Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
I was watching FB last night with my parents (I also started the manga) and I realized that Haru is younger than the other three. So in this, it's only by a few months, at the most, and Rayne is a month or so younger than him. I know it wasn't that big, but I wanted to clarify anyway. Oh, and I have no idea what Ritsu's mother's name is.
The next morning, we were all packed and ready to go. But I should have expected one last surprise with the Sohma family – Tohru showed up with Ritsu's mom, and they were actually going to help me to get in the hot springs!
"Hatori gave us the go-ahead," Tohru said cheerfully, as they helped lower Rayne into the water. She sighed happily as she sank to her neck in it, and Tohru quickly joined her.
"This isn't too much trouble?" she began, but Ritsu's mother shook her head.
"Of course not. After all, it would be a shame for you to visit the hot springs and not have a chance to try them," she began, and Tohru nodded in agreement.
"Hatori agreed that it might help you," Tohru said, "They didn't mind waiting for a little while."
"I'm glad," Rayne smiled, and then looked seriously at Tohru. "Tohru…do my bruises still show much?"
Tohru blinked in surprise for a moment, and Ritsu's mother took the opportunity to tactfully leave them alone.
"Uh…yeah, I think the steam helped them!" she said brightly, but Rayne didn't look cheered up.
"Do you…do you think Haru thinks I'm pathetic, or weak?" she asked suddenly, "I mean, getting beat up like this and all…sometimes I wonder if he really likes me, or if it's pity. After all, looking like this…who'd find me pretty at all?"
"Hatsuharu's not like that, Rayne!" Tohru said forcefully, surprising the other girl. "Haru really likes you, Rayne," she continued, more quietly, "I can tell. He's hardly ever Black Haru anymore, and never around you. Just because you're bruised doesn't mean he doesn't like you anymore – if anything, it shows how much he cares, right?"
Rayne considered Tohru's logic silently for a few moments, and then smiled gratefully at her.
"Thank you, Tohru," she said finally, "I guess…just with everything the way it is…well, you're lucky to have Yuki and Kyo, is all."
"Yeah," Tohru nodded, and they fell silent until Ritsu's mother came to get them.
"Hatori is saying that you've been in long enough," she told them, "I'll help you dress, Miss Tohru, and then we'll get you on that plane in no time!"
"I can do it," Haru offered, as Ritsu's mother and Tohru began to help Rayne out to the car. Hatori watched silently as the teenager took Rayne from them, and supported her gently. She wore boots and jeans to protect her legs, and a long dark-brown jacket and wine-red scarf covered a white turtleneck.
"Oh, I can't wait!" Ayame cheered, already in the front seat. Hatori rolled his eyes in exasperation, and finished helping Haru and Rayne into the car with Ritsu.
"Have fun! Send a card!" Tohru called, as the car began to pull out.
"I will!" Rayne waved back, looking out the back window as they drove onto the street.
"First class?" she blinked, as Haru wheeled her into the airport. "Hatori, are you sure?"
"To be honest, your wheelchair was too big for any other," he told her calmly, "But Ayame insisted as well – not surprisingly. And this is your first time on a plane, correct?"
"Yes – when I came over last time, it was by train," she nodded, and Ritsu smiled cheerfully.
"Well, we better hurry, or we'll miss the plane," he said calmly, and Ayame rushed after him like a hyperactive child. Hatori lingered with Rayne, sending Haru to get their seats, looking rather disgruntled.
"I hope he behaves," he muttered, and then crouched down next to the chair, to be eye-level with Rayne.
"Hatori…I just wanted to thank you so much for everything," she said, her eyes suddenly watering. He looked surprised for a moment before his look softened.
"We'll see each other again, trust me," he assured her, "This is just temporarily. I'll check up on you both when I have time. Don't worry, Rayne. Everything will work itself out."
"I know," she nodded, and buried her head into his shoulder. He embraced her firmly for a few moments, before pulling back.
"Come on – Haru and the others will be waiting," he said quietly, and began to wheel her toward the terminal.
"You're not scared of flying, are you?" Haru asked suddenly, feeling her tense up as the plane began to take off.
"I…don't think so," she admitted, "But I don't like heights."
"Well, I took the window seat!" Ayame said cheerfully, and Haru made an odd noise in his throat. Ritsu appeared more calm, and merely gazed out the window as the plane suddenly rose into the air.
"Calm down – it's not healthy to be so tense," Haru told her, half-teasingly, "You'll never survive to Germany if you're like this the entire trip."
"I know," Rayne nodded quietly, "I guess I'm a little sad, too. I'm going to miss Shigure and Hatori and Tohru and the others…"
"Yeah," he nodded, and placed his arm around her shoulders comfortingly. She sighed, and then relaxed slightly as Ayame began to chatter nonstop.
"Germany looks the same," she thought in satisfaction, as the car took through the town on their way to the Sohma estate.
"There's the cathedral where we met," Haru pointed out with a grin, and she giggled.
"Yeah, you had to catch me to keep me from falling off the roof," she agreed, "I only climbed up because you looked lonely, you know."
"You said that it was because you didn't see guys sitting on cathedral roofs every day," he reminded her, and she shrugged carelessly.
"That too, I guess."
"You must be the Sohma family!" a short, older woman, with a comfortable-looking bulk, greeted them warmly at the huge house.
"Wow," Rayne blinked up at the building, and the others copied her actions.
"I had no idea…it was so big," Ayame managed, and exchanged a glance with Ritsu. "Wow is right."
"My name is Hilda Ward, the nurse Mr. Hatori Sohma hired to take care of Miss Helton," she continued, and Rayne realized that she was speaking English – or Japanese, she couldn't tell. All she knew was that the Sohmas understood her as well.
"Ah, I see," Ayame nodded, "You will be living here, correct?"
"Of course," she nodded indignantly, and whisked past him to cuddle Rayne.
"I think you insulted her," Haru commented in amusement, leaving Rayne to the care of Mrs. Ward. Ayame blinked in confusement, and Ritsu smiled.
"I'll never understand the ways of women," Ayame announced in resignment, and Haru snorted, causing Mrs. Ward to look up in disapproval.
"Are they always like that, my dear?" she asked Rayne, who nodded in confusement. The elderly woman gasped, and glared at the three men as if they had killed her first-born son. "You poor dear!" she exclaimed, promptly wheeling Rayne into the house, "Being stuck with those men the entire journey! No wonder Mr. Sohma wanted me here…"
"Well, actually…" Rayne tried to correct the woman, but it was no use. She cast an apologetic glance towards the three stunned Sohmas as she was carried by the surprisingly-strong woman up the stairs.
"Uh…I wonder if Hari is trying to sabotage your relationship, or just torture us," Ayame said finally, recovering his power of speech. Haru gritted his teeth, and clenched his fist.
"I'm going to find the gym," he announced, stalking away.
"Oh yes, I forgot Hatori said there was an area for Haru to 'kill things to his content,' if I remember correctly," Ritsu remembered, and Ayame looked around eagerly.
"Well, enough of this!" he said, "Let's go explore this huge mansion! Hatori never told me it was like this, or I would have insisted we come the last time we were here!"
"That's probably the reason he didn't say anything," Ritsu commented, rushing after the ecstatic snake.
"Doing okay?" Haru asked later that day, as Rayne sat in her new room. She looked up with a smile, and he grinned back at seeing her so happy.
"Yes!" she exclaimed, "This is wonderful! I feel like I'm in a castle or something like that – it's amazing, this place." Looking out the window, she fell silent, and Haru sat next to her on the floor.
"Hey, cheer up," he suggested, "It's only your first day here – take some time to relax. Ayame's dragging Ritsu around the building, and I just finished punching some stuff out in the gym."
"Oh, I'm sorry about that," she began, but he shook his head.
"Not a problem," he informed her, "I'll live. She'll get used to us after a while – I hope. Of course, I think Hatori got her on purpose."
"You think?" she asked seriously, and he blinked at her. He suddenly laughed, drawing the attention of Mrs. Ward, who rushed out of the bathroom.
"What are you doing in Miss Helton's room?" she demanded, and he shot to his feet in a panic. "I was just drawing her a bath – do you have no decency?" the older woman demanded. Taking a moment to register her words, Haru realized that Rayne was wearing only her long bathrobe, and turned bright red.
"Sorry," he mumbled, and rushed out the door.
"Mrs. Ward, I wish you wouldn't yell at them," Rayne sighed, "They've helped me so much. If they were bad people, I wouldn't even be here. So please, don't take anything they do personally. It's just… they way they are. Haru would never try anything indecent with me."
Mrs. Ward shot her a sharp glance, and then turned back to the bathroom door.
"The tub's almost full – let's get you in it, shall we?" she asked abruptly, "Mr. Ayame said he wanted me to help you try something on for tonight – he wants to take you all out for a dinner."
"Oh!" Rayne blinked in surprise, and then nodded eagerly, "That'd be wonderful, Mrs. Ward."
"So, where're we going?" Haru asked grumpily, slipping into a short black jacket. It fit well over his black pants, boots, and dark-blue shirt.
"A rather-nice restaurant Shigure recommended," Ayame replied cheerfully, "That's why you have to dress nice, Haru. Stop being so grumpy, or Rayne'll think you're mad at her."
"Hmph," Haru snorted, but stopped grumbling. Ritsu appeared soon after, and was pushing Rayne in her wheelchair.
"Rayne…" Haru blinked, taken aback for a moment. Ayame grinned happily, satisfied that his outfit had the desired effect.
Her hair, now past her shoulder blades, was wavy from the steam bath, and pulled partly back with a simple silver clip. She wore a deep-teal dress that wrapped around her figure nicely, and flowed down to her ankles, where black heels showed. The neck scooped around her shoulders.
"Here, let me help you," Ayame offered, beginning to help her put on her heavy brown jacket over it. Haru remained quiet, and Ayame exchanged a smug glance with Ritsu, who grinned back.
"Haru? Are you okay?" Rayne asked hesitantly, and he shook his head briefly.
"Huh? Yeah, I'm fine," he said, turning slightly red. "It's just…well, I've never seen you dressed up before, that's all. You look really nice."
"I do?" she repeated, also flushing slightly. After an awkward pause, she smiled. "Thanks, Haru. And Ayame, for lending me the dress, after all."
"My pleasure!" he sang, and then checked his watch. "Oh, we better get going, or we'll be late for our reservations!"
"Sure, sure," Haru muttered. Gripping Rayne's wheelchair handles firmly, he followed the two adults out the door. Mrs. Ward silently from the balcony, a mixture of disapproval and contentment on her face.
"That was one of the best dinners I've ever eaten – excluding Tohru's," Rayne added, as they made their way down the dark street.
"Yeah," Haru agreed, and then stopped as Ayame paused. "What is it now?"
"Ritsu and I were going to check out more of the sights tonight," he replied, grabbing the confused Ritsu by the arm.
"We were?"
"We'll be out late, so why don't you two go home without us," Ayame suggested, "Or continue to look around – just don't be out too late, after all. Come on, Ritsu!"
"Uh…" Ritsu blinked in confusion as Ayame dragged him off, leaving two very surprised teenagers behind.
"Okay…" Rayne giggled, and then looked up at Haru. "So, what now? Home, or wander?"
"I dunno," he shrugged, and she paused. "What do you want to do?"
"Well, I'm not very tired," she thought, "I think I'd like to see some of the city at night."
"Then that's what we'll do," Haru decided, and began to push the chair forward with a newfound determination.
"Aya, what was that about?" Ritsu asked, as the snake stopped suddenly in front of a closed shop.
"They deserve some alone time," he explained, "And I thought now is a nice night. Don't you think so?"
"Good point," Ritsu nodded, and then jumped as Ayame began to drag him along again.
"It's so pretty," Rayne commented, and then blinked as white flakes began to melt on her jacket. "It's snowing!"
"Yeah," Haru noticed, and glanced at her. "I should probably get you home, or that old lady'll have my head. Especially if you get sick."
"Go slow, please," she asked suddenly, and he obligingly slowed the pace down.
As they continued down the avenue, she let out a heavy sigh, and Haru waited patiently for her to say something.
"I wish I could walk with you, instead of having to be pushed," she said quietly, "It'd be nice…not to have to be in front, but to have you next to me, instead of behind, when I can never see you."
Haru continued for a few minutes more in silence, before suddenly pushing her into a side street.
"Haru? What are you doing?" she asked in surprise, as he swung her up. "What about the wheelchair?" she protested, as he began to walk away from it, "And aren't you tired?"
"This is the best I can do, since you can't walk yet," he said, "We can get the chair tomorrow, and I'm not tired. Relax, I won't drop you."
Rayne fell silent, and nested closer to him. Haru became aware of a sensation in his chest as he carried her through the snow-frosted streets, and was unsure of what it was.
"I want to protect her," he realized, "I want to stop anyone from hurting her more."
Rayne stirred, and came back to full consciousness as they stepped inside the foyer.
"I didn't fall asleep, did I?" she whispered, and he grinned down at her.
"Not really, I don't think," he replied, and began to sneak up the stairs to her room, eager to avoid a confrontation with Mrs. Ward, whose room was on the first floor, as was Ritsu's.
"I wasn't sure," she said, and then straightened in his arms as he placed her on the bed. "Uh…Haru, I need to…well, I need to change."
"Oh," he blinked, a blank look falling over his face. Rayne's ears were turning bright red, and he was sure his own face wasn't a perfect calm either. "I'll go wake up Mrs. Ward…" he began, but she grabbed his arm tightly.
"Please don't – I don't want her to lecture us," she said, "Not this late. Ayame and Ritsu aren't back yet, are they?"
"No."
Rayne sighed, and avoided his gaze in embarrassment. Her arm and wrist had healed several days ago, but her legs were obviously still a problem.
"Haru, can you please just…help me and get it over with?" she asked. Haru turned back to her, realizing how embarrassing it must be for her to ask him for help like this. Without a word, he sat on the bed next to her, and unzipped the back of her dress, careful not to catch her hair in it.
She shrugged out of it, and he turned his back to her quickly as she began to undo her bra. Within moments she had slipped into a long-sleeved shirt, and was wiggling out of the dress.
"Here," he said, stopping her awkward movements. Slipping one arm underneath her thighs, he lifted her slightly and pulled the dress of quickly. As soon he did, he dropped her down, and looked away again.
Rayne, going even redder, changed from her shirt to a knee-length T-shirt for modesty's sake, privately thinking that it was too late to worry about that now.
"Wait, Haru," she stopped him, as he began to leave the room. He paused, but didn't look at her. "Thank you."
"No problem," he shook his head, but the sound of her voice stopped him from leaving once again.
"Haru…this is going to sound stupid, but…I'm lonely," she finally finished, "I miss everyone. I don't want to stay alone in this place by myself."
He placed the dress on a table, and turned back to her. She was surprised to see that his face wasn't in the least red, and silently cursed when she felt the heat going to her face again.
"Me either," he admitted, taking off his boots and jacket. Sliding next to her, he pulled the covers over her, and allowed her to rest against his chest.
"Mrs. Ward is going to have a fit," she murmured, already falling asleep.
"She can have as many as she wants, for all I care," he told her quietly, and then realized she had fallen asleep. Resting his head on the pillow, Haru finally let himself go to sleep.
Okay, this is not funny! Mrs. Ward is going to kill us – it's not like we did anything – and who knows what we'll get from Ayame and Ritsu. Oh man…I'm gonna die now, aren't I?
veronica: Sorry, can't email you now, since my parents forbade me to give out my email - and they're the ones who provide the internet. Thanks for reviewing!
Xxrupert-grint-loverxX: From now on, I'm calling you Christy, like your review.
Fan 101: Glad you read and liked it!
SasukeBlade: That's a really interesting idea...it's got promise! But I think I've got something even worse in store for them, don't worry. But if you've got any other ideas, be sure to tell me. Glad you like this!
Aki-Shi-Kitsune's: Yeah, you sound evil, and yep, Germany again. And I'll NEVER tell you what I'm doing now! BWA-HAHAHAHAAAA! (choke)
chocolateriku: Glad you like it so far. Hope you like the rest!