Title: Keeping Hope
Author: Ariyana
Pairing: Saki Hanajima/Yuki Sohma
Fandom: Fruits Basket
Theme: #22 cradle
Disclaimer: Fruits Basket is owned by Natsuki Takaya and a whole bunch of entities that are not me.
Rating: 13+ Some Caution
Word Count: 1082
Notes: This is a mix of Anime and Manga…so yeah. Anyway this piece is not as fluffy as my previous pieces, plus this is being written for another community as well. Set very Post Series/Post Manga.
Summary: It was suppose to be a happy time.

Hospitals...Tohru really hated hospitals. She never voiced that hate but everything that had ever been important to her was loss at the hospital. Her mother, her father, her grandfather and now one of her best friends. This was suppose to be a joyous occasion and now it was a nightmare. Her heart ached looking at Saki's unconscious form hooked up to numerous machines. Flashes of her mother swam through her mind as the tears fell continuously. This was not suppose to be happening, Saki should have been awake holding her newborn son. This should have been a time of celebration instead it had all but turned to tragedy.

Tohru looked up through tear filled eyes to see Arisa and Megumi enter the room. Tohru could tell that Arisa had been crying just as much. Tohru's eye then fell to Megumi. He gave her a comforting smile as he placed a hand on her shoulder.

"How's the baby?" Tohru asked softly.

"The little guy is fine. He has a fighting spirit." Arisa answered, sitting beside Tohru.

"Where's Yuki, I thought he went with you to check on the baby?"

"He's speaking with the doctors." Megumi said, taking a seat on the opposite side of the room.

Tohru allowed herself a faint smile thinking of how Megumi had grown into such a responsible young man, although this whole experience seem to be aging him further. No one could have known the complications that Hana would go through having the baby. Saki had seemed so healthy. The tears began to fall again.

Megumi sighed looking at Tohru crying again. "Why don't you go and see the baby now? We'll watch over her."

Tohru look from Megumi and Arisa both nodding reassuringly at her. "Okay," she conceded. Her mind was filled with thoughts of Saki, Yuki and the baby. What would happen to Yuki if Saki died? She wiped her tears away and put on her bravest face. Yuki need more reassuring than she did. Saki was his wife. The pain he was feeling had to be worst than what she was going through.

"Tohru?"

Tohru spun around to see Kyou. A brief silence passed between them as he took her hand and squeezed it. Gently he leaned his forehead against hers. It was times like this that they really hated the curse. Tohru could feel he really wanted to hug her and she certainly could have used a hug.

"When did you get back?"

"Just a little while ago, I rushed back as soon as I got your message."

"I'm glad your here."

"Where's the rat?"

"I was about to go check."

The presence of her fiancé gave her comfort as they went to find Yuki and see the baby. After a few moments they found Yuki still speaking with some doctors while Hatori and Ayame listened.

"We've done all we can for her. Now we just have to wait and see if she regains consciousness."

Yuki merely nodded. He just felt so numb. Listening to these doctors was becoming so surreal. They could not be telling him that his wife might die. They hadn't even been married two years yet. There was no way he could lose her. Not now, after all they had been through together. Saki withstood Akito's wrath, wholeheartedly accepted his secret and had helped him to finally close the gap between him and Ayame. Losing her now would just signal that fate truly is cruel.

"Saki-chan is strong, she'll survive." Ayame said supportively.

Before Yuki could respond Tohru and Kyou walked up. "What did the doctors say?" Tohru asked.

"Right now all we can do is wait to see if she wakes up." Hatori answered.

X

X

X

Everything was black but in the distance she could hear whispers, machines beeping and a soft lullaby being hummed. She was becoming more aware of her body as each moment progressed. Slowly she forced her heavy lids to open. Things were still blurry for a moment before her eyes focused on the man holding her hand, while his head laid upon the bed railing. She couldn't really speak with the tubes still stuck in her mouth. Using great effort she turned her head slightly toward the humming. Tohru was standing by the window rocking the baby very gently.

"Just like all this snow will melt and make way for spring, I know your mommy will wake up." Tohru whispered.

Saki could feel tears forming in her eyes, looking at Tohru and the baby.

"Saki?" Arisa's voice gasped from the door.

Tohru quickly turned around as Yuki woke up. "She's awake!" Arisa shouted out the door. Within minutes a couple of nurses and one of the doctors came rushing in and ushered everyone but Yuki out.

A great relief washed over Arisa and Tohru as they waited in the hall with the baby. Megumi, Kyou and Kureno appeared a few minutes later.

"What happened?" Megumi asked.

"She woke up. The doctors are checking her out now."

A few moments passed before a nurse came out. "She's asking to see Tohru and Arisa."

"Should I bring the baby in?" Tohru asked.

The nurse nodded kindly as she moved to let Arisa and Tohru in.

"I'll go notify the rest of your family and friends that are in the waiting room," said the doctor smiling.

Tohru and Arisa were relieved to see Saki awake, she still looked pale and weak but she was smiling. Saki smiles were rare so they took it as a good sign.

"You think you're strong enough to hold your son?" Arisa asked, fighting back her tears of joy.

"I think I can manage." Saki said weakly.

The tears were threatening Tohru's eyes as she placed the small bundle into her friend's arms.

"Now that you're awake. What do you want to name him?" Yuki asked.

"How about Toru?"

Tohru looked at Saki startled. Nothing could stop the tears from falling as she looked at the warm smile Saki gave her.

"Toru it is then." Yuki agreed, bending down to kiss Saki on the forehead.

"Okay you all are really going to make me start crying here." Arisa said, still battling her tears.

"A few more tears won't hurt." Tohru said, smiling through her tears. She still didn't care for hospitals but she couldn't help but be thankful to see Saki awake.

When the snow melts, what does it become?

It becomes spring. No matter how cold it gets, spring will always come.