Author's Intro:

Earlier, I didn't have anything to say, but now I must say that, thanks to Ace, I've discovered a new band that I am shocked that I like. Four out of the five in the band are siblings. Their name is Eisley. Pretty awesome art designs, too. Ace hates 'em, and gave me the CD. Thanks, Ace!

"Tohru's back! Tohru's back!" Momiji yelled, running toward the Cat. He enveloped her in a hug, but this time she didn't transform. The Rabbit was followed by the rest of the Juunishi, who seemed more or less excited.

It was the next week, and the day that everyone would see Tohru again. Momiji called it a party, but Tohru insisted that it was too much to do that. A large part of the Zodiac was surprised that Akito had not done anything in that time, but they still were cautious. The Sohma God could do anything at anytime.

But, just then, they would spend time enjoying themselves.

The Cat was able to talk to everyone (except for Kureno, who wasn't there). Tohru had cooked food for all, and everything went well.

After a while, things started settling down. Shigure had stopped trying to spike drinks, Ayame had FINALLY stopped hanging onto Yuki, Shigure, and Hatori, and Ritsu had stopped (kind of, anyways) screaming out apologies. And that says a whole lot.

The party was now just sitting and talking, when Kisa innocently asked, "What will happen to Onee-chan?".

This caused everybody present to pause what they were doing. A question that had been in most everyone's mind. That's what it was.

Despite all having a different opinion, everyone looked directly at Tohru, and then at Kyo. They both didn't know what to say, but Tohru was the first to speak.

"I-I don't know what I will do now. I suppose…..I shall just live day by day. I do not know what Akito-sama has in mind, but I am sure that this is not the end. So, for now, I will live happily as long as fate wishes, and do what I must when the time comes.

"And I will also take the punishment for running away when it comes, too," Tohru decided, her eyes softly closed in thought. "T-thank you all for worrying about me, but I will be okay, no matter what happens."

"But….but it was my fault that she escaped…." Kyo whispered, just loud enough for others to hear him. It was Shigure's turn to speak then.

"Well, Kyo-kun, then you should do something about that, shouldn't you?" he half-smirked, looking down upon the teen. Kyo was silent, but in his heart he reminded himself of his vow to protect her.

Back at the Main House, Akito was pacing around his room.

'It is time.

'I can't let that wench and that stupid boy live happy now. I don't care anymore! She's always interfering! Getting in the way of me and my precious Juunishi!' he screamed inside his head, slipping on a yukata. 'Tomorrow! Tomorrow everything will change!'

Concluding his thought, Akito slipped back into a calm state, staring out his window at the night sky.

Everyone at the even left late, leaving Shigure, Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru to clean up. Of course, Shigure bailed, ("I better go write!"), and Yuki ended up working in a different room than Kyo and Tohru. So they were alone. Kyo knew what he had to say, and took a deep breath.

"Tohru, it isn't your fault that you escaped. It was mine," he spoke, scrubbing the floors, letting out his guilt. "I won't let you take the punishment for that. I don't know how much of a choice you have, but I will do everything I can to avoid that happening to you."

The Cat looked up. She didn't know whether to be guilty or happy or what, but she didn't have to respond.

"I promise," Kyo finished, looking into her eyes. "I'll finish this up, okay? Tomorrow, you should go with Uotani and Hanajima. Go shopping or whatever it is girls like to do," he muttered, scowling with embarrassment. Tohru smiled.

"Are you sure?"

"Yeah."

"Okay."

"-Yawn-….Ah! Tohru-kun! What are we having for breakfast!" Shigure called out, stretching as he walked lazily into the kitchen. But he wasn't greeted by Tohru's voice.

"Don't call me Tohru."

The Dog looked up in shock. Kyo was standing in front of the stove, making his own breakfast.

"She went out with her friends for the day, and probably the night. I told her to."

"So who will make my meals?" Shigure whined, looking into the fridge.

"You! Or get take-out!" Kyo yelled back, sitting down at the table with his meal. Shigure sighed, and left the room.

"Hatori! Let's go!" Akito yelled, putting on a jacket. "We need to pay Tohru and Kyo a visit."

The doctor reluctantly got in the car. He knew that nothing good would come out of this.

Yuki heard someone at the door a bit later. He vaguely wondered who was there as he wandered over to the door.

"A…A-akito-san!" Yuki cried in shock as he opened the door. Hatori was standing next to him.

"Yes? Now, will you let me in?"

The Rat tensed. Would he? What business did the God have here?

"What are you doing here?" Yuki asked, nervous at what Akito's reaction would be. The Head, seemed to become annoyed, but he still answered the question.

"I've come to see Tohru and Kyo."

"Honda-san is not here right now."

"Oh, well. I can wait for her. Now let me in," Akito demanded once again, taking a step towards the boy. Yuki had no other choice.

"Of course, Akito-san, Hatori," Yuki breathed, allowing the pair to walk inside. "I'll get you some tea. But Honda-san may not be here until tomorrow."

"Well, call her back!" Akito growled, turning around to look at the Rat.

"But….I can't just do that."

"Then I will." Akito walked towards the phone, and place one hand on it. "Tell me at what number I can reach her."

Yuki was forced to give him Saki's cell phone number; Tohru had left it with him just in case. The God quickly dialled it.

"I'd like to speak to Tohru," Akito muttered into the device, and was soon connected to the Cat. "Hello, wench," he sneered, getting a gasp from the girl. "If you want to see Kyo before he leaves, then you'd better come over here quick. That is, if he matters that much to you."

Tohru stood in the street, shocked, while Arisa and Saki asked her what had happened.

"Y-yes, A-akito-sama. I'll be there in a minute," Tohru sighed, and hung up the phone. She had not let either one of her friends hear her response to the God.

"I-I have to go back to Shigure-san's house now, Uo-chan and Hana-chan. I'm sorry. Something up. I'll tell you later."

"What? That stupid author better not have called you to make you go back there and do his chores…" Arisa growled, while Hanajima just looked at Tohru with care and concern.

"Please, Tohru-kun….do whatever you need to now. I sense that you have something that you need to take care of."

The Cat nodded, and then ran back to the Dog's house with a final wave and smile at her friends.

Tohru quickly hurried over to Shigure's house; she didn't know what he was going to do with Kyo, and whatever it was, she wanted to prevent it from happening.

As she neared the entrance, she saw that Yuki was waiting outside for her.

"Yuki-kun….w-what's going on?" The Cat asked, breathless from the run.

"A-akito, he wants something….he came earlier and asked for both of you, but I don't know what is going on yet…but he won't let me inside."

"T-thank you," Tohru bowed, and rushed to the door, which only opened for her. After walking into the next room, the Cat discovered that only Akito was the only one there.

"So I see you have arrived. Kyo is still on the roof, I think. I need you to go and bring him here," Akito commanded, pointing in the direction of the roof.

"B-but….what are you going to do to him?" Tohru had mustered up all of her courage to ask this question.

"Wench, I guess that I will tell you."

The Cat waited for the rest of his answer.

"I've thought only of what I will do to you, but I've realized that this event is not going to be solved by only punishing you. That….monster of a boy will always come back. You really thought that you could have someone who loved you? I gave you a chance for him, I separated you two, but no. You were not content with it. Who has put you in this position, now?"

"M-me," Tohru answered, sounding like a broken record. "I-I did."

"So it will be your fault when I must erase his memories."

Tohru looked up.

"P-Please….pl-lease don't….Akito-sama….p-please…" she cried, dropping to her knees.

"No. You've left me no choice. Now go and get him. Hatori, come here!"

The Dragon came obediently, his face downcast. What now?

The Cat ran outside, and quickly climbed on the roof of Shigure's house, tears staining her small face.

"K-kyo-kun…" she whispered as the boy turned to her.

"Tohru? What happened?" he asked, surprised. "What's up?" She climbed on the roof, and sat next to him, crying into her knees.

"A-akito-sama…" she mumbled, looking up at him. "Wants to see you. H-he wants…to erase your memories. Of me. Of the Curse."

Kyo, silent, wrapped her up into a hug, letting his action comfort her.

He knew that eventually Akito would do something like this. There was nothing to do now, but to face it.

"If it's to protect you, I'll do it," Kyo finally decided. "We'll meet again. You have to help me remember then." He smiled down at Tohru, who looked surprised. "I'm not giving you up just yet. Think of it as temporary." Kyo paused once more, and then finally muttered, "But Akito is still a damn bastard."

Tohru smiled, enjoying his rough attitude for a moment, and then snapping back into reality.

"A-a-are you sure?" The Cat asked. "But…but….I don't want you to go…" she whispered, feeling selfish.

"Don't worry."

Then, letting go of Kyo, Tohru quietly beckoned him to come down from the roof. They walked down, releasing the other's hand, into the room which Akito and Hatori sat in.

Author's Closing:

I could of made this chapter longer, but I thought I'd torture you all and save it. (Hehe…)

Wow….I have, like, ANTI-writer's block. I couldn't stop. This chapter turned out to be a decent size.

Laterzzz.

E.