AN: Phew...I was afraid I'd never be able to write this chapter...I got major writer's block part way through, but yesterday, my brain was just able to get right through to the end, it was most amazing. The best thing was that when I reread it, it wasn't bad. -celebrates- Well...here's chapter 4 for ya!

Disclamer: Blah blah blah, you all know I don't own it...

Captured

It isn't long until she visits me again, two days this time. It's been a couple of minutes since she arrived, and we've already said our hellos. We sit in awkward silence, as I try to figure out what to say. Personally, I would rather pull her towards me and kiss her again, but that damn cow is on the watch again. I don't know if he really thinks I'm that perverted, or if he's just trying to get on my nerves. "He's gone," she says, as I try to catch a glance of him.

"Huh?" For some reason, I don't really register who she is talking about until after I've said it, and this makes her giggle.

"Haru-san. He went around the end of the building a couple of minutes ago," she tells me, smiling.

I turn away, frowning a bit. "I-I know that!" I grumble, as I feel a blush crawl across my cheeks. "I just wanted to see the sky." Even as I say it, I realize how lame an excuse that is, but I can't stop myself.

She turns and looks at the sky, completely oblivious to my lie. "It is very lovely tonight!" she points out, smiling. "Not a cloud in the sky."

I shake my head, as a smile crawls across my lips. She's far too willing to accept what people say, but that's one of the things that makes her so cute, I suppose. "I love you, you know that?" I ask her, as her eyes turn back to me.

"Yes, I know," she says, cheerfully, "because you've already told me."

My smile widens, as I reach out and run my fingers through her hair, all the while thinking she's far too cute for her own good. "So, what's the reason for you risking your life for, this time?" I ask, my voice straining to stay soft, as I remember the danger she's in.

"Akito-san's much better," she whispers, "but Hatori-san has forbidden him from getting out of bed. Despite that, Aktio-san has decided that the banquet will begin before New Year's. Way before New Year's, and it'll be two weeks from today."

"So, Akito is worried enough that despite just getting better, he'll risk his health to assure they'll all stay with him," I growl, my voice dripping with hate.

Tooru glances at me with worried eyes. "The cat will be at this banquet," she whispers. "He is the special one, the one that may just assure that this curse will be lifted forever."

"Tell me…why do you think that I can break this curse?" I ask, my eyes locking onto hers. "Momiji's curse has been broken. Who's to say that the others just won't fade away as well?"

She clutches my hand, causing it to relax and let go of the bar. Her fingers squeeze my own, a little bit of reassurance, as she says, "I fear that even when theirs go, the cat's will remain, and perhaps even cause the curse to continue on in the family. I want to make sure that it doesn't happen."

"Tooru…" I whisper, prying my eyes away from hers to focus them onto the ground. I try to pretend that there is something interesting there, something other than gray stone. "Tooru, what if, even if I try, I can't accept Yuki?"

"Kyou-kun, you haven't even realized have you?" she asks, as she tugs my hand towards her. "How long has it been since the two of you have fought? It would have been pointless to even try, wouldn't it? There's something the two of you have. Something unspoken, but understood by both of you."

My eyes tear themselves away from the ground, and they fall on the reason. "You…" I whisper. She had dropped into our lives, and we let her get close to us like no one ever had before. She understood me better than anyone, and I'm sure Yuki or any other Souma could say the same. We had her in common, and I had known that. I had just pushed that thought away, something to be taken care of when I was ready to deal with it. I'm still not quite ready, but…I really had no choice.

"What?" she says after a couple of moments, obviously not realizing what I meant.

"You are that agreement between us," I explain, grinning at her confusion. "We both care for you deeply, and want to protect you as well as we can."

She becomes her usual flustered self. "Ah, well. You two have more in common than just me! Other things more important-" I cut her off, "Nothing's more important than you are."

I watch as her cheeks flame up, bright enough to even see in the dark. "I-I-I'm sure…" she begins, before I silence her by pulling her towards me to place a kiss on her trembling lips.

I know she's crying, even before I pull away to see tears in her eyes. "No, there is nothing more important than you," I whisper, as I wipe the tears from her cheeks.

The moment is broken, as suddenly, I find Tooru tossed away from me, and for awhile, I don't realize what has happened, until a shriek rips through the air. "GET AWAY FROM HIM!"

Dread fills my heart, as I vainly try to reach her, even though I know that Akito had thrown her as far as he could. What would he do to her? Many different situations flash through my mind, as her name tries to escape my lips, but no matter what I think of, they all come back to pain. No matter what possibilities I can throw in, it would end with Tooru being hurt, and it would be my fault. I should have told her to leave, as soon as, she had told me what was going on. I had known that there could've been a chance that Akito would find her, and yet I had let her stay, because I wanted to have more time with her.

Now, because of my selfishness, I can't do anything, but watch as that wretched man lunges towards her. I feel frozen in place, nothing wants to work, not even my voice. I watch as Akito latches onto to her, one of his hands gripping her throat, as the other tangles into her hair. She struggles, trying to wedge her fingers under his hand. "What are you doing here?" he hisses at her, pulling her face as close as he can to his own. "You're trying to take them away from me, aren't you?"

A strangled gasp is the only thing that escapes her lips. I crumple to the ground, unable to watch what was happening before my eyes. I feel tears overflow, and watch as they fall to be absorbed by the fabric of my pants. "Tooru," I croak, wishing I could do something. Anything.

My eyes glance unwillingly at the bracelet. Another choice to be made, with another life on the line, but…could I even escape without the bracelet? There's a loud thump that draws my eyes outside, as the sounds of struggle ensue. I see Tooru on the ground, grasping at her throat, as two figures tumble a little ways away from her. One was obviously Akito, and the other is revealed with a flash of white hair. Haru. I let go of the breath I hadn't even known I was holding, as I hear heavy, quick footsteps and harried voices behind me in the hall.

Haru and Akito separate from each other and jump up. "How dare you?" Akito cries. "You would defy me for her?"

"Well, I'm not thinking like I normally would," black Haru tells him, shrugging.

While those two argue, I call Tooru to me, hoping Akito is thoroughly distracted. She crawls to me, trying to be inconspicuous about it, as the god lunges for the cow, his blood-curdling scream shattering the air. The cow easily dodges him, causing Akito to fall to his knees, as Tooru finally made her way to my window. Outside my door, I hear frantic words being said, as someone bangs on the door. "Kyou! Kyou-kun! Are you okay!" Kagura's voice calls.

"What do you think?" I scream at her, wrapping my arms around Tooru's shoulders to reassure her.

The door opens, and the first to rush through the door is Kagura, followed quickly by Hatori, Shigure, Ayame, Ritsu, and Yuki. She latches herself onto me immediately, while the others gather at the door. "You're okay!" she cries, as I wince when her fingernails begin to bite into my skin.

Hatori pulls her away from me, for which, I flash him a thankful glance. "Now is not the time, Kagura," he tells her, voice as calm as ever.

She glances down at the floor, her eyes shielded by her hair. "Right…" she whispers, as outside the window Kureno, Kisa, Hiro, Isuzu, and Momiji all run up, and circle Tooru.

Momiji kneels next to her, resting a hand on her arm. "Are you okay?"

She nods her response, as he helps her up and leads her away, the others following along, all trying to get as close as they can to her in their own attempts to comfort her. I jump to my feet, a protest on my lips, but Hatori stops it with a simple look. "We'll be seeing her later," he tells me, as he begins to push me out of the room. "Right now, we should be going as well."

The others file out of the room, as I try to stop, with little luck. "Where are we going," I growl, after I give up fighting back, "and what about Haru?"

"He'll be fine, he's just distracting Akito-san until we can get away," Shigure tells me over his shoulder. "As to where we're going…well…you'll see."

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Well...how-

Kyou: Horrid

T.T You're so mean! You didn't even let me finish!

K: Well...it was...

I wasn't asking you! I wanted to know what the readers thought.

K: You hurt Tooru

I'm sorry! I didn't want to do it...besides...it's just a story, and I'm sure the readers thought it was interesting...right? -crickets-

K:Ha! Your story sucks.

Bah...I don't care...I'm still gonna write it. Even if it takes me forever too...I will finish it. Anyways...all reviews are welcomed, even if you agree with Kyou. . (heh...I have far too much fun writing these little conversation-type things...)