Disclaimer: No own. Wish I did but alas! No own.

A/N: thanks ya'll for reviewing my chapters. I'm glad you liked the last chapter. It seemed that I was a bit fuzzy on details tough and I will explain. Hiro wasn't really listening to Momiji but heard the gist of it then passed it on but alas he got a few details mixed up. And I think it's safe to say a large portion of the Sohma clan thinks Ivy shaved her head and has the last name plopopoop. Once again I apologize for not clarifying it. I was rushing to post it. 3xThreat, I like the word Hullabaloo too. And thanks for the compliments. Dif. Child, thanks! I like Ivy too. She's fun to write with. I hope you aren't confuddled anymore and I did stick to tradition with the chap namings. Ochre is infact a color, though a very poopy looking one. I get the chap names from Hatori's dream in chapter one. I dunno why though.

On with they story!

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(Hey I figured out the space dividers finally!)

Shigure sat in his study in a complete and utter writer's block. He needed to think of a character to carry out his message in his newest novel. Unfortunately the entire personality and name had eluded him for the past half-hour and he could not continue the pre-writing process with out the complete planning and naming of this character.

The dog of the zodiac sighed wishing he could come up with an idea. He was so lost in his thoughts that he did not hear the door to his study open and the sound of someone approaching him.

"Working hard?" A voice wondered as Ivy came into view by the doorway.

"As hard as I can, Ive." The novelist replied with a frustrated sigh.

Ivy smiled and plopped down beside him. With a playful nudge she read aloud what Shigure had typed up on his computer. " The." She nudged her cousin and best friend again and joked, "That was beautiful Gure. I was so deeply moved."

"Shut up, you don't know the devils that torture my mind!" Shigure shot back dramatically.

"Of course I do. They're at school."

"Aha. Aha. My side is splitting." Shigure replied in a monotone voice, "It's this character. I need a name for the interest of my main character. But she has to have a name that screams 'I don't want to be redeemed.'"

Ivy fell silent and put her head on his shoulder. A moment of silence passed with the two thinking intently on the subject until Ivy finally said decisively, "Alaska."

"What?"

"You said you needed a name that screams "condemned" and I say Alaska."

Shigure gave her a questioning look and she elaborated, "It's cold there."

"So?"

"And not many people live there, right? And it can be assumed that if you live in the country of Alaska you'd be lonely. And the fear of every human is the fear of being alone. Think about it. Would you want to die knowing that you did not leave any type of impression in the world? If nobody knows you how can you be remembered? It's a scary thought knowing that nobody will mourn you."

Shigure smiled at her revelation and set his head on hers for a moment before lifting it. "But I can't name my character Alaska, Ivy. That's a state in America. It be like naming your child Tokyo."

"True but I have met people whose names are Dakota and Savannah. Why couldn't you name her Alaska? It would be perfect."

Shigure smiled. Ivy was always his muse when they were younger. If he was stuck when he was writing his first book, Ivy would smile her catchy smile then drag him and Hatori out to meet Ayame and the four would roam around the city looking for ways to spark his creativity. Of course it got a lot harder to get everyone together sometimes, with Shigure, Hatori and Ayame at University. But even when the other two weren't accessible Ivy would invite Shigure over for sushi or tea. He would tell her his problem in the novel as she would lean against the counter of her kitchen and she would think then give him the oddest answers but in the end they always made sense. And he would always leave and write more in his novel that day. This time wasn't any different.

"Alright, her name is Alaska. It'll add intrigue in this story." Shigure decided, "Thanks Ivy."

"No problem. Just like old times…only it's your house." She smiled and stood up and walked to the door. She paused and turned once she was in the threshold, "Oh, Shigure! I was wondering, I'm heading out with Ian and a few of the cast members tonight. We're going to get tattoos to remember the tour by. Do you want to join us? Ayame is invited too and I did extend an invite to Haa-san, though I doubt he's coming. It'll be just like old times and I can hook you up with the girl that plays Chava."

"Is she in high school?"

Ivy laughed at his automatic response taking that as a yes, " That's for you to find out, Gure. I need to drop by my hotel to change. I'll be back soon."

Ivy walked out and Shigure saw her off. Sighing he went inside only to find the telephone ringing.

"Hello?" He greeted.

"Shigure," Hatori's voice said in a un-Hatori voice. He sounded nervous, agitated and angry, " Is my sister there?"

"No, she just left. Why? What's wrong? I haven't heard you like this since that incident with Katashi, and that was bad."

"I know, and like that, it involves Ivy."

"What's wrong?"

"Akito knows."

Shigure closed his eyes. Akito knew about Ivy's return and changing her last name. This was not good, not at all. At length Shigure asked, "How bad is it?"

"He wants to see her. If he's as livid as he was in the past with her, I'd say she's done for." Hatori replied.

"Haa-san, you need to tell Ivy in person. She'll be back here this afternoon."

"I have a few things to do and I'll be right over. Keep her there until I come."

"Alright. Bye." Shigure said then hung up after Hatori replied, saying he'd talk to him soon.

"Who was that?" Yuki, who was still too ill to attend school asked from his place on the couch.

"Haa-san." Shigure replied in his serious tone that he rarely employed, " Akito knows Ivy's back."

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Tohru was unusually quiet on her trek home with Kyo. They had only walked a few blocks from the school and the bubbly housekeeper hadn't said more than two words. Kyo's mind was abuzz, hoping her silence wasn't due to the fiasco the other night with her crying.

Finally, after another block was walked in silence Kyo finally inquired on her mood.

"Your not still upset that you gave Yuki food poisoning are you?"

A smile played across her lips, "No, I'm fine with that now. It's just that… I have…I need to go to … a dentist appointment."

Kyo sweat dropped. Of all the things in the world, she was upset about a dentist appointment. He blinked before he replied, "So?"
"When I was young, Mom and I saw this American movie called Little Shop of Horrors. There was this dentist, and he was so cruel. It ended up the plant ate him but ever since I saw that movie… I've had an over whelming fear of the dentist."

"What's to be afraid of? Just bite him if he hurts you."

"The thing is though, this visit will determine if I get my wisdom teeth out. If I can barely handle a dentist when I'm awake, how scared do you think I'm going to be knowing they're going to knock me out?"

"There's a chance that you won't have to get them out."

"But still, it means a trip to the dentist either way." Tohru said.

"What if I came with you?"

Her face lit up and she took a hold of Kyo's arm, "Really? You'd do that for me?"

"I have nothing better to do," Kyo started but was cut off by a peck on the cheek by the pretty housekeeper. Blood instantly rushed to the cat's face making his skin clash horribly with his hair. She had kissed him. Tohru Honda had kissed him. His world was in a spin. For the first time in his life, he had beaten the rat to something.

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Ivy frowned in the full-length mirror of her hotel room. She had put on a black top with a puckered neckline and a pleated denim skirt with a dark red corduroy rose on a belt of the same color. She put on her red ballet slipper style Steve Madden shoes she adored, and had the same make up she always wore but she still wasn't pleased with her appearance.

"I look like shit, Akaya." Ivy said to her roommate.

Akaya, a girl about twenty, walked over. "I think you look fine, Hodel." She said in her usual short blunt manner. Akaya, the actress who played Chava, was never the one to spend hours in front of a mirror, as Ivy was accustomed to do. The Japanese woman always had the ability to look nice with out much effort.

"Don't lie Kaya. We're not leaving until I'm happy with my appearance and we'll be late."

Akaya sighed and walked over. "Fine, what don't you like? I think the out fit is cute and the shoes match the belt perfectly."

"My hair." She returned decisively.

"What of it?"

"What do you think? I don't like it, it looks bad."

"Then braid it and get going."

Ivy did so and seemingly satisfied exited the hotel room with her friend. They got on the elevator in silence and didn't say anything until they joined Ian, Margo, and two other young men from the cast. Ivy greeted her boyfriend with a kiss and then reminded the group that her cousins were coming as well.

The little group walked out of the hotel and into the busy streets of Tokyo. They chatted and joked about their oncoming tattoos and the good times they had when they went out in the other countries.

When they hit a busy intersection and had to stop Ivy noticed Ian was looking more and more anxious. His hazel eyes were darting back and forth and he kept pacing as if expecting something. Finally Ivy couldn't ignore her boyfriend's oddity any longer.

"Ian, what's wrong? Stop pacing your making me nervous." She said flatly.

Ian cast a glance at one of the two guys. The man, an actor who played Perchik, gave him a nod. Ian looked back at Ivy and said nothing was wrong. He took a deep breath as if preparing to shout something, but the light changed and the group had no choice but to press on.

As they walked Ivy noticed the two guys give Ian looks of both encouragement and exasperation. Ian, on the other hand was growing more anxious by the moment and by time they reached another intersection by a dentist office, Ivy had had enough.

"Ian Joshua Geyers, tell me why the hell you look like you're about to streak or assassinate someone."

He glanced at her and took her hands. Ivy noticed his palms were sweating and he was shaking a little bit. She was determined to remain calm no matter what he said to her, even if she had to act it. However all her will power and all of her acting skills could not prepare her for what Ian then did.

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The receptionist cast Kyo a look of utter contempt as he sat slumped in the waiting room chair with his usual surly look on his face. The cat caught her gaze and shot her back an equally potent glare and she scowled at him once more before returning to her work.

That "bitch" (as Kyo called her) refused to let him go with Tohru to the back when it was her turn to see the dentist. An act that forced the short-tempered cat to throw an ever loving fit. Tohru, amazed by how much of a fuss he was making for her sake assured him that she'd be fine, though she had to keep telling herself that to reassure her as she went back.

Finally, after fifteen minutes, Tohru stepped out in the waiting room Kyo looked up at her as she entered and stood up once she reached him. "How'd it go?" he wondered.

"I have to get them out next week. He's referred a dental surgeon and every thing." Tohru reported quietly, "I don't suppose Hatori's skills involve dental care, does it?"

Kyo put a hand on he shoulder and ushered her out the door with one last nasty look at the unpleasant receptionist. "Don't think so. Hey, don't worry. We'll be with you every step of the way… unless that bitch of a receptionist rotates dentist offices."

Tohru laughed and was about to reply when they heard a man shout on top of his lungs, "I LOVE THIS WOMAN! I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER! I LOVE HER!"

The two teens cast each other a look and walked out side to see what the shouting was all about. They were surprised to see Ivy looking very flattered yet flustered and a man on one knee with light hair and hazel eyes in the center of a crowd. It took a few minutes to register that it was that man who had yelled and the woman he was talking about was Ivy.

Then the man took out a small box from his pocket. Ivy's expression turned to complete and utter joy as the man continued, "And I would like her to be my wife." Ivy was caught speechless amid a mix of giggles and tears but managed to croak out a "yes."

Tohru gave a gasp and put her hands to her mouth, "Oh, Kyo, that was so romantic!" She said.

Kyo on the other hand looked livid. He grabbed Tohru's hand and pulled he to the alley, "Come on. We need to get home and fast."

"But don't you want to congratulate her?" Tohru asked genuinely confused.

Kyo said nothing but drug Tohru faster down a short cut. Only when they got into the house did he say something and that was to Shigure and Hatori.

"We're screwed. Ivy's a dead woman."

A/n: oh! How's that for a cliff hanger! Ok so it's kind of cheesey. But you didn't expect that to happen! I know some of you said you didn't want the cast members developed but Ian was intended to be a major character and everyone else is there to be there. Hope ya'll liked. I can only think of one thing with this ending: What will Akito say? Gee, I tell ya, Ivy sure likes changing her name. Review for the cookies and grapes.