Disclaimer: Again, it's not mine.

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Chapter 16:

Tohru wasn't even thinking clearly when she found herself wrapped in Kyou's arms, just far enough away from his body to prohibit his transformation. Her throat stung and her head throbbed from smacking into the floor tiles, but she couldn't even remember any of her physical hurts. The only thing on her mind was what had happened to Yuki. He was gone, just like that, no warning, no nothing. Tohru knew that she would have been just as upset if Kyou was locked away as was Akito's original plan, but she thought that there would have been some good possible outcome. She thought that if Kyou had won than everyone would have been okay, Yuki and Kyou would have been treated differently.

But she was wrong. Akito still wouldn't accept Kyou as a member of the family and Yuki was back in his cage. Tohru couldn't even stop the horrible streaming tears that ran down her cheeks. She had tried so hard to make everyone happy but they were all even more miserable, and she couldn't help but feel that it was her fault. If it weren't for Kyou's firm grip on her shoulders she would have slumped over like a ragdoll and wept herself to exhaustion.

"Hey," a voice intoned next to her ear. "We need to get out of here. I don't want him to change his mind and taking you back in there. Let's go home." Kyou's deep crimson eyes were intent yet kind. He knew that she was shaken to her core and frankly so was he. If they could go home and get some rest then she could heal and he could think about what they had to do.

Tohru's nod gave him permission to lead her back down the hall towards the exit, holding her at his side and perhaps handling her too gently. She seemed to be walking fine, but that nasty welt on her neck was all he could look at. Fingerprints were emblazoned on her as if Akito's fingers branded her as his own. Kyou did his best to return her timid smile. Anything to keep her from worrying too much.

"I'll drive you all home." Hatori fell in beside Kyou and Tohru as they passed him. All of the Jyuunishi were lining the walls of the long corridor, as if they weren't sure if Akito's orders to leave had meant just his audience chamber or the building as well. The way they hovered and stared was irritating Kyou to no end. They had all just watched and done nothing when Akito was strangling her.

Kyou merely frowned and continued to walk down the hall. Not surprisingly, Hatori picked up on his anger and began walking with Shigure behind him, whispering about something. Putting the secretive older men out of his mind, Kyou went back to glaring at his other cousins. They all had identical looks of confusion, as if they wanted to say something but didn't know what exactly. They were best ignored.

At the end of the hallway stood Kazuma, looking much different than the people around him. He was solemn, not startled, arms crossed and looking straight ahead. He didn't say anything when Kyou and Tohru passed him on the way out, he just shot Kyou a pregnant stare. Kyou wasn't sure what that meant, precisely, but he held his head higher and tried to remove the worry from his face. His Shishou was fond of giving that look to him when as a child he had moped around or not focused enough.

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Hatsuharu held Rin's hand tightly as they strode across the Sohma estate to a familiar location. After Kyou and Tohru had left in Hatori's car with Shigure everyone had silently split up and gone their separate ways, some in groups and some individually. Well, Kazuma was the only one who had really left by himself. Ayame had tried to but Ritsu had followed him out like a lost puppy. Hiro and Kisa had left together before Haru could grab them. The rest were with him.

Now he led a tiny group to an old tree on the corner of a large field. It was a spot that they had congregated at as children to discuss things, under the guise of playing in the field. Kyou had been a member of that secret group also, the group that knew of the tree. Yuki of course hadn't because he was kept so secluded from all of them after his mother had given him to Akito as a plaything. The other two members of the tree club were behind he and Rin.

"Kagura, it's okay, we'll find a way to get Yuki out," Momiji said comfortingly, patting the crying girl on the back. The moment they had gotten outside she had started sobbing, and Momiji had been trying unsuccessfully to get her to stop, but she hadn't even told them why yet.

Haru leaned back against the tree and pulled Rin into his arms. There was no chance of being spotted too close together here, and Rin was making him fret with her pensive silence. "Kagura-nee, crying isn't helping." At his firm words she wiped the tears from his eyes and lowered his head ashamedly. "Let's think about this for a minute."

Scuffing his shoes in the hard dirt, Momiji waited for Haru to continue. Ever since they were small children they had listened to the Ox. He had a way of protecting them that they all found calming. As children and as adolescents they had to rely on him for support when the older cousins weren't around; Kagura was too emotional, Rin too quiet, Kyou too temperamental, and he himself not taken seriously enough. He wanted his cousins to believe him more of a silly little kid so he spoke up. "Haru, we really just need to be there for Tohru right now. She's going to be sad about Yuki, but we can't be sad, too. She hides her grief too much. If we're sad, too, then she'll be depressed. Let's just be happy around her, and not act like there's something wrong."

Nodding, Haru smiled at his shorter cousin. Rin was looking at him with a subtle encouragement and Kagura even had a light in her watery eyes. "Yeah, you're right. She is good at pretending everything is okay when it's not. If we're all overbearingly cautious around her she's just going to think that we're upset and she'll worry even more."

"It's not good for her to do that. It will wreak havoc on her health."

He knew Rin was speaking from experience with those words. "Exactly." Haru rubbed her back and smiled at her to let her know he understood. "What do you guys think if we visit her in a couple days. Nothing extravagant or anything, just for dinner or something."

Now Kagura was smiling. "Yes," she said excitedly as she pulled her fists up under her chin. "We'll go for dinner and to see if she's all right, but we won't treat her like a baby."

"Maybe we can play a game or something and bring her ice cream," Momiji laughed, joining in her exuberance.

Haru looked down into Rin's eyes and smiled. He was broken up inside about Yuki locked away in that cage that had haunted him since childhood, but his pain would be felt by himself alone. Everyone else that he was close to deserved to be happy. As usual, Haru would be upset on his own time. Somehow he would think of a way to get his dearest friend out of Akito's prison, and then he would take Yuki under his wing like he had Rin and he wouldn't let anything hurt them ever again.

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Filling up his own cup with tea and then offering one to his guest, Ayame leaned back in the plush couch at his shop. He wasn't sure why he had allowed Ritsu to follow him to his shop, but he just couldn't turn the fidgeting man down. Ritsu hadn't said anything at all after Ayame told him he was free to come back to his shop for tea, but he knew that the invitation had settled the other man's nerves some. Perhaps it had settled his a bit, too. It was nice to know that someone admired him.

"Aya-niisan," the nervous Monkey stammered, "I know that I don't have much to do with the family, because I'm such a burden on all of you, but I wanted you to know that I'm very, very sorry for your brother. He was a nice person, and he was always kind to me even though I didn't deserve it and-"

"Is," Ayame corrected, cutting his younger cousin off. "He is still a nice person. The best type of person, really, smart and kind and wonderful." He looked into his teacup and spoke in a subdued tone. "I'm sure he will come out of this as strong as ever."

Ayame felt as though he had failed his dear younger brother. He had vowed that he would never abandon Yuki again, yet here he was sitting casually in his own store while Yuki rotted away in Akito's cage. He felt as though everything he had worked for with his brother was meaningless all because he had watched idly while Yuki was taken away again. Even so, he knew in his heart that Yuki would be fine just like he normally was and he would get out of everything soon. Above all else Ayame believed in Yuki.

"I'm very sorry, Aya-niisan! I didn't mean it like that! I'm such a fool! Please forgive me!"

Laughing, Ayame set down his cup and stood. "Don't worry yourself so much. Would you like to look at some of our new line? There's an aubergine that would set off your skin tone nicely. And you simply must tell me about your new relationship with Mit-chan. Shigure won't give me any of the romantic details, although I'm sure he's heard some from her. No, no, don't look like that, I think she is a trustworthy woman, but if we are to find her a garment to fulfill all of your male fantasies then you must divulge some information. Does she like blue? She would look absolutely glowing in a royal blue with soft key lime accents. How about a nurse uniform? No, that's far too cliché for a fashionable man like yourself to fully enjoy. I have just the thing! A naughty businesswoman! All work by day but by night a vixen when she slips out of her suit to reveal the most delectable garter and corset set! Yes! Mine-chan! Come out here and let's discuss an outfit for my dear cousin, Ritsu to give to his new sexual conquest!"

Ritsu's eyes got wider and wider as Ayame threw himself completely into a tirade about a present for Mii. His cheeks were hot and his breath was short just thinking about half of the things he suggested. When Mine came out of the back room in something that he couldn't describe as clothing all he could do was faint.

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"Do you think Oneechan is okay?"

Hiro was surprised to finally hear Kisa speak. She hadn't said one word or even looked at him since everything had happened. She had just followed him to his house and up into his bedroom where they say on his floor and he waited for something to happen. She still hadn't looked at him but had her knees drawn up and her head down on them, hair shielding her beautiful tiger-eyes from his view. "Hatori said she would be."

Kisa rolled her head to the side finally and looked at him sideways. "But she was so hurt. And Yuki Oniichan got taken away. What's going to happen to him?"

Frankly, Hiro could care less. As long as Kisa was safe nothing else mattered to him, but he knew that she wasn't going to be happy until she felt reassured, and her happiness was almost as vital as her safety to him. "She got up and walked away, so she's fine, like I said. If you want we can go visit her sometime this week." At Kisa's smile he was glad that he had refrained from calling her some insulting name and just stuck with 'her.' "Yuki can take care of himself. He won't be in there forever. You know Akito likes him."

"But, Hiro-chan, Akito sounded so angry with him. What if he does bad things to him?" She had fully lifted her head now and he could hear the frenzy in her tone. Kisa was always concerning herself with everyone else.

"I'm sure that he will get out eventually. We…we just have to let the others deal with that." The last came out bitterly. He hated admitting when he was helpless to do something, but in this case he really was. There wasn't anything a couple of middle schoolers could do to break a curse or free someone from a person like Akito. They barely got any time to themselves as it was. Someone was always watching over their shoulders waiting for them to do something cute or inappropriate or whatever it was they thought he and Kisa did together. No one understood that he loved her! He wasn't being mushy or trying to corrupt her, damnit! The only reason he even got her into his room was because his ditzy mother was at some doctor's appointment with her new baby. Otherwise they were lucky to be able to hug without some obnoxious person seeing them.

Kisa still wasn't saying anything so Hiro took the initiative and put his hand on hers. The contact was meant to comfort her, but he could tell that it made her nervous by her blush. He cursed himself for blushing as well. "Let's think about something else. We'll worry about them later."

"I can't do that," Kisa squeaked, balancing on the edge of crying and not.

If there was one thing that wasn't going to happen it was Kisa crying. He hated that above all else. Thinking quickly, he stuffed his arm around her back and pulled her close to him, resting his head on top of hers. Such close contact was almost stifling in its ability to make his heart beat a million times per second, but it was nice at the same time. Mustering up all of his courage, Hiro kissed the top of Kisa's head, then when she looked up at him with wide eyes he kissed her forehead and drew his head away. Kisa was smiling at him and he became a bit emboldened.

Leaning down awkwardly he rested his lips on hers, less scared than their tiny kisses of the past had been. Instead of one second this one lasted ten. It felt soft and gentle and sweet and hundreds of other things that he would normally be humiliated to feel. Afterwards he hugged her strongly, feeling her arms cling to his neck as she finally let out all of the tears that she had been holding in. Hiro just stroked her back and reveled in the redness of his cheeks.

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The floor tiles leapt up to meet his face as he fell against them. He took his beating like he always had, voiceless and docile. His thoughts were elsewhere than on the bruises and cuts and lumps that marred his entire body by now. That was the only way to get through the pain.

Thoughts went back to his younger cousin, the one that turned into a Rat. The boy had been shaking with fear and he had been forced to physically put him in the closed room. He hadn't said anything to the boy, but he thought that was probably all right. He didn't think that Yuki had been aware of anything around him, either. Once they had exited Akito's chamber after the fight he had changed completely, becoming scared and almost panicky. Walking down to the locked room had taken some time, but Kureno didn't push him.

Another harsh kick landed on his side, this time evoking a grunt. No, he had let the boy walk at his own frightened pace and even smiled the best he could at him as he shut the door. Immediately after the door had slammed home a wail was heard from inside and Kureno had shook his head. Silence was always the best answer. He remembered Yuki calling out like that as a boy sometimes, too. He hadn't spoken to Yuki much then, but he had been curious as to why Akito had liked him so much. Maybe it was because he was the Rat. Kureno had no idea.

"Get up you filthy traitor!"

Kureno did as he was told and stood only to be struck down once again. This time he watched as blood spattered out across the floor. Maybe it was from his mouth or nose. He couldn't tell.

The only thing that made Kureno really sad was that poor girl. If everyone hadn't been so obvious in their adoration for her then she wouldn't have gotten hurt. He hadn't realized until earlier that day that Yuki and the girl were involved in some way. Chastising Yuki mentally for allowing her to be harmed, his thoughts went to Arisa.

The blood was definitely from his mouth. He could feel the trickle from his lip now. Perhaps his tooth had gone through it. That had happened once before and he bore a small scar. Of course that was years ago, but he still recalled the feeling of it. Yes, that's definitely what had happened.

If Arisa were ever put in harms way he would have fought harder. That seemed slightly out of character for him, but so did his relationship with her in general. After that day that they had made love, his thoughts were constantly on her. Perhaps that was why he had thrown himself at Akito. To save that girl, imagining it was Arisa. Some fit had overtaken him and he wasn't sure what. He had felt alive when he did that, just like he had felt alive when he and Arisa had lain together in his bed, bodies intertwined in fits of love. That's exactly what it was; it made him feel alive and out of control. Those were the only things that he could ever remember doing just on impulse and he had to admit that he rather enjoyed them. He didn't want to make Akito cross with him, but physical blows were a small price to pay for saving the girl from what he might have done.

Suddenly he realized the blows had stopped. Akito was sprawled on the floor, head down and fists beating wildly. "Why have you all left me?!" he shouted. "You can't leave me! I am in control here! You are all insolent, unappreciative heathens!" Kureno was stunned to hear that he was sobbing and he felt a pang of guilt. "Don't you know what I go through for all of you? You should obey me and love me. You will obey me and love me!"

Kureno crawled to his master's side and sifted his fingers through Akito's hair just as he liked as a child. That was always how Kureno had lulled him when Akito had cried in his bed at night. No mother had come for him in his tears. Kureno was all he had and now he had betrayed that trust by hiding his love for another and hurting his frail God. "I'm sorry, Akito-sama," he murmured. "Please forgive me. I'm here for you now. Please forgive me."

Akito flashed his oily smile at his most devoted pet and stroked Kureno's hair back, just like he had done as a child when Kureno was lost or confused. His precious Bird was always devoted to him. He wasn't a false friend like Yuki or Hatori, and he didn't leave his master like Shigure had done. Kureno was always there for him. They should all be so kind. "I'm sorry for hurting you. I can't help it when you disobey me. You won't do that anymore, will you?"

"Of course not, Akito-sama."

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A/N: Okay, there's the aftermath for you. The next chapter will be Kyou, Tohru, and Yuki centered, so don't get angry with me for skimping on them this time. Oh, and I apologize to people who have only seen the anime if Kyou appears ooc at all. In the manga he's actually much friendlier and smilier. I guess that's it until next time! Keep on reading and reviewing and I'll have another chapter out probably by next week. I'm on break now so I have more time to write!

Thanks to:

animelubber: Thank you for the compliments! I hope you didn't die waiting for me to update, lol. I had finals and such. And it's definitely a triangle fic and that's all I'm saying ^_^

C.B: This was my face reading your review: hehe ^_~

Zapenstap: Hatori was comical? O_o um, that's cool I guess although I wasn't going for that, persay. And I don't think "nobley" is a word you silly girl!

Merei-chan: It ain't over yet! Don't you worry!

ssj: Well, you did have to wait a while to see what happened next. Humble apologies!

LochNess: Excellent writing? *does a happy dance* Thank you! And you are free to beat Akito with a mallet. Be my guest.

xx Schizoid: Yes, Yuki purposefully lost to save Tohru. Wasn't that princely of him? ^_^

Aisha C: Deep? I like that!

Mina7: Haha, you'll be seeing some kyoruness to counterbalance the yukiruness. Don't worry!

Zanattic: Wow, I seem to attract a lot of comments about spoons, lol. You are an excellent predictor of my story, so I'm not saying much, but thank you so much for your constantly awesome reviews and I'm sorry for the wait!

kyous fan: I'm glad!

Lenn: Yuki and Tohru didn't meet again this chapter, sorry. Nor will they meet next chapter. I guess you just have to read and find out, but the story is far from over. Lalalala, I'm not telling what Gure is up to. And I will try to post 2 more chapters over the break. Hopefully.

Thank you for reading! Reviews are always welcome!