Author: Greeting everyone! Merry Christmas, Happy Hanukah & Blessed Yule! Sorry this took so long. I was a 4 week long course, followed by an 8 day course, followed by several other intermittent classes/training sessions for my new job. I also want to thank all of you for your reviews/favorites/follows. You all are amazing and I hope that you enjoy the chapter!

—

" What's all that noise about?" Kameko asked as she heard a commotion in the hall.

" It would appear the tea was drank, Miss." Miisya said.

" Oh good, that little brat deserves everything they get for butting in where they don't belong." Kameko smirked.

" If just a little of that medicine mother has been giving stepfather makes him queasy then the whole bottle should be more than enough to make that peasant puke everywhere." Kameko laughed. " Where does he get off speaking to Mother like that? A peasant like him should never have even set foot in here let alone sit and have tea."

" I am sure that his influence has been what's caused your step sister to act out." Miisya scoffed. " Both of them have no idea how to behave around their betters. I just wish that Master Takashi would realize just how much better you are for him."

" You did dump the entire bottle correct? That little brat should be puking his-"

" EMS IS HERE!"

" EMS?" Kameko said in confusion, dipping her head into the room. There she saw Mori in there holding Himawari who was limp in his arms.

" That stupid bitch!" Kameko snapped as she saw her stepsister was the one who had drank the tea and not Mori's friend.

" HIMA!" She heard him shout desperately.

" Why did she have to drink the tea? How can she be so stupid." Kameko snapped. " Wait…why is she passed out?"

" I'm not sure, Miss."

" She shouldn't be passed out right?" Kameko said as she pulled the bottle from her pocket. " This just causes nausea, right?"

" I-I-I'm not sure, Miss! I just reached into the drawer you pointed to and pulled one out."

" You idiot! You don't even know what you picked!" Kameko said as she felt her face drain of all color. She looked down at the bottle in her hand and read the label.

The label indicated that it was a serious poison.

" You stupid idiotic cow! Do you know what y-"

" What the devil is going on in here!" Yoru's voice snapped suddenly.

" M-Mother!" Kameko said instantly hiding the bottle behind her.

" Give it here, Kameko!" Yoru snarled dangerously. " Now."

Reluctantly, Kameko handed the bottle to her mother whose face instantly reddened.

SLAP!

" Madam!" Miisya gasped as she saw Yoru strike her daughter. " Please, it was my fault. I beg you not to take your anger -"

" Oh shut up, you stupid girl!" Yoru hissed angrily. " Both of you have no idea what you have done!"

" Mother, please-"

" Now I have to go fix your fucking mess." Yoru snapped. " Did you think yourself a mastermind after the incident at the ball? One success does not mean the war has been won!"

" Mother-"

" Just be silent as I fix the mess you made!" Yoru said sharply before she straightened herself and strolled into the room, watching the medic place Himawari onto the gurney.

" We've called report to the local trauma center, I take it you're the guardian?" The medic said.

" I-"

" I am!" Yoru called out, interrupting Akira before he could make things worse. " Who called for you here? I didn't authorize entry into this estate!"

" I did, madam!" Shion snapped. " The young miss was poisoned and she obviously requires medical attention!"

Meddlesome old bat! Yoru thought as she sent a murderous look at the elderly woman.

" This is just another one of her over dramatic episodes! Why would you bother, she's fine!" Yoru shot back. " The girl is clearly faking it."

" You're telling me a teen girl is somehow faking cardiac arrhythmias and pupil distortion? She's practically gone into shock!" The third medic snapped causing Yoru to inwardly flinch.

" How could you say something like that about your own daughter?"

" That girl is not my daughter!" Yoru scoffed, deeply offended. " I am just her guardian."

" Not true." Akira said standing straightening his coat. Yoru watched as he turned and pinned her with a disgusted look. She wanted to slap that look right off his smug face.

" What do you mean, Akira? I am clearly her stepmother! Have you suffered a blow to the head?" Yoru said hoping to make him give up whatever

" Unfortunately, you are the poor girl's stepmother. That much is true." Akira sighed before pulling out a folded piece of paper from his jacket. " However, that does not make you Himawari's guardian."

" WHAT!" Yoru screeched, balling her fists up in rage. Her eyes were glued to the document in Akira's hand. What is he up to? She thought hatefully.

" This form here simply states that Himawari's guardianship has been temporarily granted to the Morinozuka family's head, i.e. me." Akira said before handing the paperwork to the paramedics. " This means any and all matters regarding the girl falls to me for decisions.

That sneaky bastard! Yoru thought angrily. So that's why he's been so insistent on seeing Inei!

" What are you waiting for? Time is of the essence, take her to the trauma center!" The head of the Morinozuka's snapped to the medic who quickly handed the form to Akira and gestured for his team to move out.

" How dare you tell such lies, Akira! There's no way you are Himawari's guardian!" Yoru screeched before she stormed toward him. Maybe he's lying! She thought. There's no way that Inei is coherent enough to sign a form like that!

" Why would I lie?" Akira scoffed as he handed the form to Shion.

" You would require Inei's approval for it and there is no way he-"

" Master Inei's signature is written here, Madam. It's clear as day." Shion said as a rare smile flashed across her aged face.

" Give me that, you old hag!" Yoru snatched the form from the house keeper and paled as she read it. There at the very bottom had been her husband's signature. As strong and steady as it had been prior to his illness. " How shameful of you, Akira! Forcing a deathly ill man to sign something like this when he's clearly not in his right mind."

" I can assure you, Inei is as sound of mind as he was on the day he proposed to Ayame." Akira said caused searing hatred to surge through Yoru at the mention of Inei's first wife.

That fucking bastard! She thought as she remembered just how much Akira had supported Inei's first marriage to Ayame. She also remembered how much he had tried to dissuade her own marriage to him. She remembered how he had constantly insisted that she couldn't be trusted. How he was persistent in his thoughts that she would ruin Inei's relationship with his only child.

However, Yoru knew just how vulnerable and trusting Inei had been after Ayame's passing. Akira had suspected that Yoru had somehow been behind Ayame's accident.

However, he hadn't the ability to prove it. Inei had been so desperate to find a mother figure for his daughter that he had fallen right into her claws. He had completely disregarded the caution his long term friend had been trying to give him.

Yoru stiffened when she saw Akira lean causally forward. A chill ran through her at his next sentence. " I know everything, Yoru."

Liar! She thought as she desperately tried to keep her face blank. There's no way you could know!

" I know that you have been poisoning Inei and I know exactly what you have been doing to Himawari."

" I-I-I-I-" Panic flooded her at his allegation. How had he found out? She had covered her tracks as much as possible.

Bastard! Yoru thought as she realized he must have stolen the tea residue on one of his visits with Inei lately. She knew she should have refused to allow him into that room. He had refused to allow her to monitor the visit. The bastard had even locked her out of the room!

" E-Excuse me, madam." A maid said cautiously as she entered the room. " The police are here to speak with you."

" YOU CONTACTED THE POLICE!" Yoru screeched as she rounded on Shion, causing the elderly woman to freeze.

" No, madam! I only contacted EMS."

" THEN IT WAS YOU!" Yoru yelled now whirling at Akira. That son of a bitch! She thought as she glared hatefully at the handsome man before.

" I did not."

" DON'T LIE TO ME, AKIRA! IF IT WASN'T THAT HAG THEN WHO ELSE IT COULD IT BE!"

" It was me, Yoru."

Yoru felt her heart slam to an abrupt stop and she heard the sound of a disgusted baritone voice ring out.

It can't be! She thought as her breath caught in her chest. She willed herself not to turn around, not wanting to confirm her worst fear.

" Who is that?" She heard the little boy who had come with Himawari whisper to someone curiously.

" Go ahead, Yoru." Akira smirked, how she wanted to smack the look right off his handsome face. " Turn around to greet him. Just as a loving wife should."

No…he couldn't be well enough to leave his bed! Yoru thought weakly as she continued to lock eyes with Akira. She noticed just how sweaty her palms had become and how dry her throat was.

Finally when she couldn't take it anymore, she turned around slowly. The simple movement alone made it seem as though her knees were about to give out from under her.

Sitting there in the entry way in a wheel chair was a pale man around Akira's age. He had light brown hair with flecks of grey. Emaciation from neglect had caused deep lined to form around his handsome face. Deep purple eyes shone with hatred from that handsome face.

" Glad you could join us, old friend." Akira said causing Yoru to whimper.

" I-Inei darling, you're out of bed."

" Inei-san?" Mori said in disbelief.

" I would like an explanation as to what exactly is going on inside my house." Inei said, his hands clenched in rage.

Yoru was at a loss for words as an officer stepped beside Inei and stated. " You're the one who called us, sir?"

" That woman there has been poisoning me for years as a way to control my household and company. While I was bed bound she was actively abusing my daughter. Forcing her into servitude in the so called name of bridal training."

" Is there proof?" The officer asked.

" I have medical records that are all conclusive with toxicology." Inei said calmly, his purple eyes never once leaving Yoru's fear riddled ones. " I am certain you will find bruises in several different stages of healing upon my daughter."

" As well as signs of malnutrition from denial of meals." Akira said causing Kameko to call out from the doorway.

" Himawari is anorexic! Her being thin is because she refuses to eat! Not because we refuse to feed her!"

" That is correct, officer." Miisya chimed in as an attempt to lend credibility to her mistress' claims.

" Then why is it that she eats every meal served to her at our house?" Akira asked coolly. " The girl behaves like she is starving at every single meal that was served."

" You all will need to come to the station to give a statement." The officer said calmly as he then took out a set of cuffs before making his way to Yoru. " Ma'am, you will need to come with us."

" WHAT! WHY!" Yoru screeched as he placed one cuff against her wrist. " HOW DARE YOU! YOU HAVE NO PROOF! UNHAND ME!"

—

" And who are you to the patient, young man?" A nurse asked as she escorted Mori towards a private room.

" I'm her…" Mori broke off, not being able to bring himself to say the word. Was he still her fiancé? Was that something he deserved to be?

He felt like he didn't deserve her.

How could he let her be poisoned?

How had he let that happen?

It was his job to protect her and he had failed her.

" Young man, do you have an adult here with you?" The nurse asked quickly as she noticed the change in his grey eyes. " I really shouldn't let you in to see her unsupervised."

" Why?" He asked, tensing at the implication of her words. " How bad is she?"

" Are you family?" The nurse asked.

" I-"

" I am the young lady's legal guardian and the boy is my son." Akira's voice called out suddenly. The nurse turned to see the man walking towards them.

" The legal guardian?" The nurse said in confusion. " You are Haga Inei?"

" No, I am not."

" Then wh-"

" Due to his problematic health, Inei has had to be hospitalized. He requires someone he trusts to take care of his daughter. To make it simple, he gave me temporary legal custody while he recovers."

" What about her stepmother?"

" She is the reason that the poor girl is in the state she is." Akira stated calmly. " That woman, along with her daughter and a few others, have been added to your charge nurse's list of those who are not permitted onto this property. Nor are they authorized to receive updates on Himawari's health progress."

The nurse blinked in shock at his words before he continued. " Now, if you'll excuse us, we are here to see Himawari."

Akira placed his hand comfortingly onto Mori's shoulder before steering him towards a private room that did not have a patient name listed.

Only the words: Trauma Lily.

Akira noticed Mori's gaze locked on the sign. " It's for privacy. I requested that we don't tell anyone that she is here. Only those who need to know know."

" Trauma?"

" That was the classification to which she was brought into the hospital." Akira said giving his son's shoulder a reassuring squeeze.

He saw Mori frequently clench and unclench his fists as his gaze was fixated on the sign.

" Takashi…" Akira said softly. When his son hadn't responded he forced him to turn and face him. " Takashi, I need you to listen to me. This was not your fault."

When he didn't respond, Akira responded. " This was not something you could've prevented. Whatever happened the night of the ball-"

" If I hadn't gone into the garden or if I had known she was coming-"

" If I had stepped in sooner to find Inei's cure it may have saved both he and Himawari years of suffering." Akira said calmly. " It does no one any good to dwell on what ifs. It definitely doesn't help the ones we care about."

His words caused Mori's head and shoulders to droop.

Sighing deeply, Akira placed his hand onto Mori's head, ruffling his hair slightly. " All we can do now is to help them in their recoveries. Be there for them now as best we can."

" Now, let's go see her." His father's voice was soft but resolute.

Firm but reassuring.

Mori felt as though his body moved on its own as they reached the sliding glass door to the room. His hand shook as he reached for the cold handle and turned it.

The soft sounds of various types of beeping reached their ears as the door slowly slid open. Time itself seemed to slow down as he pulled back the privacy curtain to reveal the scene before them.

The room was lit with soft white lights, set on a dimmer. The walls were painted in varying shades of white and soft grey tones. On the wall to their right was an oil painting of a bowl of fruits.

The room's lone window was located to the far back beside a door leading to what Mori presumed was the bathroom. The heavy scent of antibiotics and other medicines hung in the air.

His grey eyes scanned the room, taking in every single minor detail before they finally landed on the bed.

Where she lay.

Where she looked so very pale and lifeless.

A tube was inserted into her mouth and was connected to a small machine attached to a pole to the left of the bed. Every time it beeped, he saw her chest rise and fall slightly. Several smaller tubes attached either to the respirator or to IVs led to various poles off to the side or to the wall behind her.

" Hima…" Mori whispered, not registering the comforting squeeze his father once more gave his shoulder.

Akira gently guided his son towards the bed, taking note of the medications that were hanging from the poles. Out of the corner of his eye, he saw his son reach hesitantly for Himawari's pale hand.

Her hand is so cold. Mori thought as he had finally willed himself to take it. He looked down at her small hand. It was almost completely swallowed up inside his own. He was always amazing at just how delicately she and Haruhi were.

Taking a step closer, he felt his knees give out, making contact with the floor. Bringing her hand to his lips, he gave it a soft kiss. He gazed hopefully up at her. Her dark eyelashes resting peacefully against her ashen cheek.

" Please Hima…" He whispered weakly. " Please wake up."

Mori's never took his eyes off of Himawari. He didn't notice the notice when the nurses came in periodically to change the IV fluids or the respiratory tech who checked the respirator settings. He didn't notice how much time had passed or that the no longer had any feeling in his legs.

He didn't feel the constant, never ending vibrations from the cellphone in his pockets. The missed calls from his friends, brother and Honey. He didn't even notice when the doctor came in to give his father an update on her health.

He just kept his eyes locked on the small figure in the bed next to him. He was afraid that if he concentrated on anything other than her, she would disappear and he'd never be able to find her again.

So he had not registered the doctor informing his father that they had been able to properly identify the poison that had been mixed into the tea. He had not heard that if the antidote they had given her at the manor had been delayed any much longer, Himawari would have died.

He didn't hear the doctor begin to list the potential side effects that exposure to the poison could bring about.

He hadn't heard the doctor mention the word: infertility.