Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

This is redone chapter 8, where the Haru/Chloe ending will begin. Kyo fans may want to stop or keep reading, whichever you prefer. But no flames, because I'm doing both now! Some parts are just pasted, while others are completely changed.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestion, and helpful criticism is welcome.

"Road trip!" Shigure announced, earning disbelieving looks from the teens on the floor.

"What the hell are you talking about now?" Kyo demanded, and the Dog smiled happily at them.

"I think he's trying to avoid his editor again," Yuki said calmly, reading a book. "Count me out. I have work to do this weekend."

"What about you, Chloe?" Shigure asked, and she blinked in surprise.

"Uh…"

"I already cleared it with your aunt that you can go."

"Why does this seem so familiar…?" Kyo muttered.

"Well, where are we going?" Chloe asked finally.

"And who's we, anyway?" Kyo asked suspiciously.

"Tohru, do you want to go?"

"Uh, well…I have a lot of work to do as well, and I'm taking over for one of my coworkers this weekend as well," Tohru said, with a small smile. "Sorry, Shigure, but I can't."

"Well, with those two out…that leaves me, Chloe –"

"I'll go," Kyo cut in.

"– Kyo, Hatsuharu…I think that's it."

"You mean Hatori is letting you chaperone yourself?" Yuki asked dryly.

"He's busy with Akito."

"What about that damn Rabbit?"

"Momiji is going on a vacation with Kisa and Hiro as well," Shigure replied, with a bright grin, and Kyo eyed him suspiciously.

"What are you up to?"

"Nothing! Kyo, I'm shocked!"

"Yeah, right."

"Uh…are we going to spend the weekend somewhere?" Chloe asked in confusion, and Shigure nodded.

"Yes – at the mountain house," he told them, and Yuki rolled his eyes.

"Is that far enough?"

"Whatever could you mean?"

"If she hangs herself, who do I call?"

"We'll leave tomorrow morning, and be back Sunday night!" Shigure continued, talking over Yuki. "So pack tonight, you two!"

"Whatever," Kyo grumbled, and slipped out of the room. Chloe watched him leave, and waited until Shigure had retreated to his study to go after the Cat.

"Kyo? Is something the matter?" she asked cautiously, climbing onto the roof.

"No."

"Well, you're certainly acting like something is," she retorted, sitting next to him. "Wanna talk about it?"

"Not really."

"Oh…"

"It's not you," he said. "I just don't wanna talk, that's all. I'm not mad, if that's what you think. Do you want to go to the house?"

"I think I'd have fun," she thought, "I've never been to the mountains."

"Then we'll go," he shrugged, and stared up into the sky. She looked at him for a few moments, and then followed his gaze.

"It's another clear night," she commented, and he grunted. "I wonder when we'll have snow. It's almost the end of December, after all."

"Who knows?" he shrugged, and glanced at Chloe. She was looking up at the stars, but he got the distinct impression that something was bothering her as well. "Is something the matter with you? Is Haru bugging you again?"

"Huh? No, he's fine," she shook her head. "We're getting along a little better, actually. No, it's not Haru."

"So, something's wrong," he rolled over onto his side, and she glanced at him briefly.

"What? Am I acting like something's wrong?"

"No…I can just tell," he thought, peering at her. "You feeling sick or something? You kinda look pale."

"It's nothing," she assured him, and sighed. "I guess I'm just tired, that's all."

"Hey."

"What?"

"You don't have to lie to me, you know," he told her, staring back up at the sky. Chloe gazed at him, and then smiled.

"Thanks, Kyo."

"We gonna stay out on the roof all right, or what?"

"Probably shouldn't," she agreed, and edged toward the ladder. "I gotta pack anyway. Night, Kyo."

"Good night."

"How far is it?" Kyo asked grumpily, stuck in the backseat with a complacent Haru. Chloe was in the front with Shigure, and looked a bit nervous at the way he drove.

"Not much farther!" the writer sang out, and Haru blinked.

"You said that almost an hour ago," he pointed out, and Chloe giggled.

"I don't mind that much," she said, and Kyo shrugged.

"I don't mind then either," Haru said calmly, much to the other's surprise. Haru was not known for his patience in car trips, especially with Kyo next to him.

Shigure glanced in the rearview mirror briefly at the Oc before returning to his driving. Chloe settled into her seat for a nap, and Haru stared out the window, apparently completely zoned out. Kyo sighed loudly, and propped his feet on the back of Shigure's seat.

"Wow," Chloe looked around, "This is beautiful, even in winter! The mountains are so…big from here!"

"We're right at the base," Shigure told her, as Kyo and Haru brought the luggage out. "We can take a drive up there tomorrow, if you want. Or at night, so you can see the stars."

"That sounds nice – do you guys want help?" she asked, and Kyo shook his head.

"Nice, isn't it?" Shigure interrupted her, pointing at the house. It was a one-story building, and appeared rather small on the outside. Sure enough, there were only a few rooms inside, but were fully furnished.

"Kyo, you and Haru will bunk with me, and Chloe will have her own room, of course," Shigure told them, as they dropped the luggage on the floor.

"What are we supposed to do here?" Haru asked suddenly. At Shigure's suddenly-blank look, he sighed. "Good thing I brought my work."

"So did I."

"And me," Chloe nodded.

"What is wrong with you people?" Shigure demanded, as they went for their homework. "You're on vacation! Do that later!"

"Shigure…we need to get our work done," Haru pointed out. "Besides, there's nothing else to do."

"I think I'll go for a walk later, though," Chloe thought, sitting at the table with her books.

"I'll go too," Haru added, and Kyo sighed.

"That means I have to go to make sure you two don't get lost again."

"You're more than welcome to stay home, damn Cat," Haru retorted, and Kyo bristled in annoyance.

"Why don't you go get lost, you damn Ox?" he shot back, and Chloe began to laugh.

"You two…"

Kyo looked at her momentarily, and Haru gazed at her, suddenly looking away.

"I'm going," the Ox said suddenly, and ambled out the door casually.

"Wait up!" Chloe called, chasing after him before he somehow strode out of sight. Mumbling something to himself, Kyo stalked after them, and Shigure shook his head in amusement.

"Great scouting, Kyo," Haru muttered, "At least I'm not the one that got us lost this time!"

"Keep your damn mouth shut," Kyo grumbled, and Chloe sighed.

"Hopefully we can get home before the sun goes down," she reminded them. "What about climbing a tree or something? You're good at that, aren't you, Kyo?"

"Yeah, whatever," he shrugged, and promptly disappeared up into a tree. After a few moments it was silent, and Haru placed his gloved hand on her shoulder.

"What?"

"Hey, let's go see if we can find our own way back and teach that damn Cat a lesson," he grinned. She looked at him in surprise, but finally decided that the Ox wasn't Black, just insane. She began to protest, but he dragged her off before she managed even a squeak.

"Guys? Chloe – Haru?" Kyo called, leaping to the ground several minutes later. Realizing what must have happened, he groaned, and shot off through the trees.

"Haru, do you even have a clue where we're going?" she asked, absently trying to tug her hand free from his grip. His fingers only tightened around hers, though, and he shrugged.

"Um…no."

"Haru!" she exclaimed, and planted her feet in the ground.

"Let's just stay here. I'm sure Kyo'll find us – eventually," she added with a sigh.

"I'm not letting that damn Cat get to hang that over my head!" he argued, but she merely glared at him. Mumbling something under his breath, he joined her on a rock once more, and they propped their chins in their hands.

"I figured I'd find you eventually," Kyo panted, appearing in front of them. "Geez, what the hell possessed you two to go off like that?"

"It was his idea," Chloe said, pointing at Haru, who merely gazed back blankly.

"Stupid Ox."

"Damn Cat."

"We might as well get heading back – it's getting dark," she interrupted the ensuing argument, and grabbed each of their hands. "I better make sure neither of you gets lost," she teased. Kyo humphed and shrugged, but Haru merely gazed quietly at her. Busy laughing at Kyo's seemingly-ungratefulness, Chloe didn't even realize it.

"How about tomorrow night we take a drive up the mountain to a cliff to see the stars?" Shigure asked over dinner, and Kyo looked at him suspiciously.

"What are you up to?"

"Now he's trying to get out of this house," Haru added, and Chloe looked up from a piece of paper laying on the table.

"Shigure? What did Yuki call about?"

"Oh…nothing!" he smiled brightly, and Kyo and Haru gazed at him dryly.

"Yuki must have told Min where we are."

"All right," Chloe shrugged, and then looked up from her plate. "Oh, I'm going to take a shower tonight, so you guys stay out of the bathroom for a while, okay?"

"Well, of course!" Kyo said, offended. "What do you think I am? And you," he hissed, grabbing Shigure's collar. "You'll stay right next to me until she's done, understand?"

"Kyo's scary!" Shigure pouted, slumping in his seat. Haru nodded, but appeared to have zoned out again. Standing up, Chloe dumped her dishes in the sink, and then glanced behind her again.

"I won't be long."

"Well, go get it over with already," Kyo muttered, keeping an eye on Shigure.

"Ahh…that feels good," Chloe sighed, as she turned off the hot water. Stepping out of the shower, she toweled her hair vigorously, making it curl up into waves. Flipping her head back up, she wrapped her towel around her – just as Haru walked in.

"What was that?" Kyo demanded, his head shooting up. "I could've sworn I heard her scream again!"

"Where'd Haru go?" Shigure noticed, still sulking as he read his book.

"That…that…" Kyo blinked, and raced off.

"You damn son-of-a-bitch!" Kyo shouted, throwing Haru outside. "You sleep outside tonight, you bastard!"

"Kyo…"

"You be quiet!" he yelled, and Shigure disappeared back inside the house. Now dressed, and still red from embarrassment, Chloe tapped his shoulder, and he spun around. "What? Don't tell me you care if he freezes?"

"I didn't hear her," Haru muttered, getting back up. The glint in his eyes, however, hinted that he was close to going Black on Kyo.

"Kyo, I don't think he did it on purpose," Chloe said, "And besides, he didn't…I was dressed."

"You were in a towel!" Kyo said, turning red himself. He was determined not to let that Ox get away with anything – just because he had a crush on Chloe didn't mean he could go walk in on her in the bathroom.

"Well, he saw less than he would if I was in a bathing suit," she snapped, and then sighed. "Kyo, it's not his fault, okay? He's a bastard, sure, but not a pervert. That's Shigure," she added, glancing back at the Dog, who melted farther into the background.

"Chloe…" Kyo muttered something, and then hissed at Haru. "Fine, you can come in, but count your lucky stars, stupid Ox."

"Who're you calling stupid, you dumb Cat?"

"Aw crap," Kyo muttered, his back to the now-Black Haru. Chloe shook her head as the two faced off, and Haru smirked.

"Betcha can't beat me, you lazy Cat," he taunted. "You've gotten lazy with your girlfriend around, haven't ya?"

"You – stupid – Ox!" Kyo yelled, and rushed forward.

"Not the house…" Shigure sighed, and then realized that they were outside. "Oh!"

"Shigure…" Chloe looked back from the Dog to the fighting pair, and then paused. "They'll freeze out there."

"Chloe, I don't think you want to…" Shigure began, and then shrugged as she raced outside. "Oh well. At least it'll be quiet around here."

"What'd you do that for?" Kyo demanded, his tail bristling at the now-complacent Ox that had to remain outside until he transformed back. "I was kicking his ass!"

"We didn't come here for you two too kill each other," she told him, and tried to keep the smile from appearing on her face. "Besides…you're cute as a cat."

Haru snickered – rather difficult to do as a cow – and then looked around as he poofed back. "Where are my clothes?"

"Here," Chloe tossed him his clothes, her hand over her eyes, and he disappeared around the corner of the house momentarily. "Oh, c'mon Kyo…don't be mad."

"Yeah, yeah," he muttered, and then poofed back as well. He rushed off to get dressed, and she waited for both boys to return. She took a seat on the porch floor, hanging her legs over the edge lazily.

"Aren't you cold?" Kyo asked incredulously, joining her in a few minutes. Looking around, he sighed. "Now where did Haru go?"

"Right here," he replied, coming around from the other side of the house. Chloe giggled as he scooted next to her, his legs crossed and one arm bracing himself up, while the other snuck closer to her. Kyo noticed, but shrugged. If the Ox wanted to land himself in trouble, he was more than welcome to.

"So, you actually found an overlook?" Haru asked, as they drove up the mountain.

"Too bad Kyo didn't want to come," Chloe thought, and then looked at the sky. "Everything's so clear."

"He doesn't like the cold all that much," Shigure told them, and then nodded. "Yep – it's got a great view, trust me. And Kyo said something about my driving too."

"Who could blame him?" Chloe asked, gripping Haru's arm tightly as they once again survived a turn that promised certain death. He braced himself against the door so he didn't fall over on her and transform, and Shigure looked offended.

"What are you saying about my driving?"

"I'm never riding with you again," she vowed, keeping her eyes closed. After a moment, Haru followed her lead, and the two teens sat in the backseat with their eyes squeezed shut, waiting either for the moment of death or arrival.

"Oh, wow," Chloe gasped as they got out of the car. "Shigure, this is amazing!"

"I told you it was," he replied, looking extremely smug – especially when he saw Haru nod in agreement with her statement, while watching the speaker rather than the stars.

"It's freezing out, though," the Ox commented, rubbing his arms. "I'm going to wait in the car."

"Okay," Chloe said absently, staring up at the clear sky. Shigure joined for a few minutes, where they remained in silence. "If you had one wish, would it be to break the curse?" she asked suddenly. He looked at her in surprise, and shrugged.

"I actually don't know," he admitted. She paused, and then nodded.

"Yeah, me too," she agreed, and then shivered. "Whew, it really is cold out. I'm going join Haru in the car."

"I'll be there in a little bit, if you don't mind waiting a bit," Shigure called. She waved her hand as she climbed into the backseat, and Haru turned away from his window to look at her in surprise.

"Too cold?" Haru asked, and she nodded, closing the door. Scooting inside, she propped her knees against the back of the chair, and stretched lazily.

"Shigure said he'd be a little longer," she told him, and the Ox nodded. She closed her eyes and leaned back into the seat. Suddenly, she felt the seat shift, and opened her eyes to see Haru looking down at her. Sliding her legs down the seat, he braced himself on either side of her with an arm, and gazed solemnly at her.

"Chloe…I swear, I won't let anyone hurt you as long as I'm here," he whispered. Her eyes widened in surprise, but any comment was cut off by his lips against hers. Increasing pressure slightly, Haru shifted closer to her, especially careful not to transform. Chloe relaxed against his kiss, and he abruptly cut it off.

"Haru…" she began, and then stopped herself. He sat back down awkwardly, and turned to look out the window. She gazed at him for a moment longer, and he jumped when he felt pressure against his back.

Glancing around, he saw Chloe leaning against his shoulder and back, making sure her hands wouldn't hug him. They sat silently, each grateful for the other's contact, until they heard Shigure approaching, and she jumped back.

"Ready to go, you two?" he asked cheerfully, barely glancing toward the back.

"Yeah," Chloe nodded, and Haru remained silent.

Haru and Chloe kissed now! Now no one can flame me anymore! Yea! Please review!