Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

All right! (cracks knuckles) Time for more Haru/Chloe! Right now the votes are as followed: Haru 4 (I think, I"m losing track!); Kyo 3 (or 4...) I'm voting for Kyo as well, but keep letting me know what you guys think!

Ah...we find out more about the mother, her boyfriend, and Chloe's relationship in this chapter. This is another reason why I switched to M, so be warned!

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism is welcome. Also, please vote for either Haru or Kyo for pairing.

"Of all the damn places I run to, it's the fucking school," she thought in disgust, praying that someone was still there so she could slip in. Luckily, a late teacher's conference was wrapping up, and she managed to sneak in a back door as they readied to go home for the weekend.

Checking around to make sure no one else was around, especially a janitor, Chloe found a classroom near the back of the school, and settled herself on the floor with a sigh. Glancing around, she dug through her bag and began to read with a self-satisfied air of relaxation. After a few moments, however, she dropped it in shock as she heard a rattling from the closet, and looked at it nervously. Tiptoeing closer, she took a deep breath, and slid it open quickly.

To her amazement – and horror, to be honest – Hatsuharu Sohma tumbled out onto the floor. Standing up, he rubbed his head in annoyance, and grumbled to himself as he brushed himself up.

Catching sight of who had let him out, he groaned.

"Not you!"

"Yeah, I know."

"What the hell are you doing here?"

"You first, asshole."

"I got locked in," he admitted with a glare. "I fell in, and someone locked it before realizing I was in there. I was beginning to think I was going to be stuck there all weekend next to the glue until I heard someone moving around in here."

"It figures," Chloe sighed, and then looked away. "Come on, let's get you out before they lock the place down."

"Good idea," Haru agreed, deciding to drop his question of why she was there for the time being.

"Damn it," Chloe moaned, after they had checked the last window. "Everything's locked – from the outside!"

"I'll just break it open," Haru suggested, but she grabbed his foot and he fell over before he managed to kick it out.

"Are you an idiot?" she hissed. "There's steel mesh in the windows, after your last rampage! You'll cut your foot open!"

"Oh," Haru blinked, and stood up with some attempted dignity. "So, you're saying we're stuck here for the weekend until school starts?"

"Apparently so," Chloe nodded, and stalked back to the classroom where her things were. Hearing Haru follow her, she turned in annoyance. "What?"

"Nothing," he shrugged, "But you still haven't told me what you're doing here."

"I ran away," she told him stiffly. "Happy now? Leave me alone."

"You ran away to school?" he asked in disbelief, continuing to follow her. "What kind of an idiot are you? Who runs away to school, of all places?"

"This is the last place they'll look for me," she pointed out suddenly, not embellishing on who 'they' were. "Okay? Now get the fuck away from me."

"I will when I feel like it," Haru retorted, and sat down across from her. Peering at her curiously, he smirked when he saw her begin to get angrier. "You're fun to get mad, you know?"

Chloe tried to ignore him, and buried her head in her book.

"So, who're you running away from?" he asked casually. She looked up at him in surprise, and then gazed at him suspiciously.

"What do you care?"

"Well, I've run away before – so has Kyo, Kisa, the Horse Rin, and Yuki, in a manner of speaking. It's always family. I thought you got along great with your aunt."

"I do," Chloe said grudgingly. To her obvious amazement, the Ox's tone held genuine curiosity, and she secretly longed to tell someone – anyone – about her problems. "It's my mother and her boyfriend. They came to visit yesterday."

"Does it have anything to do with the sling you had you arm in this morning?" Haru asked, "I noticed it was gone."

"Yeah," she admitted, but looked away, refusing to say any more. Haru shrugged, and folded his arms behind his head.

"I'm gonna get some sleep," he informed her. "Night."

"Whatever," she shrugged, and shifted around to position her head on her bag so she could get some sleep as well.

"Hey, wake up," Haru shook her roughly, and she punched him in the mouth before she fully woke up. "Bitch."

"Sorry – oh, it's you," she blinked sleepily, and yawned. "What'd you wake me for?"

"Got lonely," he said absently, a complacent look coming over his features. Chloe had to grudgingly admit that even though he was a bastard, Haru – like the rest of his family – was extremely good-looking.

"Big deal," she muttered, brushing her hair. "It's not my problem."

"Hm," Haru peered at her for a few moments as she became occupied with untangling a nasty knot, and then glanced away again. "I don't see what that dumb Cat sees in you, anyway."

"Excuse me?" she snapped.

"Nothing."

"Bastard."

"Watch it."

"You watch it, dumbass."

"I'm hungry. Wanna break into the kitchen?"

"Huh?" Chloe blinked at the abrupt change of subject, and scrambled to her feet as the Ox strode toward the door. "Hey! Wait up!"

"Easier than I thought," he said in satisfaction, having easily picked the lock. Glancing at a rather-impressed Chloe, he led the way through the kitchens. "I'm sure they stock up at the end of the week for Monday, so there should be plenty of stuff to eat," he thought.

"Good idea," she sighed, picking through a refrigerator. After they had found breakfast, they sat down at a table to eat.

"So, what's so bad about them?" he asked suddenly. Chloe looked up from her cereal, and blinked.

"Who them?"

"Your mom and her boyfriend."

"Oh."

"Well?" he prodded, when she didn't say anything more. Seeing her face, he leaned back knowingly. "She hurts you…no? He does, then. He hits you…"

"Cut it out!" she yelled abruptly, surprising the Ox. "Drop it, bastard! I don't want to talk about it! Leave me alone!" Throwing her stuff in the trash, Chloe rushed out of the room, and locked herself in the women's locker room.

"Hm…" Haru murmured, staring down at his meal. "I'm stuck with this stupid girl for a reason, I'm sure. But why now? This is stupid."

"Stupid bastard," she muttered, having taken a shower and dried her hair. Dressing in fresh clothes, she promptly walked into Haru, and a 'POOF' echoed in the halls.

"Thanks a lot," he said sarcastically, and she glared at him.

"It's your own damn fault," she snapped, and then spun around as he 'POOFED' back. "Ack! Get some clothes on!"

"Better?" Haru asked, still sarcastic, once he had dressed in black jeans, boots, and a white-and-black shirt.

"Much," she nodded, wearing boots, jeans, and a jewel-toned shirt. "Of course, it'd be wonderful if I wasn't stuck here with you."

"You like this stuff?" Haru asked in surprise, picking up her book. "I thought you sucked at reading Japanese, for one thing."

"I'm still learning," she snapped, snatching it out of his hands. "What of it?"

"I read this too," he admitted, "I was just surprised you did, that's all. Do you even understand any of it?"

"Yes, I – not really," she sighed, tossing it on a desk. "Half of it I can't even translate, and the rest of it I think I'm getting it wrong."

"Want any help?" he offered. She looked suspiciously at him, but once again saw genuine interest on his face. With another sigh, she nodded and crossed her legs as she sat on the floor.

"I guess."

"We'll start at the beginning, then," he said, flipping the book open. Chloe leaned in as he began to read, translating the words as he went. Scrunching her nose in concentration, she moved her finger underneath the letters as he read, following the words with her eyes.

"Not bad," he complimented her. "And we managed to kill a whole afternoon of boredom as well. Hungry?"

"Not really," she shook her head. "Hey, Haru?"

"What?" he asked, digging through the closet he had previously been locked in.

"Why do you hate me so much?"

He stood up sharply, and banged his head on the shelf with a hard bang.

"Damn it!" he swore, and rubbed his head as he backed away from the closet. "I think I better stay away from that thing from now on."

"Well?" Chloe pressed, as he tried to ignore her. "I answered your question!"

"You remind me of my ex," he told her dully. "I don't know why – you don't even look like her. She was cuter. But you still…I dunno."

Chloe couldn't help but bristle at the cute remark, but saw his expression and decided to kill him for it later.

"Did she dump you?"

"Yeah. We're both cursed, see, so we can hug and stuff," he revealed. "But Akito – the head of the family – didn't approve of it. So she dumped me after a while. Said she didn't need me anymore."

"That must have hurt."

"What would you know?"

"Well, I've never had a boyfriend, but my friend dumped me because her boyfriend didn't think I was 'right' for her," she said sourly. "Aunt Tomiko was pretty pissed at the girl, and next thing I knew, I was stuck here."

Haru sensed from her tone that there was more to it, but decided to keep his mouth shut – for once – for a while. Instead, he picked up the book on the desk, and sat back on the floor. He began to read, and after a few moments, she sat back down next to him, each taking comfort in the other's presence.

"Chloe's missing too?" Shigure repeated over the phone, and glared silently at Kyo. "No, I don't know where she – yes, if I hear anything I'll let you know. Good-bye."

"What?" Kyo demanded, backing away from the glaring Dog.

"That was Chloe's aunt," Shigure said. "Chloe is missing. You told her we were erasing her memory, didn't you?"

"I did – but she took it like Tohru," Kyo said stubbornly, "She accepted it. I think it was something else that made her run away – she seemed really scared at school."

"Yes, Tomiko seemed to think it was because of something in the house as well," Shigure admitted, and then collared Kyo as he tried to dodge away. "By the way, Hatsuharu is gone as well. Any idea where he went?"

"Not a clue," Kyo retorted, "The dumb Ox probably got himself lost on the way home. He'll show up eventually – it's not like this is unusual."

"Good point," Shigure admitted, releasing the Cat, who promptly raced off.

"Why would she run away?" Kyo wondered, sitting on the roof. The memory of her stroking him came back, and he couldn't help but purr as he relieved the feel of her hand on his fur, and her head on his neck. Snapping out of his daydream, he sat up with a frown. "Something's going on with her family, I can sense that much. But…damn Dog, he'd be able to know more if he saw them together."

The Ox wasn't known as the brightest animal in the Zodiac, but he was far from an idiot, especially when it came to his instincts. Not his directional instincts – he plainly sucked in that department – but with an emotional aspect, he was surprisingly astute. And Haru was positive there was something deep buried within Chloe that frightened her, but he had no idea what it was.

Sunday was a dark, rainy day, and they were too bored to read any more.

"I still don't like you, you know," Chloe said calmly, as they reclined on the floor. "Just 'cause I can tolerate you doesn't mean I like you."

"Same for me," he said lazily. "You're a pain in the ass, don't wonder about that. 'Cause you are."

"You're an arrogant asshole," she retorted, but her voice lacked the usual venom.

"Are you feeling all right?" Haru asked suddenly, sitting up a little straighter. "You better not be getting sick, 'cause I'll just let you die here."

"I'm not sick," she told him. "I just don't like Sundays. They bring back bad memories."

"Bad how?"

"Bad as in – never mind," she cut herself off, and shot him a look. "I'm not going to tell you."

"Why not? How much worse can it be than being cursed with vengeful animal spirits?" Haru countered She sighed, and leaned back against the wall.

"It'd disgust you," she said quietly. "Everyone else is."

"It takes a lot to disgust me."

Chloe remained silent, avoiding his gaze, so Haru decided to guess instead.

"It has to do with your mom's boyfriend?"

Nothing.

"Lessee…he hurts you, right?"

Her eye twitched.

"He hits you?"

She relaxed slightly.

"Ok, he does, but something else?"

She stiffened again, but Haru plowed on, determined.

"He verbally abuses you too?"

She snorted, as if to say she wished that was it.

"He hurts you sexually."

At this she turned away from him, and he watched her tense to the point he was amazed she didn't break anything.

"You mom either doesn't know about it, or she doesn't care."

"You think you're so smart," she said, but her voice came out strangled. "Just shut up, Hatsuharu Sohma. I said I don't want to talk about it."

"He first did it on a Sunday, which is why you don't like Sundays."

"Shut up."

"Your aunt knows, and that's why she moved you here," he continued, sure he had gotten to the heart of her problem. "He must've hurt your arm when you tried to stop him Thursday night, and that's why it was in a sling. That's why you got so freaked out."

"Please…just leave me alone," she said quietly, and he fell silent again.

"Do you have any idea where she might have gone, Derek?" Anna asked her boyfriend, and he grunted.

"If I did, I would've dragged her back by now."

"I'm sure she'll return for school," Tomiko said, with a false cheerfulness. "After all, her schoolwork is very important to her."

"Once she's found, Tomiko wants Chloe to come straight to our house," Shigure announced that night. Kyo shot him a sharp glance, but kept quiet. "Tomiko is bringing over some clothes today."

"All right," Tohru nodded. "I'll set up the room for when she returns."

"Mrs. Durst seems confident that Miss Dylan will return for school," Yuki commented. "What do you think, Shigure?"

"I don't know her well enough to judge," Shigure said.

"Ack! We better find someplace to be, or else we'll be in a lot of trouble!" Chloe jumped up, and Haru opened one eye lazily.

"Calm down. We'll just sneak in the bathrooms, and then say we rushed in if anyone notices, which no one probably will anyone, so give it a rest."

"Oh, shut up," she snapped, and rushed off.

"Good to have you back, Haru," Shigure said dryly, as Kyo, Yuki, and Tohru brought home a disgruntled Hatsuharu and an anxious Chloe after school. "It seems your aunt was right, Chloe," he said, turning to the girl with a smile that made Kyo want to be sick.

"Yeah," she mumbled, and followed Tohru into the house silently.

"Hatori will be here this evening," Shigure told the others. Yuki made a noise in his throat, and left as well.

"These two got themselves locked in the school, according to dumbass here," Kyo said, thrusting a thumb toward Haru, who blinked innocently.

"Huh-uh…well, Hatsuharu, you certainly don't look happy. What's the matter?" Shigure asked. Haru merely looked calmly at him, and strode past in the house.

"Shigure, don't talk to me," Kyo hissed, before disappearing into the trees. The Dog sighed, and turned into the house.

"Chloe! Hatori's here – he'd like to see you!" Shigure called up the stairs after dinner that night. Chloe jumped nervously, and stumbled down the stairs. Catching sight of Kyo, she caught his eye before he lowered his head and raced out of the house.

"Good evening, Miss Dylan," Hatori said solemnly, "If you would please follow me in here, I'd like to speak with you privately."

"Hey!" Kyo shouted, rushing back in. "Her mom's boyfriend is here – and he looks pissed off."

"Oh crap," Chloe breathed, and only Hatori's firm grip on her arm kept her from bolting. She unwillingly followed Hatori out of the house to confront the man.

As he strode up to the house, he glared threateningly at the Sohmas – the men in particular. When he arrived at the porch, he reached for Chloe, but she jerked out of his grasp.

"Your mother wants you home," he growled, and Kyo, sitting on the roof above them, hissed. Shigure surveyed the man from inside the doorway, and narrowed his eyes.

"He has a predatory air about him," Shigure thought, narrowing his eyes at the big man that gazed at Chloe. "She's terrified of him, and he likes it."

"I have business with Miss Dylan," Hatori said calmly. "I was not informed that she was to be moved from this house until Mrs. Durst came to remove her."

"Her aunt sent me," he said, but Shigure suddenly stepped forward. Chloe hid behind Hatori, and was almost grateful for his grip on her arm.

"I would appreciate it if you would leave my property until you have express permission to return," Shigure said calmly, but an underlying growl hinted at his dislike of the man. Derek shot a glare at the two adults, and reached again for Chloe.

"Immediately," Hatori added, pulling the girl further behind him. Derek swore under his breath, but spun on his heels and stalked off.

"What did he want with you?" Shigure asked Chloe, but she only looked away. He exchanged a frown with Hatori, and managed to have the Dragon released Chloe temporarily. "Hatsuharu, may we speak with you a moment?"

linliegh.bell: Thanks for you vote! And I'm glad that someone else is liking this as well. Please keep reviewing!
Hitaru: Yeah! A definite answer - you get double! And Haru is most definetly going to be nicer, trust me. I think he already is...right?
Adam: I like Haru/OC as well, but Kyo/OC just seems to work better for this story. But I'll decide when the time comes...this is going to be a long story, it turns out!
KactusKat: Get back here with that! I need to bribe people with that! Of course I'll keep the chapters coming for you guys! Have you read my other Furuba fics yet?

I'm glad you guys are liking this; and don't kill me for the pairing, whatever it is!