Chapter 9-

Disclaimer- Although I love these characters dearly, they do not belong to me.

Ok- I'm lazy and don't feel like re-loading and fixing a small plot hole in the previous chapter- for all case and purposes, Shigure left with Hatori, he is not at Hana's house.

warning, if you have not seen the entire anime, there are spoilers in this chapter

just thought I'd give you a heads up.I think the fic already has spoilers in it, but I felt like giving a warning.

"Thank- you Hana, that dinner was so good " Tohru exclaimed even though she barely ate the food placed in front of her.

'Well, it doesn't compare with your cooking." Saki replied. Tohru blushed.

"Well, I don't know about that" she tried to smile and laugh, but couldn't. Tohru looked down at the table, "I'm sorry.... I've been nothing but trouble for you four this year. I'm sorry for ruining your holiday, and then messing everything up, and now..."

"Quit Apologizing!" Kyo said, in a borderline yelling voice, "None of us are accusing you of anything."

"But I still feel responsible, and..."

"That's what Kana said, and Momiji's mom said... and I don't want you to have the same outcome that they did OK?" Kyo slammed his fist on the table, got up, and went to the window.

"Miss. Honda.... Please, we don't want you to worry about us." Yuki said calmly.

"but... but..." Tohru stammered.

"shhh ... you have nothing to apologize to us, we should be apologizing to you for bringing you into this mess. We could never blame you for any of this."

"Yuki" Tohru said, tears welling up in her eyes.

"Please, don't worry so much." Yuki said, "we're here for you."

"That's right Tohru, we all are" Arisa said, giving Tohru a tissue.

"We couldn't bear it if you got hurt when we could have prevented it." Hana said, "So leave this to us."

"So, should we call it a night?" Arisa asked. "You two are sleeping down here. And don't break anything." Kyo and Yuki nodded, too preoccupied to respond to the comment about breaking things. The three girls went up the stairs to Hana's room.

When they were gone, Yuki looked at Kyo. "So, why were you a cat earlier? Do you realize how dangerously close you were to revealing our secret. In fact, do you realize how many things you said that revealed secrets to these two."

"Yeah, what of it? Tohru hugged me, not the other way around. So don't be blaming me you damn rat!"

"Really?"

"Yeah, I kissed her on the forehead and then..."

"You did what?"

"Oh, did I make you mad, sorry if I was there for her when you weren't around."

"Taking advantage of her, you really are a brainless cat."

"Who said I was taking advantage damn rat?" Kyo asked, assuming a fighting stance.

"I'm ready for you." Yuki said, himself tense and waiting.

Kyo jumped to get to Yuki. They began fighting. "Do you always take out your emotions in fighting? That's not very healthy." The boys froze as Hana walked into the room. "And Kyo, I don't want you to be taking advantage of Tohru..."

"That's not what I did."

At that moment, the phone rang. The three people standing in the room looked at it. Saki picked it up. "Hello.... Yes... what?... here?... are you sure?... what can be done? ... I understand... ok... yes my parents are out.... Ok.... Talk to you later. Bye"

"Who was that?" Kyo demanded.

"We've been found."

"It was bound to happen eventually." Yuki sighed. "Are Tohru and Arisa asleep?"

"No."

"Good, you three get out." Yuki said.

"But then, what will happen to you?"

"You can't help us against Akito. You need to take Tohru to safety. You have to trust us."

"Please, for Tohru's sake, don't hurt yourselves too bad, because I could not bear to see her heart or spirit broken."

"We'll try." Kyo said.

"You might want to leave before they get here." Yuki suggested.

"Very true, well, we'll be off then." Saki announced. She went upstairs, and returned with Arisa and Tohru.

"Take care of yourselves, see you tomorrow!" Tohru said as she put on her shoes.

"Don't worry about us, me and that Damn Rat can take Akito." Kyo assured her.

"Are you sure you want to do this?" Tohru asked.

"We're doing this for you. There's nothing more important." Yuki stated, Kyo nodded. Just then, there was a knocking on the door.

"Too late" Saki opened the door. Akito strode into the room. Yuki, Kyo, Saki, and Arisa moved around Tohru.

"As soon as you get the chance, get her out of here." Yuki whispered to Arisa. She nodded.

"So, it would appear that you have been very disobedient as of late." Akito said, walking slowly, yet menacingly towards the group.

"What do you want Akito? Why have you taken it so far?" Kyo asked.

"Ah, Kyo, what would it mean, to you, if I took from you the most precious thing in your life?" Kyo decided it was smarter not to answer. "And Yuki, I think I need to bring you back home. I do miss you." Arisa and Saki, who were both very confused by this point, were a little unnerved to see Yuki and Kyo so tense, kept Tohru close by their side. Kyo looked at Tohru, and sensed that she was scared, so he angered Akito even more, "Look, I'm tired of it, why the hell should I listen to you? I'm not even officially a member of you're family, so I don't have to listen to you, or your stupid threats."

Akito walked over to him, and slapped him across the face, then, before anyone could stop him, Kyo hit him back. Yuki jumped in, muttering "Stupid Cat" and tried to hold Kyo back, but Arisa and Saki used this new distraction to get out and remove Tohru from the room. As they left, Akito stopped beating on Kyo, and tried to follow them, Yuki put himself in front of Akito, blocking him.

Tohru, Arisa, and Saki ran to the train station to get back to Shigure's house. They sat down on the train. Arisa looked at Saki and Tohru, "Ok, so do either of you know what's going on?"

"Well, it would seem that Akito wants to get Tohru for some reason...." Saki started.

"Yeah, I know all that, but I never imagined I'd see the two of them so scared..." Arisa stopped because she noticed Tohru was crying again.

"It's all my fault." Tohru looked at her feet. "If they never met me, they would not have to go through all this pain. I don't want them to always have to be sacrificing so much, all for my safety and well-being. I never expected that just by being their friend, I would cause them to be hurt..."

"Tohru, stop. Before you talk yourself into depression, listen, you didn't do anything wrong, the only reason that they're doing this is because they care about you. Being with you makes them happy, I've never seen the Prince smile before he knew you and Kyo, well; he's very protective of you. They're only doing this because they care about you and if you weren't here for them, that might kill them."

The train stopped and the three friends went to Shigure's house in silence.

Meanwhile, at Shigure's house, Shigure and Hatori had just arrived home from taking Kisa to the hospital. Hatori made some tea and the two friends sat in silence.

Hatori broke the silence. "I should have known this was coming, Tohru can't stand feeling like she's causing everyone pain... it reminds me so much of Kana, it almost scares me, because I know that if I do have to erase her memories, it will cause so many problems for everyone."

"I know what you mean, but Hari, Tohru's quite strong and she's very attatched to not only Yuki and Kyo, but everyone she's met."

"She came up to me and asked me If everyone would stop suffering if her memories were erased... that's the way it always works, easy, quick, simple. There's no mess to clean up because they don't remember anything."

"But Hari, isn't it horrible, that it just hurts us more."

"I know that Shigure," Hatori sipped the tea, "But for some reason, I can't help but think that Akito is just using Tohru to prove that he is all-powerful in this family...." Hatori stopped talking because at that moment, Tohru, Saki and Arisa walked into the door.

"How's Kisa?" Tohru asked urgently.

"Where are Kyo and Yuki?" Shigure asked back.

"Kisa will be fine, and Shigure, I believe that they're still at Miss Hanajima's house." Hatori replied, putting on his coat, "Which means that I have to go and retrieve them."

"I'm coming too!" Shigure started.

"No, you're staying here." Hatori replied, because I intend to send Kyo and Yuki here and take Akito back to the complex."

"But Hari..."

"Nope, you're staying here, you shouldn't be up and about anyway."

"Fine."

With that, Hatori left the house, leaving Shigure on the couch and the three girls standing in the hall, not really sure what to do.

"Well, might as well make yourselves at home, you're probably going to be here awhile. Tohru went up and into the kitchen.

"I'm making rice balls," she said, "because I'm sure everyone needs some food."

"But didn't we just..." Arisa was about to say "eat" but Saki Stopped her,

"Ok Tohru, that would be wonderful"

Tohru disappeared into the kitchen, leaving Saki and Arisa to explain what

happened to Shigure.

"I see," he replied, after hearing how they were standing up to Akito for Tohru to be able to get out, "I can't really say I'm surprised, but you are right, Akito scares them to death, he's been emotionally and physically abusive to them their whole lives. I hope they're not doing anything stupid."

"Like what?" Arisa asked.

"Beating him up, making him angry, and the like."

"Really, well, I can understand that." Saki said. Tohru returned with a plate of rice balls. She put them on the table. The phone rang, Tohru rushed to pick it up, "Hello, oh hi Hatori..." The phone slid from Tohru's grasp, and she shakily put it back on the receiver. She rushed to get her coat and shoes on. Arisa ran to block her from running out of the house...

"What's wrong?" Arisa demanded.

"Yuki's passed out, as is Akito, and Kyo's no where to be found but his bracelet was broken so..." Tohru stopped, because she realized what she almost said, "I have to find him and bring him back."

Saki and Shigure told Arisa that it was ok, Tohru ran out of the house.

"What do you mean it's ok? You're just letting her out by herself when we don't know what's going on??"

"Don't worry about her, we can't protect her forever, this is something that she has to do Uo, please understand me." Saki tried to talk some sense into Arisa.

"Well, in any case, let's eat some of Tohru's freshly made riceballs!" Shigure exclaimed.

"I can't believe this isn't bothering you..." Arisa said.

"It is, which is why I'm distracting my mind with food." Shigure explained. He and Saki went back and sat down,. Arisa stood by the opened door looking out into the night.

Tohru ran blindly into the night. "Where could you have gone Kyo?" she thought. She thought of the events that took place earlier that evening (it was now about 3:00 in the morning). "I love you" that's what he said, she thought, I can't believe this is all happening... I'm so stupid for just running out here like this to find him. I should probably stay to the roads until I find out something...

Lost in her thoughts, she was startled when she heard a car horn beeping. She stopped and saw Hatori sitting in the car. "Get in, I think I know where Kyo went." He said. Tohru got into the car, and was handed Kyo's bracelet, repaired and ready to return to his wrist. "Before you ask, Yuki's fine, just a little shaken, Akito basically pushed himself too hard and collapsed, but before doing that managed to rip off Kyo's bracelet, and hurt Yuki pretty badly, luckily nothing happened to Miss. Hanajima's house." Tohru nodded.

"Are you still seriously considering losing your memories?" Hatori asked, stopping at a red light. Tohru looked at him, and for a moment did not speak.

"No, I don't want my memories erased," she said, "but I don't want to cause any more trouble for you. You've all sacrificed so much for me, I mean, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, Kisa, and even Akito are all hurt because of me, because I was friends with them and now look at us."

"Nothing is you're fault. You have to understand that, you are not the cause of the problem, nor will erasing your memories be the solution. Ok, now, we're close to Miss Hanajima's house if you would like me to wait here, you go find Kyo. I'm sure that he will be wanting to see you."

With that, Tohru left the car. She ran down the street, up another street, and into a park. There was a fountain in the middle, she ran around it, into the trees, following a path of destruction (broken twigs and the like) she called out for Kyo, Soon, she saw the outline of his true form looming in front of her. She called out to him and grabbed his arm, "Kyo, I'm here. Please Kyo, listen to me, I want to help you. I love you too! I've always loved you, please come back to me, and the rest of us! Everyone's really worried about what's going to happen. I'm so happy I've found you."

Kyo looked at her, she was shaking, because his true form still scared her a little.

"Do you mean that?" he asked.

"Yes." She answered, letting go of him, crying again, "Kyo, I've told you before, I want to be with you always. I don't want to cause you pain or anything. I just want it like it was...." She stopped as tears ran down her face.

"It's ok." Kyo said, reverting back to his normal form and putting on the Bracelet that Tohru brought and dropped. He went over to her, and put his arm around her shoulders, (since technically it's not a hug, he didn't transform) "I was so scared for you. Akito was really out for blood tonight. But I couldn't bear to watch you suffer our pain. It's not your fault, you could never be responsible for this, so stop blaming yourself ok?"

"But..." She was forced to stop as Kyo put a finger on her lips,

"Shh, I don't want to hear it." He said, he put his hands on the ground, He stared at the dirt, "You're all that matters to me right now, I don't care about Akito, or his stupid plans, or even fighting Yuki. All I care about is being with you, and I want you to be happy. When I can't do that, it pisses me off, and then I feel so weak and stupid, and that idiotic rat has to constantly be putting me down, saying that I'm worthless. But you, you're different, for some reason, you're not like that. If you were to go away, I seriously would start breaking things and fighting people, even more than I do now." He looked up at Tohru, who had her hands clasped and a stray tear running down her cheek.

"Kyo..." She tentatively moved closer to him, "I feel the same way, I never want to leave you, I feel so happy when I'm around you, and so, even though these times may hurt me now, I never want to forget, ever."

Ok- so Updated again. I love writing this fic so very much, but it's not helping my grades.... Bio tests aren't fun.... Anyways, enjoy, next chapter up in a week. I'm not even going to write a "in the next chapter" because I never stick to what I say I'm going to talk about ' so all you people can just sit there and wonder. Enjoy,

Misty