I'm so tired... *collapses* But, in honor of Squeaky's (OfAmethystEyes) birthday, I'm posting this! Even though it's not what I wanted to post for her (that fanfiction isn't quite finished)...oh well.

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Akito pushed through the crowd, searching for Hatori, the only member of the Zodiac to have been nearby that night (Kureno had been staying in a town over, on a rare errand). "Hatori!" Ren didn't even cross her mind until she spotted a maid shouting,

"Ren-sama!"

Akito scowled. Let the maid care for that woman; she didn't have the time. At any rate, she was sure Ren had survived the fire. She was like a cockroach – unwanted and difficult to snuff out. It would be too…perfect if it had killed her.

She had to find Hatori; where was Hatori?

He was smart – he had to be safe. Akito had about given up and was ready to just shout at the crowd some more when she heard a familiar but not-quite-right voice,

"Akito-san."

She turned.

Shigure smiled, running his fingers idly through her hair, without real interest. "I heard." He gestured toward the mob and the wreckage.

"Where's Hatori?" If anyone would know where her dragon was, it would be him.

Shigure frowned. "You haven't seen him yet?" Horror choked her. She barely managed to get out one word,

"No." He took her hand and led her away from the throng.

"He likes seclusion, our Haa-san does," he offered up as explanation. Akito figured that was true. She wanted to see him so badly she didn't care anyhow.

He escorted her to a quiet corner, next to bushes and a bench, and told her gently, "Wait here."

She did.

"Ha'ri…Ha'ri! I can't get down!"

Five year old Akito looked down at eleven year old Hatori, from the top of an enormous slide. "I don't want to go," she told him stubbornly, but unable to keep the fear out of her voice.

"Don't worry. I'll catch you if you fall," he promised, holding out his arms to reassure her.

She flashed him a bright smile, then let go of the railing, tumbling down the slide. She crashed into the dragon, and they both laughed softly.

Hatori would take care of her. He'd always taken care of her.

A shape emerged from the darkness. "Akito-sama," greeted Hatori, his voice slightly less rigid than usual. "Are you alright?"

Akito couldn't help but jump up and hug him – she was so happy he was safe.

Hatori stiffened for a moment before hugging her back, a bit awkwardly. He'd never quite gotten used to such informality – although he supposed it was acceptable in this case.

She buried her face in his chest. "Don't do that again," she ordered.

"A…Akito-sama?" asked the dragon, unsure of what she was referring to.

"You scared me," she muttered softly, with a trace of anger – and he understood.

"I'm sorry," he murmured, his lips gracing the top of her dark hair. He had seen the flames and run, and now felt guilty for it.

It was irrational, her anger – she knew that, knew that it hadn't been his fault. But he should have known she would have needed to see him.

He should have known that.

She trembled, realizing how close they'd all just come to death. Hatori held her tighter, feeling her tense.

She didn't notice Shigure watching in the shadows until he spoke,

"Ren-san started the fire."

Akito bristled at the reverence in his tone. The woman had purposefully burned down their home, and still he had the nerve to admire her – her and her wretched handiwork!

She and Hatori pulled away from each other simultaneously.

"What?" she growled, glaring at Shigure with irritation. He shrugged.

"You heard me." She wouldn't have been so irritated otherwise.

Akito usually would have risen to the bait, but this time she was determined not to answer him – and, at any rate, she knew it would be useless to fight tonight.

Where would she sleep? It seemed a silly thing to think, but the thought came into her mind anyway. She should have been thinking about how she was going to make that woman pay for what she did, but, she realized with a start, she had more pressing worries.

The house had been destroyed. The place she'd lived in for her entire life (aside from a few brief stints in the hospital) was gone.

And there was no getting it back. It was lost –

Forever.

She knew instantly that there was nothing she could do to Ren that would equal this. Even taking her memories wouldn't be as painful – she wouldn't be able to mourn what she didn't remember ever having.

But at this point Akito didn't care, the damage had already been done, and now she would try her best and concentrate on making repairs – as many and as much as she could.

There would be plenty of time to get back at that woman afterward.

She had to practical. Logical.

Haa-san would help. "Ha'ri," she whispered to him, in a tone she hadn't used in quite a while. "Help me," she said. It was almost a request, and though he didn't appear to be surprised, she saw his eyebrows rise slightly, just before he nodded. She took his hand and led him back to the crowd, leaving Shigure to extol that woman as much as he liked.

He could have her. She had eleven others, completely devoted to her service – twelve, if she included the cat.

But then why did it sting so much? She swore his treachery didn't leave marks on her, yet she was constantly crying at night…for no apparent reason, she thought –

But she knew better.

And so did he.

Which was why when she bitterly left Shigure standing there, he forced a smile and went the other way…

He had some business to attend to.

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Please review! I'm going to beg you until you do - well, I would if I could! I may not need feedback to continue the story, but it would certainly help!