Author: Greeting everyone! I hope everyone is surviving the winter storm. Where I live in the southern US, we are expecting 3 inches. We ended up only receiving barely an inch. However, I hope veryone stayed safe and warm. 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!

—

" Are there any updates on how Haga-senpai, Honey-senpai?" Hikaru asked the small blonde a few weeks later.

" She's still unconscious…" Honey said as he hugged his stuffed rabbit, Usa-chan, sadly. " Still on the respirator."

" Is there any progress?" Hikaru asked worriedly.

" She's off of the medication drips…and they changed the type of tube feed to a higher calorie content. Now that her stomach has healed from the effects of the poison, it will be better for her."

" And Mori-senpai?" Haruhi asked, setting a plate of strawberry cake down beside Honey.

" Takashi goes there every day to see Hime-chan. He takes care of her feeding when he's there, cleaning her face and hair. Brushes her hair. Makes sure she's comfortable."

" How are you, Honey-senpai?" Haruhi asked causing the blonde to blink in surprise. " Haga-senpai is your friend, Honey-senpai. This must be exceptionally hard on you as well."

Honey tighten his hold around Usa-chan as tears began to prick his eyes. " I want Hime-chan to wake up. I want her to wake up so that she can make up with Takashi. I want her to wake up so that she can make more delicious tea that we can have when we eat sweets together." He paused for a moment to take a deep calming breath.

" Hime-chan and Takashi have to get married too. Yoru and Kameko can't break them up!" Honey continued firmly. " ...and…I think you, Renge-chan and Reiko-chan would become good friends with Hime-chan, Haru-chan."

Haruhi blinked in surprise at Honey's statement. She was flattered that he thought so much of her that he wanted her to become closer to a person he thought so much of.

" Did you spend a lot of time with Haga-senpai, Honey-senpai?" Kyoya curiously.

" Hime-chan makes really good tea." Honey sighed. " When I had a toothache and Takashi wouldn't let me eat cakes and other sweeties, she made me this special blend to help with the swelling and pain. She showed me how to make it naturally sweet so it wouldn't cause such damage to my mouth."

" Her knowledge of Herbology is truly something to be appreciated." Kyoya said, pushing his glasses upwards with a finger.

You're probably thinking about how you can use it to earn money, you rich jerk. Haruhi thought as she saw a calculating glint to his eyes.

" I'm concerned." Tamaki said causing the group to look up at him. " How could Haga-senpai have been so easily poisoned? Why was something like that so carelessly left out so that it could be mixed into the heiress' drink?"

The group fell silent at their presidents words. He made a good point.

Why would the Haga family carry poisons around their home if they were simply in the tea business.

" Boss, was that really something to a-"

" It's worth questioning! Why would a company that makes tea, whether simply for pleasure or medicinal carry dangerous plants like that on the premises?" Tamaki demanded causing Honey to flinch.

" Tamaki-senpai, that's none of your business! Is it really something that you should-"

" IT IS SOMETHING I SHOULD BE CONCERNED WITH, HARUHI!" Tamaki shouted causing the brunette to freeze. " IT'S IRRESPONSIBLE FOR THEM TO LEAVE SOMETHING SO DANGEROUS OUT TO BE MIXED IN! YOU SEE WHAT HAS HAPPENED TO HAGA-SENPAI! WHAT IF THAT HAD BEEN YOU THAT HAD DRANK THAT POISON!"

The club members fell silent at his outburst.

It had occurred to them just how narrowly Haruhi had come to possibly being in Himawari situation.

" Why did you even have to be there that day." Tamaki whispered, his handsome face drastically pale at the mere thought of what could have happened to the brunette.

" I ran into Haga-senpai and her friend on the train. They didn't know how to get to the train station closest to her neighborhood."

" But why did you have to go inside her house?" Tamaki asked weakly.

" Because Haga-senpai wanted to thank me for helping them. Is it so strange that someone would want to thank a person who helped them? Haga-senpai knows that I am friends with Honey-senpai and Mori-senpai. She may have been lonely or just thankful for my help! You'll never truly know her reasons for inviting m-

" Maybe she wanted to hurt someone that Mori-senpai cared about as a way to get back at him for his perceived infi-"

WHAM!

" HONEY-SENPAI!" The twins yelped as the small blonde had sent a nearby coffee table flying into the wall.

Shattering it completely.

" Be careful with what you say next, Kyo-chan." Honey said dangerous, his auburn eyes narrowed dangerously.

" That table was valued at ¥4,000,000, Honey-senpai." Kyoya said calmly.

Does the money value really matter right now, Kyoya-senpai? Haruhi thought, her brown eyes wide in shock at Honey's outburst.

" Hime-chan would never purposely hurt Haru-chan." Honey said firmly, his tone becoming resolute. " Those herbs being there isn't something that is out of the normal for Oji-san's household."

" That doesn't make sense, why would those who want to heal ha-" Hikaru froze as realization dawned on him.

" For a group dedicated to healing, they have to understand how deadly herbs work so they can counteract it." Kaoru said quickly. " Looks like you were wrong, Kyoya-senpai!"

Honey avoided the group's eyes at Kaoru's proposed theory, which did not go unnoticed.

" Honey-senpai?" Haruhi said, placing a comforting hand onto the small blonde's shoulder. " What is it you're not telling us?"

" Hime-chan's family doesn't just study the plants for medicinal purposes or to find out how to counteract a poison." Honey said as his shoulder's drooped. He looked around nervously, as if worried the wrong person would overhear him.

" I have ensured that the clubhouse has the country's best anti-surveillance technology possible." Kyoya said calmly. " Also, the club is closed today so we should not be expecting any clientele to show up."

Who would want to monitor a High School Club? Haruhi thought grumpily.

" They used to supply toxic materials to those of…not so nice careers." Honey said quietly.

" Toxic materials?" Tamaki said in confusion.

" Poisons, boss." Kaoru said quickly.

" Some real underworld type stuff." Hikaru said, his amber eyes wide.

" So…not so nice careers must mean…" Haruhi looked over to see the twins who simultaneously draw a finger across their throats.

" Some rather unsavory characters would require various different kinds of poisons." Kyoya said calmly. " Plants tend to leave less of the presence in the blood stream. Many can often be untraceable. Perfect for the Underworld life."

" So they just keep poisons lying around the family estate?" Tamaki asked. " That's dangerous, what if someone were to accidentally ingest it? Haga-senpai grew up there, what if she would've come across something like that when she was little and consumed it?"

Honey shifted uncomfortably at the question.

" Honey-senpai?"

" What else are you not saying, Honey-senpai?" Haruhi asked as she saw the blonde try to avoid eye contact.

" Has something like this happened previously?" Tamaki asked causing the upperclassman to fidget.

" Not exactly."

" What does that mean?" Haruhi asked.

" Hime-chan has a really good immunity to poisons and other toxins…" Honey said as he shifted awkwardly.

" Like, naturally?" Kaoru asked. " Like when someone receives the smallpox vaccine and they never develop the sore? They are often said to have a natural immunity."

" Not quite…" Honey said as he pulled Usa-chan against him. " …more like it was acquired via repeated exposure."

" WHAAAAAT!" The group yelled in unison.

—

Mori entered Himawari's private room, lightly setting his bag down in a nearby chair. The scent of the hospital room no longer bothered him. Granted, he hoped that he would never have to smell it again. He nodded politely to the nurse who was standing beside the bed, writing something down on her clipboard.

" Good Afternoon, Takashi-kun." The nurse cheerily. " How was your day today?"

" It was fine." He said calmly as he made his way to the bedside.

Himawari lay there peacefully, if she did not have the breathing tube in, she would have appeared to have been sleeping.

Reaching over, he brushed a stray lock of hair away from her cheek.

" She did better today." The nurse said, a smile forming on her face as she pretended to not see the gesture. " She was able to have all her feeds so far without any issues. All her vitals signs have been stable and we even reduced the vent down to almost nothing. When she wakes, we should be able to extubate fairly easily."

Mori nodded as he continued to stroke Himawari's cheek lightly, his grey eyes locked onto the rhythm of her breathing.

" Well, I'll give you some privacy." The nurse said as she made her way towards the door. " Remember to hit the call light if you need anything."

" Alright." Mori said as he took the seat beside the bed.

That young man treats her so gently. The nurse thought. It makes me think of those sweet old married couples that dote on each other constantly.

He looked down at Himawari's restrained hand and took it gently into his. " When was the last time they gave you a break from these?" He asked his fiancee softly. He reached down and carefully undid the restraint.

Under normal circumstances, the nursing staff would not have allowed a family member to undo a intubated patient's restraints, but Mori had proved himself competent enough.

Mori gently massaged the muscles of her wrist and rotated. He sighed quietly before bringing her small hand to his mouth.

Wake up, Hima. He thought wistfully. I promise I'll protect you. I'll make sure you never doubt that I only want you. I'll make sure you're safe.

Sighing, he closed his eyes and just sat there. He had never felt helpless before.

The Morinozuka family name held so much power and respect that he never had been in a situation that he couldn't manage.

However, he couldn't do anything to help right now. He couldn't do anything for her.

" Hima…please…" He pleaded softly, squeezing her small hand with his own. " …wake u-"

Mori froze when he felt a small squeeze in return. He didn't dare to breath for fear that he had imagined it.

He gave her hand another light squeeze only to receive one in return.

" Hima?"

His grey eyes were locked onto his fiancee. On the steady rise and fall of her chest. How her long eyelashes resting peacefully onto her porcelain cheek.

—

Himawari felt as though she was being crushed by a pile of cement.

Her body felt overwhelmingly heavy.

She couldn't remember what had happened that may have caused it.

What she did remember was the argument with Yoru and how Miisya had served she and her friend's tea. Next thing she knew it had become hard to breathe and then there was screaming.

A pair of strong arms had wrapped around her and she had thought she had heard Mori's voice calling out to her.

Everything was black and every inch of her felt as though a thousand pounds was pressing down onto her.

She felt someone stroking her cheek gently.

She could hear muffled voices off in the distance.

She had wanted to call out to them but something was stopping her.

Her throat felt raw.

It was as if something was stuck in and she couldn't remove it. Her limbs felt as though someone was pulling on them.

" When was the last time they gave you a break from these?"

That voice sounded very familiar.

It was very warm.

Very soothing.

It felt like voice was calling to her.

She wanted to reach out to that voice but she couldn't.

Her voice was muffled.

It just wouldn't come out.

She felt something warm enveloping around her hand. The comforting scent of amber and leather filled her nose as it had several times recently.

" Hima…please…"

The voice was so deep and soothing. She wanted to follow it.

The warmth around her hand increased as she felt something soft brush against her palm.

It felt nice.

" …T-Takashi?" She whispered, his name flowed so easily to her lips. She missed seeing those grey eyes staring kindly down at her. Missed the feel of his warmth surrounding her.

She suddenly felt a light squeeze around her hand.

" …wake up."

Wake up? She thought in irritation.

She was trying to but everything felt so heavy.

Her head felt dizzy too.

The entire world around her spun and she could hear some annoying beeping sounds off into the distance.

" Hima…please…"

I'm trying! She thought as the annoying sound kept growing louder and louder.

She felt the warmth squeeze her hand again.

Mori's voice seemed as if he was so close. She needed to follow it. Maybe she if she were able to squeeze her hand in return, it would help her to move.

All she had to do was move the muscles in her hand.

Just move! She thought as she stared down at the limb, her purple eyes narrowing. This shouldn't be that hard, damn it! MOVE!

Her hand twitched.

YES! She thought as she tried again, her heart pounding wildly.

" Hima?"

I'M HERE! TAKASHI! She thought as that obnoxious beeping sound became louder and louder.

It seemed like whenever her heart beat faster, the sound became louder.

More rapid.

More chaotic.

The squeezing feeling around her hand happened again, a bit more forcefully this time.

SQUEEZE! Himawari thought forcing her nerves to contract the muscles of her hand.

" HIMA!" Mori's voice was so close now and now she thought she could even make out his silhouette.

It was blurry but if she strained her eyes, she could see him.

The beeping was so loud now, it practically drowned out his voice.

The feel of something being stuck in her throat was more prevalent now.

She didn't like it at all.

She wanted it out.

She tried to pull whatever it was out, but her limbs wouldn't move. It was like she was being restrained.

" Shhh Hima," Mori's soothing voice came to her ears again.

How could he try to calm her down? He wasn't the one with something shoved down his throat! His limbs weren't being restrained. He didn't have something stuck in his throat.

If she could, she'd smack him upside his handsome face.

" Hima, it's alright, I'm-NURSE!"

All of a sudden, a blinding white light hurt her eyes and she could feel a bone breakingly strong squeeze to her right.

" What is it, Takashi-kun?" A concerned female voice wrung out from her left.

" HIMA, IT'S ALRIGHT!"

She felt a warm calloused hand caress her cheek soothingly.

" She's awake?!" The female voice said in confusion. " SHE'S AWAKE! SOMEONE PAGE THE DOCTOR!"

Why was everyone so freaked out?

She had been awake all along, right?

How could she sleep with something stuck in her throat after all!

" Hima, it's alright."

The sound of Mori's voice was comforting in a way.

" You have a tube in your throat, love." She felt a calloused hand strong her cheek soothingly. His grey eyes filled with disbelief. " You were asleep for so long, love. They were worried if we took it out, you wouldn't be able to breathe."

" She truly is awake." Mori heard a disbelieving voice from behind say.

" Take this stupid tube out right now!" Mori demanded as he saw the panicked look in her lavender eyes.

" We-"

" DO IT NOW!" Mori yelled as he watched terror fluctuate in her eyes.

" PREPARE TO EXTUBATE!" The doctor called to the respiratory technician who moved quickly to the side of the bed.

" Don't worry, love." Mori said in a reassuring tone, his thumb gently stroking her cheek. " They're going to remove the tube. I'm not going to leave you." He squeezed her hand in reassurance. " I promise, love."

He watched her relax weakly as the weight of his words finally registered.

He saw worry flash through her eyes when a team of workers stormed into her room. The beeping from her cardiac monitor becoming more erratic.

" Look at me, love." He said gently, continuing to stroke her cheek. He felt his face soften in a smile as he watched her. " I am not going anywhere, Hima. I'm here."