Disclaimer: I have not now, nor have I ever claimed to own Fruits Basket nor would I ever because no one would believe me, that said this part of the story contains lines taken directly from the anime and contains spoilers so if you don't want to know then don't read. I take no credit for the flash back scenes they are directly from the anime but they fit in nicely and I need to use them so I am, and so there, and I don't want no trouble about it.

The Next Day

BANG BANG BANG the office door shook under the pounding it was taking form Kyo's fists.

"Hatori!!!!!!! I don't care if you have to drug him, get him out, get him out, get him the hell out of Shigure's house!"

There was no point is asking who "him" was Hatori took a pull of his cigarette hopping Kyo wouldn't kick his door in. This wasn't his problem. CRACK SMASH BOOM the door to the office came to rest, skidding a slight bit across the floor before came to a complete smashing halt. Hatori glared at the cat who stomped into his office through the broken door.

"Don't you give me that look Hatori, it's your own damn fault for not opening the door." Kyo retorted.

Yuki stood in the door frame as well, staring at the dragon with haunted purple eyes looking for all words like he was going to beg the doctor for pain killers to relieve a headache. However in this case the headache was two full grown men named Shigure and Ayame. Hatori continued smoking the cigarette.

"Hatori? Hatori? HATORI?" Kyo raged.

"There is nothing wrong with my hearing Kyo." the dragon stated coldly. Yuki was still looking at him and as much as Hari hated to admit it he knew that the stress Ayame and Shigure were putting on the boy was probably not the best thing for him. Butting out his smoke the dragon rose and headed out the door.

"What the hell? You could at least pretend not to be such a cold hearted bastard!" Kyo shouted at him as he left through the broken door.

"Do you want my help or not?" Hatori said looking back over his shoulder at the boy. Kyo said nothing, just stood there looking pissed off. "By the way you'll be getting a bill for that." Hatori indicated the broken door.

"Like hell!!!!" Kyo shouted hurrying after Hatori.

"Stupid cat you really should learn to control your stupid temper." Yuki muttered.

"Both of you shut up, since you obviously can't say anything nice about one another, do me a favor and don't say anything at all. I don't want to have to hear your pointless arguments all the way back to the house." Getting into the car Yuki and Kyo positioned themselves on opposite ends of the seat and turned there backs on one another as Hatori drove to Shigure's.

"Are they really that unbearable?" Hatori asked Yuki as they pulled into the driveway.

"See for yourself." Was all the rat said looking out the window. As they exited the car Kyo was starting to rage over the question Hatori had asked Yuki.

"Unbearable they are more than god damn unbearable!!!!!" Hatori ignored him and headed for the house. Through the thin walls of the house, Hatori could hear Shigure's annoying made up singing.

"High school girl, high school girl, all for me, high school girl." Yuki looked like he wanted to go drowned himself and Kyo looked like he wanted to flatten the house of sheer spite. Hatori slid open the door just as Ayame walked past with his hair in peg tails, warring a sailor moon style high school girls uniform. The dragon's eyes widened.

"High school girl, high school girl, all for me, high school girl." Shigure was chasing after him with outstretched arms. Ayame stopped short.

"Hi Hari...." was all Aya got out before Shigure plowed into him, both of them toppled to the floor. Ayame ending up with his skirt in a rather reveling position.

"Oh Shigure you notty pervert, can't you see we have guests." Ayame said faking a high school girl blush and straightening the skirt. Shigure pouted.

Hatori stood stunned, then he turned around and walked to his car, and he was half way down the driveway, burning rubber as if he were in a race before anyone could blink.

"HATORI YOU BASTARD SOME HELP YOU WERE!" Kyo yelled shaking his fist. Yuki sat on the ground with gloom hanging over him.

"That's it I'm scarred for life, no amount of therapy can fix this." he muttered.

"What's the matter little brother? You don't like the outfit? Oh come now don't you think it looks good on me? Well of course it does everything does and besides from what Hatori told me of your culture festival at school, everyone of your classmates would appreciate it if you made the effort to dress a little more stylish every now and then. I bet every one would love to see you in a girls uniform I have to say I think it would suit you more than that plain black one you ware." Ayame said as he stood up, and skipped over to where Yuki was sitting.

"Shut up don't you say another word GET OUT!" Yuki stood up to face his brother.

"Boo hoo Shigureeeee Yuki is so mean.." as Shigure stood up, Ayame ran to him almost bowling him over with a hug. Shigure returned the hug.

"Fear not my Aya I will protect you, as long as I own this house." Shigure paused and looked at Yuki then he sang. "And I do own this house." Looking back to Aya and holding him tight he said softly but loud enough that the sound would carry. "You're always welcome here Aya and... I hope you never leave me." Shigure whispered.

"What the hell is the supposed to mean?" Kyo raged poking his head in the door. Shigure and Ayame just smiled and walked away into Shigure's office and closed the door.

"Hey what the hell are you two smiling about!" Kyo shouted after them.

Yuki just stood there looking miserable. Could it be? Oh please no, they can't be in love, he thought.

Back at Soma House

Hatori was in his study pouring a drink, and oh god did he need a drink after that little escapade. He removed his driving glasses setting them on the table he regarded them a moment.

Aya hated those glasses they had thick black under frames and were frame- less on top with oval shaped lenses. They did not look good on him, he had no fashion sense and even he knew they looked awful on him. He had merely picked out the first pair he had come across.

Hatori remember that Aya had almost broken them twice by accident "on purpose" just so that he could take Hari shopping for new ones. Hari sipped his drink.

Ayame what are you up to? he wondered. More to the point why do I care? I know how he feels about me, and I know I can't return that. So not that there is anything going on between him and Shigure but if there is, why would the idea of that bother me? Shouldn't I be happy that I'm in the clear and Aya is moving on? Why don't I feel that way? thinking this to himself Hatori made a bitter face.

The answer was obvious, if anyone but himself was asking those questions he would have thought them stupid. Aya liked to be close to him, and Hatori liked Aya being close to him. "What is it about Aya that makes me so stupid?" He asked the empty room. But the walls, the books, and even the picture of Kana gave him no answer, and Hatori poured himself another drink.

Flash Back:

"Look it's snowing! I knew it would snow today." The image of Kana by the window drifted through his mind. "Here's a question for you. When the snow melts, what does it become?"

"The answer is water of course."

"BUZZZT! BUZZT! wrong, it becomes spring."

"I want to live as the frozen snow so that the love we had will never melt away."

Flash Forward:

Just a summer day at the lake house.

"These are for you."

"What's this?"

"Photographs, they're Kana's wedding pictures. It's up to you whether or not you want to look at them"

"So then Kana's gotten married. I wondered why you suddenly wanted to come to the lake house, now I understand. I apologize if I was overly suspicious"

"If I'd had my way we would have told you about this much sooner I wanted you to go to that wedding and steal her away from that idiot of a fence but Shigure kept me from saying anything."

"There's nothing I could have done.... no Kana and I, it's over between us so.... here." The photographs I would never see as I slid them back across the table to Ayame.

"Well I for one can't tolerate this. You're my friend so I realize my opinion is bias but even so what she's done to you, it's unacceptable. I can't stand it. Kana's able to find happiness now because she chose to forget, meanwhile she's left you to carry the burden of the past alone, she left you behind to suffer with you're memories of her."

"That's how it appears... but you're wrong"

"Ugh you're much more forgiving than I am, that's always been one of the qualities I admired about you but it's also the reason you suffer so much more than you have to."

CRASH

The sound of glass breaking brought Hatori back to reality. His glass had slipped through his fingers spilling it's contents onto the floor and shattering into tiny pieces.

"I'm loosing my grip... maybe Ayame wasn't wrong.... not entirely... it still hurts and I'm still alone."

Once again the empty room had no response. And Hatori set about cleaning up the broken glass.

Authors Note:

Shigure: Is it just me or are these chapters getting longer.

Glasses: Oh give me a break I'm not used to writing long stuff like this.

Shigure: Excuses excuses. You know you'll never get anywhere if you don't take responsibility for your own actions.

Glasses: Well this would go a lot faster, if you hadn't totally alienated Mei. She is a way better editor than you.

Shigure: I'm wounded. How can you say such a cruel thing. My fragile self confidence may never recover.

Glasses: Ummm.... Ayame what are you doing?

Ayame: Nothing.

Glasses: A one word answer from you has to be a lie. HEY!!! are you writing you're own reviews? YOU CAN'T DO THAT!

Ayame: My glorious comments shall inspire my fans to post glowing reviews and worship my name.

Glasses: Okay hand over the keyboard, before someone gets hurt. You are officially cut off