wow extended break, big loooong break. Thanks to the loyal fans for reviewing, hitting and faving, keep it up.

"FUCK THIS!" Mikan screamed in the privacy of the rusted pick up as she held the single cup of coffee in her hand. Outside the world was a blanket of white and ice as they sat outside Haruhi's aparment complex waiting for her to come down so they could get to school. Not that Mikan was looking foreward to it as she sipped away at the coffee.

"And that darling is why you never over drink." Kagame told her, as Mikan glared from a pair of slightly blurry eyes. Last night had been a blur, something about shots, and drunk people hanging off each other.

"Fuck you." She answered as she opened the side door for Haruhi to climb in beside them.

"Morning." Haruhi greeted cheerfully as ever as Mikan threw her a glare that made her back into the corner of the seat buckling her seat belt quickly.

"Don't mind Mikan." Kagame told her with a wave of hand as she turned the engine on and pulled out onto the main road, "She just got a little to tispy."

"Slightly." Haruhi nodded. You couldn't tell by looking at the puppy who seemed just as put together as ever, except for her bleary eyes.

"I hate you Haruhi." Mikan shook her head, "You can drink three beers and still be fine. I have two shots and half a glass of saki and I'm in the can."

"Dear you had four shots and two cups of beer and some saki." Kagame corrected, "Though perhaps it wasn't the best idea to take you guys to that bar when you had school the next day."

"In America we would have had at least one day to recover." Mikan complained leaning her head back on the seat as the truck bounced along. Everything hurt and her mouth still tasted like puke so she had eaten two packs off gum and brushed her teeth every ten minutes for an hour with the taste still stuck like gun on your shoe.

Yes the perfect way to celebrate, drinking at a bar with loud rowdy people who were puking, hugging and making out.

Mikan was even less pleasant to the first of the guys to greet her, as Tamaki patted her head spinning around the warm common room that they had begun to take over before classes started for the morning. There were girls standing to the sides as always, but they were more interested in their own conversations or grabbing coffee or hot chocolate from a small café.

Only this school would have a full café serving gourmet coffee and hot chocolate in fine china in the common rooms along with their huge velvet chairs and oriental rugs.

"Fuck off." She grumbled yawning as she leaned over on to the couch as much as her skirt would allow. She had also forgotten to don a pair of shorts as she crawled from the bed like something from the dead.

"She had to much last night." Haruhi explained as Tamaki turned to ash at the sudden violence of the puppy before he nodded and took a seat at the head of the couch patting her hair.

"Poor Puppy." He sighed as she tolerated the stroking she didn't need a bunch of loud noises.

"And I have dance today, fuck my life." Mikan slurred as she grabbed a girls coffee who didn't even realize her drink was missing, taking gulps before placing the empty cup back in the olbvious girls hand as she moved on with her own friends.

"What did you do for New Years?" Haruhi asked changing the subject quickly as Tamaki beamed saying he had stayed up all night with his dog.

"You didn't go out?" She asked surprised as she sat in a chair sipping at the thermos Kagame had handed to her before she left the car, a simple fruit tea.

"I had just gotten back from Switzerland." He explained with a shrug, "To tiered and Kyoya wanted to sleep."

"How lovely." Mikan shook her head, "Fucking A and I have host club today. Christ I'm going to need more coffee."

She stumbled off the couch, clutching her head as she yawned stumbling over to the counter.

"What will you have?" The counter girl asked way to perky to be working this early. MIkan glanced up from the cold marble, "Whatever is the strongest coffee. Black."

"Sure thing.' She answered turning around. Mikan blinked and she could have sworn not five seconds later was a steaming up of black coffee next to her head. She leaned up digging some money out of her heavy winter jacket and passing it over the counter.

She turned to leave as she bumped into a girl beside as the cup dropped from her hand.

"Shit!" she muttered

"How clusmly.' The girl answered, "Of course that's all part of your act isn't it?"

"You mean part of the host club, no." Mikan answered yawning, as bent down to pick up the saucer and cup, "Sorry I spilled can I get another one."

"Of course." The nice woman answered, as she quickly pulled the cups away, "And for you, Ma'm?"

"Vanilla bean speacial blend with a shot of expresso, double shot of non fat organic skim milk, and the cream in the shape of a heart." She rambled off staring at her nails as if bored.

The woman gave a curt nod of her head and smile as she turned back.

"Seems a little much for coffee." Mikan commented, "Hey haven't I seen you in my dance class?"

"I don't think so. I'm in advanced pointe." She answered, brushing her brown hair behind her ears as she smoothed her yellow dress.

"Oh, that's right." Mikan answered drumming her nails on the counter, "The class right before. Your really good."

"Well I am the head of my class." She replied, "Are you taking private lessons to keep up with the class."

"That's right." Mikan smiled again, "I'm getting my leg back in shape from my accident."

"Yes, I heard you fell down a flight of stairs. The paper's beg to differ on the story."

"Papers?" Mikan replied, staring at her, "Papers? Oh yeah the tabloids, they said I had been shoved by an level, whole bunch of bull-"

Clatter.

"Silly me." The woman behind the counter sighed, as she picked up the saucer that had dropped on the floor.

"Anyways, are you trying out for the spring recital? Auditions are in a week." The girl smiled moving closer, "I heard you quit after your 'accident' last year as well."

"You mean I was blinded by the camera flash and I fell off the stage during rehersal then yes." Mikan answered. She didn't like this girl. She was a rival dancer, well she didn't really have rivials, but she was close enough. Her name was Mya, and she loved to get under the skin of just about everyone in the company.

"I thought you were in therapy for your break down last winter." Mikan began again, "Some thing about you getting stage fright at the last minute."

"Rumors." Mya answered with a flick of her hand, "No doubt you read about me in Dance Magazine, in their special on up and coming young dancers."

"No. I must have missed it." Mikan replied, "Oh here's my coffee."

She went to reach for her cup as Mya yanked it away first, "Ew, what's in this? Black coffee? Are you a commoner? Oh that's right, you are. I heard the host club took you in so you could afford just to get stockings."

"Just give me my coffee." Mikan answered as Mya fiddled with a packet of sugar.

"Here to get rid of the bitter taster." as she poured it in.

"Aww." Mikan smiled as she took a huge gulp of the ruined coffee, as she grabbed Mya by her shoulder and pulled her forward, "Let me thank you."

She licked the side of Mya's face who pulled away, "THAT'S SICK!"

"Puppy kiss." she answered, pushing past her sipping away at the rest of the coffee, "Oh your right, a little bit of sugar helps the medicine go down."

She was happy to sipping away at her coffee, as Honey waved to her as he held his own glass of hot chocolate as Mori silent as always sat beside him. Mikan glared at them both, bastards had stolen her spot. She glanced around finally sitting on Haruhi's lap and leaning against her as if she wasn't there.

"Ah Mikan." Haruhi started as she realized they were gaining attention from the girls who were going to start gossiping any moment about some fictitious over blown relationship.

"Shut up and take it." Mikan answered with a growl drinking away her coffee as Haruhi sighed leaning back in the chair. She managed to drink most of the coffee in peace feeling slightly better as her vision began to refocus where Haruhi's legs had begun to go numb from the weight of the puppy.

"Off." Haruhi ordered finally as Mikan finally stood up and she stretched her legs. Most times she wouldn't mind it, but she didn't want to deal with cramped legs. Mikan stood instead in the middle of their circle. There was only the chair and couch in their little group and it would be to much effort to sit on the floor.

"Aww Puppy! You look like shit!" The twins greeted cheerfully as Mikan glared taking all of her will power not to dump her coffee on them. They walked in matching white pea coats, hats and gloves looking like something out of wonderland.

"And you to would like shit if I dumped this on you." She answered icily as they paused and smiled.

"Puppy can't hold her alcohal!" They teased waving her back and forth, as she continued to fume.

"Puppy going to puke." She glared as she clutched her stomach, and they stopped as they attempted to lift her up. She managed to keep her feet firmly on the floor this time.

"Quick she needs to see a doctor!" Hikaru yelled

"Kyoya!" Karou greeted as he turned around glancing at the shadow king who had conviently walked in to the common area, "Come look at you patient."

Kyoya raised one eye brow as he sipped something out of a sleek thermos as the one door shut behind him with a loud click.

"She had to much to drink last night at a bar and is now experiencing the effects of a hangover." He answered with a dignified air.

"How did you know I went to a bar?" Mikan questioned, but she didn't hear and answer as the twins took to being as loud as possible.

"SAY KAROU WHERE IS THE COFFEE!" Karou yelled to his brother

"OVER THERE!" Hikaru answered as Mikan moaned stumbling over to the couch and burying her head in between Honey and Mori as she let her arms hang limply by her sides. Where they trying to bring out her inner bitch?

"Poor puppy." Hunny patted her head as she rubbed it into the cushions.

"Time for class." Tamaki announced setting down the tea cup, "Come along subjects we cannot be late."

Mikan stood up slowly slinking over to Haruhi as she wrapped her hands around her shoulders.
"Is it spring yet?" She mumbled as Haruhi shrugged her off.

"Not for a few more months." She answered as Mikan groaned it was an effort to get to class and she would have lain down in the hallway to avoid the endless chatter of what the hell did you do over Christmas break or what did you do on news years?

She pushed open the door as a few girls waved to her calling, "Hi puppy!"

She raised a hand to her mid section collapsing onto the desk her cup of coffee almost gone by now.

"Mikan what happened?" Yui asked her friend who seemed rather out of it with her head down on the desk and moaning, "Are you sick? Is your appendix going to explode?"

"Yes. Oh god here comes the alien babies!' Mikan screamed shoving back from her desk, "AHHHH!'

"MIKAN-SAN!"

Mikan jumped as the sensei stared at her tapping her fingers leering at her.

"If you are having stomach pains you may go to the nurse." She glared as Mikan gluped and pushed back her seat, grabbing her bag.

"Mika-"Yui started

"Silence. I will have no more antics in my class." Their sensi yelled rapping a rular against the chalkboard, as the class was utterly silent once more, "Now take out your books."

"I'm worried about Mikan." Yui muttered as she dutifully pulled around her text book and opened it up to the asssinged page.

"Why?" Rai asked glancing at her friend.

"What if her stomach bursts-"Yui started, as she grew quiet when she caught the sensi glaring at her from the front of the room.

"She left her coffee." Momo commented, "We'll take it to her."

She glanced at the sensi as she glanced over to Rai smiling, "Rai excute number 54."

Rai smiled as she leaned over to Yui, "Yui sweet heart, you know that deiase Mikan has I think you caught it. Don't you feel your stomach cramping?"

"WHAT! AHHHHH I'm GOING TO HAVE ALIEN BABIES! NOOOOOO!" Yui screamed out as she clutched her stomach, "NOOOOO!"

"YUI!" The sensi began as Rai and Momo stood up fast as lighting.

"We'll escort her to the nurse. Its her horrible stomach cramps, she could burst any moment." Rai explained quickly lifting up their bags and grabbing Mikan's coffee as they ran out of the classroom.

Yui rushed ahead of them leaving a cloud of dust and screaming about how she was going to die if she didn't see the nurse to get rid of the babies.

"I worry about her." Rai sighed as they walked along, "But she does the best sick impression."

"Very true. You think we could get out of art class." Momo asked tossing her hair as she fiddled with the clips.

"Perhaps." Rai shrugged, "We'll have to convince Yui that she not going to have alien babies."

"Where did she get that one from?" Momo asked, "Mikan must be a bad influence on her impressionable mind."

"Yes but we're out of class." Rai reminded her raising one finger as they reached the nurses office and opened the door slowly. The nurse was busy feeling Yui for a fever shaking her head as she went on and on about alien babies.

"Hello girls." She greeted, "How nice of you to bring your friends things."

"We're looking for another friend of ours." Rai explained as she set down the bags, "Mikan? She has pink hair."

"No I'm sorry, but no body with pink hair has come here today." The nurse answered ,"Arlight dear no more late night horror movies before bed. They are giving horrible ideas. Why don't you lay down for a while and try to catch a nap?"

"Okay." Yui bounced off the table.

"Yui since you'll be here you can hold on to Mikan's things. In case she shows up." Momo told her as the blonde smiled happily taking the bags. She skipped along to lay in one of the comfortable cots that the nurses station had, she liked taking naps besides.

"Come on Rai we got a friend to find." Momo whispered as they turned their own bags in tow and the half drunk cup of coffee.

Kyoya raised his head from the book he was reading in class as he narrowed his eyes and pushed up his glasses up his nose.

"Something not right." He muttered as Tamaki glanced at him.

"What?" He asked

"Something wrong. Mikan is doing something stupid or is about to do something stupid." He muttered, pushing back from his chair as simply lifted up his bag.

"Puppy?" Tamaki cocked his head as he followed, "Mother what about puppy."

"I'm not quite sure, father." Kyoya answered simply, "But I rather stop Mikan before she manages to emberess the whole host club.'

"But puppy is so sweet." He answered, "She could never do anything bad."

"Tamaki need I remind you the biting accident." Kyoya started, "The fact that she made you perform ticks on the stage."

"Well, I did steal the show.' He smoothed back his hair, "besides we all know Mikan would never do anything bad."

"I'm not so sure. I wouldn't be getting this feeling in my left hand if something wasn't about to happen." He started eyeing the halls, "Come along Tamaki we have a puppy to find."

There was a sudden high pitched whine as the speakers came on, "Ahem. Attention all students today at exactly eleven o'clock a special presentation will occur. All students are to be released from their classes one half hour before."

"Oh did you hear that Kyoya?" Tamaki asked

"Yes Tamaki. I fear that something is going to involve our puppy." Kyoya shook his head, "What time is it?"

"Umm..ten o'clock." Tamaki answered, "that gives us thirty minutes exactly."

"I am so glad you are able to keep time." Kyoya rolled his eyes. The morning had gone by very quickly.

"Hey you two! What are you doing out of class?"

Kyoya spied two girls holding their bags as a teacher began to yell at them in the hall.

"There with us." Kyoya called, "We've been excused from class. Part of the big event going on at eleven."

"Fine." The teacher called back disappearing back into class. The two girls seemed to be shocked as they whispered to each other.

"Princesses." Kyoya smiled closing the distance between them, "You are Mikan's classmates aren't you?"

"Have you seen the puppy!" Tamaki cried, "The puppy is missing!

"We know. We've been trying to find her since first period." They answered, "She wasn't feeling well in class and had to be excused to the nurse."

"I'll alert the troops." Tamaki started whipping out his phone, "Kyoya you talk with these lovely princesses."

Kyoya shook his head, "Yes Tamaki. Go do what you think is nesscessary."

"We tried to find her." They began again twirling their hair and looking woridly, "We even kept her coffee in case we found her."

"Why are we here?" the twins asked bored.

They now had ten minutes to locate Mikan and so far Kyoya's search had not come up with anything remotely useful.

"Oh the fact that if Mikan is icrimanted in any unlawful activties, that it could mean her expulsion not to mention bad press for the host club which would result in the disgrace of all memerbers." Kyoya said calmly as the Twins gulped. When Kyoya got his scary look all the host club members where on edge more than usual.

"Ahh Haruhi save us!' They yelled

"What! No. No.' Haruhi shook her head no, as she too felt her hair stand on end. Mikan she was sure had probably fallen asleep on a couch or was annoying some group of poor unsuspecting students.

"Kyoya what if we can't find her! What if she's dead?" Hunny began to cry

Mori patted his head as if to reassure him.

"We have nine minutes." Kyoya sighed. He thought it would eaiser than this, as it struck him, "Tamaki did we check to see if the school had any events sechluded today?"

Tamaki snapped his fingers as an older woman appeared with a pad and a piece of paper, "Well I have to get my hair touched up after school, oh and I apparently have to get a flea bath."

"Milord, turn over." THe twins noted, seeing it was a dog's intinerray.

"Oh. Emm, no." Tamaki shook his head, as Haruhi stared after the woman who seemed to have appeared from no where.

"Then who had acess to the school mike system?" Kyoya asked

"They wouldn't need direct acess." Hunny began, "The school mic system can be controlled either in the theatere of the front office. So if you were in the theatre you could make an annoucment, they do it when the school puts on big productions."

There was a silence.

"I used to take theatre." Hunny answered quietly with a smile as he held the bunny.

"The twins to the theatre, Tamaki and I will go to the front office, Hunny and Mori-" Kyoya paused

"We'll go to the front lobby." Hunny answered, "There's another door that leads directly to the theatre."

"But-" Haruhi began as they left her standing alone, "What do I do?"

Her voice echoed around her as she picked up her bag and started down the hall. She just had to avoid being caught for another eight minutes. She paused as she heard a high pitched giggling.

"This is a going to be amazing." A brunet girl was talking on her cell phone, "No she thinks she's in a show. I know with any luck she'll break a leg. No. She's so easily influenced."

"Uh excuse me." Haruhi began.

The girl paused eyeing her, "Yeah?"

"I heard about this big event. Do you know what it is?"

"No."

"Then why were you talking about something as if you know something is going to happen." Haruhi asked

"Whatever." The girl huffed eyeing her as her lips scrunched, "Are you her boyfriend? I knew she would go for the weak ones."

"What?" Haruhi asked, "Who are you talking about?"

The girl paused, and then smiled, "Oh nothing. Nothing. Actually we been planning this for a while, even since that weird pink headed freak came back to this school. You in the theatre aren't you? You seen her, how she struts around like she's all that, she's already in the most exclusive club at the school. I know what she's doing, stealing patrons, securing her place."

"But I don't understand." Haruhi began as the brunet laughed playing with her string of pearls.

"You don't need to." She answered almost cryptically walking away. Haruhi glanced at her phone three minutes as her stomach growled. She needed food.

She pushed the girl from her mind , she was a little strange, but she was used to the rich waging their own private battles. She didn't quite understand it, but she heard plenty of drama and grief from the girls. About family ties, and family struggles, about who was going to marry who, who was mad at who and why.

Then it began a soft lyrical music played in the air. It started slow and then gathered up speed.

"What is that?" Someone yelled from the hall. Haruhi glanced around as the music only grew louder and the students rushed from their class rooms and soon the halls were flooded with students quietly murmuring.

"HEY! THERE'S SOMETHING GOING ON AT THE FRONT OF THE SCHOOL!"

Haruhi felt herself being carried along the wave of students, as they rushed to the stairs, the music had only grown louder.

"WHERE'S IT HAPPENING!"

"I HEARD THE MAIN LOBBY!"

"NO THE STAIR CASE!"

"NOT THE STAIR CASE!"

"HARUHI!"

She turned as she found herself being lifted up by one arm as the twins waved, "Did you miss us?"

"Maybe." she began, "What's going on?"

"Mikan-well you have to see for yourself." They offered as they rushed around the crowds dragging her forward. They were standing on the second flood as she stared down at the gathering mass of students that had separated themselves on either side as if watching a performance.

"What is this?" Haruhi asked

"We're not sure." The twins shrugged, "But its going to be amusing."

"Where's MIkan?"

"Oh well Tamaki spotted her in a costume humming to herself in the hall. She was in a trance, and he began to scream that she had been cursed by the dark magic club." They shrugged, "We're not sure."

"How did you find me?'

"You smell of commoner." They explained

"Thanks." Haruhi slapped a hand to her face, "Thanks a lot."

"Lets move to the floor. I want to see her!" Hikaru complained as they drifted down the masses of students. Haruhi spied the head master sitting somewhere over to the side with what looked like important clients.

"Why is the head master here?"

"Oh he was giving tour." They shrugged, "But Tamaki stopped him and bowed and did what Tamaki does best, be a babbling idiot."

"Ah." She nodded as she watched the students grow quiet, the music had stopped and then it began again. Students well they were dressed in their uniforms but their shoes betrayed them as dancers began to descend from the crowds, down the stair case. They were graceful, knowing each turn, each step, in their lifts, their bows, their positions. They seemed to sparkle in the light of the room, the girls hair falling all over the place as the boys seemed to reach new heights with their leaps.

They were every where on the lobby on the top floor on the stair case, keeping a hole in the center.

"Are they dancing?" She asked

"Shh!' The twins hissed, "This is interesting."

"What does Tamaki think of all this?" She asked.

Karou pulled out his phone, "Read for yourself."

She read the text, AHHH! WHAT IS PUPPY DOING!

"Umm I'm guessing he knows?" She asked

"They're trying to get to her." Hikaru shrugged pointing above as a Tamaki with his frantically waving arms as Kyoya piled through the sitting and standing crowd.

"And then there's Hunny-"

She watched the little boy as he was thrown high into the air by one of the dancers as Mori chased after him forced to lift girl dancers. He seemed to be wanting to stand still as he easily lifted up the girls. They seemed to be doing some well planned choreographed work.

"I don't get it." She began, "Is this planned?"

"Oh no you missed it." The twins answered, "There was a dramatic chase and everything. A cloaked figure had MIkan by the arm and was leading her around. They kept saying something to her and then Mori was like a strong man and managed to catch MIkan. She did this five foot leap out of his arms and skipped off."

Haruhi blinked at them as they continued their tale, "So after Tamaki swung across the curtain did they manage to pin down whoever it was?"

"No. They disappeared." The twins shrugged, "And Kyoya ordered that we chase after Mikan, well that was boring and puppy is only good to us if she is being interesting."

"You're bored then and you aren't daunted by the fact that Mikan could be expelled."

"Lies. "The twins rolled their eyes.

"Lies." Haruhi repeated as she spotted what everyone had been gasping at as she felt herself stand up and scream, "Mikan! No!'

The music had reached a crescendo as the entire room held its breath. Haruhi shut her eyes, as there was a sudden up roar of applause as she felt her heart beat again.

"Mikan!" the twins were already pulling her and running forward to were a tiered Mori held the girl in the lift with her leg extended above her head as her arms reached up as well before she dropped into his arms, with the final note. The other dancers held their poses and then dropped into bows. Mikan was the only in an actual costume, a glittery mess of a tutu, with red and yellow so she stood out with her clashing pink hair. She didn't seemed to be able to aware of anything that was going on though as if she was lost.

There was a silence and than an up roar of applause.

"Mikan! Puppy! Mikan! Puppy!" the chant echoed around the halls, "Mikan! Puppy! Mikan! Puppy!"

Haruhi when they got close enough saw that Mikan's face was a pasty pale, her cheeks red and her breath shallow.

"She's really sick." Haruhi started, as Mori moved her into his arms running forward away from the crowds with Hunny at his side.

"What's wrong with puppy?" The twins started

Haruhi ignored them running after Mori.

wow, a cliffhanger. That's unlikely for this story. i hope it wasn't confusing! I left out a lot of technical terms for the dance, to much detail. I hope the chapter was up to everyone's expectations. More to come, as I follow this story arch, and then continue on with the manga. I think Renge comes in next. Huzzah!