A bird rested on Akito's finger as she sat on the porch. Today was the first day of spring and Hatori had requested that the head of house remain outside. He said that fresh air would do her some good. Suddenly a wave of dizziness swept through Akito. The bird on her finger took flight as she curled up, shaking uncontrollably. Luckily for her Hatori was passing by and rushed to her side.
"Akito, what's wrong?" Hatori asked, fearing the worst.
"Someone has transformed. I can feel it in my body," she whispered as tremors continued to run the length of her spine. Hatori closed his eyes.
"You need to go to bed now. Your body is under a lot of stress right now," he said. Akito shook her head violently.
"Sh-Shigure. Get Shigure," Akito whimpered.
XXX
Shigure sat lounging at his computer scrolling through his work when the phone rang. Rather than calmly answer it he bounded over like the puppy he was.
"Hey Haari, what's up?" he asked cheerfully.
'It's Akito.' Shigure's face fell.
"What about her? Is she all right?" he asked worriedly.
'I'm sure she'll be fine, but she's requested that you come see her at the main house right away,' came Hatori's response.
Shigure took a deep breath. He didn't know what he'd do if anything happened to Akito.
"I'll be right over," he said. "Make sure to tell her I'm coming."
XXX
Akito lay on her futon still shaking with Hatori by her side. The major headache was gone but the after sickness was still there.
"Shigure says he's going to be here as soon as he can," Hatori said, resting a hand on Akito's back. Normally Akito would have pushed him away but at the moment she didn't have any strength to.
"I just want Shigure," she mumbled. Tears started to drip off her face and the tremors got even worse. Hatori knew that the head of house was really sick when she started to cry.
"Don't worry. He'll be here in no time, I promise. In fact I don't think he will be leaving Main House until he is positive you are feeling better," Hatori reassured her. Akito smiled at that prospect. At that moment the door was slid open and Shigure stepped in, his eyes solemn as they landed on the ill Akito.
"Akito…" he said, dropping to his knees beside the futon and pulling the head of house into his arms. "It's going to be all right." Running his fingers through her silky hair. Akito sighed and relaxed as much as she could.
"Don't leave me Shigure, please," she cried. "Don't leave me!" Shigure pressed his lips against her hair.
"I won't don't worry," he said. He held her shaky frame and turned to Hatori, nodding for him to leave. Hatori got up in reply and headed out the door, quietly shutting it behind him.
"Shh, Akito," he murmured, "I'm here. Are you all right now?" Akito waited a few moments before she replied. She wasn't sure if another bought was going to hit her again.
"Shigure, why did I have to be the Jade Emperor? Why me?" Akito asked, looking up at him. However, before he could reply the same dizziness swept over Akito and she was taken a hold of another tremor wave. "I want Tohru out of here." Shigure pulled away slightly, her grip tightening on his arm as he did so. She started into his eyes with a calm threat, her face pale with sickness.
"Akito…" Shigure said in shock. "You're not well, you need to lay down and get some rest." He pulled himself free as Akito's shaking hands loosened their grip and lay Akito back onto the futon, his arms supporting her. As Akito lay back she refused to let go of Shigure. It was as if she were determined to hold onto him forever.
"Get Tohru Honda away from the zodiac members or she'll be the death of me," Akito growled. She was about to say something else when more tremors ran through her and the headache returned. For the time being the fight was pushed out of her. Shigure sighed and cupped Akito's face with his hands. Brushing his lips against hers he said quietly and slowly, "yes Akito." Akito's tears stopped ever so slowly and she fell into a deep sleep that was coated by a fever.
The next morning when she looked around her room Shigure was no place to be seen. As panic rose up in her, she bolted from her room and frantically darted around the house.
'He's left you. He's really left you,' she thought. She sniffed slightly at the thought of loosing Shigure.
Akito's search eventually led her to Hatori's office where she found her doctor and Shigure talking.
"Shigure," she cried, throwing herself into his arms. The man looked shocked, as did Hatori.
"Akito, you are in no fit state to be out of bed!" Hatori snapped.
"Hatori's right," Shigure said, prying Akito off him so he had a chance to look at her. Her face was still pale and a single tear slid down her cheek. He wiped it away with his finger and pulled Akito into a hug once again. "Everything's all right, Akito, so why don't you go back to bed." Akito held onto the front of Shigure's suit and refused to do as she was told.
"I'm not going back to bed until that Tohru thing is off of Sohma property for good!" Akito growled. Shigure looked hassled.
"Akito," he said in an exasperated tone, "it's 6:30 in the morning. What do you want me to do?"
Hatori got up and rested his hand on Akito's shoulder.
"Go back to bed Akito, we can discuss this later." Akito's temper flared. She slapped Hatori as hard as she could (which wasn't all that hard) and pushed away from Shigure.
"GET HER OFF MY PROPERTY NOW!" Akito screamed tears of anger falling off her cheeks. Without the support of Shigure, Akito was not stable. She collapsed to the floor in a sobbing heap.
XXX
"Yuki, did Shigure say when he was coming back from Main House?" Tohru asked, some 4 hours later. Yuki looked thoughtful.
"He should be home soon, don't worry," he said. Tohru nodded and went about making breakfast for Kyo, Yuki, and herself. While she was in the kitchen the phone rang and she ran to answer it.
"Hello?" she answered.
'Tohru, this is Hatori. Shigure wanted me to tell you that he is coming home around noon and that he is going to bring Akito with him,' Hatori explained.
"Of course, Hatori." When the conversation ended she went to find Yuki.
"Akito is coming?" Yuki asked. Tohru nodded slowly, she knew how sensitive he was about Akito.
"Yes, she's going to be staying here with Shigure, are you sure you're okay with that?" Tohru asked. Yuki shrugged but didn't anything because at that moment Kyo walked into the room.
XXX
Akito looked panic stricken.
"HOW DARE YOU DRAG ME TO YOUR HOUSE? I REFUSE TO PUT UP WITH THAT TOHRU THING AND THAT STUPID CAT!" she screamed at Shigure as she watched him pack her bags. Shigure sighed.
"Akito, you need to come with Hatori and me so we can sort this out." Akito huffed in reply. "And plus," Shigure added, "You'll get to see the books I'm writing." He winked.
Akito put on her over-robe and studied what Shigure was putting in her bag, mostly medicine and extra layers of clothing.
"I think we're finished," Shigure said with a smiled, wrapping an around
Akito.
"THAT HOUSE HAS BEEN CONTAMINATED BY HER! I REFUSE TO SET FOOT INSIDE!" she howled pulling away from. Shigure sighed and Hatori walked in.
"Momiji wanted to come along, would that be okay, Akito?" Hatori asked. Akito sighed.
"I don't care if the brat stays or goes," she mumbled, "but I don't want Tohru touching me!"
"Don't worry, Akito, we won't let Miss Honda near you," Hatori reassured. He didn't say that because he wanted Akito to be happy, but because he didn't want Tohru to get hurt her by her again. Last time they met it wasn't exactly friendly.
He looked over at Shigure from the corner of his eye and could see the concern on his face. Hatori was sure that they were bothering think the same thing.
At that moment the door slid open and they all turned to see Momiji enter hesitantly. Akito glared at the year of the rabbit and he looked down at the floor.
"So Momiji, you're coming with us?" Shigure asked, breaking the silence. Momiji nodded once and went over to stand beside Hatori.
"Well," Shigure said, bending over and picking up Akito's bag, "I guess we're ready to go." All of them got into Hatori's car and tried to settle down. Shigure sat in the front with Hatori and Momiji was forced to with in the backseat with Akito who was in a terrible mood.
"Make this as fast as possible Shigure. I don't want to have to look at her longer than I have to," Akito said. Hatori winced when Akito refused to use Tohru's name.
"We won't be at Shigure's house for more than three days," Hatori explained to her.
"THREE DAYS?!" she shrieked, causing everyone in the car to cover their ears.
"Ow…"Shigure said lightly.
Hatori massaged is temples and grimaced. He should've known this was coming.
"We're going to be there for three days so we can discuss this," he said. Momiji covered his ears and shrunk down in his seat, preparing himself.
"I WON'T DO IT!" Akito screamed angrily, trying to throw off Shigure who was reaching back to try and calm her down.
Shigure winced at the volume of her voice.
"Please Akito, try and calm down…we're only doing this for you," he begged. Akito continued to fight off Shigure. There was no way she was going to let them to torture her like this for three days.
"Akito…" Momiji started. "I can make sure that Tohru stays busy the entire time you're there." Akito glared at him before her hand snapped out and smacked the rabbit.
"I don't want you anywhere near her. While we're there I forbid you to leave my side," Akito hissed. Momiji sank even lower in his seat but nodded anyway clutching his stinging cheek.
"Akito, please, calm down a little," Shigure pleased. Then he realized that trying to calm her down was what was setting her off.
"QUITE TELLING ME WHAT TO DO!" she yelled. Shigure once again flinched at the noise.
"Akito, I'm sorry," Shigure repeated, "but please try to calm down." He took her hand and held it against his cheek. "Please," he breathed once again.
Hatori could tell that this was having a good effect on Akito but added, "Please Akito, fighting isn't going to make you feel any better."
The head of house narrowed her eyes and clamped her jaw shut but complied with their requests. Pulling her hand free, she settled into the backseat next to a frightened Momiji.
"Fine," she spat, "I'll go along with this for now but keep in mind that I'm the one who's in charge here!" She glared at everyone, Shigure in particular, before pulling her knees up to her chest and drowning the car in silence.
Hatori and Shigure both sighed in relief but Momiji held his breath. After what seemed like hours Shigure, Hatori, Momiji, and Akito arrived at Shigure's house.
"Well, we're here," Hatori announced. Shigure got out of the car and walked over to Akito's side to get her out. When he opened the door Akito got out gracefully and refused to look at anyone.
Once they were all situated, Shigure led them into the house where they were greeted by: Yuki, Kyo, and Tohru.
"It's nice to see you again, Akito," Tohru said. Everyone who had ridden with Akito took a step away from her.
"DON'T TALK TO ME YOU STUPID, UGLY GIRL!" Akito screamed. She turned on her heel and swept back out to the car. Shigure put a hand to his head.
"Now you've done it," he muttered.
Hatori went after Akito and motioned for Yuki to come with him.
"You're the only one that can reassure her," he explained. Yuki looked nervous but followed him despite the fact.
After the two left Tohru asked shakily, "did I say something wrong…?"
Shigure laughed half heartedly and answered, "no…well yes. Akito's a little upset at the moment." He scratched his head, still smiling. Tohru looked down at the floor totally ashamed of herself.
"I've never had someone hate me before," she mumbled. Kyo rolled his eyes.
"Akito doesn't like many people," he said.