Heh heh… I have been slacking off lately! Sorry, but let's all face it: IT'S SUMMER! Lol, so I have been busy swimming in the lake, trying to teach my old dog new tricks, and putting on aloe for my sunburn. ^_^ This chapter is a bit depressing, although hopeful in a way…

Disclaimer: I don't own Ouran… ~sniffle~ I am slowly coming to terms with that fact…

"Kaede, Kaede, Kaede!!! Guess what!?" yelled a excited Hunny as he bounded across the room to Kaede, nearly making her spill the tray of tea she was carrying as he jumped onto her back for a hug.

"What?" asked Kaede, trying desperately to hold onto the tray.

"We get to go to a water park!" said Hunny, who was smiling like crazy.

"A wha-!?" asked Kaede as the tray was completely forgotten while it fell to the floor. "I… uh… are you sure?" asked Kaede nervously.

"Uh huh!" smiled Hunny. "I wasn't supposed to tell you… it was supposed to be a surprise… But I held it in for about fifteen minutes and I just couldn't hold it any longer! Are you surprised?"

"Very" said Kaede flatly.

"Are you happy? You don't sound happy…" said Hunny his face drooping from sadness.

Kaede's head snapped up to see Hunny's somber face. "No… I am just… er… surprised." said Kaede, giving Hunny a reassuring smile. Oh crap… thought Kaede as she watched Hunny bounce to the other members to tell them of the trip. What am I going to do?

"Kaaaaaaaiya!" called a familiar voice. Kaede turned around only to see Nika running towards her at full speed. She was waving at Kaede and smiling. Kaede forced a stiff smile back. "Oh my, Kaaaiya, what's wrong?" asked Nika.

"Don't call me Kaiya!" threatened Kaede.

"Don't change the subject then!" responded Nika in a matter of fact tone.

"Drop it." muttered Kaede as she picked up the last of the shattered tea cups.

"Fine then, I will just have to ask the others." said Nika, faking sorrow as she hopped over to Kyoya. "What's going on?"

Kyoya stared at Nika for a moment, debating whether to answer her question or not. "We're going on a trip to a water resort soon… Hunny suggested it." said Kyoya, pushing up his glasses.

"Really!? And Kaede's going too!?" asked Nika, who seemed boggled at the very idea of Kaede near water at all.

"YUP!" said Hunny as he jumped over. (A/N: Wow… Nika and Hunny have the same amount of energy… lol!) "And it's aaaaall my idea too! Kaede is happy!"

"You must tell me how this goes!" exclaimed Nika.

"Of course!" said Hunny, placing his hand over his heart.

"Pinky promise?" questioned Nika holding out her pinky finger.

"Pinky Promise!!!" said Hunny as they locked pinky's.

AT THE WATER RESORT! EVERYONE'S THERE!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"Jeez… who's idea was it to come here anyway?" asked Hikaru as the club made there way through the water park, which was crowded. "It's tourist season."

"Hunny did." said Haruhi, who didn't seem to mind at all that there were people around.

"Alas, it was a marvelous idea!" gushed Tamaki, who was in his glory… learning about commoners! "This way, we can learn about how commoners interact with others in a pool environment!" In seconds Tamaki had a pad of paper and pencil out and was writing away while watching a mother and son intently.

"Here we are!" yelled Kaoru as the group found an empty group of chairs. "It's got a nice view doesn't it?"

"I'm so excited!" yelled Hunny as he went straight for the wave pool. Mori followed, remembering what had happened the last time Hunny was left alone in the wave pool.

"Have fun…" mumbled Kyoya as he sat down to do something in the folder he had brought. Haruhi was over by Tamaki trying to urge him away from the frightened mother and son he was investigating. Kaoru was rustling through his bag and Hikaru was putting sun lotion on. Kaede seemed to be hyperventilating…

"Ah-ha!" said Kaoru, "Here it is!" He revealed a cute two piece from his bag and Kaede went pale.

"er… Uh… What's that for?" asked Kaede, her voice shaking with fear.

"I thought you would like to swim, and since you didn't bring a swimsuit for yourself…" he gestured to the shorts and tee shirt she was wearing.

"I'm fine out here, really I am…" assured Kaede.

"Oh… that's too bad… I bought it just for you…" said Kaoru sadly… (A/N: If you hadn't noticed, this is another one of Kaoru's plans.) Hikaru looked at his brother questioningly but ignored it as he continued with his sun lotion.

"You… bought it!?" asked Kaede, startled. She seemed to be going through turmoil in her mind. Finally she sighed, defeated. "Fine! I'll wear the stupid thing!" she stood up and snatched it and walked away in a huff. Kaoru laughed to himself.

"Kaoru, why'd you bring her that?" asked Hikaru, "she doesn't seem the type to wear that stuff." The bathing suit was a purple bikini with white flower designs over it.

"Oh… no reason." snickered Kaoru. My plan's working perfectly!!! thought Kaoru.

Ten minutes had passed and Kaede hadn't come back from the change rooms. "That's odd…" said Hikaru.

"If you're so worried, go check on her." said Kaoru, who was filling up water balloons to throw at Tamaki and Haruhi.

"Hm…" said Hikaru.

"Please, all you have to do is knock on the door." said Kaoru. "It's that simple!"

"I know what to do!!!" yelled Hikaru.

"Then go on." Kaoru was doing this on purpose, he was quietly rejoicing inside his head. He played out exactly what was going to happen.

Kaoru's alternate reality:

Hikaru: Kaede? Kaede?

Kaede: Oh, Hikaru… I wasn't expecting you here…

Hikaru: Where are you?

Kaede (emerging from wherever she was): Oh, I'm here… I must've gotten a bit lost…

Hikaru: Then I shall lead you back.

Kaede: Oh, thank you Hikaru! How kind… (swoon swoon)

End of Kaoru's alternate reality.

Hikaru was just rounding the bend to the dressing rooms. He knew which one was hers because her green tee shirt was slung over the door. Gosh, why am I doing this again? though Hikaru as he knocked the door.

"Who's there!?" asked a panicked Kaede.

"Just me." answered Hikaru. "What's wrong? Why are you taking so long?"

"I… I … I can't do this…" muttered Kaede weakly.

"What!?" asked Hikaru, "What happened?" His mind jumped to her wanting to quit the club entirely.

"I can't go out in this…"

Hikaru relaxed. "Oh… Why not?" asked Hikaru.

"I don't want anyone to see…"

"Just come out."

"Promise you won't tell if I let you see me?"

"Fine, fine, fine." said Hikaru. Tell what? thought Hikaru.

Kaede opened the door a bit and came out. The bathing suit looked fabulous on her, and it suited her well. She would've looked perfect if it weren't for the bruises blossoming across her stomach and on her upper arms. Hikaru gulped and pushed away the look of surprise, and kept a calm face.

"See?" whispered Kaede, "I told you… I can't go out in this."

Hikaru paused for a second, wondering how to respond to her. "I don't see anything." said Hikaru staring her dead in the eye. "You look very…" Hikaru gulped, "pretty."

Kaede gave a bleak laugh, "you lie."

"I'm not lying."

Kaede took a deep breath. "Fine… I'll go out. I guess won't matter…" she didn't sound convinced as they walked into the open. She kept her eyes glued to the ground, her lips in a straight line as she followed Hikaru.

Two boys from their school were standing near the pair, and their whispers could be heard clearly.

"Hey! That's the girl from the rich family. People say her dad knocks her around a bit, guess it's true. I mean, look at her bruises!"

"Yeah! I mean, that's gotta be from her dad, doesn't it?"

Kaede grimaced as they walked past. Hikaru, without even thinking, slung his arm around her shoulders. In a loud enough voice for the two boys talking about Kaede to hear, he said "I can't believe you fell down those stairs! I mean, for heaven sakes, look where you're going!"

Kaede's head snapped over to Hikaru, surprised from the sudden contact of skin, and that he defended her. Both the boys heads turned over to him when he said that, and they didn't say a word.

"You really didn't have to do that…" mumbled Kaede once they were out of earshot.

"Do what?" asked Hikaru, playing dumb.

"You know what!" retorted Kaede.

"No I don't."

It was silent after that, both content with what they knew. Kaede knowing that Hikaru did stand up for her, and Hikaru knowing that he did protect her. Maybe in the end this act of kindness wouldn't stop the gossip that was being spread throughout the school, but both would remember, and to both, it would matter.