19

Shigure raised his head from his bent knees. He had heard Kyo yell. He felt his right hand getting hot and looked at the long stick of ash he was holding- he had forgotten about the cigarette. Suddenly, he saw the lights of Hatori's approaching car- he was driving fast. The car came to a screeching halt just before it came into sight of Shigure's house. Shigure laughed- the doctor didn't want anyone to know how worried he had been. He drove up slowly, parked, and came out with his black bag.

"Shigure? Has she gotten worse?" the concern was evident. He had already lost the woman he had been in love with, he didn't want to loose another who he cared so much about. He couldn't figure out what he thought of her. He knew she reminded him of Kana but, she felt like a part of the family. Like a niece that he had been asked to protect. That didn't cover it though… He knew that everyone loved her, and that they all felt like she was a part of the family. 'And there are at least two who I think would like to be the one to make her really be a part,' he thought to himself. 'And even more who want to see it happen. Maybe that's why I worry about her so. I don't want anyone to go through the pain the Kana and I have suffered in different ways.' He sighed.

"I don't know Hari." He hadn't been crying but it sounded like it. "She just hit her head on the table. There was a loud bumping noise and then nothing. She didn't even have time to express pain, she was just unconscious." Hatori was sure that Shigure had more to say but he wasn't interested. He hurried up the stairs and into Tohru's room. He took a look around and was shocked to see how upset and worried they all were.

"Go sit by Kyo, Yuki." He commanded. Yuki let go of her hand and took a few steps back- that was the farthest he was going to go from her side until he found out what her condition was.

"She has a fever," Kyo offered, even though he knew that the doctor already knew, he wanted to help." 'Damn rat, I'm just as upset as you.' He thought angrily, shooting Yuki a glare.

Hatori took her temperature- it was high, too high. Then he put his hands on her head and carefully felt it for unusual lumps or soft spots. He found one on the back of her head, 'This must be where she hit it.' "She hit her head on a very sensitive and slightly weak spot," he announced, "that must be why she was knocked unconscious." 'This isn't good' he thought, not wanting to tell the children.

"She's been thrashing a little," Yuki said quietly.

"Yeah, and whimpering and stuff," Kyo added.

"I want this fever brought down as soon as is possible!" he demanded, urgency in his voice.

Hatori then continued his inspection of her head and Yuki and Kyo hurried off for more cool water and some medicine. "Come in here please, Shigure," he said, sensing his friend's presence outside the door. Shigure stumbled in. "She has a high fever- we need to bring it down. She's hit her on a vulnerable spot so we're going to have to watch her. I'm worried about the possibility of a concussion, especially with this fever. Kisa, I don't think,"

"Please let me stay right here, Grandpa Hatori! Sisy needs me!" She tightened her embrace around the girl. He sighed and lifted her up- she started crying harder but she didn't fight him. However, Hatori bent down and pulled back the covers of Tohru's giant bed. He moved a pink pillow from the corner over to the right of Tohru and then lay Kisa down, carefully placing her head on the pillow and pulling the covers up to her shoulder. Kisa threw her arms around Tohru and looked up at Hatori. She didn't know how to thank him, but he understood what her watery eyes said.

The phone ran and Shigure ran to answer it while Hatori gave the boys instructions about lowering her fever and watching over her.

"I want constant surveillance for the first twenty four hours so we should take shifts. I want all of you to sleep now- you're tired. I'll watch over her."

"Hatori, can you come here please?" Shigure asked. Hatori hurried down the stairs. Shigure handed him the receiver and he listened as a very nervous girl told him that Akito demanded his presence immediately and it could not wait. He slammed the phone down.

"Damn!" he cursed. Shigure had only seen him so angry a few times before. "Shigure, I'm sorry. I have to go. I'll come back as soon as I can. The boy's have been given instructions, just get that fever down and don't give her too much medicine." He grabbed his coat and put on his shoes and flew out the door.

Shigure climbed up the steeps to offer to watch her first but Yuki and Kyo both insisted that they watch her. Shigure yawned and went to bed,

"It won't do Tohru any good if we're all exhausted tomorrow," he added to himself.

Yuki turned out the lights and returned to her bedside. Kyo sat on the edge and raised her head. He poured in some water and a couple of tablets of a medicine.

"Go sit on the roof," Yuki told him. "I know that's where you want to go." Kyo couldn't tell if he was being kind or mocking him but it was where he wanted to go so he climbed up- he couldn't bear to be in the same room as Yuki anymore anyway.

"You'd better not let anything happen to her!" He called as his legs were hoisted out of sight.

"Why would I? You are such an idiot!" Yuki retorted, automatically curling his fist. He sighed and looked back at Tohru, she was whimpering again.

He held her hand and started crying- just a little. It was just over a week ago that she had held him in her hand and protected him from getting sick, taken care of him when he could hardly get out of bed and now he could hardly do anything. He put her hand up against his cheek, longing to be cradled in it again. 'Why am I so upset? She's going to be ok. Hatori promised she's be ok' He thought, confused. But, he hated to see her in any kind of pain and now here she was…

The night dragged on for the three men. Kisa had quickly fallen asleep but it would not come to the others. They took turns of watching her and disappearing. Akito did not allow Hatori to return until late the next morning- this time, Hatori didn't bother pretending that he had rushed over, no one noticed anyway.

20

Two days later, Tohru woke up. Her eyes slowly came into focus but she could feel someone holding her hand.

"Yuki?" her voice was faint but he heard it loud and clear.

"Tohru? You're awake?" He turned his head in disbelief. His eyes were red and it was obvious from his scruffy hair and wrinkled clothes he hadn't bathed in the past two days or if he had they hadn't been very long baths. "Oh! Miss Honda! You're awake! You're ok!"

"Of course I'm ok," she laughed, very confused. "That's funny I don't remember going to bed. Did I fall asleep while cleaning up?" Yuki laughed and smiled a huge smile. He was so relived.

"No, no. You bumped your head and you've been sleeping for the past three nights. We've all been here taking care of you. I'm so glad you're ok. We were a little worried for a while when the fever came back on the second night." He tenderly brushed some hair out of her face and tucked it behind her ear. "Hey everyone! Come quick! She's awake! Miss Honda is ok!"

It was as thought a floodgate had been opened. Kyo suddenly appeared on her balcony and ran into the room; Kisa jumped onto her bed and threw her arms around Tohru tears streaming down her face. She was followed by a very groggy Hatori and Shigure- the doctor quickly felt her temperature and though he needed to ask her a few questions, he was pretty sure she was on a good path to being fully recovered and if there had been a concussion it was gone or harmless. Shigure, meanwhile, stepped back into the hall to brush a little tear of relief from his cheek.

When Yuki had called out to the household, there had been a crash and the sound of something breaking. Now Momiji raced in, little chips of white china clinging to his slippers.

"Tohru! Tohru! You're ok!" he threw his arms around her and she did the same. Poof! An elated rabbit snuggled his soft little head under her chin- her arms still tightly around him 

21

When everyone was finally satisfied that Tohru was ok and would stay that way, the sleep they had been battling finally over came them. She was tired too, but she had to talk to Kisa first. She was still cuddled up next to Tohru, but now Tohru was petting her head- like a mother would.

"Kisa, I'm so sorry that I ruined the end of your birthday."

"No you didn't, Sisy! I had the best birthday of my life and it's because of you! I'm just so happy you're ok." Tohru gave her a big hug.

"Kisa, I don't know why anyone would ever be mean to you, but if they are…"

"School is getting better. They don't laugh at me anymore-well.. not very much anyway."

"I'm glad to hear that, but you still deserve to be treated better- much better. Please, please don't ever forget that you've got a big family and lots of friends in it who love you."

"Like you?"

"Especially me, even though I'm not part of the Shoma family"

"You are to me, Sisy." Kisa looked right into Tohru's eyes to show how serious she was. Then Tohru gave her another hug. She felt so comfortable with all of them it was hard to remember that she didn't really belong there. But… to be told that she did…

"Good night, Sisy." Kisa said softly, felling a little silly since it was the middle of the day.

"Good night, little sister." Tohru replied before she slipped into another dream.

Kisa knew everything would be ok. She knew something was wrong with her mother, even though no one would tell her so. But she had her family and she loved them all so much and they had told her that they loved her. Yes, everything would be ok. 'One day, I just know she'll really, truly be a part of my family. But she'll always be my sister.' Kisa thought, as she adjusted her pillow and tugged at her nightgown 

22

The girls had only been sleeping for a little while when Tohru's door opened. It was Momiji, carrying a futon and a blanket. He put it at the foot of Tohru's bed- now he could sleep. He stood above her and watched her for a few minutes, just to be sure that she really was ok. Then he hopped under his blanket and fell asleep. Next came Kyo, carrying only a blanket. He jumped down onto the balcony and left the blanket draped on the railing. He bent down by her bed and took her hand. The cat stood above the girl, his intense eyes watching her for a few moments, to make sure she was fine, and that she really was there. Then he went back out to the balcony. He took off his little blue jacket and wadded it into a pillow, then he let his eyes close.

Yuki entered next. He lay his futon at the other side of the room to be polite (he would have liked to have been closer but he thought it improper). But, before he could lie down, he walked over to her bed and wrapped his purple scarf loosely around her neck. He took her hand in his again, but this time he was holding it for joy, not fear. He closed his eyes, again remembering how nice it had been to ride in her hand. Then he reached into his pocket and pulled out two purple hair ribbons that perfectly matched the scarf she had given him. He had intended to give them to her as a thank you for helping with the base (that was his excuse anyway) but, this was better. "Sleep well, Tohru," he whispered, kissing her forehead. He too was then able to close his weary eyes as he crawled under the heavy blanket.

Finally, the sound of two futons being dropped came from the hall. Hatori and Shigure were the last to approach her bed that morning. Each smiled and breathed a sigh of happy relief.

"Well, Hari, its good to know she's okay. Let's go sleep. I'm going to have a long conference with the principle about special arrangements for making up the work they've all missed in the past two days… Kisa's too I suppose."

"I've already spoken to the principles- the boys and Kisa must be back on Friday but I insisted that Miss Honda could return on Monday at the earliest. There's no problem. I've taken care of it." Shigure was curious about what Hatori had said but he was too tired so he simply turned and flopped down on his futon. Hatori looked at the girl a little longer. He reached down to tuck a few hairs behind her ears but he noticed the ribbons in her hands and the scarf. Kyo's jacket had also gone from under his head to being spread across her shoulders (Kisa had not given up her embrace yet so her arms were covered as well) and there were a few faint blonde rabbit hairs still clinging to the neck of her nightgown. He cupped his hand next to her head and rubbed her cheek softly with his thumb.

"You certainly have found a place in this family. Maybe you are real family to those of us who have met you." He brushed her hair back, as so many of the others had while watching her sleep and bent down to kiss Kisa on her forehead. "You're going to be just fine, little one." He reached down and pulled up the covers over her shoulder which was not covered by Kyo's jacket. Then he looked at Tohru again and noticed the she was smiling. He couldn't help smiling back and whispering, "You sure are something," before turning and returning to his futon in the hall. His thoughts wandered back to the thought of her being a part of this family, his family, while he took off his white coat and neatly folded it before lying down. 'You are to me. That's what I want to protect you. I think. Yes, that must be it. That's why I want to protect all of you. You're my family.' His thoughts made less and less sense from that point on as sleep crept over his exhausted body. However, he knew that Kisa had found her family, people she could trust, people who accepted and loved her, and people she loved in return. "I suppose, that even the cursed can find happiness." 'Maybe the juunishi are not just cursed but blessed as well. Maybe.' When his eyes closed the entire household was finally asleep, and on Thursday morning the sun rose more beautifully than it had for years, but no one in that little house was awake to see it.

The End