Sorry it took SO LONG for my to update. It's summer, hey, I just laze around and forget to write. LOL. No, actually I did a bunch of this writing before I left for NYC (oh yeah, I was in NYC for the last 5 days) but the chappie just wasn't finished. I was pretty frustrated with myself for leaving y'all hanging. Anyway, here's the next chappie.

Chapter 24

She still loves me; she still loves me regardless of the curse, regardless of the fact that I can't hold her, truly express my overflowing love for her. She's just like Kana, just like Kana, but, but it's strange because I don't love Kana anymore, not at all. When I look at her picture there on my desk I no long feel pain, at least not the pain I once felt; it is slowly being washed away. There will always be pain there, but nothing like there was before.

Hatori lay on his bed, hands under his head, staring up at the ceiling. He couldn't sleep; he was too busy thinking of the past day's events. He had told Mayu the story of the curse and she herself put together the pieces, finally realizing the sudden catastrophe that had broken both Kana and Hatori. Afterward she had scooped the tiny seahorse up in her arms and held it close to her heart, tears streaming down her face all the while. At that moment all of his romantic feelings that still lingered for Kana had disappeared. There would always be pain there, Mayu couldn't change that, but the pain brought on by his love was gone, never to return. She still loved him. She wanted to be with him. Always.

"See, Hatori?" he could hear Kana saying. "I told you that you'd find the spring."

"Megumi!" Satsuki cried, jumping up from the couch where she had been knitting with Obaba to see her son trudging through the doorway wearily, followed by a woman who was obviously a nurse. "We were so worried; what's going on?" She turned to look at the nurse as her husband looked up from the paper worriedly.

"Well, I'm not sure. All I know is that he fainted; one of his classmates came to find me. Apparently he just collapsed; he doesn't even know why. I thought that I should at least accompany him home," she replied. Hana and Megumi exchanged glances from across the room.

What really happened?

I will tell you later tonight.

She nodded.

Hana listened intently as Megumi told her every little detail about what had happened that afternoon with Hiro, but once he mentioned the name "Hiro Sohma" she knew exactly what was going on. Now it was his time to learn of their true heritage.

"Megumi, Hiro is out brother," she said finally.

"What?" he asked.

"He is out brother, that is why you were not able to curse him," she explained.

"Saki, are you feeling all right?" he asked.

"I feel fine, Megumi. Listen, do you remember when I was having all of those problems with my power?" she asked. He nodded. "It only happened around that man at the bookstore. Well, when I went to spend the night with Tohru a few months ago he came to check on Yuki Sohma. His name is Hatori Sohma and he's a doctor. Through a series of circumstances he discovered who I was and told me. I am his sister. Once he told me this, my head stopped aching, my vision became clear, and I realized it was true. We have three other siblings, Megumi: Hatori, Isuzu, and Hiro. Isuzu they call Rin. I have met both Hatori and Rin and apparently you go to school with Hiro." All he could do was stare at her.

"Saki, if all of this is true, then you had better tell me how," he said a little shakily.

"Sit back, Megumi," she said with a small smile. "It's a long story."

"What was all that back there, Hiro?" Kisa questioned as the two walked along the dark deserted streets toward Kisa's house. "Hiro?" She stopped and peered into his face when she heard no reply. He looked at her for a moment and then turned away. "Are you jealous, Hiro?" He clenched his fists.

"Yes!" he shouted suddenly, startling her as she drew back, almost frightened. "Yes, I'm jealous."

"But, I don't understand, Hiro. Why?" she asked. For a moment all was silent as Hiro thought of the words to say. How did he put this?

"Because I don't want anyone to hurt you. I don't want anyone who could possibly hurt you anywhere near you," he said softly.

And because I love you.

"But I still don't understand; why did you think that Megumi would hurt me?" Kisa asked.

"Because he can curse people," he replied, feeling absolutely foolish.

"Why would he curse me, he's my cousin," she giggled as Hiro fixed his eyes on her, not able to believe his ears.

"What?" he whispered. She smiled and looked upon him slyly.

"He's your long lost brother, Hiro," she said.