A/N: The general consensus after the last chapter is that Tamaki is a jerk, well worse than that, and it is about time he fessed up to what he did. I completely agree, but confessing to your father is not apologizing to the right person. We will just have to wait to see what happens there. I almost feel bad for writing Tamaki in such a horrible light, but not that bad since it goes with the story line. LOL. Masami is fighting for her life, there have been complications, and her sister is apologizing to someone that is knocked out. There is medical documentation that says people in coma can hear you to an extent, but she still needs to get the guts to apologize when awake too. Enjoy the new chapter!

FYI… For those of you following Memories Beyond December, there is a poll on my author page for you to vote on who should become the heir of the Ootori zaibatsu, Kyoya or Yuuichi.

Chapter 54 – Live or Die

Yasu jaunted into his meager apartment with a smile on his face. He had picked up his new merchandise the night before and went out to test the firearms that morning; and they worked perfectly. The two guns had cost him a pretty penny; double what he paid for the last set of guns, but it was hardly a dent in his stockpile and he wasn't the one that forked over his savings the last time. Smirking at that thought, he wondered if the girl had died yet. It wasn't like she could lead anyone to him. They never went to his place, and he never really gave her any information about him. It was home free in the escape department.

Unloading the clips of the guns so that he could reload, Yasu thought about his next steps. He was going to have to be careful so that he wasn't caught, but he didn't think that event was very likely. They didn't have his brains and he knew he could evade them as long as he wanted to. He would never be caught. Yes, it would probably be better if he disappeared for a while and left Tokyo, but where was the fun in that. No, it was best if he stayed so that he could remind them who was in charge, he could remind Haruhi who she really belonged to, and he could make them all pay for taking her away from him.

He laughed thinking about the excitement he was about to have. He had the information he needed. It may not be everything he hoped to have, but it was enough. He had the items he collected from his mother that he would conveniently leave for Haruhi as a reminder of how happy they once were together. Finally, he had his guns so that he could take care of anyone that got in his way one by one. He would win this little game of cat and mouse because he was Yasu and no one else could measure up.

Grabbing a box out of the small closet that came with the one room apartment, Yasu lift the lid and started to sort through the contents. Pictures, ribbons, bobby pins, a t-shirt, ticket stubs, and various other items littered the bottom of the box to the point that it was full. So many items that were attached to memories of his and Haruhi's relationship, and most of them he would get rid of soon enough.

He knew just where to start. Taking the t-shirt and a couple of the pictures out of the box, he scribbled a little note and threw everything into a paper bag as he left the apartment. Haruhi may not be home, but he knew people were around that would be able to deliver his little message to her.

Hunny and Haruhi's Hotel Room…

It had been another twenty –four hours without answers and without any improvement of Masami's condition. Haruhi felt horrible for the girl that Yasu had used so mercilessly. Everyone wanted answers, but more than that they did not want an innocent girl's story to end in tragedy.

Kyoya had been threatening to go after the Tokyo PD because since Yasu's release they had lost him, he had gotten a set of weapons, information on people to put on his own personal hit list, and put a girl in the hospital. If they had kept him behind bars, this would have never happened, but the justice system was flawed and they couldn't keep him behind bars forever. Well, they couldn't, but they weren't Kyoya Ootori; he would make sure Yasu was taken care of so that he wasn't able to bother anyone ever again… just as soon as he could find him.

Haruhi and Hunny had been on the phone all morning with Kyoya and Mori. Tamaki was still looking into the school records, but it turns out that there were several things that were missing from the electronic files: psych evaluations, IQ tests, disciplinary actions, and the like. It was more than apparent that although Yasu had a genius IQ, he didn't have all of his marbles so to speak. The little bit of information that Tamaki had been able to pull in one day had already started to paint a terrifying picture of the man Yasu truly was.

The reason he didn't go to some of the more prestigious universities lie in the files. He was a troubled kid that didn't like authority. One year he gave his teacher a severed rabbit's foot and told him that it was a lucky rabbit's foot, blood still evident around the end of the paw. Psych evaluations showed that he had some issues, but his parents or someone else would step in, get him the required help, and Yasu was free to continue attending public school. No teacher was willing to give him a recommendation to university though and instead wrote that he needed to be committed.

The new picture of Yasu Sato showed someone that was aggressive, didn't mind fighting, and always wanted to get his way; and based on what they could find and the fact that Yasu was out free, he usually did. He was charismatic and could woo anyone over to his cause, but if someone tried to speak against him, strange things befell the person. This was a man to be wary of and to guard yourself against.

"So how did you not have this information Kyoya?" Haruhi asked curiously. She believed that if it was out there, the Shadow King would be the one to find it.

"These are in physical files Haruhi. It takes calling and going down to the school to pull the records, especially since it has been years since Yasu graduated. I sent Tamaki on the errand since he needed something to do," Kyoya explained.

"So it has nothing to do with the fact that he is the Suoh heir and thus part of the education system and can get access to school records a bit more easily than you?" Haruhi inquired rolling her eyes.

Chuckling, Kyoya stated, "That may be the case as well."

Haruhi shook her head. Typical of her bespectacled friend, get information using any means necessary. Just because Tamaki was the one doing the physical labor of getting the data, doesn't mean that Kyoya wasn't pulling the strings, "Figures. How is Masami doing? Were they able to get the swelling down?"

"No. The swelling in her brain decreased slightly, but the meds did not work as well as we hoped. They had to go in and relieve the pressure this morning. We are still waiting for her to come out of surgery. I don't think we are going to be getting answers from her, but I am going to make sure she remains guarded while she is here," Kyoya stated. He felt that it was the least he could do since this girl had been pulled into a world she should never have been a part of. He knew what it was like to be looked down upon by one's siblings and how the despair feels when you look up and you have so far to go, but he never gave into it because he had the hosts behind him to give him the support he needed. In the end he overcame everything and became the heir.

"Kyo-Chan, what about her sister?" Hunny asked. He personally wanted to take care of Rie for what she did to Masami and to his brother, but that would have to wait for now. There were other things that needed to be dealt with, and besides, he was sure Kyoya had something up his sleeve.

Sighing, Kyoya said, "She has been coming by on her lunch hour and then after work. Our patient still seems to have an adverse reaction to her sister, but we do not let Rie in the room without someone else being present. Did you know Yasuchika came to visit Masami yesterday afternoon? I was called into a meeting, but Mori was here when he came."

This was news to the couple and they looked at each other before Hunny plied the question, "Why was he there?"

It was Mori's turn to speak, "He said that since they were both betrayed by her sister, the least he could do was sit with her and try to help her through this."

"Did he run into Rie?" Hunny asked with a touch of venom in his voice.

"No, he left before she arrived because he had to teach a class. He said he would be back today," Mori explained.

"Hunny, don't worry about Rie. She will not be able to breach our inner circles again. She is lucky she still has a job and is able to see her sister right now, but I am looking into the job situation as we speak," Kyoya sneered. He wanted to do more, but he didn't since although Rie was wrong, she was still Masami's sister and would need to help take care of her.

Haruhi didn't like people messing with others livelihoods, but she also knew how her friends operated. What Rie did was wrong, but does it really require retaliation that will mess with her life and her job? "Stop it. Stop everything you are doing to her, and stop interfering in her life."

Adjusting his glasses, Kyoya stared at the phone for a moment before he spoke up, "Why?"

"She is already dealing with the guilt of everything she did to Chika and her sister. It is probably killing her on the inside, and she is shouldering the blame for her sister lying in that hospital bed not knowing if she will live or die. We have all said and done things that we regret, every single one of us. Leave her alone now. Keep the guard on her sister and don't let Rie be alone with her; that is fine, but leave her job and everything else alone. She is going to punish herself more than you or anyone else ever could right now. I know you want to strike out at her and get her back for what she did to Chika, I want to also, but anything we do will be nothing to what she is putting herself through right now," Haruhi defended. She did not agree nor like what Rie did, but no one deserved to have their life stripped from them the way she knew Kyoya could take Rie's life away from her. He took it personal when one of his friends was taken advantage of and hurt, but the trauma he could inflict would be nothing to the mental anguish Rie was inflicting on herself.

Kyoya thought about Haruhi words and knew that there was a level of truth to them, "I will back off for now, but if something else happens…"

"I understand, and if she does anything else, I will help you take her down, but leave her alone for now," Haruhi declared.

Mori was proud of Haruhi. It was never easy to stand up to Kyoya, not that the hosts hadn't done it time and time again, but when he was in the mindset that someone must pay, it was hard to make him see reason at times. "We will leave it," he agreed.

"For now," Kyoya murmured wanting to have the last word. A small ruckus could be heard in the background and soon he was back on the line telling Hunny and Haruhi, "Masami just got out of surgery. We will call you back later and update you on any progress. Tamaki is still looking into getting all of the school records, but that will take a few days."

"Thanks Kyo-Chan," Hunny said.

Haruhi piped up, "Yes, thank you Kyoya and Mori. We will talk to you later. Good bye."

When the phone call was disconnected, Hunny pulled Haruhi into his arms. He knew she was shaken up by the phone call, and honestly he was too. He needed to hold her and have that physical connection with her, to know that she was there in the flesh and loved him as much as he loved her. Kissing the top of her head, he asked, "Are you ok?"

"I dated a psycho," Haruhi deadpanned.

Hunny couldn't help it, he giggled, "It would appear that way." Turning serious and breathing in her scent, he gave her a small squeeze, "You couldn't know. He had you and a lot of other people fooled. Hell it appears that he has his own family fooled the most and they should know him best."

Haruhi was listening to the steady rhythm of Hunny's heartbeat and nodded before she rotated her head to be able to look him in the eye, "I know, but I can usually read people and their intentions." When she received a funny look from her boyfriend, she narrowed her eyes before grumbling, "Ok, I may be a little on the dense side when it comes to feelings, but I was always able to see through the twins and Kyoya."

Kissing her forehead, Hunny chuckled, "When it comes to people you have feelings for or they have feelings for you, you have this black hole and you can't see anything that falls in the middle of it unless someone is straightforward about it, but don't worry it is one of the things I love about you."

"You're not funny," Haruhi mumbled before placing her ear over his heart once again.

"I can be."

"Huh?"

"I can be very funny."

"Ok, whatever," Haruhi rolled her eyes and smiled. In the next instant she was on her back with Hunny hovering over her and attempting to tickle her. His tickle attack was working and he seemed to know where to put his fingers to get the maximum reaction: her trying to roll over to escape and screaming for him to stop as she laughed breathlessly.

Smiling, Hunny giggled as he paused in his tickle torture, "You are laughing so I must be funny."

Haruhi tried to catch her breath as she teased him, "Maybe you are and maybe you're not."

"Oh really?" Hunny leered before he started his assault again.

She was laughing so hard she had a hard time breathing and she could feel tears starting to fall out of her eyes. "Ok, ok, you win. You're funny!" She called out trying to get her boyfriend to stop his assault. Luckily he did a moment later. Wrapping her arms around his neck and pulling him close, Haruhi whispered against his lips, "You are funny and are about the only one that has always made me laugh and feel good even when I am down." Their kissing was interrupted by the ringing of Haruhi's phone. Thinking that it was probably Kyoya calling about Masami and the surgery, she answered it without looking at the caller id, "Hello?"

"Haruhi!" Tamaki yelled into the phone. He had thought long and hard since his discussion with his father and he knew he owed her an apology, and so much more. He had wanted to sound normal, but when she answered the phone he had gotten nervous and it resulted in a very loud greeting.

Groaning when she realized who was on the other line, Haruhi put the phone on speaker thinking he had to tell her something about Yasu since he was investigating his school years, "Aren't you supposed to call Kyoya when you find something?"

"What are you talking about? Don't you want to talk to daddy?" Tamaki inquired.

"What do you need Tamaki?" Haruhi asked scowling. She would much rather continue with her previous activity than talk to her friend right now.

Tamaki cleared his throat. It was time to man up and apologize, but he would rather do it in person, "Well, I was calling to see if you would meet me for lunch."

"No, I am staying where I am."

"I just wanted to talk to you about something, and I was thinking in person might be the best."

"That isn't going to happen Tamaki. If you have something to say to me, you can tell me over the phone."

"Please Haruhi, it's kind of important."

"If it's that important, you just need to say it then. I am not meeting you for lunch today. I told you yesterday that we would probably not be able to get together for a couple of weeks. Now what do you want? Does this have something to do with Yasu?"

Hunny was starting to get frustrated because he could feel the irritation coming off of Haruhi, but when he was about to say something he heard Tamaki sigh and agree to talk to her on the phone. What was so important that he needed to talk to her about right now? He had a feeling this did not have to do with Yasu at all and he wondered if he was going to want to kill his friend after this phone call.

Exhaling loudly into the phone, Tamaki acquiesced, "I wanted to apologize."

"For what?" Haruhi probed. There were so many things that could be for and she wasn't about to speculate what he could possibly be referring to.

The former Host Club king felt like there was a lump in his throat and he had to struggle to get the words out. He felt like he was fighting to breathe at the moment, "For everything that happened. I know why you don't want to go to lunch alone with me, I just didn't want to acknowledge it or admit that I had been wrong before."

Was he saying what she thought he was saying? Haruhi was frozen as she listened to him continue.

"It was wrong of me to try to pressure you into anything and if I really loved you, I wouldn't have done that. I especially shouldn't have tried to force myself on you. I knew that I wouldn't have forced you into sleeping with me, but what I did was just as bad. I was supposed to love you and cherish you, and I did neither of those things. I wish you would let me apologize in person," Tamaki shakily stated.

Hunny knew it. He did not like one thing about what Tamaki was saying. Forced himself on Haruhi? What was he talking about? One look at his girlfriend and he knew she had not divulged everything.

Tamaki continued, "I loved you then and I love you now, but I know that I am not the one for you. Hunny is a good man and I know he has loved you for a long time. I think I tried to get you to have sex with me because I was so afraid of losing you to one of the others, and in the end that is exactly what happened. I never wanted to hurt you or to make you afraid of me, but I did all of that and I wonder how it was that you were able to remain friends with me. I know that I tried to win you back after Hunny reunited us and I will admit to trying to come between you two, but I know now that he is the better man for you. He will give you something I was never able to give you… security."

"Why now? What made you finally admit that you were wrong?" Haruhi choked. She was unaware that the phone was still on speaker and that Hunny was listening to everything. It registered in the very back of her mind, but she didn't/couldn't acknowledge it.

"It was time, past time actually. Everything that Yasu did to you, I was just as bad. I can't judge him without judging myself. Hearing that he was got a couple of guns brought it home how serious this situation was and how far he was willing to get you back. It made me think of everything I was doing and had done to you, and I couldn't lie to myself any longer. You had every right to leave us the way you did, to leave me the way you did. I am surprised you can still be friends with me after how you suffered. I was a horrible boyfriend and a worst friend. I am so sorry. You don't know how sorry I am," Tamaki spoke softly on the verge of crying.

Clearing her throat, Haruhi murmured, "I can because you are not that man. You are better than that and I knew that you, as crazy and dramatic as you are sometimes, didn't want to hurt me. You stopped before you went too far and I knew that you would never really be that guy that took what was not given."

"That is what my father said."

"Your father?" Haruhi asked perplexed as to what the older Suoh had to do with this.

Tamaki sighed running a hand through his hair, "I had just gotten off of the phone with you and it brought my carefully laid false reality crashing to the ground. He found me just after that and I told him everything. All my lies that I told him and myself, the secrets I kept hidden, they all spilled out of me yesterday and I realized that I owed you a lifetimes worth of apologies. I don't think I could ever make it up to you."

"Oh. Um lies and secrets?"

"I, I told him that you left because you thought we were no longer good enough for you. I told him that we broke up because you didn't love me or want me. I hid the fact that I hurt you and tried to force you into things and that I tried to control you. We pushed you away, and I never wanted to admit that because then it was our fault, my fault that you left like you did."

"I see," Haruhi said dumbstruck about everything Tamaki just spilled to her.

Sniffling to try to hold back the tears a little longer, Tamaki croaked, "I'm sorry."

"That is what you said," Haruhi murmured. She was amazed at everything Tamaki was telling her and she didn't know what to feel or how to react.

After everything they had learned this morning, and now everything that Tamaki was heaping onto her, Hunny knew it was time for Haruhi to get off of the phone. Grabbing the phone out of her hands, Hunny snapped, "That is enough Tamaki."

"Hunny?" Tamaki was suddenly very afraid. Had he heard his confession?

"Yes, it's me. We are hanging up now and you need to go back to work on what Kyo-Chan told you to do," Hunny sneered and hit the end button before Tamaki could say anything else. He turned to Haruhi who sat beside him frozen and in shock, "Haru-Chan?"

"Am I supposed to feel better now that he apologized?" Haruhi questioned softly.

Gathering her in his arms once again, Hunny rubbed her back and said gently, "I think you are supposed to feel anything you want to. If it doesn't make you feel better, then it doesn't make you feel better. It will take time to get over everything he did to you." To himself he added, "And it seems like he did an awful lot to you." He wanted to ask her about the confession, but he knew now was not the time and she would tell him when she was ready. He got the gist of it though, and for that reason alone he wanted to teach Tamaki Suoh a lesson once again.

Haruhi nodded and buried her face into Hunny's chest as the tears started to fall again. Clinging to her boyfriend, she couldn't help but cry out her hurt, pain, confusion, and sorrow. As Hunny pulled her closer, she felt that much more comforted and loved. It would take her time to get over everything that Tamaki had done to her, but she knew that deep down he was a good guy and that is why she remained friends with him; however, as much as she told herself that she appreciated his apology, she was unsure if she was ready to accept it right now.

Ootori Hospital…

Masami had made it through the surgery and was currently in recovery, but they still had to wait for her to wake up. For all intents and purposes, the surgery was text book and they were able to open her cranium and relieve the pressure on her brain, but that did not mean that she was going to be alright. She was still not out of the woods, and Yuuichi was still putting her chances at 50/50. It was a flip of the coin on if she would live or die. Did she have the fight in her to live? Everyone around her hoped so.

"I have called her sister since she wasn't here for the surgery and let her know how the surgery went. I have also asked her not to come up to the hospital today or tomorrow to give Masami time to recover a bit. It seems that anytime Rie is near her the vital spike and I need to keep her as stable as possible," Yuuichi explained to his brother and Mori.

Kyoya nodded, "I will make sure that the guard knows of your decision. Do you think she will make it?"

"As I have said, her chances are…" the doctor started to say.

"I know what her chances are from a medical standpoint, but that is not what I am asking. Do you think she will make it?" Kyoya interrupted trying to keep his voice down, but unable to get the frustration out of it.

Releasing a deep breath, Yuuichi shook his head, "I just don't know. It isn't only the injury that bothers me. She was in a low dark place before Yasu found her and when he attacked her and left her for dead, she was probably even lower than what she was before. I don't know if she has the mental fight in her to beat this, and she needs to fight if she wants to live. I don't know if she wants to live."

"She'll live," Chika declared from behind the doctor. He had arrived a few minutes before and heard the conversation between the two brothers, "She has to live." He wasn't sure what made him so sure or why it was so important to him, but it was and he would be there to help her in any way he could. Someone had to be on her side because it seemed that everyone else had been against her up until this point.

Kyoya and Mori couldn't help but respect the youngest Haninozuka. He was standing up for a girl he didn't know and whose sister had broken his heart. Chika was taking on the challenge of fighting for Masami even if she didn't want to fight for herself. It took guts and a lot of heart to do what he was doing and they would support him in any way possible.

"Yasuchika's right," Mori bluntly stated.

Nodding, Kyoya smirked, "There is your answer big brother."

Yuuichi smiled, "I can see she is in good hands then." The girl needed someone in her corner and it appeared Chika had taken up the cause. Even if she wasn't a fighter, Chika was and he would not let her give up, "If you want to come with me Yasuchika-san, she is still in recovery and you can sit with her until we take her back to her room."

As they watched Yuuichi and Chika head towards recovery, Kyoya and Mori said a silent prayer that he would be strong enough to reach the girl. They were both pulled out of their musing when Kyoya's phone rang, "Ootori here."

"Sir, I am calling to inform you that a package was delivered to the Fujioka residence a few minutes ago. Inside of a plain paper bag, we found a t-shirt and some photographs. We have the person that was delivering the package in custody, but he is just some kid that the perp paid to drop off the bag. He said he ran into Sato two blocks away at a local park and was asked to bring the bag here. He was paid 1000 yen for his services. I have men canvasing the area, but I don't think they will find him," one of Kyoya's men explained.

"I very seriously doubt that you will, but finish the canvas. I will be there soon. Keep the kid there until I get there," Kyoya ordered and then hung up the phone. Speaking to Mori, Kyoya stated, "Yasu paid someone to drop off a package at Haruhi's apartment. I am going to go question him. Stay here and if anything happens, call me. Until I find out what is going on, let's not tell Hunny or Haruhi."

"Agreed," Mori said. He hated this situation and the feelings that his hands were tied, but he would rather be helping Haruhi than to leave her to the wolves alone.

Without another word, Kyoya left Mori in the surgical waiting room and left to try to get answers. If he knew Yasu though, and he was starting to get a feel for the lunatic, there would be no clues that would lead him to the maniac. They were still at square one, but he knew that would not always be the case and eventually even a genius had to mess up.