The darkness was spreading across the beach. The stars were being covered by the clouds and all the lights were fading. Tohru looked all around her, feeling a tingling feeling across her skin. The hair prickled on the back of her neck and her eyes lost focus. Then the pain hit.

Tohru sat up in bed, sweat across her forehead. She sighed and slowly got out of bed, throwing the covers back slightly so as not to wake Kisa who had crawled into her bed last night. Tohru smiled at Kisa who looked as if she never had bad dreams.

Shuffling down the hall to the stairway Tohru peeked into the spare bedroom seeing Rin and Kagura sleeping soundly. Kagura was curled around a small cat stuffed animal. Smiling to herself, Tohru continued downstairs to find Kureno in the kitchen reading the newspaper and sipping a cup of coffee.

"Good morning, Kureno-san, why are you up so early?" Tohru asked pouring herself her own cup of coffee.

"The real question is why are you up." He said grinning at her.

"Um, well, I couldn't really sleep last night and so I just...am...up early." Tohru said blushing. Kureno shook his head at her and stood to turn the television on.

"Ritchan brought Kagura and Rin in his car. Last night after you went to bed. He was actually wearing men's clothes too. Which was surprising."

"What's surprising?" a voice said from behind them. Tohru turned to see Kyo standing in the doorway wearing rumpled pajamas. Kyo yawned and went to open a cupboard. "We got anything for breakfast?"

"Oh, do you want me to make you something? Uh, we could make pancakes. I saw the box for them somewhere." Tohru said rushing over to the side of the kitchen Kyo was on. "Here it is." Tohru held up a box of Bisquick. I don't know what they have.

"That's a good idea, you can have breakfast ready when they come down." Kureno said putting the newspaper back on the table. They heard faint noises coming from upstairs and Kureno sighed. "Well the peace lasted longer than I expected. You better start on those pancakes soon."

"TOHRU!" Momiji yelled running into the kitchen. "GOOD MORNING! IS KYO MAKING BREAKFAST TODAY? IN THAT CASE I'LL GO HUNGRY. HAVE YOU TRIED HIS COOKING?"

"Momiji! It is too early for you too be yelling like that! And my cooking tastes fine!" Kyo yelled back defensivly.

And that is how the Sohma's woke up.

"Kagura...when are you going to let Kyo go?" Haru asked as they walked down the beach.

"Never!" Kagura screamed hanging onto Kyo as he practically ran down the beach to be rid of her.

"Ah! Won't they get hurt like that?" Tohru said watching them with a look of pure shock and amazement. Kagura was hanging on to Kyo so tightly he looked like he was having trouble breathing.

"Nah, she's only gonna kill him." Yuki said with an amused smile on his face. They all looked up as they heard a scream of anger.

Kyo had finally gotten Kagura to let go and was now racing down the beach, kicking sand up in his wake. Kagura was chasing after him with a wicked glint in her eye. Momiji was laughing at them and holding Tohru's hand. Saying something about Kyo being so stupid to not realize that Kagura was much faster than him. Seconds later they saw Kagura tackle him.

"See I told you she would get him." Momiji said smiling at Tohru.

"Hey Haru. Why isn't Rin with you?" Kisa asked looking at Haru behind her. Haru looked as if he was going to say something, but changed his mind at the last second.

"She's staying back with Shigure and Hatori. She said she had something to ask them. Something about a man she met." Haru said staring off across the lake.

Back at the house down the beach, Ayame and Shigure were sitting out in the sun. Hatori persuading Ritchan that it would be okay to wear men's clothes in the sunlight. Kureno was reading on the couch just inside the house. Rin appeared through the door to the porch looking a little lost.

"My, Dear Rin. What is the matter?" Shigure asked looking at her a little mockingly.

"I wanted to ask you something." She said kindof annoyed. "About someone I think you know."

"Oooooh, Does little Rin have a crush?" Shigure asked in full mocking mode. "Who is he? What's his name? Is he a Sohma?"

Rin got angry and defensive. "I do NOT have a crush. He's only the guy I met in the store."

"Rin, he's only teasing to see your reaction. Don't let him get to you." Kureno said from inside, who apparently was eavesdropping the whole time.

"He was looking for a dress..."

Flashback.

Rin had gotten a job at a local dress shop. Not Ayayme's She had hid in here when she was supposed to be at school. She was here so many times, they offered her a job. They even asked her to wear the merchandise to increase sales.

The day before she was going to the lake house she had work. And He had walked in, looking a little lost. And he saw her name tag and asked for help.

"I don't know what to get. I want to get a dress for my sister. She's kinda small. And short." He said looking at the racks of dresses. He laughed and scratched the back of his head. "I'm so confused."

Rin sighed. "What color would you think she'd like? Pink is the typical choice. But we also have many other colors to choose from. Blue, Black, Yellow, Re-"

But he cut her off. "Pink would fit her just fine."

Rin, getting angrier by the second decided to get rid of him fast. "Well, what size is she? I think I have the perfect dress for her." She sighed when she saw his face. "You don't know her size do you?"

He hung his head as if in shame. "Maybe I should of asked first." He said lifting his head back up. Then he suddenly grabbed Rin's shoulders. "Please, you have to help me. I wanted to get her a birthday present. And I don't have much time."

"Okay, okay. Geeze, just let go already." Rin said practically pulling him off her. She led him to the petite section and spent the rest of the day trying to get him to choose a dress. He only decided when the store was about to close.

"Sorry about that. I get really agitated sometimes. I apologize for taking it out on you. I should really think before I act." He said as he paid for the dress. "Ah, sorry for rambling. You probably don't care much for my talking...Rin."

"Uh...No, it's okay. I don't mind really." Rin said finally looking into his eyes for the first time. His dark eyes were slightly amethyst in the floursent light.

"Hopefully she doesn't have one like it. I hear Shigure spoils her." He said as he took the box the dress was in. "Have a nice day."

End of Flashback.

"Oh, so you think this guy was talking about me?" Shigure asked folding his hands on the table.

"Yes. I only know one Shigure so I wanted to ask." Rin said clasping her hands behind her back.

"Did you get his name?" Hatori asked holding Ritchan by the arm to keep him from running back into the house for a kimono.

"Um. No. I forgot to ask." Rin said looking at the ground by her feet in thought. Rin described him to Hatori and Shigure to see if they could figure it out.

"Hmmm, sounds like Caleb to me." Hatori said pushing Ritchan into a chair. "You do spoil Tohru Shigure, And Caleb is her brother."

"Caleb? Tohru's brother?" Rin asked confused. "But she doesn't have a brother."

"Half-brother." Shigure said thinking.

Ayame suddenly seemed to get depressed. "A half-brother's love is greater than a true brother! My, my Yuki we have too much to do in so little time!" Ayame suddenly burst out as the door opened. Yuki stood there next to Tohru and Momiji. Kagura dragging Kyo and Haru telling Hiro and Kisa that Kyo was only sleeping.

"What nonsense are you spouting now?" Yuki asked looking angry.

"I must beat Tohru's battle with me. We must become closer in this short time we have together! Come. We must bond!!" Ayame said leaping from his seat and taking hold of Yuki's arm.

"Eeh? What? I'm battling you? Wha-?" Tohru said becoming scared and confused at the same time.

"Don't worry Tohru. Ayame's just being dramatic as usual." Hatori said putting a hand on her shoulder. "Here, why don't I help you with lunch." Hatori led Tohru into the kitchen. Once they were out of sight of everyone else he pulled stuff from him pocket. Then he handed her a plastic bag with six hairs in it. One was as long as Ayame's but pure black. One was medium sized, but tipped with white. One was medium and amber-colored. One was short and brown. One was medium and black. And the last was blondish and kind of curly.

"Thank you Hatori." Tohru said putting the bag in her own pocket.

"So when are you going to tell me why you want these?" Hatori said pulling a bag of sliced bread from a cabinet.

"Tomorrow. I promise." Tohru said putting knives on the counter.

"If you say so." Hatori said grabbing the peanut butter and twisting off the top. "Do you think they'll mind peanut butter sandwiches?"

Tohru laughed. "I doubt they'll care. Do you want me to ask?" Tohru said almost leaving the kitchen.

"No, just help me. I'll say it was my idea." Hatori said finishing one sandwich.

Tohru smiled and continued to make sandwiches. Ten minutes had passed before they were done and once they brought them into the Living room, everyone was waiting for them.

"TOHRU!!!!" Momiji yelled grabbing onto Tohru. "They won't let me have a sand-ball fight."

"You'll blind someone like that Momiji." Hatori said patting the rabbit's head. "And we all know how bad that is."

"I guess..." Momiji said looking sad.

"Eeh! Why don't we make sandcastles instead? Would that still be fun?" Tohru said putting her tray onto a table. "Would you like to do that?"

"Yes!" Momiji said jumping up. "Hiro, Kisa. Do you want to make sandcastles?" Momiji gasped. "We could have a contest!"

"Contest?" Kyo asked. (He regained conciousness while Tohru was in the kitchen.) "I will beat that stupid rat! Where is he?"

It was then that everyone realized that Yuki and Ayame were nowhere to be found.

"LET ME GO!"

But everyone could hear Yuki yelling at his brother.

"But we must refrain from violence. Brotherly love is the answer!"

"You whacko. Let go of me!"

"Yuki! Why did you lock yourself in the car? Very well..." Then Ayame appeared in the hallway. "Hatori! Where on earth have you hidden your car keys? I must free my brother from your western vehicle."

Hatori sighed and went outside to save Yuki from further punishment in the form of his brother.

"Momiji if we are going to the beach I should get a jacket. Would you mind if I went to get one?" Tohru asked Momiji who was trying to beg Rin and Ritchan to participate in the contest.

"Yes, I will be asking Ayame and Yuki to come to. So there will be a lot of continents!" MOMiji said with a grin.

"You mean Contestants, Momiji." Haru said braiding Kisa's hair.

Tohru then rushed upstairs to puts the contents of her pocket into the closet of her room, counting only two more hairs needed. She then grabbed a jacket and ran back downstairs nearly colliding with Kureno walking up.

"Oh, I'm sorry, I didn't know where I was going." Kureno said holding Tohru up.

"That's okay. I wanted to ask you something." Tohru said pushing her jacket back onto her shoulders. "I need a strand of your hair."

"Hehe. That's a little odd." Kureno said. "But I guess I'll humor you." He then reached up and plucked one of his hairs from his head and handed it to Tohru.

"Thank you so much." Tohru said, putting the strand in the pocket of her jacket for later.

"I'M SO SORRY! I DIDN'T MEAN TO! PLEASE PUNISH ME AS YOU SEE FIT! I DO NOT DESERVE EVEN YOUR PITY! PLEASE I APOLOGIZE FOR PUSHING HIRO OVER!" Ritchan yelled in the living room. Tohru came downstairs to see what happened. Apparently Ritchan had accidentally knocked Hiro over and he had dropped his sandwich. And as usual Ritchan had made a big deal over it.

"It's fine. I'm not hurt and the sandwich was disgusting anyways, you did me a favor. This way, I don't have to eat it anymore." Hiro said blatantly, crossing his arms over his chest.

Ritchan looked up at Hiro. And looked a little shocked. "You mean...I wasn't a burden?"

"No. Thank you. For being yourself." Hiro said looking a little annoyed.

"Bravo Hiro." Haru said clapping his hands.

"Oh, shut up Haru." Hiro said grabbing Kisas hand as he rushed Momiji out the door. Tohru laughed and went to Yuki who was sheilding himself from Ayame with Haru.

"Tohru, Let's leave before Ayame tries to convince everyone to change the rooms." Yuki said nodding his head towards the door.

"Yes! And we will have our battle!" Kyo said with a wicked glint in his eye. Then he raced out the door with Kagura in pursuit yelling something about being on Kyo's team.

"Uh-oh Yuki. I hope you're good at making castles." Shigure said, his arm linked with Ayame who had finally shut-up thanks to Hatori.

"No, it's fine. I'll have Tohru on my team." Yuki said looking sideways at Tohru. "That is, if she'll let me."

Tohru blushed and laughed. "Of course I'll be on your team." Then he rest of the Sohmas went out to the beach while Momiji was explaining the rules. They could use whatever they found on the beach as part of their castle, but couldn't take anything from someone else. And they had until the sun was starting to set to finish. Ayame, Kureno, Hatori, and Shigure would be the judges.

They worked long and hard. Or at least some of them. Rin was partnered with Haru, neither of them particularly wanted to participate so they made a small mound of sand and put a rock on top. Momiji was calming Ritchan about knocking over a wall, and told him to find some branches to make a bridge. And Tohru, while running back to Yuki with a pile of small pebbles tripped and fell, face-first into their castle.By the time the sun was setting, everyone had to remake their castle at least once. And the Judges deemed Haru and Rin's the best because it was "the most imaginative".

"Ah! I forgot!" Momiji exclaimed turning to the group. "We leave tomorrow. And I forgot fireworks!" Then he made a sad face and clung to Hatori asking him to go buy some.

"I'm afraid that the stores would be closed by the time we get there Momiji." Hatori said gently pulling the rabbit off him.

"Um...How about a bonfire?"

Everyone turned to Ritchan who blushed at being the center of attention.

"We could make a bonfire...out on...the beach...?" Ritchan said, his voice qetting softer and softer as he went on. "I'M SORRY! IT WAS A HORRIBLE IDEA! I WON'T SAY ANYTHING ELSE FOR AS LONG AS I LIVE!"

"No, no. It was a good idea Ritchan." Kisa said grabbing his hand. "I want to make a bonfire."

"Me too." Haru said putting his arm around Ritchan.

Hatori smiled and shook his head. "Ritchan you aren't as hopeless as you may think."

"Well, we should get some wood for the bonfire right?" Tohru said looking out the window. "The sun is setting really fast so we should get a lot because it might be cold out."

"That's right! And my dear Yuki and I will be the first to volunteer to find some." Ayame said grabbing Yuki by the shoulders and clinging to him. Then he succeeded in dragging Yuki outside.

"Ah! Maybe we should-" Tohru started looking after the two brothers.

"No, just leave them." Shigure said "It would do some good, getting the two of them out of the house." Tohru looked at Shigure and smiled at how much Shigure wanted them to bond. "Plus we have no firewood."

"Will you never change?" Hatori said sitting down on the couch. Rin disappeared upstairs along with Kagura who said she needed a shower from all the sand in her hair. Kyo was sitting out on the porch arguing with Momiji about something while Hiro and Kisa were watching them. Tohru saw Ritchan standing ina corner and walked over to him.

"Um, if it wouldn't be too much trouble. Would you mind helping me make hot cocoa?" Tohru asked tugging at her jacket.

"Sure. If I won't be in the way." Ritchan said pushing a lock of hair behind his ear.

"Yes, Come on then." Tohru said smiling, leading Ritchan into the kitchen.

"Everyone is trying so hard. I can see it. They want to make me more comfortable." Ritchan said sadly. "But, I don't think it will do any good. I'm hardly getting calmer." He started pulling mugs from the cabinet, counting to see if there was enough.

"You are gaining confidence though? Aren't you?" Tohru questioned heating the water on the stove. "You aren't yelling as much as you used to. At least not when I first met you. Ahh! That is it's not like-"

"No, no. I get it. But I feel bad about pushing myself on others." Ritchan said slowly as if trying not to scream. "I have been taking a class with people who are like me. They say I am working very well at being calm, but sometimes I can't help it."

Tohru smiled at Ritchan. "You are doing a great job. And don't worry, we are all your friends and accept you for who you are." Ritchan blushed some more and when turning to say something he knocked one of the mugs over and it fell to the floor, shattering into pieces.

"AHHH! I'M SO SOOOORRY TOHRU! I'M SORRY FOR BLUSHING AND KNOCKING THE MUG OVER! I'LL CLEAN IT UP RIGHT AWAY! WHERE'S THE BROOM? WHERE'S THE BROOOOOM???!!!" Ritchan screamed from the kitchen, making everyone look towards the doorway.

"Ah! It's okay! Watch out for the shards! You might hurt yourself!" Tohru yelled back. There were a few slamming doors and then a sweeping noise and when Kureno looked into the kitchen he saw Ritchan holding onto Tohru's shoulders saying he should clean it up. Tohru was throwing the last of the broken mug away as Kureno told Ritchan he would be more helpful if he wasn't hanging all over Tohru, he might transform. Ritchan let go of Tohru as the front door opened and Ayame was being yelled at by Yuki that he would be charged with kidnapping.

"Oh, Ritchan." Tohru said pouring steming water into the remaining cups. "Would you like to do me a favor?" Tohru asked opening pouched of hot cocoa mix.

"Anything to repent for my clumsiness." Ritchan said folding his hand in front of him.

"If it wouldn't be too much trouble. Could I have a strand of your hair?" Tohru said awkwardly, stirring the drinks almost spasmicly.

"Um. Okay." Ritchan said yanking out a strand of his hair and handing it to Tohru. "I hope this was helpful in some way."

"Very helpful. Thank you Ritchan." Tohru said putting the strand inher pocket with Kureno's. "We should hand these drinks out before they get cold." Then she put the cups on two trays and brought them out into the living room, where everyone was gathered.

Out on the beach they were all gathered around the spot that Momiji chose to host the bonfire. Ayame had gotten a suprising amout of firewood thanks to the cottage down the road. The wood was piled as high as Tohru's head and was so wide that she would have to hold hands with Yuki, Kyo, and Momiji to go all the way around it. Because it was Ritchan's idea Momiji wanted him to do the honors of lighting it, and when he tried to refuse Ayame volunteered himself and Yuki to do it, but Yuki was using both Tohru and Haru as a shield.

"Well, fine. I guess I'll do the honors." Shigure said throwing a match onto the liter fluid-soaked branches. Suddenly the whole thing burst into flames and the unfortunate few standing close to it, were scorched by the flames.

"Shigure! warn someone before you do that!" Rin screamed grabbing her hair away fom the fire and inspecting the sindged ends.

"You have enough hair, plus it will grow back." Shigure said from across the fire. Thankful that he wasn't directly next to her.

"My dear Shigure. Now with this fre, I'm not cold enough to have you with me." Ayame said grasping the throat of his shirt.

"Ayame. Only I can melt the ice you have placed around your heart." Shigure said tilting Ayame's chin up.

"All Right!" The said in unison giving eachother a thumb's up.

Yuki shook his head and turned to talk to Haru who was playing with the bow in Tohru's hair. Kisa was fixing the collar of Hiro jacket while Momiji mocked him. Kureno was forcing Rin to not leap over the fire and kill Shigure who was talking to Ayame and Hatori about something with Ritchan fondly looking on.

"I'm not holding your hand." Kyo told Kagura who was practically yanking his arm out of its socket.

"Why not?! You said you would!" Kagura whined hugging his arm to her chest.

"I did not!" Kyo said defensively trying vainly to get his arm away from her. He bumped into Yuki as he turned causing Yuki to collide with Tohru. There was a cloud of smoke and suddenly Tohru was on the ground with a rat lying on her shoulder.

"Yuki are you okay?" Tohru asked putting him back on the beach where his clothes lay.

"Yes, I'm sure he's fine." Hatori said pulling his sleeve back to look at his watch. "By the way. I think we should start heading back to the house. It's getting pretty late." He looked over at Kisa who was leaning heavily on Hiro now, her eyelids drooping.

Haru leaned down and scooped Kisa up with one hand, using the other to hoist Hiro up over his shoulder. All the while Hiro was complaining softly that he could walk. Momiji grabbed Tohru's hand as he skipped by, seeming not the least bit tired. Once they were most of the way to the house; Yuki turned back into a guy, gathering up his clothes and putting them on. As soon as all the Sohmas were back at the house they immediatly dispersed saying goodnight to whoever was in their way to their room. And for awhile the whole house was silent.

The clocks were striking eleven thirty when Tohru came downstairs, careful not to make a sound. She used the white chalk she had brought to draw on the sleek wooden floor of the living room. Even though it squeaked, no one could hear it. The figure she was drawing was exactly the same in the closet above her. A circle with a smaller circle inside with lines making 13 boxes between the two.

Hurrying back upstairs to retrieve the rest of what she needed, Tohru saw Kyo's door open slightly. All she could see was Kyo's bright hair in the dim room, but she saw his peaceful expression which only harden her resolve. Back downstairs Tohru placed all 12 of the zodiac figurines in their correct spot, adding her homemade cat in an empty space. Then she tied Kureno's hair to the rooster and Ritchan's hair to the monkey.

The clock was beginning to strike twelve as she placed a bowl of water, a bowl of sand, a bowl with unlit tinder, and an empty bowl in four corners of the inner circle. She lit a match, dropped it in the bowl of tinder and stood in the center of the circle.

And waited.

Outside she heard rain pouring down over the house. And she saw it cascading off the roof as if she was behind a waterfall. Even though all day she had been tense, feelings of tranquility were washing over her. As if the rain had brought her calmness. Tohru closed her eyes and lifted her face to the celiling as if she was able to feel the drops on her face. What she couldn't see was the dark clouds completely covering they sky, where there previously had been glimpses of stars. Thunder rolled softly, like a kitten purring. And soon became louder and louder with cooresponding flashes of lightening.

At twelve o' one there was a deafening roar of thunder and Tohru saw an angry bolt of lightening hit the shore. She thought she saw flames on the beach which sent chills up her spine. Then the rain was pouring harder and harder making her skin crawl at the horrid sounds of the house leaning to and fro of the storm. She heard the sounds of the bowls cracking and the hair lifted off the back of her neck and she saw the flames at her feet go out and felt the water and sand spill onto the floor.

Tohru felt as if her head was going to explode, the pain was spilling down her neck into her chest, stopping her heart for a beat. Two beats. Three. Then leaking into her arms and legs, causing her to fall to the floor huddled in a ball. The water and sand getting her clothes all muddy. Tears refusing to fall from her eyes, making her blind to the world around her. The deafening roar in her ears making her deaf to the world. And the pain coursing through her body making her mute.