Author's note: Welcome to chapter 30, dear Reader! Before I say anything else, please let me apologize for the LONG absence from last chapter. I really am sorry for not updating sooner! The plot bunnies went on strike. And then I got the boxed set of the OHSHC manga, and of course I HAD to read it! (If you haven't yet, I highly suggest it! There are so many wonderful story-lines. And the outfits! *swoon*) But I'm back now, and I've threatened the plot bunnies with a wood-chipper if they don't get back to work!

And now, back to the usual A/N! I'm so thrilled that you've stayed with me (And dear Pixie-chan, as well!) so very long! I love all the wonderfully positive feedback I've gotten up to this point. Thank you all so much! Please continue to stick with us as Sky continues her journey!

Triggers: Not really. Sky gets kind of panicky this chapter, but nothing drastic. (No fainting!)

The only Ouran-related anything that I own is the manga! No matter how much I love them, I do not own the Hosts, that pleasure belongs solely to Bisco Hatori. Reviews and PMs are always appreciated!


-The next day-

Sky took one deep breath after another, carefully and slowly, trying not to draw any unwanted attention. Her eyes darted around the crowded area, desperately searching for something, anything to use to anchor herself. She knew there would be crowds at this tournament, but she hadn't expected anything like this. Logically, she knew there couldn't be as many people here as she thought. Sure, the space was rather large, but it was a dojo, not Yokohama Arena, for crying out loud. But no matter how many times she tried to reassure herself, the crowd looked larger every time she blinked.

She was sandwiched between Honey and Kyoya, with the twins and Tamaki sitting just behind them. Her anxiety had manifested itself several minutes ago, but it seemed as if no one had noticed just yet. She was thankful for that; she didn't want anyone worrying. She tried to focus on the two people sparring, but since neither man on the floor was her wolf, they didn't keep her attention for more than a second.

Takashi's first match wasn't for several more rounds. Which she was grateful for. She knew that he would look for her the moment he stepped out, and she needed the extra time to calm down. He would be certain to notice, even if no one else did. She cleared her throat quietly, trying to dislodge the lump that seemed to constrict her every breath. It wouldn't budge.

Without realizing it, Sky had started to rock back and forth, her hands clenched together in her lap. Five pairs of eyes watched for a silent moment, considering. When a quiet whimper sounded from the frightened girl, swift action was taken. Kyoya reached over and pried Sky's hands apart, causing a startled little squeak. Her head whipped around, and wide cobalt eyes stared. He took one of her hands in his and held it lightly.

"It's alright, Pixie. Keep your eyes on me for a minute, and just breathe."

She just nodded slightly, trying to follow the simple-sounding instructions. She kept her eyes on her friend and tried to focus on the important task of just breathing. She inhaled deeply, forcing the air down her throat. Blocking out everything around her, she focused on Kyoya's calming presence and his gentle grip on her hand as she exhaled slowly. Inhale, focus, exhale. Again. And again.

Finally, her breathing steadied and her racing heart slowed to a somewhat normal pace. She gave Kyoya's hand a light squeeze and bumped her head against his affectionately.

"Thank you, little owl."

Before he could do more than smile in relief, Honey had snatched Sky's other hand. He gave her a little shake.

"Good timing, Pixie-chan! Takashi's up next! Look, there he is!"

Her eyes followed the direction Honey pointed, and a tender smile lit her face. She watched as her wolf crossed the floor with deliberate, unhurried strides. His eyes searched the crowd for just a moment, but he seemed to instinctively know where to look. Their eyes locked from a distance, and the barest hint of a smile flashed across his face. He nodded slightly, just once, and turned his attention back to the task at hand, slipping his mask into place. Sky grinned and settled in to watch.

-A little while later-

Sky and the boys waited until the crowds had dispersed somewhat to make their way down to the floor. By the time they saw Takashi exiting the locker room, there were very few people left in the dojo. Most were milling about, talking about the tournament and the agility of different athletes.

Despite Honey's smaller stature, he was the first to notice his cousin coming their way. He let out an excited whoop and rushed forward, dragging Sky along with him. He let go of her hand at the last second and launched himself at Takashi, who caught him with ease and a very slight grin.

"We knew you'd win, Takashi! You did great!"

Honey gave his tall cousin a quick, tight hug and jumped back to the floor, running off to gather the others. Sky laughed quietly and shook her head as she closed the small distance. She looked up at her wolf with a little smile, her heart fluttering lightly when he reached up to stroke his hand down her hair briefly.

"Mo mac tíre, you were...magnificent."

She couldn't help grinning as the slightest blush crept up his cheeks at her tone. Her eyes shone with pride. She had never seen him compete, had never even watched him practice before, and was in awe. She longed to throw her arms around him and embrace him tightly. Such displays of affection in public made them both slightly uncomfortable, however, so she held back. Instead, she simply laid her hand on his arm for a moment, smiling prettily up at him. The corner of his lips curved up in reply as he took her hand gently in his.

They stood side by side, watching their friends approach. Sky reached up with her free hand to toy with the silver wolf dangling from her ear as everyone congratulated Takashi. She let the words wash over her, not paying much attention. Until the grip on her hand tightened just a little, causing her to look up at her love. His gaze was trained on someone else approaching, his eyes widened slightly in shock. Sky turned her attention to the newcomer as Takashi released her hand to step forward.

"Satoshi."

Anxiety slammed back into Sky's chest. She knew of Takashi's younger brother, but had yet to meet him. She'd had no idea the younger Morinozuka would be coming to his brother's tournament. Watching the brothers interact, she tried desperately to calm her pounding heart. Her eyes darted around the people still milling about, hoping she was wrong in her assumption. Not here. Not like this. Please please please...

A small sound escaped her throat, and several pairs of eyes locked on her. Honey was the first to her side, with Kyoya a close second. Honey grasped her hand and shook it lightly, drawing her attention. He spoke quietly.

"Breathe, Pixie-chan. It's ok. Everything's alright, just breathe."

Takashi whirled back at his cousin's voice, and was at Sky's side in a second. He gripped her shoulders lightly as he took in her panicked state. Her eyes darted back and forth frantically, and a tiny whimper fell from her lips. Takashi sighed quietly and raised one hand to her cheek, gently turning her to face him. Her gaze finally locked on his, and he nodded slightly.

"Calm, mo anamchara."

Sky let out a shuddering breath she hadn't realized she'd been holding. Bright cobalt eyes glistened, but no tears fell. She took a deep breath and focused on Takashi as she exhaled. The feel of his hand on her cheek, the grip on her shoulder that managed to be firm and gentle at the same time, the calm that seemed to radiate from his very being. After a moment, she swallowed thickly and finally managed to give voice to the newest manifestation of her paranoia.

"Your brother is here... Does...does that mean... Is... Are..."

She stumbled over her words, stammering in her panic. Another quiet whimper escaped before she could force the rest of the question out. Takashi understood anyway, and worry filled his eyes. He frowned slightly.

"I don't know."

Satoshi had stayed silent until this point. The young lad was thoroughly confused by his brother's interactions with the rainbow-haired girl, and none of Taka's friends seemed inclined to explain. The strange girl was obviously freaked out about something, and he didn't want to make it worse, but patience wasn't his strong suit. He cleared his throat quietly.

"Taka-bro, what's going on here?"

Takashi answered without taking his eyes off Sky.

"We didn't know you were coming. Are Mother and Father here as well?"

"Nah, they couldn't make it."

Sky's relief was immediate and palpable. She raised one trembling hand to her head, suddenly dizzy. Closing her eyes, she took several slow, deep breaths, willing her heart to stop pounding so very hard. Takashi's hand slid from her cheek to grasp her shoulder lightly. She was far too pale for his liking, and he sincerely hoped she wasn't about to faint.

He needn't have worried. Sky gave her bright locks a sharp tug, the pain fighting back the light-headedness. She opened her eyes and offered a tiny, apologetic smile to her wolf. He made a quiet sound that might have been a laugh, and the corner of his mouth twitched up for a brief moment. He nodded slightly, releasing his hold on her shoulders, taking one hand in his own instead.

"It's alright, Sky."

The younger Morinozuka's eyes widened and his jaw dropped comically. So this was the girl his brother talked about! He looked at her more closely, wondering just what it was about the girl that was so special. She was tall and pale, with short, rainbow-colored hair. Satoshi supposed she was pretty, but he generally liked petite girls with long normal-colored hair, himself. She certainly had an interesting sense of fashion, if today's outfit was any indication. His gaze took in her purple leather boots, black form-fitting jeans, and long-sleeved black t-shirt, emblazoned with a surprisingly cute purple rabbit and some English words he couldn't read. He wondered how she could stand to wear long sleeves in the hot dojo, then shrugged. It really wasn't his business.

"So this is your girlfriend, huh?"

Before Takashi had the chance to do more than nod slightly, Honey bounced to a stop between the trio with a radiant grin. He grabbed Sky's free hand and gave her a gentle squeeze, swinging her hand back and forth. He answered for them.

"Yup yup! This is Pixie-chan!"

"Pixie? I thought her name was Sky."

The girl in question cleared her throat quietly and took a single step forward, keeping her hand safely linked with Takashi's. She ran her free hand through her hair and nodded at the confused boy before speaking softly.

"It is. Pixie's my middle name. Takashi's really the only one who calls me Sky, though."

She offered the younger boy a pretty little smile, happy to receive a broad grin in return. She had recovered surprisingly quickly from her panicked state, much to everyone's relief. Satoshi's eyes darted between the odd girl and his brother, struggling not to burst into laughter. He couldn't wait to see their parents' reactions when they finally met her!

-Later that evening-

Sky closed the front door with a little smile. As much as she loved spending time with all of her boys, she was glad that they decided to head home early. She was thoroughly exhausted from the events of the day, and was desperate for a bit of quiet. Stifling a yawn, she shuffled to the kitchen, intent on hunting down some sugar and caffeine.

She'd had fun getting to know Satoshi, though it took a while to get over how very different he was from his brother. The boy talked so much, he reminded her more of Tamaki. If he didn't look so very much like Takashi, she would seriously wonder if they were actually related. She smirked to herself as she trudged up the stairs and down the hall. The smirk had grown to a full-blown grin by the time she stepped through the open door.

"Something funny?"

She glanced over as she nudged the door closed behind her. Takashi looked completely at ease, lounging on the queen-sized bed. Sky's grin switched to a tender smile as she regarded her wolf, and she shook her head lightly as she sat on the edge of the bed, kicking off her slippers.

"Just thinking about how different you and Satoshi are, that's all."

He nodded, and a small smile formed as Sky curled up beside him, resting her head against his chest. He wrapped one arm lightly around her waist and pulled her closer, bringing his free hand up to trail his fingers slowly through her hair. She sighed softly and nuzzled against his shoulder, curling her arms around him. They stayed that way for several minutes, reveling in the quiet comfort of each other's embrace. The silence didn't last, however.

"Sky?"

"Yeah?"

"Why did you panic when you thought my parents were at the dojo?"

Sky huffed out a little breath and groaned. She was hoping that he wouldn't ask about that. She kept her head nestled against his shoulder and closed her eyes as she spoke.

"I...didn't want to see them. Meeting your parents would be a big step, and I just... It's... It kind of terrifies me, to be honest..."

"They're not that intimidating."

"Of course you don't think they're intimidating. You're not a rainbow-haired psycho who always makes the worst first impressions."

Takashi wanted to find her words amusing. But the tone of her voice made it impossible. He gave her a little nudge to sit up, and cradled her cheeks with both hands. There was genuine fear and apprehension in her eyes. He sighed quietly and shook his head.

"Don't call yourself a psycho in that tone. Meeting my parents shouldn't frighten you this much. They're actually looking forward to meeting you next week."

"But I am a- wait, what?"


A/N again: Just in case you need a little something to tide you over until the next chapter, I have the first chapter of a new Ouran story up! "Home, What a New Concept" takes place in an alternate universe, and contains just a bit of sci-fi happiness. (And a pretty kitty girl named Onyx!) If you give it a try, please let me know what you think! Thanks in advance!