Summary; Warning: Disclaimer: See First Chapter.

Thanks to everyone who's reviewed and patiently waited for an update. Here it is - and the plot thickens. Maybe one more chapter...I could have ended it in this one, but it'd either end up way too long, or way to choppy. So, you guys still get to deal with me and my updating habits...As for the ruler, it won't work, so I have to use OoOoOo's.

Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism welcome.


The sky had long grown dark, but Jenna found herself still out looking for the Ox, her mind whirling around and refusing to let her think anything through. It was easy enough to track his path through town, at least – she just had to follow the trail of destruction and frightened people, after all. The streetlamps were the only source of light besides the moon in the sky, and Jenna paused as a shiver went down her spine.

"It's getting cooler out," she murmured, looking around tiredly. Her body was aching with every step she took, and was determined to make her go to bed, but Jenna was unable to comply. Something inside her felt guilty, even as the other half of her mind informed her that Haru should be the one feeling guilty – and that apparently he was, judging by his reaction. Rubbing her sore eyes, Jenna realized she had followed the Ox to the ocean shoreline, where several cliffs lined against the sea, overlooking the narrow beach.

Her stomach did a flip as a thought occurred to her, and she quickened her pace as she headed farther up the hill leading to the rocky edges. The streetlights didn't go any farther, and she made her way in the relative darkness, tripping several times over rocks or holes in the ground, but simply picking herself up and trudging on, unwilling to give up. After several minutes, she realized she had reached the edge of the cliffs, and noticed a figure a little further down, sitting with his feet hanging over the edge.

"Hatsuharu…" Jenna whispered, her mind suddenly going blank and leaving her without a game plan. Her feet began moving on their violation, and stopped when she was just a few feet from the Ox – she quickly he was still Black when he turned his gaze on her, and she swallowed convulsively.

"What're you doing here?" he demanded, getting to his feet and gazing at her.

"I…I…" she stammered, unable to think of anything to say through her dry mouth.

"If you don't have anything to say, then get lost," he ordered, taking a few steps toward her. She automatically backed up as well, and he stopped in his tracks, a pained expression on his face. "You think I'd do…can't say I blame you," he said roughly, folding his arms across his chest.

"I can't say I blame you either – though I certainly could," she managed quietly, staring nervously at him. He looked at her in surprise, and to her own surprise, burst out laughing.

"That's like you," he said finally, shrugging. "Maybe. But you should leave – I know the others will be worried about what I might do to you."

"You said you wouldn't," she objected, and he snapped his head back to meet her gaze sternly.

"Those words never left my mouth," he informed her coolly, and she blinked, unsure what to do now. "Get lost, Jenna – you don't need a jackass like me fucking up your life. Momiji's much better suited to you, I guess. Might as well forget about me."

"You don't get to tell me what to do," she spat out before she thought about her words, and clamped her hand over her mouth when he smirked.

"True – but I can try," he muttered. "I'm a worthless piece of crap – have been my whole life, and the whole damn family knows it. I certainly haven't shaped up if this is how I behave, have I? You deserve someone much better. I don't blame you for not loving me – I don't blame any of them, to be honest. I'm just the stupid Ox, after all."

Jenna remained silent, her eyes darkening with each word, and Haru continued on relentlessly, deciding that if he was going to lose the woman he loved, he may as well make it worthwhile.

"Who could love me, with the way I act?" he continued roughly. "I thought maybe…but I guess I was just delusional, as usual. I guess I didn't really ever think you loved me – I brought this on myself again, as usual. A dumb, worthless Ox doesn't deserve to be happy, I guess, and –"

"Shut up!" Jenna screamed, and he stared at her in shock as she put her hands over her ears. Haru realized tears were streaking down her face, and his brows furrowed in self-loathing. He opened his mouth to say something else, but she shook her head to cut him off. "Shut up, Hatsuharu! If this is how you are, then you really are worthless and dumb! I never saw someone who was stupid or worthless – I saw someone who never seemed to give up, no matter what! If you give up now, and just decide to quit, then I'll hate you for the rest of my life!"

"Jenna –"

"If you keep up with all that bullshit of yours," she informed him quietly, closing her eyes so as not to have to see him in front of her. "If you keep saying things like that, then I think it was a mistake to fall in love with you!"

Hatsuharu's eyes widened as far as they could go, and his jaw dropped as he stared at her incredulously, unable to believe what he had heard. He blinked his eyes rapidly after a moment, trying to understand that it wasn't a dream he was in – that she had really said that.

"Oh, forget it!" she shouted, shaking her head in frustration. She had been expecting some kind of reaction from the young man in front of her, but to her it seemed he hadn't reacted at all her to admission. She whirled around, well aware of the tears in her own eyes, and began to stalk off, hands fisted at her sides.

"Wait a damn second!" Haru growled, moving quickly and grabbing her arm before she left him again. "What the hell was that you just said?"

"I'm not repeating myself," she muttered, avoiding meeting his gaze and staring at the ground instead. Haru's eyes never left her face, however, and she felt herself turning red under his scrutiny. "Let me go," she ordered, pulling away from him abruptly. "I don't ever want to see you again, Haru!" she told him loudly, before running off as best as she could in the dark. Haru remained stunned, trying to make his legs move after her, but his body remained frozen as he watched her disappear into the shadows.


"It appears that my poor Ox has finally come back to me," Akito purred, as Haru sat on the floor beside him, slumped over listlessly. The god had made a miraculous recovery, much to the secret dismay of the Sohmas who had returned from the beach house almost three days ago. Jenna had slipped into the house without their noticing and had taken the car Haru had used to leave for her house, which they hadn't realized until the next morning.

Haru remained silent, head bent over and his arms resting on his knees, as Akito stroked his cheek lightly.

"Don't sulk, Hatsuharu – it's for the best, after all," he said coolly, a glint of malice in his eyes as he observed the sullen Sohma beside him. "A dumb Ox shouldn't try to fall in love, you know. You simply can't understand everything involved – you really shouldn't try to do things you simply aren't suited for, Hatsuharu. Try to remember that."

The Ox refused to react to Akito's words, merely closing his eyes and trying to block them out.

Kureno stood by the corner of the door, peering into the room with a slight frown on his face, unhappy with the situation and deciding to privately speak to Hatori about a solution before the broken-hearted Sohma fell into Akito's clutches entirely.


"It's been almost two months!" Momiji complained, sitting in the office with Hatori one fall day. "I've only seen Haru three times ever since we got back. What's Akito doing to him, anyway? It's like he's trying to break him in or something."

"That's what it is," Yuki agreed calmly, shaking his head. "Hatori, what happened, anyway?"

"I don't know," the Dragon admitted with a slight shrug. "Jenna refuses to see any of us, and obviously we can't speak to Haru. From what Kureno can gather by listening to their conversations, Jenna shot Haru down cold and they had a fight. The details, however, are beyond our comprehension."

"A lovers' quarrel, then," Yuki suggested.

"That sounds plausible – but Haru seems like he's totally lost," Momiji nodded. "Something big obviously happened, and Akito's taking advantage of that to make Haru some obedient pet, like he thinks Kureno is."

"And he's doing quite a thorough job of it," Hatori informed them. "Hatsuharu hardly ever leaves his side at this point. Something has to be done, and quickly. I have to add that Akito seems ecstatic to have Jenna out of the picture."

"I guess he'll settle for what he can get," the Rat agreed, referring to all of Akito's efforts to get rid of Tohru. "Any ideas, Hatori?"

"I think I'll go see Jenna again," the doctor told them. "It can't hurt to try once more."


As Hatori pulled in front of her house, he saw Jenna outside her door, packages on the stoop next to her feet as she dug around in her purse looking for her keys. Shaking his head in quiet amusement, he parked across the street and quickly strode up to her, climbing the stairs just as she unlocked her door.

"Hello, Jenna," he greeted her calmly, and she turned around in surprise, having gone a month without hearing from the Sohmas.

"Oh…Hatori, hello," she managed stiffly, wrapped against the chilly air in a tan trenchcoat and long crimson scarf covering the bottom part of her face. "Would you like to come in?" she asked reluctantly, deciding she wasn't just going to blow him off.

"Thank you, yes," he nodded, following her into the house and closing the door behind him and pulling off his own jacket as the warm air surrounded him.

"Make yourself comfortable – I just have to put these away," she told him, her loose hair tangling in her scarf, much to her exasperation, as she carried the bags to the kitchen. "Do you want anything to drink?"

"No, thanks," he shook his head, and she returned to the living room after a few minutes, wearing high black heeled boots, a green sweater, and a dark pair of jeans. "How have you been?"

"Busy – work picks up in the fall, apparently," she replied calmly, sitting across from him uneasily. They remained silent for a moment before Hatori cleared his throat suddenly, and she looked at him expectantly. "What did you come here for?" she asked suspiciously, deciding to get right to the point before he did.

"It's about Hatsuharu," he began, but paused when he saw her turn pale and turn her head away. "I don't know what happened between you two, and it's none of my business anyway," he continued firmly. "However, Hatsuharu's health is my concern as his doctor, and since we returned his health has degenerated rapidly."

"What do you mean?"

"Akito is turning him into a soulless puppet, an obedient, mindless slave," Hatori told her bluntly, and pressed on despite her gasp. "He's heartbroken, and we have no access to him anymore. At this rate, I'm not sure what will happen to him."

"I thought Akito was dying," she interjected, but he shook his head.

"He made a recovery when we returned – unfortunately," the Dragon added bitterly, and Jenna frowned. "Jenna, please, talk to Hatsuharu!" the man pleaded, and she blinked in surprise at his sudden desperate tone. "I can arrange for you to see him – whatever it takes, but please, you need to see him. God knows what might happen to him if this keeps up. And don't try to tell me you're happy, either," he added, eyeing her critically, suddenly resuming his collected manner. "You've lost quite a bit of weight, and your face looks too pale for my peace of mind. Are you eating right?"

"You're not my doctor!" she protested, overwhelmed once again by a Sohma.

"But I'm a doctor nonetheless," he replied coolly, and suddenly got to his feet. "Will you see him?" he asked again, his eyes meeting hers as she also stood up to look up at him. She hesitated, but nodded when she saw the pleading in his dark eyes.

"Yes…I will."

"I'll call when I've arranged something," he said shortly, putting his jacket back on as he headed to the door. She followed him as he opened the door, and stopped when he suddenly turned around. "Thank you, Jenna," Hatori said fervently, and Jenna shifted uneasily when she saw the gratefulness in his face.

"Bye," she returned, closing the door behind him quickly. Taking a deep breath to steady her nerves, she leaned against the door and closed her eyes. Feeling herself begin to shake, despite the warmth of her house, she slide to the ground weakly, unable to gather her thoughts together as she buried her head in her knees.


As Jenna drove to the place Hatori had told her to go two days later, her knuckles were white underneath her black leather gloves as she clutched the wheel desperately, actually frightened at what might happen. She hadn't known what went wrong, but something inside her had snapped that fateful night.

"I didn't want to guess anymore," she sighed, resisting the urge to pull over and turn right back around. "I didn't know what to do when he acted like that…I got scared and just ran away. I'm such a coward," she thought bitterly, having hated herself ever since she had turned her back on Haru. She had been overwhelmed by the entire night, and couldn't think of anything else to do except to run and hide from everything around her. And so she had returned to her house, buried herself in work, and refused to see anyone who came.

The scenery rolled past her, and she realized she had been driving for well over an hour. Her feet, clad in her usual boots, hit the brakes as she came to a light – the first she had reached in quite a while.

"Hatori must really want this secret," she realized, before rolling her eyes at her own stupidity. "Of course, you jackass," she muttered under her breath, turning the radio off as it reached more commercials. She didn't feel like listening to music anyway, and so kept her music player off as well. She wore a black turtleneck underneath her trenchcoat – the only heavy jacket she owned – and the same crimson scarf, with a dark plaid skirt that reached mid-calf when she stood up.

Looking around as she continued the drive, she recognized the name of the street Hatori had told her to go down, and pulled a sharp turn, wincing a little as her tires squealed.

"Oops," she sighed, now on the backroad and seeing almost no houses. "Well, it shouldn't be too hard to find the place Hatori told me about," she thought ruefully, her hair loose down her back with pieces hanging in her eyes as usual. Grateful she had gotten her heating fixed in her car, she turned it up a little as she continued down the road, before reaching a relatively-small house, hidden by large trees and overgrown shrubs that resembled either very large bushes or small trees.

Pulling into the gravel driveway, Jenna saw another car sitting in front of the house, and noticed a head sticking out from one of the seats. Parking and turning her own vehicle off, she stepped out onto the lawn that badly needed a cut, and moved over the car, only to see Hatori inside, calmly smoking a cigarette with the window down.

"How long have you been here?" she asked curiously, resting her elbows on the door.

"Not long – Hatsuharu is inside," he told her calmly, taking a long drag from the cigarette. "I'll be waiting out here, so take your time." Truthfully, the Dragon had arrived early in the afternoon, having taken the first chance he got to get Haru out of the house and into his car.

"All right," she nodded, heading towards the house and climbing the stairs nervously, seeing cracks between the boards.

"And Jenna!" Hatori called, and she paused to turn around. "Thank you," he added. She only shrugged and returned to the task at hand, stepping onto the small porch and nervously fingering the doorknob a moment before turning it and stepping into the house. As the door swung shut behind her, she wished she had some idea of what was going to happen once she came face-to-face with the Ox, but instead was going in blind. She also desperately needed some kind of assurance – from anyone – about anything right now, someone telling her it would be all right, but that was also denied her.

"Stop being such a child," she ordered herself, forcing the sick feeling inside back down to her stomach where she could ignore it. "You're an adult, and no one's going to hold you hand through this. So suck it up and put one foot after another…like that, good, just keep going…"


"Where is Hatsuharu?" Akito raged, having discovered the Ox missing several hours after they left. "And Hatori! Where the hell is Hatori?" he shrieked. Kureno remained calm and collected, as usual, and stood facing Akito without a hint of deception on his face.

"I don't know where Hatsuharu is," he said, honestly not knowing exactly where Hatori had taken him. "Or Hatori – I understood he was visiting some patients on the outside. We've had a break out of the flu again, and several Sohmas have fallen seriously ill."

"Don't give me that crap!" the god hissed, fully out of control and in complete command of his passions at the same time. "Hatori took that damn Ox somewhere, didn't he, Kureno? He took him to see that damn woman!" Akito realized, and Kureno managed to keep his face perfectly still.

"I wouldn't know, Akito," he replied coolly. "I serve only you, after all. Why would I have anything to do with the others?"

"Good point," the other person nodded, smirking at his 'loyal' pet rooster. "After all, Kureno, you are mine alone – there is no chance you would betray me, is there?"

"Of course not, Akito," the Rooster agreed without hesitation, fervently hoping Hatori had a backup plan in mind in case Akito figured out where they had gone.


And yes, for the record, Akito is male in this story - just in case anyone was wondering again. Please review!