Hatori sat at his desk, his head in his hands. He had the worst headache he'd had in a very long time. The ringing of the phone made him jump, piercing his thoughts painfully like a blade. He reached into his pocket and pulled out his phone, looking at the screen. He frowned. It was Tohru's mobile.

He pressed the green button, holding the phone to his ear. 'Hatori here….'

'HATORI! OH MY GOD! I'M SO GLAD I GOT YOU. KYO IS…AND YUKI…SHIGURE…PHONE NOT WORKING…REALLY WRONG…DON'T KNOW WHAT TO DO!'

Hatori raised an eyebrow. 'I'll be there right away.'

Tohru hung up.

Uo turned away from the motionless Kyo. 'Who was that and what did they say?'

'HATORI…DOCTOR…SOHMA.'

Hana sighed. Uo asked, 'And he understood you?'

Hana took Tohru by the arm. "Hey, Tohru do you think you could make us some tea?'

'I don't…' Uo started but stopped herself, smiling. 'Actually that would be ace.'

'OH…YES OF COURSE. SORRY…DIDN'T…THINK!'

'Oh and Tohru? We can hear you just fine when you talk normally.'

Tohru just squeaked, hurrying out into the kitchen.

Uo turned on Hana. 'What the hell is going on here?'

Hana sunk into the couch, looking weary. 'I don't know but I have to leave real soon. Whatever got to them,' she nodded to where Yuki, Kyo and Shigure lay, deathly white, their chests still, 'is starting to get to me. First it was just sapping away my energy but now it's delving deeper and is going for my life force. Come to think of it; you look a little pale too. Perhaps the sooner we all get out of here the better.'

A silence descended upon them and Tohru came out with tea.

Just as they were finishing their drinks there was a knock at the door. Tohru jumped up. 'I'LL GET IT!'

Hana shook her head. 'You sit down and rest. I'll get it.'

Uo grabbed the hem of Tohru's shirt, pulling the petit girl roughly back down. 'Sit.'

Hana had already disappeared down the hallway, her black hair sweeping out behind her.

'Hello. You must be "HATORI…DOCTOR…SOHMA" I'm Hanajima, Saki.'

A small smile touched Hatori's lips as he took her hand. 'Yes that's correct. I'm guessing Miss Honda is a little stressed.'

Hana nodded, leading him down the hall. As soon as he saw Shigure in the living room Hatori strode over to him with a quiet exclamation. Despite the gruffness with which he normally treated Shigure he did really care for his "brother."

After checking all of them he turned to the three girls, his face chalk white. 'They're…They're all dead.'

Tohru's sob echoed in the silence of the room.

'…But,' he continued. 'They still have a pulse. There is something strange going on here.'

'Hana says that they're in a suspended reality.' Uo supplied.

'Hmmm. Yes I have heard of it. I just don't know much about it. I think maybe we should leave here. I'm suddenly feeling very ill and…'

Before he could finish his sentence he dropped to the ground, his expression peaceful.

This was more than Tohru could take. She broke down, sobbing hysterically and hiding her face in Uo's shoulder. Uo just stared at the man.

'…Hana…?'

Hana was standing very still, her eyes closed and her clothes and hair whipping about in a non-existent wind.

'…Hana!'

Her eyes snapped open and they filled with panic. 'We're leaving, now.' She said in a very quiet voice.

'I'm…I'm not l-leaving them h-hear.' Tohru cried.

Hana turned to Uo, her eyes pleading. 'We have to go now!' Her voice was raised in fear.

Uo nodded, fear shining in her own eyes as she stood standing. What could have got Hana so rattled? She decided to ask 'If I have to, I will carry you, Tohru.'

Tohru pulled away from her, sitting back on the lounge, her arms crossed and her lower lip quivering.

'Oh, Tohru!' Hana cried. 'It'll be alright. But right now we HAVE to get out of here.'

Uo took Tohru's hand, pulling her to her feet. She twisted Tohru's arm as she struggled, locking it in a particularly painful arm lock. She put pressure on her grip on Tohru's arm, causing the crying girl to stumble forward.

Hana's eyes filled with tears but she followed them without saying anything.

'…but w-what about k-kyo…?' Tohru's voice could be heard, quiet and confused.

Akito threw a punch at the ground, causing the bleached white tiles. She hated white. It was so cruel. So emotionless. And despite her hate for the colour it was what she wished to become. 'If I were white then perhaps this pain would not be so raw,' she thought. But she knew no colour could take away from her agony.

They all hated her. Why didn't they understand? She shouldn't blame them and she knew this. No living creature could understand. No pain could be as horrible as the sharp blade that pierced her soul, constantly ripping through her very essence and letting the blood fill her heart and burn holes in her stomach.

Her empty stomach. She hadn't eaten in days; she just couldn't hold down the food. She was alone. No one cared. Not even Hatori answered his phone. Why did Hatori suddenly hate her so? Why had he left her all alone? Just like that horrible rat. Why did they all have to leave?

They talked. She ignored them. She didn't care. They called her a slut. She flicked her long straight black hair. They said she worshipped the devil. She wore dark makeup and upside down crosses. They said she had slept with every man in the whole of Japan. She kissed Haru.

Rin sat alone in the dark corner of the library. Occasionally they would come and pretend to borrow out a book. But Rin could see them; could see them as they pointed at her and gossiped and giggled.

This particular day she felt ill. She found that she could barely move, her eyelids were weighed down and her long lashes brushed her cheeks.

She jolted awake to the touch of a cool finger tip to her lips. She jumped up, kicking out with her hooves…oh wait hooves?

'Shit!' She snorted. Rin got to her feet, her whole body quivering. She had missed whoever she had struck out at but when she saw his face she felt a cold dread encase her heart. Haru.

Rin lowered her head to the ground, her soft muzzle touching the carpeted floor. Suddenly she leapt forward, and out of the library, her long black mane and tail whispering as it trailed behind her. She broke out into the hall way where the shrill sound of screams pierced her ultra-sensitive hearing. The sound of her hooves striking the marble floor echoed through the narrow alley.

Haru watched her go and sighed, picking up her clothes. He was leaving the library, following the line of destruction Rin had caused as she kicked and reared in her frenzy. His phone rang.

'Hello?'

'Haru? It's Uotani, Arisa here.'

'Yankee. How did you get my number?'

'Tohru. But that's not important. We need to talk to you right away if possible.'

'Well it's not really…'

'If you don't hurry there is a possibility that Yuki, Kyo, Shigure and Hatori will all die…Well that's a possibility anyway but the point is; get your ass here now!'

Haru was silent for a few seconds. 'I don't understand.'

'There's not much to understand you dimwit! Do you know where my house is?'

'Yeha…But I wouldn't count on my ability to find it.'

'Well you had better. And soon.' The line went dead. Haru scratched his head, a frown creasing his forehead. He strode out of the school, ignoring the girls and their horrified exclamations.