A/N: Yeek! Yay! Chapter 18! How did it get this far? I'd like to thank everyone reading, alerting and reviewing. Thanks for the encouragement, I'm glad you guys like this story so much! Now, don't hate me when you're done with this chapter. Destiny and I are walking away with our heads hanging and bracing ourselves for…not so nice feedback.

Chapter 18: I Don't Believe You

The squeak of the bed springs sounded as the very tired and restless form of Arisa Uotani rolled over in her sleep. Actually, it was not sleep, more like eyes closed.

"Mmm…" She groaned as one very tired eye slid open and she looked at the ceiling, now on her back. Why can't I sleep tonight? This totally sucks…I'll be tired as hell for work tomorrow…

She rolled over again, now on her side and dreaded the following morning. She closed the one eye she had opened and was drifting off to sleep…

Rap, rap, rap.

The sharp sound of knuckles hitting her bedroom window made her sit up instantly and look toward the curtains. Her window was about three feet away from her bed and she looked over to her night stand to see the time displayed on her digital clock.

Two in the morning?! Who the hell would be knocking on my window at this hour…?

She suddenly remembered a time when this same thing had happened and the person had been Tohru. But that was in middle school and the reason being that the very vulnerable brunette had been picked on by some boy.

Rap, rap, rap.

She threw her covers off and grumbled as she walked toward the window. With assuming that it would be Tohru, she opened the curtains and gasped as she saw the towering red haired man outside of her window, shivering from the winter air…

"Kureno?!"

"Today's the day, it has to be today!"

Monday at lunch time is when the pep talk Tohru was giving herself was currently taking place. She was alone, waiting for the arrival of her friends, and of course now Catalyna. The reason for the pep talk stood across the lunch hall, leaning against a wall and talking to a couple of guys with his hands in his pockets and his orange bangs hovering a bit over his eyes.

Oh dear… What had she gotten herself in to? Yes, she had resolved on the Thursday of the previous week to tell him how she felt within the next few days, but failed to do so all weekend. She had told herself that she would when her courage was at the highest, and that time had yet to come.

"Hi, Tohru!"

Tohru looked to her left as Catalyna sat down, shortly followed by Uo and Hanajima who sat across from the two. "Hello, everyone!"

Hanajima gave Tohru a very slight questioning expression. "Tohru, I was wondering about something."

Tohru nodded and smiled for her friend to continue.

Hanajima turned in the direction of Kyo. "Kyo-kun seems to be leaving himself wide open to any girl who might…hug him." She turned back to Tohru to see the girl's happy expression gone. "What would happen if that were to occur? Would everyone's memories in this cafeteria have to be erased?"

Tohru shrugged as the other two turned to her, obviously interested in the answer. "I really don't know, I would think that would be the thing to do…" She let her gaze slowly creep over to Kyo, to see him now standing and looking a bit annoyed at one of the guys he was with. She watched him for a moment, until he turned his head and met her eyes, instantly causing her heart to skip a beat and heat to rise in her cheeks. She felt herself blush more as he gave her a small, but honest, smile.

Uo looked at her, a worried expression etched across her features as she remembered a couple nights ago…

"Kureno?!"

Uo instantly slid open the window and the cold air caused goose bumps to erupt all over her body. "What are you doing here? How did you get my address?!" She demanded in a whisper as she moved aside and he climbed in.

"Tohru Honda-san gave me your address," Kureno said as he slid the window shut and turned to her. "It's a good thing she did to, because I have to warn you about something."

Uo still could not get over the shock that the man who she had been missing so much just showed up at her window at two in the morning. She shook her head and registered what he had said. "Warn me about what?"

Kureno placed his hands on her shoulders. "I know you don't know much about the Sohma family, but all I can tell you is that there's a secret that's been kept for generations and its part of the reason for panic now. Your friend Honda-san is in trouble with the Lorenzo family, you know that right?"

Uo nodded eagerly. "I know about the Sohma family too." She said without thinking.

Kureno's eyes grew wide and he retracted his hands from her shoulders. "What do you know…?"

"About the curse and the Chinese zodiac thing." Uo said, becoming anxious with every passing second. "I know how you can't hug members of the opposite sex and all that stuff…"

"How do you know?" Kureno demanded instantly.

"I saw Tohru hug Orangey." She said, and then shook her head realizing that he may not understand the nickname. "I meant Kyo Sohma."

"How long have you known?! Does Akito know this?!" Kureno frantically grasped her shoulders again. "Does he know?"

Uo shook her head. "No, that writer Shigure said we don't need to tell this 'head of the family'." She tensed up and Kureno's panic began to leave. "But what were you saying about Tohru?"

Kureno seemed to suddenly snap back to his calm and collected self. "I came because of Akito, he's going to do something stupid and he's going to try to get her to go with him…"

Uo raised an eyebrow suspiciously. "Go with him where?"

"I can't tell you." Kureno let go of her shoulders and headed toward the window to leave. "All I can tell you is that she can't be left alone with him, or left alone at all for that matter."

Uo stepped next to him. "What do you mean? Should I ask her to stay here?" She began to panic and grabbed his arm. "Should I get her out of that house? What's going on who can I trust?"

Kureno turned to look her in the eye as he slid open the window and the slight wind blew through his hair. "You can trust the Sohmas…except Akito. The entire zodiac is trying to prevent Akito from doing something stupid, but it's proving difficult."

Uo watched as he turned away and stepped out of the window. He was going to leave and this would be her one chance to say something to him…

"Wait!"

She grabbed the back of his shirt and he turned around to face her. "I wanted to see you…so what about me?" Uo said as tears started to form in her eyes. She wiped them away quickly and angrily and then felt his arms suddenly wrap around her and pull her to his chest.

"Arisa…" He breathed in her hair as she was now halfway out of the window. "I wanted to see you too…"

Uo pulled away instantly and looked him up and down. "You didn't…change in to anything…I thought you were cursed too?"

He shook his head sadly. "No, my curse has been broken for a long time."

Uo stood in shock as he turned around and walked briskly down the hallway and turned a corner.

A few more minutes…I'm so nervous!

After lunch time Tohru had tried to pluck up the courage to talk to Kyo, but failed miserably when he lightly bopped her on the head with his fist and blushed when she smiled at him. Though, his blush gave a little hope and she decided that it was 'after school or never'.

Now it is after school.

She stood with Momiji, Catalyna, Uo and Hanajima out in the emptying hall way, waiting for Kyo to show up and they would walk home as usual.

Momiji turned to Tohru, leaving a conversation about Mogeta with Hanajima. "Tohru, what's wrong? You look nervous."

"Eh?" She looked around avoiding his eyes and lied through her teeth. "No! I'm perfectly fine what makes you say I'm nervous?!"

"Because you're panicking."

Tohru turned around at the voice behind her and blushed to find it was Kyo. She knew that he could see her face turning redder and redder but she recovered quickly as the butterflies had a field-day in her stomach. "I'm not nervous!"

"What's up with you, Tohru?" Uo asked as she placed a hand on her shoulder. "You look like a tomato."

"I do?!"

"Yes, you do."

Now Tohru turned around again to find Yuki and Haru standing next to Momiji. She shook her head frantically at Yuki, who had been the one to speak.

Yuki pressed his palm to her head. "Do you have a fever?"

Tohru leapt back and almost hit Kyo. "No! I'm fine!" Stop blushing so much! I need a distraction…some kind of way to get him alone…

Catalyna shook her head, knowing all too well that Tohru was nervous because she planned on telling Kyo. She looked across the hall at an open door and looked in to see the room empty but with the lights on. As she leaned over a bit, Tohru's prayers for a distraction were answered as Catalyna exclaimed loudly…

"A piano!"

Everyone's attention suddenly drew to her as she ran in to the room and over to the piano with a smile.

Slowly, everyone began to follow her in to the room and Tohru took this chance to pull Kyo aside. Just be brave…Courage!

She lightly tapped his shoulder as he tried to follow everyone in to the room . He turned around and raised an eyebrow as in saying 'Yes?'

"Um, Kyo-kun…" She looked at the floor. "Can I talk to you?"

And in the room the distracted remained…

"Lyna-kun, do you play?"

Catalyna sat down at the bench, then turned around to look at Yuki. "Is it okay if I play something?"

Yuki shrugged and smiled. "It should be okay, people come in her all the time just to mess with that thing. This is the music room."

Catalyna smiled and turned around, ready to play her favorite song.

"Wait," Uo said as she peered out of the door at Kyo and Tohru, who were standing across the hall. "Why are they out there…?"

"Leave them." Catalyna said without turning around. "Leave her alone, she's going to tell him something important."

Haru raised his eyebrow and stood next to her. "Is she going to tell him….that she loves him?"

Catalyna nodded and everyone looked around at each other. She finally looked around at everyone and said "And that's why we're in here, and they're out there."

Hana gave a very (very very) small smile. "Why, Lyna-kun, you meant this as a way to give them privacy."

Catalyna nodded and placed her fingers on the keys. "Now, I really think we should stay in here…"

"I play violin." Momiji said as he plopped down next to her and smiled. "We should play together! How long have you played the piano?"

"Well, I only play by ear." Catalyna said, and with some confused looks from people she explained herself. "I don't know how to read the notes or know what the keys are…I just play what sounds right."

Momiji smiled and gave her a soft shove. "Well go on, show us what you know!"

Here goes nothing….my crappy talent… Catalyna blushed, feeling Momiji's eyes on her. She sat up straight and began to play the introduction to her favorite song: Come Home by One Republic.

And out in the hall, the Onigiri struggled with herself…

Tohru looked up at Kyo, feeling her courage come to the surface as he looked at her with gentle eyes. She stepped forward so there was only a foot between them.

"Kyo-kun," She began shaky as her hands began to tremble and her legs slowly started to feel like Jello. "I want to tell you something…that's important to me."

"Okay," He nodded and shifted his weight evenly on his two feet. "I'm listening."

Tohru gulped as she looked in to his eyes. "You see, I told myself that I would tell you when I felt the most courage and strength to…and that happens to be right now."

She glanced at the music room and was happy to see everyone paying attention to Catalyna's playing. She sighed and continued.

"You see, Kyo-kun, for a long time there's been a certain…feeling inside of me. I'm not sure when it started, but I know I realized it when you made me the leek soup when I was sick." She watched as his cheeks tinged pink and he looked at the wall beside them. But he did not say anything and so she went on.

"At first I was scared because I didn't know how to handle it. I had never felt the…strange tingling in my stomach and my knees shake when I was around anyone." She felt her courage start to slip as the pink on his cheeks began to subside and he looked like he was concentrating on the wall very hard. Oh no, what if I'm bothering him? But I have to do this, I can't give up! I want him to know, even if the feeling isn't mutual.

She swallowed and felt her breath starting to speed up in her nervousness. "You are the most wonderful person I have ever met…and I'm so happy that you broke through the roof that day."

What is she saying? Kyo kept his eyes glued on the wall, afraid that if he looked at her he may do something stupid…like kiss her. This sounds like the things I should be saying to her…and why is she so nervous? He chanced a glance at her and did not look back at the wall as their eyes locked, setting off the fluttering in his stomach.

"I want you to know," Tohru said as she felt the familiar feeling of her knees growing weak. "That I'm happy we've grown so close."

Her knees gave out when he gave her a weak smile, and he caught her by the shoulders like he had before. This time, though, they were much closer with only a few inches between their bodies.

"Are you okay?" Kyo asked as he studied her face for any signs of a fever. "Maybe we should go home…"

"No!" Tohru said at once and she managed to stand on her feet but not pull away from him. "No, I have to tell you this." Some more courage came in to her from an unknown source and she placed her hands on his upper arms, gripping them a little to keep her nervousness in check.

"Are you sure?" He asked in a worried tone, blush creeping up his cheeks when her hands gripped his arms. "Cause if you're sick, we really should get you-"

"I love you."

Tohru cut him off with her confession before he went on. She felt the strange relief as the words left her mouth, but stuttered a bit as she continued on. "Y-you don't have to say anything, I just wanted you t-to know because it's true and I lo-"

"Don't say it."

She looked at him to see his gaze at the ground between them. She had expected rejection, but was not sure what make of this. She tilted her head to the side. "Say what?"

Kyo looked up and straight in to her eyes. "Don't say you love me…if you don't mean it." He watched as her expression changed to confusion. She could not have meant it, why would she? It's impossible for someone like her to love someone like me. I'm selfish and angry, she's selfless and hopeful. I don't want her to say it…even if she means it, which I doubt she does, because then what happens after graduation…?

Tohru closed her eyes and nodded. "Kyo-kun, I mean it more than I've ever meant anything else I've said." She opened her eyes to see his doubtful ones. "Please believe me…"

The sound of the piano stopping caught the people in the music room's attention…

"Why'd you stop?" Momiji asked as Catalyna took her hands away from the keys and looked around the room.

"Something's not right." She said as she got up and looked around the room, confusing everyone at her actions.

"What do you mean?" Hanajima asked as she braided Uo's hair on a desk.

"It's a gut feeling, like something's wrong." Catalyna said as she thought to herself. I hope I'm wrong, I usually have these when something bad is going to happen…

Back out in the hall the no longer present music did not affect either one…

"You have to believe me, Kyo-kun." Tohru begged as she squeezed his arm gently.

"I'm sorry," Kyo said without taking his eyes away from hers and still gripping her shoulders. "But I can't believe it."

Tohru thought for a moment before she said shyly. "Then, I have to convince you…"

The muscles in her legs stretched as she slowly stood on tip toe, allowing her eyes to close. As to where the bravery came from, it was beyond her. All she knew was that Kyo did not believe her, and there was no way that would pass for this confession. And so, with all the courage she could muster, she tilted her head up and gently pressed her lips against his.

Kyo's eyes were wide with shock. She's kissing me, she's kissing me! He felt his body begging to respond to her kiss, but his mind running a million miles per hour kept him glued in the position; eyes wide open as the girl of his dreams kissed him.

He's not doing anything…maybe I crossed the line! Tohru kept her eyes closed, shutting them tighter as the seconds went by in silence.

Do something, idiot! Kyo urged himself. You've been waiting for this, do something.

He gently squeezed her shoulders and his eyes slid closed. He returned the pressure and felt her tense up for a moment, but then relax as he began to move his lips against hers…

…..It was bliss.

He felt his body pull away from her, but in such a daze he thought it was his own will, until he felt hands grip his shoulders from behind and pull him completely away from her.

He turned around to see two men in black suits grabbing him, and their strength was too much as they pulled him down the hallway.

Tohru felt the emptiness as she kept her eyes closed, afraid of what she might see in his if she opened them. He pulled away, maybe he doesn't care…

"What are you doing with Kyon?"

Uo's voice caused Tohru to open her eyes and see the two men pulling Kyo away as he struggled against them.

"What the hell? Who are you guys?" Kyo shouted in the empty hall.

"We work for Akito." One of them said.

"Wait!"

Tohru ran after them and yelled. "Where are you taking him? Who are you?"

The two men stopped about six feet away from her. The one who had spoken to Kyo looked at her as the group of friends ran up behind her.

"Are you Tohru Honda?" He asked.

Tohru nodded uncertainly. "Yes, that's me. Where are you taking Kyo-kun?"

"Akito says," The man said to Tohru as he tightened his grip on Kyo's shoulder. "It's time for the Cat's confinement, and for you to stay out of it unless you want your memories erased.

"Confinement?!" Kyo exclaimed in disbelief. "But it's not-"

"He hasn't graduated yet!!" Tohru yelled as she took a step toward the men. "You can't take him now, it's not time! He still has time!"

Everyone behind her watched in disbelief. The only ones who did not understand what was happening were Uo and Hanajima.

Kyo looked at Tohru with his mouth open slightly. She knows? How the hell does she know? He wanted to ask her, ask her who had told her about it, but he couldn't find his voice and nothing came out as he opened his mouth to speak.

"Let's go, Cat."

The men pulled Kyo away, switching their grips from his shoulders to his arms. This was it, he was going in to early confinement, but why? Akito had said until he graduated high school, and he was only in the winter of his second year!

"Tohru, what's going on?"

Tohru dropped to her knees as they pulled Kyo through the doors and exited the school. How, how had this happened? Just as she had told him how she felt, it all came crashing down. Tohru looked up to see the worried faces of her two clueless friends. Something suddenly burst in her, a strange fire that she had never felt.

"Tohru, wait!"

She leapt up to her feet and ran full speed down the hallway, pushing open the doors and her eyes falling on a black four door car parked at the front of the school. The back door was open and Kyo was being pushed in to the back seat.

"Kyo-kun!"

She bolted for the car, ignoring everything around her except for the orange haired guy she was in love with, being closed in to the back of the car as the door slammed shut. The two men got in the car and began to drive away.

No, no! Come back, come back with Kyo-kun…

She slowed to a stop at the curb, watching the car as it turned a corner down the street and vanished from her sight. She gasped for breath as the heavy footsteps of all her friends running behind her caught up with her and they questioned her at once.

"Tohru, why did they take him?" Catalyna grabbed her and made her face her. "You said it was until the end of high school!"

"You knew about this?" Momiji asked in bewilderment as he caught his breath.

"Why did they take him?" Hanajima asked as she looked around at the Sohmas and two girls.

He's gone…they took him…forever.

It was no use trying to hold the tears back; they poured out of her eyes as Tohru began to sob uncontrollably. The pain in her chest, it was horrible! What was she going to do without the one person who she trusted most? Her heart felt like it was breaking in two and she gasped as she tried to stop herself from looking like a weakling.

"Tohru.." Catalyna grabbed her and held her in her arms, letting her sob in to her shoulder while the Sohmas explained the confinement to Uo and Hanajima.

"Why?" Tohru choked out as Catalyna rubbed her back soothingly. "Why did they take Kyo-kun away from me?"

Oh, god, what do we do now?! Catalyna's brain was on overdrive as she held Tohru tighter. There's only one person who's responsible for this…

…Akito.

Gone…

That night at the home of Shigure, dinner had been the most uncomfortable and awkward ever. Non of the three spoke, which was saying a lot since Shigure would usually be able to talk through anything. The truth was that the entire zodiac had found out about Kyo being thrown in to confinement early. No one had the heart to say anything about it, and so all had sat in silence until the two males excused themselves awkwardly. Now, though, Tohru was standing outside of his door, praying that when she opened it she would awake from some kind of dream and he would be there.

A sigh escaped her lips and she turned the knob and swung open the door. No, of course it's not a dream. She walked in and shut the door behind her, careful not to wake anyone else sleeping in the house as she turned on the light switch to find the room very clean. She glanced at the clock on his wall to find it was now two forty five in the morning, and she had not been able to get to sleep at all.

"Kyo…" She walked over to his night stand and sat on the bed next to it, inhaling his natural scent that was very strong in the sheets. She tenderly touched the pillow, remembering when they had fallen asleep after she told him her big secret. Carefully she grabbed his pillow and held it to her chest, finding a strange comfort as she buried her face in the fabric.

She pulled her face out of the pillow with tears sliding down her face and she placed it back where it had been previously on the neatly done bed. Without an ounce of emotion on her features she pulled open the top drawer of his night stand and rummaged through it all the way to the back and very bottom. Ah, there it is…

She pulled out a small photograph and looked at it, no longer shocked that he had this. It was a picture of her when she was little. It was hard to recall exactly when she had taken it, but she knew it had to be shortly before her father died since she had a genuine smile on her face and her young cheeks tinged pink in an innocent way.

Yes, she had seen this picture before, when she had gone in his room to retrieve his laundry one day and found it because a sock was hanging halfway out of this drawer. At first it worried her greatly because she could not recall ever giving it to him or even having one in her possession herself. The only person who had ever had this picture was….

…her mom.

A/N: Don't be angry! I'm mad at myself for taking Kyo-kun away from Tohru! But I had to for the sake of the story…so sorry. I wanted to be like "they smooched and they lived happily ever after! Yay!" But I couldn't since there is so much involved with the story.

So, please review if you get the chance and let me know what you think!