So, this chapter is named after "Dying in the Sun" by The Cranberries. This song fits the mood of the chapter better, but I feel like The Cranberries's other song, "No Need to Argue" really fits Kagura to a certain extent. It was kind of a toss-up, so I thought I'd mention both. :) (Also, I really hope I got her character right.)

Sorry for the delay. Around the time that I posted the last chapter, I found out that Funimation got the license to dub Fairy Tail through episode 175, so that was taking up a lot of my time. Sorry. =/ But thank you to Miss Luca and the sweetest PM I've ever received because she has refueled my fire for this story, even though she sent it forever ago. I hope I haven't lost any of you wonderful folks. And if you're still with me after all this time, then know that I appreciate each and every one of you. :')

Two weeks, it took. Two excruciatingly restless weeks of worrisome anticipation. That's how long it took for Akito to make up his damn mind. Kyo wouldn't have been surprised – and even would have accepted the decision, to an extent – if the Head had vetoed the idea. But with everything up in the air like it was, all he could do was sit and twiddle his thumbs. Momiji refused to try anything until Akito had given his word, one way or another. If he agreed that it was beneficial for Kyo to leave Sohma House for a few hours, then that was fan-freaking-tastic, and not in a sarcastic way. And if he shot down the idea – as everyone kind of expected, each to a different degree – then, at least they knew they had tried the easy way and wouldn't feel quite so guilty continuing on under the boss's nose. However, the root of Momiji's determination to stay put came from the fact that if they went ahead with their plans before hearing the decision, and Akito found out, there would be hell to pay – and it would hurt that much worse if the Head was even going to let them go on with their little outing before he discovered their underhandedness.

And so, as it was, Kyo sat and waited for two straight weeks. He couldn't eat. He couldn't sleep. All he could do was write to Tohru, and write to Tohru, he did. Even now, he doesn't know the details of Momiji's "connections" as he writes once more to She Who Holds His Heart. But honestly? He doesn't really give a damn. His letters are getting through, and he's getting letters back, and that's all he needs to know. It has crossed his mind, though, that these notes could all be fake, Momiji may not have any connections at all, and one of the Zodiac could be impersonating Tohru. But her word choice, her style, the things that she says – they're all completely and utterly his Tohru. Occasionally, he can almost audibly hear her say a certain phrase or sentence, and he smiles each time. As he reads her letters, his heart clenches with yearning for what he can't have and anticipation for what he knows he will. It's strange to know that they're one in the same.

As he writes now in his bed in the infirmary, he becomes vaguely aware of Haru switching guard duty with someone, but Kyo doesn't look up to see who it is. He doesn't really care; it's not like their identity affects him much. So, he continues to scribble, filling the page with whatever comes to mind. There's so much that he's wanted to tell her in these past three years, and in the two weeks that they've been exchanging letters, he's only covered a fraction of it. He can tell she feels the same. He and she are each a fountain overflowing with a broad spectrum of big pictures and minute details that only a lover can truly appreciate.

In the corner of his eye, he notices that the new guard did not sit down in the wooden chair, and he idly wonders why. But the thought flits away as fast as it came, and he writes. Light footsteps make their way over to his bedside, and he writes. A shadow crosses the page – and he writes.

"Kyo?"

He stops writing. The familiar voice rams his heart into his gut. He hasn't thought about her in ages. Slowly, he lifts his head to stare into the frowning face of Kagura.

"Hi," she says.

"Uh, hey," he says back. "Are you, uh… Are you my babysitter right now?"

"I guess you could say that, yeah."

She's speaking so quietly, it's almost like she's depressed. He's surprised that she's not reopening his wounds right now and berating him for being a stupid idiot who made her worry. He recalls a day back before graduation, back before the shit hit the fan, when she forced him to go on a date with her before she would listen to his honest rejection. He assumed that they had cleared the air after that, and he hadn't seen her much since. He also assumed that she was over him.

"Alright, well…" he began, feeling more than a little awkward. "Most of the time, whoever's in here just kinda does his own thing."

"Mm." She looks around the room, as if she's seeing it for the first time – and maybe she is. "That's a pretty big window. I bet that's nice."

"Oh, uh, yeah." He turns his head and looks outside, realizing he hasn't really been doing much of that lately. "It's pretty nice." When he turns back, she's walking toward the chair, and a small wave of relief washes over him. Then, she picks it up and carries it to his bedside, and he takes it back, every drop.

She sits quietly for a minute, staring at her hands in her lap. Just when he writes the next word in his letter, thinking she's done, she speaks up. "Kyo, do you know why I'm here?"

"Uh, not really. I was expecting Hiro or maybe Yuki."

"No, Kyo, I mean, why any of us come here to 'babysit' you, as you put it."

"To make sure I don't try and escape. Why else?"

She looks at him with the most pitiful eyes he thinks he has ever seen on her. It's weird, and he doesn't like it. He would much rather she beat him up than give him that look. It's creepy. Like she might cry, and not in her usual, overly dramatic way, either.

"Kyo, you're not on escape watch. You're on suicide watch."

Kyo blinks. "What?"

"You tried to kill yourself, Kyo." Her voice cracks on his name. "This may come as a shock to you, but some of us would rather you escape than be dead. And, yes, while I guess you're technically on escape watch, too, since you can't really do anything with someone in here, you're safety is more important." She pauses. Then, "God, you're an idiot. Do have any idea how worried I was about you?!" Ah, here it is. Familiar territory. "How do you think I felt when Kasumi burst into the dining room with a bloody knife, screaming, 'Oh, my God, it's Kyo! Hatori, please help!'" She waves her arms around during her impression of Kyo's caretaker, and it's so comical that he cracks a smile. Unfortunately for him, she notices. "Oh. You think this is funny? You think terror is funny? You think the feeling of having my heart ripped from my chest by cold, gnarled fingers is funny?" Kyo stops smiling. "Yeah. That's what it felt like." Tears are streaming freely now, and her voice is thick. "How freaking stupid can one person be?!" she yells, although somewhere in there is an underlying sob. She lets out shrill scream of frustration through clenched teeth, and when she's finished and her hands are on her face, the room is silent, and Kyo doesn't know what to say.

Finally, he utters quietly, "I'm sorry," and he doesn't truly know how much he means it until he says it out loud.

"Yeah, well." She wipes her eyes and sniffs. "I'm glad you're alive," she finishes quietly.

There's a pause before Kyo says finally, "Thanks."

Kagura laughs without humor.

Kyo writes another word in his letter.

"You know, Momiji thinks that if you get closer to Tohru, the curse will break."

Kyo avoids her gaze. "Yeah, I heard. Although, when you put it that way, it sounds kinda stupid."

"I guess." She pauses. "Do you think it'll work?"

"I don't know, Kagura. Maybe." He doesn't mean to, but he's growing irritated. It's difficult to find the right words for Tohru when Kagura keeps talking to him.

"I guess we'll find out." She says it so quietly; Kyo picks up a hint of regret in her voice, or maybe just a double meaning. It takes a minute for him to realize what she's saying.

"Wait, what?" This time, he looks up.

"Yeah. I bet you'll be excited."

"Why's that?" He's getting anxious.

"Because you'll get to see her soon."

"What?! He agreed?!"

"Yeah. I wanted to be the one to tell you. Akito's gonna let you into the city."