OMG! I'm soooooo sorry it took this long to update. I tried to update like 3 days ago but fanfiction wasn't letting my upload my file. Anyway, sorry about it. Hopefully that won't happen again. Oh, and I left you in suspense again with this chappie. LOL. I do that a lot. :) Note!

myinuyasha04: Thank you so much for the compliment. I really appriciate it, and I'm glad you're having as much fun reading this fic as I did writing it. I'm so glad you like it. :) I really do try to stay in character and I think I do a particularly good job writing Furuba. :)

Chapter 27

"I must have her, Hana," Hatori said urgently. He was pacing back and forth in his tiny office as Hana sat in his huge black chair and watching him, a slight expression of disgust on her face. "I haven't felt this way since Kana."

"Because you haven't been in love since Kana, Hatori; it's really very simple," Hana replied. He didn't reply. "If you must have her then have her."

"How?" he questioned, stopping his pacing to turn and look at her.

"I don't pretend to be an expert on love, Hatori, though I do know something of the customs of marriage, which I would assume you already know; you don't need me to repeat them," Hana replied.

"Hana, I'm not worried about the customs associated with marriage; I know them quite well. You know exactly why I'm so nervous," he said. She nodded.

"That I cannot help you with, you know that as well," she said. He now nodded.

"Oh, I'm sorry, Hana; I know you can't do anything about this situation. Frankly, I'm frightened, which is not an emotion with which I am comfortable. Though I'm not frightened for the seasons you might think, not of Akito," he said. Hana looked up him confusedly. "I am frightened of the fact that I have hope."

"What?" she asked shockingly.

"A Sohma cursed by the Zodiac has no right to hope, but I think I know what brought it about," he said.

"What?" she repeated.

"You," he replied.

"Me?" she squeaked, possibly the first time in her life. She pointed to herself in disbelief.

"Hana if it weren't for you I wouldn't be in love with Mayu. You have brought me so much hope," he said.

"I've never been a source of hope, Hatori; you have confused my presence with someone else in your love-struck mind," she said, but watched him shake his head as she said it.

"No, Hana, you gave me something to live for; in fact, I don't know what would have become of me had we not met," he explained. Hana had never blushed before in her life but she felt her face suddenly grow warm.

"Oh, Hatori," she breathed, taking his hands in hers. "Do I get to compliment you, now?" He smirked. They just stood there in silence, peering into each other's eyes. The feeling was mutual; there was nothing more to say. Both longed to wrap their arms around the other. It brought Hana to the point where she had to pull away before she began to tear up. She really couldn't bear it; she just always tried not to think about it.

"Y-you know I do not accept flattery," she said, turning around so she wasn't looking at him as she said it. He smiled tenderly and put a hand on her shoulder, turning her around to face him.

"Hana," he breathed gently, seeing the tears in her eyes. "Hiro's been asking about Megumi and you."

"Really?" she questioned curiously. He nodded.

"I believe Kisa has softened his heart; he's been asking me instead of Rin, out of curiosity instead of anger," Hatori explained. "I believe the anger is dissipating. How is Megumi?"

"He wants to meet you," Hana said with a grin. "But I don't want him too involved, not yet." Hatori nodded.

"That was a wise decision," he agreed.

"Mayu, I have something to ask you," Hatori said softly.

The two were sitting upon a red and white checkered blanket in the middle of a beautiful grassy field underneath the blazing hot sun. It bounced off of Hatori's glorious black hair and made it almost appear to have a dark rich brown tint to it. It was a Saturday and thankfully Akito hadn't required any of his time. He was quietly resting in bed sick with another one of his fevers. Mayu looked lovelier than ever. The sun had lightly painted her face a mixture of pink and gold. Her blonde hair glittered in the sunlight and the wind blew through it delicately. She had worn it down in contrast to how she usually wore it, up in a ponytail.

"Yes?" she asked.

"W-would you stand?" he asked in response.

"Hatori, whatever for?" she questioned confusedly.

"J-just, please," he stammered as she obeyed slowly. He took her right hand in his tow hands and knelt on one knee, peering into her eyes.

"Mayuko Shiraki, will you marry me?" Hatori asked softly. For a moment all was silent; the only thing you could hear was the rustling of the wind through the leaves of the trees. Mayu could only stare at Hatori as tears began to crip down her face.

"Oh, Hatori!" she cried. "Y-yes, of course I will." She wanted to fall into his arms and just cry; she was so happy. Hatori, Hatori Sohma had just asked her to marry him. Her vision was blurry but she distinctly saw him pulling a tiny box out of his pants' pocket. He opened it up, still on his knees, and lifted it up to present to her. She gasped, hands going to her face as she drew back in surprise. It was a ring, a beautiful diamond ring with rubies surrounding it. He removed it delicately and slipped it onto her ring finger. She then released her hand from his grip and brought it toward her face, her other on her heart. Suddenly her tears stopped and she came back down to the ground as realization stuck.

"But Hatori, what about Akito?" she asked, remembering what had happened to Kana.

"Don't you worry about that," he said, trying to be assuring, though he himself wasn't assured of anything, especially that. No matter what he wouldn't allow Mayu to be hurt like Kana was, regardless of Akito's rules. He would go himself before the head of the family; he had to.

"Ah, Miss Hanajima, how are you today?" Hatori's head maid Nachi questioned as the girl entered his room where she was making his bed.

"Fine, Nachi. Where is Hatori?" she asked, looking around the empty room.

"I believe Master Hatori went to speak with Master Akito," she informed her.

Hana's eyes grew wide. The waves, millions of them, invaded her brain and she knew exactly what was going on. She knew Hatori could handle himself but for some reason she sensed eminent danger. Every time she saw him she was reminded of the wrath of Akito, anyone would be who knew the story. The long strip of black hair that guarded his left eye from view was a constant reminder. She decided it was time, time for her to finally meet this Akito. What good could it possibly do Hatori for her to approach Akito, someone who had never seen him before in her life, never known of him until six months ago? She knew this was dangerous, maybe even stupid, but she just had a hunch he would need her.

"Nachi, where is the main house?" she asked.

"At the end of the main street," she replied, acting as if it were the simplest question in the world. "Hey, M-Miss Hanajima!" But Hana was already rushing down the street, headed toward the main house.