A/N: Long time no see! Haha…I've been wanting to update but I haven't had time till now. Ok, on with the story!

----- ----- -----

The breeze tickled the leaves outside and the birds chirped cheerfully. Yuki blinked in surprise. His hair was slightly tousled as he ran his fingers through the loose strands and made a noble attempt to sit up. Instead, he only succeeded in wedging himself even more firmly into the sagging couch. He sighed in frustration.

At that choice moment, Kyo emerged from his room looking alert and even unusually cheerful. The sight of his smirking face only served to irritate Yuki more.

"Having trouble getting up, Prince Yuki?"

Yuki attempted to give him an icy stare but only managed a furious glare that amused Kyo even more. Rather than trying to pick a fight, he offered a hand to Yuki. Suspiciously, Yuki took it, expecting something unpleasant, but Kyo only pulled him up and continued smiling in that irking way.

Yuki would have done something to wipe that irritating grin off the cat's face but Tohru's clear voice cut through his thoughts, "Breakfast time, everyone!"

Turning, he pushed past Kyo and stalked towards the kitchen in a foul mood. Tohru looked up as she heard Yuki's quick footsteps approaching and smiled cheerfully, "Good morning, Yuki! What will it be? Eggs or pancakes? Or both?"

Yuki made an effort to smile at her but had a sinking feeling it had come out as a grimace, "I think I'll take the eggs."

Tohru noted his moody expression but decided not to push the matter, "Ok, eggs it is then!"

Kyo sauntered in and announced, "I'll have the pancakes please…"

Shigure emerged from behind his newspaper in surprise. He raised an eyebrow and thought to himself, "Since when did Kyo start having manners?"

After serving Kyo, Tohru sat down to her own breakfast and smiled cheerfully at everyone around the table, blissfully oblivious to the rays of animosity Yuki was emanating towards the inexplicably smug Kyo.

Shigure glanced around the table and cleared his throat importantly, "Ahem, ahem."

The other three looked at him in surprise.

He paused a moment for dramatic effect, and then said solemnly, "Akito is coming today."

Yuki's gaze fell back to his eggs as if he had not heard anything at all while the smile of Kyo's face quickly disappeared. Only Tohru remained cheerful, "Oh, well, I've been looking forward to meeting Akito. I've heard so much about him!"

The three men's eyes met in a rare moment of understanding. Tohru could not possibly comprehend the implications of a visit from Akito. Kyo pushed his pancakes away and stomped to his room, slamming the door behind him. Tohru winced at the loud noise and furrowed her brow in concern.

"I hope Kyo's not too—I mean…"

"Don't worry about that stupid cat, Miss Honda. He's just…a bit taken by surprise by this news. We all are."

"Oh, well…haha ok, if you say so, Yuki. But, um…who's going to greet Akito. I mean, I would stay home from school but I have a big test and—"

Tohru's concerns were interrupted by a loud slam as the front door swung open with surprising force. Yuki paled at the sight of the man standing at the doorway. He had stood up at the loud noise but quickly sat back down as if an invisible hand had just pushed down on him with unmerciful force.

Shigure smiled a smile that Tohru recognized very well. She had often seen it on her father's face when he had been greeting important executives in black suits…a meaningless smile. This smile faltered a moment on Shigure's face, but he soon smiled even wider and said, "Hello, 'Tori. It's nice of you to drop by so early in the morning."

The man named Hatori nodded curtly at Shigure's warning, but with no malice. Instead, Tohru thought his face looked a little bit like Shigure's…sad and a bit of something else she could not name.

"Well…I see that all of your manners have disintegrated considerably since I allowed this…girl…to stay with you. Aren't you going to invite us in when we've already come so far?"

The icy voice penetrated the silence, yet as far as Tohru could see, the man called Hatori had not opened his mouth.

Wow…does that mean he's one of those optometrists? Wait…no no…that's not the name. Um…paleontologist? No…OH! Ventriloquist! He must be able to talk without moving his lips!

Tohru's face was glazed over in concentration and she did not notice Hatori had stepped aside to allow another man to step in first. Only when he leaned his face close to hers did she look up. She saw a face matching Yuki's in beauty and icy perfection…but there was no mercy in those eyes. While Yuki's eyes laughed and sang, this man's eyes only pierced her own. He was studying her with those eyes.

Tohru thought to herself…So this is Akito? I see why Yuki has struggled for so long to escape him. This man is…like a black hole. I feel like all of my thoughts are laid bare…like he's seen me and like…I'm not worthy. But who is he to look at me like that? He doesn't even know me.

With that, Tohru flung up her head and looked back into Akito's eyes. All four men were surprised.

Shigure and Yuki had never seen anyone stand up to Akito's gaze…no matter how tall or strong or wise or proud a man might be, beside Akito's frail body, their strength became clumsiness, their wisdom failed them, and they felt inferior under his unrelenting eyes. Yet here was meek Tohru not shrinking away or faltering. Her cheeks blazed red and she was trembling but her eyes looked back at his and her fists were clenched tightly to her sides.

For the first time, Shigure and Yuki felt real hope in Akito's presence. And all because of this girl…

She's different.

She's different.

Hatori thought of a girl who had once looked at him like that, who had even stood up to Akito. She was not afraid…Yet in the end, wasn't her courage the thing that destroyed her? Only the foolish were not afraid of the Sohmas, of Akito…Still, looking at this girl wearing an apron with red strawberries printed on it and her feet in fuzzy bunny slippers looking at Akito with so much determination made him almost want to…laugh.

She's different.

Akito was reeling in shock and fury. How could this simple girl look at him like that? Like…he was something…dirty. How dare she meet his gaze as if she was equal to him, how dare she, when she could not possibly understand whom he was. And why did the others simply stand there looking at her like she was the greatest thing they had ever seen. Wasn't he their savior? Wasn't he the one who had sacrificed everything for them?

----- ----- -----

A/N: Wow, finally another update, huh? Ok, umm…review you wonderful people! I haven't updated in so long that I don't even know if this chapter follows with the flow of the previous chapters…any comments would be VERY helpful. Thanks for all your patience!