A/N – I am sorry it took so long to update. But I have been overwhelmed by stuff in general.
Shoomy2003 – Thanks for your comments. I had a friend who did go through all that bleeding. She had to be in bed-rest totally for 6 months before she had her baby. I mean literally stay in bed for six months without moving too much except to turn a page of a book. I wrote this in total admiration for her.
HarryPotterSweetie, Fdiw, LilCheekyAngel, BloodTearsDyingAngel, Calyco, Nightfall2525, Lathayan, Cyndi1, DeathdreamerofEverLove, Persnickty Lit Fox, Nidaba, Hunter Hatake - Thanks for reviewing so faithfully. There were a few others who emailed me their comments - thanks. I am sorry but I can't seemed to find your email address in my inbox. But your comments are very appreciated.
This is the second last chapter.
And the Years went by…Tohru
Present time…
The sun was setting, coloring the sky in hues of red and orange. Yuki looked at the colors, remembering a time when he appreciated the simplicity of a sunset. But many things had gone stale for him. He sighed perhaps age was catching up with him. He looked at Ayame from the corner of his eyes - his nii-san was sleeping. He must truly exhausted. The past two years had been truly daunting for them. Tohru being really sick, her death, Aoi leaving home…there was just too much going on.
'It's Lymphoma.' Ha'ri said softly. Ayame's face paled. 'It is very aggressive.' Ayame sank into the chair. 'Aya…'
'How much…time?'
'With treatment, she can go into remission. But we never know. Aya…'
A small word, without many letters to create its name and yet it sent all of them crashing to the ground. In the end, Tohru proved to be the strongest one of them all.
'Aya…I had enough of this treatment. It is not making me better. It is making me too sick to enjoy being with you and Aoi. I want to stop the chemotherapy, Aya.'
'No.'
Tohru looked to Ha'ri for help. He shook his head, it was really the patient's choice and he did not want to interfere. Chemotherapy can be exhausting to the patient and can cause side-effects as well. Tohru was not getting better, in fact the cancer had spread to her bones.
Yuki stood and took a blanket. He covered his brother with it. As the sky slowly turned dark, he remembered the time when he and Tohru watched the sun set in the vacation house by the lake.
The wind chime moved gently in tune with the breeze. Tohru sat at the balcony looking out to the lake. She thought back to the time when they were together at the vacation home. She thought of the many summers Ayame, Aoi and herself came here. Yuki often joined them as well. The other Junnishi were frequent visitors in her home. She loved them all. These days, she learned to lean on them as they had counted on her support for so many years.
She closed her eyes.
Yuki thought back to the past 20 years of their lives. Ayame and Tohru were happy together. He saw in Ayame certain calmness and contentment that was not there before Tohru. Tohru was happy and more open. With Aoi, their little family expanded. With open arms, they welcome Yuki into their family life. Yuki spent many vacations and weekends with them. He babysat Aoi when Ayame and Tohru needed to go away by themselves. Aoi has looked to him as a second father.
Ayame's designs grew in recognition and the business expanded. Ayame, never wanting more work than necessary, refused to open a branch. Instead, he roped in Mine as a full partner. Now, Mine and her son Jun worked together with Ayame and Aoi. Jun and Aoi had trained under Ayame and were beginning to have customers on their own.
Yuki moved out of Shigure's house after post-graduate studies. He lectured at the university he graduated from. He was also researching on agriculture – finding ways to improve production without the use of GMOs and pesticides. He still worked in his secret base – except now it was also Aoi's secret base.
'Tohru…Tohru' Her eyes fluttered. Then, she focused on the face in front of her. Yuki smiled. 'You are going to catch a cold and Ha'ri is going to get angry with you.' He covered her with a throw and sat next to her.
'The medication often puts me to sleep.' She said. Yuki nodded.
'I called Ayame and he will be flying home soon. Since Aoi just started school, we thought we should…'
'No, I don't want her to come home. She needs to lead her own life.' Tohru interrupted. Yuki looked out to the lake. Ayame had gone with Aoi to Paris to help settle her in. She got into a good design school. Although, Aoi wanted to defer her studies, Tohru refused to allow her daughter to stop her life because of her. Just like the Tohru they all know. But the night they left, Tohru made a turn for the worse.
'I want to be with her.'
It has been two years. Tohru wasn't getting better. Like always, she was the strength. She understood that her time was limited, more than the men around her. She stopped her treatments and only took medication to ease her pain. She insisted that Aoi got on with her life. She encouraged her daughter to go to Paris. She spent a lot more time with Ayame. Mine and her son, Jun took over most of the business allowing Tohru and Ayame to spend a lot more time together.
'Ne, Yuki.' He turned to face her. His eyes narrowed at her gaunt face. She wore her hair short now. Her eyes looked bigger. Her frame was so small that it pained Yuki just to look at her.
'Yuki.'
'Hai?'
'Promise me, you'll watch over Aya. He loves you. He will listen to you. Don't let him drown in despair.' Tears formed in Yuki's eyes. 'Promise me, you'll watch over yourself, my dear, dear friend.' Tohru raised her hand and brushed his hair. 'And I never said this before, but thank you.' Yuki looked at her. She smiled her small smile. 'Thank you for not making me choose between you and Aya.'
Yuki's eyes widened in shock, suppressed emotions burst out of him. He cried as Tohru held him.
The silence of the room was broken by the beeping of the machine that was monitoring Tohru's life signs. Ayame held her hand as she slept and he watched the sun rise. His heart was heavy. Each time as he watched the sun rise, he dreaded that it might be the last.
The hand he held gave him a gentle squeeze. He turned to see his wife looking at him. She smiled and whispered 'Aya?'
'Hai?'
'Be happy. Promise me. Be happy.'
With that, she left him.
Yuki walked into the living room, where everyone gathered earlier in the day. It was late in the night now. Only Hatori was left. He was on the couch, smoking.
'Those things will kill you one day.'
'Hmmm.'
They sat in silence. Reminiscing.
'How is Aya?'
'He will be better. We will have to send Aoi to Paris soon. Tohru would not want her to stay here for too long. I'll move in with Aya till he can be by himself.'
'How are you?' Hatori studied his cousin. He knew in his guts that Yuki had never quite gotten over his love for Tohru. He never dated anyone or seemed even interested in the mountain of ladies falling all over him. He just led a quiet bachelor live. Loving Aoi like his own and silently supporting his brother and Tohru.
Yuki stood up, he brushed his clothes absent-mindedly. He walked out to the garden and turned to Ha'ri. With a small smile and sad eyes, he whispered ' I can't lost any more than I already have.' With that he walked into the darkness.
Ha'ri watched the dark enveloped the silver figure. He took another cigarette out of the pack, balanced it between his fingers and lighted it. As he drew in the needed drug, he thought about their lives. How cursed their lives were.
Not one love was gained without the lost of another.
