Well, eveyone, please don't hate me! I know this chapter is really sad, but bear with me, because I promise a happy ending for Haru and Momiji :) I promise! Wow, first of all, I've hit and surpassed 100 reviews! Thank you so much everybody! I never thought this story would be so popular! Ich liebe dich!

Just a note on Akito. Yes, I know about Akito's secret that would make parts of this chapter quite impossible! But since this hasn't been revealed yet in the English manga and never made it to the anime, I just disregarded it for this chapter. I had to, I had this whole thing planned from the beginning. If you don't know about Akito then just don't worry about it. (My personal opinion is that Akito's gender should've never been messed with anyways!

Please enjoy this chapter! (As much as is possible ;; )

"Ugh," Haru shifted uneasily, the stone stairs cutting into his back. A gust of chilly air ruffled his white tresses, causing him to bury his face further into his shirt collar. 'Oh shit, did I sleep outside?' Opening his groggy eyes, he scanned the canopy of stars overhead, watching them as they glittered between the clay rooftops and well-groomed trees. 'I wonder if Momiji is still upset?'

Rising to his feet, the cow stretched his stiff shoulders before pacing toward a nearby pond. 'I hope he understands why we can't be together. I don't want him to cry anymore!' Sinking onto a mossy stone, he stared at the garden unseeingly. 'I just can't bear to see him hurting.'

He reached into his pocket, extracting a familiar piece of paper. As he unfolded the note, tears started to brim in his eyes. 'You were so happy the day that you wrote this,' he examined the scattering of sloppy hearts and animals that splashed over the page. 'And I thought that I could make you even happier. But I failed. I always fail. I wanted to be your boyfriend, but if I'd known how badly everyone would treat you for it, I would have ripped up this message and thrown it away'

He crumbled the drawing in his fist. "I wish none of this would've happened!"

"You wish what wouldn't have happened?" A sickeningly-sweet voice questioned from behind the white-haired boy.

Haru whirled around, identifying the shadowy figure instantly. "Akito!"

"What are you doing out so late, cow?" The family head's eyes glittered with suspicion. "I hope you didn't get lost again."

"No, I-," the younger boy looked away, taking a deep breath. "I just needed some time alone."

Akito sneered intuitively. "You're nervous about something, aren't you, Hatsuharu? Are you afraid of me?" His laugh was cold and heartless. "Are you hiding something?"

"No!" Haru demanded in frustration.

"What is that paper in your hand?" He reached clawlike fingers to Haru's wrist, his lucid skin paling in the moonlight.

"It's nothing," keeping his voice firm, the white-haired boy saw the note crunch regretfully between his fingers. He discarded it in a nearby bust. "It's just trash."

Watching it fall, Akito's eyes flashed. "You can't hide anything from me, cow. Show me some respect!" His voice rose bitterly as he gave the younger boy a scathing sneer. "Shouldn't you be getting home?"

Obeying reluctantly, Haru cast one last glace toward the fallen drawing. 'Oh God, don't let him look at it!' He bowed in an insincere apology. "I'm sorry." As he turned to leave, his heart thundered, a sickening cloud of dread creeping through his veins.

Almost immediately, Akito reached greedy hands toward the letter. Opening the paper, his eyes lit up venomously. "I see."

"Momiji," Hatori's voice sounded strained as he entered the silent kitchen. Looking first to Hatsuharu, and then to his smaller companion, the seahorse tried to steady his breath. "Akito wants to see you."

The cow dropped his bowl of rice, sending it clattering across the floor. "Fuck!" Anger tore at his chest, frustration evoked not by his spilled breakfast but by his impending fear. 'He saw the note! Oh God, how could I be so stupid? I shouldn't have just left it there. I could've ran, or fought him, or even shredded it. But I was too weak! Now Momiji will have to face him in my place.' Jumping to his feet, Haru rushed to meet the doctor. "He can't go! Tell Akito I'll come talk to him, instead."

Hatori brought a warning hand to the white-haired boy's shoulder. "Haru, you know I can't do that."

"Komm schon! It's OK, Haru-kun," joining his boyfriend, the rabbit grazed a shy finger down Hatsuharu's arm. "I'll go!" Mustering a reassuring smile, the blonde attempted a cheery tone. "I haven't seen Akito for a really long time, so he must want to find out how school's going, or something! It will be fun to get to talk to him again!"

"I, I," Haru could not find the willpower to tell him of his mistakes or about his encounter with the family leader the night before. "I hope you're right."

"Keine Sorge, Haru-kun! Alle ist schön!" Unsure if he should try to kiss the other boy after the prior day's encounter, he offered a nervous wave instead. "Bis später! I'll come back as soon as I'm done, and then maybe we can go to the movies or to lunch, OK? I really want to talk to you about some things."

Haru looked away. "OK," he whispered. 'This is all my fault Momiji. Please don't let him hurt you,' he prayed silently as he worked to clean up the scattered rice grains.

Following the black-haired seahorse from the room, Momiji started to feel jittery. "Did he say why he wanted to see me? I really hope I didn't make him mad!" Tugging at his lacy sleeves, the rabbit became even more chatty in his edginess. "I really haven't seen him for a long time, so I'm happy that he invited me to his room. I need to thank him for letting me go to school with Tohru-kun and all my other friends!"

Ignoring the idle commentary, Hatori paused before an ornate shoji screen. "Akito-san," he began politely, "I've brought him to you."

The screen slid open, revealing a pale figure with piercing eyes. "Hello, Momiji-kun," Akito's smile was frigid and demanding. "I hope you don't mind spending some time with me today."

Dropping to his knees, Momiji flashed an apprehensive grin. "Of course not, Akito-san!" He hurried to assure his superior. "I don't have school today, so I have plenty of free time!"

"Good," the god smirked at the blonde's enthusiasm. "Come in."

Hatori gave Momiji a nudge, though he scanned Akito's face warily. "Go on." As he retreated, he felt foreboding dread rush through his veins. "I'll see you later, Momiji-kun."

Momiji turned back to wave before letting his frail cousin lead him into the room. "It's really nice to talk to you, Akito-san. Thank you for inviting me!"

As Akito slid the screen closed, he sneered. "Don't lie, rabbit. I can tell that you're afraid of me." Narrowing his eyes, he sank down on a silk cushion. "Wouldn't you rather be with the stupid cow?"

Momiji's stomach clenched as he fell into a deep bow once more. "What, what do you mean, Akito-san?"

Leaning forward, the family head let his icy fingers dance through Momiji's hair. "Come closer, rabbit." He eased Momiji nearer to him, not stopping until their faces were only inches apart. "Let me tell you a secret. I know everything about you. No matter how hard you try, you can't hide anything from me."

Wincing, the smaller boy forced a giggle. "Haru is my best friend, and I love to spend time with him! But I like to talk to you, too!"

Akito shoved the blonde across the wooden floor in his rage. "You're in love with him! You asked him to be your boyfriend!" Approaching the trembling boy, the black-haired man leaned over him hungrily. "And you think that he loves you, too."

Sliding a bony hand into his kimono, the Sohma god produced a familiar pink note. "You wrote this, didn't you, Momiji?" He thrust the drawing into the rabbit's face.

"How did you-?" Momiji stuttered, trying to catch his breath.

"He threw it away! He told me it was trash!" Snickering, Akito relished in the hurt that stung at Momiji's eyes. "You've known all along that he couldn't love you. How could anyone possibly want someone like you? Your own mother called you a monster!" Wrapping Momiji in a choking embrace, his voice grew silky. "I'm the only one who cares about you."

Momiji grimaced at the icy touch. "Thank you for caring about me, Akito-san, but Haru loves me, too." He forced away his doubts, disregarding each painful memory of his boyfriend's rejection. "We love each other!"

"Did he ever tell you that?" Snatching the blonde's tresses, he wrenched Momiji's head to meet his gaze. He laughed heartlessly, delighting in the tears that leaked from the rabbit's eyes.

"No, but," Momiji bit his lip, dropping his voice to a whisper. "But I just know he does."

Akito slapped him. "Fool! You live for me! I give you life, and I decide when you are happy and when you are in love! You deserve only what I give to you!"

The rabbit reached to soothe his stinging cheek, but flinched as the older man caught his wrists and pinned him to the floor. "Please stop, Akito-san! I'm sorry for going behind your back!" He sobbed, "I'm so so sorry!"

"You've dishonored me!" Akito accused as he tore at the small Sohma's pink blouse. Hovering over the other body, he sneered monstrously. "I only hope that Hatsuharu's left you with something to repay me." Smashing the blonde's lips in a bruising kiss, Momiji's shivers urged him forward.

"Halt bitte!" The blonde screamed, fighting to free his body. "Please! Please don't hurt me! I don't want to do this with you! I love Haru! I-."

"Shut up!" The family head closed his hands around Momiji's throat. "Don't ever say that again, or I will kill you. You belong to me! This whole family is mine! I give you life, and I can just as easily take it away."

Staring dazedly at the ceiling, the rabbit's pleas choked through his tears. "Please, please don't," he whimpered as his clothes fell from his shoulders. "Akito-san, no." He squeaked, his stomach churning. "NO!"

Momiji closed his eyes, pretending that he was somewhere else. Somewhere far away, with Haru. Somewhere where they could both be happy. He clutched as his drawing in desperation as pain overrode his senses. "I'm sorry, Haru. Please don't hate me."

Hatori groaned, his head throbbing with the sickening thuds and screams that drifted from the other room. He longed to stop Akito, but he feared showing any disloyalty to the family leader. "I just can't take this," he hissed under his breath. "Momiji is like a son to me. He just doesn't deserve to be treated this way."

Suddenly, there was silence. "He must be finished," the seahorse reasoned aloud, rising to his feet and hurrying to Akito's door. "Akito-san, may I come in?"

Without receiving a response, the doctor pushed forward. "Akito-san?" His eyes flew around the elaborate bedroom, his stomach dropping as he noted the rumbled cushions and fallen pieces of furniture that signified a struggle.

"You can take him away now, Hatori," Akito emerged from the corner, straightening his kimono and showing signs of neither remorse nor embarrassment. "I'm finished with him."

Following the Sohma god with his eyes, Hatori winced, catching a glimpse of the blonde boy before quickly averting his gaze.

"Here," Akito kicked Momiji, sending his unconscious body across the floor. "Take him."

Hatori's heart clenched as he studied the rabbit. His clothes, splashed with fresh blood, hung in tatters on his body, and his face, streaked with tears, appeared tormented even in sleep. Grimacing in his regret, the doctor leaned forward and scooped up the smaller boy. "I'm so sorry, Momiji," he whispered. Glaring wordlessly at Akito, he tried to mask his anger as he fled the room.

"Hatori?" Akito ordered as he saw the frustration on the older man's face. "Hatori, come back here! Where's your respect?"

The seahorse ignored him, smoothing a comforting finger over Momiji's cheek as he ventured into the hallway.

"Hatori?" Akito sounded desperate, even terrified. "Hatori! Hatori! Come back here! Why aren't you listening to me? Don't ignore me!"

The doctor burst out the door of the main house, quickening his pace as the gardens rushed passed him. The morning sun juxtaposed the shivering boy in his arms almost mockingly, causing Hatori to squint and hold the boy even closer to his chest.

Momiji tensed in his sleep. "No, nein! Akito-san, stop touching me!" He shook in his oblivious state. "Help me, Haru! Help!"

"Momiji?" Haru dashed from Hatori's house, interrupting the blonde's sleepy sobs. Paling as he noted his boyfriend's limp and disheveled figure, he bit back a cry. "What happened, Ha'ri-san?" He ripped at the seahorse's arm in his panic, longing to hold the German boy once again. "Momiji? Momiji?"

"Calm down, Hatsuharu," Hatori commanded his voice to stay level. "Everything's OK. He just needs some rest."

'He's not OK! He looks hurt!' The cow argued internally. 'Oh Momiji, this was all my fault! Everything's my fault! Please wake up! Please smile! It kills me to see you like this!' Looking away, he struggled to catch his breath. "Hatori, please tell me the truth," his voice cracked under the stress.

"Hatsuharu," placing his hand on the other boy's arm, he tried to navigate his white-haired cousin inside while still holding Momiji. "Haru-kun, your boyfriend was raped."

Momiji's German lesson #15 :)

Komm schon- Come on, or come on already!

Keine Sorge- don't worry!

Alle ist schön- everything's fine!

Bis später- See you later

Halt bitte- please stop

Nein- no

So, what will happen to our poor lovers? (God, that sounds cheesy!) You'll find out soon in the final chapter (minus the prologue!) I hope you don't hate me by now for torturing these two guys. (I love them, I really do! I promise!)