Title: Needed

Summary: Tohru makes a wish to be able to hug the Sohma member who needs it the most. But what happens when the Sohma who needs it most isn't the one who Tohru expected?

Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, no money is being made with this fiction. Only waste of time which could be spent reading Harry Potter fanfiction.

A/N: Well, I'm finally back! And with another chapter, so I guess I'll leave you all to it! (Oh My God, I can't believe this fic's got so many reviews with only 4 bloody awful chapters!) I just needed to see chapter 16, and remembered why I loved this pairing!

v. still winter

Someday, maybe,
We'll make it right,
Until that day,
Long enless night,
We couldn't say them,
So now we just pray them,
Words that we couldn't say.

Words We Couldn't Say

Tohru woke up slowly the following morning, a rush of cold, then heat going over her. She couldn't breathe for a moment, but then, when it all past, she felt better than she had felt all those days.

What surprised her to see, however, was Hatori sleeping with his head leaning on the table. I've only seen him sleep once, at the lake…

Quietly, she lifted the covers over her, and sat up. She took one of the multiple covers on her bed (Hatori had insisted on her being covered in covers, to get rid of the fever), and tiptoed her way to the desk. She placed the cover on the floor, and easily removed the book from under Hatori's head. When he didn't wake up, she left out a relieved sigh, and took the cover back in her arms. She was leaning down to cover him up, when he suddenly woke up with a jolt, his back straightening, and bumping into her open arms.

They both froze like that, until finally, Hatori stood up from the chair. He looked at Tohru and at the blanket in her arms, and smiled. Slightly.

"You should be in bed."

"I…I thought you might be cold…so I…"

"Tohru-san," he urged her to look him in the eye. She did. "I'm sorry…"

She tilted her head to the right, "Sorry for what?"

He took the cover from her hand, and brought it around her shoulders, covering her up. "Go back to bed."

"Why are you sorry, Hatori?" she asked, leaving the politeness aside.

"For forgetting what spring was like…"

0000000000

"Hatori-san?"

"Hm?"

"If you could…would you go back to Kana-san? Make her come back to you, make her fall in lo—"

"No."

"Ah. Why?"

"She made her life back again. She's married now, she's happy. I'm happy because she's happy. She deserved it."

"You deserve being happy too, Hatori-san."

"Honda-san, it's still winter in here."

"Then your heart will have to remember how spring is, ne?"

0000000

"Come on, what's taking them so long?" Kyou fretted.

"It should be hard for Tohru-chan to climb down the stairs alone. Just be patient," Shigure said, his head behind a newspaper.

"It's been so long since we saw Tohru-san. It'll be nice having her back," Yuki supplied.

"The flower will bring back her sweet breeze to us," Shigure quipped.

"And you'll finally stop trying to cook and poison us," Kyou muttered.

"Mean!" Shigure whined. "My cooking was excellent!"

"Poison!"

"Excellent!"

"Poison!"

"Excellent!"

"Poison!"

"Bakas," Yuki mumbled.

00000000

"It'll be nice to be back," Tohru said, her smile growing wider by the second.

"Everybody missed you," Hatori supplied, and continued folding his papers and packing his suitcase.

"Although," Tohru sat on the edge of the bed, "something will be missing…"

"What will?"

"Hatori Sohma."

"I'll be back to check on you tomorrow, and for another week."

"Hai, but it won't be the same. I've almost grown accustomed to Haa-san's presence around me."

"You'll grow out of it." You have to. I have to.

"I'm ready to go down to the kitchen," she said, standing up with sudden determination.

"So am I," he answered back, heading for the door.

"Wait."

He stopped and turned around. She was inches away from him. It surprised him when she awkwardly stepped closer, and lifted her hands. He didn't move when she stood on her tip-toes, and brushed the hair away from his blind eye. His breath stopped when she kissed that blind eye.

"Arigatou. For everything."

"Ha…hai."

000000000000

"What colour are your eyes?"

"They were green."

"Were?"

"My left eye isn't green anymore. It's just ugly."

"No it's not. It's a proof of courage. A proof of love. Any woman should be grateful to find such a man, willing to risk it all."

"No woman would ever want a mutilated face for a lover, or a friend."

"I am your friend, Ha-san."

"You are?"

"Hai."

"Thank you, Tohru-san."

"Ha-san?"

"Hm?"

"I like your eyes. Both of them."

00000000000

"TOHRU-CHAN!" Shigure cooed, when he saw her appear in the kitchen.

"Konichiwa!" she greeted everyone.

"Welcome back, Honda-san!" Yuki smiled.

"Here, these are for you," Kyou muttered, and handed her a bouquet of flowers. "From me…and the rat."

They cooperated for me? Tohru blushed, and sat down at the table. "So, what have I missed?"

00000000000

"I have to go. I am expected back at the Main House," Hatori declared two hours later, standing up from the table.

"I'll see you to the door!" Tohru quipped, and scrambled to her feet.

They walked quietly to the door, and stopped there. Hatori sighed, and opened the door.

There are so many things I want to tell you. Tohru opened her mouth to speak: "Hatori-kun, I…"

"Good night," he cut her off, with a sad sort of tone to his voice.

"Eh? Hai…good night…thank you."

With a nod, he left her standing there, with all the unsaid things still swimming in her mouth, waiting and hoping to get out.

00000000000

Outside Shigure's house, Hatori stood for a moment, still. His hand went to his left eye, not touching it, but hovering over it. He lowered his hand and shook his head.

Why do you have to be everything I ever wanted? He walked to his car, shoulders set back in determination. I will not turn her into another Kana. I will not hurt her like that.

000000000

"He'll be back tomorrow," Shigure said, waking her up from her reverie. "No need to stay near the door, Tohru-chan. He'll return tomorrow."

Tohru smiled, still facing the door. She lifted one hand, and traced her fingers over the wall. "I've grown used to him…"

"We all have. Hatori-san, he goes under your skin, see? He wasn't always like this. There was a time when Hatori-san was smiling, and happy. A time when he wasn't as serious as now. Granted, he was as sarcastic and cynic as he is now, but still…there was a time when he was happy…"

"Before…before Kana-san left?"

"Hai."

"Hatori-san…deserves to be happy too. He deserves to have spring back in his heart."

Shigure smiled, and turned around. "I'm sure he will, find his spring back. Soon…" he lingered on for a moment, and went back to the kitchen.

Tohru stood there, her fingers still lingering over the wall. Said fingers crossed the path to her lips, and stopped there. Said lips curved up into a smile.

"Yes. He will…"

/"What do you think snow turns into when it melts?"

"Um, well…It turns into spring, right?" /

000000000000

A/N: Well there you have it. Will I continue torturing the poor pair longer, or will they finally have a kiss? Find out next time!

Thank you all for all the reviews!

Cella