A/N: Hey everyone! Wow, it's been a while since I posted anything on fanfiction! Usually I'm working on stuff for fictionpress, but my obsession for Fruits Basket changed my mind! I started this awhile ago and only just finished it now, on account of life and my growing obsession for other AMAZING Anime/mangas (cough D. Gray-Man cough), but I can never forget one of my first loves! I also recently bought all of the manga, so I'm looking forward to reading it all again eventually, this time using the hard copies! (And yes, it's not ALL released in the U.S. yet but I just bought volume 22 the other day…GAHH MY FAVORITE CHAPTER IS 130!! KYO IS SO KAWAII!!)

Ahem. The idea for this was triggered by my love of the cuteness between all of the characters of Fruits Basket. I love ALL of the cannon pairings, so this story reflects that as well. Which brings me to another point.

SPOILERS WARNING: This story takes place after the manga finishes and even though I would never tell people to NOT read my story, I must make an exception in this case because I would hate to spoil the manga's awesomeness! Seriously, if you haven't read the whole manga series yet, GO DO IT!! IT'S AMAZING!! And once you're done with that, then you can read this story and review it! (And by the way, if you would like to know a worthy site on which you can read the manga, PM me)

With that said, enjoy this rather long one-shot!

Oh, and props to my beta, iheartmwpp, for supplying the title of this piece!

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Chapter 1: The Delivery Room

1… 2… 3… 4… 5… Is she alright? Should it be taking this long? Why isn't anything happening? What if something goes wrong? Will she be okay?

The orange-haired man anxiously paced back and forth, staring at the slick, white tiles with eyes that smoldered a conflicted crimson. The atmosphere was stiflingly thick and warm as a smell of disinfectant wafted through the oppressed air. Stark whiteness glared from every direction and allowed no escape. The young man paused to breathe deeply and then increased his gait as he settled into his well-worn tract with new fervor, oblivious to everything around him.

Kazuma Sohma, seated on a chair a few feet away, idly watched his foster son wear a trench into the hospital floor and smiled knowingly. He stretched and shifted his leg positions as the newspaper he was reading made a crumpling sound in his hands. Glancing up for a moment, he chuckled and then decided that he better intervene.

"Kyo, you're blocking the hallway," he advised as he made as if to go over to him.

Kyo snapped out of his stupor and regarded Kazuma dazedly for a moment before resuming his pacing.

"It's a free country. I can walk wherever I want, Shishou" he spat, but a little too quickly, and with a voice that trembled slightly. He balled his hands into fists and shoved them into his jean pockets.

"Really, Kyo, you might want to move—" Kazuma tried again, but it was too late. Kyo smacked right into a nurse walking down the hallway, sending her papers flying. He bent to help her pick them up, muttering a very distracted apology. The nurse eyed him angrily and then gazed up at Kazuma who was shrugging with a grin on his face. Her expression softened as she abruptly recalled what section of the hospital they were in.

"New father?" she directed her question to Kazuma, considering that Kyo wouldn't have heard it even if she had screamed it right in his ear.

Kazuma nodded. "He's a bit nervous," he admitted. Kyo awkwardly stood and jammed the papers back into the nurse's waiting hands. The nurse beamed at him encouragingly and patted him on the shoulder.

"I'm sure all will be well. Congratulations!" she added as she continued down the hall.

Instead of taking her words to heart, Kyo sucked in an anxious breath and spewed out an endless stream of words. "There won't be any congratulations if something goes wrong. What if there are problems, complications? What if she—"

Kazuma sighed wearily as he cut through Kyo's panicky ramblings. "Tohru will be just fine, Kyo. Stop worrying. Soon enough you'll be a father and all of this anxiety will be for nothing," he intoned with infinite patience.

Kyo threw his hands into the air impatiently. "But what if I'm not a good father? I mean, I…" He swallowed nervously and stopped for a moment to catch his breath. "Maybe I…maybe this shouldn't happen. I…I don't anything about kids! How can I be a good father if I don't even know the first thing about them?" his tortured eyes gazed at Kazuma for answers, who approached the tense young man and put comforting hands on Kyo's shoulders.

"Kyo, do you love Tohru?"

"Yes, of course I do!" he barked back without hesitation.

"Then that is all you need to get you through this. You and Tohru were meant for each other and now you both get to be parents together. I know you will be an excellent father, Kyo. You just need to calm down."

"I am calm!" Kyo yelled, causing a few passersby to give him odd looks.

Kazuma couldn't help but laugh. "Here, come sit with me. It'll be over soon enough." He led Kyo further into the waiting area and sat him down in a seat. As Kazuma picked up his newspaper, Kyo began to fiddle with his fingers and then drummed them on his thighs. Behind his newspaper, Kazuma rolled his eyes.

Just then, Kureno rounded the corner and approached them. Kyo shot out of his chair and practically bolted to his cousin's side, nearly knocking him over in the process.

"What's the news? What's happening? Is something wrong?" Kyo demanded.

Kureno gently extricated himself from Kyo's hawk-like grip. "No, no, everything's fine. Arisa just popped out to tell me that it's almost time now."

"How come Uotani gets to be in there with her? I'm her husband!" Kyo complained, growling under his breath.

"Because childbirth is a woman's thing. Us men should not get involved," Kureno answered plainly. He glanced at Kazuma. "Oh, Saki-chan said to tell you hello."

Kazuma nodded.

"Hanajima's in there too?" Kyo exploded. "The weird psychic girl gets to be in there with Tohru but I can't? I'm her husband!" he sputtered.

Kureno eyed Kazuma. "Has he been like this all day?"

Again, Kazuma nodded.

Kureno chuckled as he sat beside Kazuma.

"Next you're going to be telling me Hatori's in there helping Tohru deliver or something," Kyo was still raging.

"Actually, Hatori declined being Tohru's doctor in this case. I think it would be too embarrassing for him. I did call him, though, to let him know what was going on," Kazuma informed him.

Kyo let out an exaggerated sigh as he began to pace again, unable to sit still for any longer.

"Ha ha! Kyo looks like a big scaredy-cat!" came a sing-song voice. Kyo stiffened as a blond-haired young man not much older than he was skipped into the waiting area and went right up into his face. "Oh, you do look very scared indeed!" Momiji giggled.

Kyo cuffed him on the head and Momiji rubbed the sore spot even as he smiled mischievously.

"So where is Tohru-kun? Can I go see her?" he simpered, bouncing up again.

"No you can't go see her! She's having a baby!" Kyo screamed.

"But Tohru and I are close friends! Surely I'm allowed—"

"No you aren't! Now get out!" Kyo bellowed.

"Momiji, how'd you get here?" Kazuma spoke up.

"Hatori-san brought me!" Momiji answered cheerfully as the man himself came into view. Adorned in a simple suit, Hatori nodded a curt greeting at everyone and, seeing as Kyo was now huddling on the floor rocking back and forth, turned to Kazuma.

"How is she?"

"Tohru? Oh, she's fine. I think Kyo's the one we should be worrying about now," Kazuma declared as all their eyes turned to Kyo.

"I'm surprised he hasn't started pulling his hair out yet!" Momiji cried excitedly.

"Indeed, he looks worse off than I'm sure Tohru is right now," Kureno commented wryly.

"Ah, what a scene, what a scene! A young soon-to-be father on the verge of collapse out of a conflict between sheer terror at his true love's pain and intense happiness at welcoming a child into the world! What is a more splendid event than the one that is unfolding under my very eyes?" proclaimed a powerful, dramatic voice.

"Oh, I forgot to mention that Ayame found out," Hatori stated flatly.

"Uh-oh. I don't know how Kyo's going to handle that…" Kazuma wondered aloud.

"He's going to have to deal with it because, unfortunately, I think Ayame called the entire Sohma clan and told them the news."

"The entire Sohma clan?" Kureno repeated, aghast.

"You'd be surprised and shocked at what Ayame can accomplish in so little time. But anyways, you can be sure that all the Zodiacs will be here soon enough."

"Oh dear…" Kazuma blew air out of his mouth as he regarded his foster son nervously.

Suddenly, Ayame burst onto the scene resplendent in his long fur coat. His silvery hair whirled around him splendidly as his wife, Mine, trailed after him. She pushed her glasses back onto the bridge of her nose and squealed in excitement, her little cute dress and brown curls bouncing with her.

"I'm so excited! I just love children! And Tohru-kun is so beautiful! I'm sure her baby will be so cute!"

Her husband instantly agreed. "Now where is the father-to-be? I have a present for you!" Ayame went over to Kyo and yanked him to his feet. From a bag at his side, Ayame removed a miniature maid's outfit that he shoved into Kyo's hands. "Now, boy or girl, your child will be even prettier than before!" he exclaimed.

Kyo's face turned bright red. "Are you crazy???!!" he screeched as he clenched the small dress in his fists.

"Now, now, no need to get angry. I think Mine and I should be the ones outraged at all this. We weren't even invited to the baby shower!"

"That's because the shower was small and only women were invited!"

"Don't be so harsh, Kyo-kun! You don't need to shout in my ear! Is that any way to practice being a father?" Ayame chided him.

Kyo deflated rapidly as Ayame's words struck home.

Noticing Kyo's sudden crestfallenness, Hatori emitted a long-suffering sigh and went and removed Ayame from Kyo's side.

"Come on, Ayame. Why don't we go wait over here?" he suggested.

Ayame instantly obeyed and Mine was quick to follow.

Kazuma blew out a sigh of relief and flashed an apologetic smile in Kyo's direction. Kyo missed his glance, though, due to his sudden lack of merriment. His jaw tightened as reality hit him again and he felt the urgent desire to pace once more.

"Hey, what's wrong with him?" a voice asked. The party turned to regard the newcomers; a black-haired man with white on the top and his fiancée, a woman with short black hair.

"Hatsuharu, Rin, good to see you," Kazuma greeted them genially.

"Yeah, we came 'cause Rin wanted to see how Tohru was doing," Hatsuharu explained lazily.

Rin blushed. "No, not really!" she spoke defensively.

Hatsuharu shrugged as if it didn't matter. "Well, anyways, I was wondering how Tohru was doing, too, as well as Kyo over there."

Kyo's head snapped up at the mentioning of his name. "Oh. I'm…fine," he stated firmly.

"I can see that," Hatsuharu continued languidly, smiling.

Kyo glared at him. "Really, I'm fine!"

"Really? You sound pretty tense to me. You sure you don't want to let out some of your anger with me right now? You know, throw a few punches here and there?"

"That's a good idea! We should throw a bucket of water on him, too, I know that always used to calm him down!" Momiji suggested.

"This is a hospital!" Kyo reminded them savagely, grinding his teeth in fury. "And I don't need a bucket of water on my head to cool me down! I already told you that I'm perfectly fine!"

The rest of the Sohmas exchanged knowing looks that Kyo pretended to ignore.

"Kyo-kun! Oh no, is everything alright?" came a loud voice. In an instant, a brown-haired young woman was kneeled beside the distraught Kyo with her hand on his forehead. "Are you sick? You don't look very well."

Kyo leaned back, emotionally drained. "Kagura," he said in a warning tone.

Kagura just smiled at him, noting the pleading look in his eyes. "Don't worry. I'm not here to bother you," she told him as a glint suddenly appeared in her eyes. "Although sometimes I do still wish you were mine! We were such a cute couple when we were kids—"

"Tohru and I have been married for several years now!" Kyo reminded her, not too unkindly.

Kagura grinned and nodded slightly. "I know," she said quietly. Suddenly she squeezed Kyo tightly. "BUT I MISS YOU SO MUCH!!" she cried as Kyo struggled beneath her vice-grip.

"Kagura!" Kyo spoke in a muffled voice, seeing as he was sure Kagura had shattered some ribs.

Kagura sniffed as she finally released him. Giving him one last look, she bounced to her feet and awkwardly joined the amassing Sohma family.

Kyo coughed to get his breath back. Although Kagura had almost killed him, she had successfully distracted him…for a few moments.

"Almost everyone's already here!"

Kyo glanced up and saw Kisa and Hiro enter the vicinity, hand-in-hand. Hiro had a disdainful look on his face, even though Kyo could clearly tell he didn't mind being there one bit if Kisa was holding his hand. They had both grown up so much and were on the verge of graduating high school together. They had started dating a few years ago, although Kyo and the rest of the family knew that they had harbored feelings for each other long before that.

Kisa's smile was infectious as she released Hiro's hand and clasped her own hands together before her.

"What a wonderful day," she continued. "Don't you think so, Hiro-kun?"

"Yeah…sure," Hiro agreed hesitantly, although he avoided everyone's gaze in embarrassment.

"I hope you don't mind me being here," she spoke abruptly to Kyo, biting her lip.

Kyo shook his head with an exasperated smile, knowing Tohru's sisterly relationship with the girl. "No, it's fine," he replied shortly, eyeing the rest of the large crowd of Sohmas reproachfully.

"How rude, Kyonkichi! You may not want my gorgeous presence here making you look bad, but I'm sure Tohru-kun does!" Ayame huffed as he noticed Kyo's particularly scornful gaze in his direction. "It's quite impolite to pick favorites anyways, and although Kisa is adorable—" This earned him a sharp look from Hiro, "—favoritism is not something to be encouraged! YUUKIII!!!" Ayame suddenly squealed. Kyo followed Ayame with his eyes as the older man raced up to his younger brother who had just entered the hospital wing with his wife in tow.

Yuki rolled his eyes at his brother and tried to ignore him, but Ayame chatted away amiably anyways.

"Oh my dear Yuki-kun, how lively you look today! And your blushing bride is as cute as ever!"

Machi, her arm linked with Yuki's, blushed furiously. Yuki gave his brother a withering glare but Ayame just took it to heart.

"How gallantly he defends his charming wife! How utterly divine that my dear little brother should follow my shining example!"

Yuki resolutely pushed past Ayame. "Where is that stupid cat?" he wondered aloud, attempting to drown out his brother's voice. Machi glanced at her husband askance and at last sighed, resigning herself to get the explanation for their insistent nicknames for each other some other time.

Kyo peered up at Yuki's back and than narrowed his eyes.

"Right behind you, stupid rat."

Yuki turned around and spotted Kyo crouched on the floor in the corner. He smirked at Kyo's expression. "Your face is as white as a ghost's," he commented absently as Kyo avoided his former enemy's gaze. He assumed a genuine grin at Kyo's discomfiture and turned to nod to his wife.

Timidly, Machi bent down to Kyo and extended her hand. Kyo hadn't noticed that she had been carrying a bag when they entered, so he accepted it with great curiosity. He peeked up at Machi's face, which was still slightly pink, and then slowly opened the bag. Gently, he pulled out a stuffed yellow giraffe with orange spots and a mane and tail made out of yarn.

"I…I didn't know if you liked giraffes…" Machi trailed off unsurely.

Yuki just appeared amused as he jumped to his wife's rescue. "Well, we did find this rather adorable cat plushy, but I told Machi that you hated cats," he explained with a wicked grin.

Kyo snorted as he cracked a smile for the first time that day. He glanced up gratefully at the two of them. "Thank you."

Yuki shook his head and gazed at Machi with loving eyes. "It was Machi's idea."

Kyo nodded at Machi and repeated his thanks.

Machi smiled shyly at him and seemed to gain more courage after locking eyes with husband.

"I mean, I don't know you or Tohru-kun very well, but I thought since we're all related now that maybe I should get you something," she clarified.

"Well, that was very thoughtful of you," Kazuma jumped in, pleased that Kyo had settled down somewhat.

Machi ducked her head as she blushed again. Yuki squeezed her shoulder comfortingly.

"Anyways, how's Tohru doing?" Yuki brought up casually.

Kazuma moaned as Kyo reassumed his panicked expression.

Kyo swallowed dryly. "I…I don't know. Should we go ask the doctors? What if something happened? Normally it doesn't take this long, right??" Kyo glanced at all of their faces anxiously.

Yuki smirked in amusement at Kyo's suddenly fretful behavior. "It's been a while since you've been this worked up," he remarked slyly, but Kyo didn't take the bait. "You weren't even this frantic during your wedding."

"That's because Tohru's life wasn't on the line!" Kyo snapped angrily.

"According to you," Yuki teased. When Kyo's face only blanched further, he decided to take it easy on him. "I'm just kidding. Oh come on. Stop this. Everything will be fine. Do I have to beat some sense into you again?"

Machi frowned at her husband. She had learned a while ago that Yuki and Kyo's relationship was one of life's complicated little puzzles that took a great effort to be solved. As of yet, she was still hopelessly confused.

Before Kyo could reply, Hatsuharu entered the conversation. "Eh, I already volunteered." Yuki cocked an eyebrow but said nothing. Hatsuharu regarded Yuki with a curious expression, "But for you, Yuki, my offer always stands," he whispered suggestively. As Machi's hair stood on end, Rin stepped forward petulantly.

"Excuse me?" she demanded heatedly, glaring at her fiancé.

Hatsuharu laughed. "It was a joke! I'm just trying to lighten the mood a bit."

"Well it's clearly working," Hiro muttered, rolling his eyes as Kisa smiled sadly. Kyo was still fitful and seemed to only be getting more agitated.

Kazuma eyed him warily. Just then, a figure rammed into his chest. Kazuma stumbled backward and turned around to come face to face with an aghast Ritsu decked out in a suit and tie.

"Oh, I'm so sorry!" Ritsu exclaimed, bowing. "I rushed all the way here, hoping I wouldn't be late, but then I came late anyways since everyone's already here, and then I knocked into you and almost killed you on this HAPPY OCCASION!!" Ritsu's voice rose to a hysterical pitch. "I'm so sorry!! I apologize to everyone in the universe! It's all my fault! I'm a useless adult, a worthless, pathetic, useless adult!! I'm so sorry! I'M SO SORRY!!"

Kyo growled as he rubbed his temples, trying to ignore Ritsu's deafening voice. Unfortunately, Ritsu noticed his actions.

"I came late and ruined this wonderful gathering, and now I'm bothering you!! I should just leave and never bother anyone again!! I apologize to the world and—"

"Calm down, Ritsu. It's okay," Kisa soothed gently as she grabbed Ritsu's hand and began to stroke it. Hiro's eyes narrowed dangerously.

Tears were streaming down Ritsu's face as he shook his head. "But I've ruined everything," he pleaded as he hiccupped and clamped a hand over his mouth in horror. "I'm so—"

"Why don't we all just take a deep breath?" Kazuma stepped in with a fake smile, hoping to pacify the situation.

"But if Kyo takes anymore he'll hyperventilate!" Momiji giggled, much to Kyo's annoyance.

Kazuma noticed his foster son's clenched fists and gave the blond a look. Momiji just grinned at him, causing Kazuma to roll his eyes.

This was turning out to be a very long day, although Kazuma knew Kyo was taking the brunt of it. He had been a sack of nerves the moment Tohru had quietly alerted him that she was going into labor. Kazuma hoped that Kyo would realize that all the people gathered around him were not there to be a nuisance (although he could swear that some of them were out to get him…coughMomijicough…) and just wanted to support him and Tohru, whom they loved. The Sohma family was big, loud, obnoxious (especially in the case of Ayame) and overall maddening at times, but their love was there all the same. Tohru had intimately affected all of them, and on this particularly huge day of her life, they wanted to be there by her side like she had been there for them. They also knew that part of supporting Tohru was supporting her husband, the man who never ceased to make her smile. Although Kyo had been an outcast and some of them had treated him as such, they wanted to make amends and truly help him feel part of the family that had rejected him so strongly. This was their way of atoning for their sins, much like Kazuma when he chose to raise Kyo to make up for mistreating his grandfather. And, similarly to his situation, Kazuma knew that they, too, had warmed up to the orange-haired youth and that the reason for their kindness to him no longer verged on the efforts of begging forgiveness. Kyo was a friend, a partner, a cousin. After all, he was a living human being and he deserved just as much happiness as the rest of them now that the curse had been broken. Living through hell had created a bond between them all, and he knew that the rest of them would always be there to comfort each other in times of need.

Of course, Kazuma didn't think Kyo would be able to appreciate the delicacies of the situation at the moment. His foster son was too busy worrying about his beloved wife and the fate of the future. Honestly, Kazuma couldn't really blame him. Kyo had suffered so much in his life that now that he had achieved such happiness – a happiness he had never even imagined – he was terrified that something awful was going to happen to take it all away. It was true that in his young life, Kyo's happiness had been too often ripped away, and it had broken Kazuma's heart to see the boy in such pain. He prayed that fate would not be so cruel this time around, for he didn't think Kyo would be able to bear it.

And if something happened to Kyo, Kazuma knew he would never be the same.

He swallowed and blinked out of his reverie, pushing away the dire thoughts. He glanced around and saw that the Sohmas had moved to the chairs in the waiting area, for which he was grateful since it seemed to have calmed them down. Smiling wanly, he glanced back at his foster son and saw that Kyo was staring off into the distance, his brows knitted together nervously. Kazuma watched him for a moment before his eyes caught movement.

"It won't be much longer now," Kureno announced as he reappeared and sat back down in his original seat.

Kazuma grinned slightly. "I didn't even see you leave," he remarked.

Kureno shrugged. "I just snuck out when there was an opportunity. Oh, and Arisa said that everything's progressing normally, so there's no reason to fret," he smiled ruefully in Kyo's direction. It was hard to tell if Kyo had absorbed the news, but an almost imperceptible nod showed that he had.

"Do you know if it's a boy or girl yet?" Momiji asked innocently, eyeing each person's face eagerly.

"No. We wanted it to be a surprise," Kyo choked out stiffly. Kazuma struggled to hide his grin at the irony.

"What about names? Have you thought of any?" Kisa spoke up, fairly bouncing in her seat with excitement.

Kyo opened his mouth to reply when he was cut off by a malicious voice.

"You!"

As one, the Sohmas turned to stare open-mouthed at a man in a business suit with short black hair practically frothing at the lips in rage. His eyes bulged out of his head as he glared lividly at Kyo.

Kyo, in turn, had his eyes fixed on the man with an expression of surprise and confusion.

Kazuma recognized the man and rose to his feet angrily. "Takeshi, what do you want?" he demanded in a strong voice, narrowing his eyes suspiciously.

Takeshi laughed insanely. "Why should I answer you, Kazuma?" he spat. He glanced at the older man briefly before fixing his penetrating gaze on Kyo. "I had heard that my worthless son got married to some whelp, but I didn't know it had gone this far!"

There was a cacophony of protests and raised voices as a number of the Sohmas furiously jumped to their feet. Kyo's voice, however, surpassed them all with sheer volume and ferocity.

"Don't talk about my wife like that!" Kyo hissed, his body literally quivering with rage. His eyes burned intensely.

His father only laughed. "Fine," he agreed. "We'll talk about your baby and how you will inevitably ruin its life as you've ruined so many others!" Takeshi smiled sickeningly when he saw Kyo stiffen. "I can't believe anyone would agree to marry a monster like you, not after what you've done! You killed your mother in cold blood, and it's all your fault!" Kyo's eyes flashed as his father pressed on. "You're a monster! You don't deserve happiness! You should've been locked away, before you had the chance to spawn—" Takeshi's accusations stopped when he thought he heard Kyo speak. His lips curved into a sneer as he eyed his son, who was still shaking madly.

"Get out," Kyo whispered vehemently, concentrating on the floor in an attempt to suppress the urge to kill the man on the spot.

"You cannot order me, you—"

"I said GET OUT!" Kyo screamed as he raised his eyes and released the full force of his emotions. His eyes were practically blazing with hatred. "How DARE you come here to destroy one of the happiest days of my life?!" he seethed. By this time, everyone's attention was locked onto him. Kyo continued, undeterred. "I know how much you want to blame me for Mom's death, but that's only because you're weak and can't stand that you were the one really at fault! You shunned her because she was protecting me, the monster, because she loved me! It was you who made her walk into the oncoming train, you who drove her away! I can't be blamed for the way I was born and the way I lived, and I can't be blamed now for loving someone and being happy!"

The entire area had been shocked to silence, and it seemed that no one dared to breathe. There were a few tense moments of absolute quiet before Kyo resumed his tirade. He was by no means done, but his tone of voice had dimmed somewhat.

"As for a being a father, I would never take after you! You were a horrible father to me, you pitiful old man! Shishou is my real father, and I'm proud to be his son! I only hope that I can follow his example," his voice trailed off shakily. Behind him, Kazuma had to suppress tears at the enormous lump that had formed in his throat.

Takeshi was outraged. He stepped forward threateningly. "You little—" he snarled viciously. He could go no further, however, since a furious Yuki and a black Haru blocked him.

"I think you should leave," Yuki said coolly.

"Before I punch your face in, you bastard!" Haru added, accentuating his words by punching a fist into his hand.

Takeshi glared at them for a moment before he burst out laughing. "These two are actually defending you?" he spoke disbelievingly, laughing even harder.

Suddenly, Yuki and Haru felt a hand on their shoulders. They turned and eyed a pleasantly smiling Kazuma.

"Excuse me," Kazuma said as he lightly brushed between the boys. Yuki and Haru exchanged confused glances, wondering as to Kazuma's strange demeanor. Kazuma approached Takeshi with the smile still on his face. "Now, I do believe you were asked to leave," he simpered calmly.

Takeshi looked equally, if not more, perplexed. Finally, he chose to assume a suspicious expression. "I have the right to be here," he growled.

Kazuma just smiled away. "No, I'm quite sure you don't. You might want to leave before something happens that you will not like."

"Are you threatening me?" Takeshi spat into his face.

"Oh no, it's not a threat. It's a promise," Kazuma stated pleasantly.

Takeshi just stared at him. At last, he sneered. "Why would you defend a monster like him? He doesn't deserve—"

"I said GET AWAY FROM MY SON!" Kazuma bellowed as he socked the grinning old man right in the jaw, sending him reeling to the ground. Takeshi lay on the tiled floor in shock for a moment, pathetically pressing his hand to his bleeding lip. He glared up at Kazuma and then cringed as the Sohma stepped forward challengingly. Under the hateful glares of the entire Sohma family, Takeshi feebly stumbled to his feet and retreated down the corridor.

Meanwhile, Kyo had sunken back into a chair, exhausted. All of his breath seemed to have left him and he was shaking so badly he was positive that the chair was rattling beneath him.

Kazuma massaged his right hand before turning back to his foster son. He noted, with some trepidation, that Kyo had turned even whiter than before.

"Kyo, are you alright?" he asked gently.

Kyo swallowed and nodded slightly. "Y-Yeah," he said tremulously. Then, a little louder and with a small grin spreading over his features, "That was a nice right hook, Shishou."

Kazuma blinked and laughed as he settled next to Kyo. "Well, it was an easy target," he mused aloud, causing Kyo to chuckle further.

"Aww, we didn't miss everything did we?" whined a voice. Everyone turned to see Shigure appear before them, Akito right on his heels. The novelist was resplendent in his usual, loose-robed attire and Akito was done up in a simple sundress. She eyed the group hesitantly and dropped her gaze to the ground when she saw that some of the former Zodiacs still stiffened in her presence.

Shigure noticed Akito's behavior and strove to overcome it. "What was all that commotion about?" he asked boisterously. "We heard screaming from all the way down the hall!"

Ayame leapt to his feet. "Oh, it was utterly splendid! Such a scene played out right before my very eyes!" Everyone began to speak at once as Ayame began to describe the event with as many exaggerated details as he could, exciting Shigure to the point of a frenzy.

Amongst the fervor, Akito uncertainly glanced upward and met Kyo's eyes. Kyo just gazed at her for a moment as she eyed him in return. Kyo knew she was trying very hard to make up for her past wrongs, and he couldn't really fault her for being there on account of her and Tohru's friendship. Not to mention the fact that Kyo and Tohru's child was the first of the next generation of Sohmas, and it was even more important since the curse was no longer in effect. He broke the gaze when he heard Yuki muttering beside him.

"Oh for the love of—" Yuki shook his head, sighing wearily at his brother's ridiculous antics. He rolled his eyes and nodded in Shigure's direction. "Better late than never, I suppose," he grumbled.

Kyo grunted in reply.

All of a sudden, the crowd dispersed as a girl dressed in black with long, curly black hair stepped into the room.

"I sensed some negative waves and heard distressed shouting. But I guess it has dissipated," Hanajima spoke in her eerie tone of voice.

"That's good," Uotani muttered, trailing behind her. "Now where is Kyon-Kyon?"

Kyo frowned at them, wondering what was going on. "What—?" he started, but was interrupted.

"There you are! Now, congratulations! Tohru's fine, and you're the father of a beautiful and healthy baby girl!"

Before Kyo could say anything, Uotani had placed his daughter in his arms. For the first time, Kyo was able to see her face, and he felt his chest constricting. She was so small, about the size of his forearm, and she weighed almost nothing, but he cradled her as if she were the most fragile thing in the world. In turn, his daughter gazed up at him curiously with Tohru's soft brown eyes, and Kyo saw that peeking up from under the blanket was a shock of his own orange hair. In that moment, when father and daughter bonded for the first time, Kyo realized that nothing else mattered except for the tiny bundle of life in his arms. Suddenly, his past vanished and everything that he had suffered seemed completely inconsequential. Lost in the depths of his daughter's clear eyes, Kyo felt all of his pending rage and frustration, guilt and shame, fear and sorrow melt away into the distance. All was replaced by an enormous surge of love that suffused his entire being so utterly that he felt like he was glowing. In fact, he was quite sure that he was. Nothing so strong had ever gripped him in such a way, and he was at a complete loss of words to describe his emotions.

It took him a moment to realize that, while he had been so mesmerized, the rest of the family had gathered around him and were all ogling at his precious daughter.

"She looks so much like Tohru onee-chan!" Kisa exclaimed, edging closer for a better look.

"Although she has that unruly patch of orange hair!" Ayame declared shrilly.

All of the noises and strange sights began to make the newborn whimper and fidget slightly, causing Kyo a momentary panic as he readjusted his hold on her. Almost instinctively, he began to swing her back and forth, shushing softly.

"It's okay," he reassured her in a tender voice. "Daddy's here. Nothing's going to happen to you." A smile broke out on Kyo's face as his daughter seemed to concentrate solely on his voice and his face. He started a little when suddenly a drop of water splashed onto his daughter's forehead and she let out a whine.

"Hey, you're hogging her!" Uotani cut in playfully as Kyo glanced up for the first time. Surprisingly, as he stared out at his beaming family, he realized that tears were pouring down his face. He couldn't even remember when he had started crying, but he quickly ducked his head, his face turning red.

"Oh, don't be embarrassed!" Uotani admonished in a thick voice as Kyo met her eyes and saw that they were red and puffy. She sniffed and grinned at him, which he returned. She held out her arms and reluctantly, Kyo relinquished his daughter. His eyes trailed her anxiously before he felt a pat on his shoulder. He glanced up at Kazuma, his Shishou, whose eyes were shining with pride.

"I'm so happy for you," he voiced aloud as he attempted but failed to dislodge the lump in his throat.

"I can't even…believe it," Kyo replied haltingly.

Beside him, Yuki sighed and smiled. "I suppose this is what it'll be like when we have ours," he stated, eyeing his blushing bride.

Kyo glanced at him. "You're—?"

"Expecting?" Yuki finished, and then nodded. "We just found out a little while ago. I'm trying to keep it on the down-low though so we have the most possible time to prepare for Ayame's reaction." His lips twisted into a wry grin even as his eyes sparkled.

"Congratulations. Although don't expect me to go easy on you when you're freaking out…stupid rat," Kyo told him sincerely.

"We'll just have to see about that, you stupid cat," Yuki answered immediately, grinning.

Hanajima pushed her way to where Kyo was. She eyed him spookily for a moment. "Come on, now. Don't you want to see your wife?" she asked impatiently.

Kyo nodded but couldn't help stretching out his neck to see where his daughter was. "But what about—?"

"Don't worry. I'll keep an eye on her," Kazuma promised.

Kyo grinned at him. "You'd better. You're an ojii-san now."

Kazuma blinked and then smiled widely before assuming a serious expression. It was his duty now to protect his first grandchild.

Kyo chuckled as he followed Hanajima out of the crowd.

When they entered the hospital room, Kyo panicked for a moment. Machines were beeping all around and there were nurses and doctors bustling around. As he came in, some of the hospital staff gave him congratulatory smiles while others eyed him curiously, considering the strange commotion they had heard outside. Kyo didn't notice anything, though, except for his wife.

Tohru's face brightened into a wide smile as she saw him. Even though she was overjoyed at seeing him, Kyo could tell how exhausted she was. Her eyelids were drooping and her hair was clumpy and matted around her face. He could tell that she was trying very hard to keep the smile on her face.

As he came to her bedside and clutched her hand, he could feel the remnants of cold sweat on her skin. Tenderly, he leaned forward to plant a kiss on her forehead, wiping away some remaining beads of perspiration that clung to her brow.

"My beautiful Tohru," he whispered as he brushed a strand of hair out of her face. He kissed her again, this time on the lips. It was short but all the more sweet.

"Kyo-kun," Tohru mumbled, still straining to maintain the façade for his sake.

Kyo smiled at her and lightly grazed his fingertips over her face. Tohru sighed and leaned into his hand.

"Rest," he ordered her gently, squeezing her hand. "What you did today was…absolutely incredible." Kyo felt his throat constricting and fought to suppress another batch of tears. "She's perfect Tohru, and so are you. I'm so lucky to have the both of you."

Tohru shook her head slowly. "No, I'm the lucky one." She reached up and affectionately stroked his cheek. "Were you worried?" she asked quietly.

Kyo grinned wryly. "You have no idea," he admitted, chuckling softly. At the flash of worry in Tohru's eyes, he hurriedly continued, "But luckily Shishou was there to keep me in one piece. It got a little…crazy…after the whole family showed up."

Tohru's eyes widened. "The whole family? Was that what that loud commotion was?"

Kyo swallowed and nodded. "Partially," he murmured with a strained smile. Tohru's concerned eyes immediately swallowed him in their depths. He sighed. "My…father came."

"Your father?" Tohru repeated curiously. He could tell she was mulling over the possible reasons for the man's appearance. "What did he want?" Even though she asked, she saw that Kyo's sudden expression meant that the news wasn't good.

"He…yelled and said some pretty awful things," Kyo confessed, his jaw tightening. When he saw Tohru grow even more concerned despite her weariness, he berated himself. "Don't worry," he added hurriedly. "I'm fine as long as I have you." He gazed at her lovingly as he squeezed her hand, causing her to smile. "Besides, Shishou gave him a pretty solid punch that made up for it."

Tohru's eyes shot open and she sat bolt upright. "What??!!"

Kyo laughed at her shocked face. "He deserved it," he explained. Then his face grew solemn as she settled back into the bed. "Yuki and Haru helped out, too." At this, he elicited another smile from Tohru. He knew that she was ecstatic that he and Yuki were getting along. "Anyways, everyone was really worried about you, Tohru."

Tohru blushed. "E-everyone? They're all here?" she stammered. "I didn't mean to interrupt everyone's lives just for—"

"There's no way they would've stayed away," Kyo cut in. "Not after Ayame called them all to tell them the news."

Tohru giggled as she blinked tiredly and leaned back into the pillows. "Even Akito-san is here?" she asked after a short pause.

Kyo nodded. "Mmhmm. She and Shigure came together. As for everyone else, I bet they're all anxious to see you by now, although they're pretty preoccupied with our daughter." The phrase 'our daughter' made him have to blink fiercely. He grinned. "Her grandfather's looking out for her now," he assured her.

Tohru smiled. "Our daughter," she repeated dreamily.

Kyo swallowed a lump in his throat. He nodded and wondered how much more emotional he could get. "Our…daughter," he choked up. "And I think the name we picked out fits perfectly."

Tohru blinked back her own tears of joy and then closed her eyes, growing sleepy.

Kyo patted her hand. "I suppose I'll leave you to rest," he spoke at last, reluctantly standing up to leave.

"Kyo-kun?"

"Could you bring her in here, and also get Akito-san for me?"

Kyo couldn't help but frown at the mentioning of Akito's name, but he respected his wife's wishes. He turned to leave and went by Hanajima who was leaning in the doorway. She sniffed at him but managed a smile. He awkwardly patted her shoulder in thanks, knowing that Tohru was grateful for her friends' presence during the delivery. In return, Hanajima nodded and a tacit agreement passed between them. They both understand the other's necessary existence in Tohru's life, and knew that they would always be there to support her when she needed it.

---

Meanwhile, Momiji had noticed his cousin's movement and made as if to follow Kyo into Tohru's hospital room. He was yanked backward, however, by Hatsuharu. The black-and-white-haired youth gave him a knowing look and Momiji's eager expression deflated into sorrow.

He sighed sadly. "Tohru's really gone," he said in a haunted voice.

"She never really was yours," Hatsuharu stated bluntly.

Momiji winced. "I know. I just…had this lingering hope…" he protested feebly.

A hand on his shoulder made Momiji jump, and he turned to see Hatori standing above him. "Don't worry," the older man began in a deep yet soft voice. "I'm sure you'll find someone else that will love you as much as you love her, and I won't doubt that you'll feel the same way. It just…takes some time."

Knowing Hatori's past, it was wise counsel and Momiji found his spirits lifting. Who was he, after all, to bring down such a joyous occasion? He smiled gratefully at his cousins and then bounced into the crowd. "I wanna hold her, I wanna hold her!" he squealed. Hatori just smiled as Rin approached Hatsuharu and curled her hand into his.

"Hey Ritsu," Haru called as he noticed the frantic Sohma on the edge of the crowd. "Why aren't you jumping in?"

Ritsu looked at Hatsuharu, appalled. "I…I would just make a mess of things," he said quietly, glancing at his feet.

"Oh, come on. Grow some balls, man. You look great today and you surely want to build up your courage so you can impress your date later."

Ritsu glanced down at his suit and then felt a blush creeping onto his cheeks as his mouth opened and closed repeatedly, obviously stunned into speechlessness.

Hatsuharu chuckled and then glanced around as a silence suddenly fell upon the waiting area.

Kagura, who was holding the baby, was offering it to a clearly frightened Akito.

"Don't you want to hold her?" Kagura asked gently.

Akito swallowed heavily, her eyes darting back and forth. She pressed her lips together and shook her head. "I-I don't think I should—"

"And why not?" Shigure brought up, squeezing her tightly. He gave her a meaningful look which she tried to protest, but under his gaze, it was impossible.

Akito knew that, although most of the Sohmas had openly forgiven her, there were still a few that remained cold. Namely, when her eyes passed over Rin, the girl looked away and tightened her hold on Hatsuharu's hand. Akito sighed. No one wanted to see her do this, all except for the idiot Shigure that claimed to love her. Even Kureno and Yuki, her two favorites, were distracted by their respective girlfriend and wife and were pointedly not paying attention to the situation at hand.

"Come on, Akito-san," encouraged Momiji as he materialized beside her.

"I—" she started but before she could protest any further, Kagura had placed the baby in her arms. Although the tiny newborn did not have as much an effect on Akito as she had on Kyo, Akito still felt her heart stirring as she looked into the clear and innocent baby's eyes. That such purity existed in the world was enough to give her hope that maybe life wasn't all that bad. Maybe she really could get another chance, and if she tried hard enough, maybe eventually everyone would forgive her. Akito gasped when, all of a sudden, the little girl yawned widely and began to squirm. Akito froze in horror, afraid to drop the girl, when Momiji reached out and gently took the baby off Akito's hands.

Akito retreated as if scared, and backed straight up into Shigure who wrapped his arms around her and hugged her tightly.

He bent down to chuckle in her ear. "Ah, anata, she can't hurt you, I'm sure."

Akito frowned and lowered her head, ashamed.

"You're so cute when you're embarrassed," Shigure purred as he squeezed her.

Akito squirmed uncomfortably in his grasp, thinking that everyone was watching her. Instead, when she looked up, all the attention had returned to the new baby who was cooing adorably. Akito blinked as a strange feeling hit her.

"Will things…ever get better?" she choked suddenly, feeling as if she had been abandoned. The darkness seemed to close in around her and she was on the verge of tears. Why did she still feel this way? It had been years since the curse had broken, and yet she still felt that a part of her had been ripped away. A piece of her was missing, leaving her broken and more alone than ever. For some reason, even Shigure's presence was not a solace. She knew that he couldn't really love her, not after all she had done.

She blinked when Shigure's face was abruptly in front of her own, his expression soft and eyes kind.

"You're trembling," he whispered as he cupped her chin in his hand.

Akito shook her head to try to break the embrace while also stubbornly holding back her tears. "W-we shouldn't have come," she cried brokenly. Why wouldn't this pain go away? Why couldn't she forgive herself?

"Akito?"

She jumped when she heard Kyo's voice, and she raised her head to meet his eyes. He appeared uncomfortable addressing her so directly at first, but he quickly mastered control of himself.

"Y-yes?" she stammered.

"Tohru is asking for you."

As Akito bit her lip helplessly, Kisa sidled up to Kyo.

"What about the rest of us? Can we see Tohru onee-chan?" she asked eagerly.

Kyo smirked. "Sorry, but she's pretty worn out. I think visiting her tomorrow would be better."

Kisa sighed in disappointment, but Kyo ruffled her hair affectionately.

"You can spend as much time with her as you like tomorrow," he promised, watching the girl's face light up. "The same goes for the rest of you," he announced to the rest of the group. There came a chorus of let down voices and finally through the crowd appeared Kazuma cradling his granddaughter fondly.

Kyo's breath hitched in his throat as he gazed at her. The rest of the world just seemed to disappear in her presence, and he found that he still couldn't believe that she was his. How could he have gotten so lucky?

Kazuma smiled at Kyo's reaction. "She's a bit sleepy," he warned him as he carefully handed over his granddaughter.

Kyo took the girl in his arms. His daughter moaned for a second before nuzzling into his body. Kyo had trouble swallowing as he murmured, "She's not the only one," he murmured, thinking of Tohru. He bent down to plant a kiss on his daughter's forehead and lightly snuffled into her orange hair, inhaling her sweet scent. She was his. Life truly was an amazing gift. All of those tense months of waiting, wondering if everything would turn out alright, wondering what she would look like, wondering if he would be prepared enough, they all seemed so far away. Peace and utter happiness were the only emotions that permeated his being; that and some weariness, for he had been particularly stressed all day… Kyo thanked all the gods in whatever heavens existed that all of his worries had been for naught and that he had been given this chance. It really was a miracle, not only that his daughter existed, but also that he was able to hold her, to truly hold her in his arms. He had never known the true meaning of hugs until the curse had broken and he had been standing with the woman he loved in his arms. To feel her warm and soft skin pressed against his chest had changed everything. That Tohru felt safe enough and comfortable enough to be so close to him had made all the difference, and he had never known that love could be so strong. Now, with his daughter curled in his arms, he felt that same overpowering feeling that had chased away the darkness for all of eternity. He knew life would never be the same for him, but he didn't care. He would never go back to the way it was, before his two shining beacons had rescued him from the shadows of despair. Never.

As Kyo walked back to the room, the Sohma clan unwittingly bade him their congratulations and goodbyes. Kyo vaguely heard Kazuma invite whoever lived too far away to room up with him at his dojo so they could all make the trip back to the hospital the next day.

Smiling wryly, he reentered Tohru's room. Uotani and Hanajima were hugging their friend tightly and were crying into each other's hair. When they finally straightened, they each gave Kyo a long look and departed. On the way out, Uotani patted Kyo's shoulder and looked him straight in the eye.

"Take care of her, Kyon-Kyon."

He nodded seriously as she whispered goodbye to his daughter and then skipped after her friend. Suddenly, he remembered that Akito was supposed to be with him, and he turned around to see her shyly lingering behind him. Too happy to realize what he was doing, he gave Akito a wide, unabashed smile. Akito timidly smiled in return, surprised, as Kyo nodded at Tohru, indicating that she should go ahead of him.

Akito went to Tohru's bedside after drawing a deep breath. She glanced at the door and caught Shigure's eye as he waited for her patiently.

"Hello…Tohru."

Tohru's eyelids fluttered and Akito immediately felt bad for keeping her awake when she looked so exhausted. Still, Tohru's smile was genuine and it made Akito's heart skip a beat.

"Akito-san, I'm so glad to see you here!"

Akito stumbled a bit at this, overcome by Tohru's infinite kindness. "It was…no problem really. Although I think I spoiled everything—"

"Nonsense!" Tohru interrupted her with uncharacteristic intensity. "Like I said, I'm really glad you came and I'm sure everyone else was happy to see you, too! I just wanted to tell you that I'm sorry we haven't talked in a while. I've been a bit busy, what with the baby coming and all…"

Akito stared at her, aghast. Why was Tohru apologizing to her?

"You know, I missed you," the other girl finished at last.

Akito bit her lip to keep from crying. "I…I missed you too," she confessed as she instinctively reached out to hold Tohru's hand.

"Once we're settled at home, I would love for you to come and visit. Actually, we all would love for you to come, all three of us," Tohru emphasized. She and Akito turned to glance at Kyo who nodded in agreement.

"I would…like that very much," Akito choked out. Tohru squeezed her hand and sighed wearily. "Thank you," Akito whispered. "But I should probably leave you all alone. You've had a…busy day."

Tohru nodded as Akito exited the room, waving a tear-filled goodbye. Once outside, she was engulfed by Shigure and they walked down the corridor, hand-in-hand.

Kyo sighed when she was finally gone. At last, peace and quiet! As he went to Tohru, she stretched out her arms and in them he placed their daughter. Mother and daughter snuggled into each other on the verge of sleep, and Kyo couldn't help but just watch them with a smile on his face. This was his family. He still had trouble believing that it was all real, and that this wasn't just some wonderful dream. But when he saw their peaceful, dozing expression and knew that he would get to see them for the rest of his life, his heart nearly burst out of his chest.

"Kyo-kun?" Tohru mumbled.

"What is it, love?" he whispered beside her.

"Come…lay with me…" she murmured.

Kyo swallowed. He hadn't planned to stay at the hospital overnight, but the thought of going back to Kazuma's dojo which was full of Sohmas was not very appealing. Shrugging off his concerns, he moved onto the bed and curled up next to his wife and daughter. Wrapping a secure arm around them both, he hugged them closer to him. All of a sudden, fatigue hit him and he felt his own eyelids drooping. But before he could fall asleep he had to do one thing. Leaning forward, he planted gentle kisses on the brow of those he loved most in the world.

"Goodnight Tohru. Goodnight Kyoko," he whispered softly. With that, the three Sohmas fell into a deep, undisturbed slumber and shared their first moment together in their dreams.

A/N: AWWW!! I had so much fun writing the absolutely adorable parts, particularly Kyo's thoughts as he holds his daughter for the first time. My beta teared up when she read it, and as evil as it sounds, I hope you did too, haha! I love to bring across emotions, and I'm so utterly in love with the cuteness of a man waiting impatiently for a woman he loves to give birth to his child. It was such an adorable idea that I couldn't help but write it, Fruits Basket- style! I have to say that I also enjoyed writing for some of the other characters, especially Ayame! When I first started this, I had no idea that I would get so deep into the other characters' perspectives, but I wanted to give readers a sense of how all of them have adapted to life without the curse. And of course, I also wanted to advertise the relationships that I love!

Fruits Basket means a lot to me, and I have a lot of ideas for even more cute and fluffy moments, which has made me wonder if I should make this a series of one-shots. I suppose I will have to see what people say in reviews and if I so feel like it. At the moment, I definitely want to add another scene which came into my head soon after this one, but it all depends on how much time I have, especially since I'm heading back to college tomorrow. So yes, we'll see where this goes!

For now, I hope you liked it and please review!