Kyo sat on the back porch that evening. He had been quiet the whole ride home and rather then ask him what was wrong, Tohru let him be. She knew he was really concerned by the new turn of events and was trying to sort it all out in his own head before discussing with her. As she did a load of dishes she watched him sadly from where she stood. Suddenly she heard the doorbell ring and Kyo lift himself slowly from the porch and walk into the hallway to answer it. Yuki was standing on the doorstep adding more to Kyo's surprise.
"Damn rat?" he replied his eyes a little wide.
"Hey Kyo" Yuki said, "I am not interrupting you am I?"
"No" Kyo shook his head, "We just gotback a couple hours ago. What's up?"
"Do you feel up to another drive?" Yuki asked with a sigh and sad face.
"What do you mean?" Kyo said leaning on the doorpost with his right arm.
"I came to ask a favor" Yuki replied looking him straight in the eye, "I have no other options. I was wondering if you could help me?"
"Me?" Kyo asked stunned.
"Yea. I need to go back up to Tokyo."
"What for?"
"I have to tell Machi's family what is going on. She wants to tell them herself but she is not doing very well. I know it's kind of late and you just got back" Yuki said as Kyo's features softened at the mention of his ill wife, "But will you take me?"
"Do you have someone watching the baby?"
"Yea. A neighbor. Will you take me?" he repeated.
"Yea" Kyo nodded with no hesitation whatsoever, "No problem. Just let me tell Tohru and then we will go right away."
"Thanks" Yuki replied appreciatively as he entered the house and waited in the hallway while Kyo walked into the kitchen to talk briefly to his wife.
He came back a few minutes later, grabbed his keys on the side table near the door, and then they both walked out the door. Tohru came out of the kitchen holding her hands together.
"Good luck Yuki," she whispered sadly as she stared at the closed door.
(Next Scene)
Kyo started up the engine as Yuki quietly buckled his seat belt and then stared straight ahead as the van headed out of the Kyoto district. As Kyo drove he took short glances at Yuki as he stared sadly out the side window.
"You didn't ask" Kyo suddenly spoke up.
"About what?" Yuki asked softly.
"How I knew about it."
"I figured Tohru would tell you. After all she is not one for usually keeping secrets from you."
Kyo nodded not mentioning the fact about Yuki and her keeping the secret about Kagura and her family. He stared at the signs as they drove on the street where there were barely any signs of other cars on the road.
"So where are we heading?"
"Her mother's first. I figured that would be the easiest. Kakeru is with his father this year so we'll go there after."
"Okay" Kyo nodded again and then was silent again.
In fact the whole trip up to the city the two of them were completely silent and just focused on the task ahead of them. Finally they arrived at the Manabe estate where Yuki asked Kyo to pull over, which he did. As Yuki unbuckled his seatbelt he paused and then opened the door slowly.
"I'll wait for you here" Kyo replied as his cousin started to get out.
"Actually" Yuki stopped before placing his first foot down, "Could you come with me?"
"What?" Kyo said surprised.
"I need you to come with me, for support. I don't think I can do this on my own."
"Okay" Kyo finally agreed after sitting in his seat surprised for a few seconds and then unbuckling his seat belt, "I'll go with you" he opened his door and the two of them climbed out of the van.
Yuki caught his breath as he opened the large gate and entered into a huge courtyard. A servant of the house spotted him and Kyo and immediately came over. After speaking briefly with the servant she led them into the main sitting room where Machi's mother was enjoying an evening of tea. He bowed his head, as did Kyo when she raised her eyes slightly.
"Why Yuki" she replied quite surprised, "What brings you here? And Machi didn't come with you?" she added when she saw Kyo instead of her beloved daughter.
"Actually she's the reason that I came up uninvited like this" Yuki said as he walked closer to his mother-in-law.
"Why do I got a feeling this is not good news?" she replied with a look of fear in her eyes.
"It's not" Yuki shook his head, "Kyo will you wait outside?" he asked him, "I'll be done in a minute."
"Sure" Kyo nodded departing the room and turning the corner.
He leaned against the wall still listening to the conversation from inside. He crossed his arms as he listened. Yuki was speaking in a soft voice but Kyo could still hear him. He heard the woman gasp and then a bout of crying. Inside the room Yuki was comforting her the best he could without losing it himself. At last he finally rose and Mrs. Manabe took his hand gently and told him how truly grateful that Machi had him at this time. He smiled a bit wearily at her but then bowed his head once more and then departed the room saying he had somewhere else to be. He walked out and found Kyo leaning against the wall his eyes shut apparently in deep thought. As he arrived Kyo opened his eyes and he nodded to him that he was ready to go. So the two of them departed the estate and once more climbed into the van.
"How far away is the next house?" Kyo asked as he started up the engine again.
"It's near the school" Yuki replied softly so Kyo nodded and turned the car towards the direction of their old high school.
(Next Scene)
They arrived in front of the house and parked the car near a parking meter, since Yuki said they wouldn't be very long. Once more he asked Kyo to accompany him to the house so the two of them walked up the sidewalk and to the door where Yuki rang the doorbell. He heard loud thumping footsteps and not to his surprise Kakeru Manabe opened the door.
"Yun Yun!" he exclaimed using his old nickname, "Well this is a pleasant surprise. What are you doing here?"
"Good evening Kakeru" Yuki replied gently, "Is your father home?"
"Yea. He's in the back room of his studio. What's up? Where's Machi?"
"She's back at home with the baby," Yuki said as they entered into the house.
"Shoot. I was hoping you guys would bring her up with you. Oh hey there Kyo" he said finally noticing Kyo and sticking out his hand to shake the other's hand, "It's been a long time."
"Hey there Mr. Manabe" Kyo replied, "Nice to see you again."
"Well this really is a day full of surprises. How have you been? You still with Tohru Honda?"
"We're married now and have two kids."
"No kidding. Well congratulations."
"Kakeru" Yuki interrupted.
"Hmm?" he looked toward the other with curious eyes.
"I really need to speak to you and your father."
"Okay" Kakeru saw the seriousness in his face and nodded, "I'll go get him. Is everything okay?"
"No" Yuki shook his head honestly as Kakeru departed the room to get Mr. Kuragi.
"Do you want me to leave the room again?" Kyo asked as he once more crossed his arms.
"No" Yuki shook his head once more, "You can stay this time."
A couple minutes later Mr. Kuragi and Kakeru came back into the room, both of them rather concerned. Yuki suggested that they all sit down for the news he had to tell them would be rather shocking to them both. Kyo remained standing as Yuki took a breath as he began.
"Mr. Kuragi, Kakeru" he began, "I suppose the both of you have been wondering why Machi and I haven't been able to see you both as of late."
"Well the thought did cross my mind" Mr. Kuragi nodded, "I was about to say to Kakeru that we would come down to visit you to see the new baby."
"Oh believe me Machi and I wanted to bring her up many times but something was preventing us from coming up."
"What was that?" Kakeru asked.
"Well. Mr. Kuragi are you aware, well you're probably not since your wife already told you that you weren't."
"My wife?"
"Ms. Manabe. Apparently when Machi was born she kept a secret from you, both. And not only that she kept it from Machi too."
"What was that?" Kakeru repeated frowning a little.
"As it turns out Machi was born with a terminal illness."
"What?" Mr. Kuragi said his mouth dropping open in shock as Kakeru's eyes became wide.
"The doctors used to say to her mother that she wouldn't live for very long. Of course they weren't exactly correct on their hypothesis. I mean she has lived longer then they had originally expected. For the past three years after her mother finally told us about it on a visit, Machi has been going to doctor appointments. But as each month progressed she got decisively worse. They even mentioned at one point that she wouldn't be able to have children because it would affect her body. But Machi really wanted a child so I gave in" Yuki lowered his head and closed his eyes, "The last doctors appointment we had was a few days ago."
"But she's all right, right?" Kakeru asked speaking up, "I mean she has survived all this time and she even had a child with no problem."
Yuki was silent as the tears began to settle in his eyelids. Mr. Kuragi turned his kind face to him and took his hand gently.
"Yuki" he replied, "Tell us."
Yuki looked up the tears still refusing to fall.
"I'm sorry to say" he said slowly, "Machi is not all right. At all" he began to cry, "The doctors say that there is nothing they can do. She's dying."
"What?" Kakeru stood up, "That can't be! She can't be dying! She's a new mother for crying out loud!"
"Kakeru" Mr. Kuragi replied calmly, "When?" he turned once more to Yuki, "Did they say when it will happen? How long does she have?"
"A month or two at the most."
"A month?" Kakeru slowly sat back down on the couch, "That can't be. I won't believe that."
"It's true" Yuki replied, "Machi asked me to handle telling your mother and you guys tonight. She can't even get out of bed anymore. It's been like that for several days now. I shouldn't have taken her up to the main house either at new years but she insisted on seeing everyone. To show off Takara and rather thenturn her down I agreed with her. I mean she has the right. It is her child."
"Yuki" Mr. Kuragi said the tears beginning to fog up the glasses he was wearing, "Why did you decide to go through this terrible burden yourself? Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"She wouldn't let me" Yuki shook his head, "You know how she is" he chuckled halfheartedly, "Stubborn as all get out."
"You don't have to hold it in anymore" Mr. Kuragi said placing his hands on his shoulders, "If you want to cry Yuki. Kakeru and I are here for you now."
Yuki looked up into Mr. Kuragi's understanding face and then began to sob as the older man embraced him. Kakeru cried silently himself as he sat on the couch watching them. Kyo remained silent but kept his eyes shut as he allowed his old rival shed the tears he so rightfully deserved to cry.
(Next Scene)
The whole ride home, once more Kyo and Yuki were silent, with Yuki staring out the window at the passing trees as they finally arrived back in Kyoto. Kyo drove up Yuki's street and stopped in front of the small house that was his residence. Yuki turned to him and smiled slightly.
"Thanks again Kyo" he replied, "For doing this" he opened the door to climb out.
"No problem" Kyo nodded as he climbed out and closed the door.
As he was walking up the pathway to his door, Kyo suddenly jumped out of the van.
"Hey!" he called out, "Damn rat!"
"What?" Yuki asked stopping as he ran over to him.
"You're not going to be alone you know."
"What do you mean?" Yuki said surprised.
"If you need anything. I mean. I know this is weird me saying this. But it's going to be hard for you when she goes with the baby and all. So if you want you can consider our home as a home in the future."
"Huh?"
"What I mean is, it won't be easy for you to work and take care of that baby by yourself. Our doors are always open. Tohru can watch the baby while you work. I guess what I am really trying to say is, you can consider living with us when she goes. If you want."
"Really?"
"Yea" Kyo nodded, "I'm sure Tohru would offer the same thing if she were here."
"Thanks Kyo. I will take what you offered into consideration. And thank you again for tonight. It really helped having you there. I can't believe I am saying this, you really saved me tonight. There is no way I could have done that on my own."
"Think nothing of it" Kyo nodded a bit embarrassed, "We're family after all."
Yuki smiled and then bowed his head appreciatively before walking up to this door and entering his home. Kyo stood there with a satisfied grin of his own before walking back down the sidewalk and opening the van door, climbing in, and starting up the engine. As he departed Yuki looked out the curtained window and smiled again quietly to himself.
"To think I the rat of the former Zodiac was able to just once rely on the cat. That is an amazing feat in itself" he pulled away from the window and walked back to his room where Machi lay peacefully sleeping.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Okay guys! My goal is five chapters this week. Remember this book is shorter than the other two so that also means shorter chapters!
Next Chapter: Tai's Plan Part Two
Finally it is revealed through flashbacks how Kagura met Jinto and how Tai Ushida fits in with the whole puzzle. See what happens next time!