FRUITS BASKET;

Chapter 9

"Do you think she's close?" Shigure asked taking a sip of his tea.

"Yes," Hatori muttered lighting his cigarette. "It does feel like something in the air around here has changed, and I don't just mean because of Kyo." He said as he heard the group of teenagers enter, with out Kyo yelling threats at everyone.

"Humm, yes, I have to agree with you there. Kyo has changed, but is it because of Alicia-chan, or our dear Tohru-chan?"

Hatori shrugged.

"I personally think Tohru-chan and Yuki would make a splendid couple. Who are you placing bets on?" Shigure asked leaning in more.

"Your placing bets on teenage love?" Hatori asked raising a brow at him.

"Yes, I know it's quiet a gamble, but I feel safe in saying that Tohru and Yuki will get together, and our kitty-cat will be with Miss. Alicia-chan."

"Yo! Shigure! You here?" Kyo yelled.

"Yes, Kitty-cat-" Shigure stopped and held his breath waiting for his door to be ripped off and Kyo to attempt to kill him. But when none of this happened Shigure looked at Hatori. "Kyo?" He asked.

"What?"

"Why aren't you trying to kill me? Not that I'm complaining,"

Kyo groaned, looking down. "I don't know, I just don't wanna waist my energy on you. After all your nothing more then a leachouse writer."

"Humm, good point." Shigure muttered. "Anyways, what did you want?"

"Nothing, I just wanted to know if you where home." Kyo shrugged walking away back to the group.

"Is Shigure-san home?" Alicia asked him.

"Yeah, so is Hatori."

"Oh really! I haven't seen him in forever, I wonder if I should stop by and say hello, see how he is." Alicia got up, but Kyo grabbed her hand.

"I think they're talking about something important."

"Oh, ok, then I'll do it before he leaves." She nodded happily sitting back down next to Kyo. It wasn't long before Shigure and Hatori came out and joined the group.

"So Hatori, how are you?" She asked as she poured him some tea.

"Good…I guess…" He said looking at her. "Alicia-chan…are you letting your hair grow out?" He asked, causing her to blush and play with her hair.

"Oh just a little," she gasped as Shigure grabbed some and let his hand run threw it.

"Yes, I see it now, it's almost to the middle of your back." He muttered.

Kyo sat looking at her. 'Oh wow! How come I haven't noticed?' He asked angry at himself.

"Well I'm kinda surprised anyone noticed, since it's always up." She blushed gathering it all up and quickly pulling it into a pony tail, then standing up. "I better wash up some dishes for dinner."

"I'll help!" Tohru smiled.

"Kay." The two smiled as they went into the kitchen.

After dinner Kyo offered to help Alicia wash plates and stuff. As Kyo handed Alicia a wet plate he sighed.

"I'm sorry…" he muttered.

"Eh?"

"Your hair…I'm sorry I didn't notice it before." He said looking hard at the water.

"Oh! It's ok, like I said I'm surprised anyone noticed. I always have my hair up and stuff it's hard to tell." She laughed putting the plate on to the pile. "Kyo," she said quietly. "Can I ask you something?"

"Hu? Yeah." He said looking at her as she gently folded the towel on the counter.

"Kyo…do…do you like Tohru-chan…?" She said quietly. Kyo gasped taken back. "Oh I'm sorry what am I asking? It's none of my business." She smiled and turn to put the plates away, but Kyo grabbed her arm.

"Alicia…Tohru-chan…she's just…just…" Kyo was racking his brain trying to figure out what Tohru was to him, but before he could answer Alicia nodded and turned looking over her shoulder at him smiling brightly.

"It's ok, it's not my place." She turned back and a tear slid down her check as she put the plates away and walked out into the main hallways.

"I knew it," she whispered as she sat down and pulled on her shoes.

"Alicia-chan, your leaving already?" Tohru asked, causing Alicia to flinch grabbing at her heart.

"Yeah…I'm not feeling well all the sudden. Maybe if I get some sleep I can stop it before it turns into a cold." She said not turning to look at her.

"Do you want me to take you home?" Kyo asked, Alicia quickly shook her head.

"I'll be fine, besides, I like walking in the rain." She smiled. 'It hides the tears…' she mentally added grabbing her coat and bag and opening the door. As she turned around Kyo gasped seeing a tear roll down her check and took a step forward, but a hand stopped him. He looked to see Hatori looking at the door.

"Let her go, she's got things she needs to deal with." Hatori said walking back into the living room and sitting down.

"What does he mean by that?" Tohru asked.

Kyo frowned and walked up to his room, and shutting the door. Once it was shut he turned to his room and walked too a box in it was a present Alicia had given him for his birthday, no one had ever given him a birthday present, not even Tohru, but since he never told anyone when his birthday was, he never expected presents.

flashback

"Kyo-san, I just wanted to give you this." Alicia-chan said holding out her arms, her head bowed.

"Eh? What is this?" He asked taking the bag.

"It's a birthday present." She smiled standing straight. "I'm under stick contract not to say who told me." She laughed.

Kyo opened the bag and gasped pulling out a small bag of chocolate, a hand-made picture frame with an orange cat with a gray rat in it's mouth. Kyo laughed looking at her, then at the picture inside the frame. "When was this picture taken?" He asked looking at a picture that had him, Alicia, Yuki and Tohru.

Alicia just laughed. "Do you like it?" She asked.

"Yeah," Kyo nodded.

"Good." She smiled then ran off turning around quick to wave. "Happy Birthday Kyo!" She yelled running off.

end flashback

Kyo looked at the picture and smiled, Alicia had her head on his shoulder and Kyo was looking at her his eyes dancing.Kyo smiled as he ran his finger over Alicia's smiling face. He smiled as he looked out into the dark night sky and frowned.

"Damn…"

Alicia ran down the block and stopped at the corner, and shivered as wind wrapped around her. She put her bag down and quickly pulled on her coat and then picked up her bag and slowly made her way to the dojo. When she slid the front door closed and slipped off her soggy shoes Kazu-san rushed to her.

"Alicia-chan! Where have you been! It's been over an hour, your soaked to the bone!" He said walking to her grabbing her shoulders. "Alicia-chan what happened?"

"Nothing…I'm cold and tired…I'm going to bed." She said walked up to her room, and knelt down next to her door and started crying hard. "What's wrong with me?" She asked herself as she wiped away tears. "I knew he loved her…from the beginning." She whispered, then thinking back to Kyo in the kitchen. "So why does it hurt so much…?" She asked crying again.

Kazu-san frowned as he listened from the other side of the door holding a cup of tea. He looked down then back at the door, then away and with a sigh he walked back down stairs. Kazu-san sadly sipped his tea as he listened to her cry.

"My poor Alicia-chan…" he frowned then looked up as he watched Akito walk in. "You don't even knock any more," Kazu-san smirked.

Akito smirked. "So you've figured her out," he smiled.

"Yes," Kazu-san nodded watching Akito kneel down in front of him. "But my question, Akito, is how did MY daughter get into another Universe?"

Akito smiled. "You know."

Kazu-san frowned thinking back. Like some many other Sohma members, Kazu-san had fell in love with a woman named Yumiko, she wasn't from the Sohma family, and since Kazu-san wasn't cursed he didn't have to worry about that. Kazu-san proposed to Yumiko and then they found out that she was pregnant, then Kazu-san went to ask Akito to give his blessing. Akito went crazy, much like he did with Hatori, but Kazu-san's eye didn't get hurt. Some how a rip in the Universe was opened and when Kazu-san turned around the rip and Yumiko where gone and Akito was standing there.

Kazu-san put his head in his hands as a tear slid down his face. "You pushed her into that rip…"

"Kazu, you know what I did was for the best." Akito said then gasped and fell back when Kazu-san jumped up pulling out a katana and pointing it to him.

"Get out, if you EVER come near my daughter again, I WILL kill you." He said his eyes on fire, as Akito narrowed his eyes and got up, the tip of the blade following his every move until he shut the door. Once Akito was out of the dojo Kazu-san sheathed the katana and he fell to his knees, holding his head. "Yumiko…my dear sweet Yumiko…I'm so sorry I couldn't save you…" Kazu-san lifted his head to the stair well. "But I promise…nothing will happen to Alicia." He said gripping the hilt of the katana.

Alicia woke up and frowned as her head throbbed, her eyes where so swollen it hurt to open them. A steaming cup of tea sat on a tray with a note from Kazu-san.

'Alicia-chan,

You can stay home today from school, I hope you feel better the tea should help with your head. I'll be out all day, there's food in the kitchen, no one should be by.

Take care,

Kazu '

Alicia smiled as she sat up slowly and sipped at the tea. Hugging her legs tight against herself. After an hour she stood up and went to the bathroom, she took a long hot shower and then changed into some sweats and flip flops. It was about 10 o'clock, and she wasn't hungry so she made some more tea and went out for a walk, stopping at a relaxing waterfall.

"I'm such an idiot, I knew he loved her…and I let myself get all caught up with feelings." She sighed and sat straight. "I should be happy that Kyo's in love, that means he's happy. And that's what I want…" Alicia watched a butterfly land on a rock nearby. "Even if it's not with me." She sighed.

Kyo watched opened eyed at Alicia as she stood up, and walked back to the dojo. "Alicia…" he muttered.

Done with chapter 9! It's sad! Well laterz! I'll try and get chapter 10 up by the 21st. Key words 'I'll try' lol , anyways thanks for all the comments, I'm glade everyone had the reaction about Akito kissing Alicia that they did! 3

Tame bai!