Ah, the seventh chapter. Going rather fast on this one. No stream of consciousness in it either (unfortunately). I love that stuff. Randomly, I posted a note in the review section about how the rapidity of updating is connected to reviews. I've been writing this pretty fast, but that's because (as referenced in the review section) I'm on a writing binge. I don't know how long it'll last (I never do), but when it ends I won't be able to write at all. Hope and pray that this keeps pouring out of me, because when binges end I sometimes can't pick it up again for several months...

You may have noticed that Tohru is a bit of an idiot in this story. That's because I don't particularly like Tohru Honda, though she shall serve her purpose in this. I have great things planned for her (wicked laughter).

Tohru, Uo, and Hana walked through the woods to the Sohma property. It had been a long walk from the hotel, even though Shigure's house was only on the outskirts of the Sohma property. As they walked, Hana reflected on the Sohmas. She had never been entirely comfortable with Tohru staying with the family, regardless of how kind they seemed on the outside. Certainly, up to this point they had taken excellent care of Tohru, providing for nearly her every need and even luxuries. But something was wrong about the Sohmas. Hana couldn't quite put her finger on it, only that it disturbed her. They gave off unusual waves, almost inhuman waves. And what those waves contained frightened Hana. They were dark waves, darker even than hers, and chaotic with hatred, anger, and fear. All of them had these waves, even the innocently cheerful Momiji, who seemed incapable of such passions. Hana didn't like Tohru being around such people. Tohru's waves were so pure and light—the exact opposite of the Sohmas in every way. Hana was afraid that Tohru's waves could become tainted by association, turning to darkness as the Sohmas did. She had almost given up on Tohru and the Sohmas on that horrible night a year ago when she and Uotani had been out walking and had found Tohru sobbing her heart out on Kyoko's grave. It had been all that Hanajima could do not to tear her friend away from that grave and fold her into her arms, protecting her from whatever darkness the Sohmas had thrust upon her. Uotani had hated her that night. Hana knew that very well. Uo had thought she was mad, forcing her away from Tohru. But Hana had known something that night that she couldn't express; Tohru couldn't be comforted. If she had allowed Uo to comfort Tohru, some great evil would have occurred that would have ruined everything forever. What the evil was, and what everything was, Hana didn't know. Only that what had needed to be done had been done. Hana still didn't understand, and she still half-regretted not comforting Tohru that night. But Tohru seemed fine now—somewhat. She was a different Tohru than she had been before that night—an older Tohru. Somehow Hana understood that Tohru had seen utter darkness and survived the experience. Hana wondered if she, faced with the same situation, would have had the courage. Probably not.

But then, she wasn't Tohru.

When they got to the house Tohru knocked. Uo looked at her as if she were insane.

"Tohru, don't you have a key?"

"Well, yes, but I don't know…they might be busy, or something…"

"Tohru." Uo groaned. "Give me the key."

"Oh…okay." Tohru handed Uo the keys. Hana sighed. Tohru needed to learn to stand up for herself a bit more. Being this unassuming would only bring her trouble.

Uo stuck the key in the door and unlocked it, then stepped inside.

"Hello? Anybody home?"

There was no answer. All the lights were out. Tohru went into the living room, turning on the light, and then into the kitchen. After a few moments she came out, eyes wet.

"There's no note."

"Typical." Uo scoffed. "Just like Orange-top's family to be like this."

"You don't know them!" Tohru blurted. Hana turned towards her, raising an eyebrow.

"We've met them, Tohru. We go to school with them. What don't we know about the Sohmas?"

Tohru smiled brightly, lying again. "They probably just went to the main house."

Hana stepped closer. "I'm asking you, Tohru. What don't we know about the Sohmas?"

Tohru turned to her friends. "Would you like something to eat? I'm sure they wouldn't mind if I got you some food from the kitchen."

"Tohru!"

"Let me go and get you something…" Tohru disappeared into the kitchen. Uo looked at Hana.

"She's a really bad liar."

"I know." Hana looked thoughtful. "I don't know why she's acting so strangely. It isn't like Tohru."

"Tell me about it." Uo looked towards the kitchen. "There really must be something about the Sohmas…it's weird for Tohru to try and hide anything…"

"Yes."

"Maybe they're into something illegal."

"No."

"No? And how would you know?" Uo rolled her eyes. "I forgot, the waves. But they don't give you thoughts, do they?"

"No. But I know. They aren't doing something illegal." Hana closed her eyes. "Yet."

"What, did you talk to Shigure?"

"No." Hana's mind began to whirl at the thought of Shigure. Was he involved? He must be. This was his house. But how could he be so cruel to Tohru…he was somewhat perverted, or at least he acted like it…Hana didn't believe he really was. It seemed an act, a convenient façade that freed him to do things…other things. What was it with the Sohmas? All of them seemed as if they wore a façade…but why? What were they so scared of?

Tohru came back from the kitchen, carrying a tray of snacks. Both of her friends noticed that her eyes were red, but dry, as if they had been scrubbed with a towel. Silently they each took a snack and ate it, watching Tohru as she chattered about some insignificant thing that the Sohmas had done recently. She really cared about them, really worried about them. But what was so special about the Sohmas? Hana didn't really understand it. Sure, four of them went to their school, all of them troublemakers of some variety or another, except for Yuki. He was almost too perfect to be believed. So polite, so studious, even a good athlete. Those three usually didn't come in the same package. But they came in Yuki. And it didn't make sense.

The other three…Hatsuharu was just strange, the stereotypical rebel. Hana didn't worry about him. Hatsuharu might look strange on the outside, but other than the usual strange Sohma waves, he was fine on the inside. It was the same with Momiji, though she could tell that the child had had a difficult past. Of the four, it was Yuki and Kyo who worried her most.

Especially Kyo.

Kyo scared Hanajima. She didn't trust him, didn't trust anything about him. She didn't want him around Tohru, regardless of any outward affection he showed her. Even if Kyo had proven time and time again that he would protect Tohru, that he would help her, Hana still didn't trust him. There was something dark about Kyo, something horrible. She didn't know what, and the fact that she didn't know frightened her. She was usually able to tell immediately, but with him she couldn't. He was too angry. Too violent. Hana knew that his violent bluntness attracted Uo, but she didn't think that it was the right thing for Tohru. Tohru would end up getting hurt, and badly, if she didn't avoid Kyo Sohma. Whatever had happened that night a year ago, it had had to do with him. Whatever he had had to do with, it had nearly broken Tohru. And Hana didn't like that. Hana hated it. She hated Kyo Sohma.

But she had never been able to tell Tohru and Uo this. Tohru loved Kyo too much—that was obvious. Of Yuki and Kyo, it was Kyo she liked best, though she had apparently never been able to tell him. Hana's lips thinned. Kyo didn't deserve Tohru. There was something wrong with him, and wrongness should have nothing to do with Tohru. It would be better if the Sohmas just…disappeared from Tohru's life. They had caused too much trouble already, even if that probably hadn't meant to. Or perhaps they had. Shigure wasn't entirely above such things. She liked Shigure, something she admitted only to herself. He didn't know, nor did he like her. But she liked him, even if he was a perverted, lying, mischievous dog of a person.

"I…I think…we should probably leave now."

Hana looked up to see Uo staring at Tohru with disbelief.

"What?" Uo demanded. "We just got here!"

"I know." Tohru swallowed. "But I have somewhere I need to go."

"Where?"

Tohru shut her eyes. "Sohma House."

"'Sohma House'? What the heck are you talking about, Tohru?"

"Sohma House." Tohru repeated, opening her eyes. "It's where the Sohmas live."

"They live here." Hana said, watching Tohru carefully for a reaction. Tohru shook her head.

"They aren't supposed to—I mean, where Hatsuharu and Momiji live. Sohma House. It's the main house."

"Main House? This sounds really weird, Tohru." Uo said. "What are they, some kind of nobility or something? I've never heard of a noble family called Sohma—in fact, I never even heard of the Sohmas before the prince started going to our school year before last."

"And now they are suddenly everywhere." Hana added quietly. Tohru flushed.

"Not everywhere! But I'm pretty sure they're at the main house."

"Let's go then."

"I…I don't know if you two can come." Tohru said. Her friends stared at her, startled.

"What do you mean, we can't come?" Uo snapped. "We're your friends! It's not as if there's a Sohma Secret Society or something!"

Tohru giggled. "I suppose not. I guess…I guess you can come." Her face clouded. "But I don't know…maybe you'd rather stay here?"

"No." Hana said flatly. "We would not."

They arrived at Sohma House half an hour later, stopping in front of the huge gates. Uo gaped.

"What is this, a castle? This place is huge!"

"I know." Tohru said, smiling. "It was the same for me when I first visited here."

"They must be even richer than I thought!"

"Yes." Hana agreed, looking up at the steep walls and tiled roofs. "It must take a great deal of money to keep this in such a condition."

Tohru knocked. A moment later, a servant came to the gate.

"Yes?"

"I'm Tohru Honda. I've come to see…Hatori Sohma."

"I'm sorry." The man's face was completely expressionless. "The Sohmas are seeing no one today."

"But it's very important!"

"I'm sorry." He repeated. Without another word he walked back into the enclosure. Hana and Uo stared after him.

"That was weird." Uo finally said. She looked at Hana. "What was that guy, like some sort of feudal slave?"

"The Sohmas just have servants." Tohru said. "Not slaves." Her eyes were starting to overflow. "There must be something really wrong if they won't let me see Hatori." Uo immediately went over to her and began to comfort her. Hana stepped in closer to, but did not embrace Tohru. Instead, she asked a question.

"Who's Hatori?"

Tohru sniffled. "He's Shigure's friend."

"His friend…?" Uo asked, looking significantly at Hana.

"His cousin." Tohru buried her face in Uo's chest and sobbed.

"There, there." Uo held her friend tighter. "I'm sure they're all right."
"They've never not let me in before!" Tohru gulped. "They've always been there for me…and now I can't even be there for them!"

"What's the matter?"

The three girls turned towards the source of the voice, and gasped when they saw their old teacher, Mayuko Shiraki. Tohru immediately freed herself from Uo and bowed.

"Sensei."

Mayuko cut her off with a wave of her hand. "Were you trying to get into Sohma House?"

"Yes." Hana said, looking at Mayuko. "Were you?"

"I had a scheduled meeting with Hatori."

"Hatori?" Tohru gasped, her tears momentarily forgotten. "I didn't know you knew him! I was going to talk to him today too, but they wouldn't let me in!"

"Same here." Mayuko smiled wryly. "Something's going on in there."

Tohru glanced away. Something was going on. She knew it. Kyo might really be sick, but there was something else. Something bad.

She had to get in there.

"I have to contact them somehow!" Tohru cried, pounding her fists on the gate. Her friends and ex-teacher looked at her curiously.

"What's the rush?" Mayuko asked.

Hana explained. Mayuko raised an eyebrow.

"They probably just had family business."

"Then why not tell me?" Tohru was crying again. "They tell me everything, even…"

"What?" Hana asked sharply. Tohru bit her tongue.

"Their problems." Tohru completed quickly, but Hana didn't miss the fact that Tohru wouldn't look at them as she said it. Hana smiled to herself. It was good to know that Tohru still felt bad about lying.

"Uh-huh." Uo said skeptically.

"If you want to talk to them that bad, why don't you just call them?" Mayuko asked. Tohru began to bang her head against the gate.

"I am such an idiot! Why didn't I think of this in the first place! I am so undeserving! Ah, it's all my fault!"

"Tohru." Hana said. "Calm down."

"Do you have a cell phone?" Mayuko asked. Tohru stepped away from the gate and hung her head.

"No, I can't…afford one."

"Borrow mine then." Mayuko pulled her phone out of her pocket. Tohru bobbed up and down in excitement.

"You would be so nice! Thank you, thank you, sensei!"

Mayuko smiled. "You're welcome. I assume you know the number…?"

"Yes." Tohru eagerly took the phone and dialed. She held the phone to her ear for a moment, then clicked it off. "No one's answering."

"Who did you call?" Uo asked.

"Yuki."

"Try someone else."

"Okay." Tohru dialed another number. She held it to her ear for a moment, then smiled.

"It's Tohru."

A frown creased her forehead. "Tohru."

There was a brief silence and then Tohru shook her head, her eyes widening. "No, I don't…you're coming to the gate? Thank you so much!"

Tohru clicked off, than turned to her companions. "Hatori is coming to the gate, with Shigure." Hana noted that her face was still clouded.

"What's wrong, Tohru?" Mayuko asked before Uo and Hana had the opportunity. Tohru shook herself.

"I don't know."

"Was Hatori all right?"

"Yes…I don't know." Tohru looked at Mayuko, confused. "He didn't sound like himself."

"Is he sick?" Mayuko asked, taking the phone from Tohru and looking at the number. "Maybe he should stay home and we should come to him."

"They won't let us in." Uo pointed out. "We might as well wait here."

A few moments passed, and then the gate creaked open.

"Hatori!" Mayuko cried. "What happened to our appointment?"

Hatori simply stared at her, then looked at Tohru. As they watched, Shigure came out from behind Hatori and stood beside him. Hana's eyes narrowed. There was something unnatural, faintly eerie, in the way Shigure was standing. And his waves were all wrong. They didn't feel like his normal waves. There was enough of a signature there that she could tell that it was Shigure, but something about the waves—they were far more controlled than usual. Almost abnormally controlled. Hana had never encountered a human being with that level of control. She looked at Hatori. She didn't know him, but his waves had the same uncanny control that Shigure's did. Hana closed her eyes. What was going on?

"Tohru Honda?" Hatori asked, his voice deeper than usual. Tohru nodded, her eyes widening.

"Are you okay?"

"…okay?" Hatori looked bemused. "I am well." He looked at Shigure. The author stepped forward—no, flowed forward—with a sinister grace. He stared at Tohru, his eyes expressionless.

"Honda. We have no further use for your services."

The four women stared at him in complete shock. Hana glared. How could he be saying this? This wasn't just mean—it was evil!

"Shigure?" Tohru asked, her eyes brimming with tears. "What's wrong with you?"

Shigure didn't even look at her, as if she was beneath his notice.

"Shigure!" Hana snapped. He turned his head as he reentered the gate, staring deep into her eyes. Hana felt his waves flicker as he looked at her. "Shigure..."

He disappeared inside. Hatori looked at Tohru.

"You heard him. Leave."

He left as Shigure had, moving in the same strange way. The gate shut with a click. Mayuko looked after him in disbelief, than looked at Tohru and the others.

"What is wrong with him…" she went to the gate and tried opening it, but it was firmly locked. She turned to Tohru, who was weeping softly. "What is going on, Tohru?"

"Yeah, Tohru!"

"I…I…can't tell you." Tohru sobbed. "I promised!"

She fell to her knees, hugging herself, her head bent to the ground. "I can't. I can't. I can't." She repeated, over and over, almost like a mantra. Mayuko knelt down beside her, holding her until she quieted, weeping softly to herself. Hana felt the heat of tears behind her eyes. Whatever was going on was breaking Tohru. If Kyo was behind this, she would kill him. Kill him. With her bare hands.

Mayuko rocked Tohru back in forth, ignoring the fact that they were on a street in broad daylight. "Tohru. Sometimes promises have to be broken."

"Not this one...I promised!"

"Sometimes promises have to be broken, Tohru." Mayuko repeated. "To protect the people involved."

"But…I promised!"

"Tohru!" Uo snapped. "You're killing yourself over this promise. I don't think the Sohmas would want that (If they even cared)." She added under her breath. Mayuko shot her a harsh look.

"Yes, Tohru, they wouldn't want that." Mayuko said.

"But it would hurt them." Tohru whispered, her eyes dark. "Especially…him."

"Him?"

"He would never forgive me."

"Tohru." Hana interrupted. "Sometimes you have to do what is best for you, even if you don't think it's best for other people."

"But…I love him…"

Hana drew back. She hadn't thought it was this serious. Not yet. Curse him. Why had Tohru fallen for that evil-tempered Sohma!

"Just tell us, Tohru." Uo was crying now. "Please."

Tohru looked up at them, blinking back her tears. "I…guess…I have to. Let's go back to the house. I'll tell you there."