and he didn't transform, so then Rin hugged him again, she didn't transform either. Smiling, the 2 of them waved goodbye to Tohru. Tohru walked away, just a few more... so when she got home, she opened her poem book and picked out, 'Open your Heart'.

Open your heart

To eternal dimension

Open your heart

For love and affection

Open your heart

Your every emotion

Open your heart

For tears and rejection

Come to the grace

Of heaven's eternal fantasy

Come to the grace

Of earthly devoted harmony


I hope you guys are enjoying my story, and if you're sure my story will have a happy ending you're probably right, but remember, 'It's always darkest before dawn.'