Hello again, all! Thanks SOOO much for those of you who reviewed! I was getting discouraged for awhile, due to the big spoiler...which I won't talk about, but several people reviewed just to tell me that this fanfiction isn't possible. I was going to take it down...but now I WON'T! maniacal laughter Seriously, hugs to all positive reviewers...and hopefully, you'll all enjoy this chapter! Remember, positive reviews increased self-esteem more, and faster updates! ;PSorry this chapter took so long...>.>

CHAPTER 6

Hatori spent most of the morning explaining how the car worked, and showing Akiko how to adjust things. Akiko insisted on trying to drive almost immediately after they ate lunch. She was actually pretty good, but Hatori wasn't about to say so.

After whirling around the huge parking lot that was exclusively for Sohmas to learn to drive for a few hours, they decided to relax. Akiko stopped the car and reclined then seat. She was feeling very content, and very hot. The car didn't have air conditioning, so she opened the top three buttons of her blouse, giving a good view to any male who cared to look. Hatori didn't, of course. He reached for the radio button and recoiled at a look from Akiko.

"Try that again, Hatori, and I'm driving to Nagasaki."

"You don't have any money!"

"Oh, I've got one of those Golden Sohma Credit Cards."

"I could trace it."

"Do you know how many Sohmas there are in Nagasaki?"

"Not many."

"Enough."

Hatori gave up. By now, it was dark, and both of them were tired. Hatori reclined his seat too, and soon fell asleep.

After an hour, Akiko decided she wanted to go home. Hatori was still asleep, so she drove, a bit unsteadily at first. When she got there, she hugged Hatori, gathered his clothes, and walked inside. She had just dumped his clothes in the corner and turned toward the futon when-

PYON!

He changed back. Akiko fell backwards onto the futon, Hatori half on top of her. When the smoke from the transformation cleared, Akiko was lying on the futon, her hands against Hatori's bare chest. Hatori's hands were braced on either side of Akiko's shoulders, and their legs were tangled together. Their faces were inches apart.

For a few seconds, they remained frozen in that position. Then Hatori glanced down at himself, catching a considerable eyeful of Akiko's cleavage in the process. He tried to shove himself off of her with one arm, but didn't make it and fell back heavily. He caught himself again, but this time their noses banged together and were almost touching when Hatori balanced himself again.

"Shit." said Akiko.

Hatori echoed the sentiment, although he didn't say anything. He shoved again, and managed to roll off of her. Grabbing a towel, he wrapped it around his waist and fled to his office.

Akiko propped herself up on one elbow and shook her head. She got up and left the room. It was about an hour before Hatori ventured back in.

Hatori stretched and opened his eyes the next morning at his customary waking hour. The first thing he saw was Akiko's face.

He bit back a scream.'This is a dream, this is a horrible dream...ok, it's not ending, it's not a dream..." He whispered aloud. Moving his head marginally, he discovered that she was nestled against him, in such a way that if he moved, he would either wake her or transform. Since he knew from experience that Akito hated to be woken before he was ready, his only option was to lie there. Transforming would definitely wake her up. Unfortunately, this gave Hatori time to ponder what the heck she was doing in his bed anyway.

Did she do it on purpose, because she knew it would drive him crazy? (In more ways than one, but Hatori didn't let himself acknowledge that). Or did she sleepwalk or something? He honestly didn't know. Akiko chose that moment to wake up. She was the type who moved around and got out of bed without actually opening her eyes. She pulled off the covers and stretched, the sheer black material of her slinky nightdress (Where the hell did she BUY that thing?) hiked up almost to her waist (!). She stretched her neck forward - and banged into Hatori's face. She leaned back, a puzzled expression on her face, her eyes still closed. Reaching her hand forward, she touched Hatori's cheek. She opened her eyes reluctantly.

Akiko's scream echoed throughout the main compound. Hatori reached up with his free hand(Akiko was using his other arm as a pillow) and clapped his hand over her mouth. She eyes were wide with panic.

When Hatori finally let her go, she scrambled backwards away from him.

"What the hell are you doing in my bed?" She demanded.

"Actually, Akiko, you are in my bed."

Akiko paused and looked around. He was right. "How the hell did you get me into your bed? What did we…?"

Hatori froze, then shook his head. She got to her feet, the nightdress dropping back into place and covering most of her legs. Hatori got up.

"I must have sleepwalked." Akiko said, looking confused and rather disoriented. Hatori believed her. The scream had done it. If she had come of her own volition, then she wouldn't have acted like that. She left the room, and he shook his head again. If this kept up, he would be completely insane by the time the next weekend rolled around.

Kagura came by the next day after school. To Hatori's surprise, Akiko stuck around and chatted with her for hours. They talked about school, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, Akito, and Rin. That last name surprised him. The next day, Kagura came again, and this time they had Rin in tow. Akiko yelled something about going to her house and left. Hatori essentially ignored her, because he was too embarrassed to risk talking to her at this point.

Akiko, Rin and Kagura sat around in Rin's bedroom, gossiping about nothing. Rin, however, had expressed an interest in Akito, and Akiko wanted to know what they thought about her. Him. Whatever.

"So what do you guys think about Akito?" she asked casually.

"That asshole?" laughed Rin "He's not worth the time of day."

Akiko was shocked. "Have you forgotten who I am?" She replied coldly. She had almost blurted out that she was him again.

"Oh, oops. You won't tell him I said that, right?"

"What do you call your brother, Akiko?" Kagura asked.

"What? You mean other than Akito?"

"yeah, nicknames and such."

Akiko thought fast. "Uh...uh…Wacky-Aki-Chan!" she said, in english

"Wacky-Aki-Chan?" Rin and Kagura chorused.

Akiko nodded, then realized how stupid it sounded. "I do it to tease him. He doesn't dare hurt me."

Rin was rolling on the bed with laughter. Akiko glanced at her watch.

"Oh, I should leave now. I wouldn't want Ha'ri to worry."

Rin couldn't reply.

"Bye!" said Kagura as Akiko left the room. She called Hatori and asked him to pick her up. Hatori arrived and took her home, this time uneventfully.

AUTHORS NOTE:

Yeah. this has a bit more...well, insanity than usual,I suppose..meh. hugs all review...pleaaaaaase :p Oh, and another note: I realize that the junishi don't transform when Akito hugs them, but it's just funnier, and better this way.heh.

see you next time!