I'M BACK EARLY!!
Alright guys, guess what, it's done!! THIS IS THE FINAL CHAPTER OF SHE'S GONE. I feel kind of sad. This was my very first story on Fan fiction, and here I am finishing it a year and a half later. Wow. I'm going to miss this one. Although I have 7 more to keep me busy, I'll still miss it. I hope you all enjoyed it as much as I did.
Disclaimer: I do not Own Fruits Basket.
Chapter: To Begin Again
Tohru sat quietly in the small room, with the 13 others who were forced into this long boring procedure.
The Will hearing.
It's not that Tohru didn't care about her husbands' belongings and where or to whom they were going, it was just that she already knew, they had written his Will together after all.
She forced herself to pay attention to what the attorney was saying; ignoring the many looks and glances she was getting from the 13 Junnishi. She had done everything she could to hide from them after the funeral, which was hard since everyone wanted to give her their condolences, which she was grateful for, of course.
Tohru knew she had to talk to the, but not until they were all alone, and together. It wouldn't be right otherwise. Some things just had to be dealt with in private.
'Oh Akito, you left me with a bit of a mess, love.' She thought to herself, just as she noticed that the Attorney was packing up his things and exited the stark white room.
Tohru stood slowly and faced her expectant audience. Her mind was jumbled and she struggled to make sense of things. One part of her was meeting these people for the first time, while the other part was being reunited with old friends.
She allowed her gaze to dance upon each face for a moment in time. Studying each one, taking note of their changes and new appearances.
Akito had told her about each of them before, but always in an impersonal context, at the time she did not know them, simply that they were her husbands' cousins.
Focusing hard she tried to remember pieces of conversations about each of them and where they were now.
Kagura had become successful in the business world; she ran one of the many Sohma corporations.
Rin was a well known Lawyer, able to scare a confession out of anyone with a mere glare.
Haru had just finished his training in Law Enforcement, top of his class.
Hiro and Kisa were both in their senior year of High School, and a very cute couple.
Momiji had gone into Photography, specializing mostly in photos of carefree children of nature at its most peaceful; his photos were used in magazines around the world.
Possibly most surprising of all was Ritsu, who had gone into the Japanese Theater, putting himself out in the public eye.
Kereno had continued to stay mostly out of sight; once Akito had become mainly independent he opened a small book store/Café where he spent most of his time with his girlfriend.
Ayame's success had continued in the fashion industry.
And Book sales for Shigure had never been better.
Finally Hatori had opened a small family practitioner Tokyo and he also worked part time at the general hospital with Emergency pediatric cases.
Yuki's choice occupation had been Architecture; he had become well known with his creations and often traveled the world for different clients.
Eventually her eye's landed on Kyo, poor Kyo. It made sense to Tohru now why he had looked so hopeful when they first met, then so crescent-fallen after their first few minuet of conversation. He had hoped that she would remember, but at the time she hadn't. He had been living quietly in Canada, running his Dojo. Knowing the whole time that she had been with Akito.
Tohru could only pray that they would forgive her.
So, with a deep breath, she began, "Right now it feels like there are two people inside of me. I have lived two different lives. One part of me feels like the 17 year old who cooked and cleaned for room and board, and then there is this other part of me, a young woman with a University Degree who has been happily married and lived a quiet, peaceful life. I'm sorry. I'm sorry I forgot, and I'm sorry none of saw the person Akito really was before any of this. I realize that most of you are mad, and I guess that I should as well, because by all rights, Akito did kidnap me, but he never meant to hurt me, or to hurt you, at least not in the end. These two sides of me, both the 17 year old and the married woman will agree on one thing though. I loved Akito; I loved him with all my heart. I was in love with the man he had become and who he was. So many times he tried to tell me the horrible things he had done, but I never listened, I refused to listen. Both he and I knew he was quickly coming to the end of his life, so he wrote a letter which he had asked if I would read to you all, so please, just listen." Tohru unfolded a piece of paper which she had been holding since she first stood. Clearing her throat she began reading the written text,
"To my Junnishi,
I know that to simple say, 'I'm sorry' would not even begin to make amends for my past cruelties, as well as taking from you your only true glimmer of hope for a better life, Tohru. I can't tell you that I gave her everything she deserved, because you know as well as I that she deserved more than anyone could ever give. But I gave her everything I had, and I loved her more than anything in the world." Tohru stopped a moment to whip a tear that has begun to slip down her pale cheek, before beginning once more. "I also wanted to apologize; I was to expend my regrets to each of you. And I can only hope that you will find it in your heart to forgive me my actions. I am sorry for everything I have done, for all the wrong that has been caused by my hands. To Rin and Haru for the physical and mental pain I have caused you both. To Kisa and Hiro for the brutality I showed towards your relationship. To Kagura for taking from you the one man that you truly loved. Momiji for not stepping in when your mother chose to abandon you, I know what pain and hardship that has caused you. Ritsu, for my disgust towards how you chose to express yourself and for continually making you doubt yourself and your actions. To Yuki, to you Yuki there is so much to apologize for, and not enough time in which to do it, I hope you will forgive me the things I have done to you, and the torment and anguish I caused you since you were but a child. And To Kyo for forcing you to forever be and outsider, for making you leave you friends and family and move to a different country. To both Kyo and Yuki, I cheated in your game of love, and for that I am deeply sorry, I see now what it was you were fighting for. And finally to my four eldest. Shigure, Ayame, Hatori, and Kereno. You have all been there for me since the day I was born and I have only ever given you hardship and pain in return for your loyalty. I took form you the people you loved and the lives you longed for. To all, there was only one thing that I could do to try and make amends and eve that I cannot take full credit for. It is because of Torhu that you are all free. Her unyielding kindness and love towards us all. And her acceptance of who we are has set you all free. Just like you had all hoped form the beginning, she has broken the Curse."
Everyone sat silently, allowing the words to sink in, the words that would forever change their lives. The silence was left uninterrupted until Haru finally spoke.
"Is it true? We're free, the cure is broken?" he asked.
Tohru simply smiled and nodded mutely.
Yuki was about to speak when a knock on the door drew everyone's attention. When the door opened it revealed a young woman with cascading golden locks and dark sun kissed skin, she had dazzling emerald eyes, and a small smile pinned to her face. She stood with a tall, handsome ma with shaggy brown hair and chestnut eyes.
"Tohru sweetie, you ready to go?" the woman asked.
Tohru nodded, "I'll be just a moment," She said before turning to the others once more. "I got a ride with some of Akito and my old University friends. I'm sorry." She then and exited with the two strangers.
Everyone just watched as she left their lives once more. That is until, as if one, Hatori, Ayame and Shigure stood and ran after her.
Ayame called out as they caught up to her retreating form, "Tohru! Wait!"
Said woman stopped and looked back at the three men before turning to her other companions once more, "I'll catch up in a minuet."
The two smiled and continued with a nod.
The three grown men studied Torhu careful until Shigure spoke up, "How? How has the curse been broken?"
A small blush crept on to Tohru's cheeks at the question, only proving to confuse the men further. When she looked up at them both confidence and slight embarrassment shone through her eyes. "The curse has been broken because I'm pregnant." She placed her hand on the barely visible bump of her stomach, "My son Was the key to breaking the Curse."
Hatori gazed at her thoughtfully before he said, "You were truly happy with him, weren't you?"
Tohru smiled, "I was. Which reminds me," She laughed lightly as she reached into her purse and pulled something out. In each mans hand she placed a small container and closed their fingers over it. "Akito wished that the three of you find the happiness that he and I did." And with that said she turned and made her way to the exit, "he picked them out himself." Was the last thing they heard as she left the building.
When she was gone the three opened their hands to find in each a small velvet box, and upon further inspection they all found in each box beautiful engagement rings. Each ring engraved.
Hatori and Kana.
Shigure and Mii.
Ayame and Mine.
"How did he know?" Ayame breathed.
"And why did he not stop us?" Hatori furrowed his brow.
"Maybe it was how we all suspected, Akito truly had changed." Shigure sighed.
:: One Week Later ::
Yuki sat at his work desk in the Apartment which Akito had given him 3 years before working on his latest project for a big client. He was expected to have the design finished into eh coming month when he was flying out to London to meet with the client and his financer. And event which had become routine to him.
Suddenly he was startled from his concentration by a knock at the door. Sighing he stood, removing his dark blue frames from their perch on his nose and placing them gently on the desk. Both Haru and Rin were out for the day, and he was alone in the apartment for the day. Walking to the door, he undid the chain and the lock and slowly he pulled the door open.
His eyes widened slightly as he recognized the person standing in the door way. It was Tohru. Her long chocolate locks were curled and placed hap-hazardly around her face, held back by a familiar yellow ribbon. She wore a simple Yellow Sun Dress, the sleeves were thing lacy straps across her shoulders and the dress ended just above her knees, adorning her feet was a simple pair of yellow sandals.
"To-Tohru?" Yuki managed to stutter out. He hadn't expected to see her. He moved to the side and gestured for her to enter.
Smiling lightly at him, she stepped into the foyer of his home. "Hello Yuki," She said.
His breath caught in his throat, "What are you doing here? Is there something you need?" he didn't know what else he could say beyond that really.
Tohru just studied him for a moment before she spoke, it was quiet and Yuki barely caught what she had said, but it was the words that would carve his future.
"Can we……… start over? You and me?"
The EndYup. That's it. I decided to leave it with an open ending so you could decide for yourselves how it turned out. Because I couldn't decide, and if I had tried to, this chapter wouldn't have been out for another 5 months, trust me. maybe if I have time, and enough people ask me to, I'll write like an epilogue or something, like one of those 5 years later things. it's up to you guys really.
I hope you guys liked my story!!! Thank you so much to my reviewers.
And for the last time, to my reviewers:
Yuki's-lil-sis well I'm glad you like the cuteness, I'm very fond of it myself, lol. I hope you liked the end, thank you for your review.
JennyKim319: haha YES!! Someone appreciates my cliffhangers. You just made my life, lol. I hope you liked the final chapter, and I'm sorry I was so slow updating.
Funky Dude: ya, I know I'm like really slow with updates, but I do have a life, I hope………… ha-ha. Well I hope you liked the update, and final chapter of my fic, thank you for your review!!
sasukesgirl89 ha-ha, success, I'm making readers cry!! Way to be, eh. Lol. Well I'm glad you liked it, and ya, I was sad when I had to kill Akito too, but it's just how the plot had to go, depressingly. It was funny actually, when I started writing my story, I hated Akito, and planned to make him like this really bad guy, but then I stared liking the character I turned him into, so I kept him around longer than I intended to, and it actually changed my whole plot by the end. But yes, anyways. Thank you for reading and for your wonderful reviews!! I hope you liked it.
Mysticaquawolf123: aww, thank you. Someone has faith in my writing, yay! well I hope I was able to reach your expectations for the final chapter, and thank you for the review, and for reading thus far!!
Shojobutterfly: ahhh, my ever faithful Shojo!! You have been reading since the start and I can't tell you how much that means to me, truly!! And ha, way to be with reading all of Fruits basket, the sad thing is, is that I haven't yet, lol. I'm a little slow, obviously. And see, if this hadn't been the last chapter I would have said something like 'and how do you know his evil half sister isn't gonna be in the next chapter' but sadly you can see there won't be one. But yes, I get the soap opera thing a lot, I apparently like to put a bunch of twists into my stories, it keeps me just as amused as everyone else. D well I hope you liked my ending, and again,. Thank you so much for reading!!
cocoke5 and yay! Cocoke5 another of my faithful readers. You too have been here since the start and I wanted to say thank you so much!! It means a lot to me to have such faithful readers!! I hope you liked the update and final chapter. It's been a long process but I finally finished!! I hope you enjoyed it.
WolfieMoon haha, well that wasn't the end, but this was. sad huh. And ya I thought I would surprise everyone with pictures instead of boring old papers. And I'm not sure it's up to your own brain whether she lives happily with the Junnishi or not, haha. I'm cruel like that :p. I hope you liked the final chapter though, I appreciate the reviews.
headless chicken: oh no!! I'm so sorry I took so long!! I really hope I haven't lost you. I have trouble updating my stories quickly because I have so many going and so much going on outside of my writing. I hope I haven't lost you and that you like the ending, I really do.
Star Garden well I'm just gonna hope that's a good wow, and not a bad one.
IAmTheBattleMaiden Yeah, sorry, I'm like one of THE slowest people around, not even kidding. I'm worse than a freakin turtle. I['m like human turtle. It's bad. I hope you liked the ending. Please let me know what you thought, and thanks for the review!!
Oh wow, I feel really sad now. I kind of want to cry a little bit, since it's the end, and this story was really the start for me. I've just looked back on my first few chapters, and I can see how my writing has developed and everything. Awww. I feel kinda like a baby now. I'm getting all mushy. So thank you guys so much for your reviews and for taking the time to read, it really means a lot to me. I'll miss you all.
Luv always,
Aya-Chan.