Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

I really wanted to get this next chapter up! I hope you guys enjoy reading it as much as I like to write it. If not, let me know - and tell me what you think is wrong with it!

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism are welcome.

"Did you practice, Chloe?" Tomiko asked patiently the next morning, which happened to be Saturday.

Chloe merely grunted, trying to hide back in her bed.

"Don't be like that, dear," her aunt said gently, "You're very talented, after all. It would be a waste of the piano to let it merely sit there."

"Aunt Tomiko…it's not even noon. I'll get up soon!" Chloe promised, half-asleep and trying to keep it that way.

"I'm going out for a bit, all right?" she told her niece, "I'll be gone for most of the day, so try not to cause any trouble please. I'll see you later."

"Hrm," Chloe grunted again, rolling onto her stomach.

Stretching, she glared at the clock, which her aunt had deviously set the alarm for noon. Kicking it to the floor half-heartedly, Chloe took a quick shower and dressed in her usual weekend clothes for home – scrounge clothes. Today was sneakers, jeans, and a too-big T-shirt.

Leaving her hair loose, Chloe sighed and sat down at the piano that her aunt had bought her when they moved to Japan, as a present for moving with her.

"Momiji, why the hell are we here?" Haru asked tiredly. Between the Ox and Rabbit, they had managed to get lost no less than three times, and Momiji was out of breath by the time they arrived in front of her house.

"Because I wanted to visit her!" he replied. "Besides, Haru, you need to learn to get along with people more," he added wisely, earning a noogie from the now-annoyed teenager.

"No…I…don't!"

"Momiji?" Chloe blinked, appearing at the front door. "I thought I heard a familiar voice arguing – why is he here?" she added, echoing Haru's own annoyed tone.

"We wanted to visit you at your own house, since you've been to Shigure's so much!" Momiji told her cheerfully, and she looked unsure of how to take that.

"Well, I'm not exactly dressed for company, but you can come in if you want," she offered, and reluctantly let Haru follow Momiji in.

"Wow, that's a nice piano!" Momiji gazed at the upright baby grand, and Chloe nodded proudly.

"Yeah. Aunt Tomiko bought it for me right before we moved here."

"Do you play?"

"Duh," Haru muttered, and Chloe giggled slightly.

"For about….thirteen years, I guess."

"That's a long time. Don't you get sick of it?" Momiji asked, sitting down on the bench. Chloe blinked in surprise, and then shook her head.

"Nope. I wanted to quit for a time, though," she admitted, "But I'm glad my mom forced me to keep going. I really like it."

"So, were you planning anything for this weekend?" Momiji continued. Chloe thought for a moment, and then grinned.

"Not really, except being ridiculously lazy. Why?"

"Yeah, why?" Haru asked suspiciously, shooting a look at his cousin. Momiji kept up his innocent face – and a straight one – as he answered.

"The bunch of us were going to go for a hike tomorrow morning," Momiji told her, "I wanted to know if you wanted to come with us!"

"Um…" Chloe hesitated, and Momiji cut in again.

"Oh, it wouldn't be a problem!"

"Speak for yourself," Haru muttered, and Momiji kicked him behind the knees. "Ow, damn it, you little runt!"

"The Sohma family owns a lot of property, and we were going to go to hike around Shigure's land," the Rabbit finished cheerfully, as Chloe struggled to keep a straight face after seeing Haru's expression.

"Sounds like fun," she agreed, "Sure, if it's not a problem, I'd like to go."

"Great!" Momiji jumped up, and grabbed Haru's arm. "We've got to get going now, but meet us at Shigure's tomorrow! Early – like…before six, okay? Bye!"

Chloe, a little dazed at Momiji's sudden outburst, stood silent as they rushed out the door, Momiji dragging a highly-aggravated Ox behind him.

"What the hell did you invite her for?" Haru growled, close to going Black on something.

"She's lonely, can't you tell?" Momiji demanded, making Haru pause in thought. "I never see her talking to anyone except Tohru and Hana at school. She's in a completely new country, and can barely manage to write or read our language. How would you feel if you were in her place?"

"Crappy," Haru was forced to admit, but then began to sulk. "I still don't see why Tohru couldn't have invited her."

"Tohru's got enough to do!" Momiji protested, and then began to whine. "Aw…c'mon, Haru! Be nice! Maybe you can get to know her better!"

At this, the Ox's brain began to function a bit better than before.

"You're not planning anything, are you, Momiji?" he asked, in a dangerously-calm voice. Momiji considered his reply before answering, and shook his head vigorously.

"Nope."

"Oh, you're going out, Chloe?" Tomiko asked in surprise, seeing her niece moving around at four in the morning. "Usually you sleep till lunch, at least."

"Erm," Chloe garbled, still not fully awake. She liked being early for things, and was getting ready to take a shower.

"Well, make sure you don't fall asleep and drown in the shower," Tomiko joked, earning a dirty look from Chloe before the teenager shuffled off for the bathroom.

Thirty minutes later, Chloe had blown her hair straight and gotten dressed for the unusually-chilly weather in jeans, boots, and a pastel-yellow turtleneck.

"Hungry, dear?" Tomiko asked, and Chloe nodded.

"Yeah, cereal sounds good," she replied, sliding into a chair.

"You know, Chloe, you should try listening to some music in this language – and reading some books," Tomiko suggested, "It would help you learn Japanese much easier."

"I don't want to," Chloe shrugged, and turned back to her book. It was an American textbook for history – Chloe had insisted on carrying over most of her curriculum from America over to Japan as well, refusing to lose touch with her heritage. Contrary to what she had told Momiji, Chloe spent her weekends doing her American work, and learning Japanese on the side.

"If you're going to be stubborn about it…" Tomiko sighed, indicating that her niece was hopeless, and turned back into the kitchen. "Where are you going?"

"On a hike with the Sohmas on their property," Chloe told her, through a mouthful of cereal. "Momiji stopped by yesterday and invited me."

"How nice, you're making friends now!" Tomiko exclaimed, and Chloe merely shrugged again. She refrained from telling her aunt that she despised one of the Sohmas, sure that would bring on another 'be charitable' lecture.

"C'mon, Haru!" Momiji whined, tugging at his sleeve. "You said you were going to come!"

"That was before you invited that girl, you damn kid!" Haru exclaimed, wrestling away from the Rabbit. "So cut it out and leave me alone!"

"What's going on?" Hatori demanded sternly, and Momiji instantly jumped up.

"Haru promised to hiking with all of us today, and now he won't!"

"You're too old to be tattling," Haru muttered, and ignored the look Hatori gave me.

"Why not, Hatsuharu?"

"Because Chloe is going!" Momiji supplied, and Hatori nodded in understanding.

"Ah. I see. Hatsuharu, you will go on that hike, and you will stay with the group. I won't have you getting lost for a week like last time," Hatori ordered, and sighed at the memory of thelast time they had gone on a hike.

"I won't."

"You're acting like a child, Hatsuharu," Hatori told him, "Stop sulking. The fresh air will do you good. Moping around the house is not going to do anyone any good."

"What the hell would you know about it?" Haru demanded, snapping into Black almost immediately. Hatori stared down the teenager, and Haru slinked back to the ground. "I'm not going," he muttered, and Momiji cast a pleading look at Hatori, who resisted the urge to roll his eyes.

"I'm not only a doctor, I'm a psychiatrist too," he thought, and gritted his teeth. "Hatsuharu…if you don't go, I will go myself, and take Akito with me. I'm sure he could do with some exercise and fresh air."

At this, Haru's head snapped up and Momiji began to wail.

"All right, bastard, I'll go," he grumbled, and Momiji instantly became cheerful again.

"Yea! Let's go, Haru, or we'll keep everyone waiting!" he cried, dragging the taller teenager out the door. Rubbing his face, Hatori turned and went back to bed, promising himself that he would give Hatsuharu a large vaccination as soon as he was able.

"Oh, Chloe!" Tohru called, as the girl strode up the group. "I didn't know you were coming."

"I didn't get a chance to tell you guys!" Momiji grinned, as Haru and Chloe exchanged dirty looks. "I invited her yesterday to come with us."

"The more the merrier," Yuki smiled at Chloe, who grinned back. As the group set off, Shigure waved from the door and eyed the Ox and Chloe with a certain suspicious look.

"How did this happen?" Chloe asked herself despairingly, stalking next to Haru later that afternoon. She had fallen behind the main group to look around, and had been stuck with Hatsuharu, who was lagging his feet farther and farther behind. Next thing she knew, she was lost with the sulky boy as a guide. Three hours later, and it looked like they were going in circles.

"This sucks," Hatsuharu glowered, and cast a dark look at Chloe, who missed it as she looked around for a sign of civilization so she could escape. "Damn girl. Now I'm stuck with her."

"What are you looking at?" she suddenly demanded, catching another of his glares. "You're the Sohma – this is your land. You're supposed to be able to find Shigure's house again!"

"Oh, shut up," he retorted, and she resisted the urge to punch him.

"So, do you have any idea where we're going?" she asked, trying to rein in her temper, knowing that it wouldn't get her anywhere except a certain amount of satisfaction if she cold-cocked the Sohma.

"Nope."

"You…you…" she choked on her word, and instead sat down suddenly. Pausing, Haru looked curiously behind him, and gray eyes met stubborn blue-green ones.

"What the hell do you think you're doing?" he asked, and she crossed her arms defiantly.

"I'm going to sit here until they find us again," she informed him.

"I'm not staying."

"Go right ahead," she said calmly. "I'm probably better off anyway."

"Fine," Haru growled, and stalked off. Chloe remained on the rock, and glared at the tree opposite her on the trail, waiting patiently.

Almost an hour later, she suppressed a smirk when Haru wandered back towards her, coming from the other direction.

"You like circles much?" she asked casually, as he paused in front of her, avoiding her gaze. "I bet you like pancakes, and rice balls, and rings, and…"

"Shut up," he muttered, and she stopped mid-sentence. "Fine, you were right. Now what, genius?"

"Well, I'm going to wait," she informed him. Gritting his teeth, he spun around and plopped down on the ground opposite her.

"What?"

"There's room on this rock."

"Big deal."

"That looks uncomfortable. I mean, those are sharp rocks…"

"So what?"

Shrugging, Chloe crossed her arms behind her head and leaned against the tree, resigned to her fate.

"Great idea, stupid. Now it's dark and we're stuck out here," Haru grumbled, wrapping his jacket around himself.

"Scared of the dark?" Chloe asked, but was secretly beginning to worry. "How far could we have gotten?"

"No, but I'm fucking cold," he retorted, staring back at the ground. Chloe shrugged, and hugged herself slightly to ward off the sudden chill in the air. She had forgotten her coat, since the day hadn't been that cold to begin with, and was regretting it now.

"Sure you want to sit on the ground?"

"Fuck off."

"Bite me."

"Whatever," Haru shrugged, and leaned against the tree. He wasn't that worried – he had been lost before, and at least he was still on Shigure's property.

At least, he was pretty sure they still were.

Glancing at Chloe, he saw her shivering slightly, and turned his head to ignore it. Unfortunately for the bull-headed Sohma, his conscious began to bother him, making him feel guilty.

"Cold?"

"No."

"Looks like you are."

"Well, I'm not!" she snapped, and winced when she realized her teeth were chattering. Haru sighed loudly, as if performing a great sacrifice, and shoved her over to sit next to her. Taking his coat off, he wrapped it around them both, forcing Chloe to move closer to him.

"Good thing one of us was smart enough to wear a jacket," he commented, and she glared at him, secretly grateful for his body heat.

"I'd rather freeze."

"Then move."

Chloe played with the thought momentarily, and then decided not to.

As she moved closer, Haru had to mentally admit that he was warmer with someone else's heat, and tried to ignore the strange sensations crawling up his spine at her nearness.

"Uh…Shigure, shouldn't we go look for them now?" Tohru asked hesitantly, reading the thermostat from outside. "It's freezing out there!"

"Well…uh…"

"Some plan, you sick bastard," Kyo snorted, "Trying to play matchmaker – you and Momiji both. And now those two are lost! We'll be lucky if they haven't killed each other by now."

"My bet's on Chloe," Shigure joked. "Hell hath no fury…all right, I'll call Hatori," he relented, seeing the glares being shot his way. "But at least they got some quality time in!" he called, as he headed toward the phone.

"You truly are an idiot," Hatori said calmly, once Shigure had explained the situation. "If Mrs. Durst doesn't sue us for this, you're still in a world of trouble. Hatsuharu and Chloe are minors, or have you forgotten? And now they're lost – still on your property, I hope."

"Chloe probably thought Haru knew where he was going," Momiji added over Hari's shoulder.

"Then I suppose even that is too much to hope for," Hatori sighed in frustration. "Who knows where they are now? All right, I'll call Mrs. Durst and let her know the situation. Haru's been lost before – I'm more worried about Chloe. And if they'll maim each other before we find them."

"Funny, Kyo said the same thing! But like I said, my money's…"

"Go find them," Hatori ordered, cutting off his cousin's nervous rambling. "You're a Dog – sniff them out." With that, he hung up abruptly.

"Wow, Hari, you're mad," Momiji observed, and the doctor glanced at Momiji briefly. "Do you think they'll be okay?" the Rabbit continued, and Hatori thought for a moment.

"I'd say they're mostly in danger from each other than from anything else at this point," he finally said, and Momiji grinned.

"Hatsuharu?"

"What?" he asked, but heard the sleepiness in her voice.

"Maybe we should walk…"

"Good idea," he admitted grudgingly, "It'd warm us up a hell of a lot more than sitting here will, that's for damn sure. All right, let's go."

He got up and began to walk, and it took him a moment to realize Chloe hadn't moved.

"Coming?"

"I guess," she mumbled, and he groaned. Taking her by the arm, he was surprised to see how cold she was.

"Are you all right?" he asked, as she stumbled to her feet. Holding her by the arm, and his jacket in the other hand, he led her through the darkness. Not that he could see any better, but…he turned his attention back to her when she shook her head numbly.

"N-not really, I don't think," she managed, "I've got l-low blood sugar. If I don't e-eat for a while, my body starts to sh-shut down."

"Figures," he muttered, "And you didn't say anything before why?"

"I didn't think we'd be stuck here at night!" she snapped, momentarily waking up. Haru glared back, and they faced off until Chloe sneezed, and Haru did too.

"Damn it. I bet we're getting sick," he muttered, and then realized he might transform under stress. He shrugged off the thought easily enough, though. "If I haven't transformed after being stuck with her for this long, I won't change at all."

"More circles?" she asked, laughing numbly. He glanced down at her – her head only came to his chin – and then hesitatingly put his arm around her, pulling her closer for mutual warmth.

"I guess. Why, do you care?"

"Not really, not now."

"I'll kill Shigure once we find him," Haru muttered, and Chloe giggled slightly.

"Hang him by his ankles from the roof…"

"Take a whip to the bastard."

"Pour salt and lemon juice in his wounds…"

Haru winced at the last one, but at least thinking of ways to torture the Dog was keeping them awake.

"Cut his fingers and toes off one by one."

"Make him try to drink something upside down," Chloe suggested, and sneezed halfway through a laugh. "Sorry."

"Nah," he shrugged, and sighed. "We might as well sit down again."

Chloe nodded, and they found another rock to sit on, continuing to mentally punish the Dog.

"It's almost one, Shigure," Kyo yawned, "We might as well call it off until morning."

"Kyo, how can you even think that?" Shigure demanded, blinding the poor Cat with his flashlight. "Think of poor Chloe and Haru, out there alone in the cold!"

"Hatori was really pissed, wasn't he?" Yuki commented, neither of the teenage boys fooled by Shigure's selfless façade. "What'd he threaten you with?"

"Nothing!" Shigure replied indignantly, and then yawned. "Well…maybe we can wait until tomorrow," he began, and then straightened suddenly.

"Hear something?" Kyo asked, and Shigure ignored him. "Finally, the bastard's making himself useful."

"Which is more than I can say for you," Yuki commented calmly, causing Kyo to spin around.

"Shut up, you damn rat!"

"Stupid cat."

"They're not too far," Shigure interrupted, "Maybe another mile."

"Only almost three miles from the house, and they couldn't find their way back?" Kyo muttered disbelievingly.

"Well, Chloe doesn't know the area at all, and Haru has no sense of direction. Between them, they couldn't have gone more than twenty feet before coming back, I suppose," Yuki thought, and shook his head. "What a couple."

The two boys followed Shigure through the woods for a while longer, until they bumped into him when he abruptly stopped again.

"Over here," Shigure turned slightly. Kyo and Yuki exchanged shrugs, and then began to follow him again. Within minutes, they had found the trail again, and saw two figures huddled on a rock underneath Haru's jacket.

"Bastard," Kyo muttered, both waiting for Shigure's perverted remark, and were surprised when none came.

"Took you long enough, asshole," Haru said faintly, and Shigure smiled nervously.

"Yeah, sorry, Haru. Feeling okay?"

"What do you think?" he demanded, close to snapping again. "I haven't eaten all fucking day and I'm cold, thanks to you!"

"Can you stand up, Haru?" Yuki interrupted, and Haru glanced at him.

"I think so – oof!"

"Dumb Ox," Kyo muttered, catching Haru as he fell over, his legs almost completely frozen.

"Is Chloe asleep?" Shigure asked suddenly, glancing down at the girl. Haru looked over, supported by Kyo and Yuki, and blinked.

"Yeah, we were tired. So?"

"You can't sleep in this cold!" Yuki groaned, rolling his eyes. Shigure shook Chloe awake, and picked her up. She was still under Haru's jacket, and opened one eye sleepily.

"Shi-Shigu-re?" she mumbled, and he smiled down at her.

"Yes, it's Shigure. Time to get you both home."

"She's got low blood-sugar," Haru managed to say, without biting his numb tongue, causing Yuki to groan again, and Shigure to wince.

"Stupid bastard."

Language! My my my...ah, well, what do you expect? Please review!