I have no excuses, but I really do hope to finish this story one day. This chapter was pretty different for me because it is entirely without an Ouran story to back it up, its all me. So I hope that you guys like it, I did some new stuff with changing perspective and flashbacks as well so be kind. I took some pretty serious liberties with the Canadian law system so please don't judge, I'm not going for legal accuracy, just emotional depth. PLEASE REVIEW! Makes me happy... Without further ado enjoy...

Chapter 16:

I stared out the window looking at the deep expanse of ocean before me. I felt like I was in a dream, I didn't want to let the reality hit me. I closed my eyes trying to shut the world out. I felt a familiar hand take mine; I felt its warmth all the way through my chilled body. I gave a small smile, repeating the events of the last day over again.

"What?" I choked out, trying to control my breathing, aware that the host club was staring at me.

"The trial is in a few days, we need your testimony to solidify our case. I know you don't want to see him walk away from this Haruhi."

"But, with the physical evidence, I thought…" Surely they wouldn't make me look him in the eye and condemn him.

And yet, I knew that I had to go home. If there was even the smallest chance I could help, then I knew I had to.

"I understand, thank you for your call, I will make the arrangements", I said, shaking at the thought of facing him again.

I handed the phone back to Kyouya-senpai, feeling at a loss.

"I…I guess I'm going home." I said, trying to keep in the tears that threatened to spill over.

A slight amount of turbulence jolted me out of my memories. I was relieved to find his hand still fitted in mine; it was the only thing keeping me together.

"Kyouya-senpai," I started, trying to express my gratitude.

"Just try to get some sleep," He said, sweeping his thumb across my hand in an absent gesture that made my heart flutter.

I couldn't think about that right now though, I had to prepare myself for the hell that was to come. I was finally going to face him, the man who murdered my family.

I hadn't been able to sleep or even stop shaking since that phone call. The memories of that night were on a constant loop in my head, even during the waking hours. I felt so embarrassed about Kyouya-senpai's help; he had taken care of all the travel details, even bumping us up to first class. I hated relying on his charity, but despite my inner desire to be strong and handle things on my own I couldn't deny the comfort holding his hand was giving me.

I left the host club immediately, brushing off the inquiring looks of all the boys. I rushed home to start packing my things. I couldn't get my hands to stop shaking long enough to make any progress.

He didn't even knock. Just came bustling in with such efficiency and nonchalance that all I could do was stand there agape.

"What the hell do you think you are doing" I said angrily. Fear and anxiety were making me hostile.

"Flight leaves tonight, hotel is right near the courthouse. You need something presentable and feminine to wear, we will be there for a week. I took the liberty of picking out some clothes for you, so just get your travel necessities and the rest is taken care of." Kyouya-senpai said, so matter of factly it irked me even more.

"No. I will not accept your charity. I can do this on my own Kyouya-senpai I am not some sad little girl." I said, shaking with rage instead of fear.

He looked pained, and more than a little irritated.

"I don't care. You aren't doing this alone. So you can sulk all you want but I am coming with you"

"I am strong enough to do this on my own!" I yelled. My old instincts of resisting help were back something fierce.

"Don't you get it, you don't have to do this alone anymore." He yelled right back.

This was the second time I had seen Kyouya-senpai lose his cool, and I knew that there was no convincing him otherwise. So I did exactly what he said, and I sulked about it all the way to the airport.

"Ladies and Gentlemen this is your captain speaking, we are beginning our descent into Toronto, Ontario. We should be landing in about twenty minutes. Hope you have had a safe flight, make sure to submit your declaration cards on your way out. On behalf of Air Canada we want to thank you for flying with us."

My stomach was a tangle of knots. I gripped Kyouya-senpai's hand a little tighter. I knew it must have been painful for him, but he didn't say a word.

KYOUYAS POV

I could visibly see her retreating into herself. Making herself small, trying to protect herself from everything that was happening. I had been keeping in contact with the lawyers handling Haruhi's case, I didn't want there to be any surprises. They needed Haruhi's testimony to help in swaying the jury. But I don't know what this is going to do to her, finally facing the man who murdered her entire family.

It's a damn good thing I'm here with her, even if she wants to be mad at me for it. That's fine, I can shoulder any blame or resentment, just as long as she isn't alone through this.

I hate how every time I try to help her she thinks it's my way of saying she isn't strong enough to handle this. Of course she fucking is, you don't go on living after something that awful happens if you aren't strong. But seeing how visibly terrified she is, even trying to hide it; I know I made the right decision bullying her into letting me come.

A small smile formed on her lips, taking in the English signs and Canadian flags everywhere. Sometimes I forgot she wasn't a native to Japan, she adapted so well to the culture and the language.

"It's been a long time." She sighed, in her native tongue.

"Oh my goodness, Shigure! I didn't even tell him I was leaving!" She exclaimed.

"Don't worry, I talked to him your shifts are covered until you get back." I said rolling my eyes, what did she think I was if not organized.

She gave me a look that I couldn't discern, "You really do take care of things."

My hand felt empty now, she had held it absently almost the whole flight from Japan. I shouldn't have let myself enjoy it, and I certainly shouldn't be dwelling on it now.

It took some serious effort, but I closed my mind of to any lingering feelings. I needed to be focused. I will get her through this, and I will make sure she doesn't have to suffer anymore than she has to.

HARUHIS POV

The rest of the day went by in a haze. I followed Kyouya-senpai around, only vaguely aware of what was happening. We went to meet with the prosecutors; they took me through the questions that would be asked in court. I couldn't put any emotion into my recollection of that night; I could tell they were disappointed. But I couldn't let myself open up. I can't let myself feel all the horror and anguish of that night, and all the nights that followed. So I'm distancing myself. It's the only way I'll survive this.

I climbed into bed that final night before the trial, exhaustion finally putting me in an uneasy sleep. My dreams once again took over.

I was running, always running never getting anywhere. Blood poured from the open wound across my stomach, rain relentlessly pouring down on me.

All I could hear were screams, the screams of my little brother, of my parents, and my own wild howling. It was all screams and pain and blood and I wasn't getting anywhere, he was only getting closer and closer.

I woke up to my own screaming, and Kyouya-senpai bursting through the door to our connecting rooms.

KYOUYAS POV

Her beautiful eyes, filled with unshed tears, were darting around the room, looking for something; they were so lost, so unsure. There was an animal wildness in them, and such a profound vulnerability. I turned to leave, not wanting to intrude on her painful memories and dreams. "Stay." She whispered, with such pleading my own eyes couldn't remain dry any longer. I didn't know it was possible to hold so much in your heart for someone else. To feel for them so much that it physically hurts you too, to internalize so much of their pain. But that's how it is with Haruhi, I feel her pain gnawing inside me and it's all I can do not to hold her tight and never let go. I nodded my head and climbed into the bed with her.

I slipped an arm around her and she turned into my shoulder and cried. She made such anguished sounds that I veritably felt my heart breaking. I didn't say anything, just held her close, smoothing her short, soft hair, knowing there was nothing I could do to truly console her. After what felt like an eternity her shaking sobs quieted and I thought she might have fallen asleep.

"Kyouya-senapi?" She said, raising her head from my chest, eyes rimmed red from the tears.

"Yes Haruhi," I replied withdrawing my arms, trying not to take any liberties in her vulnerable state.

"Can I still be strong, even though I'm really glad you're here?" She said with such sorrow and tenderness my own eyes filled with tears again.

"Haruhi, you are the strongest person I have ever met." I said with absolute conviction.

At that she gave me a watery smile.

"You know, I really hate crying in front of other people." She said with a small laugh that was remarkably similar to her sobs.

"Get used to it, because I am always going to be here. You aren't going to be crying alone anymore if I can help it."

We didn't make any other contact; we didn't say another word for the rest of that long night. It was enough just to be there.

HARUHI"S POV

Finally the day had arrived. I was to take the stand and persecute the man responsible for all the pain I had endured. I kept my fists clenched tight; jaw wired shut, my whole body was tense, trying to resist the flood of emotions I was barely repressing. I couldn't seem to get rid of the slight tremor pervading my entire body. I know Kyouya-senpai noticed, thankfully he had enough tact not to say anything. I knew that out of all the boys Kyouya-senpai was the best suited for this situation, because he understands. He understands distancing yourself from emotion, the necessity of it. Any of the other boys might have tried to lighten the mood, but that's not what I need right now.

Everything continued moving in a blur, and then I saw him.

My heart stopped.

I gasped for air and felt my heart stutter, trying to find it's beat again in the face of pure terror. I started to violently shake, my vision dimmed. All I could see was blood. My parent's faces, my ears ringing with the screams of my little brother. My scar feeling like it had been ripped anew, my stomach heaved and it was all I could do not to pass out right then and there. I couldn't keep my reality straight. I was back in that night so vividly I could feel the wind burning my face as I ran away from him. But here he is now, standing twenty feet away from me.

He looked straight into my eyes and smiled. His smile was filled with the same malice it held in my dreams. My body went cold. Suddenly my reality was crystal clear, so sharp it hurt. Makai Nakamura, the man who murdered my family.

I couldn't calm the wild beating of my heart, even as everyone in the courtroom moved to take their seats. I avoided the gazes of spectators that I knew, friends and family with whom I had severed all ties. My only eyes were for him, the murderer. He looked a little more haggard then the polished professional whom I had first met. Instead his hair had grown longer, a trimmed beard adorned his face to mask the gauntness that it had acquired. It gave me no small satisfaction to see that he was not the same confident, swaggering man I used to know, even despite the initial smile he had given me.

I tried not to focus too hard on the details and physical evidence that the prosecution presented. I flinched at the hospital pictures of my scar in all its freshly received glory, and before I knew it they were calling me to the stand for my testimony.

My hand would not stop shaking as I was sworn in, something that was clearly visible to all in the courtroom.

"State your name for the record," the prosecutor began.

"Haruhi Fujioka" I said calmly, belying the inner turmoil I was experiencing.

"Miss Fujioka, how did you first come into contact with Mr. Nakamura?"

"He was a new teacher at my school, he spent a week substituting for my Algebra class" I replied, trying desperately not to devolve into my memories of him at all.

Class was buzzing when I came in; apparently Mrs. Jacobson was out sick so we had a substitute teacher. Everyone knew that substitute teacher meant easy day in class, I was personally disappointed I had been enjoying our Algebra class so far. I knew I was alone in this.

The substitute teacher walked in and already I knew that all the girls at least would be riveted in class. He was a tall, broadly built man. Easily into his late forties, he carried himself with such confidence I would never have guessed he was a teacher at all. He was a classically handsome Japanese man who took command of the room right away. Apparently he was the new teacher in school.

"Hello class," he began smiling, "My name is Mr. Nakamura"

"And when did Mr. Nakamura begin tutoring you Miss Fujioka?" The prosecutor continued.

"About a week after he finished filling in, he said that I had extraordinary promise and that he could prepare me to get into the most elite boarding schools in the area." I said.

"Haruhi, could you stay after class a moment?" Mr. Nakamura inquired.

I shook my head nervously and remained behind while my classmates shuffled out. "Is there a problem Mr. Nakamura?" I asked innocently, twirling my long hair in a practiced gesture.

"Haruhi, I've been looking into your grades and your test scores are superb, you show extraordinary promise for someone your age. I was wondering if you would like to have me tutor you, with my help I know you can get into Ridley high school or any private school of your choosing, and from there an ivy league college isn't out of the question either" He said, oozing charm.

If only I had known then what was on his mind. How he wanted to have me for himself. I trusted him, so I let myself be blindsided by his slimy charm.

"Can you please describe to me the events of that night Miss Fujioka," the prosecutor continued.

"I was studying at home, Mr. Nakamura and I were doing practice SAT tests" I began, a slight quaver entering my voice.

KYOUYAS POV

Haruhi looked so tense and afraid. I could see her desperately trying to appear calm, but it certainly wasn't fooling me. I knew the cold facts of her story, but now I am about to witness her describing it, I almost want to close my eyes and tune her out; I knew how the story ended. But I owed it to her to pay attention, not to flinch away or waver at all. She deserves so much more than that, but it's all I can give her.

"At first we were just studying in the kitchen, but I needed to get something from my room and he followed me upstairs. He began looking around my room, and I started to get uncomfortable. I went to go back downstairs when he grabbed me and threw me down on the bed"

This part made me feel a little sick, remembering the lesson I had tried to teach Haruhi about how fragile she was. She held it together so calmly, she said she knew I would never hurt her, but I couldn't help but feel guilty at reminding her of something she so clearly already knew.

"I was too stunned to do anything, even scream. But just then my dad came home and Nakamura jumped off of me and ran out the door faster than I could say anything. I stayed upstairs, unsure of what to do, more than a little bit freaked out. I put my headphones in trying to decide what I should do, maybe it had just been a misunderstanding," Haruhi went on, tears noticeably filling her eyes. She started wringing her hands together, revealing the inner turmoil this was causing her.

"I barely heard the doorbell ring, I chose to ignore it. My little brother, Akio, went to answer the door. It was Mr. Nakamura. Akio knew who he was, so he let him in. He let him in because I had been too scared to tell anyone what happened…" Haruhi continued, her voice taking on a palpable shake. Tears started to fall down her face, and I couldn't help the matching tears that found their way into my eyes as well.

"When….when Akio turned around, well, I was upstairs, but I heard his scream" Tears openly streaming down her face.

"When I ran down the stairs to see what was happening all I saw was his body face down. He stabbed Akio after he had turned around." She said.

With that heart wrenching admission Haruhi gave Nakamura the most intensely loathing look I ever hope to see in this world. He flinched every so slightly at the pure malice radiating from her, this seemed to be enough to let Haruhi continue her recollection.

HARUHIS POV

Something had shifted inside me, instead of feeling desperately afraid I only felt rage. This bastard sitting in front of my killed my family, and I was the one who was scared? He should be the one afraid, he will never know what it is to be a free man again.

I felt a renewed vigor to tell the rest of my story, anger fuelling me.

"After he stabbed Akio he had moved to the living room, I walked in as he finished slitting my mothers throat, my father was already dead on the couch." I continued not even noticing the hot tears that would not stop streaming down my face.

I couldn't process what was in front of me; I was looking at the remains of what used to be my family. My sweet little brother, with his wide toothy grin and his shaggy hair that he refused to cut was now just a lifeless corpse staining the foyer. My father with his stern lectures and cutting wit was strewn across the couch, and my mother. My sweet mother with her endlessly kind words and her fierce loyalty was crumpled in front of him. "Now we can be together darling," He said, immune to the horrors he had just caused.

So I ran.

I ran through the backdoor, cold wind whipping my hair into my face. The trees behind my yard, always a fun place for my brother and I to explore, were merciless that night. Branches tore at my legs and arms, rocks cut up my bare feet.

All I could hear was the deafening pound of my heart and my feet on the ground and the crackle of thunder that continued to shatter my nerves. I couldn't see where I was going; rain and tears intermingled and clouded my vision. A wayward root sprung out of nowhere and I went sprawling across the ground.

That was where he caught me. I screamed and struggled, making sounds that weren't even human.

He was on top of me now, I was trapped and my father wouldn't be there to throw him off of me this time.

He smoothed the hair from my face and twirled it around his fingers, marveling at it. It would have been sweet if not for the malicious gleam in his eyes that gave way to his true intentions.

The most beautiful sound in the world pierced through the sound of the storm just then, sirens.

"Looks like our time is up" He said with disappointment. "Can't leave you without something to remember me by" He said smiling that same charming smile as when he first addressed our algebra class.

He pulled out the bloodied knife that had ended my family and raised my shirt up, taking the time to run his hands up my body. I continued to yell and struggle but it was no use.

The knife cut into my skin and I had no control over the guttural screams that ripped their way out of my body at the pain. It was red hot and for a moment I forgot about my family, I even forgot who I was, all I knew was that I was being torn open from the inside out. I thought I was dying.

In that moment, I wanted to die.

"I blacked out after that. When I woke up I was in a hospital bed with four policemen right outside my door." I finished shakily, feeling as tired as if I had just run through those woods again in body as well as in memory.

I was out of breath, tears still staining my cheeks, heart beating painfully in my chest.

Everyone was silent.

Even the prosecutors looked stunned, I hadn't put nearly so much emotion in my retelling at the discovery, but looking at him, having the memories overtake me, it had been too much to keep myself distant from my own personal tragedy.

A look around the room had me seeing many members of the jury in tears, the judge too looked deeply moved. He didn't look ashamed, or angry, but he did look defeated and that was the best I could have hoped for. All around me were mingled looks of sympathy and horror. Finally I found the one person's gaze who I had been searching for, Kyouya-senpai.

I looked at him and he held my gaze unwavering. I saw the glisten of tears on his face, but his expression wasn't one of those awash with pity or fear, it was one of pride. He was proud of me, and that was the only thing I could see on his face. Fresh tears sprung into my eyes, but for once these weren't tears of pain or shame or loneliness, they were tears of relief. It was finally done.

XXXXXXXXXXXXX

I don't remember leaving the courtroom, or even hearing thesentence. He was found guilty, and he will spend the rest of his life rotting in a jail cell. It's far better than he deserves.

I spent most of the plane ride home to Japan in fitful bouts of sleep. Exhausted from all the painful emotion of that week back home. I hadn't tried to contact anyone I knew, or see any of my extended family. It was still too soon, I wasn't ready to face all the damage that I had caused. I still feel the tiny knot of guilt in my stomach that I don't think will ever go away.

I should have never started having him tutor me; I should have never let him into my house or my room. I should have told someone right away about what he did, a friend, my parents, or the police.

I should have done a lot of things.

But instead I am here, living with my guilt, trying to make it through each day. I admit I was really looking forward to getting back to my life in Japan, a life that is relatively free of him, and everything that happened.

I missed the rest of the host club and Shigure too. I knew that the boys' silly antics and rakish charm were the soothing balm that my soul needed to heal right now.

On that long plane ride home I knew that eventually I would tell them everything, because they deserved that much after sticking with me for so long. I tried something new for once too; I tried to remember my family, not that horrible final night, but the rest of it, the good times without becoming overwhelmed with guilt.

Kyouya-senpai started shifting and I knew he was starting to wake up. I spent a few moments admiring the firm cut of his jaw, the ethereally pale high cheekbones and his sharply contrasting jet-black hair, right now messily splayed across his forehead.

I will never forget how he arranged everything this week, how he stayed with me that night before the trial, and how he did everything without asking for anything in return.

His penetrating eyes opened and met mine. I didn't look away.

"Thank you Kyouya-senpai." I said, trying to express all the heartfelt gratitude I harbored for him in those simple words.

He gave the smallest of smiles, transforming the sharp lines of his face into something sweet, an expression I liked to believe he only held for me.

Our eyes held for a moment longer, bringing heat to my cheeks, then he abruptly shifted, something flashing across his eyes that I knew too well; guilt.

"Don't mention it." He said with that sardonic tone that meant we were done with the emotional bonding part of this trip.

"Don't worry Kyouya-senpai, I won't clue the rest of the world in." I said, smiling in spite of his abrupt change.

"Clue the world in about what?" He said, turning to me once again, one eyebrow raised quizzically.

"How truly and wonderfully selfless you are. You don't fool me anymore, I see the person you really are, and I am so lucky to have you in my life." I answered sincerely.

The most vulnerable expression flitted across his face for just a moment, but long enough for me to see it. He gave me an uneasy smile, and we didn't speak as the flight finally touched down in Japan.

In the airport we went our separate ways, he had lots of things to get done that he had neglected to do in helping me. I went home and crashed on my bed, relieved to finally be home.

So this is kind of the end of the mystery of Haruhi's past arc, but I have another plot arc to be developed so you aren't rid of me yet. Hope that you enjoyed please let me know what you think! I love anyone who bothers to read this story at this point.