A/N: Okay I got a very small response to my question and so I've decided not to write any big spoilers. I do wonder if this is losing fans, but maybe it's not. Anyways, I'm going to try and make the chapters a bit shorter, since I for one think they're pretty damn long. It only takes me a couple hours to type up a chapter cause I sit and actually write it while I'm typing; no rough draft and no prior outline, all in my head J But anyways, on to the chapter! Ride Destiny!

Chapter 17: That Look

"Hiro-chan, Hiro-chan!"

The emergency room that Rin and Hiro occupied was filled with Sohma family members and some nurses checking on the two. Kisa was sobbing in to the sheets at Hiro's bedside while he lay asleep. Haru was sitting next to Rin, looking at her in disbelief because her hair had all been cut off. Though she had told him to go away several times, he could not help it as he studied her short hair and temper. The rest of the zodiac, Hiro's mother, and Kazuma all stood around either in the room or outside of the room. Hatori was currently asking one of the doctors some questions just to be sure the hospital had done their job right.

"No internal bleeding?" Hatori asked the short man who was to take care of the two.

"No." The doctor replied.

"No crushed organs, fractures, broken bones, concussions, fevers or memory loss?"

"No, sir," The doctor replied again but this time went on. "The only thing wrong with either of them is on the surface, and that's only bruises, some small scratches and cuts and the younger one had to have stitches because he was cut on his arm with what I think was a knife."

Yuki stood outside of the room with Momiji, both a little ways away from Hatori.

"Do you think…?" Momiji suddenly turned to Yuki with a questioning expression.

"Hm?" Yuki asked, looking at the boy's face. Wow, he's gotten so much older… I think he could pull off the guy's uniform now.

"Do you think Lyna-kun should come inside and …" He side glanced at Hatori to make sure he was still talking to the doctor. "Talk to Rin and Hiro? You know, just to be sure it was those people she's related to."

Yuki shook his head. "No, I don't think that's a good idea with Rin's temper and Hiro's big mouth. She hasn't even met either of them yet."

"Yeah, you're right." Momiji nodded in agreement, and then turned to Yuki again with another question. "Is Kyo outside with Lyna-kun and Tohru?"

Yuki nodded. "Yeah, he's making sure they don't get attacked. I don't think anything will happen to them, but I guess safety is first."

And outside of the hospital, Tohru sat with Kyo while Catalyna stood off to the side…

"But she really thinks it's her fault."

Tohru tried to whisper to Kyo as the two sat on a ledge outside of the hospital and Catalyna stood a good six feet away from them. Upon arriving at the hospital it was soon discovered that it had indeed been Angelo and Vanessa who had beaten the two. Catalyna did not go inside at all, feeling that it was entirely her fault.

"That's stupid." Kyo whispered back. "It's not her fault; she needs to stop thinking that way."

"I hope she's alright…" Tohru said as she looked at the back of Catalyna. She was facing the street with her arms folded in front of her. Tohru suddenly called out her name.

"Lyna-kun, will you sit with us?"

Catalyna turned around, her expression blank. She nodded and then walked over and sat on Tohru's other side with her legs crossed, arms still folded and looking away from them.

Tohru glanced nervously at Kyo and he nodded for her to try to talk to her. She turned back to the upset girl. "Lyna-kun, it's not your fault, you have nothing to do with what happened to Isuzu-san and Hiro-san."

Catalyna did not respond. I can't believe this, more people getting hurt because of them… She trailed off in her thoughts as she knew that the possibility of more people getting hurt was now at it's highest.

Tohru turned to Kyo with a look of defeat and sighed. He leaned forward a bit to look at Catalyna. "Hey, you,"

Catalyna still did not respond, but he continued.

"Stop thinking it's your fault, that's just dumb." He tried to sound comforting, but it was difficult since she was still turned the other way. "It's not like you were there throwing punches along with them, so stop being stubborn cause you're not responsible in any way."

Tohru looked between the two nervously, not sure if Catalyna would turn and start arguing like Uo, get scared like Shigure, ignore him like Hatori or start crying like herself. When Catalyna did not respond in any way, Kyo stood up.

"Hey, I'll be right back." He said to Tohru as she nodded. "I'm going inside to get some water, want anything?"

Tohru shook her head and Kyo repeated the question to Catalyna. She finally turned and shook her head too, then mumbled. "No, thank you."

Kyo set off toward the doors as Tohru watched him walk away. Catalyna looked at her, studying the expression on her face and knowing all too well what it meant. She voiced the truth straight out for the girl:

"You love him."

Tohru turned to Catalyna wide eyed and with a slight blush creeping on to her cheeks. "E-excuse me?"

"I know that look anywhere." Catalyna continued as a small smile formed on her lips. "You're head-over-heels in love with him."

The slight blush grew to a full on red faced flush. "I-I don't know…what you're…" She trailed off in defeat.

Catalyna patted her knee. "Hey, T-Tohru…can I call you that?" Tohru nodded and she continued. "Have you told him?" She asked, though she had seen enough of Tohru's personality to guess she had not.

"No, I can't." She looked Catalyna straight in the eye. "I can't tell him, it will ruin everything because he doesn't feel the same."

Catalyna raised her eyebrows. "What are you talking about?" She asked in disbelief. "He feels something for you, can't you tell?"

Tohru shook her head. Kyo-kun doesn't feel the same… no way! "What makes you say he does?"

"Well," Catalyna started to brush her hair back with her hands and tie it in a ponytail. "He gives you that look too, when you don't see it."

Tohru looked away as she felt tears begin to well up in her eyes. She could not believe that what Catalyna was saying could be true. If it was true, then what would happen when graduation came? The fear of his confinement had kept Tohru tossing and turning all night for weeks, along with the fear of Angelo and Vanessa wanting her dead. It was becoming too much for her, and at this moment as she sat with her friend, she felt as though she might explode. A heavy weight formed in her chest and she could feel her stomach falling as she let the tears come out.

"What's wrong?" Catalyna asked in alarm from the unexpected crying and she grabbed her hand and squeezed it gently. "What's wrong, Tohru?"

"K-Kyo-kun," She sobbed as the river of tears she had kept to herself fell full out. "He's going to leave me! He's going to be…confined."

"So it was him."

The Sohma estate had been freed of the crime investigators and had now returned to its normal quiet. Akito sat in her large robes outside of her room on the porch, a letter in hand as she spoke to Kureno who was lingering in the doorway behind her.

"It was him who was spilling the secrets…" She scanned the letter addressed to Kyo, her face turning in to a look of absolute disgust.

"Akito, are you going to let him read it?" Kureno stepped out of the doorway and sat down next to her. "He should know all these things."

Akito turned to the man beside her with a look of disbelief. "He'll read it when the time comes. For now, I want those two people locked away for what they've done to my zodiac."

Kureno looked uneasy. "What about …Tohru Honda?"

At that Akito crumbled the letter in her fist and threw it behind her in to the room. "I don't care what happens to her!" She raised her voice slightly. "That letter points out that the monster's father spilled the secrets!"

Kureno tried to calm her as she stood up and made her way inside. He got up and followed. "Please be calm Akito, the police are on it!"

The woman ignored him as she picked up the crumbled letter and held it in her hand. She turned around to face the towering height of the former rooster. "Kureno, if his father is capable of spilling secrets, wouldn't it be sensible that…" Her voice dropped to a whisper as she took a step toward him and placed her palm on his chest. "…Kyo would spill secrets too?"

Kureno shook his head. "I don't think he would." He spoke firmly, despite the fact he feared for the juunishi.

Akito smiled evilly. "Oh, but I do…and I plan to make sure he doesn't."

"It's not fair, you're right in trying to break the curse."

Catalyna and Tohru had decided to take a walk around the hospital that way they could talk in peace. They were somewhere in the back where they would be unseen on a sidewalk that the hospital's view was blocked from by trees. Tohru had told Catalyna all about Kyo's confinement and the time he had left. Catalyna was agreeing once again that Tohru was right in wanting to save the family.

"But, a bond is…" Tohru said as the two girls kept walking. She looked up at the sky as some clouds darkened it to a gray, not surprising anyone as it was about time for winter. "A bond is…sacred."

"Not that kind of bond." Catalyna said as she folded her arms and shivered when a slight wind started to blow. "This isn't very fair to you…"

Tohru turned her head to look at her. "What do you mean?"

"You're already worried about the curse," Catalyna held herself tighter as another wind blew by and messed up the two girl's bangs. "Now you're being forced to worry about Angelo and Vanessa."

Tohru turned her attention to the ground. "I don't care if…I am killed by them, as long as it's not before I find a way to save the wonderful Sohmas."

The black haired girl turned to the brunette impressed by her bravery. She knew that coming forward to everyone meant that they might want to help her, but it also meant that she wanted to help them. She decided to turn the conversation back to Kyo, not wanting to talk about Angelo and Vanessa anymore. "So, what are you going to do about Kyo?"

Tohru turned her gaze back to Catalyna as her cheeks tinged pink. "I don't know…maybe I should tell him." As they walked she had thought on this option. But, more than rejection she feared an ending to their friendship. "I just don't want to lose him…"

Catalyna put a comforting arm around her shoulder. "You should do what you feel is right." She smiled at her weakly. "There are some things that people need to do, otherwise they could come to regret it later on. Do you know what I mean?"

Tohru nodded. "Yes, I do."

A comfortable silence took over them as they walked back around to the front of the hospital to find Kyo walking out of the entrance and looking around frantically. They approached him and he relaxed immediately when he seen the two.

"Where the hell did you guys go?" He asked with a hint of worry.

"A walk." Catalyna answered as she removed her arm from Tohru's shoulder. "We were bored."

Kyo cocked an eyebrow at her suspiciously. "Oh, now your talking?"

Catalyna nodded and then turned to Tohru. "I'm gonna go home, my Mom is probably worried." She looked past Tohru toward the entrance to see the blonde haired Momiji jogging over to them.

"Hey!" He said as he stopped next to them. "Rin and Hiro are fine; they're just pretty bruised up."

"Thank goodness." Tohru said as she put her hands together in front of her. She turned to Catalyna with a smile. "Wait, do you want to meet the rest of the zodiac?"

Catalyna shook her head wide eyed. "N-no I really should go home."

"Lyna-kun is going home?" Momiji asked in a sad tone.

"What are you going to do, walk?" Kyo asked with his suspicious expression still in place.

Catalyna nodded. "Yeah, I'm gonna walk."

"You shouldn't walk alone." Kyo said as he put his hands in his pockets. "It's dangerous with those two idiots running around."

"Wait! Lyna-kun," Momiji chimed as he grabbed the girl's hand. "I'll call my driver and I'll take you home!"

"Uh-uh n-no it's fine!" Catalyna blushed as the hyper boy held her hand tighter.

"I'm not taking 'no' for an answer!"

Thirty minutes later Catalyna was reluctantly sitting in the back seat of the black four door car with Momiji. She kept quiet as he rambled about school and the culture festival and all sorts of other things that she had trouble keeping track of.

"I can't wait to see the play at the culture fest! I wonder if you'll get a part?! That would be so cool if you did Lyna-kun! But I wonder what play they're doing? But oh well maybe we should hang out, oh are you hungry?! I'm really hungry it's about dinner time do you want to stop?! We should stop and eat somewhere! Where do you want to-?"

"Momiji-kun!" Catalyna grabbed his shoulders, which she was shocked to find were a lot wider than she expected and he stopped immediately. "Calm down, take it slow, okay?"

Momiji looked at her in confusion, and then his expression changed to one of deep thought. He sat back against the seat without looking away from her and she let go of his shoulders.

"Lyna-kun?"

She looked at him wide eyed as his voice had suddenly turned very calm and a lot more….manlike? She shivered under his gaze and wondered if he just faked the little boy voice in front of everyone. She stuttered in response. "Y-yes?"

"What's going to happen now?" He did not look away as he watched her struggle with herself for a response. He sat up and leaned toward her, causing her face to redden and her to lean back until she hit the seat.

"W-what do you mean?" She stuttered as he stopped about six inches from her face.

He sighed and glanced out of the window before meeting her eyes again. "I mean…from your past experience with these people…what do they usually do next?"

She looked down in her lap as the response formed in her mind. "Well, it depends…they usually don't hurt small children such as the boy Hiro-san…" She knew the worst was that they would succeed and kill Tohru, but before that if anyone got in the way they would kill them too. "Anything can happen…from here."

Momiji leaned back against the seat without turning away from her. "Are you sure…you should go home?"

Catalyna nodded. "Yes, I need to so my Mom won't suspect anything."

Momiji nodded, though his thoughts objected greatly. She shouldn't go home, especially if those two know where she lives. What if they hurt her? That wouldn't be fair if anything happened to her…

…and any one of us could have stopped it.

What should I do…?

Tohru stood at the kitchen sink at home washing the dishes after dinner. It had been a few hours since they left the hospital, and Tohru was turning over her conversation with Catalyna in her head.

"You should do what you feel is right."

Catalyna's voice echoed in her head. Yes, she agreed with her words but…What do I feel is right?

"Tohru."

"EEP!" She jumped in surprise and turned around to see Kyo standing a few feet behind her. She calmed immediately and took a breath. "You startled me."

"Sorry." Kyo said as he shoved his hands in his sweat pant pockets. He felt his face grow red as she looked him in the eyes expectantly. He spoke quietly as he held her gaze and his stomach fluttered annoyingly. "I wanted to tell you something."

Tohru reached behind her without looking away and shut the faucet off. "Okay." She said giving him her full attention.

"I think you should," He began, mentally cursing his body for longing for her. "Watch yourself more… at school, work and in public."

She nodded in comprehension. "Yes, I'll be watching more closely." She felt her knees growing weak under his eyes and leaned her back against the counter for support. "Thank you for worrying." She said weakly.

Do something, do something you idiot! His brain urged him in this chance to tell her how he felt. But so much has happened today, it's probably not the best time.

Tohru's face turned a deep red as she felt her knees growing weaker. Why is he looking at me like that…? I can't breathe right…or think…

Her knees finally gave out and she felt and she felt her body fall forward.

"Whoa!" Kyo caught her by the shoulders and steadied her at arms-length, careful not to bring forth the Cat. "Are you alright? What's wrong?"

She looked at him wide eyed and then stood up straight when her knees felt whole again. She responded quickly as he let go of her shoulders. "Nothing's wrong! I just got a little…dizzy."

Kyo looked at her unconvinced. "Dizzy from what? Are you sick?"

"Um…no I…" The words stopped as he pressed his hand to her forehead. Without meaning to her eyes slid closed and her breath sped up with her heart rate. The simple gesture was too much for her to handle, especially when she planned on telling him her feelings in the near future.

"You're a little warm." Kyo said as he pulled his hand away and her eyes opened again. "You should get some sleep; I'll finish up in here." He reached behind her and turned on the faucet to finish the dishes.

"O-okay." Tohru agreed reluctantly, knowing if she argued he would put his foot down and she would end up in bed either way. With a heavy heart she turned and walked toward the door. "Good night, Kyo-kun."

"Night."

Climbing up the stairs proved difficult as her mind clouded over with thoughts of telling him. The rejection, humiliation, pain, heartbreak, and the possible sickness and sadness that would follow. She changed in to her pajamas in the dark and climbed in to bed, pulling the covers over herself and rolling on to her side to think about what to do.

I'll tell him…in the next few days…I'll gather my strength and tell him when my courage is at it's highest…

Her eyes began to droop, surprising her as to how worn out the day had actually made her. With one last thought, she drifted off to sleep.

Even if he doesn't feel the same…I'll still find a way to free him of the curse…

"I assume they trust you by now."

Catalyna had gotten home to find her mother was not even there and she rejoiced in being able to be alone for a while. A couple hours later though, her mother had come home and was happy that her daughter had spent the night at their house; of course, because then that meant she could get closer to them.

"Huh?" Catalyna looked up from her spot on the floor where she sat eating a bowl of ramen and reading a text book in her lap.

Florentina was sitting on the couch watching a television program, and then she turned to her daughter and repeated her words. "I assume they trust you by now."

Catalyna shook her head and turned back to her book. "No, I don't think I'm quite there yet." Carefully hiding her eyes she kept them glued to the page, knowing very well how to lie to anyone. "It's going to take more time."

Florentina's face turned in to a scowl as she grew angry. "We don't have more time, Catalyna." She got off the couch and kneeled next to her daughter, grabbing her face and turning it roughly toward her. "You need to speed things up! If that boy doesn't trust you by next week, I'll personally find the truth myself!!"

Catalyna held her expression blank, knowing that reacting would only make it worse. Just stay calm, even though her grip hurts just stay calm…

The woman studied the girl's eyes, and then let go of her and stood up. "You better get the job done, if you want to avenge your father's death."

Catalyna waited until her Mom walked out of the room and in to her bedroom, then she rubbed her face and winced. Her Mom usually would grab her when she was angry; never hit her. But, there had been times when she thought her Mom might slap her, especially when she threw a fit from having to move to Japan.

Oh well… She thought as she turned back to her text book and tried to read some story that Uo had told her was an assignment for class. She found it hard to concentrate when her mind kept drifting off to a certain blonde haired boy…

She shook her head and felt herself blush. Why am I thinking about him? I shouldn't be blushing when he talks to me… it's not right. She shook the thought away and started to read where she left off:

Katsume watched as the boy walked across the hall. From where she stood at her locker, he seemed like a golden boy with an ego bigger than the country. She studied him; his eyes she could not see but his hair was stunning. A bright blonde top that reminded her of summer…

"Crap…" Catalyna stopped reading when the description shoved the boy back in to her head. This is stupid! I feel like I'm in some stupid drama filled, cliché written fan fiction!

Grumbling about 'stupid people and stupid books' she got up with her book and bowl and set off for her bedroom.

Drama or not, Angelo and Vanessa need to be locked up soon…

And across town at the hospital a tiger slept soundly next to a stirring sheep…

Hiro opened his eyes, squinting instantly when the bright light above him stung his tired pupils. Soreness consumed his entire body and his stitches were itching uncomfortably. Warmth to his left drew his attention and he looked to his side and gasped.

Sleeping and hugging his arm was the girl he had been in love with for a very long time; Kisa.

He gulped when she snuggled closer and groaned as though having an eventful dream. What is she doing here…?

"Don't wake her."

Hiro looked in the direction of the voice to find Hatori, Ayame, Shigure and Ritsu seated between the two beds. His attention was turned mostly to Hatori, who had spoke and who's presence always demanded the respect and attention.

"What are you-?"

"Don't speak." Ayame said firmly. "Just listen."

Hiro nodded and gave the adults his full attention.

"Hiro, things are becoming quite dangerous." Shigure started. "We've been debating on what to do with this situation."

"Rin told us that these people wanted to scare Honda-kun," Hatori said. "That your beating served as some kind of warning."

Hiro nodded, glancing at Ritsu in confusion and wondering why the man was even there in the first place. Everyone knew that Ritsu could not hold his own for more than a few minutes, but at the moment he seemed very calm.

"Hiro-chan, we're trying to warn the entire zodiac about something." Ayame said every glint of happiness in his usual behavior gone. "Something that is going to happen soon…"

"Akito is going to do something…" Shigure said as he narrowed his eyes at the wall. "Something stupid and unnecessary."

"Very unnecessary." Hatori added.

"But Ritsu has come up with an idea to prevent this stupid thing from happening." Ayame gestured to Ritsu, who still remained calm. "He thinks we should all stand up and stop Akito before he gets himself killed. He won't listen to anyone, but maybe he'll listen to all of us."

The adults remained quiet as Hiro let the information sink in. He glanced at Kisa to see she was still sleeping, then at the other bed to see Rin fast asleep and then turned to the adults.

"What is he going to do…?"

A/N: Dun, dun, DUN!! Hey readers thanks again for reading my story! I know you've all been waiting for Kyo and Tohru to get a move on, so guess what? I'm not telling you! You have to read the next chapter!! Now if you have the chance leave me a review letting me know your thoughts on this chapter or the story over all so far! Thanks for reading!