DISCLAIMER: okay okay. so i DON'T own Fruits Basket. i do in fact own most of this plot. though at least a small portion is taken from everything and everyone i have ever met. and i may not do a lot of things, but give credit where credit is due is one thing that i do. anyways on to the much "annticipated" story.
But first a word from your author: This is to all of you who reviewed. I would name you all; but i cant remember all your names. Sorry. And a thousand epologize about my horrible spelling. *bows repeatedly*
Chapter Two: Skid Pad
A week later they had taken off most of the gizmos hooked up to Uo and told her that she could go down to see Kyo if she wanted. The doctors were surprised at the rapid rate at which the two were improving.
Uo had learned from Tohru that Kyo had a broken leg, as well as a pair of broken ribs, multiply lacerations, and a rather extraordinary black eye. Kyo had gotten information out of the doctors, in the form of threatening them until they gave it up, and learned that Uo had severe lacerations to her lower arms, bruising around the abdomen, and a hairline fracture to her left ulna. Which was incredible considering the accident she had been involved in.
He was asleep when she walked into the room, IV stand holding most of her weight. She had demanded "Real clothes" and the hospital had to comply or she was threatening to run around naked. "I might as well be in this expletive expletive gown." she had said at the very top of her voice as she threw her water pitcher at the nurse, who retreated instantly and returned later with some of her clothes. So Uo made her entrance into Kyo's room in jeans and a hospital gown. She smiled at the neko's sleeping form, and wondered how much trouble she would get into if she dumped the contents of his water pitcher onto him. She reached for it and heard the boy growl.
"I don't give a damn if your injured; you dump that on me and I'll kick your ass." he said opening one eye and looking at the blonde ex-gangster.
Uo smiled, "You couldn't take me before, and you can't take me now. Beaten up as I am." He sat up with a chuckle, looking at the pretty blonde. Uo sat down and silence stretched for a minute.
"Uo..I," Kyo stuttered, and Uo stared at him with soft eyes. Then she hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around her as she buried her head in his neck. "God Uo, I'm so sorry." he whispered into her soft white throat. Tohru and Yuki looked in the window just then, and saw the embrace. Tohru's eyes widened as she turned to look at Yuki. Who shrugged as Shigure went singing down the hall behind them.
Uo held tight to Kyo, clinging to him as if he was her only life-line. She sobbed into him, and he held her tight, rocking back and forth and muttering sweet nothings to her. He whispered all the fears he had talked to himself merely a few nights ago, holding her, and begging for forgiveness. Long minutes passed, as Tohru and Yuki watched from the window wondering how long this had been going on, and how they had missed it. Uo leaned back finally, and Kyo wiped the tears from her face, that awkward little smile of his played on his lips. A soft little smile beat its way onto Uo's beautiful face. "Don't blame yourself orange top. Its as much my fault as it is yours." she muttered, and before the situation could deteriorate any further Yuki cleared his throat from the door, and the pair went flying to opposite sides of the room. Tohru laughed behind her hand at the pair.
Uo glowered from the corner and Kyo glowered from the bed, and Tohru and Yuki just smiled. "The doctors say that you can go home next week. That is if you're cuts are healed enough Uo. That's why were here by the way, the doctors want to remove the bandages." Yuki said with a smile. Uo rubbed her wrists, half worried about the scars that the "doctors" had said they couldn't do anything about. Kyo caught her eye from across the room and winked at her; sending her a secret message of encouragement. With a nod Uo walked out, Tohru smiled and linked arms with her talking softly as they left the room. Yuki stood watching Kyo with a superior all knowing smile.
"What the hell are you looking at you damn rat?" Kyo barked, glaring at him.
"Nothing." Yuki said, shaking his head.
"Damnit, tell me!!" the hotheaded cat growled.
Yuki smiled, and walked out of the room leaving a cursing neko behind.
Uo walked back into her room like a woman condemned, she really hated doctors. They smiled their phony smiles at her as she walked into the sterile room. She shut the door closing herself in and Tohru and Yuki out. Tohru blinked in surprise as the heavy door slammed closed in her face. Yuki shook his head slowly and wrapped a slender arm around her shoulders, "There are some things that you must handle on your own. Miss Arisa seems to need to do this. Come on, we can wait for her here." he guided the naïve girl to some seats across the hall.
Uo stood just inside the door, watching the young male nurse with a steely gaze. She took a deep breath then walked over to the table, ready to unwrap this piece of history and the scars that would hurt forever. With slow, undaunted steadiness the nurse began to unwrap the bandages, Uo watched with a morbid fascination as pale pink skin was revealed as a tapestry of bright red. From the tiny lines on the top of her hands to the deeper ones on the outsides of her arms. She grimaced remembering the glass peeling away from the windshield and shredding into her. Pain pinged through her arm as the wreck replayed in slow-mo. It took agonizing minutes for the bandages to come undone and float to the floor. Uo sat in a dark haze staring at the arms that weren't her arms that lay in her lap, mocking her with their flaws. "Wrap them again." she growled, not wanting to look at them anymore.
"But they're finished healing." the doctor said, looking them over. "And they healed beautifully, considering the conditioning they were in." he commented.
Uo looked up eyes ablaze. "Damnit wrap them!!" she half-yelled, throwing her resentment at them like knifes.
The nurse looked at the doctor who shrugged his consent. Nodding the nurse began to wrap new linens around Uo's arms. Eternity past as his hands twirled bandage around her mangled skin. The nurse tied off the binding and they left Uo all alone in the pale room with nothing but her mind to keep her company. She stood slowly, the look on her face like that on a woman who had just learned she had days to live, walking out of the room, she swore that she would get out of her the first chance she got. To hell with the tests they wanted to run, to hell with it all, she was a going to get out of this sterilized prison cell.
The door slammed open and Tohru and Yuki started apart. Uo barely spared them a glance as she stormed down the hall to the toward the nurses station.
"I'm checking out!!" she yelled, slamming her wrapped fist into the Formica counter. "I don't care what you have to do, I want to be out of here by tomorrow morning!!" she yelled. "Got it?!" her voice tore through the nurses like a hurricane through stained glass. She reached across the desk and caught the nurse there by the collar. "Understand?" growling Uo seemed to be channeling her old Yankee tendencies. The nurse was pulled half way across her workstation and was nodding rapidly, eyes wide and frightened. Uo shoved her backward into her swivel chair, the nurse spun 'round, and Uo watched her satisfied that her order would be carried out. Tohru and Yuki stared at the blonde in astonishment, and as fast as she had stormed down the hall, she walked back, leaving startled patients in her wake. Nurses scooted out of her way, patients turned and ran (practically) and security guards glowered at her. Uo glared back at them as she walked. Stopping in front of her friends she scowled at them. "I refuse to stay in this place any longer." she growled, "Damnit, this is killing me." She would have continued to rant, but at just that moment Shigure and Hana walked up.
"Danger: Uo on the Warpath." Hana commented in her monotone. Uo shot her a glare, as Shigure chuckled.
Shigure smiled, "So how is our little patient today?" he asked earning himself a death look that she usually reserved for Kyo.
"Angry as hell." the Yankee growled, scowling even more deeply.
"What's wrong? The food getting to you?" Shigure smirked.
Tohru stepped in about then, "Uo hates hospitals, and doctors."
"And cops and clerks, and bus drivers." Kyo's voice rang down the hall; there the redhead stood crutches planted firmly on the tile floor.
Uo turned to glare at him, "You make it sound as if I hate the whole human race."
"Don't you?" sarcasm dripped from his words, a newfound habit for the boy.
Uo half grinned, "Not all of it." she growled, but the fight had gone out of her words. Kyo continued to walk toward them, the crutches making a muffled clack, clack noise against the multi-colored, industrial strength, government issue flooring. His bright orange hair was disheveled, a flyaway of flames, toping off a handsome face, and a strong set of shoulders.
Uo couldn't believe that it had only been two years since the Sohma family curse had been lifted. So much had changed since then. Tohru and Yuki had finally confessed their feelings for each other. Kyo had disappeared and come back someone totally different, he had gained at least three inches, and added muscle to an already gorgeous body. Wherever he had been it had changed him, inside and out. He had gained confidence, and sarcasm and depth, but he could still be the shallow, hot-tempered youth that the Sohmas knew and loved, or at least liked.
Hana had graduated from high school early and started at college. Shigure had written two more novels, both smutty romances. Akito had died, (tragic really) and Hatori had taken over the family until Yuki was ready to seize the lead. Tohru was still working hard at school, and at her job. The rest of the Sohma family had settled into their new routines. And life went on.
Kyo smiled that awkward little smiled of his, as Hana locked her monotone on him. Uo half-grinned as Tohru beamed. Shigure had that tiny smug grin on his face, and Yuki just stood there his face like stone. The way Kyo looked at her made Uo's insides flutter, though there wasn't a chance in hell she would have told him that. Ever. This wasn't anything in the world that would make her tell him. Except maybe almost dieing in a tragic car accident. That might do it. Yeeah. Uo half grimaced for no apparent reason. it was almost painful to think about him. Anyone with two good eyes (actually you could probably be blind) could see that he was still wound up about Tohru. It was obvious in every move he made, in the way he treated her, the way he was always so gentle around her, like she was made of glass. Made somewhere deep inside, under the cold, sassy blonde gangster, there was a girl who still had a touch of Cinderella complex. She was still a woman after all. A growl slipped through her lips.
Tohru shot her friend a look of concern. "Are you ribs starting to bother you again?" she asked, in that sunshine-y voice of hers.
With a smile the blonde shook her head no. It wasn't her ribs that were itching her.
Kyo stood on his crutches watching the emotions that flicked ever so slightly over Uo's face. A frown pulled at his mouth. It still pressed on him that he had almost gotten her killed. Not that she would ever admit it, as far as she was concerned it had been her idea all along. If there had been a way, she would have been his a long time ago. She had Cinderella complex, and he was dieing to be her Charming Prince.
But first a word from your author: This is to all of you who reviewed. I would name you all; but i cant remember all your names. Sorry. And a thousand epologize about my horrible spelling. *bows repeatedly*
Chapter Two: Skid Pad
A week later they had taken off most of the gizmos hooked up to Uo and told her that she could go down to see Kyo if she wanted. The doctors were surprised at the rapid rate at which the two were improving.
Uo had learned from Tohru that Kyo had a broken leg, as well as a pair of broken ribs, multiply lacerations, and a rather extraordinary black eye. Kyo had gotten information out of the doctors, in the form of threatening them until they gave it up, and learned that Uo had severe lacerations to her lower arms, bruising around the abdomen, and a hairline fracture to her left ulna. Which was incredible considering the accident she had been involved in.
He was asleep when she walked into the room, IV stand holding most of her weight. She had demanded "Real clothes" and the hospital had to comply or she was threatening to run around naked. "I might as well be in this expletive expletive gown." she had said at the very top of her voice as she threw her water pitcher at the nurse, who retreated instantly and returned later with some of her clothes. So Uo made her entrance into Kyo's room in jeans and a hospital gown. She smiled at the neko's sleeping form, and wondered how much trouble she would get into if she dumped the contents of his water pitcher onto him. She reached for it and heard the boy growl.
"I don't give a damn if your injured; you dump that on me and I'll kick your ass." he said opening one eye and looking at the blonde ex-gangster.
Uo smiled, "You couldn't take me before, and you can't take me now. Beaten up as I am." He sat up with a chuckle, looking at the pretty blonde. Uo sat down and silence stretched for a minute.
"Uo..I," Kyo stuttered, and Uo stared at him with soft eyes. Then she hugged him, and he wrapped his arms around her as she buried her head in his neck. "God Uo, I'm so sorry." he whispered into her soft white throat. Tohru and Yuki looked in the window just then, and saw the embrace. Tohru's eyes widened as she turned to look at Yuki. Who shrugged as Shigure went singing down the hall behind them.
Uo held tight to Kyo, clinging to him as if he was her only life-line. She sobbed into him, and he held her tight, rocking back and forth and muttering sweet nothings to her. He whispered all the fears he had talked to himself merely a few nights ago, holding her, and begging for forgiveness. Long minutes passed, as Tohru and Yuki watched from the window wondering how long this had been going on, and how they had missed it. Uo leaned back finally, and Kyo wiped the tears from her face, that awkward little smile of his played on his lips. A soft little smile beat its way onto Uo's beautiful face. "Don't blame yourself orange top. Its as much my fault as it is yours." she muttered, and before the situation could deteriorate any further Yuki cleared his throat from the door, and the pair went flying to opposite sides of the room. Tohru laughed behind her hand at the pair.
Uo glowered from the corner and Kyo glowered from the bed, and Tohru and Yuki just smiled. "The doctors say that you can go home next week. That is if you're cuts are healed enough Uo. That's why were here by the way, the doctors want to remove the bandages." Yuki said with a smile. Uo rubbed her wrists, half worried about the scars that the "doctors" had said they couldn't do anything about. Kyo caught her eye from across the room and winked at her; sending her a secret message of encouragement. With a nod Uo walked out, Tohru smiled and linked arms with her talking softly as they left the room. Yuki stood watching Kyo with a superior all knowing smile.
"What the hell are you looking at you damn rat?" Kyo barked, glaring at him.
"Nothing." Yuki said, shaking his head.
"Damnit, tell me!!" the hotheaded cat growled.
Yuki smiled, and walked out of the room leaving a cursing neko behind.
Uo walked back into her room like a woman condemned, she really hated doctors. They smiled their phony smiles at her as she walked into the sterile room. She shut the door closing herself in and Tohru and Yuki out. Tohru blinked in surprise as the heavy door slammed closed in her face. Yuki shook his head slowly and wrapped a slender arm around her shoulders, "There are some things that you must handle on your own. Miss Arisa seems to need to do this. Come on, we can wait for her here." he guided the naïve girl to some seats across the hall.
Uo stood just inside the door, watching the young male nurse with a steely gaze. She took a deep breath then walked over to the table, ready to unwrap this piece of history and the scars that would hurt forever. With slow, undaunted steadiness the nurse began to unwrap the bandages, Uo watched with a morbid fascination as pale pink skin was revealed as a tapestry of bright red. From the tiny lines on the top of her hands to the deeper ones on the outsides of her arms. She grimaced remembering the glass peeling away from the windshield and shredding into her. Pain pinged through her arm as the wreck replayed in slow-mo. It took agonizing minutes for the bandages to come undone and float to the floor. Uo sat in a dark haze staring at the arms that weren't her arms that lay in her lap, mocking her with their flaws. "Wrap them again." she growled, not wanting to look at them anymore.
"But they're finished healing." the doctor said, looking them over. "And they healed beautifully, considering the conditioning they were in." he commented.
Uo looked up eyes ablaze. "Damnit wrap them!!" she half-yelled, throwing her resentment at them like knifes.
The nurse looked at the doctor who shrugged his consent. Nodding the nurse began to wrap new linens around Uo's arms. Eternity past as his hands twirled bandage around her mangled skin. The nurse tied off the binding and they left Uo all alone in the pale room with nothing but her mind to keep her company. She stood slowly, the look on her face like that on a woman who had just learned she had days to live, walking out of the room, she swore that she would get out of her the first chance she got. To hell with the tests they wanted to run, to hell with it all, she was a going to get out of this sterilized prison cell.
The door slammed open and Tohru and Yuki started apart. Uo barely spared them a glance as she stormed down the hall to the toward the nurses station.
"I'm checking out!!" she yelled, slamming her wrapped fist into the Formica counter. "I don't care what you have to do, I want to be out of here by tomorrow morning!!" she yelled. "Got it?!" her voice tore through the nurses like a hurricane through stained glass. She reached across the desk and caught the nurse there by the collar. "Understand?" growling Uo seemed to be channeling her old Yankee tendencies. The nurse was pulled half way across her workstation and was nodding rapidly, eyes wide and frightened. Uo shoved her backward into her swivel chair, the nurse spun 'round, and Uo watched her satisfied that her order would be carried out. Tohru and Yuki stared at the blonde in astonishment, and as fast as she had stormed down the hall, she walked back, leaving startled patients in her wake. Nurses scooted out of her way, patients turned and ran (practically) and security guards glowered at her. Uo glared back at them as she walked. Stopping in front of her friends she scowled at them. "I refuse to stay in this place any longer." she growled, "Damnit, this is killing me." She would have continued to rant, but at just that moment Shigure and Hana walked up.
"Danger: Uo on the Warpath." Hana commented in her monotone. Uo shot her a glare, as Shigure chuckled.
Shigure smiled, "So how is our little patient today?" he asked earning himself a death look that she usually reserved for Kyo.
"Angry as hell." the Yankee growled, scowling even more deeply.
"What's wrong? The food getting to you?" Shigure smirked.
Tohru stepped in about then, "Uo hates hospitals, and doctors."
"And cops and clerks, and bus drivers." Kyo's voice rang down the hall; there the redhead stood crutches planted firmly on the tile floor.
Uo turned to glare at him, "You make it sound as if I hate the whole human race."
"Don't you?" sarcasm dripped from his words, a newfound habit for the boy.
Uo half grinned, "Not all of it." she growled, but the fight had gone out of her words. Kyo continued to walk toward them, the crutches making a muffled clack, clack noise against the multi-colored, industrial strength, government issue flooring. His bright orange hair was disheveled, a flyaway of flames, toping off a handsome face, and a strong set of shoulders.
Uo couldn't believe that it had only been two years since the Sohma family curse had been lifted. So much had changed since then. Tohru and Yuki had finally confessed their feelings for each other. Kyo had disappeared and come back someone totally different, he had gained at least three inches, and added muscle to an already gorgeous body. Wherever he had been it had changed him, inside and out. He had gained confidence, and sarcasm and depth, but he could still be the shallow, hot-tempered youth that the Sohmas knew and loved, or at least liked.
Hana had graduated from high school early and started at college. Shigure had written two more novels, both smutty romances. Akito had died, (tragic really) and Hatori had taken over the family until Yuki was ready to seize the lead. Tohru was still working hard at school, and at her job. The rest of the Sohma family had settled into their new routines. And life went on.
Kyo smiled that awkward little smiled of his, as Hana locked her monotone on him. Uo half-grinned as Tohru beamed. Shigure had that tiny smug grin on his face, and Yuki just stood there his face like stone. The way Kyo looked at her made Uo's insides flutter, though there wasn't a chance in hell she would have told him that. Ever. This wasn't anything in the world that would make her tell him. Except maybe almost dieing in a tragic car accident. That might do it. Yeeah. Uo half grimaced for no apparent reason. it was almost painful to think about him. Anyone with two good eyes (actually you could probably be blind) could see that he was still wound up about Tohru. It was obvious in every move he made, in the way he treated her, the way he was always so gentle around her, like she was made of glass. Made somewhere deep inside, under the cold, sassy blonde gangster, there was a girl who still had a touch of Cinderella complex. She was still a woman after all. A growl slipped through her lips.
Tohru shot her friend a look of concern. "Are you ribs starting to bother you again?" she asked, in that sunshine-y voice of hers.
With a smile the blonde shook her head no. It wasn't her ribs that were itching her.
Kyo stood on his crutches watching the emotions that flicked ever so slightly over Uo's face. A frown pulled at his mouth. It still pressed on him that he had almost gotten her killed. Not that she would ever admit it, as far as she was concerned it had been her idea all along. If there had been a way, she would have been his a long time ago. She had Cinderella complex, and he was dieing to be her Charming Prince.