Disclaimer: scene opens with Yuki and the author lounging under a willow tree

MegTao: Hey Yuki?

Yuki: Yeah?

MegTao: Do I own you?

Yuki: strange look: Err--no.

MegTao: Are you sure?

Yuki: nods: Yeah.

MegTao: whiny tone: Positive?

Yuki: Positive.

MegTao: sulkily: There you have it folks. I don't own Yuki. :sigh:

A/N: As always, this chapter is dedicated to the wonderful Knux Girl, my beta/editor.

Chapter 8: Revelations

"Are you the doctor?"

The words echoed through my head over and over again.

She doesn't remember me. How could she have forgotten me? I know we've only known each other for a week, but...

I cleared my throat roughly. "No, no. I'm not the doctor, I'm--"

"--he's a friend of mine," Yuki broke in, "his name is Kiyoshi. Kiyoshi, Tohru. Tohru, Kiyoshi." Yuki introduced them, his face and voice betraying no emotion.

I tried to smile in greeting, though it felt rather strained. Probably looked like more of a grimace, or a scowl. I grunted as I was suddenly shoved outside of the hospital room. The kid was strong! Who would've thought a scrawny thing like him would have some muscles.

Focus! I mentally scolded myself. You are in shock, but that is no excuse. Snap out of it. NOW!

Yuki paced in front of me, his steps becoming faster and faster. He was speaking rapidly in a tone that conveyed deep worry. I'd seen this happen often enough to know the poor guy needed someone to talk to, to listen to him, before he went insane.

I had absolutely no idea what he was saying.

"Whoa, slow down." I ordered gripping the pale faced youth by the shoulders, "Take a deep breath and then tell me everything you just said. Slow enough that I can actually understand you."

"Did you hear nothing Miss Honda just said?" Yuki cried in disbelief reverting to calling Tohru by her honorific term, "How the hell can you be so calm?"

"Oh, I heard her alright," I muttered with grimaced, "she had no idea who I was. Remembered you well enough though..."

Yuki shook his head his violet eyes flashing. "You must have stopped listening, she barely even remembers me. She thinks her mother is still alive. In her mind it's the day before the accident. She and I never became friends, her mother never died, she didn't find out that..." Yuki trailed off looking around worriedly; he flushed red and appeared flustered. Well, more flustered then he had been a second ago.

"She didn't find out what?" I probed.

"Er--that she was a princess, of course," Yuki stumbled over his words in an effort to get them out.

He was obviously lying but I decided to let it go. Whatever it was, it was probably none of my business anyway.

"She has no idea what's going on, and we can't tell her for the next 24 hours!" Yuki continued. He was sounding rather hysterical now.

"Then lie." I said calmly.

"I will not lie to Miss Honda!" Yuki protested.

"Then she'll die. No, she'll slip into a coma...and then die." I had a heated staring match with the younger man.

"Fine," Yuki's shoulders slumped in defeat and he dropped his eyes, "but as soon as the twenty-four hours are up I'm telling her everything."

"Everything." He repeated as if trying to convince himself and me.

I raised a sarcastic eyebrow. "Knock yourself out."

Yuki glared up at me, he actually looked mad. I have no idea what I did to make that boy hate me, but it was scarily obvious that he did.

If anything I should hate him. He is the one who has the love of the woman I love. Wait, did I just think what I thought I thinked? Is thinked even a word? Concentrate Kiyoshi! Do not avoid the subject! You do not love Tohru Honda. She's the princess.

"Wait! Where are you going?" I yelled after Yuki, who I realized was walking away.

Yuki stared at me as if I was crazy.

Aren't you?

Of course I'm not!

Then why are you talking to yourself?

"I'm going to tell the doctor about Tohru's memory problem, which I already told you..."

"You did? I mean of course you did. I'll just go sit with the princess..."

I stumbled into Tohru's dimly lit room. She had already fallen asleep and looked so peaceful her face relaxed, and her breathing deep and even; a beautiful angel. I tenderly swept a stray lock of hair from her forehead and then pulled my hand away as if burned. There was no doubt about it. I, Kagawa Kiyoshi, ninth generation Prince-General, had fallen in love with the princess. I had broken the first unwritten law of royal servant decorum.

And for some strange reason, I didn't care in the least.

"I just received notice from our contact in the palace that our dear Tohru has been injured," Akito murmured to a kneeling Hatori. "I think it's time that I visit her," he tapped a thoughtful finger on his thin lips, "perhaps I'll bring flowers."

Hatori raised his head in shock. "Y--you're worried about her?"

"Of course not you fool," Akito snapped, "but I think it's time we cut Yuki's vacation short. Pack my bags, and your own. We're leaving immediately."

Hatori bowed low hiding his paling face and began to retreat from the elaborately furnished chambers.

"And Hatori," Akito called before the sliding door closed behind the doctor, "Do not tell any of the other zodiac members."

Tohru felt a large hand gently brush a tendril of hair from her closed eyes. The presence of whoever it was comforted her. It made her fell safe, protected, like as long as they were there she could not be hurt. A strange thing to think when you were sitting in a hospital bed, but there it was.

Her eyes fluttered open and she was surprised to see that the "presence" was in fact Yuki Sohma's friend. Kay... Keyothi...Kiyoshi! That was it, Kiyoshi. The silent one... It took a moment for the man to realize she was awake but when he did he gave a deep bow of his head.

"I'm sorry to have awoken you, P--Miss Honda," Kiyoshi apologized hurriedly.

"Oh no," Tohru dismissed his apology with a weak wave of her hand, "You didn't wake me, I was only resting my eyes."

Tohru smiled at him gently and Kiyoshi shyly smiled back.

He has a very pretty smile, Tohru realized and found herself blushing.

Kiyoshi nervously ran his hand through his thick hair and a glimmer of gold on his finger caught her attention. On closer examination Tohru realized it was a ring; a leopard preparing to pounce. Why did it make her think of leeks? A sudden headache caused Tohru to clutch her head between her hands and shut her eyes tightly.

"Miss Honda," Kiyoshi inquired sounding worried, "Are you alright?"

The pain gradually faded away and Tohru released a breath she had been unaware she was holding.

"Yes, I'm fine."

"Maybe I should go get the doctor..." He began to rise from his seat.

"No!" Tohru panicked, "I'm fine really, just please. Please don't go..."

Tohru's eyes became heavy with sleep from over exertion and a yawn caused her jaw to crack. Kiyoshi began to blur but she could tell he was sitting again.

"Please stay," she whispered again her eyes drifting shut.

"Don't worry princess," she heard him say before sleep infused her mind, "I'll stay by your side, always."

And even though she had only known him for a few hours, she trusted him and knew he would keep that promise.

But why did he call me princess?

"Hello?" Hatsuharu Sohma picked up his phone uncertainly. Who would be calling him, especially so late at night?

"Haru," a frantic voice replied, "Tohru and Yuki are in danger. Akito's going to Mayuko."

"Hatori?" the young teenager stifled a yawn, "Why are you telling me? What can I do?"

"You're the only one I could trust. Don't tell anyone else, but you need to get over there somehow and get Tohru and Yuki to safety..."

And then the line went dead. Hatsuharu stared at the buzzing phone for a few seconds before returning it to its cradle. He flicked on the light, wincing as his eyes adjusted and begun hurriedly throwing clothes into a bag. He wasn't going to let Akito hurt Yuki and Tohru's relationship, not again.

Whatever it took.

Tohru ran towards her mother but the faster she ran the farther away her mother became.

"Wait for me!" She cried desperately, "Don't go!"

But then she was gone and Tohru was all alone until, suddenly, she was joined by a rat and a leopard. They were a comfort, and somehow Tohru knew with them she was safe...with them she was loved...

...but then they too were gone and she was abandoned in the darkness...

...and a menacing force was coming to get her. She couldn't get away because her feet were chained to the ground. She tried to scream but no sound would come out. She was frozen inside this nightmare unable to get away. Enveloped by an evil she could not escape...

"Miss Honda! It's alright, it's okay, I'm here," a voice soothed, breaking through her dream.

Tohru's eyes shot open. She gave a sob of relief as the dim light surrounded her and warm hands enveloped her own.

"Yuki," she breathed, "I was so scared..."

"Don't be," he insisted, "It was just a dream..."

"No," Tohru murmured her body, still too weak to stay awake for long periods of time, was already returning to slumber, "it was more then a dream..."

A soft smile flittered across Yuki's face as Tohru's eyes fell shut and a peaceful expression adorned her face. No more nightmares for her, at least not tonight. Her tiny hands were still enveloped by his own, but when he tried to remove them she unconsciously caught onto his finger and tightly held on.

Careful not to disturb the sleeping princess he tried to maneuver a chair using his leg beside the bed. The soft noise of an opening door announced Kiyoshi's return from the restroom. He silently lifted the chair Yuki was struggling with and moved it closer to the bed for him.

"Thank you," Yuki said softly, sinking into the chair.

Kiyoshi nodded and sat in his own chair immediately closing his eyes, but Yuki could tell by his uneven breathing that he was not asleep. Yuki didn't blame him. He himself hadn't been able to sleep well for the past few days since Tohru's accident. They had been practically living in Tohru's hospital room, only leaving for minutes at a time when it was absolutely necessary, and never leaving her alone.

Now that she had finally woken up, Yuki was not relieved, if anything he was more worried. Her memories were gone. How many times had she told him that every memory she possessed was precious, even the bad ones. And now they had been stolen away from her.

How was he to tell her that her mother was dead? That she was a princess about to be engaged? How could he tell her that she had lived with him, discovered his family's curse and touched so many of the Sohma's lives when she could not even remember their names?

Would it not be better if she did not know about the curse? All of the pain it had caused her... If he loved her, wouldn't he leave before he could hurt her again. Shouldn't he go back to the Sohma's and forget it all.

My final act of love...

She would be happy.

...The only gift I can give you...

She would be free.

...is to leave you...

He would die inside.

...because in the end...

He gently untangled his hands from her own and felt a sharp pain rip through his heart as she gave a whimper in her sleep.

...all I would do is cause you pain...

Yuki took one last look of his beautiful princess before walking out of the room and her life.

...It's for the best...

The End

Just kidding/dodges rotten vegetables/

Don't worry, this is definitely not the end of Missing Princess, but wouldn't it make a good one? Too bad I'm not that cruel... Tell me what ya think! And if you have any favourite quotes from this chapter (or any other) they would be muchly appreciated.

Arigatou!

MegTao