Kiss Kiss
By Lady of the Ink
Pairing: Kyou and Kagura Sohma
Fandom: Fruits Basket
Theme: #9 - Dash
Disclaimer: I don't own Fruits Basket, but you knew that ...I hope. But I do own this story and all the twists that it takes.

Kiss Eighteen: This kiss is the tenth and final chapter of a multi-chapter AU story, with each chapter fulfilling a different theme.

The Life For Me
Chapter Ten
How It Had To Be


Kagura spent a restless night with her racing thoughts making sleep almost impossible. Dawn was closer than dusk when she finally fell into an exhausted slumber, too tired even to dream.

Hours later she awoke to sunlight streaming through her windows. She yawned, sitting up and sweeping the tangled hair from her face. She was still blinking away the heaviness of sleep when something struck her as odd. Frowning, she looked around the room, finding it almost exactly as she had left it the night before. The yellow dress had been removed from the floor where she had dropped it and her discarded slippers were gone, no doubt neatly tucked away with all their mates. Other than that, everything looked normal, so what was bothering her?

Kagura's eyes drifted to the window where they took in the brilliant sky beyond it before widening in horror. She was out of bed in the next moment, almost tripping over the coverlet that was tangled about her legs. Closer inspection showed that her first observation was correct; the angle of sunlight was that of early afternoon, not morning as she had been expecting. She was beyond late for the meeting with Yuki, Kyou, and the rest.

She had never before dressed as quickly as she did that day. Grabbing the first dress she laid eyes on and shoes that were close enough to matching, she hopped about, pulling them on. She yanked a brush through her hair and headed towards the hall as she started braiding. Calling out to the first servant she came across, she asked to have the carriage brought around as quickly as possible. By the time she had her cloak and had finished the slice of toast someone had passed to her, the vehicle was ready and waiting.

The ride to the office gave her plenty of time to yell at herself for messing up. She should have made sure to let someone know she needed to be up early but she'd been so off balance after Yuki's parting question that she hadn't thought about it. Now she was going to be late, if not miss entirely, a meeting that she was supposed to be at. Aside from letting both sides down as the only real go between, she had also already broken her promise to Momiji.

She shoved the door open the moment that the carriage pulled up in front of the building that had been the Sohma's shipping headquarters for the past several decades. The driver barely had time to turn before she was on the ground and walking as quickly as decorum allowed towards the door. Maintaining her image was something she needed to keep in mind now that she was back in the city, but sometimes exceptions had to be made. She wasn't willing to wait the minutes it would have taken him to climb down and offer his assistance.

Kagura found the large meeting room empty when she came to a panting halt in its doorway. Feeling even worse than she had been, she allowed her shoulders slump as she sighed heavily. She'd been hoping she might at least catch them while they were here in order to apologize for her rudeness. Since going to the docks on her own was out of the question, now she would have to wait until Yuki's schedule would allow him to escort her there.

Even that might not be enough since she knew from the plans she had looked over the night before that the people she wanted to see the most would be spending a lot of time off the ship right up until their departure. She shook her head. It was funny how the things that had made her so happy last night were now a cause for upset.

"Kagura?"

The quiet voice had her head jerking up and her eyes scouring the room. She couldn't suppress the beaming smile that formed as she saw Momiji's tousled curls peaking out of another, smaller room just down the hall. Straightening up, she walked towards him, her happiness growing as she caught sight of Hiro, Ritsu, and Shigure behind him. She reached out, catching Momiji's hand between her own.

"I'm so sorry that I wasn't here this morning like I promised I would be; I didn't sleep well and then I woke up late and . . .I'm just …I'm sorry."

Momiji smiled. "Don't worry about it. We thought it might be something like that. Your cousin Yuki said that were up a little late and he didn't think anything else short of an emergency would keep you away."

As he spoke, he had been leading her into the room. Before she knew it, Kagura found herself sitting on the small couch that she herself had picked out several years before. She looked around the room, getting a hesitant wave from Ritsu, an acknowledging nod from Hiro, and a wide grin from Shigure. Relieved that they didn't seem too upset with her, she allowed herself to relax a little. "So how did it go this morning?"

"It was great! Yuki was very nice and he had so much stuff waiting for us. He said that since we were members of the family, if there was anything that we needed, he would make sure that it was taken care of. He also made all these plans." Momiji's face was as bright as the sun as he leaned closer, his voice just above a whisper. "I'm going to see my mom and dad tomorrow and I get to meet my little sister. We've written each other but this is the first time we'll actually be face to face."

Kagura returned his smile, not mentioning that she already knew what he was telling her. She'd thought of the reunion while she was still at the village but had had some qualms. She didn't want to get Momiji's hopes up about regaining his family if it was for the wrong reasons. He'd said that his mother didn't like living in his hometown as an outcast from a "great" family. If it was the name and its power that she didn't like doing without, it was Kagura's opinion that Momiji might be better off without her. However, if there were other reasons, better, more forgivable reasons, then she was all for bringing that family back together if she could.

One of the reports Yuki had shown her the night before had contained the answers to those questions. He had apparently enlisted Tohru's aid and taken her to meet with the woman in question. It was a smart move, Kagura had to admit, for several reasons. Tohru was an earnest, honest person who inspired those same traits in the people that she spoke with. When she was truly moved or invested in what she was saying, it was almost impossible to bring yourself to lie to her. It also gave her the feeling of doing something to help, a feeling that her easily pricked conscience was sure to need even after Kagura's letters home assured them all of her safety and happiness.

A long conversation had brought to light all the deciding factors in the family's move from their home. It wasn't an issue of money or a name but of freedom. Momiji's mother swore that she just didn't like the idea of raising her children in a place that was a constant reminder of what they weren't. She'd seen the attitudes of some of the people who'd lived there all their lives, heard their complaints about what they could have had if they'd stayed. It had been for her children's benefit that she'd pressed to remove them from that atmosphere before it could it affect them. While some families seemed to do well enough, she didn't want to take a risk and had decided that a fresh start would give them all the best odds for a happy life.

The report had noted that she seemed to genuinely miss her son. She'd thought that he would come with them and had been stunned when he chose to stay behind. By then, her opinion had already become common knowledge, with some people making her feel less than welcome about staying. She'd felt like she had no choice but to go, even though doing so broke her heart. Momiji had sent occasional letters that she still treasured but she felt too much like an unworthy failure as a mother to write him back when her husband and daughter did.

Yuki had ended with the note that Tohru believed her and so did he, and that a meeting would be a good thing for the people on both sides. He'd gotten the parents' end set up and had only been waiting to see if Momiji was game before proceeding. Judging by the humming he was doing under his breath, Kagura had a feeling Momiji was more than happy with the way things were turning out.

Her attention turned to the others in the room to see if they were as pleased with the ideas she'd had for them. Shigure caught her gaze and smiled. "So I hear that you liked my stories? Enough to ask your cousin about talking to a publisher, at that."

"Yes, I did like them. They were a very good way to pass the time. I know a lot of other people who'd love them if they had the chance to read them. I hope you don't think I was too presumptuous, getting Yuki to ask around without your permission."

He waved his hand in dismissal. "No worries. It's long past time for my genius to be spread throughout the land. In fact, I'm working on a new novel as we speak. My female lead actually has a lot in common with you. While I'm in town, why don't we get together and see how much you can inspire me?" He waggled his eyebrows and winked as he made the offer.

Kagura rolled her eyes as she fought the urge to laugh. Not wanting to encourage him into even more rambunctious behavior than he was prone to on his own, she turned toward Hiro. His face was as blank as ever and she knew that if she wanted any information, she'd have to work for it.

"So, I guess Yuki told you about Maurston Academy? It's a great school, one of the best in the country, actually. From what I've heard, they have interesting teachers and a lot of classes to choose from. Anyone who goes there is practically guaranteed a good job once they graduate." Hiro just continued looking at her, his blank gaze making her a bit uncomfortable. Her fear that she might have inadvertently insulted him with the offer made her ramble nervously. "I knew you wouldn't want to leave your mother and sister behind and that's why Yuki had that list of houses close by made. I thought there might be at least one that you'd like. One of my cousins, Kisa, lives near there and I'm sure she wouldn't mind showing you around. But that's only if you want to, of course. No one's going to make you do anything against your will. If you'd rather stay in the village, that would be fine, too."

The slight nod he gave her didn't tell her whether he was interested in the idea or not, but it did alleviate her fears. If she knew one thing about Hiro, it was that he didn't keep his anger inside. The fact that he hadn't exploded with his considerable arsenal of less-then-clean insults meant he wasn't mad. She hoped he would consider the offer; after watching how hard he worked both on the ship and in the village, she knew he could go far if he had the proper training.

That left only Ritsu. She turned to find him in the corner, looking at her with a mix of happiness and hesitancy. "I guess Yuki talked to you, too?" she asked, smiling gently.

Ritsu nodded, a smile appearing on his pale face. He opened his mouth but no sound came out, causing Kagura to laugh softly. Apparently, there was more than one way to silence him after all. She'd spent a lot of time worrying over what would make him happy. He'd seemed content enough with his job but she couldn't help but think that some more confidence would serve him well. From there, it had been a simple jump to think of the most confident person that she knew. If there was anyone in the world who could teach through example on that subject, it was Ayame.

Yuki had mentioned that his older brother was thinking about expanding his shop. He'd been happy with the idea of having a protégé to take under his wing and teach the finer points of the trade. If things worked out the way she was hoping, it might even be possible for Ritsu to head up his own shop back in the village. She'd heard more than one of the women wishing for such a thing and since it was a place and people he knew, Ritsu would have the minimum amount of things to agonize over.

Buoyed by the early signs of success, Kagura smiled at all four Sohma men. "So, do you guys have plans for the rest of the day?"

Momiji shook his head. "Everything is pretty much tomorrow."

"In that case, how about we all spend the day together? We can go sight seeing or shopping, meet some of the other members of the family, and grab some lunch."

Approving sounds met her suggestion and they all got to their feet. It was only as they were stepping into the sunshine that she paused. "Oh, what about Yuki and Kyou? Do you think that we should wait for them and see if they want to come?"

Shigure turned to her, an exaggerated pout on his lips. "Is that your way of saying we're not good enough company? You have to bring in extra help?"

Momiji saved her the trouble of swatting Shigure by doing it himself. "Don't try and make her feel bad and stop wasting time. There are a lot of things I've always wanted to see." He turned back to Kagura, his excitement almost contagious. "Kyou would never let us go out by ourselves when we were in port. Something about getting lost or causing trouble. And anyway, they said they'd probably be gone all day. Kyou's going to show Yuki the ship and then there's paperwork and stuff to handle. All boring stuff, that's why we were waiting for you."

"Oh. Well then, I guess it's just the five of us. We'll just have to make sure we have enough fun to make them both jealous." A wave of her hand had her coachman, still waiting outside, hopping down and opening the door to the carriage. As they all piled inside, she fought down her disappointment at not having a chance to talk with Kyou. They would be in town for a week before leaving; she was sure she would be able to speak with him alone before then.

As it has a way of doing, life thwarted her plans almost from the moment that they were made. When she returned home from an entertaining afternoon escorting her friends around town, a message was waiting for her. Recognizing her mother's writing, she frowned. The older woman had been on an overseas trip when she left and shouldn't have returned for another few weeks. She'd asked Yuki to make sure no one mentioned her "kidnapping" and ruined her trip; she'd figured she could explain it all when they got together on her mother's return.

Wondering what else could have brought her mother home early, Kagura opened the letter while standing in the foyer. The note was brief, the familiar handwriting wobbly and faint. That more than the mention of an early return due to a "slight cold" had her yelling for someone to pack some clothes and make sure the carriage had fresh horses. In less then ten minutes, she was packed and on the way to her mother's home in the country.

She arrived just after darkness had fallen to find her mother safely ensconced in bed, quite a bit sicker than she had made out. Even though she was in no real danger, Kagura knew she couldn't leave until she was feeling better. She spent the rest of the night changing cold cloths, reading from one of her mother's favorite books, and writing out several letters that would be sent off first thing in the morning.

Caring for her mother left her a lot of time to think. As she sat in the darkened room after the older woman fell asleep, she found her mind turning again and again to the departure of the ship. She'd known that she would feel a sense of loss when it was gone. She'd made too many good friends to lose her last link to them so easily. Even though she knew she'd be seeing them again sometime, it would be at least six months before another voyage there could be managed. She'd only known them for half that long and yet it seemed like an eternity before she'd be able to return.

It was more than just the people that she would be missing; it was the whole lifestyle. There would no more early morning walks where she knew everyone she passed. No more evenings spent sitting on a porch, sipping lemonade and just enjoying the sunset. No more clean air and quiet streets. Instead, she'd spend her time rambling around in a house much too big for one person, having servants do the tasks that she had come to enjoy doing for herself.

Kagura closed her eyes and shook her head. Even now, she found it hard to think of the things she would miss the most without a pain squeezing her chest. No more cooking lessons with Ritsu, no more games with Momiji, no more antics from Shigure. And no more Kyou.

And that, she admitted in a spate of honesty, was the biggest problem of all. During their time together, she had come to see him as more than a friend. He understood what she left unsaid during their conversations and had many of the same ideas that she did. Up until the trip home, they had gotten along so well that it was like they had known each other their whole lives instead of just a few months. More than once she had found herself smiling as she thought of him and the sight of him strolling towards her door had made her heart beat just a little harder.

She'd read enough of the "dreaded" romance novels to know that those were the tried and true signs of a growing affection. She had tried to ignore the unexpected feelings, knowing that her stay in the village was only temporary, her departure inevitable. But even then she had been subconsciously making plans, thinking of ways that she might be able to stay or go back in order to stay near him.

Her family and the obligations she had willingly accepted to them had brought her back with a minimum of fuss but now she was wondering if she'd made the wrong choice. She thought it would all work out better if she took time to give her feelings some space and herself time to work out all the details. Six months was a small amount of time when it was applied to making and preparing for a potentially life-changing decision. She'd worked on much smaller business deals that had taken a lot longer to work out. But looking it in the face, it seemed like an eternity. The growing sense of panic made her wonder if she would be able to handle it.

That thought continued to prey on her mind the whole of her time in the country. Three days later, her mother was well enough to walk short distances and stay awake for most of the day. Never one to sugarcoat the important things, she thanked her daughter for the attention but told her to get back to wherever it was that her mind had really been. Kagura accepted the advice for what it was and wasted no time in packing up and heading back to the city.

The ride back was one that she would remember as a defining moment in her life. Alone with her thoughts, she searched her heart and mind and came to the only decision she knew she could live with. The people who loved her would support her no matter what choice she made and so it really was up to her. And the simple truth was only one thing would make her happy.

Not wanting to waste anytime, she directed the coachman to take her straight to the business office rather than her home. As she'd expected, Yuki was behind his desk, reading over a stack of documents. He looked up when she entered, pushing the papers aside and rising.

If she'd been less determined to say what she had to say before losing her nerve, she might have noticed his lack of surprise at her arrival. As it was, it was all that she could do to pull in a deep breath and blurt out the speech she'd been working on for the final third of the ride.

" I know that we were talking about sending someone to act as liaison next spring to give us time to get everything in order. I also know that you know me well enough to have guessed that I wanted to be the one to go. I was happy there, happier than I've been here, even though I didn't realize that I was unhappy until I left. I thought that staying now would give me time to make sure everything that needed to be was in order and to say my goodbyes. But the closer it gets to time for them to leave, the more feel like I need to go with them. I know that it's inconvenient and I'm a horrible person for running out on you with no notice, but I promise that I'll find a way to make it up to. I just …I have to do this and I really hope that you and everyone else will understand."

Finished and out of breath, she waited for Yuki's reaction. She'd braced herself for everything from anger to stunned disbelief but the actual reality threw her for a loop. He merely smiled serenely and leaned against his desk. Forming a steeple with his fingers, he looked at her calmly. "You're right; I do know you. I knew from the first of your letters home that you'd found something there that you've been missing here. I also knew that if it weren't for helping those people, you probably wouldn't have come back at all, except for visits. I was wondering how long it would take you to realize that no one would force you stay here when it's clear to us all that you want to be there."

He reached into a drawer and pulled out a thick packet. "This should be everything you need to get ready for next spring. We'd better get regular letters from you until then, do you hear me?" Kagura nodded, smiling even as tears coursed down her cheeks. Skirting the desk, she ignored the offered envelope and wrapped her arms around her almost-brother. He returned the gesture, a bit stiff, but lovingly all the same. His breath fluttered her hair as he spoke softly into her ear without letting go.

"As for your captain, he's a little annoying, but a good man, I think. You could do worse, anyway. If my opinion counts for anything, I think he cares about you too but he's afraid to ask you give up your life here. At least that's what I got from his twelve mentions of you followed by how happy you must be living close to this or that. It won't be easy but if anyone can bring him around to the right way of thinking, it'd be you."

After they reluctantly pulled apart, he motioned toward the small table beside the door. She turned and saw a very familiar bag resting there. When she looked at him in question, he explained.

"I got a message this morning that because of a change in the weather, our new family members will be heading back earlier than planned. They're leaving this afternoon. I wasn't sure if you'd be back by then or not, but I took the liberty of having Tohru pack your things for you. She says she'll forgive you for missing our wedding so long as we're invited to yours."

Sobbing aloud now, Kagura hugged him again before taking the papers and grabbing her bag. "You'd better hurry," Yuki warned. "From what the note said, they could be leaving any time now. Good luck … with everything."

With a nod of understanding, she hurried from his office, oblivious to the startled looks she gained as she ran pell-mell down the hallway. More than one person flattened themselves again the wall to escape her path as she rushed towards them. She stumbled on the doorstep, squinting against the sunlight as she looked for her coach. She found it just down the street, the coachman listing noticeably as he caught a quick nap while he waited for her return.

Her poor carriage had covered more ground in the past week than it had in the previous six months. She hoped it would make it through one more run without letting her down. Yanking open the door so fiercely that the slumbering driver started awake, she hurriedly gave him directions and climbed inside. He apparently took her words about urgency to heart since the vehicle lurched into motion before she was even fully settled.

By the time she made it to the docks, Kagura was almost biting her nails in her fear that they would have left before she got there. When the carriage gave a sudden jerk and shuddered to a stop long before they could have reached the ship, she was on her feet in an instant. Pushing her head through the open window, she immediately saw the problem. Several broken crates littered the road, their contents and the people moving to retrieve them effectively blocking the way.

Without a second thought, she grabbed her bag from the floor and disembarked. She called out to the driver as she ran past, barely noticing the shock on his face as she informed him that she'd be going on by herself. With no thoughts of dignity or decorum, she hiked up her skirts and took off as quickly as her legs could carry her. Her breath tore from her throat; her vision was nothing more than the strip of dock before her, leading to her goal. A pain soon grew in her side and her heartbeat thundered in her ears but she didn't dare slow. She knew that she didn't have a moment to spare.

Kagura slowed only when she made it to her destination. A tired smile curved her lips as she saw the familiar ship waiting just where she had left it, busy crewmembers still visible on her deck.

Her legs were trembling as she walked up the plank, her strength fading now that her fear-born adrenaline rush had ended. A few of the men stopped to look at her in question but they quickly returned to their tasks once they recognized her. They probably thought she was there on a last minute mission for Yuki or something.

Appreciating their indifference for the moment, Kagura took some time to try to catch her breath. The running and sudden stopping had left her with an aching chest and a feeling of lightheadedness. As uncertain as she already was about the kind of reception she'd get, she wanted to feel a bit more in control of herself before facing it. Whatever reaction she got, she wanted to be able to accept it with a modicum of dignity.

She was still forcing herself to take slow, deep breaths when Momiji appeared in the passage that led below deck. His face brightened when he saw her and he quickly crossed to her side with a smile. She saw his gaze drop to the bag she held clutched in her hand and her cheeks flooded with color.

When he reached her side, she opened her mouth to try to explain. To her dismay, the combination of nerves and breathlessness made her unable to produce the words she needed. She could feel her cheeks growing even hotter but Momiji seemed to understand, taking her bag in one hand and catching her hand in his other. As he walked her towards the doorway he had just exited, he began a stream of chattering conversation, pointing out people and explaining what they were doing.

He lead her right into Kyou's cabin, directing her to one of the overstuffed chairs and dropping her bag beside it. When she made a sound of distress, he smiled reassuringly. "Kyou's not here right now since Shigure's late in coming back. You should just stay here and rest until he gets back. You look all worn out. Should I ask Ritsu to bring you something to drink?"

Kagura nodded and he left, giving her a final wave from the doorway. She sank into the chair, allowing her overworked muscles to relax. She had to hope that Momiji's reaction was a good sign. Aside from his initial surprise, he seemed completely okay with her presence. Maybe the same would be true for everyone else, as well. After all, they'd all gotten along well enough before. Why should things be any different now?

Except Kyou had acted differently, both on their way from the village and at the port. Yuki's suspicions aside, there was a chance he wouldn't be happy to see her. He might even force her off the ship before he left.

The determination that had often served her well in troubling times rose within Kagura. Just let him try to kick her off. She had a vested interest in the happiness of the people she had lived amongst for those three months. Yuki had been right when he said she could do a much better job at ensuring that happiness if she were close to them. Kyou had spent years doing the same thing; surely the logic of her position would be clear to him.

And if it wasn't, that was just too bad. Let him try and stop her. She had finally admitted her feelings and there was no way in heaven that she was passing up the chance to see if there was any substance to them. She loved him and there was nothing she wouldn't do to make him realize that. Braving his anger to be close to him was a compromise she was willing to make.

X

Kyou stormed back towards the ship, an unruffled Shigure firmly in tow. There they'd been, just minutes from setting off, and the idiot had been nowhere to be seen. Interrogation of the crew had turned up the fact that he'd mentioned visiting a friend in the business district. Angry enough to spit, Kyou had set off to track him down.

Twenty minutes of searching and asking questions had finally led him to a small café. He'd barely stepped inside the door before he heard a loud burst of laughter that he would have recognized anywhere. His gaze had zeroed in on a table in the corner where his missing cousin sat, happily chatting away with another man.

Ignoring the looks thrown his way, Kyou had stormed across the room. He'd glared down at Shigure with his arms crossed over his chest and waited to see what excuse the older man would offer for his actions. Instead, apparently not knowing just how close he was to a near death experience, he had merely looked at his companion and arched an eyebrow.

"Do you think it's been long enough?"

The other man had laid his fingers against his chin and tilted his head, his long, silvery hair sliding across his shoulders. After a moment's contemplation, he had nodded decisively. "Should be. Once she makes up her mind, she moves fairly quickly."

Shigure had nodded sagely, apparently knowing what the other man was talking about. Picking up his cup, he'd drained its contents before sliding his chair back.

"Oh, you never said how she liked the package!"

Shigure had grinned, stopping mid-rise. "Like you need to ask. Anything your nimble fingers work on is inevitably a masterpiece. Have you started the new project yet?"

"Umm-hmm. It'll be finished in plenty of time. Make sure she doesn't use any others, now."

"You have my word of honor." He'd consulted his watch and then sighed theatrically. "I guess I have to be going now. It was so nice seeing you again. Now that things have changed, we'll have to do this more often."

Kyou, his temper having grown hotter with every moment of being ignored, was all but seething as he followed the older man out the door. It was only when they were on the sidewalk that Shigure saw fit to acknowledge his presence. Looking at Kyou's rapidly reddening face, he acted surprised. "If you wanted to be introduced, all you had to do was ask. That was a dear friend of mine. He's heard all about you; I'm sure he would have loved to meet you. We met a few years ago on one our trips here and now we get together every time I'm in town."

Not trusting himself to say more while they were surrounded by potential witness, Kyou hissed through clenched teeth. "Just …start…walking." The rest of the trip back to the docks was silent except for Shigure's cheerful humming. Kyou was wrapped in his own thoughts, barely noticing the people and buildings that they passed.

It wasn't that Shigure's detour was all that unexpected; the man had never been on time for any of their departures. It was just the breaking point of an already bad day, a bad day that was all the worse for it's lack of reason. The change in the weather was no big deal; they were only leaving one day early and all their business had already been wrapped up. Everyone had gotten what they wanted and things were looking up for the whole village. There would be no more unnecessary suffering or going without needed supplies.

Still, he didn't feel happy. He'd thought that finally achieving his goal would make him feel satisfied and it did, to a point. But there was something missing that kept him from being content. The person who had helped bring about their change of fortune had been noticeably absent since the day of their docking. Momiji and the others had seen her once after that while he'd been touring the ship with Yuki. After that, someone had mentioned in passing that she had gone to stay with her sick mother. Although he had listened closely, no word of when she might return had come to his ears.

At first he'd told himself that he just wanted the chance to thank her for all that she had done. But as the days passed and he felt more on edge due to her continued absence, he finally had to be honest; he wanted her to go back with him. It was unfair of him to want to take her away from the things she knew and loved but he couldn't help it. She had made his life so much better by being a part of it that the thought of leaving her behind tore at him. He'd always lived under the pressure of trying to be something different to all the people he knew. It wasn't until she came and saw him just as himself that he learned what it felt like to be free. She made the weight on his shoulders disappear just by smiling at him.

Shigure calling out to someone pulled Kyou from his thoughts and he saw that they'd reached the ship without him even realizing it. As he headed up the plank and onto the deck, he couldn't stop himself from scanning the crowd milling around on the dock. He knew that Kagura was most likely still with her mother but that didn't keep a corner of his heart from hoping she might somehow appear. Even if it was just to say goodbye, he needed to see her one more time.

Although he'd known she wasn't going to be there, his disappointment was sharp enough to make his mood darken further. He stormed across the deck, glaring at anyone who so much as looked his way. Momiji approached with an open mouth but Kyou ignored him, stepping into the dim hallway. He strode down the hall to his cabin, pulling the door closed behind him.

With his back pressed against wood, he shook his head and sighed. He needed to get a hold of himself and soon. It wasn't fair to anyone for him to go around snapping at them over something that didn't even concern them. The crew knew their jobs well enough to manage to set off without him. Maybe it would just be best if he took the rest of the night to get his head straightened out.

Kyou pushed away from the door and then stopped in his tracks. He blinked, wondering if he was seeing things because there, in one of his chairs, sat the very focus of his thoughts. Kagura was slumped slightly to the side, her eyes closed and her breathing slow and deep.

He took a step forward and then paused, almost afraid she would vanish if he got too close. His mind worked, trying to figure out why she was there and what it meant. Had she come to say goodbye or with a last minute message? If so, he knew he needed to wake her so she could disembark before they set off. As he approached with intent of waking her, his eyes landed on the bag resting by her feet. His heart leapt as the meaning of that ordinary item sank into his mind.

She was coming home.

It might not be as simple as that, the rational part of his mind insisted, but he ignored it. Whatever else needed to be decided could be dealt with later. She was here now and he wasn't about to let that fact go to waste. Walking to her side, he looked down at her sleeping face for a long moment before bending. Carefully lifting her into his arms, Kyou slowly took her seat and settled her on his lap. He rested his head against her hair, closing his eyes and sighing with contentment. As though she knew he was there, Kagura made a soft sound and snuggled closer against his chest. And as she slept, a smile curved her lips.

X

The next year brought with it the biggest celebration that the small village had ever seen. A ship arrived with an entire passenger list of Sohmas. Every spare room was soon filled as the family reunited itself in person. The mood was joyful as distant relatives were sought out and new friendships were formed.

The main event happened a week later in the town hall. Guests filled the seats and crowded the aisle as a smiling Yuki walked a radiant Kagura down the aisle. Tohru waved from her seat near the front, her free hand resting lightly on her rounded stomach. Just behind her sat Kisa with a blushing Hiro at her side, proudly wearing the Maurston Academy uniform. Momiji and his family were next, all wearing matching grins as the bridal procession passed.

Ayame and Shigure sat across the room, crying loudly and waving at the bride. Kagura was willing to forgive their behavior since Ayame had provided her with a beautiful gown on short notice. He'd smiled and changed the subject when she'd asked him how he had finished it so quickly since they'd only settled on a date the month before. Too happy to complain, Kagura had let the omission slide. It wasn't important anyway.

Her gaze moved to the end of the hall where Kyou stood waiting. His eyes were locked on her, warm and full of feeling. As Yuki led her toward him, her heart felt full enough to burst. Not only was he everything she had ever wanted, she knew that he looked at her the same way. It was surely more than any one person deserved to find in their lifetime.

As she finally reached his side, he caught her hands between his own. Not wanting to wait any longer, she leaned up and pressed her lips to his. Laughter and catcalls filled the room but she didn't mind a bit.

She was finally home.