Step #18:

Hold Her Hand and Never Let Go

...\~/...

September 26th, 11:39 A.M.:

In the Bi-Polar Weather State:

Hikaru felt two feet tall under the scary glares of four, angry women. They were all standing there with crossed arms and narrowed gazes. He quickly took in the appearance of all four, trying desperately to avoid all eye contact. The one that had grabbed him by the collar had long, dark red hair, greenish-brown eyes hidden behind glasses, and a scowl that could match Tara's. The woman to her right was about the same height, but she had a head full of long, tight curls, light green eyes and glasses, and seemingly natural reddish skin, looking like she had a permanent sunburn or something. The next was light-skinned, small-statured, and the skinniest of the four (the other three being overweight), and had dark brown, almond-shaped eyes; she had glasses as well. The last one was Renee, remembering her from the week before. She was the tallest out of all of them with black hair that was perfect for an afro, but hers was pulled back in a ponytail, strands sticking out from both sides of her head; dark eyes that weren't hidden behind glasses like everyone else and skin that was the color of hot chocolate. Hikaru immediately assumed the third one was Erika, but he looked between the other two, trying to figure out which one was Dawn and which one was MJ.

"You have a lot of explaining to do, asshole." the red-head spat.

Well, that was definitely MJ…

"Please, I need to talk to Ripley. I…I want to apologize for what I said. Just tell me where she and-"

"Do you really think we'd tell you where she was after you said that to her?" Erika interrupted. Her voice was cold, Hikaru finding the tone of her voice foreign. Every time she had talked over the phone, Erika sounded so nice. It was surprising that he could get on the bad side of even the warmest of people. "For your information, though, she's not here at the moment."

The four closed in on him, Renee pushing him back against the door. His head hit the door, bringing his hand up to rub the back of his head.

"I, uh, enjoyed getting all your threatening messages… Very colorful…"

"It was a mistake for you to come here, douchebag." Dawn hissed. He didn't think she was capable of such an icy voice either.

Before he could answer or before the roommates could do anything to him, the door jumped open before slamming shut. It repeated this action a few more times before a voice said on the other side, "What the hell? Guys, let me in!" Hikaru gasped, turning to rip the door open.

There she stood.

Ripley…

His throat fell to his stomach when she gave him a disgusted look. "Ugh, it's you."

"Ripley, I-"

"Run, Ripley, run!" MJ shouted, grabbing Hikaru around the waist, the other three following suit. This gave Ripley the chance to turn away and hurry down the stairs, away from him. No, no she couldn't leave him. Not again… Hikaru struggled against their holds, clawing at their arms and hands, yelling at them to let go. Shit, he couldn't see her anymore. "LET GO!" Hikaru shouted, prying MJ's arms off of him. That's when he wriggled free, bursting through the screen door, rushing down the steps.

"Ripley, wait!" Hikaru cried out, jumping the last few stairs. "Please, don't go! I need to talk to you!" Gravel crunched beneath his boots, dust being kicked up. He saw her disappear around the corner of the apartment building, and he did the same.

She was so close.

He had to do this.

…\~/…

"Ripley, wait! Please, wait!"

She came to an abrupt stop, turning on him. Hikaru froze in spot when he saw her angered expression- narrowed eyes, a scowl twisting her lips, but despite it all, he could still see the hurt. It killed him inside and out to see her look so wounded and when she hissed the words, "Go away, I don't want you here!" It was like a knife was plunged straight into his gut. A frustrated noise came from the woman before him before she stomped off in the direction of the railroad tracks. He followed her, hoping that what he had to say would sink in and she'd forgive him. He hoped... Hope seemed to be the only thing he could rely on right now. They finally stopped by a large oak tree, Ripley leaning her shoulder against it. She wasn't looking at him; he wished she would.

"Please, Ripley, let me say what I have to say." he pleaded. "Please..."

"What? Are you going to make snarky comments about my weight? Oh, how about we make me feel even worse about my acne and scars by using little, degrading jabs, hm?" He watched as she shook her head, crossing her arms. "Go away, Hikaru... Leave me alone. I'm trying to get over you..."

He knew he deserved those words, but he was going to try and make her think differently. This was his one chance, his only chance, and he wanted more than anything to be able to hold her close to him after this. He wanted to be able to comfort her again, and whisper to her that everything was going to be okay, that he was never going to leave her again. Hikaru's heart pounded and he clenched and unclenched his hands, stretching his fingers out. He wanted nothing more than to be with her and show her everyday just how much he loved her.

"Ripley, I wanted to apologize for how I acted last week. I was just surprised by how you looked and...wait, I meant that I was just shocked..." Of course this was going to happen. Why did he have to stumble over his words all the time?

"It's fine... I get what you're trying to say."

"But it's not fine! What I said to you... It reminds me of what I said to all those girls back in middle school and I thought I had matured since then, but I guess I haven't. When I saw you for the first time, I was surprised because I'm not used to girls that look like you. I'm used to them being a hundred pounds and not so..."

"Fat? Hefty? Bulky?"

It bothered him how she looked at herself like that. He guessed that he didn't help when he said 'I don't like the way you look' to her, but experiencing her low self-esteem in person, it was different. Hikaru stared at her back, wanting her to turn around and confront him face to face, but even he wouldn't want to look him straight in the eye right now. The ash-haired man took a step forward.

"Will you look at me, please?" Did she even know what she was doing to him right now?

"No."

"Ripley, I want you to know that I think you're beautiful. I was-"

"No you don't!" she shouted. He got what he wanted. She was looking at him now, but he wished she wouldn't look so sad while doing so. Him making her feel this way; he remembered that had been one of the last things he wanted to do to her. Ripley gestured towards an imaginary person as she said, "You think she's beautiful, not me! You wanted her this whole damn time!" She wiped her eyes with the palm of her hand, her brown eyes watering. She wasn't going to allow herself to cry in front of him. "Hell," Her voice was shaky. "You probably imagined me as her, right?" She was right. There had been times when he imagined she was Haruhi and the fact that they had so much in common made it even better. This woman knew him too well.

"Who's 'she'?" he asked gently. He wanted her to tell him what she was thinking. He wanted to get into her mind. He wanted her to open up to him.

"Haruhi!" Swipe to her eyes again. "E-ever since you told me about her, I-I knew I stood no chance. When I met her, I definitely knew I didn't stand a chance. She's really beautiful... I understand why you love her so much." She said love, not loved. She still thought he had feelings for Haruhi. He watched as she struggled to keep the tears back, her face becoming red and blotchy. "She's the kind of person I always wanted to look like- thin, that sleek hair, feminine. All I am is a-a...fuck, I don't know what I am."

"A girl with insecurities? A girl who really is beautiful and doesn't realize it."

Ripley sniffled, rubbing her nose. "Do you know how much it hurt seeing you with her? Treating her the way I wanted you to treat me? Whenever you looked at me, it was always full of disappointment and disgust. I just wanted you to accept me..."

He remembered how scared he had been when he first met Ripley. He had been so nervous about what he had said, thinking that he would say something offensive and drive her away. He had been so careful and when they were about to meet, he was so proud of himself for not messing up. I don't like the way you look... All those months of being cautious and look where he was, trying to get her back. He remembered all the times when he had looked at her last week, never holding back his disgust. He knew what he had been doing, but he didn't stop himself. His words and actions had hurt her so much, now she wouldn't even believe him when he called her beautiful.

"I don't love her anymore." Hikaru informed.

That caught her attention.

"Don't love her anymore? What-?"

"See, Haruhi came back to see if I was alright, and we kind of went on a date. I...kissed her..."

"You kissed her?" She sounded so sad.

"Please don't sound like that." he begged. "I didn't feel anything. No spark, no fireworks going off in my head, nothing. She helped me realize that there's only room for one woman in my life." He stared at her hard, his heart giving a jolt when their eyes met for a moment. She looked down, rubbing her arm with her damaged hand. He couldn't believe just last week he had been revolted by the thought of holding that hand. The way he had treated her…it made him sick.

"The worst part was that I knew why you weren't speaking to me." She sniffled again as she pulled something out of her back pocket. "I, um, looked at this a lot, just to remind myself that maybe someone like me had a chance to be with someone like you." Hikaru watched as she unfolded a piece of paper and she was about to turn it around when she added, "Don't think of me as creepy for keeping this with me. Promise?"

"Depends…" he said with a coy smirk.

She gave him an emotionless look, freezing. Then, she began to put it away, causing him to hold out a hand. "W-wait! I promise I won't judge! Just…show me…" Ripley gave him another look before pulling it back out.

It was the poster from when he and Kaoru modeled on Valentine's Day.

Oh shit…

"I've known for awhile now how you've looked. Don't think that I broke our deal because seriously, how can anyone ignore a group of fangirls squealing over someone who's supposed to be your lover?"

"I never wanted you to see that! Kaoru never said it was going to your mall!"

"Well, he said that your guys' poster was going to be put into all malls across America. Why wouldn't our mall count?"

"Because…because…I don't know! How come I couldn't come across a big picture of you?!"

"Because I'm not a model, dumbass! And it wasn't my fault that I came across it! It was just there! Blame the overenthusiastic fangirls! If it hadn't been for them, I would have never noticed!"

Hikaru screamed through gritted teeth. What happened to the almost-crying Ripley? What happened to their heartfelt conversation where it was going to end up him holding her close to him? Where did this angry, outspoken Ripley come from? Why did she have to call him a dumbass? He wasn't a dumbass! How was he supposed to know that their poster was going to end up in their hick mall?

"Why are you so frustrating?! Here I am, trying to apologize and make up for all the horrible things I said by calling you beautiful, but you're not listening! What happened to the adorable, understanding Ripley that would listen to everything I said?!"

"She's still here! And thank you for thinking I'm adorable!"

"You're welcome! Glad I could be of service!"

They looked away from each other, huffing. This was not how he wanted it to go… He wanted to be able to call her his girlfriend and hold her hand, not have her call him a dumbass and have to call her frustrating. Wait, did she accept the fact that he thought she was adorable, but not beautiful? He looked over at Ripley, wishing that she would look back at him. Her eyebrows were knitted together, arms crossed.

"Do you hate me?" he asked.

Ripley was silent for a moment, an annoyed expression trading in for her sad one a few moments ago. It looked like she wasn't going to answer, but then she sighed, sticking her hands in her pockets. "No," she said, shaking her head. "I don't hate you. It's actually…" She trailed off, leaving him in anticipation.

"WHAT?!"

"I'm not telling you." she said in a staccato way, tilting her head in different directions with each word.

"Fine, then. I'm not going to talk to you anymore!"

Ripley went quiet, crossing her arms. She distracted herself by scuffing the toe of her shoe against the ground. "Good, now I can talk." She continued to stare at the ground as she spoke. "Hikaru, when you said what you did to me, it immediately reminded me of how I felt in high school when my insecurities were at their peak. I felt ugly and useless and like I didn't amount to anything. Ever since I got out of that hellhole, my self-esteem has gotten better. I'm making new friends, I've had a few jobs that have pushed me out of my comfort zone, and I've been honing my skills. But then...'I don't like the way you look'. I literally felt my self-esteem plummet..." She was rubbing her arm again and she looked incredibly nervous. A small laugh escaped her lips, "You know, I was this close to not writing you." Ripley held up her hand, her thumb and index finger a centimeter apart. "These insecurities- my weight, acne, my entire look- scared me at going out and interacting with men. I sat at home while all my friends were out on dates. I was scared to date because I felt like guys wouldn't find me attractive and that they would reject me. I was afraid of the rejection, most of all. Hikaru felt his own eyes water when Ripley sent a sorrowful smile in his direction and said, "I guess those fears came true, didn't they.

I don't like the way you look.

"Ripley, I-"

"And then I met you. I finally did summon up the courage to write you first. The way we hit it off, it gave me so much hope. Over these last nine months, I connected with you so well, that I had hope that you were the guy I was looking for, the guy that wouldn't judge me by my looks. But then, I saw those posters, and I thought you were so handsome..." A light blush dusted both their cheeks. She thought he was handsome... "Then I thought, 'how can a girl like me get a guy like that'?" Their eyes connected again and he felt his heart skip a beat. The sun was hitting her eyes at just the right angle and they were gorgeous. He didn't think Haruhi's could ever compete. "I know you, Hikaru. I know what you can be like because you showed me that guy for nine whole months. You cared about me and I cared about you."

"And I still do! Oh God, I still do!" Hikaru cried out, his voice wavering. "I was such an idiot for doing that to you and I want you to give me a second chance so I can be man you bonded with! I...I...just want to be with you. Please...give me another chance...please." He clutched at his chest, staring at the ground because he didn't want her to see the tears fall. "Oh God, if you left me...I wouldn't know what to do. Just the thought of it makes it hard to breathe. I...I want to love you and I want you to love me."

And she ran to him.

She ran right into his arms.

The place where she belonged.

"I forgive you, Hika." she said quietly.

His heart was beating rapidly and skipping beats and felt like it was swelling ten times its size when she said those four words. He was doing exactly what he wanted to do, holding her in his arms, feeling her warmth and her arms around him, clutching at his vest. His cheek rested on top her head, tears mixing in with her brown hair. They were both crying, something that she was finally allowing him to see. This is what he needed to do all along, be there for her and comfort her during her darkest times. She felt so good against him; he never wanted to let go.

"I'm never going to leave you again, you got that?" he whispered to her, scratching her back soothingly.

He felt so much joy and happiness that it felt like he was going to explode at any moment. He hadn't felt this way in forever, the feeling almost foreign to him, but he welcomed it with open arms. Stomach doing flips, butterflies fluttering around his insides, and an unbelievable warmth stretching from his head down to his toes; it was all because of this woman.

Ripley Barrett, the woman he was in love with.

"Hika," Ripley said, resting her cheek on his chest.

"Hm?" he hummed, too content to say anything. His eyes were closed and he was just holding her.

"Are we dating now?" she asked.

"Mm-hm..." Hikaru answered, nuzzling her hair, which smelled like green apples.

Then it sunk in.

Dating?

Ripley stepped away from him, wringing her hands together, her face now crimson. "I mean, we can try dating for...uh...a month." That's when she threw her hands up defensively. "I mean, if one month is too long, then we can shorten it! But, ya know, it'll be like a trial, and at the end of the month, I'll ask you if you still want to date and you can give me a simple yes or no answer!" The blush was spreading to her ears and neck now, her hands continuing to wring. "Is...um...is dating...too strong of a word? We could try...um...what word am I looking for...?"

Dating Ripley?

"Dating...?" he croaked out. The word felt so weird coming out of his mouth.

"Like I said, just a month! And we could-"

He didn't know what the hell went through his head when he grabbed the back of her head and pulled her towards him.

He didn't know what the hell he was doing when his lips lightly brushed against hers.

He didn't know what the hell to think when she pushed away quickly, not out of disgust, but from embarrassment.

All he did know was that when his lips met hers, it was like an electric current went through him, sending a thousand volts through his system. Fireworks whistled through his mind, a feeling he had never felt with anyone else. He was experiencing a buzz that nothing had ever given him before and it had all been from a simple brush of the lips. All he wanted to do now was hold her and never let go. But he couldn't ignore the way she shifted from foot to foot, fiddling with her fingers.

"Sorry. I just...I'm just not ready for that yet. I mean, the thought of dating a guy is kind of hard for me to accept..."

"Yeah, I understand. I didn't know what I was thinking. Really, I didn't. I just...wanted to..."

It was silent before Ripley said, "Hika, do you want to go on a date with me? Our last one was..."

Hikaru placed a finger on her lips to silence her. "Shhh, let's not talk about last meet. Matter of fact, let's just forget it. Let's treat this like our first meet." And he suddenly embraced her again, rubbing his cheek against the top of her head, nuzzling her hair again. "For right now, though, let me just hold you. I've been dying to do this for awhile."

"O-okay..."

And he held her so close.

He made a vow to never let her go.

...\~/...

2:38 P.M.:

"Hick's" Mall:

"I've never seen a grown man ride a carousel before." Ripley commented, shoving her hands into her pockets.

"That one guy was riding it too!" Hikaru said in his defense, throwing his hands up in the air.

"That's because he was with his kids!"

A cheeky grin spread across his face, Hikaru leaning in with arched eyebrows. "Well, maybe we should have a few in the future so I can ride without it being so awkward." He couldn't help but notice the blush that appeared on her face after saying so. He already knew it was going to be fun making her turn red. Hikaru gave a small laugh before straightening up. He couldn't help but think this was how their first date should've gone, instead of him flirting with anything that walked on two legs. His ears picked up on whispers from passing girls, saying how handsome he was and how they wished that their boyfriends looked like him. Hikaru looked at Ripley out of the corner of his eyes, noticing how she either seemed to ignore what people said or she was oblivious.

"Hey, what's that store over there?!"

"Uh, Hot Topic? I think you'll like-" Ripley couldn't finish her sentence when she gave out a yelp when Hikaru pulled her into the store.

Heavy metal music blasted out of the speakers above, the music matching the video that was on the television screen above the desk. Hikaru's hand was still clutched around Ripley's wrist as he pulled her to the T-shirt section of the store, gazing at all the shirts before him. "How about we get matching T-shirts?" he suggested. "Isn't that what couples do? I think Tara and Kyoya did that once and I kind of liked the idea. Which shirt do you want?" he asked.

Ripley looked between all the shirts. "The Aperture Laboratories one?"

"Isn't that from the Portal games?"

The woman beside him gave a small, impressed smirk. "Very good, Hikaru, you're learning."

"I try!"

After getting their respectable sizes, Ripley a bit hesitant about picking out a XL shirt in front of him, they toured the store a bit more. Hikaru marveled at all the video game merchandise they had, grabbing several items, and finding a spot in the short line at the desk. Hikaru looked over his shoulder at Ripley, who was getting out her wallet. "What are you doing?" he questioned, eyeing the twenty and ten she pulled out. Ripley answered with a hesitant voice, "Um, getting money ready so I can pay for it?"

"No, I'll pay for it!"

"Hikaru, it's fine. Don't waste your money on me. I just got paid."

"I said I'll pay for it!"

"Okay! Here!" Ripley shoved her shirt onto the desk when they approached it.

"I don't want you to pay for anything on this date." Hikaru informed as he took out his credit card, handing it to the clerk.

"Like I said, I just got paid..."

"Ripley..." Hikaru said lowly.

"Fine!"

...\~/...

Static came from the walkie talkie when he clicked the button on the side. "Kyoya, the targets are moving to... KYOYA, THAT'S AN ACTUAL CANDY SHOP! I've heard about those, but I've never actually been in one! I should buy souvenirs for grandmother. Kyoya, did you know she likes gummies?! I found that out when she asked for some of my octopus-shaped gummies the other day." A frightened gasp came from his lips. "Why aren't they holding hands?! Hikaru is a gentleman and he must guide his lover from destination to destination! And isn't it against the rules to buy souvenirs on the first day of the trip! Kyoya, act as a deranged vagrant, steal all their belongings, and return them to the proper stores! Over!"

He waited in anticipation for his walkie talkie buddy to answer back.

"Tamaki, why must we spy on Hikaru and Ripley?"

"Kyoya, you didn't say 'over'!"

"That's because I'm standing right next to you, you fool."

Tamaki turned his head to the right, violet eyes landing on an unenthused Kyoya, who had his arms crossed. The light reflected off Kyoya's glasses, only adding effect to the man's dislike for spying on Hikaru and his date. The spectacled man remembered how the energetic blonde hurriedly gathered everyone onto his private jet in Japan, stopping in Boston to pick him and Tara up before heading to Illinois. Now they were creeping behind Hikaru and Ripley, Tamaki commentating on every little thing the new couple did and chastising every little thing Hikaru didn't do. And he insisted on having walkie talkies, just to keep the feeling of being spies going.

"This is Hikaru's first date with Ripley as her boyfriend! Don't you want to see how it goes?"

"Not entirely."

"Why can't you be like Ripley's roommates and bask in this sacred moment?"

"Because I value his privacy while you bunch don't."

Tamaki looked around to see Ripley's roommates all lingering around a stuffed animal stand, inspecting every toy on the shelf while sneakily stealing glances at Hikaru and Ripley. Then, they would hurry to another stand, and look around it. The rest of the Host Club, Tara, and Reiko stood behind Tamaki and Kyoya, watching Hikaru and Ripley walk into Gamestop.

"It looks like they're doing fine." Kyoya noted. He looked back at Kaoru. "Wouldn't you think so?"

"Yeah..."

"What's wrong? Aren't you glad your brother sorted things out with Miss Barrett?"

"Of course, but I just hope that he doesn't say anything stupid."

Kyoya stared at Kaoru for a moment before looking back at Gamestop. "I have a feeling Hikaru has learned his lesson."

...\~/...

"What happened to your hand?" Ripley asked, staring at his casted hand.

Hikaru didn't even cease in his flipping through the rows of video games when he replied, "I broke it."

Ripley's shoulders fell and she gave him an annoyed look, "I figured that out, but how?" She noticed how his expression seemed to go from content to grave, skin paling to where he looked sickly. Taking his sudden change in demeanor into consideration, she added, "If you don't want to tell me, you don't have to." That's when she felt his good hand rest on top of her head, Hikaru giving her a warm smile. She could see the sadness behind the smile, though, and in turn made her even more concerned. It reminded her of all the times when he would call her in a frantic, sometimes even in tears. All those times, she wished she had the ability to comfort others like MJ or Quin could.

"I got in a fight with my mom and I kind of lost it."

"Have you talked to her at all?"

"...no... I'm kind of nervous to."

Ripley was quiet for a moment, flipping through her row of video games. Hikaru was about to walk to another section of the store when Ripley grabbed the back of his vest, saying, "How about we call her today? I'll be there with you, like I was when you talked to Haruhi."

He remembered when Ripley had suggested that he talk to Haruhi again. It had been Ripley that sat on the other side of the phone, listening to him talk to the woman he once loved. Hikaru imagined himself in the position that Ripley had been in; what if Ripley had told him about a man she was still hung up over? Knowing him, he would've had a fit, telling her that she shouldn't be thinking about anyone but him. He was selfish that way. Here was Ripley, though, and she had been so understanding.

"Maybe at lunch we can call her." he suggested.

Ripley went quiet and turned back to the rack, flipping through a row of games at she already checked.

"Aren't you going to ask me what we fought about?" Hikaru asked.

"I didn't know if you wanted to talk about it..."

"Since we're dating now, I think you have the right to ask me anything you want and I think it's my job in return to give you honest answers." He turned away from, staring down at his hands that were rested on the game rack. "My mom has never really been there for us. She's always been on business trips or too busy at home to spend time with us. She raised us to see only the outside of person, rather than the inside. Those teachings turned us judgmental and even though Kaoru's grown out of it, I still look at someone's appearance and determine whether or not I want to interact with them." His arm went around her shoulders, pulling Ripley in a half-hug. "I have a lot to change, don't I?"

"Mmm, I do to." Ripley muttered.

"What do you mean?"

"I was mad before about what you said to me in New York, but I've been thinking that maybe I need to work on my appearance a little more. I've always cared about how I look, but never did anything to change it when I was disappointed about it. The idealistic part of me imagined a guy sweeping me off my feet without a care in the world about how I looked; however, the realistic side of me told me that would never happen." Ripley quickly moved on when she saw Hikaru open his mouth to say something. "And I'm not talking about changing myself completely! I'm talking about dropping a few pounds, which will be better on my back since I wouldn't be straining so much. Oh, should I get a different hairstyle? I do need to get it cut; it's getting a bit long..."

She started rambling, like she always did.

That's when he pressed his lips against her cheek, grinning when she whipped around, bringing her hand up to the place he kissed. "What was that for?!" Her face was beginning to turn red again.

"Mmm, about three seconds."

Hikaru grabbed her hand, but Ripley pulled it away.

"What's wrong?" he asked, noticing the way she hid the hand he grabbed behind her back.

"That's my…bad hand. I know it's probably a little gro-"

The ash-haired man gently grabbed her arm, sliding his hand down it while bringing her arm back to the front. Hikaru's fingers intertwined with hers, "Ripley, from now one, this is the only hand I'll hold." God, he sounded like he jumped right out of a romance movie. Everything he was saying to her was so cheesy and cliché, but the wide-eyed look he got from her made every word worth it. And the way she squeezed his hand a little bit harder let him know that he said the right thing. Huh, for once he said something that wasn't offensive or harsh.

"Now, I believe we have lunch and a call to my mother next?"

…\~/…

"In the two years I've lived in America, did you know I've never had Taco Bell?"

"Deprived!" Ripley replied, unwrapping her chalupa. "When I come here, I either have Taco Bell or Panda Express. Oh, and I should mention that we're being followed by my roommates and your friends." Ripley took a bite of her taco, ignoring how Hikaru choked on his own food, coughing hysterically. "Wait, what?" he asked, his golden eyes scanning the food court. He…didn't see anyone familiar. "How do you…"

"When we were in Gamestop, I looked out the window and saw Renee dive behind a plant. The others don't know that I saw her, but Renee knew she slipped up because she looked through the leaves of plant and did her creepy smile and wave. And the man sitting behind that newspaper with the two eyeholes is obviously Tamaki." Hikaru started to turn his head to look, but Ripley reached out, saying, "No, don't look! He'll figure out that we noticed him!"

Hikaru straightened, "Seems like you're really getting into this."

Ripley adopted a goofy smile, "I've always wanted to act like a master observer."

"So what do we do now?"

"Act normally. If I went up to my friends right now, Dawn would more than likely scream and cause a scene." Ripley froze before she took a drink. "Or maybe she wouldn't… She once screamed…um…come here…" Hikaru leaned in when Ripley gestured for him to come close, whispering whatever she wanted to say into his ear. "After she yelled that, we all looked around to see if anyone noticed; no one did."

"How very lady-like of her…"

"She's said worse."

That was when Ripley began telling him stories about ridiculous things her roommates have done in Hick's Mall, like when Renee hung back in a store so she could ogle at two Abercrombie models, practically drooling when MJ dragged her over to them for a picture. She told him about their many hours in the arcade, such as the time she finally dominated the claw machine and got a Pikachu plush and when Renee would steal tickets from the games by slowly pulling out their tickets. One thing led to another; Ripley told him about new friends she had made in her photography class and how this guy in one of Erika's classes asked Erika out on a date, which was Saturday. She talked about how she was planning on visiting her mom down in Texas in a few months. Hikaru watched as she gesticulated wildly, moving her hands every time she told him something. Their food was barely eaten- Ripley being too busy talking and Hikaru too content in listening to her to eat.

He had missed this.

He had missed just hearing her voice go on and on.

When Ripley laid her hand on the table, Hikaru snatched it in his, rubbing his thumb over her knuckles soothingly. Nine months ago, he would have never thought he'd be with her like this, holding her hand in his. Hikaru loved this.

If only Tamaki would quit his persistent staring.

"Can't I just go over there and clobber him?" Hikaru asked, looking at the blonde creeper out of the corner of his eye.

Ripley sighed, "Yeah, I think it's time to confront them. Dawn and Renee aren't even trying to hide their laughs anymore."

The couple stood up, walking in separate directions.

…\~/…

"Milord…?" Hikaru said through gritted teeth.

The newspaper went flying as a surprised Tamaki cowered in his chair, violet eyes wide. "O-oh, Hikaru, what a pleasant surprise running into you here! I was just in the neighborhood and decided to visit this adorable, little mall, ha ha!" Tamaki gave a sheepish smile, looking around Hikaru to see Ripley approaching her friends, who were all scurrying away to remain hidden. "Are you and your lover on a date?!" Tamaki exclaimed, jumping out of his seat, towering over Hikaru. "That's so-!"

"You can cut the act, boss. We know you've been following us since the start."

The blonde stared at Hikaru before reaching for a walkie talkie attached to his belt, bringing the device up to his face. "Hey, Kyoya, he's found us out. Over." The ash-haired man continued to glare at Tamaki, even when the walkie talkie conveyed Kyoya's casual voice, "Oh really, and to think your plan was foolproof."

Tamaki lost all fear and snatched the machine from his belt again, yelling into the walkie talkie, "Kyoya, how am I supposed to know you're done talking when you won't say 'over'?! That is the rule and you shall obey!"

"Milord, he's standing right behind you." Hikaru said, pointing towards Tamaki.

Tamaki turned, gasping when he saw Kyoya. "Mon ami, you were ordered to hide!" He then covered his mouth and whispered to Hikaru, "For a guy who's really smart, he's pretty dumb when it comes to hiding."

"Tamaki, you do know I can hear you?" Kyoya stated.

Before Tamaki could respond, someone shouted for them. "Hikaru, Kyoya, Milord, Reiko's water broke!"

"WHAT?!"

…\~/…

Five Minutes Earlier:

"Ah, so Milord was discovered, eh?" Kaoru said, unsurprised. "And he was so sure his newspaper disguise was genius." The red-head sighed, shrugging, "Oh well, I knew he was going to mess up sooner or later." He was standing near a smoothie bar with Tara, Hunny, Mori, and Reiko, who were all ordering drinks and ice cream. Kaoru watched as shoppers passed him, and he ignored the women's squeals and the men's comments; he was focused on what had happened with Hikaru. His older twin had never looked so happy before or at least the happiest he had been in awhile. The emotion that had been in Hikaru's eyes matched how they were when they were in high school: lively, full of vigor, and far from looking lifeless. And it was all because of Ripley. She brought that side of Hikaru out again and he was thankful for that. Kaoru had been waiting for a long time for his brother to look that happy…

"Do you think Hika-chan's going to get better now?" Hunny asked, stopping at Kaoru's side, taking a sip of his smoothie.

"Yeah, I think everything's going to be alright." Kaoru replied with a soft smile.

It was quiet in their group when Reiko said in her usual monotone voice, "Mitsukuni, my water broke." Her face lacked emotion or expression as she stood there, her hands clasped over her swollen belly.

"Oh, that's nice." Hunny mumbled, sipping on his smoothie.

That's when it sunk in.

Hunny dropped his drink, the strawberry-banana blend spilling onto the floor. The child-like blonde grabbed onto Reiko's shoulders in a panic, tears of happiness brimming his eyes. "REIKO, WE NEED TO GET YOU TO A HOSPITAL!" Kaoru and Tara, both who had just figured out what was going on, rushed off to get the two groups.

"TAKASHI!"

"On it." Mori swept Reiko off her feet, cradling her in his arms as he rushed towards the exit of the mall, the woman in his arms still emotionless, looking like she wasn't in any pain. Hunny was following Mori in hot pursuit, his face still full of panic. From the automatic doors, he could see the car outside, their American chauffer waiting patiently.

"Hunny-senpai, we'll meet you there!" Tamaki shouted from where he stood, his voice bouncing off the walls of the mall. Hunny waved back as a sign he heard him, but then again, who couldn't hear Tamaki?

As Mori helped Reiko into the car and ordered the chauffer to the hospital, Hunny couldn't believe he was so close to seeing his kids as he grabbed his wife's hand. "It's okay, Reiko-chan; it's okay." he cooed softly when Reiko's face twitched briefly out of pain.

"She'll be alright, Mitsukuni." Mori said, twisting around in the passenger's seat. He set a large hand on Hunny's head comfortingly.

"I know…"

…\~/…

At The Hospital:

Hikaru's leg bounced up and down, nervousness showing blatantly in his expression and actions. His fingers were intertwined as he hunched over, elbows resting on his knees. The constant beeping in the waiting room was beginning to put him on edge and his effort to focus on the TV was a total failure. The fact that there was a crying couple in the corner didn't make him feel any better; Tamaki's worried pacing around the room was rubbing on his nerves, too. Everything was rubbing his nerves raw and he felt like he was about to explode from all the anxiety.

But when Ripley reached out and covered his folded hands with hers, a wave of relaxation washed over him. He found it amazing how her mere touch could put him at ease, a feat that was difficult to accomplish on most days. Hikaru opened his hand just enough for hers to slip between his, holding it between his hands. He squeezed it gently, closing his eyes as he took a deep breath.

"I'm so nervous. What if I screw up my role as a godfather?" he questioned, loud enough for just Ripley to hear. He was glad that he could talk to her in person about these problems instead of discussing them over the phone or Red Hue messages. The woman beside turned slightly so she could run her other hand through his hair, scratching at his scalp soothingly. He leaned into her touch, loving the feeling.

"You'll do just fine. Besides, I'm here to help you now. Remember?"

Hikaru smiled, staring at her hand between his. "Of course I remember."

He remembered the time when Hunny called him to tell him the news, informing Hikaru that he was naming him godfather of Kimiko. Haruhi was the godmother and at the time, he both loved and dreaded the idea of being brought back together with Haruhi by the birth of his godchild. Hikaru remembered hating the idea of sitting in the waiting room alone, though, watching everyone interact with their significant other. Now, he wasn't so bothered since Ripley was sitting next to him, trying her best and succeeding in comforting him.

"Do you remember the first message you ever sent me?" Hikaru asked. He was trying to distract himself from Tamaki's frantic shouts and everyone's shushing. Ripley gave a small laugh, "Yeah, I was so nervous that I was going to say something stupid. It'd been my first time on a dating website."

"And I asked you about snow."

"Telling you that I hated sludge. Still do…"

It seemed like only yesterday when they started talking, when his failed date with Sarah led him to watch television that night, causing him to sit through one of those horrible Red Hue commercials. At that time, finding love was a lost cause, his mind telling him that he was going to die alone. Then he found himself typing away at the computer, writing down that he was a Gemini and that he was looking for the doe, brown eyes, the blunt personality, and the charm of a commoner. Hikaru's golden gaze found Haruhi across the room, then he snuck a glimpse at Ripley. He had found something completely different, even better than what he wanted.

Dear Hikaru…

Dear Ripley…

When he had called her the first time, her voice was so different from what he had imagined. Sort of a deeper tone than most of the girls at Ouran, who all had lighter voices that reminded him of bells tinkling sometimes. Hikaru loved listening to her get hyped up about something, listening to her voice raise an octave. He liked hearing the slight Southern accent she would have after visiting her mom down in Texas, slowly fading back to its usual dialect.

"Uh, is this Hikaru Hitachiin?"

"N-No, you've got t-the wrong number."

"Oh! I'm...uh...I'm sorry!"

"I'm j-just kidding. T-This i-is Hikaru H-Hitachiin."

"Oh... Please, don't do that to me. I already have an irrational fear of talking to people on the phone..."

He had been so confused, thinking he was still in love with Haruhi and couldn't love another woman, but he had begun to feel for Ripley, the thought of not talking to her on a daily basis weird and disconcerting. That's when Syd came in and made him think of things he had pushed to the back of his mind, she had brought all those conflicting, awful thoughts to the surface. The fighting, the tears, the realization, the reunion with Deana, the memory of Tamaki and Haruhi's wedding, all of it was too much to handle sometimes.

"What if this Ripley woman wants to move forward and you're still hung up on Haruhi? What are you going to do then? Break this woman's heart by saying, 'Oh, I'm sorry, I don't really love you. I'm just looking for someone to distract me from my true feelings for a woman who's married and otherwise, untouchable'?"

"Hika, what is she talking about?"

"You dunce, stupid mean suicidal!"

"You were so angry back then. You were hurt because I wasn't the one you wanted and I was a constant reminder of that. You didn't want me at your side; you wanted her at your side. My being there only made it worse. Even when you told me you were ready, I knew you weren't."

"But this Ripley woman seems perfect for you."

"Do you, Haruhi, take Tamaki to be your lawfully wedded husband till death do you part?"

"I do."

"And do you, Tamaki, take Haruhi to be your lawfully wedded wife till death do you part?"

"I do."

"By the power invested in me, I now pronounce you husband and wife. You may now kiss the bride."

"Ripley, I need to tell you about the woman I love."

That's when everything began to snowball. Telling Ripley about Haruhi, talking to the woman he once loved over the phone after two years of completely avoiding her, calling Ripley to find her crying, Salem asking him to rate women, the moment when Ripley told him that she was finally going to be able to visit him. All of it led to the moment when they finally met and the surprise of her appearance. He promised Ripley silently that he would never treat her like that again, that he would be with her and treat her respect until death did them apart. It would kill him to make her cry again or upset her in any way. It was his job now to make her the happiest person in the world, to present her with everything she needed and wanted, to make sure she wanted to wake up to him every morning and not dread his presence or existence for that matter.

"What have your past girlfriends looked like?"

"From one to ten, one being the worst-looking to ten being the best-looking, rate the girls you see pass by."

Hikaru, Well, one of the reasons I applied at Kraft is because they pay good money. I get my paycheck every two weeks. Today, I checked my bank account and I now have around a thousand dollars. Yesterday, I signed up for a trip to see New York City's Art Institute campus, just so I can keep my options open in case I transfer. Believe it or not, I have a potential Red Hue soul mate that lives in New York City. So, in other words, I'm coming to visit you in about two weeks. September 10th to be more specific. WE'RE FINALLY GOING TO MEET! – Ripley

"Go ahead. I'll probably say something stupid and she'll run to you anyway."

"It's against your nature to love a woman like Ripley, isn't it?"

"I don't like the way you look…"

Hikaru's thoughts were interrupted when a piece of creased paper came into view. It was worn and almost see-through when he took it hesitantly; afraid it would fall to pieces if he touched it. The writing on it was almost unreadable and he had to squint to make out the scrawl.

"What is this?"

"Just read it."

My Dearest Love,

I have not seen you in person, but judging from your voice, I can only assume you are a beautiful person, inside and out. At this point in time, I can only count the minutes I spend waiting for your messages, and I now have to live in agony waiting for you to call, so I can hear the gorgeous tones of your voice. You bring light into my dark world and you allow me to see the path ahead of me clearly. Please, never stop these wondrous things you do to me.

Sincerely Yours,

Mister Hikaru Hitachiin

It was the love letter, his first one, the one he had written to her last Christmas.

She still had it…

Hikaru looked up at her, seeing the warm smile she was giving him.

"What's wrong? You look like you're about to cry…"

"That's because I'm about to…"

Ripley took his head between her hands when the first tear fell, his hands reaching up to cover hers. The past nine months, everything that had happened was replaying over and over in his mind. She had kept the love letter; chock full of things he hadn't even meant, but now it meant something. Reading it sent him over the edge…

"Hikaru," Mori's deep voice said behind him.

Hikaru swiped at his eyes once as he turned to look up at Mori, "Yeah?"

"Mitsukuni wants you to see the baby."

He stood up, seeing Haruhi stand up as well, walking over to where they stood. Hikaru looked at Ripley, who nodded her head and said, "I'll be right here." Before he left, Hikaru kissed her cheek, his lips lingering for a moment, and he followed Mori to the room where Hunny and Reiko awaited.

…\~/…

"Hika-chan, Haru-chan, come look at Kimiko!" Hunny exclaimed happily, jumping from Reiko's side to grab Hikaru's hand and guide him to the bed. Reiko's face showed exhaustion and fatigue, but there was a hint of joy in her eyes and a small smile graced her lips as she held two sleeping infants in each of her arms. Hunny softly picked up a bundle of pink and offered her to Hikaru. "Here, you can hold her."

And he did just that.

Inside the pink blankets was an equally pink baby, a fluff of blondish hair set atop her head, her little nose like a button, and tiny hands curled into fists. Hikaru watched as baby Kimiko's eyes fluttered open, presenting two light-colored orbs that began to stare at him. Hikaru cradled the bundle in one of his arms steadily, bringing his other around so he could wiggle his finger at her playfully. To his surprise, Kimiko slowly reached up and wrapped her fingers around it, bringing his hand closer.

"She grabbed it!" Hikaru whispered excitedly, watching with as smile as the baby in his arms gradually began to fall back asleep.

That's when he felt a pair of lips press against his cheek.

Hikaru looked down at Haruhi, who was giving him a kind smile. "What was that for?"

"I don't know. Out of happiness maybe? I'm just glad to see you like the Hikaru I met all those years ago."

A grin stretched across his face as he turned his attention back to baby Kimiko. "Yeah? Well, he's glad to be back."

…\~/…

The lake shone before them, the ripples in the water causing waves in the moon's reflection. She had backed her pick-up truck close to the edge of the water, pulling the tailgate down so they could sit in the quiet of the night and enjoy the alone time together. No one was there to disturb them; her roommates returned to the apartment, exhausted from the day's events while the Host Club members stayed at a hotel and Hunny stayed with Reiko at the hospital. So much had happened, but Hikaru had this warm buzz that spread through him, keeping him awake. The cold breeze hit him square on, making his shiver, though he didn't know if it was from the wind or from contentment.

Hikaru noticed Ripley rubbing her arms, looking as cold as he was. He moved back further into the truck's bed so he could swing his legs to either side of her, pushing himself forward to where his front molded with her back. Arms wrapped securely around her, chin rested on her shoulder, and cheek cradled in the crook of her neck, Hikaru thought about how perfect this was, being able to hold her and all. The silence between them wasn't uncomfortable; it was just right. When she leaned back into him, folding her hands over his, he kissed her temple softly, returning his chin to her shoulder.

And he wished this moment would never end.

For this was the first time in a long time that he felt at peace.

So, it's been about three weeks, and this is what I come up with? Not exactly how I wanted this chapter to go, but I'll deal with it. The Roomies part at the beginning didn't go as planned because my friends and I were going to RP, but we never got the chance. So if you were expecting something good, I'm sorry! Anyways though, five more chapters until the end of this story. The next chapter will be entirely Ripley's POV and it'll be over the nine months that she and Hikaru spent getting to know each other. I thought it would be interesting to see All Thanks To Red Hue in another light. Also, I HAVE A POLL UP AND RUNNING! Remember when I told you that I was going to write a Kaoru/OC fanfic? Well, I changed my mind! I'm going to let my readers decide because not only do I want to write that fanfic, there's two or three others I really want to write as well. So, readers, you'll have three or four choices to choose from, so start choosing! Hopefully the next chapter will come out quicker than this one did...

By the way, question to the reviewer that asked why everyone can understand Haruhi if she's speaking Japanese. Well...they're in America and since the 18th volume revealed to us that they can all speak English, I thought it would be appropriate for them to speak English whilst in the presence of Americans. Hope that answered your question!

Author's Note- Fin