'Savin' Me' lyrics by Nickelback. Haiku in Summary from 'animetayl' in the Fans Basket section of Book 12. I do not own Fruits Basket. Rated T for violence, only it would have been T+ because it is between T and M. This story will be only two chapters long.

Say It If It's Worth Saving Me: Part One

Prison gates won't open up for me

On these hands and knees I'm crawling

All I need is you.

"Please! Just once!"

Slap.

"Just for a few minutes!"

Slap.

"Akito-san, please?"

Slap.

Tohru fell to her knees and began to cry. "Please…" she breathed.

Akito kicked her hard. "You stupid girl! You would go through so much pain just to see those two idiots?"

"Yes! Please, Akito-san? Please?"

Looking down at the pathetic fool, Akito had an idea. "Alright. You can see them. But I warn you: You won't like it."

"Thank you, Akito-san," Tohru whispered, bowing her head multiple times before rushing to her feet. "Thank you so much…"

Akito snickered. If only she knew how painful this will be for all of them…

He led Tohru up many flights of stairs until they were in a pitch black hallway. Akito lit a candle and continued walking at a much slower pace, making sure his footsteps were clearly heard.

They got to the end of the hall and stopped in front of a door-sized iron gate. A chill went down Tohru's spine.

"Get up, you horrible rat!" Akito took hold of one of the iron bars and shook it. "Get up! You have a filthy visitor!"

In the dim candlelight, Tohru could see a figure crawling toward the gate. Once he was there, he pulled himself up using the bars. Tohru gasped.

Yuki was no longer the timid-looking young boy she once knew. His face looked relatively the same, but harder, and his eyes still had the same resemblance of those of a beaten puppy. His hair was longer, his clothes torn, and he was thinner and covered with dirt. Tohru took a step toward the gate and Akito blew the candle out.

"Five minutes, Honda. And believe me, I'll be counting," Akito grumbled. He returned down the hallway, once again making sure his footsteps were heard.

"Miss… Tohru…?" Yuki asked, his voice raspy from not speaking in so long.

"Yuki…" Tohru replied, but couldn't take it any longer. She broke down and cried. "How could they do this to you? Why has nobody stopped that evil monster?"

"Please, stop," Yuki whispered, reaching through the gap in the bars to touch her shoulder.

"We have to get you out! We have to!"

"I've tried. I'm trapped in here. Only Akito has a key. I'm so… I miss you, Tohru-san. I'm… lonely."

"Yuki!" Tohru shouted, as if saying his name would make her feel better. "This is horrible… this is worse than anything I thought! This is…"

"…A prison," Yuki finished for her, lacing his fingers between hers through the iron bars.

I'm terrified of these four walls

But iron bars can't hold my soul in

All I need is you

"Four minutes, Honda!" Akito yelled from the staircase.

"I would want nothing more," Yuki told her, "then to be out of this place. I would rather… I would rather die then be here."

"You cannot die! You can't!" Tohru cried, moving even closer to the gate.

"I'm… I'm half-dead already, Miss Honda. This is… torture…"

"What can I do? How can I help you?"

"Funny. Hatsuharu said the same thing a year ago."

"Haru-san was here?"

"Yeah, like I said, a year ago. He… told me that he'd do everything he could. But he's probably dead or confined himself by now."

"Yuki… it's not right that you have to live like this! I'll—"

"Three minutes."

"—I'll call the police! I'll break you out! There's no way a person can live like this…"

"How can you call it living… if I live in fear?"

"You can't be afraid. That's what he wants! He lives off of your fear!"

"I can't control my fears. Especially when you're just as scared."

Tohru was silent.

"I know it's impossible… but I want a way out. And I can only think of one dramatic… dire escape."

"No, you can't give up!" Tohru told him. "You can't let him win! I need you!"

"And I need you much more. Please… find a way… to help me?"

Tears fell faster as Tohru squeezed his hand and Akito declared that only two more minutes were left.

"Please Tohru. I need to find a way out. Help me, Tohru."

Come please, I'm calling

And all I scream for you

Hurry, I'm falling.

I'm falling.

Across the bars, Tohru could feel him breathing. They were so close… yet worlds away.

"I'll take your place!" Tohru decided. "I'll switch with you! I'll save you!"

"Impossible. You would never survive. I could never… kill you that way. We need a different solution."

"I'll do anything for you! I don't care! I'll sacrifice my life for you!"

"But then we'd never be together again."

A tear rolled down Yuki's face without permission. He was glad it was dark and Tohru couldn't see.

"I need you… and you need to be free!" Tohru cried.

"And what about… Kyo?"

Tohru was once again silent. She had temporarily forgotten her next visit was to Kyo.

"One minute, children."

"Do you know what you can do for me, Tohru? Keep being yourself. Don't let anything get you down. Forget everything I said today. Forget about me. Stand on your own. Can you do that for me?"

Show me what it's like to be the last one standing

"No!" Tohru exclaimed as Akito's loud steps and the light of a candle became noticeable. "I can never forget you… I love you!"

"Thank you, Miss Honda. Thank you for always caring for me," Yuki sighed as Akito drew even nearer. "But I can't do anything without your help, and there's no way for you to help. I'm giving up."

Teach me wrong from right, and I'll show you what I can be

"No, Yuki! You… You can't die!"

"Is it worth it? Is it worth it to continue this existence when I don't know if I'll ever be free?"

"You will! You'll be free! I'll make sure…"

"Can you break the curse? Can you promise me that you'll do everything you can to save me?

"Is it worth the promise?"

Before Tohru could answer, Akito had taken her by the arm and ripped her away from Yuki.

"Is it worth it? Is it worth saving me?" Yuki cried. "Please… so I can die with a smile on my face!"

Say it for me

Say it to me

And I'll leave this life behind me

Say it if it's worth saving me.

"Yes!" Tohru screamed, trying her hardest to escape Akito's grasp. "I'll save you, Yuki!"

Akito shook his head and snickered as he dragged her along.

Impossible…

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