Disclaimer: I do not own "Ouran High School Host Club" or any of the characters in this wonderful manga/anime in any way.

Shelter in the Storm

Previously in chapter fourteen: She never had a daughter, and was looking forward to spending some girl time with the young lady. "Dear, shouldn't we allow Takeshi to spend time with her before you start welcoming her into the family?" Akira rolled his eyes as he asked.

"I guess your right. But Takeshi… don't take too long. Mitsukuni hinted that there were others."

Chapter Fifteen

Ranka had not given a time frame in which to have Haruhi home when he had given consent for her to stay at the Morinodzuka residence. He knew that, with the exception of the one scholarship winner per year, everyone at that school had more money than they knew what to do with. He figured that his daughter would be lavished upon by maids and butlers, served highly rich foods, and be treated like a princess. Little did he know that, while it was possible to have the maids do that, it was the family that wanted to do so. Takeshi found it humorous to think that any other girl at that either Ouran High School, or the University that he was attending, would expect to be pampered the way Ranka had envisioned. Haruhi, however, was not like the rest. She was not one to readily accept someone doing everything for her. Takeshi watched as she tried to take over the cooking when she witnessed the cook make a mistake, his mother actually giggled a little as well. She remembered what it had been like when she first came to the family.

It was a beautiful day despite the storms that blew through the night before. Along with his mother, Takeshi showed Haruhi the rose gardens that she grew with pride. No maid or butler, no gardener, no paid help at all was allowed to attend to these particular gardens. There were only four who ever tended to these roses. It would surprise most people, but Akira and his wife started the garden when they first moved in. They, along with their children, tended to the flowers alone. Haruhi watched as Takeshi pulled out a pair of shears and trimmed one of the bushes that had somehow missed getting trimmed along with the others. He meticulously cut away the excess, leaving the buds that were only threatening to bloom. Then, after obtaining his mother's permission, he proceeded to snip one nearly perfect bloom. He trimmed the thorns and a few extra leaves from the stem, and presented it to Haruhi. "I may sound like Tamaki when I say this, but it's true, this bloom is not near as lovely as you." She blushed as she took the flower.

"Thank you. It's beautiful. They're all beautiful. This garden must take a lot of work. And you say that you don't have a professional gardener to care for it?"

"No, this is my pride and joy… well along with my beautiful sons." Takeshi's mother walked up behind them, admiring the choice her son had made. "Son… why did you not choose one that was more open?"

"Ehh, well I was going to explain that to Haruhi in private later," he blushed profusely.

"I see. Well try not to take too long. I'll be back with your father and brother shortly." Turning to Haruhi, she said, "I was thinking maybe we should have a picnic in the rose garden for lunch. What do you think?"

"That would be lovely. Is there anything I can do to help with the preparations?"

"Of course not. You're our guest. Please just enjoy. I'll be back in… oh… about half an hour with lunch and the rest of the family." She left the two alone.

"Haruhi, would you join me?" He indicated a bench close to the rose bush he had just trimmed. She sat down with him, enjoying the view of the garden. "I want to tell you something, but I am not sure how to go about it." He paused, as she turned her attention to him.

"Yes, Takeshi?" His name on her lips gave him chills. He could only hope that after this, she would still call him that, but with the more honest reason than the excuse he gave her yesterday.

"I… umm… well… " he sighed, heavily, not sure of how to say what he wanted. "Haruhi, I just wanted to say that I know that there have been a lot of questions thrown your way about relationships and the future. It can be frustrating." She nodded in agreement. "But I also understand why they are popping up as of late. Well, even though we all know that school life does not go on forever, and one day we will all go our separate ways, it's easy to forget sometimes." He took her hand in his but did not look her in the eyes, "It's easy to forget until something comes along and throws it in your face that life does not go as we expect it to. In my case, when I got a call from Kyoya that you were in the hospital, my world came crashing down around me. I had taken for granted that I would see you day in and day out until you graduated from High School, and maybe for a while after that, if you choose to continue at the Host club like Mitsukuni and I have done so far. Also the knowledge that you did not care about dating and relationships was comforting, because it meant that I had time while I worked on building the courage to say something to you. If anyone else had made a move, I would have stepped up my game, so to speak. But I would have made sure that you knew all your options."

He turned to look her in the eyes, "But some asshole came along and screwed everything up. You weren't at the club every day. I… we weren't able to stay with you for a few hours ever single day. Things weren't going the way I had grown used to them. Not only did what happen to you shake things up in our sheltered little world of the host club, but it made me realize some things that had been growing in my own personal world. And, I also know that I am not the only one that had the same eye-opening experience. There are a few in the host club that due to our experiences, have not allowed ourselves to build relationship with females, so that we wouldn't have a jealous girlfriend cause problems at host club. But Haruhi… I can leave the host club if need be. What I have learned that I can't leave is you."

He sat silently looking, searching her eyes for confirmation that she understood what he had just said. When it didn't seem to register, he continued, "Haruhi, I may make a lot of enemies by doing this. I may bring down the wrath of a very pissed off and powerful Otori, never mind the others in the group. But I don't care. I have to let you know. The phone call when I learned that you were in the hospital… I thought my world had ended. While you were in your coma, I didn't sleep at night. I stayed up researching on the internet how to bring you out of it. When I couldn't keep my eyes open any more, I would lay in bed praying for you to recover. My world was in upheaval. I couldn't meditate. I couldn't focus on my studies or at the dojo. Until Mitsukuni told my parents about you being in the hospital, they were considering taking me in to have my head examined!"

He had to take a breath. He was allowing too much to show through, or so he thought. He felt that he couldn't allow himself to get to overwrought, lest it scare her away that he might turn into someone like Tamaki. "I know that I am not the only one to feel like this, but if I don't tell you, I might lose you. Nothing in this world would scare me more than that. Nothing. Haruhi, I finally figured out why I was so tore up when I heard about your accident. It isn't just because I consider you my friend. It's because I have fallen in love with you."

Nothing. No reaction. He searched her eyes for a glimmer of hope. She just sat there, silently, blankly staring straight ahead. "Haruhi?" Still no response.