(A/N: Oh my! I hope you guys are enjoying this as much as I am! I have a bit of a note to add that somehow got lost in translation from my compy to the internet...

I owe the real-life Levi a HUGE thank you for helping me out with this story so much! From encouraging me to write it, being my inspiration, and even enduring an early-morning phone call with a panicking Lessa-chan on the other line, begging for help to come up with a title. And as of yesterday I will most likely have a sequel to this story, but I have yet to finish writing this one, first. )

CHAPTER THREE

"CATS!!"

Lessa parked the car in front of the small house. The yard was of average size, but the grass was nowhere to be seen, for it was literally covered in... cats. "Hi Levi, how's it going?" She jumped out and grabbed a plastic bag from beside her.

"MORE CATS!!"

Lessa giggled and knelt down to pet one of the kittens that curled around her feet as she approached. Others came up to sniff the boxes of take-out in her arms. "I'm doing fine myself..."

"CATS EVERYWHERE!!"

Lessa stopped as she reached her raving friend. "... you went to the animal shelter again, didn't you"

"And look!" Levi bounded to the trunk of her car, dark hair flowing, and opened it, grinning. "More kitties!!"

Lessa sighed as twenty more cats joined the fray. "You're taking this as bad as I am..."

Levi set down the pile of felines in her arms and shifted her weight to one hip. "Yeah... I guess so." Her eyes flicked over the boxes. "Comfort food?"

"Chinese comfort food!" Lessa grinned.

"Ah, Chinese!" Levi picked up a box. "Well, come on in. Don't mind the mess..."
"I never do." However she was nearly knocked over by the smell of carnivores in the house. Gagging, she sputtered, "looks... cleaner than... ever!"

"I even bought a hundered books from the bookstore today!" Upon saying this, Levi pulled up two chairs after chasing the cats off then cleared the table of cats and books. "So anything new with you? You look exhausted. And that's saying something."

Lessa slumped into her chair as Levi sat across from her. "Ugh, this new job at the studio is not cutting it for me. I mean, the jerks in administration don't even pay attention to me! And when they do, it's always to criticize my work." She angrily stabbed a piece of lemon chicken with her chopstick. "Don't they know I'm putting in twelve-hour days? Six am to eleven at night? Sheesh!"

Levi pursed her lips with concern. "That would be eighteen hours, my love."

"Whatever."

Levi tapped her chin as she considered her friend's attitude. "What happened?"

"Nothing." She stuffed a large bite of rice into her mouth to keep from saying anything further, but her eyes told the whole story.

"Lessa-chan," Levi reached over and touched her hand. "Tell me what's the matter."

"... I dreamt of another man last night."

"But is that really reason to be so down?" Levi asked.

"I feel like I've cheated on Joey." She confessed, setting down her chopsticks. Levi leaned forward and rested her chin in her hands.

"Did you know the guy?"

"No--"

"Well, what's the problem, then?"

Lessa looked out the window as a kitten jumped onto the table. "It seemed so... real. His kisses... his hands--"

"Your subconsious was probably so starved for attention that it made up a man to make up for Joey's absence." Levi cut in. She picked up the kitten and deposited him on the floor. "It's been almost a year, after all."

Lessa sighed and resumed eating slowly. "I guess so"

Hatori leaned up casually against the wall as Shigure reached the door. It had been a week since Shigure's rescue and he hadn't said much of the incedent. Perhaps he really had learned his lesson... but judging by the phone call, maybe not. "Hey."

"Come in." Shigure motioned. "The kids are out at school."

Hatori kicked off his shoes as he entered. "So what's the matter? You could have come down to the main house if you wanted to talk."

Shigure smirked as he rounded the corner into the kitchen. "Since when has my small-talk been safe to discuss at the main house?"

Hatori scowled at his retreating back. "Shigure, what did you do?"

"More like..." he returned, hands dripping with water. "... what I am about to do."

Hatori seated himself at the table as he began to reget coming over. "What are you schemeing now?"

Shigure took a few moments to collect his thoughts together. He knew that whatever he told Hatori would eventually leak out, but he wanted to confide with someone his plan. "Do you remember that girl?"

"If you're planning what I think you are, I say you forget it right now." Hatori scolded.

Shigure flicked a few droplets at him, grinning. "Why should I?"

Hatori gave him a cold stare that would have frozen over even ice. "You know as much as I do 'why'."

Shigure shrugged, somehow knowing Hatori would have objected. "Fine. Que sera, que sera."

Hatori rolled his eyes. "Look, I know that you yearn for attention as much as the rest of us do, but don't get tangled with outsiders. And yet..." here he sighed almost dramatically. "I know whatever I say won't get through that thick head of yours."

"So you approve?"

Hatori got up and headed for the door. "More like do whatever you want, but don't drag me into it." He stopped in the doorway. "You know that Akito wouldn't approve--"

"Who says Akito has to know?" Hatori gazed into Shigure's eyes. Yes, the mention of the head of the family had struck a chord, but Shigure was stubborn. He smilied inwardly, knowing that his scheming nature probably could pull off a stunt like that. Still..." just be careful, okay? Call me if you need..." he trailed off, mumbling under his breath as he left.

It's been a week and a few days since I last saw her.

My heart is pounding.

I think if I stop walking I might calm down.

Ah, but this is such a chance, meeting her at the bus stop!

Why a bus stop? Didn't she have a car?

Oh I have butterflies in my stomach! What should I do? What should I say---? Ah, I think she's turning my way. Oh... what to say to her...

"Can I help you?" Those eyes! So piercing! And yet, was that flicker in her eyes a sign? Did she recognize my face? What should I say??

"H-Hello..."

"I'm not too fond of men who are so forward." Ah my angel, do not toss your brunette hair at me, for you are not driving me away so easily as that!

"Do you have the time?" I ask.

She checks her wrist; it's empty. "Sorry, no."

Shoot, it's a dead end. Now what? She's staring at my clothing. "You from around here?"

"Not this neighborhood, no." I shoot a smile at her.

"Clearly." She mutters. "You work at the history museum nearby?"

Ah, she must have noticed my kimono. "No, I'm a novelist." Wait... that's probably not the best thing to say, considering the type of work I've done. She might disapprove!

"Novelist, eh?... I do a bit of writing myself here and there..."

"Really?" Yes! She's warming up to me! ... maybe not.

"Every writer has a different method, I guess." She shrugs and looks down the street for the bus. Is she not impressed? Hmm.

"Do you have a car?"

Her eyes flicker over my face as she turns again. "It's in the shop. What's worse, I quit my job at the studio today."

"I'm sorry." Well, this is an interesting turn of events. "Say, Miss..." I pause, expecting her to fill in. She does. "Wheeler. Lessa Wheeler."

"Miss Wheeler, would you allow me the small favor of treating you to lunch? My treat!"

She looks shocked. "What?? I--"

"Please, the last of your worries should be what you're having for lunch and with the money you're going to need to save until you find a new job..." I coax. Come on... take the bait...

"What's your name?"

"Sohma Shigure."

"Shigure, huh?" She looks for the bus once more then turns to me with a slight smile. "Yes, lunch would be great."

Lessa stared into the mirror at the end of the day. Her mind was buzzing with questions, but not anguished ones. Rather, she was pondering her compatability with this Shigure. He had seemed like a nice guy... but maybe it was too early to forecast a relationship. Yet still, he was funny, charming...

Lessa mentally began kicking herself. 'Who am I to think someone could measure up to Joey or even replace him??' She argued against herself as she stepped into her bedroom. 'It's been a whole year, the longest year of my life! How else am I supposed to cope? Lock myself in cold storage until he returns? At this point, he probably never will.' She sighed dejectedly and stared out her window. "Maybe it is time for me to move on..." a moment passed before Lessa headed to the phone. As her hand reached out to pick up the reciever, she hesitated. 'Would he mind me calling? What about the two-day rule? I mean, he might think I'm desperate or--' Too late. She had already dialed the numbers and the phone was ringing, no, blaring in her ear.

Someone picked up. "Yeah? What do you want?"

"Kyo! Don't be so rude!" Shigure's voice scolded. The phone shifted hands and he came on the line. "Hello Mrs. Wheeler."

"Hi, Sohma Shigure."

"It's just Shigure, you know." Lessa could hear the teasing in his voice.

"And it's Lessa to you." She couldn't help but smile. How long had it been since she'd been teased over the phone?

"So what are you up to?" He asked. Lessa cast a glance towards the kitchen where a table, one chair, a plate, and a single microwave dinner awaited. "I'm contemplating my one-ness."

He chuckled over the line. "You sound lonely."

The smile faded from her voice. "Yeah." 'It's because I am lonely' she added mentally.

"I'd invite you over and pick you up if I uh, knew how to drive."

She giggled and leaned against the wall. All of her tension moments before had melted away. "So you can't drive at all?"

"Not safely, at least." He chuckled.

"Ah, so I see." Lessa nodded. "Same here most of the time. On occasion I'll remember to signal when I turn." She heard him chuckle over the line. "All right, well my cousins are waiting for me to join them for dinner so I need to get off the phone for now"

Lessa frowned. What had she accomplished with this call? "All right."

"Say, why don't I meet you at our bus stop again tomorrow?"

"Shigure, I hardly know you--"

"And yet you accepted my invitation to lunch."

Lessa held her breath. Here was the plunge..."... how does breakfast sound? My treat."

"Deal. Goodnight, my angel."

Yuki and Kyo were not glaring at each other across the table as usual. Tohru too, was keenly aware of the conversation in the hall. Shigure shortly returned, nodding to himself. "Ah, lovely day, isn't it?"

"What's the deal??" Kyo demanded.

"Who was it?" Tohru asked with curiosity.

Shigure dramatically raised his hands. "One at a time, please!"

"Come on, Shigure; I don't want dinner getting cold after Tohru's put so much effort into it." Yuki griped.

Shigure leaned back with satisfaction. "I met a young woman at a bus stop today--"

"She'd better not have been a high school student, you le--" Kyo's words were cut short by Yuki's fist. "Go on." He said, holding back Kyo.

Shigure rambled on like nothing had happened. "She and I might start dating, but that's all the information I can give at the moment." He nodded and began to eat.

"So that's it?" Kyo grumbled after recovering himself. "Sheesh, you really are a pushover..."

"That's great!" Tohru exclaimed, clapping her hands together. "I'm so happy for you!!"

"Ah young Tohru," Shigure patted her head lovingly. "I'm glad someone here is."

Lessa was still conflicted with herself and dreaded the morning but was forced to surrender herself to sleep. Before she knew it her alarm clock buzzed for seven am. She sleepily rolled over onto her side, the night's dreams fading away into an oblivion of the unknown, taking with it a plea, a silent unvoiced calling. 'Wait on me...' Within a few minutes she had dressed herself in a knee-length jean skirt with a black sweater on top. As she let herself out of the apartment a cold wind bit at the back of her bare neck and she shivered. 'Maybe this isn't a great idea.' She mused, briskly walking towards the bus stop. 'I'm a married woman! I'm also a bit of a widow... no, not a widow!' The word stung and tears welled up in her eyes. She paused and looked at her reflection in a car window. "I gotta pull myself together." She muttered, wiping her eyes.

"Miss, can I help you?" She turned, startled to find Shigure smartly dressed in a suit with his hair slicked back. "S-Shigure!"

He smiled down at her, eyes soft and understanding. "Are you all right?"

Lessa hurriedly turned her face away. "Yeah, I'm just..." She pursed her lips and faced him again. "Look, there's something I need to lay out in front right here and now." Nevermind the fact that he had walked the whole way to her apartment like he did the day before. "I might start crying, so bear with me."

"Well, why don't we get somewhere warmer?" He gently took her hand. "How does coffee sound?"

"I don't drink coffee." She said firmly.

"Ah, good for you." He said cheerfully and began to pull her along. It was a brief walk to the nearest food place yet it had to have been the most uncomfortable one for it was in complete silence. Neither knew exactly what to say to the other. By the time they settled down into a booth with hot chocolate and croissants in hand, Lessa felt as if she were ready to burst. Yet all at once, her anxiety faded when Shigure rested his hand on hers and held her gaze captive with his. "So tell me, what did you want to explain to me?"

"I'm married." She blurted out. His face remained passive, eyes expectant for her to continue. "Well, I uh..." she rested her forehead on her free hand. "How to explain this?..." She straightened again. "My husband, Joey Wheeler has been missing for about a year now, and I... I want to move on." Tears escaped no matter how hard she tried to hold them back. "But... I don't know how to move on exactly. Meeting you, getting breakfast with you like this..." she tried to smile, but failed. "I feel like I'm cheating."

He squeezed her hand. "You have any kids?"

"No." More tears. "We never had the chance-- we were newlyweds."

Shigure grabbed a napkin and began dabbing her face. "It's okay to cry about it; don't be ashamed." When he was finished he relaxed. "But I must say... I'm sorry for your loss." He paused as she acknowledged his statement. "To tell you the truth, I feel like I'm intruding on your life. At the same time..." he took her hands into his again. "I don't want to leave you alone, either." He smiled. "You need a friend to help you through this."

"I do have at least one, but her boyfriend who worked with my husband also disappared a year ago." Her mouth twisted up into a wry smile. "She hasn't been taking this whole ordeal well, either."

"Oh?"

"She's adopted every single cat in town and buys every book she sees." She paused to nibble at her croissant. "Hey... you're a novelist, right?"

"Oh, uh, of course!!"

"Well don't look so nervous about it." She giggled into her cocoa.

"I like to keep to myself when it comes to writing." He shrugged. "But other than that I'm pretty sociable."

"Well, if I find a couple of your books in her house, I'll be sure to bring 'em by for you to autograph them, if that's okay with you."

He couldn't resist that smile. "I'd be delighted!!"

"Aya, calm down." Hatori chided a few days later.

"But Shigure, my love! You're cheating on me! And you said it would last forever!" He threw himself into Shigure's arms.

"But Aya, I must move on! There are greater things out there for me!" He dramatically placed his hand over his heart. "A woman's touch, her laugh and smile!!"

Both laughed and high-fived each other. "All right!"

"You guys are sick." Hatori grumbled, used to their antics by now.

Aya jumped onto the couch as Shigure settled down on the floor. "So what is she like?"

"Dark hair and eyes, soft skin, curvy, with 'hips as big as ships!'" He quoted, bringing a laugh out of the both of them. Hatori stayed focused on his medical book.

Aya twirled a silver hair between his fingers. "But Shii-chan, she doesn't know about us, right?"

Shigure rested his back against the floor, sighing. "No, but I'm sure she will soon."

"How so?" Hatori demanded suddenly.

"She is... very much of a touchy-feely person. She loves hugs." He stated blatantly with a shrug.

Hatori sighed. "You're walking yourself into a trap you know. Not only that, there's her safety you have to worry about, too."

"I'm well-aware." Shigure griped as he glared at him. "I would have you know that I am very good at predicting when she's about to hug me."

Hatori gave him an incredulous look.

A few hours later, Lessa stood over a dark-colored dog that looked highly familiar. "S-Shigure?"

He looked up at her. "Um... I'm sorry for not telling you earlier?"

Hatori closed his eyes. "Obviously you couldn't predict that she was standing behind the door when she knocked."

Lessa sank to the ground, Hatori, Kyo, and Yuki standing by in the kitchen where the scene had unfolded. Lessa covered her face in her hands. "Is this my fault?"

"Consideing you're female, yes." Shigure whined.

Instantly she was on the defense. "What's that supposed to mean??"

"It's the Sohma family curse, Miss Lessa." Yuki offered. "When we are hugged by a member of the opposite gender, we change into our Zodiac forms."

"Oh."

There was a slight popping sound in the air and Shigure stood before Lessa bare as day. She shrieked with shock and turned away while he scrambled for his kimono. A moment later his hand rested on her shoulder. "Lessa? Are you okay?"

Her face turned to him again. "Yes." Without warning she slapped him--hard. Kyo and Yuki started to step forward, but Hatori motioned for them to stay back. "How DARE you," she rose to her feet. "How DARE you sneak into my bed at night and make me think I was dreaming??" She shook an angry fist at Shigure with fresh tears streaming. "Do you know how many hours I spent mentally admonishing myself for thinking I dreamt of another man???!" She paused in her tirade and allowed her shoulders to droop. "But considering the circumstances..." she rubbed his cheek gently where she had hit him. "I don't blame you."

His grey eyes locked into her chocolate brown ones. "Lessa, I'm afraid no one outside of the family is supposed to know." He looked up as Tohru entered. "With a few exceptions..."

Tohru looked from one to the other, understanding. "Should I make dinner?"

"Yes!" The others chorused. What followed was more of an awkward get-to-know-you more than anything. By the end of it, however, Lessa had come to begin loving the family that Shigure had. To add to her joy, there were more of them with the Zodiac Curse! Lessa couldn't wait to meet them all, but for now... she glanced across the table, while Kyo and Yuki went about arguing again, at Shigure. His eyes betrayed his happy front that he put up. No, this discovery on her part was most upsetting-- even she could sense that.

"And our last stop of this tour, my room!" Shigure announced, guesturing her inside. It was modestly furnished, with a simple bed and a desk piled with manuscripts. He stepped across the floor and opened the doors to the balcony. A fresh breeze wafted into the room, calling for Lessa to follow this mysterious man that had taken her in.

"So what do you think?" Shigure asked suddenly. "Do you find us revolting?"

The stars wheeling overhead in the dark sky with its smiling moon were witness to her words: "No, not really." Lessa looked out from the balcony at the sky. "I don't think I could have ever believed something like this possible unless I saw it for myself." She turned to smile at him in the moonlight; a second breeze swept through, tossing her hair across her face. She giggled and tried to brush it away. Only then did he reach out to her-- the first time since dinner began-- and tucked her hair behind her ears. She was blushing. "S-Shii-chan..." she murmured.

"Lessa..." His voice was almost a whisper. "As a Zodiac member, it's hard for us to express affection, for obvious reasons." He drew his hand away and stared out into the night. "I... must tell you something..." He felt her shift over to him and rest her hand on his shoulder comfortingly. "After what I've discovered tonight, I don't think it would be any more shocking."

He turned to her with sad eyes. "Hatori... he was in love with someone like you." Shigure bowed his head. "She was innocent, she knew nothing of the Zodiac Curse. She accepted Hatori for what he was, and they fell in love." He looked around suspiciously, then moved to close the door to his room. "Do you recall the name of the Head of the Sohma family?"

"Akito? Yeah, Tohru mentioned it." Lessa couldn't place the emotion on his face, whether it was loathing, fear, or simply apprehension over something he was scheming.

"Akito disapproves of outsiders."

"So?" Lessa said defiantly.

Shigure grabbed her wrists suddenly, viciously. "Don't take Akito lightly!" He hissed. "The woman that Hatori loved was named Kana. They fell in love just as I am with you now and--" he released her hands, gently rubbing with his fingers where he had gripped too hard. His voice grew soft as he looked into her eyes. "hopefully vice versa. Getting to the point, however." he cleared his throat. "Kana and Hatori wanted to be wed so they went to Akito to ask permission." His face contorted into pain as he went on. "Akito flew into an uncontrollable rage and threw a pot at Hatori, leaving him partially blind in his left eye." He released her hands and walked away to lean on the banister. "Kana went nearly mad with depression, blaming herself and herself alone for what happened." He bowed his head. "Some of us Sohmas have the ability to erase memories of others to protect our secret. And for Hatori, he had to erase Kana's memories of him to ease her suffering."

Lessa suddenly realized she had been holding tightly onto the railing as she listened to his story. She released it, hand shaking and white with shock. "Your family... you all live in fear of this Akito?"

Shigure shrugged. "Unwise devotion, fear, call it whatever you like." He strightened and walked close to her again. Her heart began to pound as his face leaned close to hers. "For you, Lessa, I don't want the same to happen to you."

She tilted her head to one side. "So you're going to erase my memories and pretend we never met?"

"Au contraire, my love," he rested his finger on her trembling lips. "We aren't going to tell Akito anything."

Lessa felt as if she were suddenly teetering on the edge of some dangerous chasm. "Are you sure?" She whispered. "I wouldn't want a relationship that I couldn't be proud of... especially one that I'd consider for marriage." Shigure's heart began to pound. Was this worth it? What if she was only lying and she would run away, never to return? But no, she had the chance to do that earlier in the kitchen. No, she meant to stay, and he intended to keep her. "I'm sure."

He'd done it. Something he thought he'd never be able to do, and that was to defy Akito herself. What could they do if she found out? He tossed the thought out if his mind, focusing on Lessa alone.

Lessa saw right through to his insecurities. "Shigure, if you don't want to risk either of us to the wrath of Akito, why not stop this now?" She began to step towards the door.

Without warning, Shigure spun her around and pinned her against the glass, wrists over her head, knees locked beneath his. His breath was coming in fast. "Because..." he leaned close, grey eyes piercing her to her very center. "I love you."

"Oh Shigure..." she groaned. Tossing the consequences out the window herself she brought her lips to his. Sweet, firey, forbidden passion. "I love you, too." She managed to gasp out after a moment of enjoying each other.

"Stay tonight?" He pleaded into her ear, panting. "Please?"

She saw his eyes flicker towards his room. "No, I..." she freed her hands and took his chin into them. "I need some time to think about everything that's transpired tonight."

He smiled and kissed her again, tenderly this time. "I understand." He released her and together they stepped back into the flat, hands clasped with each other's. "But you mustn't tell a soul."

"Not a single one; got it!"

After she had left, Hatori turned to Shigure. "So what have you two decided?"

Shigure stared out longingly into the night down the path that she had gone. "Akito doesn't need to know."

Hatori, for perhaps the first time, wanted to strike at him in protest and cry, "you idiot! You're both idiots!" He held his tongue and simply tensed all over. "She's willing to do it?"

Shigure turned to him and nodded grimly. "Yes."

(A/N: Whoo-hoo! and the plot begins to thicken! Review, please! Thanks for reading! )