Chapter Two

Disclaimer: You dorks, if I owned Fruits Basket, would I be writing this? I mean, REALLY.

Thanks again for your reviews yall! I REALLY appreciate it! And thanks Mikata-Chan! Your spirit always keeps me going!

ANYWAYS… ON WITH IT!!

Be warned….this is a ooper-dooper (WOW, that was GAY…) long chappie, so take a deep breath and step foreword brave soul!!!!

"Ah, Tohru! That was wonderful!" Shigure said, leaning back and setting his chopsticks on his plate.

"Thank you!" Tohru said with a smile, picking all the plates up and taking them to the kitchen. She sat back down at the table after she had put away the dishes.

"You three will have to bundle up. It's quite cold out." Shigure said

"Yes, and it's supposed to snow this evening, too." Yuki agreed.

"Really!" Tohru said "that's great!"

"What the hell's so great about snow anyway? I mean, really. It falls and then it melts and makes a big mess. And its so damn cold!" Kyo said in his usual rough shot manner.

"Yes, but it's so pretty! And it's so much fun to play in!" Tohru said happily, rolling down the sleeve of her left pink turtleneck.

"We should probably get going soon." Yuki said, standing up. He and Kyo were already wearing their school uniforms, but Tohru wasn't. Just as she was getting ready to head upstairs, --

"Oh, Tohru. Before I forget, your Grandfather called yesterday while you were at work." Shigure said.

"Really?" Tohru said, looking over in surprise.

"What did he want?" Kyo asked, leaning against a wall.

"He seemed real worried about something, but he wouldn't tell me what was bothering him. He just told me to tell Tohru (alliteration!!!) to call him when she gets the chance."

"I wonder what's up." Yuki said.

"Do you guys mind if I call him real quick?" Tohru asked.

"No, not at all, Miss Honda." Yuki said, giving her a small smile. Tohru bowed to them and left the room, leaving the door open behind her. Shigure turned on the TV, and they all half-listened to the weather report.

"Hello? Is Grandpa there?" they heard Tohru ask.

"Yes, I'll get him right now."

"Thank you."

"…Hello? Tohru?"

"Grandpa, hi!" Tohru said.

"It's good to hear your voice."

"How are you doing these days? Is your back okay?"

"I'm…I'm fine."

"Uh…Grandpa? What's wrong?

"Tohru…I saw…"

"What?"

"I saw him…"

"Who?"

"Kaze…" he said softly. Tohru gasped and stiffened, staring at a spot on the floor. Her hair fell around her face.

"A-are you j-joking?" she stammered, her voice shaking.

"No. He just showed up out of the blue about two days ago. He asked where you and Kyoko were, and when I told him that Kyoko was dead, he actually cried. He has changed a lot."

"Does he know where I am?" Tohru asked.

"No. I didn't tell him. Tohru, I just wanted to let you know…in case you didn't want to see him."

"…"

"Tohru?"

"I have to get going Grandpa."

"Alright. Goodbye."

"Goodbye." Tohru said softly, hanging up the phone.

(Tohru POV)

'No…it CAN'T be…. it just can't be Kaze…. how could he really be back?'

FLASHBACKS

"Tohru! Tohru! Hey! Come here!" a 9-year-old boy called. He had short, wavy hair, dark green eyes, and wore a black hoodie over jeans.

"Coming!" a 5-year-old Tohru said, running up to Kaze. Her hair was short and there was a ribbon in it. She wore a maroon-colored dress and white stockings. "What is it, Kaze?" she asked, walking to his side. Look!" he said, pointing out the window. Tohru looked and her face lit up.

"Kaze! It's snowing! Yea!" she cried, hugging him.

"Common, let's go ask if we can play in it!" he said. They ran down the hall to Kyoko's room, where they bust in to see Kyoko, sitting on her bed reading a book. She had a cup of hot coffee on the bedside table next to her and was still wearing her pajamas.

"Can we-" Tohru and Kaze both started to say.

"-yes. Have fun." Kyoko said, not looking up from her book. Tohru and Kaze looked at each other and grinned, quickly running to the coat closet and grabbing their coats and gloves. As soon as they were dressed, they ran outside, giggling and laughing. They made snow angels first, standing up and admiring their work when the finished. Kaze boasted about how his was bigger than hers, and she threw a snowball at him, just missing. Then, Kaze went to the garage and, while Tohru made snowballs, grabbed the little green sled. He came out with its pull-string wrapped around his waist.

"Get in Tohru!" he yelled. Tohru grinned and hopped in. Kaze ran off, swerving to try to get Tohru to fall out, while she laughed and hung on. When she finally fell out, she still didn't stop laughing. And neither did Kaze.

A VERY DIFFERENT SCENE…

"Tohru, it's about Kaze…" Kyoko said, trying to console her crying daughter.

"Mom, where is he? I haven't seen him all week!" Tohru cried as her mother hugged her. She was 13 now.

"Ssh…it's alright Tohru." Kyoko said softly, stroking Tohru's hair.

"But Mom! Where did he go!"

"I don't know honey."

"But WHY?"

"I don't know." Kyoko said, a tear falling down her face.

YO!!! TOHRU!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

"WWWWWWWWWWWAAAAAAAAAAAAHHHHHHHHHHHHHHHH!!!!" Tohru screamed, abruptly jolting out of her memories.

"Miss Honda! You're alright! Calm down!" came the worried voice of Yuki Tohru spun around, her heart beating wildly in her chest, to se Yuki, Kyo, and Shigure standing behind her.

"Tohru, are you alright?" Shigure asked, looking concerned.

"O----O---oh, I'm fine…"Tohru said shakily.

"Miss Honda, what on Earth were you thinking about?" Yuki asked.

"Yea, you totally zoned out and you didn't even hear us calling for you." Kyo said, running a hand through his bright orange hair.

"I—I'm s-sorry…" Tohru stammered. "I-I think I'll go g-get ready for school now…" The Sohmas watched her go upstairs, and after she had disappeared Yuki through Kyo a horrible glare.

"WHAT THE HELL ARE YOU LOOKIN AT RAT BOY?!!!" Kyo yelled, jumping back a bit.

"You stupid cat! You scared her so bad, she can't hardly talk!" Yuki yelled, shoving his cousin to the side.

"Now, now you two…don't go wrecking my house again." Shigure said, to no avail.

"Shut up you damn rat! It's not my fault she's such an airhead!" Kyo yelled, shoving Yuki back.

"Well you didn't have to yell at her!"

"Shut it ya damn ra-" POW!!! With a solid kick to the face, Kyo went stumbling back. Before more of the fight could commence, however, Tohru came down the stairs with her coat and scarf in her arms.

"Ah, Tohru, are you ready to go?" Shigure asked, while inside thanking the lord that his house was spared.

"Yes. I just have to grab the list from the kitchen." Tohru said, setting her coat and scarf on the stairs. She came back a few moments later with the list in her hand, which she stuffed in the pocked of her cream colored coat.

"Well, have a good day you three!" Shigure called, heading back to his study, tugging on the sleeve of his kimono.

"Bye Shigure!" Tohru called as she put her coat on and stuck her maroon and purple striped scarf in her other pocket. Yuki and Kyo also put on their coats and they headed off to school, unaware that they were being watched…

"So, Miss Honda, was everything alright with your grandfather?" Yuki asked, walking on Tohru's left.

"Oh….yes." Tohru answered slowly, not really looking at him.

"Liar." Kyo said as he walked on her right.

"No really! There's nothing wrong!" Tohru said frantically. She smiled, but both Kyo and Yuki could see that there was something bothering her.

(At school)

"Tohru! Hey!" came Uo's voice. She and Hana walked up to meet the trio at the entrance.

"Hello!" Tohru said, her smile not quite matching up to its usual standard. Uo raised an eyebrow and Hana stared.

"Tohru…there's something bothering you, isn't there?" Hana said in an eerie voice.

"Uh no! No! I'm alright you guys! Really!" Tohru said.

"Are you sure?" Uo asked, not believing her.

"Uh-huh!" Tohru said. "Um…there's something I have to do real quick, but I'll see you guys in class, okay?"

"Uh, sure Miss Honda." Yuki said.

"She seems to be in a lot of pain." Hana said, once Tohru was out of earshot. At this, the group unanimously decided to follow Tohru. They found her in the school office, asking if she could use the phone. The lady who must have been the secretary nodded and returned to her work at the computer, and Tohru picked up the phone and slowly dialed the number.

(Tohru POV)

'I can't believe I'm really doing this…I mean….I'm shaking so hard that I can hardly even dial the number….but I have to know…' she thought.

The phone rang four times, and just as she was about to hang up, someone on the other line answered,

"Hello?" Tohru froze. "Hello?" the person said again.

'I have to say something! I have to let him know that I'm here! I want to see him again!' she thought.

"Is anyone there?" came the voice again. Just as Tohru was about to say something, though, she freaked, and spun around. She slammed the phone down onto the receiver and it gave a loud ring. Everyone in the office jumped and stared at her. She was shaking from fear and anxiety. Tohru quickly grabbed her bag and almost ran from the office, her bangs hiding her face from view.

(normal POV)

It was the last hour of the day and Tohru, Yuki, Kyo, Uo, and Hana all had the same class. Kyo looked over at Tohru, who was staring at her dest with a sad expression. He saw Yuki looking over at her too, and he glared. Tohru sighed quietly and looked up to see Yuki and Kyo looking at her. Both of them immediately whipped back around in their seats and faced the front.

'Oh great. Now everybody suspects something…I really should have said something to him…anything…. I mean…. I was just so scared and yet I was so happy…. It's been five years since he disappeared…and I still miss him. But, maybe…maybe I'm the reason he ran away! OH NO! That would be terrible! And if I'm the one who chased him off, then why would he ever want to see me again?!

It's just…it's just really hard sometimes…I miss him so much…but I doubt that he wants to see me again. Besides, if he wanted to come back, he would have. I just don't understand WHY he left…Mom was so upset.'

The bell ringing interrupted her thoughts, and she jumped. The class started to file out, and she headed for her locker,

"I don't even know why this has me so worked up. I mean, yeah, we were really close…but…' she thought as she stuck her math book in her bag. '…That was all in the past. I've gotten over it once, and I just have to get over it again.' She shut her locker and turned to see Yuki and Kyo waiting for her at the end of the hall. She smiled and waved. 'I can't let this get me down. I have to be strong.' Tohru thought as she made her way over to them.

(At the grocery store)

"Hm…let's see now…" Tohru thought aloud as she stood in the fish aisle of the grocery store. Finally seeing what she wanted, she grabbed the package and stuck it in the basket on her arm. (Ya know, one of those little basket thingies that you use when you don't want to use a cart!)

"I got the bread Miss Honda." Yuki said, walking up to her.

"Here you go." Kyo said dully, throwing two spices into the basket.

"Ah! Good shot Kyo!" Tohru said, thoroughly impressed. Kyo gave her a strange look.

"Uh…thanks?" he said.

"Okay…next!" Tohru said, moving to another isle. The boys followed behind her. Tohru seemed happier now than she had in the morning. "Ah! Here it is!" Tohru said, grabbing the item off of the shelf and putting it in the basket. As she turned to look at Kyo and Yuki, something caught her eye. At the end of the hall was a figure wearing a long black trench coat with the hood over his head, hiding his face from view. He had his hands in his pockets and by the way he was standing, she could tell that he was looking right at her. Then, he disappeared, just as suddenly as he had appeared.

"What're you looking at?" Kyo asked, as he and Yuki turned to look where Tohru had been looking.

"Oh, nothing." Tohru said, heading on down the aisle. 'I wonder who that was.' She thought to herself.

After checking out, the trio divided the bags evenly and headed home.

"We'd better hurry. It looks like it's going to snow soon," Yuki said.

"Uh-huh!" Tohru agreed earnestly.

As the trio passed the graveyard where Tohru's mother and father were buried, Tohru suddenly stopped. Yuki and Kyo walked a few more steps before registering the fact that she wasn't walking with them.

"Uh, Tohru?" Kyo called.

"What's wrong Miss Honda?" Yuki asked, walking over to her.

"Uh…nothing. I just got this bad feeling all of a sudden." Tohru said softly. Behind them, they heard a car door open, and they turned to see the back of a tall man getting out of a taxi. He went to the back of the car and got his small backpack out of the trunk. He still had not noticed the Sohmas and Tohru. From what they could see, he looked to be in his early twenties. He had short brown hair and was wearing a red jacket with the letters KH printed on the back, black pants and black shoes.

"Thanks again." The man said, handing the driver his money. The driver drove off, and the man started on his way.

There was a loud noise behind Kyo and Yuki and they spun around to see—

"Tohru!" Kyo yelled in concern. She had fallen to her knees, dropping the groceries in the process. Her face was ghastly pale and her mouth was wide open.

"Tohru?" came a voice from behind them. Kyo and Yuki turned to see the man looking at them. He looked equally as shocked as Tohru. His dark green eyes were locked onto hers, and they stared at each other.

"Kaze?" Tohru said.

OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO-OOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOOO

Whew! What a long chapter that was! It took me the whole week to write it! I'm sorry it took me so long to update….(oh no…)

WWWWAAH!! I'M SORRY! OH MY GOD I'M SO SORRY!!! I APOLOGIZE TO THE ENTIRE WORLD!!! I'M SORRY! AUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUGH!!!!!!!!

Ummm….

Yea….

About that….

Um…okay then! Back to business! Sorry you all had to see my Ritsu side…it is quite embarrassing. Again, I apologize (sweat drop) Please review! I would really appreciate it!!! And thanks so much to everyone who reviewed the first chappie! It means so much to me!

See ya soon!

-Inu