A/N: Some of you have asked about the other hosts and don't worry, they will be making their appearance soon enough and it will be before the host club dinner that they are not expecting Haruhi to attend. In fact one shows up in this chapter. Haruhi may have missed them all, but is she really ready for all of them to be back in her life? Is she ready for their reception upon seeing her again? We will see. For now, here is the next installment, let me know what you think. Also... the follow-up chapter for Bundle of Joy will be up later today or tomorrow morning, look for that. I did change the status from complete to in progress since I decided to write a new chapter. Poor Haruhi, having Ranka and Tamaki at the hospital when she is in labor may send her over the edge; you know how those two can get. Good thing Takashi (Mori) will be there to help and we can't forget Kyoya and Hunny can help control the most crazy of people. LOL.

Chapter 5 – A Chance Encounter

"Sleep over? I don't know Mitsukuni. I mean I have school tomorrow and my internship. I am sure you have work or something to get to. Plus are you sure that you want to do a sleep over, we just ran into each other again today after almost two years. I could have turned into a serial killer or some deranged lunatic," Haruhi said looking at her friend. She felt Mori give her a small squeeze and his chest shake ever so slightly. She stepped back from her friend's embrace and looked up at him, "What? It's true!"

Looking down at her, Mori's quiet laugh grew ever so slightly and Hunny joined in the laughter, "Haru-Chan if that was the case, why would you tell us that you were crazy? Also I think you know by now, that we can take care of ourselves."

She narrowed her eyes at her two friends and started to laugh also, "I guess you are right."

"So do you want to sleep over Haru-Chan?" Hunny asked with a soft pleading in his eyes.

"Stay," Mori said quietly from her side. He saw her indecision about staying and knew it was not because she didn't want to stay or spend more time with them. Yes, she was still a little worried about staying after all of this time being apart, but her priority was always school and it appeared it still was. He was proud of her, "We will wake you in time."

She looked up at Mori and then back over to Hunny, the decision was made, "Ok, I will stay and have a sleep over with you two." She suddenly found herself pushed back slightly from the force of the hug that was thrust upon her my Hunny, but somehow she didn't mind it. She smiled and wrapped her arms around him to hug him back. When he said that everything would be ok and that he was there for her, she believed him and for the first time in almost two years had a sense of peace in her heart.

A knock at the door broke them apart and Mori went to answer it. Haruhi froze, she knew that voice. It belonged to one Kyoya Ootori. Hunny felt the change come over her and he knew it was because Kyoya was at the door. He knew that she was already preparing herself for the worst with this meeting.

Kyoya walked in when Mori invited him and the last person he expected to find in the living room of the two oldest hosts was Haruhi Fujioka. He had only come to drop off a couple of files for Hunny and now he was face to face with the girl that abandoned her friends for some commoner who couldn't even treat her right. He pushed his glasses up and they flashed in the light, he saw the girl in question flinch ever so slightly. "Hunny-senpai here are the files that I wanted to give you on the new recruits," he handed Hunny a small
stack of files and was about to turn around and leave when he was stopped with a hand on his shoulder by Mori.

"Give her a chance," the quiet man told Kyoya. Mori knew they had all been hurt when she left and he knew that Kyoya had taken it really hard. He had started to confide in the girl and let his guard down around her and she walked out without another glance. It hurt Kyoya to be abandoned like that by one of his best friends, but he also knew that Kyoya would never admit that to anyone.

Kyoya stayed where he was without moving. He didn't let any of the emotions or turmoil he was feeling show on his face. To anyone that didn't know him, he was calm, cool, and collected; the epitome of a ruthless business man. Mori and Hunny knew differently. He was confused, angry, hurt, and off balance by the appearance of Haruhi.

"Haru-Chan knows that she made a mistake and she is really sorry Kyo-Chan! I ran into her this morning at the café we used to all go to and before you walk away, you need to know that she is not with Yasu any longer. She missed us just as much as we missed her," Hunny said speaking for Haruhi who seemed to be in too much shock at seeing another host to speak.

Kyoya, who had looked over to Hunny while he had been speaking, turned his eyes back to Haruhi. She was looking at her feet. He wondered if she really understood what she had done that night, how much hurt she caused, "Is that right?"

Haruhi's eyes shot up and looked at Kyoya. She finally started to find her voice and quietly said, "Yes, it is right. I didn't plan to run into Mitsukuni, but it happened. I had been missing all of you and when I heard his voice, I had to try to talk to him. You may not believe me, but I am so sorry for what happened that night. It has haunted me ever since and I regret choosing him over you."

"It takes more than an 'I'm sorry' to earn my trust again Haruhi," Kyoya said. He was surprised at her use of Hunny's first name, but hid it well. He knew that she meant what she said, but he was never one to forgive so easily.

"I know, Kyoya. I don't expect it to be easy and I don't expect you to forgive me right away, but I would like to try and I want you to give me a chance. Nothing has felt right without my six best friends the past couple of years. You were right about him and I should have listened," Haruhi whispered looking down at her feet again. She could feel the intensity of his gaze through the glare on his glasses and couldn't hold it any longer.

"We'll see. I can't promise anything though," he finally said on a sigh. He turned to Hunny, "Please review the files and let me know your recommendations as soon as you can. Thank you." Kyoya gave one last look at Haruhi and then left. His heart leapt when he had seen her upon entering the apartment and when he left, there was a small ball of hope in the middle of his chest. He tried to squash it and say that it would take time for him to allow her into his life, but it was still there no matter how much he wanted to deny it and make it stop, and part of him was happy to see her once again.

Haruhi let out a breath she had been holding. Facing the shadow king on a good day when you are friends could be intimidating. Facing the shadow king when you are on his shit list is truly a terrifying feat. She felt a hand on her head and looked up to see Mori in front of her with a worried look. "He needs time," was all he said to her, but it made her smile a little.

"Don't worry Haru-Chan; Kyo-Chan will be fine. Takashi is right; he just needs a little bit of time. He will be alright though. Okay?" Hunny said trying to help his friend get over her latest host confrontation.

"Okay. I know what I did hurt all of you and Kyoya isn't one to trust easily. I am sure that has not changed in the last couple of years," Haruhi whispered. She was trying to hold back tears. She is not sure why she thought that it might be easier to face the others than it was really going to be, but after the meeting with Kyoya, her resolve was a bit shaken. Hunny and Mori had been there to welcome her back with open arms, but they were probably the most understanding out of everyone in the group. The rest of them would make her face different levels of difficulty before they welcomed her back at all.

Hunny tried to get her mind off of Kyoya and the other hosts for now and said, "Haru-Chan why don't you decide what sounds good for dinner and I will reheat the tea while Takashi changes."

She nodded at her friend knowing that he was trying to get her mind off other things, it didn't work, but it was a good try, "Ok Mitsukuni." Instead of thinking about what type of food sounded good for dinner, she followed Hunny into the kitchen and started to look through their refrigerator and pantry. There wasn't much in it and although that should not have surprised her, it did, "You and Mori-senpai live in this apartment alone, but you have no food. Do you eat out all of the time?"

"No, Haru-chan. Our maid has Sundays and Mondays off and usually goes grocery shopping on Tuesday before she comes in to clean. She also makes our meals for us unless we decide to go out or cook for ourselves," Hunny said smiling at Haruhi.

Haruhi faced palmed. She should have known. They moved out, but they still have a maid. She found herself laughing and thought to herself, "Well at least it is only one and only five days a week, the other hosts would probably require more help than that."

"Are you ok Haru-Chan?" Hunny asked the laughing girl. He wondered if she was getting hysterical after everything that happened that day.

"Yah, Mitsukuni, I was just thinking to myself. If you want, we can go to the grocery store and I can cook tonight. Unless you want to order take out or go out," she said. She knew better than to try to limit them with their choices, but she would rather not spend the extra money on going out right now and she wanted to cook for them after everything they had done for her.

"I haven't had one of your home cooked meals in a long time Haru-Chan! Let's go to the store and if you are ok with it, you can cook. I always loved your cooking and have missed it," Hunny said excitedly.

"Ok, let's do that then," Haruhi smiled at the excitement she saw emerging from him.

Mori came out of his room in jeans and a t-shirt, looking a lot more comfortable than he had in the suit. Hunny immediately launched himself at his cousin when he saw him and animatedly told him what the plan for dinner was. Mori offered her a smile. He had missed her cooking too and was looking forward to eating the meal with her, although he was sure that his happiness could not begin to match his small cousin's.

After a quick trip to the grocery store, they had everything they needed for dinner and for the sleep over including a few cakes. Haruhi started on dinner and shooed the two cousins out of the kitchen. She told them they would only be in her way and banished them to any other part of the house. Hunny laughed and went into the living room with Mori.

While she cooked, Hunny filled Mori in on what happened since their separation earlier that day. He told the tall man everything and like Hunny, Mori felt rage against Yasu and wanted to do what he could to protect Haruhi. She may have walked out, but they had also turned their backs on her. Mori knew that she hated being told what to do and between Tamaki and the twins, she had reached her limit and did anything she could to prove that it was her life. He wondered sometimes if things had been handled differently, if it would have changed the outcome and they would not have lost her. He knew Hunny felt the same way, but the others never wanted to look at it from a different perspective or take responsibility for their own part in everything. Yes, it was ultimately her choices and her decisions, but they did what they could to push their choices on her. Many people in similar situations would have rebelled and chosen something else to prove a point. It didn't make it right, but it did make you think.

Mori also knew that Hunny was in love with Haruhi. He had been since high school, but never told her. He thought about both of his charges and the changes they had gone through. Both had matured and changed. The little kid like boy had become a man and Haruhi was witnessing those changes herself. Mori wondered if it would draw her to him, or if she will always see Mitsukuni as a younger brother and friend. He hoped not because he wanted his cousin to be happy and to have the love of his life by his side. No other woman had measured up to Haruhi, and he didn't think anyone ever would.

Both men were pulled out of their discussion and thoughts by Haruhi telling them that dinner was ready. They both washed up and then sat down at the dining room table with her.

Dinner conversation was easy. There was reminiscing about good times and talk of what was happening in each other's lives now. Haruhi felt happy until the panic set it. She forgot to call her father and she heard her phone's ring tone. Ranka was calling and probably worried that she was hurt or worse, dead. He was still overly dramatic and Haruhi rushed to her phone, but missed the call, "Crap!"

"Is everything ok Haru-Chan?" Hunny asked. Both he and Mori had seen the panic on her face and then they witnessed her leaping for her phone.

"Yah, I forgot to call my dad and let him know that I wouldn't be home and that was him calling me. He is probably freaking out," she responded as she was calling her father back. When he answered, she had to take the phone away from her ear. Hunny and Mori laughed, some things did not change.

"Haruhi are you alright? Daddy is so worried! You are not home and then you didn't pick up when I called you. I was afraid that you were hurt on the side of the road somewhere!" Ranka yelled.

"I'm fine dad. I ran into some old friends and we have been hanging out today. Then they invited me over for dinner and a sleep over, I was so caught up with everything, I forgot to call. I am perfectly safe," Haruhi said calmly.

"What old friends? Do I know them?" Ranka said sounding excited. He knew that she had closed herself off from a lot of people since Yasu came and left.

"Um actually, yah you do know them. It is Hunny-senpai and Mori-senpai," she murmured. There was dead silence over the phone. After a minute or two Haruhi looked at the phone to make sure that the call had not disconnected, "Dad are you still there?"

"Hunny and Mori from the host club?" her father asked quietly.

"Yah, I ran into Mitsukuni at a café and we have been talking and hanging out today. Mori met up with him at the café and we all had lunch together. Now I am at their apartment and we are eating dinner," she nervously said. Her father was hardly ever calm. He knew everything that happened between her and the hosts. She finally confessed everything to him after Yasu was put in jail. He only knew tidbits before then.

"Are you sure that you are ok?" he asked worried. He didn't want his baby hurt any more. He knew that they were trying to help her, but in the end, no one was there.

"Yah dad, I am fine. This is a good thing, I promise," she smiled.

"Well ok if you say so."

"I do."

"Well I am just so happy that you have found your old friends again! Don't worry about me, I will eat something at the bar tonight. You be careful and I will talk to you later. I love you!" Ranka gushed. He crossed his fingers and said a prayer that she could finally move forward and that this really was a good thing. He would kill them if they hurt her.

"I will dad. I love you too," Haruhi grumbled and ended the call. She walked back to the table and sat down in her chair, "Sorry guys. That was my dad."

Hunny who had been holding in his giggles, could no longer hold in the laughter and let it out, "He hasn't changed at all Haru-Chan!"

She looked up at Mori who was smiling and nodding, and then she turned her gaze to the laughing Hunny. She shook her head and started to giggle a bit too, "No he hasn't changed at all. He is still dramatic and protective."

"He loves you," Mori said to her.

"Yah, he does. He was there when everything fell apart and he has been a little more overzealous since then, but I understand and most of the time I just go with it," Haruhi said.

"Hearing him on the phone reminded me of the first day we surprised you at your house and he walked in on Tamaki over you and both of you were on the floor," Hunny snickered.

The trio continued to recount memories of Haruhi's father for the rest of dinner and through dessert. When she was sitting there listening to Hunny tell another story, she smiled at how truly lucky she was right now. The other hosts may not be as easy, but she wasn't one to give up without a fight. She was stubborn to a fault after all.