Author's Note: Okay, now to answer some questions!

Scherherazade: As explained in Chapter Three, all personal servants of Kyouya stays in his room in case overnight he wants something he can wake them up and force them to get it. Haruhi is no exception, although in this case, since he has a deep fascination for our young thief, having her in the same room in order to observe her (almost sound stalkerish when you think of it) is plausible. Depends on your thought process.

Green tulip: Yes, Hunny and Mori are servants of Kyouya's. A slight explaination of how they came to stay with him will be in this chapter. Also, thanks to the sake of the story, I've also made both of them much older than Kyouya and Haruhi, but then again that was given in the actual story so this shouldn't be anything new. Enjoy!

Chapter Nine: Father

"Be careful on your trip, and say hello to Kyouya for me," Fuyumi said as the door to the carriage swung closed, "Thank you for the surprise visit; we certainly enjoyed your company over the past week."

A chuckle erupted from the carriage as the face of an elder, lightly-bearded man appeared in the window, "Of course. Why wouldn't I visit my own children?"

Haruhi sighed, collapsing onto the bed she just made with a sigh, "Jeez...what the hell did Kyouya do before he forced me to come here? I seriously doubt he forced Hunny and Mori to do all the stuff that I'm doing now."

Rolling over, she stared out the window. She watched the curtains blow softly, hitting delicately against the wall as they fell back. She looked back on the time; how long has it been since she's come to stay at the villa? It had to be at least two months since the Hitachiin twins had come to stay with them for a night. The engagement ball was a few weeks before that...she had to guess it has been at least three and a half months then.

During that time, she could sense and feel the changes that enveloped her world – and slowly she had started to welcome them. She knew part of her treasure, her precious innocence saved for the one she loves, was gone, given up to her captor Kyouya and the dark-intentions-laced Hikaru, but at the same time she felt as though she had grown up from the experience of that loss.

Her fingers subconsciously went to her lips, tracing them, feeling the faint touches of Kyouya's kisses upon them. She thought, at these quiet times, how each one was different: one spurred on by music and subtle anger, another raggedly and rough, the next sweet and apologetic, the last passionate and capturing. Tracing over them again, Haruhi began to wonder why each of these were so different from one another – after all, shouldn't a kiss be a kiss? What makes Kyouya so different? Could it be that she wants...?

Suddenly, she shook her head of the thoughts and pinched her cheeks, sitting up from the bed, "Ugh, how disturbing of a thought process. I must be losing my mind. Seriously, Kyouya my lover! Ha, like THAT would ever happen!"

And somewhere downstairs, Kyouya sneezed.

Hunny was the first to heard hooves pounding up the path to the villa.

He turned towards the window, his hands full of laundry, and eyed a red-and-black carriage nearing the villa. Squinting slightly, he could see the gold, embossed Ohtori family crest on its left side as the carriage turned, and Hunny gasped, "Uh-oh! A guest from the castle is coming!"

Placing the laundry down on the floor, he began to run down the hall to the stairs, and all the way down to the garden where Kyouya was reading and Haruhi was folding sheets with the help of Mori. "Kyou-chan! There's a guest from Ohtori Castle coming! They're almost at the villa!"

Looking up from his book, Kyouya lifted his brow, "I received no letter of this. What on Earth is going on?"

Placing a marker in his book, he stood up from his chair and followed Hunny back inside, leaving Haruhi to watch as sneakily as possible and Mori with sheets still in his hands.

"Visitors from Ohtori Castle? More blasted royals?" she questioned bitterly.

"Perhaps one of the King's advisors?" Mori questioned softly, "Or one of Kyouya's brothers have come to visit."

Ruffling her nose with a sniffle, Haruhi torn herself away from the door for a quick moment and turned back to the sheets, "Hmph, again, more blasted royals."

"Father! What are you doing here? Why didn't you send notice that you were coming?"

Stepping out the carriage, King Yoshio Ohtori spoke firmly, "I'm sure, my son, with your wealth of knowledge that you know what the words "surprise visit" means. I wish to check in on all of my children, including yourself, Kyouya."

Kyouya glared, although it was missed due to Yoshio's attention being turned the smaller Hunny standing next to him. "Ah, Mitsukuni. I see you are doing well. Takashi isn't around, however? Usually you two are inseparable," the king said, "I see that spending time out here at the villa has done you much better than life in the castle."

Hunny nodded, "Yes, Your Majesty. We enjoy it very much out here – after all, we've taken care of Kyou-chan since he was a young boy, so of course we did want to join him when he decided to live out here. Of course, now we also have Haru-chan, so she helps out-"

Kyouya groaned, "Mitsukuni..."

"She? A woman is living here, Kyouya? Are you involved and you didn't tell me?" Yoshio questioned, staring at his son.

"She's just a servant. Currently, she's out in the garden working on the sheets with Takashi. However, I'll have her make a room for you right away," Kyouya stated firmly, trying to erase any questions and doubts in his father's mind, "Come inside. Mitsukuni, get Father's bags then direct the carriage around to the stable."

"Oh hell no!"

Haruhi glared, her arms crossed over her chest, "I already have to deal with one annoying Ohtori. Don't dare tell me I have to deal with two of them."

"It's not like I'm pleased with it either, Haruhi," Kyouya said, handing her one end of the last sheet, Mori now inside to cook lunch, "However, it's not like I could've hid you anyway. So, for one week, you're going to have to deal with it. Also, considering that he's the king and will likely know your appearance, we're going to have to-"

Haruhi groaned, forcibly taking the end, "You've GOT to be joking! Wigs and disguises! For an entire week! I barely could stand that for a night when you forced me to go to that dumbass lord's ball, but for a week in front of your old man?"

Chuckling at Tamaki being called a "dumbass lord", Kyouya spoke, "Well, it's either that, or risk having him capture and execute you. You can pick your poison, of course."

Glaring again, she took the folded sheet and tossed it into the bin with the others, stomping into the villa, "How I loathe you. I really hope that one day you rot in Hell."

"I'll meet you there."

"Ah, so you are...Haru-chan?"

Haruhi cringed inwardly at the nickname, but outwardly she smiled and curtsied, tuffs of her hair falling into her face from under her headkerchief. "My name is Haruhi, Your Majesty. It's my honor to be able to serve you. I hope that you will find my service to be satisfactory."

Yoshio half-smiled, motioning his hand to allow her to stand upright, "You're too polite, Haruhi. However, perhaps that's one reason why Kyouya hired you, next to your beauty."

Blushing faintly – she was never being used being called beautiful in any context – Haruhi hid her lips being her hand, "Thank you for your compliments, Your Majesty, but I'm sure that Lord Kyouya had hired me for my work ethic moreso over than my looks."

From across the room, with arms crossed and eyes hiding by the glare of his glasses, Kyouya monitored the scene. He, for one, admired Haruhi's quick portrayal of the ever-docile and friendly maid, but loathed the second-handed comments his father used in order to embarrass him in addition to tripping her up in her act. Biting on his bottom lip, Kyouya kept back his growl as the conversation continued, until he finally had enough and had to intervene.

"Haruhi, I'm sure you're enjoying yourself, but you do have work to do. First, you need to get the regal tea set from the attic and have it washed before lunch. Then, with Mitsukuni's help both of you must set up the table for lunch. You also need to clean up the guest room for Father to make sure it's the absolute best, as well as straighten up that mess you made in the basement earlier."

"But that mess wasn't-"

"Also when that's all done, feed the horses in the stable, water the flowers in the garden, and then set up for dinner."

Glaring, Haruhi held her tongue to curse out the dark lord for the heavy workload he had given her, then turned back towards Yoshio with a smile. With another curtsy, she spoke, "I suppose I should get started on this list then. However, please call upon me if you need anything, Your Majesty."

As soon as she exited the room, Yoshio turned to his son, "I believe you were a little harsh on her, Kyouya. If you were trying to show off, you did in the wrong way possible."

"I have no idea what you're talking about, Father."

"You can't fool me so easily."

Taking a sip of his tea, the king looked up at his son, the look in his eyes surprising Kyouya, "So when were you going to tell me that you had the infamous thief Haruhi Fujioka under your roof?"

With a sneeze and a wipe of her nose, Haruhi groaned for the...oh, she lost count for that day, "God damn that Kyouya! Giving me this much work, just because he was showing off in front of his old man. Yeah yeah, I know – I'm the servant, but sheesh. I can't do EVERYTHING! And the mess down here was NOT my fault – it was Hunny's fault too!"

Sighing, Haruhi looked around for a stepstool of some sort, clearing her throat every few moments, then finally gave up and shoved the boxes off into a corner. "It'll do. I'll ask Mori to help place them on a tall shelf later. Geez, now on top of everything else, I think I'm getting a cold or something. Great, just great," she muttered, wiping some sweat from her brow, "Now I truly wonder who is the dumbass lord."

Soon the sun began to set and dinner was served...in the most awkward of settings.

Kyouya and Yoshio ate in silence, after being served their meal by Hunny and Mori, after their realization over Haruhi's true identity. Haruhi, on the other hand, was tired and feeling a bit feverish, tried her best to stay on her feet as she served tea between the two men, keeping eye contact with Yoshio but avoiding the necessary glare at her captor as much as she wanted to give him what for.

"Haruhi, are you feeling well? You seem a little wobbly."

"Oh, I'm all right, Your Majesty. I'm just a little tired from all the work I did today."

Yoshio eyed his son, then back at Haruhi, "But I hear you clearing your throat a lot. Are you sure you're all right?"

Haruhi smiled, "Yes, Your Majesty, I assure you I'm all right."

"Then if you're all right," Kyouya interjected, "Then dust out the study, and after clean up my room for when I go to sleep tonight."

Glaring and biting on her lip as she set down the teapot, Haruhi let out a very low, "Yes, Lord Kyouya."

However, she barely turned and took two steps before she felt her legs giving way. "Haruhi? Haru-" Kyouya began to question, standing up from his chair, but froze in his tracks as Yoshio grabbed the young woman before she fell face-first onto the floor.

Touching her forehead and noting her labored breathing, Yoshio clicked his tongue against his teeth, "Your showing off caused her to become feverish. She's not used to such hard labor, and yet you kept pushing her. You have a strange way of showing your intentions, son."

Kyouya had little time to made an interjection before his father moved past him, Haruhi cradled in his arms.

When Haruhi awoke, she felt the feeling of a cool, wet cloth on her forehead and a soft bed surrounding her.

Looking around, she could tell she was in Kyouya's room, but definitely not her bed – after all, she could see her nightdress hanging off her raggedy bed across the room – but why she had no clue.

"Are you feeling better now, Haruhi?"

Turning her head towards the voice, the cloth falling to her side, she finally saw Yoshio sitting at her side and she began to stutter in order to keep up her act, "Y-Your Majesty! I apologize for the embarrassment I caused you!"

Waving his hand, Yoshio smiled, "Nonsense. You can drop the act, Haruhi Fujioka. You don't need to pretend to be so docile in front of me, although I do appreciate it."

Surprised, Haruhi sat up slowly in the bed, grabbing the cloth and holding it loosely in her hands, "Huh? What do you mean?"

"I already know who you are. The infamous thief of the night, Haruhi Fujioka. I admit, I was a little surprised to see you playing the part of a docile servant and so well, but being a thief I'm sure you had to be a terrific actress as well to get what you want," Yoshio said, "I admit, I can also now see why Kyouya has had such an interesting fascination with you since he was a child."

Haruhi sat there confused – here she was, King Yoshio Ohtori talking to her and knowing full well who she was, but wasn't making any sort of move to arresting her. Also, the admission of Kyouya's fascination in her was a bit of a shocker – has her captor been stalking her since she was a little girl then? Isn't there some sort of law behind that, or because he's a royal and she a criminal the law didn't count.

"No, Haruhi, just because I know who you are doesn't mean I'm going to turn you in once I leave here. Out of a favor to Kyouya, I'll allow him to handle you. After all, according to him, you are a little bit of a spitfire, eh?"

Blushing very slightly again, Haruhi nodded, "I guess so. Being on the streets makes a person tough, and I'm no exception."

Yoshio nodded, smiling again, "Another reason why Kyouya became so fascinated with you. I still remember him talking to me on random nights about your escapades, and how if you were tried before him you would be found guiltless."

"You keep saying he has this fascination with me. Is Kyouya some sort of stalker that I don't know about? Quite honestly, I don't think Kyouya has any sort of fascination with me – his intentions for me lie more in the way of torture and teasing instead of being fascination."

"Heh, oh how wrong are you of that. Ever since you became a thief, he's followed every detail of news that had come of your name. You've impressed him with your dedication to changing society in your own ways, to the point that now he's even requested that I don't interfere. Such a deep fascination, a powerful devotion towards you...it actually makes me wonder if he's not truly in love with you, Haruhi."

She didn't speak a word, but her lips were parted in surprise at the sudden change in events about her captor's character. Kyouya, in love with her? Really? That could explain a few things, as she looked back quickly on the past, but honestly...could all of his actions really be based on some sort of deep fascination, some subconscious love for her?

"Of course, he would probably have my head for telling you all of this, so you will keep this our secret, won't you, Haruhi?" Yoshio said, and Haruhi quickly nodded.

"Of course, Your Majesty!"

The rest of the week seemed to go by in a blur. Haruhi, due to her fever, spent a portion of the week in her bed, often visited by Yoshio, and Kyouya did her work, feeling guilty for causing her trouble. However, by the end of the week, Haruhi was well enough to send him off.

"It was a pleasure meeting you, Your Majesty. While I'm not a fan of royals, you are truly in a league of your own."

"Thank you for the compliment, Haruhi; I'll treasure it. Make sure to take care of my son."

Turning an awkward eye towards Kyouya, she muttered a very short "I will" before stepping back.

Shaking his father's hand as Yoshio entered the carriage, Kyouya spoke, "Thank you for the visit. However, I'd appreciate some sort of notice the next time you come to visit."

"Well, that would be the opposite of a surprise, now wouldn't it? However, for your sake, I will. Take care, Kyouya, and you as well Haruhi," Yoshio said, motioning towards the carriage driver to start their journey towards the castle. Haruhi politely waved the carriage until it became too far out of sight as Kyouya just watched, eventually turning his sights towards the young thief.

"You became awfully close to my father. What did he talk to you about?"

"Is this out of envy?"

"Hmph, hardly. Now what did he talk to you about? What did he say about me behind my back?"

Haruhi laughed, "Oh, so you instantly think that your father backstabbed you! My, such trust you have in him; that's so pitiful it's laughable."

Kyouya glared, grabbing Haruhi's wrist and forcing her to face him, "Enough of your childish antics! What the hell did my father say to you!"

Gasping at the sudden action, Haruhi pulled away, "Don't touch me so! I don't care if you've had a fascination with me, that doesn't give you-"

She stopped mid-sentence at what she said, noting that she had spoken too much. Biting on her lip, she met his eyes very quickly, enough to see the incredible look of surprise on his face, then turned away.

"He told you-"

"It's none of your damn business what he told me! What conversations conspired between your father and myself are our business, and it's your business to stay out of it!"

Huffing, Haruhi ran back inside of the villa, avoiding Kyouya's grip as he tried to stop her. "Haruhi!" he shouted after her, but was ignored.

"...Damn my father...he told her everything..."

And ta-da! Chapter Nine is done! Yes, I KNOW this took forever. Blame school, work, AMVing, very long writer's block...pretty much life took away from this story even though the outlines for remaining chapters in this story have been laying in front of me for months. But I promise, I WILL finish this! I really will! Until the next chapter though, ja ne!