Tohru kneeled on the floor in the dark room, trembling as she tossed her clothes back into her suitcase. She packed their few necessities and left anything they could replace later. She could only bring a few things to make this trip easier for the both of them. She was still shaking as she struggled to latch the lock in place. Tears had broken to the surface of her eyes by the time her task had been accomplished. Sitting before her suitcase, she cried miserably. She didn't want to leave. This was her home, the place she wanted to raise her child, but they couldn't stay.

Hearing from Uo and Hana that some man had asked for a Yuki Sohma and a Tohru Honda, Yuki decided that this apartment was no longer safe enough to stay in. They had denied having those last names, and Uo sent the guard on his way, but that didn't mean that someone else wouldn't come looking for them. After discussing moving with Haru, Yuki chose a place for them to move to in a small, secluded town that had already been searched. Tohru had reluctantly agreed to run away again, but she was sick of hiding. She just wanted a peaceful relationship. All she seemed to have was a shaky relationship with the man of her dreams though.

She knew Yuki had returned when she felt gentle arms encircle her and press her face against his chest. Her hands, seeming to work on their own accord without consulting her brain, grabbed his shirt, tugging him closer to her. Already aware of the reason for her crying, he simply held her as she cried. He was silent until her sobs had died down a bit. At least, she could hear him now. Tohru was sure he had been speaking for a while. She had watched his lips move, but none of his words had been audible under her weeping.

"We'll be together. We'll be together, I promise…" he repeated the words several times as reassurance for the both of them.

"Don't break your promise."

"I won't. Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen. We're just leaving as a precaution. Nobody is going to break what we have," he assured her.

Tohru nodded, trying to convince herself of the same in vain. Normally, she would have felt more secure after he had said such things, but even his voice had sounded dubious this time. He wasn't even looking her in the eyes. Before he could notice the brimming tears, she pressed her face onto his shoulder, keeping her eyes out of his sight. Her efforts were pointless. Yuki could feel the newly spilled tears as they left dark stains on his shirt. Worriedly, he stroked her back until he was satisfied by the disappearance of her tears.

"Hypothetically speaking, if you were to be alone, you'd still be capable of caring for yourself and the baby, right?" Yuki asked gently.

"Why would I be alone? Are you planning on leaving me?" Tohru questioned in a panicked frenzy.

"No, no!" Yuki denied quickly, "If Akito were to get you and you had to be alone for let's say a week, could you handle it?"

"If you promise to get me… I think I could… But just for a week! No more! Right?"

"Right," he agreed, but she could hear the uncertainty in his voice.

He dried her eyes and peered at her for a moment before covering both of her cheeks with his hands and bringing his lips to hers. Her hands quickly flew to the back of his head, keeping him close to her as his lips pried hers open, getting them to part with minimal effort. He moved quickly, fiercely. She could feel her cheeks brighten to an unusual degree. None of their kisses had been like this before. He usually kissed her more calmly, slowly, and delicately. This was quite the opposite. When they broke apart, she could hardly get enough air. It took a couple of minutes before she could even speak.

"W-What was that?" she choked out between breaths.

"A 'just in case'" he responded seriously.

She giggled childishly. It was the only way she could keep from beginning to break down again as she realized that he was just as fretful as she was. He wasn't positive about anything. She could feel her heart thump painfully as this occurred to her. Tohru managed to calm herself and numb the pain a bit after a few deep breaths. By then, he had already had her back on the floor and had her shirt lifted a bit above her abdomen. Yuki pressed his lips gently to her skin a few inches above her navel. He kept his lips there for a moment before pulling back, dropping her shirt back down and helping her sit up again. Her cheeks were even redder than before.

"One for the baby too," he smiled.

"I thought I was special because I'd be the only one who got a kiss," she laughed, closing her eyes to lock the approaching tears in.

"You are special," he assured her, "But don't be greedy.

He chuckled before kissing her again, gentler this time. Tohru smiled in relief, and Yuki could feel some tension leave her body. He ended their kiss before she wound up gasping for air again and rested his forehead on her shoulder, still embracing her tightly. Tohru flushed as she sat there embarrassedly. Timidly, she raked her fingers through his hair, comforting him for once. She wrapped her other arm around his upper back, clinging to him possessively. Yuki smiled, though she couldn't see, and tightened the hold he had around her waist.

"You better come back to me. I'm not going to raise our child alone, Yuki," Tohru warned slowly.

"Of course."

"And I-I'm not giving birth without you… I-I can't… And I don't want our baby to open her eyes for the first time and not see you," she whispered with tears dripping down her face.

"I'll be there. I promise."

"Good."

Yuki grinned at her with confidence. He might not have been positive that they'd be reunited within a week, but he doubted they'd still be separated after a year. Either he would have persuaded his mother to let him be with Tohru or he had annoyed his mother enough that she didn't even want him in her home anymore. Regardless of which, he knew he could take Tohru back from Akito with little trouble. Tohru returned his smile, comforted by the aura of conviction that coated his words.

"Just don't tell anyone you're pregnant if we are separated for a bit," Yuki advised.

She nodded, knowing he was referring to Akito.

"Protect yourself… Protect our baby if I'm not there…" he pled.

"I-I will," she stuttered over tears.

Tohru could feel him trying to say goodbye indirectly, and she didn't like it. She shuddered slightly at the thought. Her breaths quickened and her heart beat unsteadily. She bit her bottom lip, fighting the urge to cry again. Her eyes misted over, regardless. Tohru wasn't ready to say goodbye. If he thought they were going to get separated if they left, why couldn't they just continue to hide here? She released a shallow breath and grasped his shirt firmly, afraid that if she let go, they really would be parted.

"I love you," he added firmly as he embraced her.

"I love you more…" she murmured.

"I'll let you win this one time… But just for now, okay?"

She laughed. He knew just how to lighten her mood. However, his reluctance to argue with her over this raised her level of concern. It was a red flag, alerting her of their imminent parting. Tohru had thought of it simply as a possibility moments ago, but with his attitude now, she was sure their separation was inevitable. All she could hope for now was that their split wouldn't last too long and that their reunion would come quickly. She was terrified of the idea of not being with him for any period of time. It would be the same as trying to live without her heart.

"I don't think I can live without you, Yuki…" Tohru breathed.

"Don't say that. You can…" Yuki disagreed staunchly.

"But I wouldn't want to…"

"I would want you to," he told her firmly.

"Why would you want me to suffer without you?" Tohru asked.

"I don't want you to suffer. It wouldn't be that bad without me, Tohru."

Tohru shook her head in dissent. If he was trying to comfort her, he'd have to come up with a better lie than that. That or he still didn't think her feelings compared to his. She knew very well how it felt to be away from him. She was familiar with the burning sensation that engulfed her heart when she was unsure of whether she'd see him again or not. If all she felt was that burnt heart of hers, she'd agree with him, but it was so much worse than that. There wouldn't be a single cell of hers that didn't throb and shake with pain.

"Would you want to live without me?" Tohru inquired in a slightly hurt voice.

"No… But that's different."

"How?"

"I-It just is. I have nothing to live for besides you. No one loves me other than you. My family doesn't love me. Yours does," Yuki pointed out.

"Without you, does that matter?"

"Yes, yes, it does, Tohru. I'm not your life, but you're mine. Nothing else matters to me… I matter to no one else. It's not like that for you, and it shouldn't be."

He didn't want her to die just because they weren't together. She had siblings that loved her. Her parents had cherished her. Not a single one of them would want her to end her life simply because of him. More than anything else, Yuki wanted her to live the rest of her life. He was aware that he wasn't the only thing that made her happy, though she was for him. He had nothing worthwhile to endure life for if she weren't with him. His family despised him. She was the only one who truly accepted him completely for who he was.

"It is that way for me," Tohru disagreed.

Taking one glance at her wet eyes, Yuki changed the subject before he made her cry again, "Come on, Tohru. Let's get ready to go. We're going to be late."

Tohru tightened her grip around him, shaking her head slowly. She wasn't ready to leave now, not after all that farewell talk. He pressed her head to his shoulder, kissing her hair. She wasn't sure how long they sat there, but when she stood again, her legs ached after sitting for so long. He kept her securely at his side, although both of his hands were locked around suitcase handles. She kept her arms around his waist instead, seeing as he refused to let her carry anything.

Uo and Hana were standing down there, waiting for them when they finally came down, regardless of how late – or more accurately how early- it was. Neither said anything, simply embracing Tohru when they saw her and nodding politely at Yuki. It was hard for Tohru to refrain from crying again. Uo and Hana felt more like friends she had had since her childhood rather than two women she met a few months ago. She stared at her feet solemnly, hating the fact that she had lied to them about who she was.

"Watch her for a minute while I get the last suitcase, please?" Yuki asked.

"Of course," Uo and Hana responded simultaneously.

"Don't let her out of your sight," Yuki warned.

He peered at Tohru hesitantly, debating whether to take her back with him or not. He'd feel more secure with her constantly at his side, but she looked so tired that he couldn't force her to take another journey. It was late. Hours past the usual time that she'd go to sleep. Yuki could see how difficult it was getting for her to even keep her eyes open. Tohru smiled at him as reassurance. She knew he worried for her, but she'd rather he not treat her as a child. Maybe she wasn't as strong as he was, nor as quick, but surely he could trust her enough to stay out of trouble for a couple of minutes.

"I'll be fine on my own for a few minutes," Tohru assured him.

"You can scream if you need me. I'll promise I'll come as quickly as humanely possible," Yuki vowed.

"Yes. I can scream on my own, thank you very much. You'll only be gone for a few minutes. I'll be fine," she repeated.

"And I thought you were the worrier," Yuki teased, partly surprised by her bravery.

"Right! So can I have another 'just in case'?"

Yuki laughed but obeyed before he rushed off to get their last bag. Tohru took a deep breath as she watched him disappear into the darkness of the suddenly foreboding hallway. She could see the corridor as a monster swallowing up Yuki. The chandelier was its sharp teeth and the red carpeting its tongue. She swallowed nervously before shaking her head to clear her mind of her frightening thoughts. Tohru waited patiently for a minute, rocking herself back and forth on her heels. Glancing out the windows and back at the bags, she decided she'd help Yuki just a bit. She knew he hated to let her do any work, but she could tell that he was just as tired as she was, regardless of what he said.

"I'm going to move our bags outside, I'll be back soon," Tohru told Uo and Hana.

"Then we're going with you," Uo told her.

"No, no! That's okay! You don't need to! Yuki worries too much. I can stand outside on my own without getting kidnapped! I just want some fresh air. I'll be all right. Just tell Yuki I'm waiting for him there, okay? You guys aren't dressed warmly enough. You'll catch a cold," Tohru added worriedly.

"We can get jackets… We'll see you in a minute, okay?"

Tohru nodded a bit reluctantly. She watched them go for a second before taking the heavy suitcases in hand and carrying them outside. She left the luggage at her feet and stood there, letting the wind toss her hair about and the chilly, night breeze cool her warm face. Tohru sighed and turned back to face the glass doors, waiting for Uo and Hana to come or Yuki. All were taking an unusually long time, or she was just being incredibly impatient. She frowned sadly, whispering goodbye to the building that had been her home for the past few months. She'd miss it dearly.

Completely absorbed in her farewell, she jumped a couple of feet when she felt someone tap her shoulder. She turned around with a small smile, assuming it to be Yuki or her friends, but she was taken aback by the dark eyes that stared back at her with a wicked smile. She froze, gaping at him. Starting to tremble, she backed away slowly, but he caught her by the hand, yanking her closer to him. Tohru knew she was supposed to yell for Yuki, but it turned out to be difficult to remember how to do so with the incarnation of evil standing inches from her.

"Hello, Tohru… I almost didn't recognize you with your new hairstyle," Akito cooed in an ominous voice.

She swallowed apprehensively, trying to prepare herself for a scream, but her throat suddenly felt dry and her voice impossibly small. Her strength seemed to vanish as well as she noticed the five tall, muscular men surrounding Akito. Taking a fleeting glance at the still lobby, she wondered where Yuki was, partly wishing he was here. She quickly changed her mind when she remembered the guards around Akito, praying that Yuki would remain safe instead. Tohru didn't want her love anywhere near a vengeful Akito. Besides, it remained her request that he take no part in protecting her.

"Aren't you going to greet me?" Akito demanded.

Tohru looked downcast stubbornly, refusing.

"Doesn't matter. We'll have plenty of time for chitchat back at home."

Tohru looked up just in time to see one the guards toss her over his shoulder, gripping her legs with her upper half dangling on his back. Finding her voice, she screamed shrilly and kicked with all her strength, but her legs wouldn't budge. Tohru tried to hit him with her fists, but those were soon restrained too. All she could do was continue to shriek as she was carried away. Only one of the men followed, the other three staying with Akito.

She gasped suddenly and began to flail with more effort. She couldn't help but imagine that they were staying to hurt Yuki. She squirmed around helplessly. Tohru glared at them, but neither looked her way. Tohru nearly died when she saw the door open and Yuki run out furiously. There was a mixture of shock and horror on his face as well. Clearly he wasn't suspecting that Akito would be here. He stared at her momentarily, concerned, before anger overtook him, and he lifted Akito up by the collar of his shirt.

"Let. Her. Go," he demanded angrily.

"I wouldn't be so rough," Akito smirked.

The men with her stopped and turned around. Whoever was carrying her lowered her to her feet and pressed something cold to her temple. Out of her peripheral vision, she could see that it was a gun. She glanced at Yuki with wide eyes. She had been trying to suppress her fear, but she knew that was impossible with how she was shaking. There was even a soft, uncontrollable whimper coming out of her throat. If she wasn't being held up, she was sure she'd be on the ground now. Her buckling legs sure weren't supporting her.

Yuki dropped Akito instantly, his eyes pleading with the men holding her. His gray eyes seemed to be filled with more terror than her own. He had his hands clenched tightly in fists and was nearly trembling from his desire to attack Akito. Even from where she was, Tohru could see that the tight skin pulled over his knuckles was pure white. She forced her lips up into a weak smile, trying to cheer him, but that only seemed to upset him further.

"Don't hurt her," he begged.

Akito sneered at Yuki as he dusted off his black pants. He waved his hand at the men beside Tohru, signaling them that their precaution was unnecessary now. The gun lowered immediately, but the color didn't return to her face as she was lifted up again. This time they didn't move though. She was just held very tightly, unable to move, and the gun was still held within her eyeshot. Tohru tore her eyes off the weapon, forcing herself to check up on Yuki. She strained her ears to hear the quiet conversation between Yuki and Akito.

"Let her go… I won't do anything… I promise. You can do whatever you like to me. Blame it all on me. She did nothing wrong. It was my idea to come here. It's completely my fault. Just leave her alone," Yuki whispered.

"No!" Tohru screeched, "Don't do it, Yuki! NO!"

"I love you, Tohru," he responded simply.

She gasped as Akito smiled and threw his fist at Yuki's face. Tohru screamed, thrashing about forcefully with no success. All her limbs were restrained by unyielding hands. Determined, she bit down on the arm of the man who was holding onto her right hand. He flinched and nearly struck at her while another one of them fired at her. She shrieked as the bullet whizzed by her face, missing her forehead by a few inches. The sound was deafening, and she could hardly hear Yuki's shouts of protest and fury.

Akito punched Yuki again, in the gut this time.

"Stop it!!!" Tohru wailed, "STOP! Leave him alone!"

She was ignored, as were the tears that were streaming down her face. Tohru could hardly see anymore with the blinding layers of tears before her eyes, but she could hear that Uo and Hana were here. They too were restrained by the sounds of their shouts. Her sobs turned into hysterics as she heard more thuds of harsh attacks. She couldn't hear any resistance. Only groans and grunts of pain, but even those could hardly be heard. This was exactly what she was afraid would happen. This was exactly what she didn't want to happen. Yuki would get hurt to some unknown degree, and she'd be left worrying as she was taken away.

Tohru screamed, "Don't hurt him! Don't! Hurt me! Hit me instead!"

Nobody listened to her. She turned to Yuki. He'd listen to her.

"Yuki! STOP IT! They can have me! Fight back! Let them hurt me! Stop letting him hit you! Let them hurt me!"

"I can't do that… I'm sorry… I can't jeopardize you…" Yuki responded slowly, painfully.

"YUKI! Jeopardize me! I don't care!"

He didn't reply. Tohru couldn't even say anything coherent anymore. She just wanted to help him. Suddenly jerking to her left, she managed to catch one of the guards off guard and free one of her feet. She stomped with all her might on the large foot of the man holding her arms. He let go of her out of shock more than pain, and then the man holding her other foot released her as she began to fall. Tohru managed to catch herself and fled, running towards Yuki instead of away as they had expected. So as their arms reached in all the wrong directions, she got to Yuki's side.

She threw herself between Yuki's bent over body and Akito's makeshift weapon, but Yuki reacted quicker than she thought possible. In a flash, she was locked in his embrace with her back on the ground, and he was the one blocking the attack. Her heart tore apart as she watched him grimace in pain. His arms quivered but were still locked around her protectively. Tohru couldn't even move in his hold. She was sure she had just caused him more pain. He could have blocked the attack had he not been shielding her from it.

"Yuki-Yuki! I-I'm sorry!" she sobbed.

"Don't be."

She could feel a fleeting kiss on her cheek before she was torn away from him. Tohru squirmed in the arms of whoever was dragging her off. She swore she had landed a kick somewhere, but he didn't seem the least bit fazed by her attack. Tears were bubbling down her cheeks, leaving a trail away from Yuki. She screamed and hollered, but nothing kept her where she was. Within a minute, she was back to where she had come from, and this time she doubted she could escape. She wished they weren't gripping her hands so tightly. She wanted to cover her ears. She couldn't bear to listen to every strike. With no vocal responses from Yuki, Tohru began to panic, left with no indications as to whether he was alive or dead.

"Yuki… Yuki… Yuki…" she wept continuously.

Tohru could have sworn she heard him whisper her name back, but it was too quiet for her to be able to differentiate it from her imagination and reality.

When the sounds of beating faded, Tohru shrieked once she was thrown back up onto someone's shoulder and started to be taken away again. She wiped her tears on the man's shirt and stared horrified at the scene she could finally see. Her Yuki was covered in blood. He was leaning against the building, unable to support his own weight. Even so, his legs were buckling weakly. He was breathing heavily, watching her go helplessly. His fingers twitched towards her, and she could see his mouth whisper an apology even if she couldn't hear it. His hand reached for her, extending, but as his body left the wall, he staggered over, falling to his knees.

"YUKI!" Tohru screamed.

She watched him fade into the distance sadly and disappear completely as they turned a corner. Her tears increased as she was thrown into the backseat of the car. Tohru could hardly breathe properly anymore. Her breaths came out shallow, and she hardly got enough oxygen. She was surrounded by two guards who held onto her arms and legs.

Tohru didn't care anymore. It didn't matter what they were planning to do to her. Nothing mattered. Life was over. She had no idea what was to become of her Yuki. Her worst nightmare had come true.

Akito entered and sat in the front seat. She could tell it was him and not just another black colored splotch by his wicked laugh. With pure hatred and disgust, she turned her head away from him. He laughed at her and tossed something reddish at her. It landed on her lap, and she could barely recognize it as a blood-soaked napkin. It was Yuki's blood, the warm liquid that had left Yuki's body and clung to Akito's knuckles. Tohru stared at it, petrified. Her heart lurched painfully, crashing against her ribcage.

"There. Now you have something of your precious Yuki," Akito snickered.

Akito eyed the human shackles around Tohru's wrists and ankles curiously as he watched Tohru attempt to grab the napkin. Tears filled her eyes as she realized they wouldn't allow her. There was too much blood. She had seen the red sidewalk Yuki had been lying on before she was forced away. Whatever tears she had managed to hold in gushed out. She barely managed to keep from choking on her sobs. Akito reached for her, catching hold of a few strands of her hair. Tohru swatted his hand away angrily, but he just laughed at her.

"You may release her. She's not stupid enough to try to escape," Akito ordered as the car began to move.

As soon as they freed her, Tohru lunged forward angrily, "You're despicable! Attacking someone when he isn't even defending himself!"

"I didn't stop him from fighting or retaliating. I didn't tie him up, now did I?"

"You used me! You used his love for me against him! You're a coward! You won't fight him without an advantage! You knew he wouldn't fight back if I were in danger! He loves me more than you ever could!" Tohru cried.

"Oh shut up already. I never claimed to love you at all," Akito muttered as he stuffed his fingers into his ears.

Tohru sniffled sadly and swiped at her watery eyes. She shook off one of the guard's hands as he tried to pull her back into her seat. Within minutes, she regretted her actions as the car sped across a speed bump. She flew into the armrest swiftly. Tohru was sure she would have flown out the windshield had the two guards sitting with her not caught hold of her arms. Regardless, she remained seated on the edge of her seat, not done yelling yet.

"I won't forgive you if Yuki is hurt! I won't!" Tohru sobbed.

"Funny… I don't remember asking for your forgiveness," Akito smirked.

"You're just a cruel, heartless, evil man!"

"And what are you? A dimwitted, friendly tramp? We're a perfect match."

"I am not a tramp!" Tohru snapped, offended.

"I disagree with that. Did you or did you not sleep with Yuki, a man other than I, your fiancé?" Akito questioned coldly.

Tohru frowned, not responding. Akito turned around and faced her with a wry smile. His fingers latched themselves to her chin, yanking her face close to his. Tohru tried to break his hold, but she couldn't budge an inch. Instead, she grimaced, trying her best not to show how frightened she was. She gritted her teeth together and fought to keep a fierce look across her face. Tohru didn't want to give him the impression that he could easily take advantage of her as he had done on New Year's Eve.

"That's what I thought, slut. And you're pregnant too, yes?"

"I- I am not!" Tohru denied quickly, remembering Yuki's warning.

"You aren't?" Akito questioned, raising his dark eyebrows at her.

She shook her head vehemently.

"Someone's lying. Now is it you or Motoko?" Akito demanded.

Tohru shook slightly, praying she wouldn't be caught. She had never been a talented liar. Keeping her eyes downward, she didn't say anything. Akito turned around in his seat and shrugged after releasing her. Tohru slid towards the back of her seat, wanting to put as much distance between her and Akito as she possibly could. She folded her arms across her chest firmly. She didn't want to hurt Yuki again with any unnecessary betrayal.

"Well see," Akito murmured.

She ignored him. Tohru sat in complete silence, hearing none of the conversations bustling through the vehicle. Her thoughts were trapped with Yuki, and they never left through the twelve hour journey to Akito's home. His name was a mantra in her head, ceaseless, an endless beat as were her prayers for his wellbeing. Tears never stopped dwindling down her cheeks. She didn't even notice she had fallen asleep until she awoke in her new home.

---

Yuki let out a frustrated breath as he slipped on his shirt and yanked an IV out of his arm. The hospital attendee worriedly followed him out the door. A doctor had recently finished bandaging his wounds and stitching together a large gash across his back. He had been given orders to remain in the hospital for some time, but Yuki was hardly listening.

"Shut up. Quit following me," Yuki muttered angrily as he stormed down the hall.

"But the doctor's orders-"

"I don't care."

"Security will catch you."

Yuki didn't hesitate as he continued down the hallway and skidded around the corner rashly. He darted straight past the elevator and bolted down the stairs, ignoring the throbbing sensation radiating from his back. The assistant could hardly keep up with him nor could security locate him quickly enough. By the time they did catch sight of him, he was already at the front door, but nobody took a step towards him. Yuki hurried down the sidewalk without a pause. He needed to get out of here as soon as possible, and nothing was going to stop him.

Tohru needed him.

To his delight, nobody followed him anymore. They were all too distracted.

The presence of the queen at the revolving doors stunned them all into stillness.

"Don't worry. We're capable of caring for my son back home," she declared to everyone.

She waved at them briefly before chasing after Yuki. Yuki ignored her pleas for him to stop along with the gasps of shocks from every citizen within hearing range. His mother followed to his dismay. Yuki groaned after a few more steps. He didn't need his mother to bother him now. He was very well aware of her feelings toward Tohru, and he doubted he'd be allowed to rescue Tohru with her around. Yuki quickened his pace, hoping to lose her, but she kept up amazingly well, even in those high heels of hers.

"I'm not going home with you, mother," Yuki told her.

"Then may I inquire where you are headed?"

"I'm going to save Tohru. She's scared out of her mind now. I can tell," Yuki admitted.

"Yuki, she's engaged to someone else. Your little game of house is over."

"But she's married to me."

"Yuki, you are going to marry Machi."

Yuki shook his head in refusal, cringing at the thought of marrying Machi and leaving a miserable Tohru in the hands of such a wretched man. She'd have to drug him until he was barely alive and forge his signature onto the marriage documents if she wanted him to get married to someone other than Tohru. There was no way he was going to marry Machi on his own. He wasn't consoled by his stubbornness. His mother would do anything short of killing him to get the marriage established, even if what she was doing was illegal.

"You're only getting out of it if you're dead."

"Then I'll die," Yuki concluded nonchalantly.

"Yuki, I'm not forbidding you from seeing her. You'll just have to compromise with Akito. You guys can share or whatnot."

"I'm not sharing her. Tohru is mine and mine alone."

Yuki continued walking down the sidewalk as his mother stopped at the fancy car awaiting her. The chauffeur stepped out of the driver's seat and held the door open for the two of them. Yuki brushed past the driver, despite the fact that a car would provide him with much faster transportation than his walking. He knew better than to take his mother's generosity. There was always a catch with her assistance. With a ride, he may be able to get back quicker, but that didn't necessarily mean closer to Tohru. In his home, he'd be further from saving Tohru than he was here.

"Come on, Yuki. What are you going to do? Walk back?"

"Yes," Yuki responded.

"You're being unreasonable as always!"

"And guess who I got that from," Yuki mumbled.

"Yuki, you can come willingly, or I can make you."

"Make me. You're not getting me in there with you any other way."

"You know, I'm quite close to Akito-san. He wouldn't mind doing me a favor. And what do you know, he has Tohru-chan right with him," she cooed.

Yuki froze in his step. Angrily, he turned around to confront his mother. He didn't understand why everyone felt compelled to bring Tohru's pain into everything. She hardly deserved to be used as something for people to use against him. Yuki glared at his mother. His face twisted with fury and agony. His mother couldn't have picked a better topic to use to manipulate him. There was no way he could let Tohru be harmed in any way. He couldn't even think very clearly when Tohru was involved.

"Leave her out of this!" Yuki snapped sharply.

"I could if you came with me."

He glowered but obeyed, stiffly walking back into the car. His mother smiled as he climbed into the car. She slid in next to him, ignoring him as he scooted to the edge of the seat, as far from her as possible. Yuki crossed his arms and sat there grudgingly as the car backed out of the parking spot and raced down the empty roads. He glared at the gray pavement slipping past and dug his nails into the seat, misdirecting his anger. Yuki tore his mother's hand from his shoulder when she tried to comfort him.

"When will you learn, Yuki? Love is a snare. Now that it has you in its grasp, you will do anything for her, won't you?"

Yuki reluctantly agreed with her guess.

"So you're just my puppet now," she smiled wickedly.

"Don't use her! She's a person, not your tool to make me obey!" Yuki snarled furiously.

"Well if you'd just be more obedient I wouldn't have to."

Yuki turned his whole body away from her, enraged, despite how the seatbelt dug painfully into his side when he sat like that. He didn't budge the whole journey, not even when they stopped for food.

---

Tohru regained conscious in an unfamiliar, spacious room. She sat upright on the double bed, rubbing her eyes tiredly. The room was dark. All the shades were drawn shut.

"Where am I?" she murmured to herself.

She swung her legs off the bed, finding herself in a long, white, night gown. The lacy hem touched the ground, and the gown was held up by thin straps on her bare shoulders. Tohru placed her arms around her chest self-consciously. The material was nearly translucent. She shivered and stood up, looking around the room curiously. Tohru walked over to a nearby window, lifting the shades and stared out at the strange scenery. This wasn't her home. This wasn't even her town.

"I see you're finally awake… Welcome to your new home, Tohru Honda."

Tohru gasped and turned around frantically. She hadn't heard someone come in. The darkness of the corner he was standing in kept his face a secret, but that voice had been burned into her memory. From the simple sound of his voice, her body trembled and she shook violently. Tears began rolling down the sides of her face. She backed away into the corner when she saw him stand up. Wrong move. As he stepped closer, she had nowhere to go. He was quiet as he approached her, and for a second, the sunlight from a crack in the shades lit up the cruel twist of his smile.

She pressed herself as far back as she could until her back was squeezed against the walls. She pulled her knees up against her body, making them a protective wall before her. Her eyes widened when Akito was five feet from her and then shut in terror. Tohru bit her lip until she could taste blood, awaiting her terrible fate. She quivered fearfully until she felt him reach forward and pat her head three times.

"Don't worry, my little pumpkin. We have the rest of our lives to have fun. No need to rush," he crooned in a cold eerie voice.

"No…"

"What did you say?!"

"No! No! NO! Let me out! I want to go back to Yuki!" Tohru wailed.

"You want to leave?"

Tohru nodded, sniffling quietly.

"All right then…" he responded, pulling her up by her elbow.

Tohru stumbled forward, tripping over her own feet. He released her for a brief moment, only long enough to push open the window. Akito grabbed her again and shoved her halfway out the window. She stared at the ground, which seemed to be farther and farther away after each blink. Tohru was only hanging on by her feet. Her arms swung around wildly, trying to find something to grab onto. He held onto her hips loosely when her feet left the ground. The wind tossed her hair around, nipping at her face, and only now did she realize her fear of heights. Akito let her dangle for a minute before pulling her back inside. Tohru fell to the floor, terrified.

"You're free to leave whenever you like. I'll even leave the window open for you," he smirked, grinning with amusement.

He laughed before exiting the room. Tohru huddled against the wall, covering her face with both of her hands and allowed the endless tears to seep out. Memories of her last incident with Akito came rushing back to her, making her weep louder. This time, it would be worse. She was pregnant, and she didn't want to think about what he would do when he found out. Especially since it was Yuki's child. She thought of Yuki and wished he would save her, but then again, he had no clue as to where she was. Plus, he was hurt.

---

Yuki slowly opened his eyes, finding himself back in his room, a place he hadn't been in for a long time. He tried to move, but his legs and the rest of his body were sore. A groan escaped his lips. He had to help Tohru. Who knew what kinds of things were being done to his love. Yuki forced himself to sit up and stared at his jail cell.

Thick metal rods were placed on the outside of his windows about an inch apart from the next. Even a pair of guards stood next to his door, which had at least ten bolts and locks. He attempted to lift his arm but found it chained to the bed post by a thick, two foot long chain. He yanked his wrist, scraping the chains against the wood, making a loud screeching sound. Yuki pulled harder, but the chains held, tugging back at his arm. Yuki sighed and patted his back pocket, relieved to feel the outline of his cell phone.

He peered around helplessly for a moment before he dropped back down onto his mattress. He wished he were still asleep. At least he could be with Tohru in his dreams.

It was the dead of night before Yuki dared to make a sound.

He heard the soft snoring of the guards that were supposedly watching him as he began working his way through the bed post. As quietly as possible, he pulled on the chain, rubbing it harshly against the thick wood. Every time he heard a noise, he would feign sleep, but once the stillness returned he got back to work. Yuki didn't want to let Tohru think he had given up. That was the last thing he wanted. Actually, the real last thing he wanted was to marry Machi and be separated from Tohru. He kept at it until daybreak. His progress was little, but the work left him tired and his wrists red. Yuki fell into a deep slumber almost instantly, sleeping well into the evening.

When he awoke, his mother was sitting there, waiting for him. He kept his eyes shut and stayed completely quiet in hope that she would vanish, but she had seen him open his eyes and wasn't the least bit fooled by his act.

"Hello, Yuki. I have good news for you. Machi-chan is quite willing to accept you back after your rendezvous with Tohru."

Her voice still sent shivers up his spine. He kept quiet, deciding it was better not to reply.

"Fine. I'll talk about something you like. How were your months with Tohru?" she asked, happily laying down a trap she knew he would fall in.

Yuki ignored her comment, but she saw him flinch and smiled maliciously. He stared up at the ceiling, refusing to answer her no matter what she asked, but she wouldn't back down. She knew him well enough to know how to get him to open up. Yuki continued to think that she wasn't there, but it didn't go well since she mentioned Tohru in every sentence. The insults and accusations directed at Tohru were irritating him to no end.

"What do you want, mother?" Yuki finally asked.

"Nothing. I'm your mother. Can't I talk to my own son?"

"Nothing, huh? So you don't want me to marry Machi?"

She grew silent, her anger now filling the surrounding air. He pushed himself up on his bed so he could see her. His gray eyes locked with her icy ones with determination. Her lips straightened out into a straight line, staring back at him cruelly. Slowly, she tapped her fingernails on the wood of the chair in a steady beat, too enraged to speak. Yuki lifted his arm, and the clamoring of the chains against the wood rang in the air. She watched with her eyebrows raised as he gestured to the windows and the guards.

"Isn't this going too far? Look around this room. This is a prison. The windows have bars, and I'm locked to the bed. And you still call me your son?" Yuki questioned in a bitter tone coated with hatred.

Without wasting a moment, she slapped him across the face. She stood up abruptly, knocking over her chair. Her arm was still shaking as she made her way to the door. Yuki sat there, facing the wall, his cheek reddening. The room grew extremely quiet, not even the guards were talking anymore. They sat there in awe. Everyone outside his room froze too. The crack of her slap had been heard throughout the castle. Slowly his fingers grazed his cheek, and pain streamed over his body.

Yuki dropped back down on his bed, releasing a sigh. There was no way to get through to her. It was a hopeless case, but he wouldn't give up. The least he could do was keep his promise to Tohru. He couldn't give up. If he did, what was keeping Tohru from doing the same? For hours, Yuki came up with dozens of escape plans, but in the end, he knew he'd just be brought back home. He needed a way to convince his mother to do as he pleased. His father seemed like the first step.

Now all he had to do was wait for his father to pay him a visit.

---

Tohru awoke with a start. She sat upright, peering around the room in a disoriented manner until she realized she had fallen asleep on the floor. Her body was ached from remaining in that awkward position in the corner for too long. Climbing back onto her feet, she shivered as she wandered over to the wide open window. She glanced down fearfully. This had to be the highest room in the palace. The ground below looked so comforting, as if it would cushion her if she jumped, but she knew better. If it was safe to jump, then Akito wouldn't have mentioned it. A fall from here was a guaranteed death, and she didn't want to die. Not without at least saying farewell to Yuki and her family, but now she had another reason. Her child. With that thought, she shut the window and locked it. Tohru couldn't let her first child die.

"What am I going to do mom?" she whispered, gazing out at the sunset.

She groaned and shook her head, wondering why she always turned to the deceased for help when she knew that they wouldn't be of any assistance in this situation. Tohru took a deep breath to calm herself and wondered if Yuki was seeing the same colors of the setting sun as she was. They always used to watch sunsets together. If she wasn't so flustered, she might have enjoyed the beautiful scene before her as she usually did.

Meanwhile, Yuki peered at the rainbow of colors surrounding the sun. He slowly lifted his arm to the glass, but the metal chains pulled his wrist back towards the bed. Reluctantly, he let his fingers slide down the glass and drop back down to his sides. Being locked up was a harsh punishment, even more so than having to marry Machi. Here, he felt weak and helpless, like he couldn't do a thing to prevent the events he knew would unfold. He needed to keep the wedding off and freeing himself didn't sound half bad either.

He fell onto the bed, thinking about how Tohru could be doing as he drifted off to a state of half conscious.

Yuki's eyes snapped open in the middle of the night to the jingling of keys and his door opening. He looked at the clock. It was a quarter to four in the morning, an odd time for guards to switch shifts. Another man didn't come to replace the two guards until four. So if he was correct, he had fifteen minutes to do as he pleased. His assumptions were proven correct, every morning he awoke to the same sounds. If he played his cards right, that would be the time to escape.

---

Tohru was relieved.

For a whole week Akito hadn't come for a visit. Her chamber had all she needed, a bathroom, in case she felt sick, and though she was locked inside, food was still provided. She didn't feel comfortable eating his food, but her child needed it, and she had promised Yuki she'd take care of herself. She also needed her strength in case Akito tried anything. All she was missing was Yuki, but that was a big enough chunk of her that she felt empty inside, and the void grew with each passing second. She was sure she would have gone insane if she weren't carrying that little part of him in her abdomen.

There, in the room, she remained, just surviving with nothing to do. Nobody was there to talk to. No Yuki. There was nothing. From the start of her day to finish, she'd have three meals, bathe, and clean the already clean room. Most of the time she spent caring for herself and the unborn child as she thought of Yuki.

She had never felt so lonely in her life. She missed him. She missed being by his side, hearing his voice, seeing his face. She simply missed him so much it hurt inside. Tohru felt deprived of her love. But there was nothing she could do, so she shifted her thoughts to her family and realized that she missed Haru and Kisa as well.

---

Yuki waited, waited for seven days until his father decided to see him. He had been completely alone for 168 hours with the guards who never spoke as companions. Time passed extremely slowly when one couldn't move farther than two feet from his bed.

He paced around the ground he could touch with the chains dragging along with him until they reached their limit and pulled him back. Yuki did this half to think and half to annoy the guards that kept him in here. That was what he was doing when his father finally entered. The door creaked open, and a path of light from the bright hallway lit the dark room. For a second Yuki was blinded after having sat in darkness for so long. His father approached him silently, putting his hand on Yuki's shoulder.

"Took you a week to finally come pay me a visit in this miniature prison?" Yuki asked immediately.

"Yuki, this isn't a jail. It's still your room."

"Really? I couldn't tell the difference. They're both used to hold people in and keep them from leaving. And look! I even get to be chained down like a real criminal!" Yuki exclaimed in a sarcastic voice.

"I'm sorry… Really, I am. But this wasn't my decision."

"I thought you were the king," Yuki commented dully.

He looked the older man in the eye, his silver bangs concealing his urgency to get out of this place. His father glanced at the door, patting his son on the knee. Yuki moved away, knowing at once he'd be alone in his escape. Without a word or sound, just with a simple gesture, he told that to Yuki. Yuki couldn't help but feel a tinge of hatred towards him. All he wanted was a little assistance. He wasn't asking that his father endanger his life him. Yuki just wanted a little key to free his arm.

"I can't help you, but I will tell you that in a week your mother plans to have you wed to Machi," he informed Yuki.

Yuki winced, seriously worried now.

"I can't marry her… I really can't…" Yuki breathed before deciding to confess, "Tohru is my wife, dad… And she's pregnant. She's pregnant, and I'm not even there to help her. I can't betray her and marry someone else. She's carrying my child, your grandchild."

"It was your choice to give into temptation and have intercourse. I don't see how it involves me… Look, if it was up to me, then I'd let you marry whomever you want," he admitted.

Yuki was left there alone. If anything, his father's visit had made him feel worse. He felt the urge to call the guard over, punch him, steal his keys, and break out. But in the end, it was obvious that escape would only be a temporary solution. Instead, he spent the next three nights working away at the metal and memorizing the guards' movements when they switched. The first guards left and go to the right, and new guards arrive from the left fifteen minutes later. To leave unnoticed, he would have to go right and leave that way, he figured. Satisfactorily, he nodded and let himself have a well deserved sleep.

---

Twitching in her bed, Tohru awoke to someone fiddling with the buttons of her blouse. Tohru jumped back, clasping her hand over her half opened top. Akito looked over at her with an amused expression. She backed away slowly, holding her shirt together, too scared to re-button her blouse. He reached forward, taking her chin in his hands, forcing her to look at him. His arm swept around her back and pulled her towards him.

"Shame, isn't it? I wanted to be the first one with my little toy… Too bad she's not the innocent virgin I thought her to be… Why did I pick such a whore?" Akito mused to himself.

Tohru didn't say anything, which seemed to anger him further. He grabbed onto her silky brown locks, yanking on them viciously. Tohru felt her scalp burn with pain and she winced. She felt tears bubble out from the tight grip he had on her hair. He peered at her, waiting some other response, but he had frightened all coherent thoughts out of her head. Tohru clawed helplessly at the air, begging to be released, but Akito simply snickered at her, enjoying her pain.

"It's your fault, you know. No protection… How stupid…" he muttered.

She trembled. He snickered, loosening his grip. As his fingers slowly freed themselves from her locks of hair, Tohru watched a few fallen strands flutter to the bed. She dropped down on her face after his last finger slid through her tangled hair. Her hands grasped the top of her head, seeking an end to the fiery pain that made her wince. Teary eyed, she looked up at him. Akito flipped her over and placed his hand on her still flat stomach.

"Pity, you think he'll still love you when you get fat and can hardly move? I'll tell you now, guys only like you because you're cute and thin. But those are going now. Ready to break up?" he questioned coldly.

"He- He's not like that!" Tohru choked out, feeling compelled to defend Yuki as best as she could.

"Did he tell you that he'd be there to support you and the baby? That's only because he doesn't know how fat you'll grow. Think about it. Guys only say I love you to get a kiss and tongue action. Why do you think he asked you to run away with him? It's like a hotel. And then he asked you to marry him to give you the thought that he did love you, but I know all he wanted was sex. Sad that you believed him… Your fault you're pregnant."

"I-I'm not pregnant," she whispered.

She shook her head and covered her ears with her hands. She wanted to believe Yuki. She loved him with all her heart. Akito didn't know half the things Yuki had done that showed his feelings for her. Only a guy in love would do so much for one girl. Yuki could have had any other girl without lifting a finger, but he gave it his all to be with her. If that wasn't love then she wasn't sure what was. Akito patted her back, assuming she believed him and left her alone. She quivered, feeling the need to change her clothes now.

Tohru hated this place. None of these clothes were her own. The only thing that was clean was the white gown she had woken up in her first day here. She despised that thing almost as much as she loathed Akito, but she'd rather wear that than stay in clothing Akito had put his hands on. Uneasily, she slipped into the gown and crawled back under the securities of her makeshift bed, also known as the darkest corner of the room where she had laid down a comforter. She had left the pillows and fleece blankets on the bed, refusing to use anything more than she had to.

She laid there with a smile across her face. Akito couldn't be more wrong about Yuki. Tohru knew her husband better than anyone else. No one could possibly make her think of him as such a cruel man.

"Come save me, Yuki… Please… I'm waiting… with your baby…" Tohru breathed delicately, hoping somehow he could hear her.

Tohru sighed and lifted her head when the door opened. She watched a maid enter and set a food tray on the table before exiting. Getting onto her feet, she made her way over to the table and sat down. She lifted the small pastry off the tray and set it aside, along with the packets of salt and pepper. Tohru saw no need in those small luxuries. She wasn't here to be happy, but she had to eat to care for her child. Reluctantly, she chewed on her bread and started to eat the rest of her breakfast.

---

Tohru sat in the corner of the room, her face buried behind her arms, resting on her knees. Her body tensed, and she seemed to tremble when she heard the door open. She didn't look up, but her guests could see her knuckles turn white. They could clearly hear her muffled sobs grow louder with each step they took closer to her. And when they touched her shoulder, she flinched and nearly fell over before finally looking up. Her jaw dropped open and she stared in shock as she scrambled back onto her feet and saw who her guests were.

"Kisa-chan! Haru-nii!" Tohru exclaimed.

She embraced them both forcefully, crying all over again. They both peered at her fretfully as they held her. They were relieved to see her this healthy. They had expected much worse after they'd seen her nearly dead simply after she had thought Yuki wanted her no more. Tohru released them and dropped down onto her heels. She peered anxiously at them, grasping at their hands tightly.

"Yuki! How is he? Is he okay?" Tohru squeaked immediately.

"I can't say," Haru muttered.

Tohru's heart fluttered to a stop. She stared wide-eyed at them. Her breath caught in her throat, and she was no longer breathing. They only knew she was alive by the tremors shaking her body and the tears cascading down her cheeks. Her trembling hands reached for her quivering lips, steadying them as she choked back sobs. Haru's hand grasped her arm before her buckling knees sent her to the ground. She peered up at him, and every fiber of her being seemed to be pleading with him to answer her questions.

"Why? Is he alive? Tell me!" Tohru ordered frantically.

"…Yuki told me not to tell you," Haru replied a bit reluctantly.

"He's alive then!" Tohru cried excitedly.

"Yes," Haru confirmed.

"How bad is he?"

"Not bad enough to stop fussing over you. When I went to see him, he was pretty angry that I had no news about you," Haru admitted.

Tohru frowned as she wiped at her eyes. Hearing that he was still alive ended much of her concern, but it didn't relieve all of it. Knowing that Yuki was alive wasn't enough to satisfy her. Being alive could mean a lot of things. Yuki could be half dead but still considered alive. She wasn't silly enough to be hoping that he wasn't in any pain, but she needed to know how serious his injuries were. She trembled, clearly upset. It was the least they could do. They could make her time her a little better by telling her how Yuki was.

"Tell me."

"He'll kill me."

"Tell me," Tohru repeated.

Haru sighed in defeat, "Lots of cuts and bruises –nothing too serious, he insists. But he had to get stitches on his back."

Tohru gasped, crying again. Cuts and bruises she had expected, but she hadn't suspected anything deep enough that would require stitches, despite the fact that she had feared his death for the past several days. She dropped back down in her little corner of a bed and sat there, frozen in horror with tears dripping down her face. She shook her head a couple of times, denying his news. She was sure that wound on his back was her fault too. If she hadn't gotten in his way with her attempt to help him, he wouldn't have had to shield her. If she weren't there, there would have been no need for stitches.

"Don't cry. He's all right. He's still walking around and trying to escape. It'd take more than a couple of stitches to bother him."

"How many?" Tohru questioned, suspecting her brother of belittling her husband's injury.

"He has sixteen on his back, I think," Haru reluctantly told her.

Her tears steadily turned into hysterics. She wasn't sure how big a wound that required sixteen stitches would be, but the number seemed fairly large to her. Besides, Haru was only describing one of Yuki's injuries to her. What if Yuki had others that were worse? What if Haru was merely telling her about the least severe wound Yuki had just to comfort her? Her mind was tormenting her now, reeling in images of a hurt Yuki and manipulating the last condition she had seen Yuki in until the gore was making her nauseous.

"He's fine, really. He even told me you'd react this way. That's why I wasn't allowed to tell you… Settle down, Tohru. I'm not lying to you about that," Haru swore.

She nodded, swiping at the tears in vain. She knew he would live, but that type of fine wasn't adequate for her. Tohru didn't want Yuki to be in any pain. She sniffled and covered her face, resisting the urge to cry with little success. Haru kneeled down in front of her, brushing his fingers across her hands. Tohru lowered her hands with a deep breath and let Kisa hold onto them, despite the fact that it served to be of little comfort. Kisa was just unintentionally reminding Tohru of how Yuki's hands felt around hers.

"How are you, Tohru?" Haru questioned softly, trying to distract her.

"I-I want Y-Yuki-kun…" Tohru whimpered.

"I'm sorry, Tohru… Are you okay besides that?"

"There's no besides that…." Tohru murmured with a shake of her head.

"… How are you physically?"

Tohru looked up at her older brother cautiously. How was she physically? She wasn't sure anymore. She barely even took notice of the days passing. They all seemed the same to her. The only reason she even bothered to take note of the time she spent here was that Yuki had promised they'd be apart for no more than a week. Tohru frowned at that thought. More than seven days had passed, she was sure. Frowning, she considered his question again, using it as the distraction it was meant to be. She decided to omit all her pain and suffering, but she was left with little to say.

"I-I'm p-pregnant…" Tohru finally confessed in a soft voice.

"What?!" Haru nearly shouted, "Did A- he rape you?"

"No, no, no! Yuki- I mean… He didn't r-rape me either… No one raped me… It's just our baby… Mine and Y-Yuki's…" Tohru murmured in a nearly inaudible voice.

"Onee-chan? Are you okay?" Kisa inquired fretfully.

"No! I'm having a baby… I need Yuki… I don't want to do this without him…" Tohru choked out between her oncoming sobs, "I want Yuki! He's hurt, and it's all my fault!"

Haru and Kisa exchanged matching worried expressions as Tohru began to bawl again. They were clueless as to what to do. It had never been particularly difficult to cheer Tohru. The simplest things brought grins to her face, but in this case, hardly anything they did seemed to even make the faintest smile tug her lips upwards. The best they had done was stop her crying for mere minutes. Each brainstormed mentally for a way to end her tears this time, but it took minutes before one reached a solution.

Kisa tugged on Haru's pants excitedly when the idea came to her. He glanced at her expectantly and nearly laughed at the simplicity of the solution when she held her fist to her face with her pinky and thumb extended in the form of a telephone. Haru nodded in approval as he dug into his pants pocket in search of his cell phone. Kisa happily shook Tohru's shoulders to get her attention. Tohru wearily looked up and was shocked to find the electronic device inches from her face.

"He's fine… Call him if you'd like…" Haru muttered.

Tohru took it into her hands eagerly. Her fingers flew across the number pad at a nearly inhumane pace. She didn't even bother to figure out how his speed dial was set up. She knew the number by heart. The first ring was cut off as a soft, melodic voice greeted her. Nothing had ever sounded more beautiful to her than that simple greeting. She hadn't heard his voice in what seemed like ages. Tohru was so excited that she nearly forgot to greet him back. She fumbled for words awkwardly, trying to say something before he hung up.

"Y-Yuki-kun…" she choked out.

She could hear him gasp quietly, "Tohru!"

"Are you okay?!" Tohru blurted out before he could say anything more.

"I'm fine…" His voice was muted as if he were hiding something from her.

"You're lying! Tell me! If you were fine, you wouldn't need stitches!"

"Tohru, I mean it. I'm fine. Are you okay?"

Tohru scowled, but she was too overwhelmed by the fact that she was actually talking to Yuki to actually stay angry at him for not telling her the truth. She clutched the phone to her ear firmly in hope that it would never end. She relished at the sound of his even breathing. Even that was musical to her ears. Such simple actions she hadn't cherished until they were gone. Tohru grinned and wondered why he had stopped talking. It took her a second to realize that it was her turn to respond.

"No… I miss you…." Tohru told him.

"I miss you too."

"I want you back… You p-promised we'd be together forever… But we're not. W-We're not. Why?"

"We will be, Tohru. We will…. Just calm down for me. It's only been eleven days, love."

"It's been too long…"

Her voice faltered, crippling in volume as she shoved down the lump forming in her throat. He didn't sound very reassuring. Her fingers were trembling enough that she was partially surprised that she was still able to hold onto the phone. By the quickening breaths she heard on the other end, she could tell that Yuki was concerned about her. She sucked in a deep breath to calm herself. She didn't want the last bits of their conversation to be an interrogation about how she was doing. This time was limited. She wouldn't get another chance to speak with him while she was here.

"I know… But have you been taking good care of yourself?" Yuki asked, seeming to start the list of questions she didn't want to hear.

She started to nod, but paused when she realized he couldn't see her, "Yes…"

"… I have to go, Tohru… Don't do anything drastic, please. Keep the baby in mind… Wait a little longer, please…"

Tohru stumbled around for words, "Don't go…I still want to talk to you…"

"We'll talk again soon. Face-to-face… I promise…"

"Don't forget me…" she begged in a quiet voice she wasn't sure he could hear.

"I won't. I love you… Forget me not," he whispered back, and she could picture the faint smile across his face as he spoke the words.

She could hear a sharp voice demanding to know who Yuki was talking to before he hung up. Tohru looked down, weakly telling no one in particular that she loved him too. She dropped the phone as she covered her face with her hands again, trying to stop the tears that refused to abate. That hadn't made her feel better as she thought it would. Hearing his voice just made her craving to see him stronger. How could she be content with a telephone conversation that hardly lasted more than a minute? To make matters worse, she was sure she had gotten him in trouble too.

"Onee-chan…?" Kisa murmured.

"Do you want to go home?" Haru offered.

Tohru nodded vehemently.

"Let's go then…" Haru said, pulling her to her feet.

Tohru smiled faintly as she followed after him closely. However, as soon as they opened the door, they were greeted by an ominous looking Akito. He stood in front of the door, blocking the exit with his arms crossed in an annoyed manner as he glared at them. Tohru gasped when she noticed the malice glazing his black eyes. Shaking, she stood there unsteadily, clinging onto Haru's arm for support. Kisa peered at her older sister fretfully, not liking the way she quivered out of fright simply at Akito's presence.

"Where do you think you're taking my fiancée?" he demanded angrily.

"Back home," Haru replied nonchalantly.

"I don't think so."

"She's our sister. You can't keep her captive here."

"I can, and I will. Besides, if you take her back, who knows when you'll return her to me. I'm not stupid. I know the two of you support her little rat of a lover…"

"He's not a rat!" Tohru disagreed.

"Shut up, my little whore," Akito hissed.

He slapped her, making her whimper and retreat. She partially hid behind Haru, fighting back tears as she cupped her burning cheek in her hand. Haru's eyes lit up with fury. He was hardly able to restrain himself from knocking Akito out. He only managed to inhibit his violent actions by telling himself that he'd have a better chance of freeing Tohru if he remained calm. But even Kisa, one of the kindest people he knew, was having trouble staying put where she was beside Tohru.

"Don't act all innocent. I know you're pregnant… But after a while, don't all prostitutes have a little bad luck and wind up that way? Don't worry. I might feel kind enough to pay for your abortion, sweetheart. Even if you did lie to me about being pregnant," Akito snarled.

"No…" Tohru sniffled.

"What's that? You want to keep that little bastard of yours?" Akito questioned.

"She's not illegitimate!" Tohru denied.

"Oh… So now you need divorce papers too, yes?" he sighed, "Is it not a little foolish to get married just for a couple of nighttime encounters?"

"That's not why we got married…" Tohru protested.

Akito shrugged before he grasped her wrist and tugged her out of the room. Tohru screamed as she tried to free herself in vain while he dragged her down the hall. Haru raced after them, breaking the attachment and grabbing Tohru back. He stood protectively in front of Tohru with his arms extended to keep Akito and the guards with him from getting to Tohru. Tohru watched in terror as a malevolent smirk spread across Akito's face. He waved his sickly, pale hand in their direction, and the guards around him started to creep towards her.

"Don't touch her," Haru warned, trying to sound vicious against the ten guards.

"You two have taken my hospitality and stepped on it. Get out. Don't tell me how to treat my fiancée. I was already gracious enough to keep her after all that infidelity."

"Don't keep her then. Give her back to Yuki. He'll treat her a million times better than you ever could," Haru snapped.

"I'll make my own decisions, thank you. Now get out," Akito commanded.

Haru would have fought to free his sister, but two new guards seemed to appear out of nowhere and wrap their arms around his, locking him in place as Akito pulled Tohru away. He thrashed about helplessly as Tohru started to cry again. He could hear another smack and a pained yelp before he was taken in the opposite direction and thrown out with Kisa. He stood there furiously for a good half an hour, banging against the door and yelling, but they were both clearly ignored.

---

Tohru yanked against Akito's grip, trying to free herself with little success. She was dragged down numerous hallways and down several stairs until she was in a dark, ominous corridor. The walls were covered with gray bricks, interrupted occasionally by lit torches attached to the wall. By the looks of the layers of cobwebs and dust, Tohru could tell this dungeon looking structure wasn't used often. Her heart rate skyrocketed as they came across a barred section at the end of the hallway. Two men she recognized as the guards who had held her while Akito beat Yuki were there as well.

Still pulling back against Akito's hand, she suddenly fell onto the floor when he released her. Tohru didn't even bother to rub her aching bottom as she noticed the guards approaching her. They both lifted her to her feet swiftly and began towing her away towards the cell. Tohru was too terrified to even protest.

"Welcome to your new home, love," Akito cooed mockingly.

She screamed as she was tossed inside. Tohru scurried off her knees and rushed back over to the now locked door. Ignoring the abrasions that now covered her knees and palms, Tohru gripped the iron bars tightly, unable to do a thing as Akito walked away with the key dangling off his finger. After she saw Akito disappear into the darkness and heard the door slam shut Tohru slid back down to her knees. She sat there momentarily before crawling over to the corner and lying there, averting the watchful eyes of her two guards. Sniffling, she regretted lying to Akito about her pregnancy and saying so much back there, but on the bright side, being here meant few visits from Akito.

"You don't like being held captive here?" one of the men inquired.

She didn't say anything, making her two guards laugh.

"How can she not like it? She had tons of fun when Yuki was the one keeping her captive. She even wound up pregnant," the other snickered.

Tohru ignored them, self-consciously placing her hands over her abdomen. It wasn't their business at all. It was simply a matter that involved her and Yuki. She bit down on her lip, fighting the blooming tears. Sneaking a peek at the guards, she could see they were middle-aged at the least. They didn't look very happy or nice. Even laughing, the way their mouths twisted upwards reminded Tohru of a rabid wolf that was just craving to tear her to pieces. She swallowed apprehensively before ducking her head back into the darkness of her corner.

"Don't be like that sweetie. We can do whatever he did just as well without having to impregnate you, since, well, you already are pregnant."

"You wouldn't dare!" Tohru snapped.

"And why wouldn't we? What are you going to do? Akito wouldn't even know since you aren't a virgin and you're already pregnant."

"Yuki-kun would kill you if you laid a finger on me," Tohru told them.

They chuckled at her, "I don't see any Yuki around."

"He'll find out! And he'll be angry!" Tohru cried.

They both step towards her, "Uh-huh. Sure, sweetheart."

"Y-You'll regret it…" Tohru trailed off, her voice starting to shake.

Tohru huddled against the back wall, pulling her knees to her chest and wrapping her arms around them. She scowled at them –or at least tried to. Her attempt to glare just made them snicker at her. Tohru tried to scoot further back into the wall as they stood up and approached the metal bars that separated them. Long arms slipped through the gap between the metal rods and slithered towards her. Her heart beats quickened until she saw a hand waving around at her feet. Lifting her face, she saw that their shoulders were already pressed against the barricade. She let out a sigh of relief. They couldn't get any closer.

They glowered at her in defeat. Angrily, they came to the door, rattling it a bit to frighten her. Tohru shifted closer to the back wall, nearly trying to bury herself under the few shards of hay that covered the stone floor. Her heart raced for a minute as they simply stood outside the barrier. She let out the breath she had been holding in when she realized they had no key to get in. Tohru smiled to herself, never feeling better about being locked inside a jail cell than now.

"We can still cut off your clothes," one of the men pointed out.

"Yuki-kun will be mad if you do that- and he won't be very nice to you when he comes for me!" Tohru warned.

"But he'll be very nice to you. Especially in bed, won't he?"

"That's none of your business!" Tohru exclaimed embarrassedly.

They sniggered but said no more.

Tohru sat there solemnly. At least she wasn't alone here. Yuki was here with her as he always was. She could almost feel his comforting arms encircle her waist and draw her to his chest. She knew what he would say if he knew about this situation. She could practically see the anger flaring in his eyes, but she'd rather focus on more pleasant things. It was hard to realize that she truly was alone and that a cool breeze was what tickled her ear and not his retreating breath as he whispered soothing words to her or that the warmth on her cheek wasn't from the way his lips would dance playfully across her face but her own fingers.

He haunted her with his evanescent presence. A nightmare but sweeter. Yuki lingered around her, not exactly there but not gone either. He hung around, welcomed like a dream, but he tantalized her like a cup of cool water in the desert. He was just out of her reach. She sighed, clinging to his fading presence. She comforted herself with old memories, salvaging them and holding onto them dearly.

---

Yuki opened his eyes, awaking from yet another dream of Tohru. It wasn't a memory, he could tell. It was too dark and ominous. Besides, he doubted they knew Akito then. In his dream, Tohru had chosen Akito over him. Not a very complex dream, but a painful one nonetheless. He frowned before shaking his head, deciding to forget the dream. Tohru would never do that to him. She wouldn't pick a rapist over him. He knew that, yet he worried.

He made an attempt to stand up, but he felt something keep his legs from moving. Yuki looked at the new addition to his legs. Two chains, twice as thick as the ones on his hands were attached to the wall. He let out a soft groan much to the pleasure of his mother who he saw out of the corner of his eye. She was sitting beside his bed with a smile, positive that he couldn't escape now.

"What's this, mother? Chaining my arms not enough for you? Why don't you just put me in a cage and lock me up in the basement? Maybe you could even marry me to eight women! I'm sure your castle will expand greatly by then," Yuki suggested bitterly.

"That's ridiculous! What kind of mother do you think I am?"

"Why not? What's another six wives? You don't seem to care if I have two," Yuki pointed out.

Yuki sat upright, shoving the heavy metal off from his ankles. The chains left a small valley in the mattress. She raised her eyebrows at him. Waiting for another bout of shouts, she set a tray filled with food on his night stand. Yuki pushed it away, refusing to eat anything from this place. He hadn't eaten anything in a few days, and it was beginning to show. His bones stuck out more than normal from his already skinny figure, and he had little energy. Still, he held out. He was aware of how childish he was acting, but it was his only form of protest.

"I only want you to be happy, Yuki."

"If you wanted me to be happy, then I'd be with Tohru at the moment."

"For how long? How long until you break up? She won't be your source of happiness forever. I, as your mother, know you best. Machi is perfect for you," she told him.

"I disagree. Tohru knows me better than you do. I'm sure you don't even know what my favorite color is."

"Yuki, eat," she ordered, not answering his question.

"I don't think I will until you let me make my own decisions." Yuki responded stubbornly.

Yuki laid back down on his bed and shut his eyes. He prayed silently that she'd get fed up and leave or better yet grant his wishes. His wish was so simple. All he wanted was to be with Tohru. Nothing more. It was starting to seem ludicrous to him that it was this difficult to get what he wanted. Yuki cracked open one eye, partly shocked to find that his mother was still sitting there. She had never been the patient type, and she usually would have left by now since he was refusing to do as she commanded.

"I'll let you out," she offered.

"Ha! What, for a whole five minutes?" Yuki laughed.

She grimaced, getting annoyed after trying to act nice. She wanted him to eat. He'd have to or he'd die. If he died, she would have no heir. She picked up a roll from the tray and placed it in his partially open hand in hope that his hunger would win over his stubbornness, but Yuki just crushed the bread and tossed it back onto the platter without a second glance at it. Hearing his stomach growl, she could tell he was hungry. She really didn't understand why he was putting himself through this torture for one girl.

"Why don't you like Tohru, anyways? You won't find anyone sweeter than she is. Or nicer, or more selfless. She hasn't done a thing to make you hate her so," Yuki questioned harshly.

"Her family has."

"She isn't her family. Tohru is Tohru, and if she has done absolutely nothing to offend you, then you have no reason to separate us. I love Tohru, and I'll tell you now that there is no way you're getting me to marry Machi."

"We'll see about that, Yuki."

Before Yuki could respond, the door swung open and Ayame pranced in.

"My dear brother! There has been an overly large gap since the time I saw you last! My heart has longed to be with you, and alas, my wish is granted!" Ayame crooned, kneeling beside Yuki's bed.

His mother made a face at her disgraceful first son. She stood up abruptly, debating on whether she could stay or not. On one hand, she despised being around Ayame, but on the other, she was positive she could convince Yuki to see things her way with a little more time. Ayame made her decision for her when he shoved her aside to get to Yuki. Without comment, she stormed out of the room. Ayame hardly took note of her exit as he scrutinized Yuki's thin form lying under the blanket. The once playful expression morphed into a grave one instantly.

"Yuki, what have they done to you? You must eat if you want to break out! The strength you will need will be great! If only I could lend you some of mine," Ayame exclaimed.

"What do you want? I'm not in the mood for fun and games," Yuki told Ayame in an annoyed voice.

"I bear the utmost terrible news for you! It's about Tohru-kun…" Ayame added, knowing that was the only way to get Yuki to listen.

Yuki sat up straighter, his eyes widening a little. He didn't want to believe she was in danger. He had just spoken with her yesterday, but that stopped serving as a reassuring idea a second later. Ideas of what the bad news could be flooded his mind. Akito could be punishing her for the phone call. He blinked in disbelief. She had to be all right. He wouldn't be able to live if he found out she was harmed because he wasn't there to protect her. He hated how he only heard her name followed by some bad news now.

"What is it? Did she get hurt? Is she all right?" Yuki demanded to know instantly.

"How should I put this? I have acquired a bit of news from Haru recently. I shall assume you have a guess of where she is at. Knowing that, well, if she keeps refusing him, then he might get fed up with her, and I don't think he's one to return her to either you or even her family. Her life is at stake," Ayame informed him solemnly.

"And? What do you expect me to do? Can you let me out so I can help her? Do you think telling me will do any good? You just wasted your breath. I already knew all of that. But I still can't do a thing…" Yuki replied.

"Yuki…"

"So I have to ask you and Haru to help her instead. Damn it… What good am I? I can't even leave my room," Yuki muttered.

He stared at his legs and arms with those chains around them with hate. His desire was to be the one to save the girl he loved, but he couldn't. Inside, he felt worthless and small. She needed someone who could rescue her. He couldn't protect her at all. She deserved to be with someone worthy of her, but in the end, he felt selfish, wanting to keep her to himself and never let her go. He gritted his teeth together in shame. He knew he shouldn't be fussing over who was doing the saving as long as she was getting saved. Ayame patted the top of Yuki's head.

"No need to ask. As we speak, Haru is driving over to her."

Yuki nodded in relief.

"I'll tell you how his visit went tomorrow…"

Those were the last words Ayame said before leaving him alone again. Yuki sat there silently for a few minutes before trying to yank the chains apart without success. He threw his fist against the wall in fury. The rough wood caved in from the force. All that was left now was a dent in the wall, shards of wood on his bed, and blood coating his fist. The worst part was that he felt no better. He dropped back down onto his bed, disgruntled. He glowered at the ceiling as the guards rushed about in a panic.

The guards called for Hatori immediately, and the doctor was with Yuki in less than five minutes. Hatori was silent at first, simply cleaning the wound and then bandaging it without even acknowledging Yuki. Yuki mirrored his stoic demeanor. His expression remained blank during the entire painful process. He hardly seemed to notice anything going on around him. He didn't even wince when Hatori plucked the few splinters caught in Yuki's bloody knuckles.

"What are you doing, Yuki?" Hatori asked finally.

"Punching walls," Yuki answered promptly.

"No, I mean about Tohru and your freedom."

"What can I do? Mother can get Akito to hurt Tohru," Yuki sighed hopelessly.

"What are you talking about, Yuki? Your mother and Akito hate each other."

Yuki jumped into a sitting position when he heard that. His eyebrows knitted together in confusion while his eyes widened from shock. Within seconds, his eyes narrowed with suspicion as he eyed Hatori warily, trying to see if this was another one of his mother's tricks. His mother was notorious for being able to manipulate anybody. He didn't doubt her capabilities to convince Hatori to help her as well. After a minute of speculating, Yuki decided Hatori had said nothing but the truth.

"She said she was friends with him," Yuki muttered, ashamed to have believed her.

"Enemies, more like."

"So she has nothing on me!" Yuki exclaimed.

"Nothing at all," Hatori agreed.

Yuki stood up with excitement. He could hardly contain himself. He was already formulating escape plans. The time was set, and the wood was nearly worn away already. He was sure Tohru was within his grasp. Yuki was sure he could break out within a day at the most. If Haru managed to break Tohru out, he was sure he could be with Tohru before the next sunrise. He could fight Akito, and his mother would have nothing to convince him to come back if she couldn't hurt Tohru. He settled back down before the guards caught onto what they were discussing.

"But you have something on her," Hatori added with a small smile.

"What?"

"Your life."