Chapter 1: Murder in the Night

A/N: I love this. It's so nice. talking about the weather Sunset is such an inspirational time, too… don't be too freaked by the title… it's kind of a joke…

"Toooooooooohru!"

Kyo and Yuki looked up. The latter grinned silently to himself – Momiji had come to visit. Tohru put down her cooking utensils for the moment and peeked out into the dining room just as Momiji flew in, throwing his arms around her and grinning in the sweet way he did. Tohru returned the hug with a smile.

"Momiji-kun! Will you stay for dinner? I've made loads, so there'll be plenty!"

"Mmm!" said Momiji brightly. "Sounds yummy! Oh! But I have important news!"

"You came all the way here," asked Yuki, closing his text book and walking over, "to tell us that sensei is dating Hatori, didn't you?"

"Eh?" Tohru cried. "Sensei… Mayuko?"

"Oh," said Yuki, turning to her. "I thought you knew, Honda-san… They were eating lunch together today…"

"So that's why they had lunch!" Tohru asked, appalled. Yuki sighed. Momiji, meanwhile, was looking just as surprised as Tohru. He shifted a foot.

"And why sensei cut her hair…?" he asked thoughtfully. "But that's not why I came… actually…"

Kyo entered the room as he heard Momiji's voice become serious.

"It's Kisa," he said, looking at Tohru and smiling slightly. "She's… well, she's on her way here with Hiro… um… she's out."

"Speak what you mean, runt," Kyo said. "What do you mean 'out?'"

"Yes, Momiji," Yuki added. "What do you mean?"

"Of the Zodiac," Momiji replied, hugging Tohru again for demonstration. "Like me. Her curse has been lifted. And she's… she's rejected Akito… like I … did."

There was a long silence, in which the only sound was the soft tapping of the March rain. Tohru at last, involuntarily, found her eyes moving to Kyo. His were already on her, but they flicked away after only a moment's gaze. Tohru slowly lowered her eyes as well. First, well, first Kureno, then Momiji, and now Kisa? Would this continue…?

"Onee-chan! Onee-chan!"

In seconds a flurry of orange hair whizzed past Momiji and dove straight into Tohru, who had to steady herself a bit to keep standing. Kisa had grown a lot, though she still only reached Tohru's chin. Hiro, moreover, had grown like a weed – he stood just a hair shorter than Tohru.

"Kisa chan! I-I heard!" Tohru cried, hugging Kisa tight. "Y-you're…"

"Free!" Kisa said, as they broke apart. Then she did something Tohru hardly ever saw her do – she laughed. Tohru noticed a bandage on her cheek. "I'm just like a normal girl now! I'm out of the Zodiac!"

Even Momiji showed shock. Was this really Kisa? Or some imposter…? What had happened to her?

"Thank you, Onee-chan!" Kisa said brightly. "Thank you so much!"

After a moment of puzzlement, Tohru smiled and nodded. Hiro gave a noise that might have been of disgust and looked away, leaning against a wall.

"Ah-ah!" Tohru said suddenly, raising her fist triumphantly. "Kisa-chan and Hiro-kun! You must stay for dinner!"

"Will you stay with me, Hiro-chan?" Kisa asked, turning to look at him. Hiro didn't say anything for a moment as he clenched a fist inside his pocket. Then he cranked a smile forcingly and looked at her, his eyes watering.

"Of course."

"Great!" Momiji exclaimed, scooping Kisa into a one armed hug. "Tohru! Oh! Tohru! I'll make desert!"

"Eh-? Um, okay…" Tohru said, watching as Momiji cart wheeled across the room nervously. "W-watch the… vase…"

Yuki smiled softly and glanced at Tohru. To his surprise, she wasn't smiling anymore. Well, she was, but … it was a sad smile. A lonely - ?

Yuki teetered as the door behind him slid open and removed his back support. Turning and expecting to see Shigure, Yuki instead saw Kyo, walking slowly and sluggishly out of the room. Sure it was rainy, but Kyo'd been acting like this for months. He always looked depressed. What was worse, in the past four weeks he'd been shutting everyone out… even Tohru. He rarely talked to her, and when he did, it was solely out of necessity, at least ninety percent of the time. He'd cut his 3 trips a week to the dojo down to one. He didn't yell or snap or even make snide remarks about Yuki – he ignored him completely when he could, and showed no emotion whatsoever when those occurrences came that he could not avoid speaking to the rat. Yuki didn't know why, but this worried him immensely. For one, Tohru was becoming less and less spirited as the days passed. She needed him. The other reason was more vague to Yuki. He couldn't imagine that he'd ever be able to be concerned for the well being of the cat, but…

Yuki watched silently as Tohru stared sadly at the door Kyo'd just passed through. Eventually she turned, smiled a smile not her own at everyone around, and went into the kitchen to finish dinner. Yuki frowned. Something had to be done. They had to become friends again. They had to… But a little voice in Yuki's head saw It a different way. If this is how bad Tohru's hurt right now, when Kyo's still here, how'll she react when…

And Yuki understood. He understood why Kyo was depressed, why he was shutting everyone out. He wanted to break the fall, make it less hard on Tohru when the time came that he would have to leave. Yuki looked sadly through a crack in the door in the kitchen at Tohru, who looked extremely solemn as she stirred the soup. And he understood something else: Nothing would break Tohru's fall. This was going to hurt her… badly.

A/N: I know you're all calling me a hypocrite, saying "You said you'd keep the characters IN CHARACTER! How is KISA IN CHARACTER?" Well, here's your answer. As I read into the manga about Kisa, I always thought that given the chance, she'd grow up to be a very strong, kind, girl. Strange, but I always saw her as a Ginny Weasley type character, the kind of independent and free spirited girl who cares loads for those around her. So excuse if you see Kisa turning into a spunky girl with a spicy personality. Because, like it or not, Furuba fans, the kids are growing up.

After watching the change practically every minute from 11:32 to 1:35 am, Tohru sat up in bed. She was going to have to face it – sleep wasn't going to come. She couldn't stop thinking about Kyo… why he was ignoring her, why she couldn't help but look at him… what she'd do when he went away. Now, however, her mind was a in a state of exhausted mush. She groggily rubbed her eyes and coughed. Her throat felt dry. In a somnambulatory state, she pulled on a pair of jeans and a sweatshirt.

"Nh… water…" she muttered lightly, opening her bedroom door and venturing out into the corridor. "Water…Ky…o…"

She stumbled her way down the stairs, her eyes barely open, and followed the wall, not realizing the light in the kitchen was already on. She passed the kitchen door and went on towards the back of the house.

"Ky…o…" she muttered. "Wa…ter…"

Kyo tilted his head to the side as he gulped down a glass of milk. Had someone just said his name? He put the rest of the milk back in the refrigerator and flicked off the light in the kitchen, peeking his head out the door.

"Wa…ter… Kyo…" Tohru whispered at the end of the hall. She'd managed to get the back door open and was hastily making her way into the darkness outside. "Kyo, wait!"

Kyo cringed and dashed after her, feeling sick. Why was she asking him to wait in her dreams? It twisted his stomach and he felt his head grow hot as he easily caught up with Tohru and snatched her hand, pulling her remotely close to him so that they were facing each other. Tohru blinked for a moment, then looked around.

"Ky…o-kun?" she said, confused. "Why are we outside…?"

"Good question," Kyo said, turning his head slightly away from her. Why did this always happen? Why did he always fall into situations in which he couldn't avoid wishing he could be with her forever? He let go of her hand and turned around.

"Go inside. You'll catch cold," he commanded, with as little emotion as he could display. Tohru nodded and walked in front of him back into the house. Kyo closed (and locked) the door. He had to get out of here…

"Right, er," he quickly went to the kitchen and filled a glass of water and handed it to her. "Night, Tohru."

"I-bu-thank you… um…" Tohru stammered as Kyo passed her, rushing out of the kitchen. What was bothering him? "Kyo-kun, please, wait!"

Kyo stopped and knew, before he even turned around, that he'd made her cry. He slowly turned around and stared at her, feeling pathetic, as she cried into her elbow, having put her water shakily on the counter. She hadn't realized he was still there. But how could he go, now… ?

"Tohru," he said, causing her to hiccup and jump as she noticed him. "Look… er… don't cry… why are you crying…?"

Without warning, the door slid open and Shigure marched in, looking gleeful at the sight of them. He patted Tohru on the back.

"Because, Kyo-kun!" You're being a big meanie!" Shigure cried happily. He pressed his cheek to Tohru's head. "Poor Tohruuuuu… I'm not a meanie to you, am I? You'd much rather have me as your loyal husband, wouldn't you?"

"Eh?" Tohru cried, blushing furiously. "EH?"

Kyo clenched a fist. Shigure hadn't tried his temper this badly in a while… but he managed not to shout and merely glared. He wouldn't always be there to protect her from this pervert… wouldn't… be… All at once, Kyo's glare sank into a pained grimace, his hand limped weakly at his side. Shigure noticed this, and so did Tohru. Their hearts skipped a beat.

"Tohru and I are lovey-dovey!" Shigure continued, bubbly. He had to try a bit harder. "Oh! And we can get Aaya to make your wedding dress, Tohru-kun!"

Yuki awoke to the sound of Shigure's screams. He groggily sat up and listened sleepily to the sounds below.

"My house, Kyo-kun!" Shigure was shouting. "Do what you want to me – but don't hurt my house!"

"She'll NEVER be your wife you sick-"

"Do you know how much that lamp cost! Kyo, you can't take your jealousy out on my house!"

"Shut up!"

"Stop hitting things!"

"You stop dodging!"

Yuki raised his eyes as the bickering continued, though he had to admit it calmed his nerves to hear his cousin shouting again. But really, some people were trying to sleep. Poor Tohru was probably exhausted from –

"EEP! Kyo-kun! W-wait!"

Yuki groaned. Kyo sounded angry, chances were he was going to get her with something eventually… Yuki pulled on a shirt and rushed down the stairs, dreading the scene he'd enter below.

"Yuki-kun! Did we wake you?" Tohru asked, rushing over broken glass to reach him. Yuki eyed the numerous broken decorations on the floor and then Shigure, cowering in a corner as Kyo stood looking over him, his maximum fury unwinding. How could anyone sleep through that?

"Now Kyo-kun…" Shigure was saying. "Let's not be too rash… it was all in good fun you know… Ah! Yuki-kun, you'll save me, won't you? You wouldn't let this naughty kitty hurt me, would you? … Yuki-kun …? Do something!"

"From the sounds of it, you deserve everything that's about to happen to you," Yuki said dismissively. "Let's go back to bed, Honda-san. Oh, say good bye to Shigure if you must… he may not be here in the morning."

"Y-Yuki kun!" Shigure cried in disbelief, crying miserably. "H-how could you! I've taken you in – been your comfort – made you laugh when you were sad, and this is how you repay me!"

Yuki nodded.

"Come, Honda-san," Yuki said, pulling her out of the room.

"Eh…?"

Tohru looked worriedly back over her shoulder as they exited, but inside, something gave a sigh of relaxation – just for a moment. Kyo might be sad, but he was still Kyo. And he was still here. Plus, Kisa's curse had lifted… would this soon happen to the other members of the Zodiac as well…? She couldn't help but hope so. All she could do was be there for all of them. Tohru didn't know if she was the reason the curse had lifted for Momiji and Kisa… but she did know that, no matter what, she'd stay with them. All of them. Until the end and beyond.

A/N: So ends Chapter 1! (don't worry, I'd never really murder Shigure except in my dreams…) Many of you are probably like "Yay, Kyo's normal again!" Eh… not exactly. That was just a slip. I needed it to get Toh-Toh's resolution down. So yeah… well, here we go with Chapter 2! And the theme is… Akito-chan! Hooray!