DISCLAIMER: I do NOT own Ouran High School Host Club nor do I own its characters! They all belong to the wonderful Bisco Hatori! I only own this story plot! And the song, I'm With You, belongs to the one and only Avril Levigne!

I'm With You

~Chapter 8~

There was silence; a painfully horrid silence that, if you wanted to, could have cut through the tension with a knife. And, with a second to spare, Tamaki broke it.

He stood up, his chair, like Haruhi's, scraping loudly against the tiled floor. All attention in the room was now on him. And, as it is supposed to be in every cliché-like occurrence, all attention switched back and forth between him and Ayanokouji.

Tamaki glared. He didn't know what he should do first. Should he run after Haruhi, or should he give Ayanokouji a piece of him mind? Of course, the yelling and disapproving of could wait for later. After all, who knows where Haruhi will be when he finishes his rant? He didn't want to lose her; not like how those other people did. Of course; she'd run away from her previous family. Who's to say that she won't run away from the Suohs?

No, Tamaki thought, there is absolutely no way Haruhi would run from us. She knows that she can come to me whenever she needs it. Haruhi wouldn't… right?

And, of course, this being the usual feeling that someone would feel for someone that they very much care for, Tamaki decided that he couldn't risk it. He would run after her, then scold the offender. He wasn't going to lose Haruhi to Ayanokouji.

With one last glare towards the 'bully' (which Tamaki knew she is), he ran after his beloved 'daughter', shouting out her name as he did.

He ran, ran as fast as his legs could take him. He knew that Haruhi couldn't have gone far. After all, she isn't the fastest runner he knows. But, he couldn't stop himself from worrying for the young girl.

At least she's dressed as a guy, he thought, happy that no one would try to make a move on her because of her get up… unless…

Tamaki tried not to think about it. He didn't really like those kinds of things entering his mind; especially when they won't help his situation one bit. He pushed himself harder, increasing his speed just to be safe. Just as he was running out of breath, he got a call from his residence and one of his family limos pulled up beside him on the curb.

He hopped into the limo and answered his phone, finding out that it was actually Hanako. She told him that Haruhi had come home sobbing. He told her he'd explain the situation later, when he was able to calm the young girl down. He could hear the silent sobs emanating from the young girl, making his heart clench in pain. He couldn't bear to hear her this way.

He told the limousine driver to go faster and they reached the mansion in record time. Tamaki burst out of the vehicle and ran through the door and up multiple steps, through a few hallways to get to the girl's room. He burst through the door just as Haruhi was opening it, effectively knocking her head on the hard wood.

As the young girl started free-falling, Tamaki threw out his arms and wound them around her waist, effectively securing her in his grasp but causing the both of them to fall down instead.

Safely on the ground- Tamaki had put his hands under her head and lower back to cushion the girl's fall- he noticed the old, used bag that Haruhi carried. And, with horrific recognition, found that it was the same one he had found with Haruhi that same rainy night they had, oddly and spontaneously, met.

There was an awkward silence, the two staring with wide eyed surprise into the others' orbs. And as Haruhi made the first blink, Tamaki snapped out of his horror.

"Y-you're not… leaving… are you?" Tamaki had a hard time asking her that question. It felt, to him, as if his mouth was full of sand and it made it harder for him to speak.

Haruhi bit her lip, making the flesh turn a shade of red. And Tamaki couldn't stop himself from licking his own, slightly dry lips, at the sight. He shook his head, emptying those thoughts (which were slightly perverted) out of his mind.

"You can't!" he exclaimed, eyes growing moist as he saw the guilt on the younger girl's face. "You just… can't."

He got up from his stance, which once had been in a very suggestive position as he towered over her small frame. Both sat across from each other; Tamaki staring, and Haruhi avoiding his gaze.

After a moment of awkward, tense silence, Tamaki spoke: "Earlier, before you left the club, you spoke."

Haruhi looked up, eyes locking with the younger Suoh.

"…Why…?"

Tamaki didn't have to finish his one worded question in order to figure out what he was asking. She knew exactly what he wanted to know: why had she spoken then, but not before?

Haruhi, with her note pad and pen quite a ways away, she resulted to the only thing she could explain her thoughts with: her voice.

"Remember… when you asked me why I didn't speak?"

Tamaki's eyes widened at the sound of her voice. He hadn't really expected it to be… as soft as it was. He thought it would have been slightly unused, crackly, or maybe even rough, seeing as she hadn't used it in a while. But, by the way it sounded so velvety, so soft and melodic, he couldn't help but create the theory that the young girl often spoke when no one was in her presence.

And remembering the question (which he had let hang in the air for quite some time now), Tamaki nodded in a dumbfounded response.

"People like her."

"…W-what do you mean?" Tamaki didn't know what that three-worded answer was supposed to explain. He didn't really… catch her drift.

Haruhi sighed and looked away from him, only to cause the young man to scoot closer to her and lift her chin so that she was looking directly into his eyes.

"…P-people like her did," Haruhi said. "They… always…" A sigh. "They always made fun of me and made me feel useless; like I don't really matter. So, I just… I thought that if I wouldn't speak, I wouldn't get made fun of."

"No one didn't seem as if they wanted to make fun of you. Well, except for Ayanokouji. But that's a different matter!"

"You don't understand!" Haruhi's voice came out as if it were choked back by a sob. "I always felt like no one was listening. I thought that… that no one could hear me no matter how loud I yelled."

Tamaki pulled Haruhi into a tight, comforting hug, his arms enveloping her whole being. And as his arms circled her waist, Haruhi's eyes widened with disbelief.

"Well, I'm here. I'm listening."

Haruhi let out a small whimper.

"And I can hear every word."

At those words, the waterfall of tears overflowed, causing the whole of Haruhi's being to shake with sadness, desperation, relief. She wrapped her skinny arms around Tamaki's abdomen and clung to him tightly.

Tamaki cooed and comforted her, rubbing her back with smooth, gentle strokes. He handled the girl with the best care he could give. After all, he wouldn't do anything less for the girl who made his heart practically jump out of his chest. Actually, he was having quite a ball holding this intoxicating girl so close to him.

He had the sudden urge to cry, to sob into the girl's shoulder. He truly did feel for the girl in his arms and he wanted to get better. So, of course, he'd feel her pain. All he really wanted was for this girl, the one who was so fragile and broken, trying to pick up the broken pieces and put herself back together, to heal and be happy. And he, seeing as his feelings for the girl, he acknowledged, were impressively strong, wanted to help in any way possible.

It is only a horrible coincidence that, because he was feeling her pain, a huge misunderstanding became announced as he forced a completely noticeable fake smile onto his lips as he pulled away from the girl as they looked at each other with slightly teary eyes.

The next day, when Tamaki woke up from his place on Haruhi's bed, the space where Haruhi should have been was empty; nothing but a clean sheet of note book paper resting on the pillow beside him.

He didn't understand; Haruhi was just right there! He had slept in her room with her, cuddling the young girl to him as they slept to comfort her from heart ache. But, here he was, practically turning the whole mansion inside out to look for the object of his- half founded- affections. And she was nowhere in sight. Thus, Tamaki decided it was the perfect time to panic. Where in the world was Haruhi?

Unsuspectingly, Tamaki ran into his father… literally. He caught himself before he had fallen to the ground. Obviously, he hadn't seen the person in front of him, so he immediately hoped that it was the young lady he was searching for so thoroughly. So, you could easily decipher that when he looked up, his face was marred with immediate disappointment.

"Tamaki, what has you running around in such a manner so early in the morning?" Mr. Suoh questioned, raising an eyebrow at his son.

"Have you seen Haruhi?" Tamaki asked, not even bothering to answer his father's question.

"As a matter of fact, no," he replied. "Why do you ask?"

"Haruhi," Tamaki panted, "Haruhi is gone!"

Mr. Suoh's eyes widened in disbelief. "Does it have anything to do with what had happened yesterday at your club?"

Tamaki nodded, depression soon enveloping him. "She spoke, Father. She actually used her voice to answer my questions and to explain her past to me! She… Father, we need to find her! Please, I… I don't know why, but, whenever I think about losing her, my heart aches so badly…"

Mr. Suoh smirked. He knew this was coming. So, of course, he knew, from the beginning, that his son was already falling for the mysterious young maiden.

Ruffling his son's blond hair, he gave him a reassuring grin; "Of course. I'll do everything in my power in order to make her found. We'll find her, Tamaki." Mr. Suoh stood up and straitened his suit. "Now, go ahead and head to school. I'm sure Haruhi wouldn't want you missing out on your education because of her."

Tamaki nodded. I hope we find her soon.

Haruhi sighed. She'd left this morning, leaving the comfiest bed in the world along with the sweetest, gentlest person she'd ever met. And, even though it had just been a few hours since then (the left at 5 am), she missed the young lad desperately.

She didn't know what has gone over her. It had happened a while ago, but whenever she thought of him, her stomach would do summersaults and she'd get light headed. And, that very incident that caused her to leave the home and run out into the streets (once more), just made things worse.

When Ayanokouji said those hurtful words, they literally did hurt. She felt the pain in her heart- it's stabbing and throbbing pain. She didn't know how long she'd have to endure it. She thought she wouldn't have to endure it. And that was because Tamaki had comforted her and made her feel wanted for that small amount of time.

And then, he plastered on that fake smile.

It was so obviously fake. It was devastatingly fake! And that just caused an even worse pain than the first. It was like the reopening of a wound; the pain was horrible, unbearable, except, it was even worse than the first.

She shook her head. Thinking of the events leading here made her heart hurt even more than how it did when she wasn't trying to. And it sucked. She shivered. Maybe she should have worn a thicker jacket.

Haruhi closed her eyes and sat down on a bench. Currently, she was lounging in a park. It's been forever since she had first left (probably 4 hours or so), and she had gotten quite a distance between her and the only town in which she was able to call home for the first time in her life.

Don't get her wrong, she left regrettably. She really left on the impulse. Of course, she thought, anyone would. Who would want to live in a place where people fake their emotions to you?

She thought of the smile and instantly regretted it. Her heart ached greatly and she wished that she hadn't thought of that. She could only blame herself for bringing up such hurtful subjects to herself.

Closing her eyes, she fought the urge to cry. She really wanted to; she just didn't want to while she was in a public park. She was already getting suspicious and concerned stares from the parents and grown-ups that were passing her by on their way to… wherever. She didn't want to catch any attention. Not now, not ever. She's caught enough attention in a life time. She doesn't want to feel the hurt and heartbreak again.

"H-Haruhi?" an oddly familiar voice called out.

Said girl immediately looked up and stared, shocked, at the face of the person who had called upon her. She recognized it immediately.

"Haruhi, are you okay?" Arai asked, quickly making his way to the shivering girl and kneeling before her, trying to get a better look at her downcast face.

At this, Haruhi broke down in heart-broken sobs, all resolve she had disappearing with each tear.

Tamaki couldn't sit still. He kept fidgeting in his seat, playing with any object that landed in his hands. And there was only one reason as to why:

He wanted to see Haruhi.

He wasn't able to concentrate that whole day. Ever since that morning, when he first found out that Haruhi had disappeared, he had been overly concerned for the girl.

Actually, he thought, who wouldn't be this worried? If they weren't, they must be absolutely insane!

Another sigh escaped his lips. This day couldn't go by any slower.

Tamaki barely noticed his customers trying their best to gain his attention. And once he finally grasped the concept that he was supposed to be at work in the Host Club, he immediately snapped into character.

But, the bad thing is, as second later, his character was dropped. Standing up, Tamaki called for the attention of every person that was in the Third Music Room. And once he got it, he held every ounce of attention with his surprising seriousness.

"There is no use," he said, "beating around the bush, so I might as well just come straight out with it: Haruhi has run away."

Gasps were audible throughout the room, every pair of eyes meeting another in similar, worried glances.

"She left this morning. And I know exactly why it happened," Tamaki stated, looking every person in the room directly in the eye. "Those hurtful words that Ayanokouji said; they seemed to effect Haruhi greatly."

There were whispers erupting from every part of the room.

"So, please, if you know someone who was a part of Miss Ayanokouji's little 'speech' or you know where she is, please let one of the club members know immediately. Thank you."

Tamaki sat back down and buried his face in the palms of his hands. He held back the tears threatening to spill. He certainly didn't want to break down in front of so many that admired him so.

No, he'll wait. He'll wait for when he's alone, where he could let his thoughts wander.

For now, he can just hope; hope that his Father has gotten far in the investigation for the girl Tamaki very strongly cared for.

~Chapter 8 End~

Whew! Done! Wow, don't you just love it when all the things you read are depressing (not!)? Well, I don't!

Oh well, this story has the depression in the plot line. Sorry for making you all sad. I didn't really want to, but I had to. Sorry.

With that said, I'd like to thank all those who have reviewed and/or added me to their favorites and/or alerts! And those people are…

sweetwithobsessions- Haha! Nice! :D

KageNoNeko- thank you! I'm glad you like it, and agree with it! ;P

Captain Ea Rayos- I'm glad you like this so much.

Zahchi- Haha! You got that right! She's that one chick from the first episode. Yah, I always didn't like her. ;P Here's the update! And I'm sorry Haruhi had to speak on such poor circumstances.

kouga's older woman- Haha! Well, here's a little bit of 'more'.

sa-chan2000- I have a strong disliking to her as well, my friend. XD I'm glad you like this story so much and I appreciate you reviewing! It's great to get a review from you now than never.

Artemis Day- I wonder if I should make her fall in… :D

darkness34- Don't cry! I didn't mean to! But, I'm glad that this chapter was (almost) able to move you to tears. :D Not that I'm happy to make you cry! I just… you get my drift? Haha! I bet you don't… I'll make Tamaki blow up on Ayanokouji next time.

twilover13- here you go! I am very glad you like.

shadowstarr- Haha! Yeah, it's so out there, huh? XD I'm glad you like!

werebeare- I'm glad you like this story so much! It warms my heart.

OoO-Ashee-OoO- yes, it's a lot alright. :D Feel free to! Haha! You were right with your bad feeling, huh? You're a psychic! Holy crap-nuggets! XD

HitachiinGirl1- yes, it's a time to both celebrate and be depressed. Mostly, be depressed. Waaah! Poor Haruhi! Haha! I like making random reasons to diss on my least preferred characters. It's keeps me amused. I'm glad you like it!

XxpuffpuffxX- yay for speaking! :P Yeah, she's in the anime and manga… I really didn't like her the first time I saw her drawing. Nope, didn't like her. XD Here's the update!

Akatsuki Utaou- Yeah, a period of time! Haha! I like your statement. You'll have to find out her speaking patterns later. Ayanokouji has a reason… a really bad reason. You'll find out in a later chapter. Here's the update! :D

Thank you all once again! I really appreciate your support! It motivates me and makes me feel happy! Plus, it keeps me writing! So, if you want to make sure that I can update every Friday, please enter a review! Please? I'm sure you won't be disappointed with the results you get for reviewing! You'll be happy as well! XD

So, yeah. Please review. Stay healthy. Don't do anything stupid. Anything else?

Oh, of course! Here's your new, random, quote of the month (I guess) that you will very much enjoy! It's made my moi! XD here we go:

"Many only look back on the great events that happened in their lifetime; but it's the little things that matter most."

~PaintingReality

So, yeah, enjoy it! Haha! Okay… I'll go now. I'm just wasting time at this point! XD

~xXPaintingRealityXx logging off! :D