Disclaimer: I do not own "Ouran High School Host Club" or any of the characters in this wonderful manga/anime in any way.

Shelter in the Storm

Previously in chapter forty two: The rest of the evening was spent talking about the future plans of the three who had just graduated, as well as the newly decided wedding plans. Ranka also had the pleasant task of informing Haruhi that she had receive a full scholarship for four years to her first choice of colleges. While they were at the restaurant, the host club posed for one last photo.

Chapter Forty Three

Following the graduation, life moved pretty fast. Haruhi started college and much like her high school life, maintained her position at the top of the class. The Hitachiin twins designed the one and only wedding dress from their line of clothes for Haruhi. At least once a month, the friends that made up the former host club would get together for tea, often offering suggestions for the upcoming wedding.

The wedding took place in the Morinodzuka family's rose garden. Haruhi wore a custom designed Hitachiin dress, as did her Matron of Honor, Kimiko. So dazzling were the dresses, that one couldn't even tell that Kimiko was hiding a slight baby bump underneath her emerald green dress. The color that Haruhi chose actually made Kimiko's dress pop out against the background of red roses behind the make-shift alter. Haruhi's dress was topped off with a crown of white roses, taken from the garden where the wedding was held, and baby's breath encircling her head holding her veil in place. Mitsukuni stood as Takeshi's best man, and Ranka wore a tux as he walked his daughter down the aisle. At the reception, a table had been set up with pictures of both the bride and groom as they grew up, with many, many photos of the host club. It was at one point the center of attention as those who were admiring the photos realize the irony of Haruhi dressed as a girl, under the pretense of cos-play. Also among the photos were the pictures taken when Haruhi had won her first fight in Karate just a few months prior. Mitsukuni and Takeshi were standing next to her, beaming proudly both as instructors and as her friends. No one had ever expected her self-defense lessons to lead to winning in a competition.

She danced with all the members of the host club, albeit somewhat clumsily. Haruhi had never quite learned how to relax and let her dance partners lead her. One could not tell, however, when she danced with three certain men. Her father, of course, at the father-daughter dance was more graceful that Haruhi had expected, although she was pleasantly surprised. Next was Tamaki, who claimed that he had next rights as he was the other father. Tamaki's gracefulness in hosting the ladies did not, however, extend to tripping the light fantastic on the dance floor with Haruhi. It was more like just plain old tripping. Twice the duo had to be helped up as his antics had caused them to trip and fall. The next song was pretty fast, so the twins attempted to pull Haruhi on the dance floor between them. Till the day she dies, she will shudder as she remembers that horrific experience. Mitsukuni danced with his new cousin next, but only served to remind Haruhi why she liked to dance with taller men. Kyoya had proven once again that he could lead her well on the dance floor, as the two made many heads turn. She was at ease in his arms, which allowed her to dance gracefully. As they walked off of the dance floor, one of the slightly more inebriated guests made a comment about how the two looked like they were about ready to run away together. Takeshi was about to come over and ask the guest to leave when Kyoya spoke instead. "But that it wouldn't destroy the only true friendships that I have ever taken the time to build, I would. Since even attempting to do such a dastardly deed would hurt not only me, but two of the most important people in my life, it's not an option. Now, if you can't seem to find something nice to say about the bride and groom without rumors, lies, and slander, I suggest you find your way off the premises before I have the Otori private police come escort you off. I won't have you ruin my friends wedding… and damn sure won't allow you to ruin it by dragging me into your treachery."

The happy couple finally got a chance to dance together. It wasn't that Haruhi did not like spending time with her friends, but school and Takeshi's time at the dojo made the little time that had together seem all that much more precious. Although after that night, since they were now married and would be living together, they would have a little more time together. As they danced, the whole world seemed to disappear, leaving only the two of them. Anyone who looked at the two of them could easily tell that they were very much in love. Even the idiot that has smarted off in his drunken stupor earlier when she exited the dance floor with Kyoya could now tell who Haruhi was truly in love with.

Just before they left for the hotel, Haruhi found each of the former hosts and gave each one a hug. She even went so far as to tell Kaoru to back off as she reached to hug Hikaru, so that each one got an individual hug. No sharing this time. She asked that they all pose for one more picture of just the host club members. They had already gone through the traditional photos of the bride and groom along with various poses including members of the family and wedding party. But this was different. This would be her "other family" photo. Since the night of her graduation, she had carried around the last photo of the host club. When her new friends at college saw it, she claimed it was her family, which often got quite a response from the females. They wanted to know how Haruhi was lucky enough to have such a bunch of good looking guys as family members.

Haruhi knew that it wasn't luck that brought them together. Nothing less than fate could have made her bump into that stupid vase that fateful day her first year of high school. No one could be lucky enough to have had her life. She lived each day as if there wouldn't be another, because she always felt like she had over-extended her allotment of luck. As she and Takeshi rode to the Otori spa resort that would be the spot of their honeymoon, courtesy of Kyoya, she thought about her luck. She felt that she was very luck to have passed the Ouran High School scholarship test. The doctors and investigators after her attack all told her how lucky she was that she survived. And then, to be drawn into the world of the rich the way her friends had done. Some say that it was probably bad luck to bump into the vase that got her wrapped up in the host club, but not Haruhi. Without that fateful event, she never would have become friends with the six most wonderful men in the world. And without having befriended them, she definitely would not have had the opportunity to marry the man of her dreams… the only man that could calm her down in the middle of a thunder storm. Yes, Morinodzuka Takeshi was definitely her 'shelter in the storm'.