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 nineteen: "Good night, Haruhi." He didn't want to let her go. She belonged in his arms. But for now, he relented and released her. However, silently he vowed that as soon as she graduated from High School, he would no longer release her to leave for a different home. He would see to it.

Chapter Twenty

Haruhi decided that Kimiko was amazing, but that she had better not get used to having her around. Other than helping her cook supper, Haruhi had not had to lift a finger around the house. Kimiko even braved going into the bathroom to clean up her father's make-up he had left out because he was in a hurry. Haruhi wouldn't normally bother with it, only to leave it for her dad to pick up when he got home. In the morning, when they woke up, Kimiko had everything ready for Haruhi, except breakfast. When the limo showed up to pick them up, they were waiting outside. For once, Haruhi wasn't running out the door in a hurry with food hanging out of her mouth when a ride showed up. Kimiko, of course, climbed up front. She didn't often get much time with her boyfriend when either of them was working, so she took full advantage of what little time she got.

As Haruhi climbed in, she started to sit on the seat opposite of where the two boys were sitting, but before she could, Mitsukuni bounced out of his seat and into the seat she had been aiming for. Takeshi pulled her down next to him, almost in his lap. They both blushed as she slide into the crook of his arm. This was the first time that Mitsukuni had seen them together since the confession. He absolutely beamed as he told the two that he had known that this would happen. "Well I wish that you had told me. Then I wouldn't have reacted as badly as I did." Haruhi blushed yet again, as Takeshi took her hand in his.

"Doesn't matter, as long as you know that you didn't hear things and I meant what I said."

"Eh. What happened? What do you mean that you reacted badly?" He was obviously confused because he had known his cousin loved the girl, and was pretty sure she at least liked him back.

She told him about how she asked if she was crazy and hearing things when Takeshi had confessed. It gave Mitsukuni the giggle fits. It was then that the car slowed and the driver's voice came over the speaker, "Young master?"

"Yes, what is it?"

"Kimiko has suggested that your young lady friend would probably receive harassment and un-due questioning if she showed up at school in your car. Would you like to drop her off around the corner, or do you want me to go ahead and drop her off on campus?"

He looked at Haruhi for a response. She smiled and gathered her bag, "Around the corner is fine. Thank you both for looking out for me."

"Yes Ma'am. Right away." He immediately stepped out and opened the door for Haruhi.

She reached over and hugged Takeshi before sliding over to the door to exit. "I'll stop by the club room before leaving for home today. Will you be there?" Takeshi just shook his head.

"Nnh, I have the same extra work that I had yesterday," he smiled at her.

She rolled her eyes at him and mumbled something that he didn't understand as she climbed out of the car. After the door was shut, the driver turned to her, "Don't tell Kimiko that I told you this, but she says that you will make a fine 'Lady of the house' one day. She was really grateful to you for commanding her to do her homework."

"Well, I don't know anything about a 'Lady of the house', but I was recently under the care of nurse, and they could use more like Kimiko-san. Plus I am grateful to her for helping me out."

With that, Haruhi went on to school, glad that she had so many people looking out for her. When she arrived at school, she was met by the twins who instantly enwrapped her in their infamous hug cocoon. After that, the day went as well as could be expected, with the nice surprise exception that the teachers seriously did not expect Haruhi to be completely caught up and current with homework. They were not expecting her to be caught up for at least a few days, if not a week or more. She still felt the need to take a nap mid-day, but that was to be expected. As the last class ended for the day, she saw Kimiko come strolling up. They walked together to the club room so that Haruhi could see her friends. She was greeted by one of Huni-senpai's patented tackle-hugs as he instantly started telling Haruhi that Takeshi was not there again due to school work. She just smiled at him and went on about greeting the rest of her friends. Shortly after, she and Kimiko left, only to find Takeshi leaning next to the limo around the corner where Haruhi had been dropped off that morning.

"I didn't want Kyoya looking out the window and seeing you get into my limo. I don't want to keep it a secret, but we need to find a way for you to let him down easy. He is still a friend," he said as he hugged Haruhi before climbing into the car.

"You say that like he is head over heels in love with me." Haruhi relaxed into his arms seated in the limo for the ride to her house.

"Well? Isn't he? Remember, you didn't think that I was either until after I confessed to you twice." She cringed at the realization that she had been blind to his feelings until he said it outright.

She had less than a week to figure out how to approach this issue. It wasn't going to be easy.

She sat silently trying to figure out how to keep from hurting her friends when she told them that she was actually dating someone now. She enjoyed Takeshi's company without a doubt, as was grateful that he wasn't the type to constantly try to fill the silence with any suggestion he could come up with. The twins and Tamaki would be like that. When she was trying to work something out in her head, the silence was comforting. In fact, she was so wrapped up in her own thoughts that she had not realized that the limo had pulled up to the commoner market. It wasn't until the driver opened the door that she realized that they had even stopped. She and Kimiko had discussed going to the grocery store after school that morning as they waited for the car. Haruhi was really glad to have Kimiko along because she would have forgotten about it completely.

The shopping trip didn't take long, but as they stood in line to check out, Takeshi let out a small chuckle. The girls looked at him questioningly until he reminded Haruhi of the last trip to that same market. "Mitsukuni took forever to pick out a couple of cakes. I thought we would never get out of the bakery section. But more importantly, that outing was when I decided that I wouldn't wait until you graduated before I said something to you about… well, us. But then…" His sentence died off as he remembered what happened the day after their last trip.

"Aww, how sweet," cooed Kimiko.

Haruhi snaked her arm between the basket that he held and his waist and hugged Takeshi tightly. "But then, the next day my… no, everyone's life got turned upside down. Doctor Watanabe told me that there were several times during my surgery that it was touch and go, he didn't know if I would make it through," she said in such hushed tones that Kimiko had to strain to hear her. But then the subject was dropped as it was their turn at the checkout. Haruhi made an attempt to pay once the clerk gave them the final total, but Takeshi closed her hand around the money she had in it, and held on, with his other hand he paid for their purchases and grabbed the bags while still holding Haruhi's money holding hand in his.

Just before they got back into the limo to go to Haruhi's house, Kimiko grabbed her sleeve, "Haruhi-san, are you the girl that survived the attack and was in the coma for a week? Is that why they want someone with you at all times for now?"

"Yes. That was me."

"I didn't know. I'm so sorry. I heard about that in the news, and occasional references to it around the house, but I didn't know they were talking about you. You seem so strong and healthy. That was barely a month ago."

The driver opened the door for them and had taken the bags from Takeshi's hands, "Kimichi, I don't think that she needs a reminder. She was the one to live through it. Maybe that is why she seems so strong, is because she is strong enough to survive." He admonished his girlfriend as he put the bags into the trunk of the car.

"I'm sorry Haruhi-san." Kimiko bowed deeply to the girl.

"It's ok. Don't worry about it. Let's go, because I know we all probably have homework to do." Haruhi displayed her strength, simply by being able to go on with life. Everyone there knew it, and she had renewed Kimiko's believe that Haruhi would be a wonderful 'Lady of the Morinodzuka household' one day. They went to Haruhi's apartment, where Takeshi and Haruhi worked on their homework, Kimiko cleaned house (despite Haruhi's insistence that she stop), and Ranka did him make up. After homework, Haruhi and Kimiko prepared dinner, with Haruhi mostly instructing. Kimiko learned a lot from the girl, cooking was only one aspect.