Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter

A little bit of angst and fluff in this chapter, so be warned! This chapter is based on my assumption that they don't celebrate Christmas in Japan, at least not ordinarily. So if you know for certain that they do, please tell me.

Problems with my mom or not, I was still able to fall asleep, thanks to Hatori's medications. I'm glad the Sohmas stuck by me. I don't know where I'd be if they hadn't. But anyway, you probably want to know what's going on now, right?

"How'd your day go?" Yuki asked, as the three teens crowded the room. Hatori was long gone, and Rayne was back upstairs.

"Oh, it was fine," Shigure said, and looked at them, "Oh, Hatsuharu, you're back? Maybe you'd like to move in?"

"Shut up, Shigure," he growled, and plopped himself down, looking around. "So, where's Rayne?"

"Back in bed," Shigure told them, "Hatori stopped back again, and gave her some medicine to help her sleep." He then filled them in on what had happened during Hatori's visit, and Kyo whistled.

"Cheap witch," Haru muttered to the table.

"Well, Hatori has decided it's in all of our best interests to provide her with the medicine," Shigure said, "Rayne refused to tell us what the nightmares were about, however. Shouldn't you three be doing your homework?"

"Don't have any," Kyo told him, "Duh. Break's on!"

"Tohru said that she is going to be later than usual tonight, so don't wait up for her," Yuki told Shigure, "I'm going to catch up on some reading. I'll eat later."

"I'm goin' out," Kyo announced, and promptly slunk off. Shigure turned to Haru, deciding to risk bringing out Black Haru for the fun of some teasing.

"So, Haru, what are you going to do?" he asked innocently, "If you want to daydream about her, then outside is a much better place. And if you want to actually talk to her, she's upstairs, but I don't know if she's awake or not."

Haru barely contained himself, and instead punched a hole through the wall instead of Shigure before he stalked off.

"There they go again, destroying my house again!" Shigure said mournfully.

"Haru?" Rayne asked, seeing him pass the door.

"I thought you were supposed to be asleep," he told her, but came in anyway. Rayne shrugged.

"I just woke up. I like looking at the trees with the snow," she said, and turned her gaze back to the window. "I remember when I was little having a Christmas tree all covered in lights, with the snow still melting on it," she continued wistfully, more to herself than to Hatsuharu, "Of course, that was when Dad was still…oh, sorry, Haru," she blinked sheepishly.

"No problem," he shook his head, and looked at her intently, "Christmas must mean a lot to you, huh?"

"It used to," Rayne sighed, "I've learned to live without it. But with a view like this, it's hard not to miss it, unfortunately."

"Do you miss your mom?" he asked suddenly, and Rayne stared at him.

"You're joking, right?" she asked honestly, "I'm happier here with all of you than I ever was." She trailed off, flushing. Haru stared at the floor, and then stood up.

"Well, you better get some more sleep, or Hatori'll flay me alive," he grinned at her, "Don't worry about Christmas, Rayne. Just get some rest."

"Sure thing," she nodded, and rolled over onto her side, still staring out into the white landscape.

"You want to what?" Kyo asked in disbelief at dinner, "That's one of the stupidest things I've heard anyone say, including that damn rat!"

"I hope you're including yourself in that," Yuki said calmly, and Haru glared at them.

"I think it's sweet!" Tohru clasped her hands together, her eyes glittering. "I'll help any way I can, Haru! Count me in!"

"If Akito finds out about this, Hatori will have no other choice then wipe her memory and send her on her way," Shigure warned them, "Are you willing to bet that just for this?"

"I'd like to see Akito try to get Hatori wipe her mind," Haru smirked, "They'd have to get through me this time."

"Myself as well," Yuki said suddenly, "If anything happens, I think we can trust her. I'll help, Hatsuharu."

Kyo grunted, and then slammed his fist on the table. "Damn! I guess that means I'll have to help too," he added grudgingly. Haru merely smirked at them.

Rayne heaved a sigh the next night, looking out the window again. "I wonder where everyone went?" she wondered to herself, and heaved another bored sigh. "All Tohru did was run up to give me something to eat, and didn't even say anything. Did I do anything?"

Tapping her fingers on the windowsill, Rayne failed to hear Tohru giggling quietly outside her door.

"Rayne?" Tohru came in once she fought her giggles back, carrying something in her arms, "You awake all right?"

"Yup, all day," Rayne nodded, cast a suspicious look at the package in Tohru's arms. "What's that?"

"Well, I'm gonna help you get dressed to go out," Tohru told her, smiling, "Haru's got a surprise for you."

"Huh?" Rayne, too surprised to ask questions, allowed Tohru to dress her in a thick sweater over a turtleneck, a scarf with a hat and jacket, and jeans with boots.

"Don't worry about the bandages – they're nice and tight. They won't wrinkle," Tohru assured her cheerfully, and pulled Rayne to a standing position. "Here, I'll help you downstairs. Just relax, and I won't drop you." Tohru giggled, and Rayne remained confused.

"I can tell you're surprised," Haru commented, as Rayne gazed at them downstairs. Haru wore snowshoes, and had a medium-sized wagon next to him covered in blankets.

"Um…" Rayne tried to say something as Tohru helped her in the wagon, and Haru gripped the handle.

"I'm taking you for a little walk. You don't mind, do you?" he asked, "It's a surprise, though, so I can't tell you what it is."

"I…I guess," Rayne nodded, then clutched the sides as he pulled the wagon out the door to the ground.

"Haru…where are we going?" she asked, staring at his back as he pulled her through the woods.

"Somewhere that I think you'll like," he replied, but didn't say anything else.

"Obviously, he doesn't believe in small talk," she thought wryly. Rayne took in the snow-covered scenery, and shifted her gaze to the stars. Suddenly, she felt the wagon stopped.

"Well, we're almost there," Haru told her, and crouched next to her. "Now, you have to promise that anything I say after this that you'll keep a secret from anyone."

"I will, unless you tell me you're a murderer or something like that," Rayne grinned at him, and he smirked back. To her surprise, he swung her up toward him, and began to carry her into the trees.

"Close your eyes," he ordered, and Rayne squeezed them shut. She gripped his neck, and noticed that although he carried her like Hatori had, he held her slightly closer.

"Can I look yet?" she asked after several more minutes. He stopped, but didn't put her down.

"Yeah. Take a look," he nodded. She opened her eyes, and gasped at the sight that met her. A large pine tree stood in front of them, covered in sparkling snow and pine cones.

"Ha-Hatsuharu…" she blinked in surprise, and he grinned.

"It's not tinsel or anything like that, but I thought it looked really nice," he said, "Like it? But this isn't the present."

"Like it!" Rayne stared at him, "Haru, this is unbelievable!" She went to hug him around his neck, but he gently held her back.

"Rayne…there's something I want to tell you about the Sohmas," he said, and she noticed his fingers tightening. "Rayne…our family is under a curse. If we're hugged by a member of the opposite sex or under too much stress, we transform into an animal of the Zodiac."

"Haru…?" Rayne stared at him, "I'm…"

"I understand if you don't believe me," he cut her off, "But this is our present to you – our trust with our secret. But to prove it to you…just hold on, okay?"

Rayne had barely begun to nod when he swung her legs to the ground, causing her to clutch his neck tighter, and hugging him.

POOF!

"Wha—what the heck?" Rayne asked faintly, finding herself holding onto the neck of a cow.

"I'm the year of the Cow, obviously," he said, "Shigure and Momiji were the dog and rabbit you saw when we found you in the woods – you weren't hallucinating."

Rayne remained quiet, and Haru continued.

"Kyo turns into a cat, and Yuki is a rat," he said, "Hatori is a seahorse, and Ayame was that snake you encountered in Germany. Hiro and Kisa are the sheep and tiger. Ritsu – you haven't met him yet – is a monkey."

"This…can't be happening…" Rayne mumbled, rubbing her face. "Haru…is that really you? Or is this just some weird joke?"

"It's not a joke," he told her, "You'll see when I…" Suddenly, he popped back, and Rayne fell to the ground as he ran behind a tree to get dressed.

When he emerged, she was staring at the ground, her face expressionless.

"Are you okay, Rayne?" he asked, putting his hand on her shoulder. "I only told you because you've had so many close calls already, like Tohru, that we decided it'd be safer to tell you and trust you…"

"I understand," she managed, and tried to stand up.

"Are you crazy?" he demanded, and supported her, "I'll take you back home. But, Rayne, it's important that you don't tell anyone. If you do…Hatori will have to wipe your memory of us."

"I won't tell, Haru," she said quietly, "Thank you all for trusting me so much. But it explains a lot, though."

"I figured it would," he grinned, relieved that she was taking it calmly. "I don't know about you, but I'm pretty damn cold. I'm sure Tohru's waiting up with some hot chocolate or something, so we better be going."

"Are you serious, Hatori?" Shigure asked a few days later over the phone, turning pale. "How did he…I see. Well, she can't be moved. Hatori, can't you…It was bad enough with Tohru, but…you tried? This is certainly a first, Hatori. What do you think it means…that bad? Oh dear…" Shigure cast a worried look toward the teens, and shook his head at them. "What? Oh, I was too listening! Tonight…all right, if…I said all right, Hatori…good-bye."

"What was that about?" Kyo demanded, as Shigure hung up the receiver.

"Hatori just finished talking to Akito. Akito somehow found out that Rayne's here, and that she knows about the curse."

"That in itself is bad," Yuki commented.

"It gets worse," Shigure continued, "Akito wants us to bring Tohru and Rayne to the main house tonight."

"But it's New Years'!" Kyo protested, and then fell quiet. "Oh, I get it."

"Hatori's going to drive over with a wheelchair for Rayne tonight and come with us," Shigure finished, "Apparently, Akito isn't taking this as calmly as he did with Tohru. Only Hatori and I allowed to be present when he meets Rayne."

"Yeah right!" Haru snorted, "Like I'm gonna…"

"You'll do what Akito says unless you want her mind to be wiped," Shigure warned him, "I don't know if Hatori will do it, but let's not press our luck. You three behave yourselves, for Tohru and Rayne's sakes. Understand?"

"Yeah," Kyo muttered, slinking off to the roof. Yuki nodded, frowning. Tohru looked worried, and then stood up.

"Well, I better go tell Rayne, shouldn't I?" she said, trying to be cheerfully. "I'll help her get dressed as well."

"That's a good idea," Shigure nodded calmly, and Tohru rushed up the stairs.

"I still don't like it," Haru grumbled, and punched the table, "This is ridiculous! Who knows what that idiot will do to her! She can't even walk!"

"Calm down, Haru," Shigure cautioned him, "Hatori and I won't let him harm Rayne, if it comes to that, so relax."

Well, I finally found out the Sohma secret! Pretty crazy, but it explains a lot, at least. Now I get to meet this "Akito" guy, whoever he is. I wonder why they're all so scared of him…and I can't even walk! Whatever happens, I have a feeling it's not going to be pretty.