A/N: I'm excited that everyone enjoys my holiday stories. Poor Mori didn't make it home for Christmas and it looks as if he is going to be stuck in Colorado even longer. Although the song I used as inspiration is about a loved one making it home for Christmas, I felt as if it could be used for almost any holiday or major event. Enjoy the new chapter!

Chapter 2 – Coming Home

Five days had passed since Christmas and now they were on the verge of the next holiday... the final holiday for the year. New Year's Eve was about 24 hours away and Mori had yet to make it out of Colorado, and it appeared as if he might not make it back to Japan to ring in the New Year with Haruhi and his friends. His girlfriend knew he was trying his best to leave the States and return to her side, but as each day passed and each hour ticked by, the hope that he would arrive in time to fulfill his promise was dwindling.

Haruhi kept telling herself that he would make it safely, that she would soon be back in his arms, and they would soon be celebrating their Christmas as well as New Year's; and yet, even she could not prevent the doubts that would creep into her mind causing her faith in Mori to be shaken. The guys attempted to help her, but their assistance proved to be more of a danger than anything.

For example, when Tamaki decided she needed to spend the day outside two days ago, he convinced the others to show up at her father's apartment since she was staying here over winter break. It might have been safer if she had stayed in the dorms.

Flashback…

While speaking on Skype with her boyfriend, Haruhi heard someone vigorously knocking at her door and she rolled her eyes, "Takashi, I think your friends have returned for another visit."

"Mine?" Mori asked her, a hint of a smile ghosting his lips, amusement lacing his words. He missed her so much and wanted to be there, but so far Mother Nature was hell bent on keeping them apart and he was on the verge of abandoning his father to make sure he didn't break another promise to the woman he loved.

"When they act like this, they are yours," she said and stuck out her tongue. "I'll be right back. I need to answer the door before it is broken down. I think my dad would kill Tamaki-senpai if that happened."

"Ah."

In her irritation, she stomped towards the door instead of walked gracefully (something Tamaki would no doubt comment on if he had seen it, for he had been trying to instill proper hosting manners into her since day one, and when she came out as a girl at Ouran, he had decided to take it upon himself to turn her into a proper lady… if the others had not been there… well we'll leave that for another time). Ripping open the door, her forehead got a knock at the sudden absence of a door. Luckily Hunny noticed the door swing open and pulled the princely type back before she could be hit more than twice.

"Hunny-senpai why…" Tamaki began.

"Boss, Haruhi opened the door," Hikaru stated.

Kaoru told him, "He was rescuing you."

"Yah, Mori-senpai has taught her some tricks," they announced together and took a giant step away from the entrance of the apartment because a sudden dark aura started to form around the brunette. "Now Haruhi. We just came to see you." They needed to try to get the darkness to disappear, but almost panicked when they noticed Hunny and Kyoya were nodding, a look of what appeared to be admiration on their faces.

"N-N-Now daughter. I didn't mean to hurt you! Your brothers are right. We came to cheer you up. You wouldn't hurt daddy, would you?" Tamaki called out from somewhere behind Kyoya. He ducked behind his best friend upon seeing what kind of danger lurked in front of him. Not only had they practically barged in, but he also hit her.

She let them stew for a couple of minutes in silence and then finally sighed, "You guys may as well come in. I've left Takashi alone for too long as it is."

"MORI-SENPAI IS BACK?" The twins and Tamaki cried out in surprise.

"When did he arrive? How did he get back to Japan without us realizing it?" The blond questioned.

Lifting an eye brow, her eyes darted from Tamaki to Kyoya in silent question: was he going to explain or would he leave it to her? Apparently he left it to her because the only thing the former vice president did was cross his arms and push up his glasses, a smirk on his face. Another eye roll. "Takashi isn't back. He's on Skype."

"So it's basically just a phone call? You could have hung up," Hikaru had the bad manners to say in front of her.

She whipped around and glared, "Why would I do that? Takashi is in a different country and we set up a Skype date because we can't be together right now. Why would I disconnect the call when there is a time difference and we have to plan our time together… even if it is over the computer and phones?"

The older twin gulped and smartly kept his mouth shut. His friend was slightly on edge since her boyfriend was stranded on a mountain and it was probably best if he did not add to her stress; however, everyone could see that she had a much shorter fuse since Mori had missed Christmas.

Sitting down in front of the computer again, she smiled and said, "Sorry about that Takashi."

"We came to take you to the park!" Tamaki announced.

"It's cold. If we play in the park, we might get sick," she said never taking her eyes from the screen. The last thing she wanted to do was be miserably sick on top of missing her boyfriend.

"Daughter what about tea? You still must… OW! Mommy why did you hit me?!" Grabbing his head, the blond whined.

"Tamaki, she is on the phone with her boyfriend. After the explanation she just gave Hikaru, I think you can understand why she returned to her call instead of making tea. If you truly want tea, make it yourself," Kyoya reprimanded his friend.

Hitting his two index fingers together, the former president asked sheepishly, "How do you make tea?"

"Don't worry Tama-Chan; I can do it!" Hunny grinned and started moving about the kitchen. He had been over to this apartment enough that he had learned how to at least do that. He might not be able to cook as well as Haruhi, but he could certainly make tea for everyone.

"Thank you very much, Hunny-senpai," Tamaki said and started to take a seat next to the brunette in front of the computer when he tripped over something (to this day some wonder if it was one of the twins' doing, his own feet, or air) and started falling forward, landing on the brunette talking on the computer and making her fall to the ground, but not before she hit her head.

"Ow," she hissed and grabbed the side of her head.

"Haruhi, are you alright?" Mori asked worriedly. He had seen a flash of yellow and his girlfriend was gone. "Haruhi?"

Pulling her had away from her head, she found it covered in red. She was bleeding.

"Hunny-senpai, bring me a towel. Mori-senpai, I apologize, but it appears your conversation with Haruhi will need to be cut short. Her head has been cut and I believe she might need stitches," Kyoya stated after he had rushed to his friend's side and examined the area in question.

Rubbing a hand over his face and wishing once again that he was with her, the former wild host ordered, "Take care of her Kyoya."

"I will." The bespectacled man shut the lid of the computer and then gave instructions to the others, "Hunny-senpai, shut off the stove. Hikaru, Kaoru, grab Tamaki and start heading down to the car. Haruhi, let's get you to the ER."

In the end, she needed three stitches thanks to Tamaki's clumsiness and when she tried to call Mori back, she got voicemail. Kyoya had talked to him after the doctor gave his diagnosis, but that was him and she wanted to talk to her boyfriend as well. Maybe she should invest in accident insurance since she didn't think she was going to get rid of her friends any time soon. They may irritate her and injure her upon occasion, but she still loved them… for some reason.

End flashback…

Haruhi knew they had her best interests at heart and they were trying to help, but sometimes when they were in "help" mode, they were dangerous to be around. She had a few new bruises and a headache where her stitches were to prove that fact. Still, she wouldn't trade them in for anything because they did help her deal with the loneliness that came with missing Mori.

Now as New Year's Eve fast approached, she wondered if her boyfriend would have to unwillingly break another promise, "Please, please stop the snow and let him make it off the mountain." Sighing, she closed her eyes. If she had to deal with her friends, she needed more sleep and 4:00 am was too early in the morning to get up.

In the mountains of Colorado…

"Takashi, the snow stopped last night, Akira walked into the library of the mountain mansion knowing this news would be welcomed indeed. He had been feeling guilty about dragging his son on this business trip, and if things had worked out as they should have, they would have made it home in time for Christmas… Fate had other ideas.

Head popping up from the book he was attempting to read, Mori remarked, "Yes, but that doesn't mean the roads are clear."

"Most of the roads have been plowed and we just received word that they have been reopened."

Did he dare hope? "The truck?"

"One of the maid's sons was able to get it working. The roads may not be very clear this high up, but we should be able to make it to the airport if we take it slow. I have already called and arranged for our airline tickets. We depart tomorrow, but I would like to leave here as soon as possible so that we do not get stuck for another night, plus it will take us a while to make it back to Denver and since Japan is basically a day ahead of us, you will make it home for the party. We land on 31st, in time for you to keep your promise to Haruhi."

His heart soared. "I'm already packed."

A smile appeared on the father's face. That was just like his oldest: prepared for anything. He could tell Mori was ready to return home. Granted it was more than just for his family or the party, but Akira could not fault his son for that. Haruhi was truly a gem worth keeping. "Then shall we be off? I have already given our host our gratitude and said goodbye."

"Hai!" Jumping up from the chair, Mori rushed out of the room in the wake of his father's laughter. He didn't care if it was out of the ordinary or went against the calm patience he was always taught to project, he was going home and he was ready to leave.

Since the moment Haruhi walked into music room three during her first year at Ouran, she had been niching out a place in his heart, and over the past couple of years, those feelings had grown. He loved her with all his heart and he could no longer picture his life without her. People could call it whatever they wanted (fate, destiny, kami, etc.) that she entered the Host Club domain that fateful day, but he called it meant to be. Attempting to call his girlfriend as the driver drove the car around the various twists and turns, he got her voicemail and left this message, "I'm coming home."