She stood close to the stone as Tsukasa dashed forward from the platform, leaping off of it and landing a bit too hard that he could feel the pain in his knees as they buckled slightly. But he stood up fast and began to run towards the altar, his eyes wide with fear.
"Please no" he thought over and over in his head as he ran, "Don't. Stop. Stop!" he shouted.
But the young girl took one glance at Katsuya who stared back at her confused and then placed the dagger over her bare skin.
"I told myself that I would do whatever I could do to save you from him" she thought as Tsukasa was blocked by two guards, "This is the only way" the tears fell from her eyes as she cut her skin and three drops of her blood dripped from her wrist, landing on the top of the stone.
"NO!" Tsukasa's screams echoed the entire area as he fell to his knees.
The stone illuminated the room with a lightbrighter then it ever had before that was so bright that everyone minus the Zodiac members had to shield their eyes. The glass on the tubes began to crack and then all of a sudden burst as they each shattered releasing their prisoners from their unusual cages. Soon the stone began to dissipate it's light and the Sohma's all reopened their eyes.
"What happened?" Yuki replied.
"I don't know" Kyo shook his head as everyone began to run towards their children, "Come on! The kids!" he dashed forward towards his twins.
He made it to Sakura and awoke her. She immediately opened her eyes and embraced her father tightly. Then she ran over to her brother who was slowly raising his head.
"Kaye?" she replied as she knelt beside him, "Are you all right?"
"Yea" he nodded, "I think so. What happened? How did we get free?"
"I have no idea" she shrugged her shoulders.
"Oh no" Reiji replied with a frown as he stared at the figure who was lying near the stone as Tsukasa held onto her, "Kaye" he pointed.
Katsuya's eyes moved in the direction to where his cousin was pointing and then they became wide as he stood up wobbly. He walked slowly over to where Tsukasa was as Sara moved over next to Reiji. Tsukasa who had been crying stood up from Stephanie his fist clenched as Kaye fell forward and took her hand in his.
"Stephanie?" he said as he held her hand, "Wake up. Wake up honey. Please wake up" he felt her cheeks, " Please wake up" he replied in a much more fearful tone as Shigure shook his head.
"Don't tell me" the novelistcontinued shaking his head sadly and holding his hand over his mouth in disbelief.
"Shigure" Hatori placed a hand onto his shoulder gently.
"Nakagami" Katsuya said angrily to Tsukasa, "What the hell is going on? Why won't she wake up?" he demanded glaring at him.
Tsukasa turned around slowly and stared at the pain in the other boy's eyes and Kaye could clearly see the pain in his as well.
"I'm sorry Katsuya" he replied softly, "It wasn't supposed to be her."
"What?"
"I was the one who was supposed to do it" he swallowed, "It was supposed to be me,not her."
"Supposed to be what!" Kaye demanded this time in a shout as Tsukasa shook uncontrollably, "Answer me!" he stood up and grabbed Tsukasa by the collar of his shirt.
"Please don't!" Sara shouted, "I can tell you."
Katsuya looked towards the young girl and then slowly released Tsukasa with a nod. She took a deep breath and then stepped forward to speak as Reiji watched her stunned.
"There was only way to break the Zodiac curse" Sara replied, "We discovered it by reading Yotaro Sohma's journal. If a person who contained Sohma and Ushida blood equally were to sacrifice their life by shedding three drops of blood onto the Zodiac stone then it would be lifted."
"But what does that have to do with her?" Kaye asked sadly.
"She contained the blood, just like me and Sara" Tsukasa finished slowly, "She was also a descendant of Suzuna Kim and Tsukasa Nakagami. But she wasn't supposed to do it" he reiterated bitterly as he clenched his fist even more "I was supposed to be the one!" he shouted, "But I wasn't fast enough because of" he looked towards Seitarou who was close by all tied up just like his brother and father, "Because of you" he said through gritted teeth as he ran towards his older brother and began hitting him, "It's all your fault!" he yelled as he struck him.
"Tsukasa!" Sara shouted.
"It's all your fault you bastard!" he repeated beginning to hit him even harder.
"Take it easy son" Kyo said wrapping his arms around him and pulling him away as Sara came over and Tsukasa struggled in his arms to break free.
"Tsukasa stop" Sara insisted as Katsuya knelt once more down near his love and took her hand gently, "It's not over yet."
"What do you mean it's not over yet?" Tsukasa scoffed at her furiously as Kyo released him.
"I mean it's not over. Look at the clock. The stone is still glowing. There's ten minutes left."
"I don't understand" he shook his head as Kaye slowly raised his head.
"There is one way to save her before the Zodiac curse is broken completely" she turned to the still stunned boy who stood next to his father, "Reiji has to do it."
"Do what?" her boyfriend asked perplexed.
"According to my research on the Zodiac stone if the person is a willing sacrifice and has given their life for a noble cause there is only one way to save them from dying before the time runs out. And that is you have to help them to forget."
"Help them forget? No" Reiji shook his head when he realized what she meant, "No. No way."
"You have to Reiji" Sara insisted, "You have to erase her memory. It's the only way."
"No. I can't!" he shouted backing up and holding up his hands, "I promised. I promised her and I promised myself that I would never do something like that."
"Son" Haru began.
"No" he stuck his hands over his ears and closed his eyes, "I'm not listening."
"Reiji" Kaye spoke loud enough for them all to hear but could still detect that he had no emotion in his voice.
Reiji saw his cousin's expression and lowered his hands as he stared back at him.
"Kaye?"
"Do it" Katsuya said.
"What?" Reiji's eyes became wide.
"Do it" Kaye repeated, "I want you to erase her memory now before it's too late."
"I can't do that Kaye" he shook his head again, "That's going against the oath."
"It's also going against the oath if you don't do as I ask!" Kaye shouted, "We promised each other that we would do whatever it takes to protect those that are important right? I want her to live! I don't care about anything else. Do this. Do this for me. Please" he begged and Reiji could see the tears forming in his eyes.
"Kaye" he shook his head slightly but then saw his serious face so he moved slowly, kneeling before the girl and placing his hand over her forehead reluctantly as Stephen watched on in concern, "Forget all you know" Reiji began with a lump in his throat, "Forget about the Sohmas. Forget about the Zodiac and everything that surrounds it. You will no longer be burdened by the issues of our family" he pressed his hand firmly against her and in the next instant as the stone's light began to fade they could hear her breathing once more and the blood that had been trickling from her wrist disappeared.
Kaye stood up and Stephen moved forward, scooping up the young girl in his arms, cradling her so gently.
"I'll take her home," he said knowing fully well the implications of all that had just happened.
Katsuya nodded as Sara glanced around her noticing that Tsukasa was nowhere to be seen.
(Next Scene)
Stephen walked out of the warehouse carrying his sister as Kyo moved towards his son who was still standing by the altar, his head bent low so that his hair was falling over his eyes.
"Son?" Kyo said slowly reaching out a hand to comfort him but Katsuya walked past and headed towards the door himself as Yuki moved from his daughter's side and stood in front of Tai Ushida, who now like all his followers and sons was tied up.
"Well" Yuki began, "Are you satisfied now!" he shouted surprising everyone in the room, "You finally managed to do it! You were able to separate a Sohma from a person he loves! I hope you're really proud of yourself you bastard!" he grabbed him by the shirt and held him up practically choking him, "I detest you! You conniving little worm! I should just kill you right now and get it over with!" he squeezed his hand tighter around his throat making Tai about turn purple.
"Yuki" Kyo replied as he placed a hand onto his shoulder, "It's okay. Put him down. He can't hurt us anymore."
"Kyo, don't you want to hit him too? After everything he's done to your family!"
"Of course I do" Kyo nodded as Tai passed out from Yuki's strangling, "But as I've said before he is not worth it and you are not the killing type. He's nothing but a pathetic loser. He can't hurt us anymore. He has no way of doing it. The curse is broken, he has no ammo. Just leave him to his miserable pathetic existence. That would be the best punishment for him I think. Put him down."
Yuki frowned and flung Ushida down hard.
"Who would have thunk it?" Momiji replied to Hiro, "Kyo being the one to calm down Yuki and not the other way around?"
"Yea" Hiro nodded slowly baffled.
"Well" Shigure said after they rejoined them, "Let's leave this place and go home" he picked up Hitomi and embraced her.
The other adults agreed as they each took their child and headed out the door.
"Reiji" Sara replied pulling him to the side.
"What's up?" he said a bit wearily.
"I have to find Tsukasa" she replied, "You should go home with your family. We'll find our own way back."
"Are you sure? Because I don't think I can stomach losing someone else tonight."
"We'll be fine" she reassured him as she ran off and he followed his father out the door who was quite exhausted from all the fighting.
"Do you think it's wise leaving them like that?" Reiji asked his father indicating all the men who were tied up.
"I think so" Haru nodded finally calm, "Come on son. Let's go home" he placed his hand over his shoulder and the two of them headed towards the vans.
(Next Scene)
Sara finally found Tsukasa outside at the back of the warehouse. He was crouched down and she could see that his head was bent, his short brown hair covering the tears that had been falling down his face.
"Tsukasa" she said softly.
"This is not the way it was supposed to go" he spoke more to the ground then to his cousin, "They're supposed to be together."
"The thing is, she's alive. It's not the end of the world."
"What are you talking about?" he asked standing up with a frown on his face, "They can never be together now!"
"Don't give up so easily. It's not over yet."
"Why do you keep saying that? This time it really is over" he crossed his arms.
"Tsukasa we both know that there is a sure fire way to get them back together. Of course that all depends on you."
"On me?"
"Yes" she nodded, "You see she won't remember the Sohmas or Katsuya anymore. Some people would take this as their opportunity for their chance with her. Though I doubt that's what you would want."
"Basically what you're saying is that I have a choice" he nodded finally understanding, "I can actually be with her like I wanted to or I can find a way to give her back to Katsuya."
"You got it" she nodded back with a slight grin, "And just for the record, Reiji did erase her memory, but I have learned something. If his heart's not really in it, it's not nearly as effective."
"What do you mean?"
"Let me put it this way. Her memory may have been erased, but it isn't completely gone. Somewhere deep inside of her she still remembers them, and all youhave you do is give her the tools to remember or allow her to continue to forget and take your chance with her. The question is, which will you choose?"
"I don't think there is any question" he shook his head, "I know what to do. I have no doubts."
(Next Scene)
Stephen and Sophie placed Stephanie in her bed when they arrived home. After awhile it was decided that Stephen would be the one to tell Sam the truth about everything.
Meanwhile at the main house the Sohma children reunited with their parents. Tohru was happy to see her daughter and husband but when she asked where Katsuya was they told her that he had gone home already and then proceeded to explain to her all that had occurred at Tai Ushida's warehouse.
At the same moment Katsuya stood in his backyard staring at the promise ring in his palm.
"It's over" he thought sadly as a tear slid down his cheek, "It's really over this time. Farewell. My love" he cried, "At least I can be happy about one thing. You're alive."
Later that evening Rika wandered into her older brother's room where she saw him on the floor bent over in pain with so many tears sliding down his face.
"Reiji?"
"It's all my fault" he said, "It's all my fault," he cried.
"Oh big brother" she held him tightly, "It's okay."
(Next Scene)
Tsukasa entered his apartment quietly and immediately walked over to his table determined more then ever to set things right, no matter the lossin his own life.
(Till Next Time)
Authors Note: Hey guys! Sorry this one is late. The new Kingdom hearts game just came out and I'm afraid I was a little preoccupied with it yesterday so sorry about that. But I will finish this book by the end of this week so I will see you later. One more chapter to go!
Next Chapter: Together at Last!
Ooh! Cryptic. But who's together at last? Will Tsukasa take the chance to be with the girl of his dreams or will be do whatever it takes to bring her and her one true love back together? Keep reading to find out!