Queen of Spades

"Revelations"

Part Two: "To the Ends of the Earth"

Without fuel, an engine is nothing.

Without that initial push, that first jump into the abyss the engine would be nothing more than an assembled mess of individual parts. I knew that from years of living around cars and had seen it in companies and organizations countless times. The day after Tamaki declared the Host Club's post-Fair dissolution…I know in my soul I would've seen that systematic falling apart had it not been for Kyouya and I holding everything together with slippery, sweaty hands. We had to make today count and not just for ourselves. But for Tamaki. Our king that's chosen to leave us for good.

Rosalie had stayed with me the night before. I didn't want her alone after Tamaki and Éclair announced their engagement. So I called her father, Augustus Pettifer, and told him. I took care of what she needed that night. She was one of my very best friends, alongside Kyouya, Tamaki and Haruhi and the Club. I'd taken the Ferrari this time to Ouran, Rose actually enjoying the wind on her face this time around. I had left my motorcycle at the school last night, and I hoped it would be safe.

This time around, Rose would be staying at a table with my father for the time she was at the Fair. Chase promised me he would do everything in his power to ensure that she would feel better, and I believe him, though I doubted he would succeed. We wore the same yellow tuxedos, but the joy in all our eyes was…still with our king, wherever he was.

Lady Éclair did me the extreme dishonor and annoyance of showing up today at the Fair, sitting at a table with those damn opera spectacles she carries around. I had a surreal urge to make her choke on them, but let's face it, I couldn't choke her out. Today, that is. Tomorrow was still free game, and that's what kept me from doing what I wanted.

She called Kyouya over first, and as he tried (yes, tried. I could tell he wanted to throttle her.) to please her, she seemed to be prying. Prying into his relationship with me and he shut her down…but maybe that was all the answer she needed. I didn't like it and I frowned as I ran the tea cart around the room, pausing to play hostess with the visitors and customers.

Next was Haruhi and the little brunette, I could see, really tried to lock down her disdain towards Lady Éclair. The time I passed them, she seemed to be poking at Haruhi's friendship with Tamaki and comparing it to that of Rose's relationship. I knew Haruhi's real feelings lay in hand with Hikaru's, and as I met up with Kyouya and the other Hosts, I shook my head.

"I don't like this," Hikaru voiced, his golden eyes darting about the room, "Something's up. I'm worried. After what he said yesterday…"

"I wonder what happened to Tama-chan…" Honey-sempai clutched Usa-chan tighter, and Mori put a hand on the Lolita's shoulder comfortingly. I locked eyes with Honey-sempai, and I reached down for his hand. "It'll be okay. We'll be okay."

"How's Rosalie?" Kaoru asked me worriedly, his eyes searching mine and soon, his brother's joined his, Honey's and Mori's.

"Not well," I said, jerking my chin towards where Rose was sitting with my father. "But Chase is with her, she'll be alright for the time being…" I took a deep breath. "She's shaken, but Rose is strong. She'll be okay."

Footsteps approaching and the slow clapping of hands made us all look up to see the Shadow King coming towards us. "Come now, lady and gentlemen. No more idle chatter." Faithful black book in his hand, he looked around to us like this was any other day and I stared hardly at him. "Our guests are waiting for us."

"Sempai," Kaoru said, narrowing his eyes at Kyouya, "It's like you don't even care."

Kyouya readjusted his glasses, and stared right back at the Hitachiin twin. "We have to take care of our guests to the best of our abilities. Remember, they're looking to all of us to entertain them. Their happiness is of the utmost importance."

And with that, Honey and Mori pushed the twins along to work. That left Kyouya and I, and as we looked at each other, we sighed at the same time. I asked him, my voice wistful, "Do you really think he's going to leave?"

"I cannot answer that," He replied simply, and I glanced away, covering my mouth. He took my hand briefly, and that made me look up at him. He was the boy with the heart of ice. I was the girl who couldn't be caught. We would continue to be those people even with no Host Club, but…it had been through Tamaki's Host Club that he and I had met. He leaned in to whisper to me, his gray eyes sparkling. "Snake Eyes…I…"

"I know, Kyouya." I conceded, smiling at him. Anywhere else and we both knew he would've kissed me. I knew what he'd been about to say, too and I walked away, feeling his eyes on my back. Haruhi had concluded her meeting with Éclair, and as the Frenchwoman tried to walk away, I stopped her near the door.

"Going somewhere?"

Lady Éclair rose those spectacles to her eyes, and smirked, "Rika Ishikawa, hello."

I crossed my arms and glared at her. I didn't trust this woman as far as I could throw her, but I had a few things to say to her. A few important things to say to her.

"Walk with me," I commanded, and as I began to saunter away, she followed. We moved out into the empty hall. "If this isn't some sort of joke, I want you to pay Tamaki the due attention he rightfully deserves."

"And if I don't?" Éclair had the nerve to say, "Not that I won't pay him the attention, I wouldn't have come all the way here if I wouldn't have…but say I don't. What will you do? Do you love Tamaki?"
I laughed mirthlessly, and said lowly at her, "Oh, you are despicable." She gasped at that. "I'm from Chicago, we aren't raised to get along with everyone. But no, not in the way you mean. I love Tamaki like a sister loves a brother. My heart belongs to another."

Lady Éclair observed me through the opera specs. "The Ootori boy I was speaking to earlier, I know. Tell me, what would happen if Kyouya Ootori's father found out about your relationship?"

I stopped dead in my tracks and growled, the sound resonating from deep in my throat. I didn't like being threatened. I didn't tolerate it. My hand found Éclair's forearm, and she gasped, but the look in my eyes kept her quiet. She tried to pry her arm away, but my grip held her painfully tight. "Listen to me, bitch. Let me tell you something about love. Love makes the most truthful of people liars. The most resolute of people spontaneous. The sanest of people crazy. Love makes people do crazy things." I leaned in, and snarled into her fearful eyes. "You threaten my Club, myself, Kyouya, Rose, or anyone else I care about….And I'm going to do something crazy. Am I clear?"

Lady Éclair glared at me. "Crystal clear."

"Now get out of my sight."

And she did, leaving through the large doors hurriedly. I stared after her, a stark figure in the dark. I rejoined everyone in the main room, and noticed a familiar face stalking up to Kyouya. Haruhi sat at the table that used to hold Lady Éclair, before I did away with her. I stalked up to Kyouya as Yoshio Ootori began talking, a different secretary shadowing him. "When they're young, many assume that they have all the time in the world, but really…that is never the case." He actually had the gall to look at his son this time, lowering his voice slightly. "Don't waste your time with something that will ultimately have no value."

I had to put my foot down, slamming my fist down on the table. "You don't know anything about the Host Club."

Yoshio Ootori turned to face his cold eyes on me, and I kept talking, feeling eyes on me everywhere. I was used to it. "He works constantly to make sure everyone is kept happy and entertained. Didn't you stop to think that maybe this gives us some fulfillment? And where it pertains Kyouya… do you think that by spending zero time with your son, you suddenly have the authority to barge in randomly to make his decisions for him?"
"I am his father," The older man justified haughtily, but I took a step closer, now at arms' length apart from him.

"And I am his girlfriend," I exclaimed proudly, and Yoshio's eyes widened. "That's right." I sneered at him; the vicious businesswoman in me walking into the limelight. "You really need to step out from whatever rock you've crawled under, Yoshio. I've heard through the grape vine about your business issues. You need to get with the times, old man…You might want to make amends while you still can." I narrowed my eyes. "Spend time with your sons, and no, I don't mean business hours. I mean quality time, and maybe you'll see Kyouya as I do…and maybe you'll see that what we do here is more than a time slot to be filled. I couldn't care less what you do or say to me, but I love Kyouya enough to say this…" I lowered my voice to where only he could hear me as he stared at me through angry eyes. "You're a father, not a god. Remember that."

After that declaration, Yoshio and I glared at each other for a moment more before he broke the eye contact. His secretary shadowing him, he walked away and out of sight. I stood there for a few more moments, before I turned back towards the Hosts. The twins beamed identical smiles, and Haruhi smirked at me. Honey-sempai was perched on Mori's shoulder, both shooting me a thumbs-up. Rose and my father were both grinning at me, but Kyouya…he just gave me this look. He beckoned me to follow him with a finger, and he moved towards the outside hallway where I'd threatened Éclair. It took me a moment to move, but I still went after him.

He was waiting out in the hall with his back to me, and it was no one but us. Kyouya wouldn't look at me even when he faced his torso to me. "You didn't have to do that."

"I needed to." I said defiantly, moving closer to him and taking his hand, interlacing my fingers through his.

"I know, Rika." Kyouya met my eyes at last, and the gray eyes were thankful, grateful at what I'd done. I could always see right through his façades, and he knew that, even before he smiled. He placed his free hand against my cheek and tilted my face up, leaning down slowly. I shut my eyes as he pressed his lips softly to mine. He put our interlaced fingers behind my back, and used his hand to hold me closer to him as he kissed me. He tasted of spearmint toothpaste, with an overtone of tea to his lips. He pulled away, and whispered to me, "Thank you."

"I should aggravate your father more often," I said back dreamily, and he laughed, kissing me again. I sighed. "We should probably rejoin the Club."

"Perhaps not right away, Rika," Kyouya's grin transformed from sweet…to downright evil. He used his leverage with his hands to lead me back until my shoulder blades hit the wall of the corridor. "I'm not finished with you just yet."

My returning grin to him was boundless.

I had been strolling down the top floor corridor, having already changed and was coming up to get some solitude before the ending parade of the Fair. I was in an eighteen-hundreds cosplay of a female valet, like the boys down in the main Club room. They were in their colors, but I had chosen the color black. My red hair was curled, and I wore smoky makeup around my eyes. The Ishikawa ring, passed down from my grandfather to my mother to me, was on my third finger of my right hand. My motorcycle keys twirled around my finger, and I was somewhat amazed.

After all this time…after all we've been through, Tamaki would just give us up like that? When I got into that car wreck months ago, Tamaki was the one that reassured my father and Kyouya that I would pull through. When we met Shiro, Tamaki took the young boy under his wing and allowed me to help him. When I had watched Kyouya and Haruhi that brutal time, though he didn't know it, Tamaki offered me the kind hand of someone who'd gone through anguish himself. When I'd returned for the masquerade, Tamaki was there to arrange my dance with Kyouya. And when I'd been at the altar trying to fight an arranged marriage, he'd supported me one-hundred percent. I know if I needed anything…I could rely on my king.

But now…I was at a strange loss. What on earth could make Tamaki let go of his sanctuary?

"I'm worried about our standing with Grand Tonnerre. They've been buying up companies left and right in Japan."

Yuzuru Suoh….I looked about the corridor and noticed a golden plaque on the door where his voice was coming from. 'Chairman's Office.' I recognized the Tonnerre name. How does Lady Éclair fit into this? I tiptoed to the door, and pressed my ear against the wood. Who was Suoh talking to?

"Don't worry." Said an elderly woman's voice from inside. I assumed it was Tamaki's grandma; she sounded spiteful enough. "Everything will be fine…Once we have an heir, the Suoh family will prosper once again."

Heir? Oh, that's right. Tamaki, once he marries Éclair. I strained to hear the old woman's voice. She talked quietly, for someone who caused so much grief.

"Besides, it's not like the boy can turn against us."

My eyes widened. So they're blackmailing him. They're blackmailing Tamaki…but with what?

Yuzuru's voice was concerned. "But Tamaki has never shown interested in anything involving the family. What have you done to change his mind?"

"I told him that if he asked Lady Éclair to marry him," Tamaki's grandmother said smugly, "I would allow him see his beloved mother."

If I hadn't balled my hand into a fist, my keys would've fallen to the floor and they would have caught my eavesdropping. I clamped my hand over my mouth, and tried as quietly as I could to ease away from the door four feet, around the corner before sprinting back to the Club room as fast as I could. I slid down a stair banister, nearly falling off and landing untidily on my feet. If I could use my assets with Ishikawa Industries in conjunction with my influence, I could find Tamaki's mother before he marries Éclair. I just needed to tell him. If I told him now, he won't marry Éclair to suit his grandmother and to see his mother. I bounded back to the door to find Kyouya standing outside it, apparently waiting for me in his purple cosplay.

My lungs began to burn with asthma and as I slowed down, he said, his eyes full of worry, "Rika! You're here, now we-"

"-Kyouya, I know what they've got on him," I panted, grasping his shoulders and shaking them. "Tamaki's grandmother is allowing Tamaki to see his mother if he marries Éclair."

Kyouya's face blanked with realization, gripping my shoulders back. "Of course…Tamaki hasn't seen his mother since he was fourteen, his grandmother could easily use that to get him to do what she wanted. Were you detected?"

"No, I don't think so," I assured him as he dug in his pocket for his phone.

Kyouya paused to kiss my forehead, "My girl who couldn't be caught."

He flipped open his phone and mashed the second speed dial for the king, bursting into the Club room with my on his heels. We interrupted what looked to be the Haruhi and Hikaru bantering about the brunette being the only host dressed as a girl, but once the Shadow King and I were in the room, they fell silent at our faces. Rose was with them, too. Her blonde hair in curls and she was wearing a little black dress, standing by Haruhi's chair. The Host Club knew who Kyouya was calling, and they guessed why I was looking so relieved and worried at the same time.

"He's not picking up…" Kyouya said at last, flipping his phone shut. "Tamaki wouldn't leave without seeing the Fair concluded."

"He couldn't…" Rose said quietly, and Haruhi took the other girl's hand, trying to give her a strong look.

Kyouya breathed for a moment, and then I slipped my fingers into his, to let him know he had my support. Whatever he decided, I would go with. The Shadow King dialed again, and I leaned in close, listening to the dial tone. As a crackling sounded, Kyouya began talking with a conversational tone, "Hello, Shima? Been a while, hasn't it? It's Kyouya."

Ah yes. Shima was the second Suoh estate's head maid; she was the woman responsible for taking care of Tamaki since he left France. She said delicately into the receiver, and I listened to her speak, "This is about Master Tamaki, isn't it? I'm sorry, Kyouya, but the Master will be departing for France soon."

I sucked in a breath and Kyouya grew very still. Shima went on, as neither of us turned around to let our grief-stricken faces show to the Host Club. We couldn't do that to them. "I tried to talk him out of it, but he said the Suoh family had forgiven his beloved mother and he was finally going to get to see her again. He also said that if he stayed at Ouran any longer, his capriciousness would only serve to cause trouble for you and the Host Club. He…wanted to say goodbye to Mistress Rosalie too, but he didn't want to disappoint her anymore. And only told me to tell her that he was sorry he couldn't be the man he used to be."

Genuine anger dripped into Kyouya's voice, and his fingers around mine grew into claws, asking rhetorically, "How could he be so stupid?!" He lowered his phone from his ear an inch and announced to the Club and Rose. "Evidently, Tamaki is planning to return to France."

"Tama-chan is leaving us?" Honey-sempai trilled sadly, and Mori's jaw dropped.

Hikaru looked livid as I looked over my shoulder, "You're kidding me! He can't just let it end so suddenly..." He shook with something I didn't dare name, and even his brother Kaoru looked to him weakly, his whisper barely audible, "Hikaru…."

Rose put both of her hands over her mouth, all strength of before leaving her as she fell to her knees but did not cry. Haruhi gasped.

"Excuse me, sir." Said Shima in the receiver, and Kyouya brought it up to his ear again, my closeness allowing me to hear her.

"Yes?"

I'd always known Shima to be a very perceptive and intelligent woman, the kind of woman that could make a saying out of anything. Her voice showed the texture of those times she'd talked to me, "I was just thinking…if the Master's mother really is as remarkable as he claims she is, I can only imagine she would be upset with the manner in which Master Tamaki has chosen to leave Ouran."

"Do you know when he's leaving, Shima?" Kyouya asked, a note of desperation that he concealed to everyone but me leaking into how he spoke. I gripped his hand tightly.

"I'm afraid to inform you that his flight is this evening."

I gauged Kyouya's face and how it hurt him to hear those words. "Why is he leaving so soon?"

"He would have left sooner, but he said he had to wait until the Ouran Fair was ending."

The same time Shima said those words the road before the windows of the third music room was empty, but after, a red convertible with the unmistakable golden head of the Host king drove on past, Lady Éclair with him. Kyouya shut his phone, and almost shouted at the window, "Tamaki!"

The Host Club came up to the windows, except for Rose who was still on her knees and had her head in her hands. Honey-sempai got up on the balls of his feet to see through the tall window, "Tama-chan!"

"No way…" Kaoru said, and his brother pointed out hotly, "The Fair isn't even over yet."

Kyouya informed as everyone made their way to the door, "My family's car is in the parking lot. Rose, let's go."

I let go of Kyouya's hand, and with Honey and Mori beside me, we ran out ahead of the group. My motorcycle keys clutched tight in my hand.

Sit tight in that car, Tamaki. We're coming to get you.

It was only Kyouya, the twins, Haruhi and Rose running to the Ootori family limo in the furthest down level of the parking lot, the ladies doing their best in their dresses. Rose had kicked off her heels and was now running barefoot along the concrete. The Shadow King took point, sprinting to the driver's side of the limo and barking to the driver, "We're in a hurry, can you drive us?"

The driver looked uncomfortable, stuttering, "I'm sorry, sir, but…"

"What is it?" Kyouya demanded, "What's wrong?"

"You see…" The driver began, but they got their answer as footsteps approached them from behind, the Shadow King straightening to regard the gunless soldiers. He recognized his family's insignia on their chests. "You want to tell me your orders?"

Hikaru pushed Haruhi behind himself- - ready to defend what he loved, Kaoru standing in front of the king's Rose, and as Kyouya took a step towards them, he spoke in a low purr, "Let me guess…you've been hired to protect Lady Éclair."

A soldier near the front talked through his helmet, "I'm truly sorry sir, but as you know… as members of the Ootori Private Police Force answer only to your father."

Kyouya shook. Shook with anger and frustration, and in a release, he slammed his fist down on the hood of the limo, leaving a sizeable dent. "Dammit!"

"I'm terribly sorry, sir," The soldier said again, "but we have been ordered not to allow any of you to leave, even if we have to stop you by force."

There was the sound of hooves, and of wooden wheels spinning as it approached them like a distant freight train moving down the tracks. With Mori-sempai at the reins, the horses shoved a few soldiers back suddenly, and Honey leapt from the carriage, Mori stepping down from it. He shot words over his shoulder, but didn't remove his eyes from the men. "Hikaru, take the carriage. If you use the back hills bypass, you can cut them off."

"It's Haninozuka!" The men exclaimed, shrinking back as Honey and Mori faced them. "And Morinozuka!"

And then the sound of a roaring motorcycle engine came up on them, and a few more were thrown out of the way of an Ishikawa Reaper, the driver dismounting.

The men recognized her, too. "Rika Ishikawa!"

Shaking out her hair, Rika sneered at the men, "I made a quick stop by my Ferrari for some friends." The 'friends' she mentioned, happened to be the crowbars in both of her hands as she stood with the eldest Hosts.

With a pure look of affection towards his girl, Kyouya helped Kaoru get Haruhi up on the carriage as Hikaru took the reins. Haruhi spun around and offered a hand to Rose, but before she could step up, Kyouya took Rose's shoulders. He said in her ear, "Rose…go get that idiot." He helped her up to the carriage, and shouted to the four on the carriage. "Go! This is your chance!"

A nod from Hikaru to Kyouya, the Hitachiin lifted the reins and snapped them back down, "YAH!" And the carriage bounded off and out of sight.

"Don't just stand there!" A soldier yelled, "Stop that carria-" But he was stopped by a kick to the face delivered by Honey-sempai, and the Lolita turned and twirled in midair, landing in the direction the carriage had left.

"Takeshi! Rika!" Honey said, before diving into the men with a mighty yell, "Don't go easy on'em!"

Mori already had the shirts of two men in his grasp and he said back to Honey, "Don't worry, I won't." He swung his arms and hurled the men at the concrete wall.
Rika brandished her crowbars in her muscular arms, growling lowly into the crowd, "So you guys want a shot at the title, eh?" Then she threw herself in it, using her crowbars like clubs: bashing in soldier's heads and taking them to their stomachs and backs. Years of street fighting to get home in Chicago flowing through her mind.

Soon enough, a large pile of soldiers was being formed and when they were finished, Mori was cracking his neck and Honey was pointing accusatorily into the men. "I warned you guys! Picking on my friends is a big no-no!"

Mori nodded. "Yeah."

"You should never underestimate the Ouran Host Club." Kyouya said triumphantly, but his eyes perked up at Rika, who was throwing her leg over her Reaper motorcycle. He ran up to her, interrogating, "What are you doing?"

"I'm the girl who can't be caught, Kyouya," Rika said simply, as she started the Reaper. The machine hummed under her and as she revved it, smoke came out of the tailpipe. "And this is the fastest motorcycle in the Eastern hemisphere. If Rose, Haruhi and the twins don't catch the king, you can bet your ass I will."

Kyouya grabbed her face between his hands and pulled her in for a chaste kiss. "Bring him back."

"You have my word, Kyouya." Rika promised, kissing him again before twisting the handlebars and the motorcycle thrust forward, the Shadow King watching her go.

Haruhi, Rose, Hikaru, Kaoru…Rika…Please bring Tamaki back.

The setting sun was casting amber light through the trees as the carriage was bounding through the back roads. Haruhi and Rose were huddled together, held down by Kaoru for safety as his twin brother was a wraith at the reins, whipping the horses and urging them to go faster.

Kaoru shouted up to his brother, "Hikaru! Don't you think you should slow down?! Someone could get hurt!"

"We're not slowing down till we get the Boss back!" Hikaru shouted back, his shoulders beginning to tire.

"But Hikaru!" Kaoru pressed again, the girls looking upon the other twin with fear.

"If it weren't for Tamaki," Hikaru's voice shook as he said the words, "Then the two of us would still only be lost souls! We were able to become friends with Haruhi and Rosalie and Rika and the others was because the Host Club brought us together…To think it could all end so suddenly like this," Hikaru roared into the wind, "is something that I can't tolerate!"

Jolting them, the carriage hit a pothole, and Kaoru held the girls to the carriage, keeping them safe while Hikaru went flying. There were two definitive cracks, one from the axel of the carriage breaking and the other being Hikaru's arm breaking when he hit the firm autumn ground of the pumpkin patch on the left side of the road. The horses rearing brought the carriage to a halt, and as they went still, Kaoru looked to his brother clutching his arm painfully, "Hikaru!"

Haruhi too left the carriage, trying not to trip over her skirt as she ran after Hikaru, "Hikaru! Hikaru, are you okay?!" She hurriedly took off her pink overcoat and fashioned a sling as she approached the twins.

"Hikaru! Is your arm broken?" Kaoru demanded, kneeling beside his dirt-covered brother as he hunched forward, tears streaking down his cheeks.

"It can't end like this, Boss," Hikaru said quietly, as if he was talking to Tamaki himself. "It's not fair…the Host Club's the only thing that made us happy." Haruhi moved his arm into the sling and he grimaced. "Dammit."

Rose watched this from beside the ruined carriage with blank ocean blue eyes. She remembered something Rika had said the night before, when Rose was crying about Tamaki.

"Rose…There are times of true darkness in this world, and I hold no doubt that this is one for you. But you must realize that not all things are as dark as you perceive. My mother died last year and I was crying as hard as you are now. But you must stay strong…"

Rose heard an engine in the distance, and so did the others, looking up.

"You must. Even when it seems the walls we so carefully place up is crumbling all around us."

Rose took a numb step towards the road and held her hand out. Rika's words still echoed in her head.

"Because in our jar of hearts…we find eternal strength."

A hand wrapped around Rose's wrist, the racer yanking her up and behind herself on the motorcycle. Rose clenched both arms around Rika's waist, and with the racer thumbing the nitrous, both of them raced off after the king.

"Tamaki, you're so quiet. You haven't said a word since we left," Éclair said drolly, as the wind whipped through her hair and she peered at him through her opera spectacles, "You're a Host, aren't you? Come on, entertain me."

Tamaki was a statue beside her until he faced her then, his voice soft and lifeless, "I have a question." She rose her eyebrows, prompting him to continue as they drove along the ridge, and the beginning to see the long bridge over the river. "Are you sure about this? Would you even be happy married to me or are you just…following orders?"

As he searched Éclair's face for that answer, on a ledge above them the Reaper was coming off the nitrous and Rika fought to control her speed for the opportune moment. Rose held on for dear life, anxiously asking the racer, "Rika, are you sure we can make this?!"
"Is that a challenge?" Rika shouted over the wind, her pride somewhat hurt by her friend questioning the performance of one of the motorcycles she built herself. "Challenge accepted!"

And with that, Rose screamed and Rika yelled in triumph as the racer brought the motorcycle over the ledge. They were midair for half a second, Rika's face a euphoric grin and Rose's a fearful grimace, landing shakily on the asphalt behind the convertible. They kept going, and as Tamaki heard the skidding of wheels from behind them, he turned around. Seeing the familiar faces of Rika and Rose, he knelt up in his seat. "Rika! Rosalie!"

Éclair widened her eyes at the sight, and said in pure disbelief, "That's…Rosalie Pettifer and Rika Ishikawa?"

The convertible rounded the corner onto the bridge and Rika leaned the bike over to compensate for the speed, following them until she twisted the throttle, bringing them up alongside. Tamaki pleaded desperately at Rika, "Rose! This is dangerous! Rika, stop the motorcycle!"

"Over my dead body, Tamaki!" Rika roared over to him, keeping up easily with the convertible. "You want me to stop! Come and make me!"

Rose yelled to her first love, "Tamaki! Please come back to Ouran!"

"I mean it!" Tamaki shouted, "Stop the motorcycle!"

"Shut the hell up Tamaki and jump over!" Rika urged. Slowly, Rose got up on her bare feet on the motorcycle seat, a hand on Rika's shoulder for balance. Rika tried to protest, "The fuck are you doing?! Get your dirty feet off my seats!"

Rose ignored her, though, her fierce blue eyes on Tamaki, "Everyone would be completely lost without you, Tamaki! I would be lost!"

"But they…" Tamaki was at a loss, the setting sun nearly at the horizon and casting golden rays through the king's blonde hair as it whipped around. "They said they were put out by the Host Club."

"You are a goddamn idiot, Tamaki!" Rose hollered angrily, a bit of hysteria in her raw voice, "What's wrong with you?!"

Her hand on Rika's shoulder balled into a fist. "After all this time, you still can't tell when we're joking and when we're serious?! Everyone loves being in the Host Club! We really do!" Tamaki's eyes were unnaturally blue as he stared at his Rose, and she reached her free hand to him with a wide grin through her tears. "Rika, Haruhi…even me, Tamaki! I love being in the Host Club, too!"

Tamaki slowly reached out for her, but Éclair's hand on his elbow stopped him. The lane Rika's motorcycle was in was closing, but she realized it a second late, swerving the Reaper over. Rose lost her balance, and began to fall, clutching onto Rika's shoulder strap. The weak fabric cutting loose, Rosalie Pettifer fell from the motorcycle and to Rika's surprise and utmost relief, she saw the king diving after her. Tamaki caught up with Rose in midair, pulled her close and smashed his lips passionately into hers in a beautiful kiss as they fell into the water.

Rika then looked forward and saw that if she didn't jump now, she'd be killed as the lane ended. Quickly, she threw herself to her feet on the seat and leapt from the bridge. Before she hit the water, though…she did see the explosion of her Reaper crashing sadly. She dove, and entered the water with the wicked beauty of a hawk diving.

The king carried Rose in his arms onto shore, both of them soaking wet and dripping water. Her face was nestled in his neck, and he pressed a kiss to her hair as he let her down. Tamaki chuckled, looking at her ruined dress, "That was reckless, Rose. Oh, look at you. All wet."

"You too," Rose laughed at him, leaning up to kiss him again. "My royal moron."

Tamaki beamed even brighter. "As long as I am yours."

"Tama-chan! Rose-chan!" They heard a childish voice call from the bank, and then identical voices after that, "Hey! Boss!" A female voice then. "Sempai! Rosalie!"

They looked up to see Honey, Hikaru in a sling and holding onto Haruhi's hand with the good hand, and Kaoru racing up to them for a reunion. Kyouya and Mori were up on the bank, Rika's Ferrari parked nearby and it wasn't hard to guess that they'd 'borrowed' the racer's car to come.

Kyouya was standing a ways from them, his arms crossed as he saw Rika herself coming up from the water and rivulets of liquid ran down her form. As she got close to him, she smiled as he pushed her copper hair away from her face affectionately with a thoughtful smile of his own. She looked past him at her Ferrari.

"You drove stick?" Rika asked, raising her eyebrows and grinning in approval.

Kyouya's smile broadened into a returning grin, pulling her close despite her getting his clothes wet. "My girlfriend's a racing champion. She taught me some time ago and I thought that it might be the most appropriate time to practice." He snuck a finger under her chin, and drew their foreheads together. "I hope I have done her proud. You know, they say she's the girl who couldn't be caught."

"That's funny," Rika said, her gravelly Chicago accent cool and smooth as ever, "I have a boyfriend who talks about a girl like that. I call him the boy with the heart of ice, but…I don't think its ice anymore."

"With a girlfriend like you? I don't think it would be either." Kyouya said, his face serene as he pressed his lips to hers softly and her hands came up to hold him to her, her fingers twining in his hair.

Some time later, they made their way up to the Ferrari and a car the Hitachiins had called up. The twins, Haruhi, and Mori and Honey got into the extra car with smiles on their faces and telling the two couples they'd meet them there. Rika laid towels across her pristine leather Ferrari seats, and slid into the driver's side, her Shadow King in the passenger's seat. Rose and Tamaki sat together in the back, the king's long arm around her shoulders.

Starting the car, Rika's green eyes stared at the back seat and called, "Tamaki?"

"Yes, Rika?" The king replied, the three of the triumvirate smiling at each other.

Rika told him, a smirk on her mouth, "You owe me a motorcycle."

"Oh, well yes…" Tamaki started to say, Rose giggling at him and Kyouya opened the glove box, a little notepad and pen he'd stashed in there earlier made note of the debt.

"Fifty thousand yen you owe her, Daddy," Kyouya said with a small chuckle to his oldest friend.

Tamaki laughed. "Alright, Mommy."

Rika pulled away from the bank, and started on the open road, their hair swirling in the wind.

"Let's ride."

PRESENT DAY

I thought I had known fear…The thrilling fear of being two inches away from crashing a car on the racetrack. The terrible fear of watching a punch come towards you. No.

Until I'd seen Jayce taken away from me, I hadn't even scratched the surface of fear. Or anger. I was stitched up from the bullet, the little metal thing in my hand. I'd gotten batteries for the phone Troy left and was sitting by it twenty-four-seven now.

I nearly fell from my seat as it rang the first time, as Kyouya made his way up to Ishikawa building. I pushed talk and pressed it to my ear.

"I know who you are, Troy and I know what you want."

"Good, then I-"

"Shut up." There was a silence, and when I talked again, I didn't recognize my voice. It was twisted, warped by fear and rage. It tasted of venom. "If you want my patience, I can tell you now, I don't have patience when it comes to you. But I can tell you what I do have…I have a very particular group of friends. Friends I have acquired and loved over a very long time. Friends that make me a nightmare for people like you. If you let my daughter go now, that will be the end of it. I will not look for you. I will not pursue you." I took a long breath, and continued. "But if you don't…I will look for you."

What I said next was absolutely true.

"I will find you …and I will kill you."

There was another long silence before Troy spoke again.

"Chicago. The chase begins…Good luck."