AN: Here it is chapter eight, thank you everyone for your reviews and comments, it makes me really sad to think that there is only one more chapter. I hopefully will have it up within a week, i still have to send it to my beta. Speaking of Betas my beta is FANTASTIC thank you a million monedameow. if you haven't checked out her stuff you should. oh yes Ouran High school host club is not mine. now without any todo, undo or other do...


Of Respect and Friendship

By Buddhistbabe

Chapter Eight

Another roll of thunder echoed through the apartment. The light cast in from the flash of lighting lit up the faces of the three people standing in the room. Haruhi's eyes were wide open, Takashi's face looked impassive, but his eyes were narrowed in anger staring at the intruder.

Tamaki, stood in the doorway, as if his eyes were adjusting to the light, but what his eyes were really adjusting to, was the situation he walked in on. Haruhi and Takashi kissing, they were still holding on to each other. His eyes were locked on the small woman.

"Haruhi?" he started, his voice shocked. A sudden change overtook his voice, and he ran towards the girl pulling her from Mori's embrace and wrapping his arms around her instead.

"HARUHI! I was so worried about you in this storm." He shouted pulling her closer to him. She felt herself being smashed against his chest, and her nose was being overpowered by his flowery scent.

As quickly as she was pulled into his embrace, she was pulled out of it, but this time her husband wrapped his arm around her waist and pulled her back into him, glaring at his old high school friend.

Haruhi was thankful for her husbands interfearance, she had forgotten what it felt like to be forcefully hugged by her old friend and it was a feeling she didn't want to repeat it anytime soon. With the tension in the room building she finally asked "Tamaki-senpai, what are you doing here?"

"Is a father not welcomed into his daughter's home?" he asked jovially.

"You are not my father" she said to him realistically with no intention to hurt his feelings, which she did. He frowned and coughed into his hand before continuing.

"Actually Haruhi, I wanted to speak with you. But no one would tell me where you lived. Kyoya refused to tell me where you were, even though I know he has your new address on file somewhere. I went to the dread doppelgangers and they flat out refused me, saying I had no right to speak to you. Your father wasn't home. So I decided to go to the Haninozuka dojo and speak to Huni. Luckily, I saw Mori-senpai leaving the dojo, and I knew if I followed him I would find you Haruhi. What is going on, why is everyone trying to keep me away from seeing you?"

Blinking with shock Haruhi looked up at her husband who was stilling holding her against him. He looked down to meet her gaze. He nodded and then released her. She then led both gentlemen into the kitchen, where she started making tea.

Her mind was busy with what Tamaki had said, as she boiled the water for tea. All of her friends from the host club had tried to hide her and protect her from their passion driven French friend. Yet he didn't seem to know at all why everyone was trying to keep them apart.

Soon she joined the pair sitting at the table with three cups of tea. The two men remained in silence all the time Haurhi was making the tea. Neither one could think of something to say to the other. Once she was seated between the two Tamaki spoke up again.

"Haruhi, are you mad at me? Is that why everyone is trying to keep me away from you?" He asked her honestly.

'Does he really not knows?' Haruhi thought to herself. 'Doesn't he knows everything that I, no, that Takashi and I have gone through because of him and his family?'

Her eyes searched his face for any hint that he might have been deceiving her, when she found none (he was always so easy to read), she decided to answer him truthfully.

"Well, Tamaki-sempai, I think they were keeping you away because of the bet, and because they didn't know how you would react to the news of me being married."

The tea cup at his lips paused, and he slowly set the cup back down. Looking up at her and smiling weakly.

"Well, I had heard that you had gotten married. Kyoya called me up and told me but I didn't believe it because I figured you would have told me yourself. I thought we were family, but I guess when I saw you both kissing that I was finally faced with the truth. I should have known Kyoya wouldn't make something like that up."

The hurt expression he wore made Haruhi feel guilty. She knew that he never had much of a family, and that the host club really was created to fill the gap for him.

"I am sorry we didn't tell you Takami-senpai, but with the bet and all we felt it would have been safer to keep it quiet." The words tumbled out of her month. She felt she needed to apologize for not telling him, and when putting it into perspective like that should make it clear to him.

He looked up at her and then looked to Takashi with a puzzled expression.

"What is this bet you keep talking about?"

Haruhi quickly looked at her husband, and saw him narrow his eyes at Tamaki. 'So he doesn't know what to think about this either?' she thought to herself, rather surprised.

"The one your father and Kyoya's father made." She said to him softly, receiving a confused look from her blonde friend.

"The one in which whom ever son won my hand also won land in Hawaii or something like that.

The face that their blonde friend wore was one of shock and disgust. He brought his hand to his month and averted his eyes as his pale cheeks flushed in anger.

"You mean you honestly didn't know?" Haruhi asked in a stunned voice.

"No…no I didn't know" started the young man quietly. "If I would have known I would have done something about this. I can't believe that my father would do this. He knows how important you are to me. I don't understand.

"Well he was very angry when he found out, he said that you wanted to marry me." She said innocently.

At this the blonde blushed. "Well yes, Haruhi, I did. But first I wanted to go to France and find my mother. I wanted to find her so when I finally asked you to be mine you could meet her." He finished sheepishly.

"When I found out from Kyoya that you were married, I hadn't found her yet. I couldn't return until I found her, because if Kyoya was right and I lost you, at least I would have found her. I never knew that my father made that bet, Haruhi, I knew he was upset though, I think he wanted you as a daughter. He always talks of how pleasant you are and how much he likes you"

"Well he has an odd way of showing it. He was so mad at me being married that he pulled my scholarship away."

"WHAT!?" Shouted the blonde. "I can't believe that! What have you been doing for school? Have you been resorted to going to the dreaded and common public school. Do they even have paper and pencils there? Do they have enough books for each student? MY POOR DAUGHTER!"

Haruhi rolled her eyes at his display. 'I guess he didn't really change' she thought as he went through the same routine he did thousands of times at Ouran.

"Tamaki-sempai, I am still going to Ouran" she said to him in a frustrated voice.

"But Haruhi, you can not afford to go to school by yourself."

"I am paying for it." Said the deep voice of Mori. He had been sitting back quietly watching the play in front of him unfold, waiting for his entrance, and here it was.

"It is my gift to my wife. It is an honor to get to pay for her education; I want to be the steady factor in her life, unlike her supporters in the past."

Tamaki's eyes widened at the insinuation he had sent his father's way. But before he could retaliate the gentle giant continued.

"Between her father, and your father, and you claiming to be her father, none of you supported her when she really needed it. That is why I am here now, to give her all she needs and wants. I want her to see that I will always be there for her. That's why I am paying for her schooling. It's a gift for her, for how she has made my life better."

Haruhi smiled up proudly at her husband, he really had been there for her when she needed him the most. His support and his trust made her life possible now. She was happier then she could recall being since her mom passed away. She felt an odd flutter in her chest. 'What is this feeling?' she thought to herself as continued to look at her husband. 'Is this what love feel like?' At that thought she blushed furiously, looking away from her husband, feeling panicked. Love was an emotion Haruhi was almost completely unfamiliar with. She had no idea what to do.

Mori saw out of the corner of his eye that his wife was flushed. Automatically thinking she was being coming ill he put his hand up to her forehead.

Haruhi blushed harder and her heart skipped a beat at the sudden contact.

"Haruhi, you are feeling warm. Are you okay?" he asked with concern in his voice.

She nodded and quickly said she was fine. But none the less he asked Tamaki to leave to give her some rest. The blonde was reluctant to leave if Haruhi wasn't feeling well, but looking at the tall man in front of him. He knew she was in far better hands with her husband.

As he was walking out the door he turned to Haruhi and said "Haruhi I will talk to my father and get him to give you back the scholarship. I am sure he would be willing to, lately his approval rating at the school has been dropping, and by giving you your scholarship back it would help both of you. If you want me to, I will talk to him."

Haruhi felt Mori take her hand as he stood next to her. Sending Tamaki the signal that she was his to take care of. She smiled at his simple act of territoriality.

"Thank you sempai, but we are fine. Aren't we Takashi?"

Her husband nodded. There was nothing left for Tamaki to do, but leave, softly shutting the door behind him. With the click of the doorknob Haruhi gave a loud sigh, and leaned sideways to rest her head on her husband's arm. She heard the clock chime 8pm, and closed her eyes, leaning on the tall man next to her, her day had been exhausting.

She suddenly felt herself being lifted up and she opened her eyes to find herself in her husband's arms.

"Haruhi, you seem tired, I am going to put you in bed so you can rest. Your face was flushed and I know you were caught out in the rain earlier today. I don't want you to get sick"

He said all of this while carrying her to their bedroom and setting her down softly on their mattress.

"But Takashi, I haven't even cooked dinner yet." she said struggling to get out of bed.

But he just pushed her back into bed, telling her that he would cook for them that night. He kissed her on the forehead and he headed for the door. Before he left, he heard her say his name.

"Takashi?"

He turned around to see her smiling face looking at him happily.

"Takashi, thank you, thank you for everything today."

A smile over took his face as he nodded to her, and tried to leave again, but he was called back once more.

"Takashi, your mother told me today about a Christmas party. I think we should go. I would love to meet the rest of your family. I think it sounds like fun, what do you think?"

The smile faded away from his face, and he looked down, deep in thought. He knew he couldn't tell her why he didn't want to go. He couldn't tell her that he was worried about how his family would react to her, because he didn't care if they liked her or not, he loved her and that was all that mattered. But he was worried about how they would treat her, he couldn't stand to see his family belittle her.

Knowing she was still waiting for an answer, he looked up at her and smiled again adding "if you want to go, I would be glad to take you. Now get some rest Haruhi, I will bring you dinner in when it is done."

"Thank you, Takashi, but you are spoiling me".

He gave her a radiant smile.

"No, I only give you what you deserve, I can't help it if you deserve everything.". With that he turned from their room and headed for the kitchen, his mind busy about what to do about the Christmas party, he was thankful his still had all of November and most of December to plan.

He did know that with his last comment he left behind a very flushed and embarrassed wife behind.