A/N: Hi people! :D I've got way into the swing of things now with my writing and more constant updates will be happening! (It's so close to summer holidays :D) I have been working on a new multi-chap. Completely different from this one with a plot that I haven't seen in this fandom lately/ before so if you want to read that then I will put the name of it in the next chapter that happens to be out at the same time as that story (that sounded so confusing). Anyway, on with this one!

I stood in the hallway of Shigure's house for the second time this month, this time dumbfounded. Next to me stood Hatori, carrying a large gym bag full of clothes and most precious items because he had been kind enough to let me stop off at my house to gather a few possessions on the way here. I couldn't help but laugh a little as I re-lived the moment where my Mother had opened the door to a stranger in a white doctors coat and her daughter stood on her front step. Hatori had taken no time in explaining the circumstances to my Mother and requesting that she let us in to pick up some necessary items.

Now I stood, still utterly confused by the results of the past hour, in Shigure's house where Hatori expected him to allow me to stay. Thoughts of rejection crossed my mind, if he didn't let me stay where would I go?

"Shigure?" Called Hatori loudly, his voice echoing through the house.

"I'm in my study, come in." He called back as, who I recognised as, Kyo came round the corner to go up the stairs, he was in his boxer shorts and looked about ready for bed. He failed to notice me as he trudged on through the hall and past the study.

"He's hardly going to risk his neck in there!" Shouted Kyo, now half way up the stairs.

"Agreed." Hatori said as the slam of his bedroom door was heard. We wouldn't be seeing any more of him tonight it seemed.

"But I'm in mid-flow Hari!"

"When, have you ever been in mid-flow Shigure?" It seemed Shigure had no answer to this as he appeared out his study, his robe slung messily over him. He paid no attention to his surroundings, lazily walking down the hall towards us, the bruise on his right eye shone in the light from the lamp and the cuts were plastered all over his face. He seemed, different, almost as though he had been thinking hard about something. His hair was rather messy and his fringe stuck up at odd angles, he'd obviously been running his hands through it.

"Umiko will be staying in this house Shigure." Hatori stated bluntly, this was enough to wake Shigure Sohma from his comatose state.

"H-here?" He stammered but realised shortly afterwards that I was stood almost directly in front of him, "Of course! Here will be fine!"

"It better be." Replied Hatori, he smiled at me gently, "If you ever need anything, medical or otherwise, don't hesitate to call Umiko." He continued as he placed my gym bag on the floor.

"Thank you Hatori." I said quietly with a smile. It was the first time I'd spoken since being there today. He walked away out of the door into the night without looking back.

I'd noticed a change in myself lately but I had no idea if others had noticed it too. Maybe Amaya or Carly had done? Either way there was no denying it, I was different. I was more withdrawn and shy than I used to be, I used to have a sharp sarcasm and wonderful wit but now I was just slowly by surely holing myself away into the darkness.

A brunette haired girl came hurrying around the corner in her nightie, her hair was still up in bows from school and she was wearing bright yellow rubber gloves that were dripping with soap.

"Did I hear Hatori? Is everything alright?" She worried as she took off her gloves.

"Everything is fine, Tohru. We have a visitor though." He said happily enough and nodded towards me. So this was Tohru. This was the first time I had seen her close up let alone spoken to her. Tohru made her way over to me with a happy smile.

"You're Umiko right? I've heard about you from school! Uo-chan told me!" She giggled happily, I'd kinda forgotten that even if I didn't know someone, if they went to my school they would know me anyway.

"Yeah, that's me." I replied simply with a small smile. I was suddenly a lot more shy than I had thought I would be. I was talking to the only girl so far to break the barriers between Yuki and his Fan Club and I was feeling weirdly over-powered. None the less she seemed like a nice girl and after all that's all she was. A girl.

"Umiko will be sharing your room, if that's okay with you?"

"That's fine! I've never had a roommate before!"

"Well how about you go help her set up?" I bent down to pick up my bag but Tohru hurried me away.

"No no no! I'll do it! I don't want you straining yourself!" She babbled and I smiled gratefully. I really was lost for words in the presence of her, not to mention that I was now living in the Sohma's house. It was madness.

I was about to walk up the stairs when Shigure pulled me to the side gently. He looked into my eyes and opened his mouth as if about to speak, he resembled a goldfish at his point and I would have laughed, but the air was so tense you could have cut it with a knife. This obviously was not the time. I had been trying not to make eye-contact, we were so close now but I caught his eye by mistake. That was it, we were locked in eye contact not one of us wanting to break away. I could see his cuts and bruises so much clearer now and there was an obvious mark where he had been punched in the eye and another where he looked as though he had been thrown up a wall or other hard surface. He opened his mouth once again.

"If you need the loo, it's the second on your right." And he left. I stood there for a while myself trying to realise what had just happened not I couldn't understand. I only realised how long I had been stood there looking gormless when Tohru appeared at the door to tell me that her bed was ready.

I followed her back up the stairs and sunk onto the comfy mattress on the floor. I quickly changed into a vest top and shorts before climbing into the covers. The duvet felt soft against my bare arms and legs and it was a feeling I welcomed. I lay back on the pillow and closed my eyes staying awake long enough to hear the goodnights of Tohru before I fell asleep