Hope you enjoy this chapter. Please review so that I know I'm doing what you all like! I'm trying to spice things up a bit. I have the rest of the chapters mapped out, and I think you all will like where it's going. If you have any suggestions, comments, or questions, make them known- It would help me make it more reader friendly.

Chapter 8 Caught in Act

Naomi's POV

I awoke the next morning, or afternoon to be more correct, still tired from the late night partying after the dance. There had been a breakfast at one of our classmate's house after the dance was over, and then six of us had gone back to the house. Yuki and Tohru had wanted to watch some movies, and Kyo had to walk Kagura home. Haru and I walked the movies with Tohru and Yuki- well, we only saw bits and pieces… I was otherwise distracted.

We had fallen asleep together on the couch, and Tohru and Yuki had fallen asleep with their heads together as they leaned back on the table in front of the couch. When I awoke, Haru's warm body was no longer pressed up against mine, and I suddenly was a little panic-stricken. Why had he left? Was I that bad a kisser? But, as I calmed myself down and looked around, I found a note next to where my head had laid. It read:

To My Love Naomi,

I had so much fun last night. I'm glad you went with me.

I had some errands to run today, and I didn't want to wake

You. I'll catch you later.

Haru

I smiled upon reading the 'To My Love Naomi.' It warmed my heart and made my stomach flutter in a way that only Haru could make me feel. I hadn't been this happy in a long time, and I missed this feeling.

Glancing at the clock, I noticed I had a half an hour until I had to leave for work. Leaping off the couch, I was careful not to wake Tohru or Yuki, who were sleeping soundly. I doubted that an earthquake could wake them while they were in their blissful state next to each other.

Running upstairs, I showered, changed. I slipped out the front door without waking anyone. I was extremely proud that I had stayed quiet enough.

No one knew where I worked, and I hoped to keep it that way. I didn't want to give them ammunition to fire at me, that I worked at a bar where more often than not, some drunken bastards attacked me. Not that I thought they would joke about it, I just didn't want them to try to talk me into quitting or giving me money.

I arrived early, as usual, and started getting the bar set up. I wasn't old enough to sell drinks, so all I had to do was wipe the counter, give people food, or hand out water. Not too difficult, except I was the only woman who worked there, so things could get a little rowdy.

Around nine, when the heavy drinkers were already too drunk to remember anything they would do tonight the next morning, I was leaning down to pick up trash off the floor that people so politely left when someone grabbed my butt.

Surprised and angered, I turned ready to face the drunk who thought he could take advantage of me. I was startled to see this really tall, muscular, big guy standing way too close for comfort. There weren't many big guys that came in, they went down to the bars around the corner.

"Excuse me," I said softly, hoping my fear wasn't evident in my voice and went behind the counter, pushing passed him.

I threw the trash away and reached for an empty glass across the counter when the guy grabbed my wrist, his fingers overlapped since his hand was so huge. He lifted me up and pulled me over the counter and onto his lap. Fear rippled through my entire body as I waited for him to make a move, hoping he would let me be, but I knew in the back of my mind he was about to do no such thing.

I struggled against his iron grip, hoping to break free. I didn't want to scream and draw attention to myself. This goons buddies might come and help him. But where was the bar owner- Mac? He surely had a bat he could use to fend them off. I didn't know self defense. I remembered the movie Miss Congeniality- the one with Sandra Bullock, and remembered what she had said about self defense. SING! I elbowed the guy in his solar plexes, stepped on his foot, punched him in the nose, and kicked him in the groin.

This guy was so big and tough, it didn't seem to do anything but anger him. He had let go of me, and I took the opportunity to run, but he grabbed my wrist and pulled me up and slung me over his shoulders like I was a sack of potatoes and weighed much less than that.

I struggled to free myself, but nothing seemed to faze this guy. He was headed out the back door, the one that led to the alley. Glancing up for something to use, I locked gazes with the last person I had expected. Haru was staring in from the windows, shock, anger, and worry evident on his face. I saw him try to slip into the bar via the front door before the guy carried me outside and shoved me against the wall, kissing my neck and face. I could smell the strong scent of alcohol on him and knew he had had a few too many to drink.

Haru wasn't going to make it out before this guy finished me off. People were carded before they could come in, and Haru was definitely not twenty one. Despair took me as I tried to scream for help, but nothing would come. My throat was too dry, and I was so scared that I doubted my voice would have been loud enough to carry over us.

The guy was groping me now more forceful than was necessary that it hurt, and I feared bruises were going to show in the morning. He forced his mouth on mine and tried to pry my lips apart with his tongue. I tried to turn my head, to get my mouth as far away from his as possible. That just made him angry, and he slammed me against the wall again.

"HEY!" I heard a voice yell, one I recognized. "GET YOUR HANDS OFF OF MY GIRLFRIEND!" It was Haru, and it sounded like he was about to explode. His dark eyes pierced through the night, his nose flared, and his mouth was set in a grim line. He rushed down the alley to my rescue.

Haru kicked the guy in the face and started fighting the guy away from me. Haru spun kicked him, and the guy ran back down the alley out of sight, yelling like a madman. Haru turned to me, his eyes softening as he pulled me into him, stroking my hair, kissing the top of my head. I couldn't stop the tears from flowing and falling onto his shirt. He just tightened his hold on me and murmured reassuring words to me.

Once I was settled down enough, he led me down the alley and onto the front street. Telling me he would be right back, he disappeared back inside the bar, pushing passed the card checker. He returned minutes later, smug. He led me back to the house. I barely registered that no one would be home. Shigure would be at the main house, Tohru at work, Yuki at some student counsel thing that ran late tonight, and Kyo was hardly ever home.

Both of us were silent the whole way to the house, and once we were inside, he led me to the couch and sat me down. He sat on the table in front of me and leaned in close to me, his expression serious.

"Did he hurt you?" he asked examining my arms with his hands and eyes. He lifted my shirt to take a look at my torso. My chest was what was in the most pain, but there were bruises forming just above my stomach and on my chest. Haru gasped at the sight, and I could see in his eyes that he wanted to lash out, go find the creep, and slaughter him.

"It looks worse than it feels," I assured him as I pulled my shirt back down self conscious.

Haru looked as if his anger might get the best of him, but he settled down and looked at me, his gaze caring and worried. He took my hands in his. "Why didn't you tell me where you worked? Why do you even work there in the first place? There are other decent places to work."

I looked down ashamed. "After my parents died, I sort of went into this rebellious stage that took me a really long time to come out of. I didn't want to work in a place where the atmosphere was all happy and cheerful, it just reminded me that there was no reason for me to be happy. I tried to quit, but the owner is short on help, so he raised my wages, ones I couldn't refuse. He is usually there to break it up before things like this happens."

Haru lifted my chin with his thumb, "You mean this sort of thing happened before?"

I averted my eyes, more ashamed than ever. "Look, my past isn't pretty, and I'm not that person anymore. I'm ashamed of what I used to be. I'll understand if you can't look at me the same."

"There is nothing that you could say that would change the way I feel about you," he assured me.

I took a deep breath before continuing, "I was thirteen when I started working there, I had friends in high places. I was in a gang back then, and people respected me. Plus I was tall and looked much older than I was. A bunch of the drunks would get a little physical and take advantage of me, but Mac usually stopped it before things got out of hand. But, once, when he took the night off and put his son in his place, some random guy grabbed me and took me back to his place where he raped me. I'd had sex with a lot of these guys before, but I hadn't wanted to do it. I tried to sue him, but it was his word against mine. That was when I changed. I didn't want to be that person anymore. I kept the job, though and made Mac never take the night off again, and if he did so did I."

Haru didn't say anything for a long time, and I didn't probe him. I let everything sink in. His head was bowed down so that I couldn't see his facial expression. What was he thinking? Feeling? Finally, "I don't think any less of you. I admire you. I admire your change of heart, your ability to deal with the situation and move on. You are a stronger person than you give yourself credit for. The only thing that has changed is that my love for you has increased a thousand times."

He leaned in a kissed me passionately, as if he could take away all the bad things that had every happened to me. I surprised at first that he would kiss me after all that had happened tonight, but I was very glad he did. I melted into him.

"Did that make you feel any better?" he asked with a smile displayed on his face.

I smiled. "Loads. I just want to put what happened tonight behind us. Can we forget it ever happened?"

"Whatever you want. You don't even have to go back. We'll find you a new job somewhere where the pay is good," Haru told me. I nodded in agreement.

"Thank you," I leaned in for another kiss. "I don't deserve you."

"I think it's the other way around." He leaned in and kissed me back, and I forgot everything, everything but him.

Kyo's POV

I entered the house at a little after ten; I had been out training a little longer than I would have liked, but the training would do me good. Stepping into the kitchen, I grabbed a glass of water and headed into the living room. The rat and Tohru would be home soon, I noted wondering where Naomi was. Still at work? She was usually home by now.

As I entered the living room, I found Haru and Naomi in a total make out session. Haru's hands gently caressing her body- under and above her shirt, and she was running her hands through his hair and down his back.

Anger clouded my heart for reasons unknown to me. I wasn't any of my business and I knew I shouldn't be reacting this way. Why should I even care what they did? As I tried to settle myself down unsuccessfully, I unintentionally squeezed the glass so hard that it shattered in my hand.

Naomi and Haru broke apart quickly and sat up. Naomi straightened out her shirt and ran her fingers through her tangled hair. Haru looked smug, and he didn't seem to mind that I had happened upon them.

It made me sick, physically sick to my stomach to see them together. "Don't mind me. I was just passing through." I picked up the glass and headed outside in long strides, eager to get away from the scene I had stumbled upon.

Why was I so angry? It wasn't like I was dating Naomi; I shouldn't care. What she did was her own business. Why, then, did I feel this way? Why was I torn up on the inside? What was it?

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