Leaving My Home

Ricko's POV

I've come back to Shigure's to collect all my things then return to the Sohma house for good this time. I clean out my room of all my few things and walk slowly down the stairs. Memories of all the fun, hard, and annoying times that happened here run through my head and I smile fondly. I meet the four of them at the door.

Tohru has tears in her eyes as she stands in front of me, "I'll miss you Ricko, please visit as soon as you can!" She cries and pulls me into a soft hug. I drop my bags onto the floor and wrap my arms around her waist and place my chin on her shoulder.

"Don't worry Tohru, I'll visit whenever I can." I lie through my teeth and regret flashes across my face. The good thing is that she can't see it since her face is buried in my hair. I'll never be able to visit her; the only reason she didn't have her memory erased is because she is on semi-good terms with Akito and he didn't think she needed it. To her and anyone else who knows me he made up the story that I will be moved to an all girls boarding school like he threatened to me before. Of course, Yuki, Kyo, Shigure, Ayame, Haru, and Momeiji know that isn't true, but they cannot say anything against it.

I break away from her with a sad smile and kiss her cheek affectionately and turn to Shigure, "While I'm gone, quit it with the perverted magazines and shit, and meet all your deadlines for your poor publisher." I scold him and he laughs lightly. But he is not entirely amused. I can see the sadness and fear for me in his dark eyes before he wraps me in a large hug as well.

"Come back to us when he lets you go again. We need you, so stay strong." He whispers into my ear in a strained voice and his grip tightens on me.

"No guarantees on that, but I will try my hardest, Shigure." I say with my voice barely audible even though my mouth is just below to his ear. He lets go of me and kisses my forehead with one last look into each others' eyes.

I slowly turn around and Kyo's in front of me, "Take care of yourself." He mutters with his hair covering his eyes and his head is downcast. Tears well-up in my eyes and I jump into his arms. I wrap my arms tightly around his neck and stain his black t-shirt with my salty tears when I bury my face into it.

"Try not to destroy the house everyday." I murmur quietly into his chest and his body tenses, but I continue hoarsely, "And please try to get even the slightest bit along with Yuki. I don't want to have to worry about you two fighting all the time while I'm gone." With those words his muscled arms encase me in their warm depths and cage me in. I feel safe for the moment in his arms, but all those feelings are fleeting moments.

"Fine, but just make sure you come back." He mutters and I smile weakly into his six-pack. Kyo and I have always had a mutual understanding where we can communicate our thoughts between very few words. I know that he is upset and very angry with me returning to the estate, to Akito. He knows the pain I have gone through by Akito's hand and what will happen to me for the next few years. But he also knows that I will fight to survive this, remain sane, return to them, and live on.

I pry myself out of his arms since he feels like he doesn't want to let me go anytime soon. "I'll come back, Kyo, don't worry too much." I'm trying to cover up the uncertainty in my tone, but he catches it and opens his mouth to say something.

"Ricko, can I talk to you outside?" Yuki stops him from speaking. He uses such a grave and depressed voice and begins to step out of the door. Kyo's mouth closes immediately in shock at his tone. I nod to the three of them and follow Yuki outside. I will have to go back in there for my things anyway, so I don't need to say final goodbyes just yet.

Yuki stops once we're a good few meters away from the house and he turns to me with distressed and fearful eyes. I have known those eyes for years and suffered with them so much. "Are you really going to let this happen, Ricko?"

I bow my head in shame and deep fear, "I already have. I let all my friends have their memories erased, Hatori will be here soon, and Akito has made up his mind on me." My body trembles and I wrap my arms around myself and offer Yuki a forced and slightly insane smile, "I can at least distract him for you for a few years until he becomes bored or I….." I trial off and choke on those words.

Bright pain flashes across Yuki's face, "Ricko-" He cuts off with just one glimpse at the expression on my face.

I continue to smile but this time it is understanding and full of grim sadness, "I know Yuki. But I want you to be happy. You can have that, I can't. If I don't keep Akito busy then he will come after you and ruin your life again." I stare evenly into his eyes with a fiercely determined look in my own. "I want you to become stronger and able to protect your self when your with him while I am gone. Build up your strength and courage and fight against this." His eyes are filled to the brim with hot tears and I step foreword to him and kiss his cheek. "And don't worry about the curse either, Tohru will break it soon once she meets all the other members and becomes friends with all of them. I know she can do it and I'm counting on all of you to be strong and fight through this." I finish my speech and a car horn honks in the distance at Shigure's house. My body tenses in a second and I come back to the conclusion that I am returning back to that place of horror and torture.

My legs become weak and Yuki catches me before I land on the ground. "You have to be strong as well, Ricko. I'm serious. I want you to come back to us in one piece and sane. You have to fight too." Yuki cries with tears dripping down his face. He clutches me to him as he carries me slowly back to Hatori's awaiting car just a two minutes walk from here.

"I will. And, I'll see you on New Year's, Yuki. I am the freak, so I will be displayed this year as I was all those other years." I laugh bitterly but my body shakes in fear of my impending life back at the estate.

Halfway back to Shigure's house, I am too exhausted and weak to stay conscious, so I give into the darkness once again. I let it envelop me to find some peace before I go back to that place.

Yuki's POV

Once we reach the house, Hatori has already brought all of Ricko's things into his car and is waiting for us to return.

I glance down one more time at Ricko's face. The scar has faded to a shade just a bit darker than her pale skin tone. Her face is beautiful and lovely, but she also has deep wounds under all of those features. Her eyes no longer have the glint they had when we were very young, before Akito started torturing us. The light had returned to Ricko's eyes for a short time when she came to live with us at Shigure's house and then brightened even more to almost happiness at all times when she transferred to Ouran Academy. The friends she made brought it back for a short while until it was stolen away once again. It faded away after Akito ordered her to return to the Sohma house and live there with no more schooling and just to be kept to her room.

I lift my head back up and meet Hatori's eyes as he is standing in front of me. They are depressed and full of pain. He understands how hard it is for me to return her to Akito. Hatori is also suffering from this because she has become of a sister to him. Ricko helped him get through his emotions and depressing feelings when he had to erase Kana's memories of himself and their love. Ricko and Hatori spent days together after that I think he has a certain soft spot for her now.

"I'm sorry, Yuki." Hatori's eyes are actually shining with unshed tears and I look up at him with my own eyes wide and still spilling my own tears. "I tried to talk to Akito the night he issued the order, but he wouldn't listen to a word I said to him about it. I couldn't do anything." He voice trails off helplessly and I'm completely speechless on two things. Hatori breaking like this in front of someone else, and having to give Ricko back to him.

I clutch Ricko to me, "It's all right, none of us could have done anything to change his mind. But I want you to keep an eye on her please." I beg him and he nods earnestly.

"I will check in with her every day." He checks his watch and frowns deeply then sighs in exasperation. "We have to go now or Akito will be angry when we get there already." I stiffen and glance back down at Ricko in worry. "Don't worry Yuki, I will watch over her and make sure she is not hurt badly by him. And you will see her soon on New Year's." Those were his parting words as I handed Ricko to him. He gently places her into the back of his car then goes around to the driver's seat to get in himself.

I watch as they drive away and I don't leave this position until an hour later when Tohru gravely calls us all for dinner.

I glance back behind me one last time then turn around slowly to go into the house.

'I'm sorry, Ricko.'

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Yay! Another chapter is up! *dances around happily* The next chapter will be years later with something unexpected! Hint, hint. Please keep reading and I would really appreciate some reviews and favs or follows! Pretty please?