AUTHOR'S NOTE: I do NOT own the characters of Fruits Basket (Natsuki Takaya does) or the song "Angel's Son" (Sevendust does). This one-shot songfic revolves around some spoiler theories (although you don't need any knowledge about the spoilers, I think) about who the ultimate sacrifice will be in order to free the Sohma family from their curse. Note this "spoiler" (if you will call it that) holds no factual truth to the outcome of manga as of now. However, you might want to get a tissue for this fic…

(((Memories like this)))

Angel's Son

I stood on the pathway among the sober mourners. The sun's fingers touched the back of my neck comfortingly. My lovely wife and daughter stayed home without knowledge of my presence there. They believed I was working, earning money to support them and our luxurious lifestyle. Little did they know the truth…

Life is changing
I can't go on without you

I looked around at the other people here. Most of them were the Juunishi members that I had heard so much about despite the fact that I no longer lived "inside". Two brunette women and a small golden haired girl were sobbing softly together, the forth woman with dark cropped hair was leaning up silently next to a rough-looking tall man with white hair and black roots. The remaining men were quiet with solemn expressions on their faces.

Rearranging. I will be strong
I'll stand by you

No one seemed to notice me there, except the doctor, Sohma Hatori. Hatori merely nodded his handsome head, acknowledging my presence. I didn't pay too much attention to him as my eyes were focused on the object before me. I found I couldn't swallow the lump in my throat as I stared at the name written in black characters on the white tombstone:

Sohma Momiji.

My one and only dear son.

(You were fighting everyday)
(So hard to hide the pain)

I hardly knew my little boy, who was so strong in heart and spirit. A smile always played across his face when he was happy, and a frowning brow when he was in deep thought; a laugh that spoke his heart's joy, and a tear shed down his cheeks from pain. He was a boy who loved, and was loved in return.

Despite his joyous personality, the love he could not obtain from the one person who mattered most in his sweet life was absent today:

His mother.

(I know you never said goodbye)
(I had so much left to say)

In spite of my strong will, my eyes prickled as I heard the voice of one of the young brunette girls speak such sentimental words to the memory of my son.

"Congratulations, Momiji-kun," she spoke with tear-filled eyes. She bent down on her knees and gently placed a single white rose dipped lightly in white chocolate on his grave. "You were the key all along, Momiji-kun. You have freed your family from the vengeful spirits that cursed your very life before you were even born. Because of your sacrifice…" she trailed off, burying her flushed face in her hands, unable to continue.

A bluish-grey haired young man gently put a hand on her shoulders. Concern and sadness creased his angelic face. "Honda-san…"

She covered his hand with her own, tears trickling down her cheeks as she stared in anguish at the grave. "I'm sorry Momiji-kun. I couldn't help you…"

One last song
Given to an angel's son
As soon as you were gone

"I'm so sorry," she murmured on. "It should have been me. I'm so sorry…"

As soon as you were gone

I felt hot moisture on my face and a salty taste on my lips as I watched the young woman break down in hysterical tears. I didn't know who this innocent woman was, but she obviously knew my son very well. Whether she knew about Momiji's mother or not was irrelevant; all I needed to know was that she cared deeply about him. Her tears were all the proof I needed to know that she did love him dearly.

I wanted to thank her for her kindness to my son… but I was afraid. If she knew about his past… what would she think of me? I wanted to walk up to her and bow my head in appreciation… but two young men gently helped her to her feet and guided her away from the grave. Through her tears, she never once noticed me.

I wanted to say "Thank you"…

I have a new life now
She lives through you
What can I do?
Feel so alone now
I pray for you
We still love you

My son had always made sacrifices for the people he loved. He was always looking out for someone else despite the level of his own happiness. He gave up himself so his own mother would be happy. He watched over her and his little sister whenever he got the chance. He was always so self-sacrificing. Even now, he sacrificed his own life for the lives of others.

'My son…' I thought tearfully. 'My son…'

(You were fighting everyday)
(So hard to hide the pain)
(I know you never said goodbye)
(I had so much left to say)

(((He looked up at me with large chocolate brown eyes. I couldn't look at him. I felt so ashamed. How could a father simply wipe away his wife's memories of her only child, while his son held onto every one of his tender memories? How could a small child live knowing that his mother doesn't know he even exists? I couldn't bear to look at him… my own son! How could I-

Flabbergasted, he tugged impatiently at the hem of my shirt, drawing my eyes down to look at the five year old. His eyes bore into mine and asked, "How is Mutti doing? Is she better, Otou-san? Is Mutti better?"

'Even now…' I thought, tears welling up in my eyes, 'even now, you still care about your mother even though she completely abandoned you?'

I broke down, tears spilling down my cheeks as I pulled my son into my arms. 'How…?' I clutched him tightly, never wanting to let him go. 'How can you…?' I sobbed distressingly onto his shoulder. 'How can you still care?')))

…

There was so much I wanted to tell him that I never got the chance to say…

One last song
Given to an angel's son
As soon as you were gone

'I never got the chance…'

As soon as you were gone

I felt a hand on my shoulder and looked up through my tears into the crystal blue eyes of the tall Sohma doctor. I no longer envied the man who raised my son as his own because he was crying too. In a way, this man shared the same feelings as I:

Love.

I can't believe you're gone
I can't believe…

AUTHOR'S NOTE (2010): Okay, so the manga ends happily - YAY! - but I still hope you were moved by this little story...

ARIGATO GOZAIMASU! DANKE SCHÖN!