So if I forget anything from the last chapter, please don't get mad. My internet is down again(by the time you read this it will be back up again, of course), and I delete all my chapters after I'm done with them, so I can't really read them over again for reference. Sorry. =(

The normally chatty Host clubbers were silent.

Mori took a few deep breathes.

Just the thought of meeting the man who had hurt Haruhi, filled him with a rage so powerful, it left no room for words.

He took some more deep breathes.

How could she possibly expect him to sit next to the bed of a man who would lay hands on his wife and child?

Mori took one last deep breath and looked into Haruhi's big, pleading eyes. He looked at the rest of the host club. They were all just as silent as he, deep in thought.

Mori took Haruhi's hand and opened the door.

The room was just like any other in the hospital. A couple chairs, a bedside table, and a bed. Mori took several more deep breathes as he walked towards the mess of auburn peeking up above the blankets. Ranka's arm was hooked up to an IV, and as he sat up, Mori could see more wires coming from his stomach and chest. Mori's eyes traced the wires back to a large beeping machine standing in the corner.

"Dad," Haruhi's voice was quiet and careful. "These are the guys I was telling you about. The Host Club."

Hikaru, Kaoru and Hunny swaggered over to the bed with their arms crossed, trying to look intimidating. Tamaki stood at the foot of the bed with his eyes on the floor and Kyouya just stood in a corner writing in his little black notebook.

Haruhi led Mori to the other side of the bed, closest to Ranka.

"And this is my boyfriend, Takashi Morinozuka." Haruhi gave Mori's arm a little pinch and he extended his hand.

"You can call me Mori…sir.", Mori choked out the last part without making eye contact.

Ranka looked so frail and weak sitting in the hospital bed. He slowly lifted his arm, as if he were Atlas, lifting the world for the first time. Mori could see bluish-green veins on the back Ranka's hand, and he could feel almost every bone as he shook it. When Mori pictured this moment earlier, he imagined himself crushing Ranka's hand before punching him in the nose. He wanted to kick him in the stomach and send him flying across the room, but instead, he just focused on the dull beeping from the machine. It had a nice, steady rhythm to it.

"How nice to meet you, Mori! Haruhi's talked a lot about you, but she never mention you being so handsome." Ranka giggled in a way that was too bubbly to match his sickly hospital surroundings. "In fact, she's never mentioned any of you being so handsome! You'll have to excuse this hideous gown-the nurses wouldn't let me keep my old outfit." He turned to face the twins. "Hikaru, Kaoru, you two are into fashion, right? You should have seen this blouse! It was a lovely fuchsia color with little-"

"Are you serious?" Tamaki was looking at Ranka with an intense anger in his eyes, that no one had ever seen before. "You really expect us to talk about some stupid blouse like nothing's happened? Really?"

"Sempai, stop." Haruhi's voice was full of warning.

"No Haruhi, he's right." Hunny's voice was caked in disgust. "That man owes us all an apology." The twins were nodding in agreement.

Haruhi took a step back. "What could he possibly have to apologize to you for? He's never done anything to you."

No one responded. They just stared at Ranka expectantly.

Ranka seemed afraid to meet anyone's eyes. "I-uh-I suppose you've heard a few things about me, then?"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Ranaka continued without a response. "Well, I-um-I know what I did was wrong. And I don't go one minute without feeling terribly about the way I treated Haruhi, and she knows that. I've tried to get back on the right path before, but it just never seemed to work. I would go a couple moths sober, then I'd sip some wine at dinner. Then a sip would turn into a glass, and a glass would turn into a bottle. Then I'd just be back where I started.

"But this time it's different. I've been sober for almost three months. That's the longest I've ever gone without a drink. And I haven't laid a finger on Haruhi for almost a month. I know it's nothing to be proud of, but it's a start. I've apologized to Haruhi, and she's forgiven me, but I have to agree with her. Why would I owe any of you an apology?"

There was a mix of cursing and yelling as that final question was asked. Mori tried to focus on the beeping.

"You bastard! How could you refuse to apologize to us after all we've been through?" Tamaki paced back and forth running his hands through his hair frustrated.

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Kaoru was holding Hikaru's arms behind his back.

"Just let me have him for a second. I'll give him a reason to be in that bed!"

"Hikaru, just stop! He's not worth it! Stop!"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Hunny remained staring into Ranka's eyes, fearlessly. "You're lucky I don't fight those weaker than me. You're a pathetic excuse for human being."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Kyouya moved forward from his position at the corner. "Are you sure you don't owe us an apology Mr. Fujiyoka? Because I have enough information to have you behind bars until your grandkids graduate. Add a few more years for all the things I could frame you for."

Beep. Beep. Beep.

"You guys, just shut up! He didn't do anything wrong, just shut up!"

Beep. Beep. Beep.

Haruhi tugged at Mori's shirt sleeve, until he looked at her. "Do something. Now."

Mori looked at Ranka, then back at Haruhi, then at the rest of the Host Club.

Then he let go of Haruhi's hand an walked out of the room.

By the time he got to the elevator, he could no longer hear their shouting. He let out an exasperated sigh, when he saw that the elevator was full. A couple of girls, about his age, scooted over to make room for him, but he was already on his was to the stairs.

He walked through the children's section of the hospital, taking long brick strides. The walls were decorated with bright rainbows and farm animals. Mori glanced at the pictures and let out a single bitter laugh.

When he reached the end of the hallway, he turned left and opened the first door he saw. He walked into a dimly lit staircase. Mori sat down and released a breath he didn't realize he was holding in.

"So much has been going on lately.", he said aloud, running a hand through his short, black tresses.

"Tell me about it." Mori turned around with a start and saw Haruhi leaning against the doorframe. "I'm sorry, I put you through that. I should've asked instead of demanding it like that." Haruhi closed the distance between them and planted a soft kiss on his lips.

As much as Mori enjoyed the rare alone time they had together, he gently pushed her away.

"What's the matter? Are you still mad?" Haruhi's brow was furrowed in an adorable sort of way.

"Haruhi," Mori sighed. "Ever since I found out about what your father did to you, I've been scared out of my mind. I've been lying awake in bed for hours to make sure I'd be ready to answer if you called. Thinking about the fact that someone has been hurting you, and I can't do anything about it has made me so ashamed of myself, I'd stay holed up in my room for days. Every morning when I see you're gorgeous, face, and those big brown eyes, I literally want to jump for joy at the fact that I get to see you just one more day." Mori paused for a long time.

"I guess…what I'm trying to say, is that you and your father have caused more stress in our lives than you could possibly imagine. The only reason they got so upset back there is because they've come to love you. You've made such a difference in their lives that they couldn't possibly imagine living one without you. And neither can I."

"Oh, Mori-"

"I've fallen in love with you, Haruhi Fujioka. And the entire time I've been in love with you, I've also been scared to death of what could have happened to you at your own house. I-"

Haruhi placed a finger on his lips. Tears were streaming down her face as she spoke.

"I am so sorry. I had no idea that you were so worried about me. I-I love you too. And if I could go back and do it all over again, I would, but for right now all I can do is try to make it up to you. Takashi Morinozuka, from this day forward, you have to promise me that if you're ever feeling this way again, you'll tell me."

Mori nodded.

"And I promise not to make you feel like that ever again. I love you, so much. You've been the best thing that's happened to me in ten years."

Haruhi removed her finger from his lips and kissed Mori like she hadn't had food in three months and he was a big plate of fancy tuna.

A/N: Hope you liked it. Sorry it still took me so long to update it, but school's pretty darn hard.

Now I have a question for you: Why is it that only one person found it necessary to inform me that I'd accidentally uploaded the same chapter twice? I left it up there for, like 3 days thinking it was an author's note/apology.

Sheesh, has it been that long since I've updated? ;P