-Note from me: Ok, I'm sorry: WAAY too many tears…but Umi is getting quite emotional as the end of the story is nearing, although I can promise you that at the end, everyone will be crying and laughing with JOY!!

I really enjoyed writing this chappy, and I hope you enjoy reading it too!! R&R

Chapter 5: Reunion

After at least two hours of waiting, the hall started to empty itself. I peered at the people coming out, searching for Umi among them. Finally, I saw her, a small figure in a light blue dress and a cream colored jacket. She was walking slowly, with a dazed appearance about her. Looking closer, I noticed tears in her eyes. Was Momiji's music quite as touching as that?

As soon as Umi walked out of the glass doors, I came up to her and put a hand of her shoulder. She turned around abruptly, but when she saw me, she smiled.

"Kyo-kun! You scared me for a second. What are you doing here? Did you go to the concert too? I didn't see you in the hall…Oh, but doesn't Momiji-kun, I-I mean, Sohma-san, play so wonderfully!!" She rushed out with excitement.

I was at loss for words. If I said that I had been waiting for her, she might think that I was stalking her. And her way of talking about the annoying rabbit struck me as strange: she was too familiar, but was it because she was too much of a fan or from some previous acquaintance of theirs? Much could have happened in five-odd years…

"Just taking a walk", I answered gruffly, then, seeing the hurt look on her face, I added: "Would you like me to walk you home?"

Her expression instantly lit up, and she nodded shyly.

We started walking silently. She didn't seem to mind the silence, but I was furiously looking for something to say. Why was I such boring idiot whenever I ended up being around her? I did not have Yuki's easygoingness, Shigure's charm, even Ayame's exuberance. Out of all of them, I was the biggest fool, and they had tried to make me understand that time and time again. Why hadn't I listened, then, and changed my ways before it was entirely too late?

A cold wind had kicked up, and I noticed her shivering. I wanted to do something good for her, to thank her for all her supportive smiles. Seeing a small boutique, I grabbed her hand and pulled her into it.

"K-Kyo-kun…why are we…do you…oh, you want to buy something…I…alright…", she mumbled, looking at me with big eyes, but I didn't answer, all focus. I immediately saw what I was secretly hoping to find. I walked up to it, took it off the shelf, unfolded it and looked at it closely. So similar to…

I walked to the counter and paid quickly, then pulled an astonished Umi back out.

"Kyo-kun", she whispered, with unexpected tears in her eyes. "You shouldn't have…really…"

"Don't you like it?" I asked gently, draping the soft white scarf with large furry balls at the ends around her neck.

"I love it, but…it's too much…", she said, tears falling out of her eyes.

I didn't understand, couldn't understand. Why was she crying? I suddenly got the urge to hug her, but controlled myself. She was already upset enough, and I was afraid to tip the scales into an all-out inferno.

"Well, it's too late to give it back, anyhow", I told her. "Just be careful not to hit anybody in the eyes with it!"

She started laughing at that, a clear, sweet laugh.

And then, she turned around abruptly, making one of the furry balls hit my chest and bounce off merrily. It was like being transported back through space and time to that day with Tohru…

Except I was with Umi, and I liked it that way.

I took her hand, and led her through the lit up streets. She walked next to me, a smile on her face. The music, the people, the lights. It was magic. Pure magic. Brilliant, beautiful magic.

Her apartment was as small as mine, maybe smaller even, but neat and cozy, just like her. It had very little furnishing, but whatever was inside, a few chairs, a table, a bed, a dresser and a closet, were picked with taste. A few paintings were hanging on the wall, but one caught my eye; an intricate picture of the Japanese zodiac, probably a very rare piece.

"Do you want something to drink, Kyo-kun?" Called her friendly voice from the tiny kitchen.

"Some milk, if you have any."

Old habits die hard, I had realized. I heard her chuckle, although I had no idea why.

"Here you go, Mister Kitty", she said, handing me the whole milk carton.

I started at the nickname, afraid, for a second, that my identity had been revealed until I remembered that that wasn't me anymore. I was free. Entirely free. I gulped at the milk gratefully, realizing that it was past time to stop only as the previously full container was almost-empty. I felt my face redden, as I quickly put the carton down. She seemed to sense my unease, as she smiled and put her hand on my shoulder.

"It's okay, Kyo-kun. Drink as much as you like, I have more in the fridge." In some vague corner of my mind, I thought of getting her to meet Yuki: he would benefit from this kind of gentle motherliness. But at the moment, I could only bask under her soft touch.

Suddenly, her eyes filled with tears, and she turned away quickly, but not before I could notice that something was wrong.

"Umi-chan…? I questioned, turning her face towards mine.

"No, no…don't worry…I just…memories, you see…it's been so long…and…"

She was crying now, tears streaming down her cheeks like little waterfalls, a never-ending flow. She seemed so vulnerable standing there, still wearing the scarf I gave her, still trying to smile through the obvious pain that tightened her features.

"You must b-b-be wondering, right?" she said, her voice full of remorse. "You have no idea, no clue, don't you…you don't know yet. I thought, maybe…"

I looked at her, trying to figure it out, and I couldn't, I really couldn't, but her tears made me sad, and ashamed of myself, because it was probably me who made her cry.

Oh Umi-chan, don't cry, please don't…

On a sudden impulse, I took her in my arms and hugged her tight, conveying all the love I could to her, trying to show her that I cared.

And my surprise had no bounds when I found myself lying in a crumpled heap on the floor…in my cat form.

I looked around wildly, yelping as I saw Umi sitting huddled in a corner, looking at me and crying. She had seen me, seen me transform, and now all was over. Except that I was supposed to have been freed from the curse, wasn't I…? So what happened? WHAT?

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun…I'm sorry!" I heard her sob while I sat there, bewildered, unable to understand, completely lost. Then, suddenly, my body twisted with pain, as if hacked to pieces and sown grossly together again, into something I hated. Of course. I had taken off my beads long, long ago…

"I'm sorry…I shouldn't have…I'm, I—I was so stupid!" She whispered, not surprised, not afraid. "I should never have, as soon as I realized it was you, and I knew, I knew it almost from the beginning, and I knew I should have pulled away, but finally, I couldn't, and now YOU'RE the ones who pay…all of you…! I've caused so much trouble, so much pain, for all of you, I thought that if I left, far away, you wouldn't find me, we would never meet, and you would be saved…"

She looked at me, wiping tears from her eyes, walking towards me on shaky legs, grabbing my mutilated hand, the hand of my monster form, and hugging it tight.

And this time, I didn't push her away.

Tohru…

This time, I hugged her back, both of us crying, linked together by all we had lived, felt, suffered.

Tohru…

So I guess it must have been pretty obvious that she was Tohru all along, but for some reason, stupid Kyo never clued in :P