Author's Note: Hey guys! Sorry I haven't updated in like FOREVER. But, I didn't really know what to do after that. So basically this chapter seems kinda like a filler in a way, but I hope you like it. I'll try to type and update the next chapter way sooner than this one. Love you all and thanks for being so patient!

Chapter 12:Family Fears

Rei's P.O.V

He found me. Of all the days, of all the times and happy moments, he had to find me now. Of course he would. It was just so Akito. Instinctively I clutched Kyo's shirt hem slightly in fear.

Fear. Everyone has something they're scared of. Tohru's scared of losing people close to her, Kyo is afraid of hatred, Haru dislikes being thought of as a fool. Yuki and I share a common fear. While ordinary people fear snakes, spiders, rats, the dark, Yuki and I fear Akito.

Mateo stood transfixed, looking at the young man in front of Kyo and Momiji who kept their seemingly casual stance. He seemed to sense the tension in the room because his eyes narrowed to slits. He didn't move an inch. I touched his hand slightly to gain his attention. His eyes looked at me, but his head didn't move. I held a finger to my pale lips, communicating he should be absolutely quiet.

Mateo's P.O.V

They were all terrified. I could tell. Even Shigure, Ayame, and Hatori seemed to be wary of the young man standing in the doorway. I could feel waves of dark energy coming off him. And Rei seemed absolutely petrified. Yuki didn't seem much better. Ayame was shifting slightly all the while keeping an eye on his little brother. Yuki's pale skin had gone completely white.

"Ah Yuki, I missed you Yuki. You didn't show up for your annual visit last year." Terror flickered through Yuki's eyes in a second then they became impassive, his grip on Tohru's hand behind him tightened so that you could see her pink fingers going slightly purple. Ayame's eye twitched as if itching to reach out and protect his brother, while Hatori kept a poker face, his eyes searching for an easy and peaceful way out. Haru was watching the scene the way a cat watches its enemy's when outnumbered. Obviously this Akito person was more than just a handsome face.

Turning away from Yuki, Akito faced us. He looked not a year older than Kyo. Yet, he inspired such terror in these people?

"I have lost a friend of mine. Kyo, I'm sure you'll know who it is." Instead of turning pale like the others, Kyo gave a faint snarl.

"No. I don't. Why would I know anything about your precious zodiac?"

"Ah. Watch your temper Kyo; bad things happen when you get angry. Do I need to point out the reason for your bracelet?" Kyo's face turned a shade paler, but his eyes narrowed in rage. I hadn't noticed until now, they were more red then brown. How had I missed that? And what was he talking about the zodiac for? Questions were bubbling up in my throat but I kept silent.

"Akito-sama, not to be rude, but why are you here?" Ayame seemed less afraid for himself than the others. If nothing else, he looked slightly amused. Maybe Rei was right. Ayame might be totally off his rocker.

"Like I said before snake," Akito sneered the word, "I'm looking for a friend. She left the main house without telling me."

"A.K.A she ran away without permission" Kyo muttered under his breath. I think my eyes must have popped out of they're sockets. What the HELL was going on? Rei quickly clamped a hand over my mouth, being careful not to be seen. I stared at her. Who was this Akito?

Ayame's P.O.V

The reason I spoke out was not because I was crazy, as everyone seemed to think. It was simply to draw Yuki and the others away from the line of fire. When I spoke, I saw understanding in almost all the Sohma clan eyes. Yuki's however also held a slight tinge of terror. He still cared. That meant he could still be hurt, which meant I had to be careful. It wouldn't be hard. I usually just annoy the Sohma Head, so he mainly tolerates me. I knew I was only running on borrowed time. But, maybe Akito would leave. Ha. Extremely unlikely, especially given that pretty much all the Sohma's were having a little Christmas fest (Minus Ritsu-poor dear, Kureno, and Rin) without him, and that we all seemed clustered in odd clumps. Yuki's stance in front of Miss Tohru was to be expected, but the rest except Haru were in odd positions. He couldn't see Kisa and Hiro, but I had a feeling when I saw Akito's eyes gaze momentarily stop at the sofa, that he knew they were there. The flash of satisfaction in his eyes was almost perverted. He knew they were cowering in fear. And he flipping enjoyed it. He enjoyed hurting my little brother too. He hurt everyone around him and didn't hold even the slightest bit of guilty conscious.

Akito's probing gaze was returning to the little knot of children guarding Rei and Mateo.

Time for a little misdirection I think. Come on Ayame, think of something. 'Oh...' I shifted slightly to the right, and then with a sly wink straight at Mateo, whose eyes were practically jumping out of his skull, I stepped on an extremely loud noise maker that made a cloud of dust. Let's hope the others make the most of the distraction. I could vaguely make out shapes moving in sync across the room. Good. Momiji and Kyo were getting Rei and Mateo out. Rei knew the yard like the back of her dainty little hand. She could find a good hiding place, or if necessary, run to my shop and hide there.

Haru's P.O.V

Come on guys, get a move on. You need to get them out. We all started coughing, an effect that would hopefully keep Akito occupied as he too was doing the same. I wanted to help the others, but knew that if I moved, Akito would sense something was up. So, keeping up the act, I doubled over, coughing like crazy. And then I heard the most effective actor. Yuki was hacking in a very unpleasant manner. Glancing into his eyes, I could tell that he wasn't acting. Oh god, Yuki was having an asthma attack. Through the smog, I could tell Hatori knew and was trying to find his way to my best friend.

The smoke cleared as soon as soon as Yuki's body fell to the floor, limp as a puppet that's strings had been cut. Hatori raced over, ever the medical man. His doctor's bag which had been sitting in the corner of the room had somehow made its way into his hands. Glancing quickly around, I saw Kyo and Momiji were now clearly alone as they too made a dash toward our fallen friend.

"Momiji, hand me the respirator from my bag. Now." Hatori's commanding voice took over the room. Akito watched on with indifference while we were transfixed as Hatori worked with a the methodical pace of a man who knew exactly what he was doing, and whose sole concern was the boy on the ground in front of him. "Alright everyone, give him space, let him breathe."

"Yuki-kun?" Tohru's quiet voice seemed to snap Yuki out of whatever daze he'd been in. His purple irises shot open. Coughing slightly, he looked to Hatori.

"You had a slight asthma attack. Ayame was looking at his little brother with guilt and joy, as well as triumph. Yuki seemed to read the reasoning behind his brother's eyes. He gave a tremulous smile, and then stood dizzily, against Hatori's warnings. He stared at Ayame, his eyes narrowing to slits.

"Now see what you did you little snake?" Looking carefully at Yuki's fighting stance, and Ayame's face, I realized that they had gone back to play acting mode. Akito stood in the background for the moment, simply watching emotionless as the scene began. "You almost killed me!" Yuki shouted.

"Oh come now Yuki," Ayame put on his patronizing face, oblivious to Akito's presence it seemed. No one was of course. We were simply waiting for the explosion. "It was an accident, and Hari cleared you up, so there is nothing to get so worked up about."

The doctor in question rolled his eyes, joining in the act ever so slightly. "Just be careful where you step Ayame. Next time we might not be so lucky. Yuki can only with stand so much of that you know." He reprimanded his old friend, watching the others out of the corner of his eyes, urging them to action. Strangely, the oblivious Tohru caught on first. She walked quietly toward Yuki and put a gentle hand on his shoulder.

"Yuki-kun, are you alright?" Her voice was tentative, yet held a ring of fear. She knew what was going on.

Turning away from his brother for a moment, Yuki's face changed into a reassuring smile. "Everything is fine Honda-san." There was a sudden cough from by the sofa. Akito was leaning against the back of it, pretending not to notice Hiro was now standing up, pushing Kisa behind him in a protective position, her eyes were wide with fear.

"Well. That was certainly interesting." The Sohma Head gazed around the still faintly smoggy room with a look akin to amusement. "Although, I could have sworn that there was at least two more of you in this room." The amusement was gone from his eyes in a flash. The air had gone chilly and I could see tremors coming from Yuki, while Tohru was pale as death, and Kyo and Momiji held themselves tense. Momiji grasped Tohru's hand tightly, and from my angle still next to the wall, I noticed the wariness in Shigure's, Ayame's, and Hatori's eyes. Clearly they felt the cold too.

"Now, I want you to tell me where Rei is." Kyo snarled.

"You took my sister you lying piece of filth! And now you dare ask us where she is? You're the one who lost her! And how would she know we're here, like wise how would we know she left? She's been confined in that house for how long now? 10 years? You stole my sister you son of-"I yanked Kyo back from the now snickering Akito.

"Temper, temper." He waved a slim finger at Kyo mockingly. "You know your sister has escaped." His eyes flashed. "Now, tell me where she is."