I am sorry for the wait, as usual I just had to chain myself to the laptop in order to write what was needed. I am estimating about four more chapters to the end, so hopefully you will stick with me! This chapter is dedicated to LibraryLady08 for once again being the motivating force to finishing this story. I hope you like this chapter!

GONE…?

Chapter 19- Pain-Killer

"What the hell are you talking about Yuki?" Arisa Uotani demanded, her eyes narrowed in obvious contempt. "Here you come prancing back after abandoning Tohru-chan raving about death threats. Why the hell should we even believe you? And why would anyone in their right mind want to kill her anyway? What is it that you two aren't telling me? All these secrets and talk of curses and this Akito person… who is he? What is going on? You better tell me or it'll be your ass on the line Yuki Sohma!"

Tohru's eyes widened as she tried to calm Uo down, hands up in reassurance. Yuki looked to be in a state of shock. When did Uo learn about Akito and the curse? He glanced at Tohru, hoping that she hadn't told Uo anything she didn't need to know, but at the same time wondering how else she would have found out. He cleared his throat nervously and then asked, "Honda-san… Did you tell her?"

"Ah! N-No! I promised to take the secret to my grave! I… Oh, Yuki-kun, forgive me!" she said woefully, bowing low to her former housemate and friend. "I snuck into the Sohma estate last night! I know I shouldn't have, it was wrong of me! But please try to understand!"

Before she could finish, several things clicked in Yuki's mind at once. Tohru had gone into the Sohma estate. She had been within 500 feet of him and he hadn't known! What if she had been caught! Then his eyes widened. Kyo had disappeared last night. Had Tohru really freed him then? If so, where was the Cat now?

"Tohru-chan, don't apologize to him, you were trying to save his sorry ass," Uo huffed, folding her arms and glaring at Yuki.

Yuki sighed. Before he had time to figure out where Kyo was or how much Arisa Uotani knew of the Curse or his family, he had to get Tohru out of harm's way. "Uotani-san, please forgive me if I caused any harm to you or Honda-san. It was unintentional I assure you. I would never wish to leave Honda-san alone as we did. However, right now we need to find somewhere that it's safe to talk. There are… new developments. My only goal is to protect you, Honda-san, and you Uo-san as you are now a part of this if you know as much as you let on." He stared balefully at Uo, his eyes full of a hidden meaning. Uo's frown lessened as she caught a glimpse of the pain and urgency in the violet orbs watching her.

Biting her lip in obvious irritation at the dilemma, Uo finally replied, "Fine. We can go back to my place."

"Eh?! B- But, what about school?" Tohru blurted out, looking back and forth between the two like she had missed a crucial part of the conversation.

Yuki shook his head. "I'm sure they already know where you live if Honda-san has been with you since we left."

"Well then where do you want to go?" Uo demanded.

It was at this precise moment that Saki Hanajima appeared behind Uo. Yuki was startled by her sudden appearance, but neither Tohru nor Uo were the slightest bit phased. It seems that after six years of friendship, they had become accustomed to her comings and goings.

"Ah, at last," she said to herself as she saw a very baffled Yuki Sohma before her. In the distance, the bell was ringing for the high school. "Arisa-chan, Tohru-chan, I do believe we are late to class," Hana told her friends mildly, as though she was pointing out that Tohru's uniform was blue.

"Hey Hana," Uo greeted her casually. "It looks like we're cutting class today. Someone is going to make an attempt on Tohru's life." She said it sarcastically, as though the feat were physically impossible and so something to laugh about. However, Hana nodded gravely.

"If you are looking for a place to protect her, Yuki Sohma, I would suggest my house. You will find it most suitable to your needs." Hana seemed rather urgent, though only her closer friends could tell as her tone barely wavered from the norm.

Yuki felt as though a powerful storm had just blown through him. His original intent had been to find Tohru and protect her from Akito's wrath. He had not meant to involve anyone else and here he already had two girls who were willing to join them in this fiasco. At least Uo knew something. How was he supposed to speak freely to her with Hana there?

Yet the longer they stood in the street, the more agitated Yuki became, feeling as though any minute someone would drag Tohru away, never to be seen again. With time wearing thin and no other options made readily available, Yuki was forced to concede. They would go to Hana's house and then he would get down to questioning them all until he got this story straight.

………………………………...

Akito paced the room unfalteringly. Images, broken and hazy filtered through the god's mind as though through a cracked lens. Green and red lights painted each scene more dramatic than the next. Akito saw Yuki and Kyo, always sullen and empty, the blood from Yuki's forehead and Hatori's eye strewn across the floor… Didn't these insolent zodiac even know that Akito had cried for days afterward? "All pain inflicted on the Juunishi, so will the god experience it tenfold." Why else did they believe Akito always screamed in such agony? The almighty head of the Sohmas would not cause pain to the zodiac without due cause, and this was a due cause. For nothing was more painful than separation. To be without any of the zodiac for an extended period, left Akito tormented. For them to dismiss their god entirely, was unspeakable anguish.

As the young head grew older, the further the family had divided. As they divided, Akito grew weaker. The young god knew less and less of the doings of the family loyal to the Sohma head. There were fewer visitors, fewer friends, less joy, and most importantly, less love. The family grew up. They wanted other people, and cared less and less for the god they had been bound to since before they were born. Now at the age of twenty-three, Akito felt like nothing more than an idol, a figurehead looked to for nothing more than symbolism, held on a pedestal and left forgotten with the passage of time. The god had been replaced by a blushing, flustered teenage girl who had intruded upon all the tradition that the Sohma family had been built upon. She had mocked the Sohma customs and assumed authority over "curing" them of their curse. In doing so, she had made Akito the villain and had turned the Juunishi against their god and their obligation to tradition.

Akito stopped the pacing and fell into a heap in the center of the floor. The connections were harder and harder for the god to piece together these days. With each member of the zodiac that left, it seemed that pieces of Akito's mind and soul too seemed to disappear. The miserable head of house had tried everything to keep the family together, and now it seemed there was nothing left for it. If the Sohmas would not stay with Akito, they condemned the god to an early death. To protect the zodiac from the uncertainty and lies that would surely come from the shrew Tohru Honda, as well as to protect the life and sanity of "god," Akito had no choice but to keep the sweet and innocent Juunishi locked up. Why couldn't they understand that this was for their own good? Did they not realize that their misery at being caged was hurting Akito more than them. Akito wanted to see them happy, but this was the only way they could be truly happy. Why did Tohru Honda have to ruin that?

Again the images flashed through the god's mind, distorted and warped. Tohru on the floor sprawled out like a broken doll, Kyo in his demonic form, Kureno's eyes when he was set free for the first time… Tears formed in the god's eyes as it was realized wholly and completely that Akito was going mad. As the traces of fear from each of the zodiac echoed in the young god's soul, Akito knew that the zodiac would never unite again so long as Tohru Honda lived. She would have to die for them to be happy. Akito laughed, a soft bitter laugh as the tears poured down the graying cheeks. When she was dead, the pain would go away…

Ah, the sweet psychology of Akito-sama… Next chapter: Kyo and Tohru reunite, Uo and Hana reveal their knowledge, Shigure opens the gates of hell, and Tohru makes the most difficult choice of her young life… Tune in next chapter for all this and more! Reviews are as usual much appreciated. This includes, but is not limited to: criticism, spelling/grammar, suggestions and questions for coming chapters, and general impressions of the story. Thanks everyone!