"No, no!" The young girl screamed. "This can't be happening! No!"

"It's okay." Said a voice from beside her, but it was laced with uncertainty. "Everything will be alright…"

The girl swung around to look at him. "No it won't, Shigure! How could you say that! Just look at him!" She said, gesturing to the object in front of her. She was leaning against a pure white hospital bed, the sheets a brownish red in areas from blood that had dried long before. The girl stared at the boy occupying the bed longingly, her large, green eyes filled with hope.

"Tohru," Shigure breathed and kneeled down next to her. "There's nothing we can do…" "There has to be!" Tohru shouted and buried her face into a section of the sheets. "There just has to…"

"Tohru…" Shigure sighed. "I think we need to go. Yuki will be worried, you know. I mean, I really don't think a trip to the grocery store would normally take this long…"

"This was no ordinary trip to the store," Tohru began and looked up at him slightly. "This… this should have never happened…" She said, her voice trailing off, and looked back at the bed. "Why did this need to happen…?"

...Flashback...

"I'm going to the store!" Tohru called with a smile. "Anything anybody need?"

"Well…" Yuki started. "We are running a little low on leeks. I mean… we need to drive that cat out of here somehow…"

"Don't be like that!" Tohru said with a nervous laugh. Just then, Shigure swung his head around the corner. "You know Yuki, I think we're already doing a good job at that. The whole 'drive that cat out of here' thing, I mean." Shigure said in a suspiciously mocking tone.

"What do you mean by that?" Yuki asked, his eyes wide. "What I mean is," Shigure began, relishing the expression of anxiety on Yuki's face. "That Kyo went up to see Akito this morning to ask about moving to a place away from the Sohma's."

Tohru stared at Shigure with an amazed expression. "You're serious?" She asked, her voice nearly hoarse. "Yes, yes." Shigure laughed. "Now I think you should be off to the store before Kyo comes back complaining about how hungry he is."

"Okay." Tohru said with an awkward smile. "I'll be back soon!"

With a wave of her hand, she left.

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"I can't believe what a wonderful day this has turned out to be!" Tohru exclaimed with a broad smile. The wind gently lifted her hair, as if it were thanking her for the kind complement.

"So…" Tohru said and pulled out her list when she was about half way to the store. "Let's see what we need… onions, cod, chicken, milk, miso, rice, and leeks… sounds simple enough!" She said, still with a cheerful smile.

Then she saw a sight that made her stop dead in her tracks. A figure; a slouching, grotesque figure, was slowly approaching her. First, she just stared, then she let out a terrified scream when she found out who- or what -it was.

"Kyo! Oh my gosh, Kyo! What happened to you!" Tohru gasped and ran up to him, tears blurring her vision. When Kyo noticed her, he smiled slightly and collapsed to the ground.

"Kyo!" Tohru screamed and ran to him. "Kyo, please, tell me what happened!" She said and knelt next to him. "Tell me who did this to you! Why are you bleeding!"

Kyo smirked slightly, and turned his head to face her. Tohru noticed a rather large line of blood trickling from the corner of his mouth. "Tohru… am I… glad to see you…" He whispered and forced a smile. All Tohru could do was stare.

Memories of the past seemed to flood into Tohru's mind; her life seemed to run its self across her eyes in one swift movement. Next thing she knew, Kyo had fully collapsed onto the ground, his blood slowly forming a crimson red puddle around him.

"I need to get help!" Tohru said, her voice squeaky, and looked around frantically. As she was about to run, something grabbed her leg. "Tohru…" Kyo said and looked up at her. Tohru stopped and turned back around. "Kyo, let go! Please! I need to get help!"

Kyo laughed slightly. "There's no need for that…" He said calmly. "Just please… stay here with me?" He said, then quickly turned away and coughed.

"No, Kyo, you're not acting right… I-I need to get help. Let me go, please!"

With much effort, Kyo managed to pull himself up and look at her. "Tohru…" He said slightly, then cringed. "What are you doing listening to me! I just lost a ton of blood, I don't know what I'm saying! Go! Go get… get some…" Before he could finish, he had fainted, his grip on Tohru's ankle loosening slightly.

I'm sorry, Tohru, but there's noting you can do…

...End of Flashback...

"Did that seriously happen!" Yuki questioned, staring at Tohru's tearstained face. She was back at the house, and had just explained what happened to Yuki. She only nodded slightly and looked up at him. "Is there anything we can do to help?" She pleaded. "Anything?"

Yuki looked away. "I don't know, Miss Honda. When Akito gets angry, well, things can get pretty violent, as you already know. I just wouldn't expect Akito to get so mad over Kyo wanting to move…"

"I wouldn't be so sure, Yuki." Shigure interrupted. "You never know with Akito." Tohru cringed at his words.

"It can't end like this…" She whispered. "It's not his time to go! It's truly not…"

Yuki looked down at her, his eyes filled with true sorrow. "I know how much you must be hurting," He began "But there's nothing we can do… we'll just have to sit and wait."

Tohru sadly looked down into her lap. She knew he was right. She knew that there was nothing she, an ordinary mortal, could do to save Kyo from a painful fate. She let off a faint smile.

"You're right, Yuki." She murmured. "Just sit and wait…"

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Weeks went by, and Kyo's condition didn't seem to improve. Every day, Tohru had made it a priority to go and visit Kyo, and every day, her hope dwindled.

"Kyo," Tohru whispered one day during her visit to the hospital. "I know that you probably can't hear me… but I want you to know that I wish you the best in healing… and if by any chance you don't make it, I'm truly going to miss you. Your… Your absence will be noticed…"

With that, she stood up and left.

"The next time I see you, Kyo," Tohru breathed. "You're going to be well…"

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"I'm home." Tohru called softly as she entered Shigure's house.

"Nice to see you, Tohru." Shigure said with a hopeful smile. "Anything turn out today?"

"No…" Tohru replied sadly. "And I'm not going back to that place… Not until he's better."

Shigure started at her with amazement. "Tohru… you do realize it will take him a while to recover, correct?

Tohru nodded slightly. "But I think there might be a way to get him back on his feet sooner…" She said in a voice barely audible.

Shigure stared curiously. "What might that be?" He asked. Tohru slowly stood up, ignoring his question. "I'm going to see Akito." She stated and began to walk off.

"Whoa, whoa, wait a second!" Shigure said, his hands waving frantically in front of his face. Tohru turned back to face him. Shigure smiled. "Would you like a ride? It's getting pretty nippy…"

"No way would I allow you to go anywhere near a car." Came a voice from the other side of the room. Tohru turned and focused her attention on Hatori.

"Oh, hello Hatori." She said with a slight bow. "What brings you here?"

"Yuki was due for a check-up," Hatori said simply. "The cold weather always triggers asthma symptoms, and with his weak bronchial tubes, that would make it only that much worse."

Tohru nodded understandingly. "Well, I ought to be off--" "Wait just a second," Hatori cut her off. "We don't want you catching a cold."

"Oh, it's okay!" Tohru said with a smile. "But thank you very much for the offer."

Hatori sighed. "If you know what's good for us all, you'll take my offer on the ride."

Tohru stared for a moment, then her face drooped slightly. "I suppose you're right." She said. "Sorry for me being so conceited…" "Oh not at all!" Shigure said with a smile. "We understand."

"You can go get into the car and let it warm up." Hatori said, tossing Tohru the keys. She fumbled slightly to catch them. "O-okay…" She said, and walked toward the door.

As soon as Shigure heard the door click, he turned to Hatori. "I'm glad you're doing this for her, Hari." He said. "Tohru hasn't been the same since the accident… She won't even crack a smile. And when she does, it's obviously fake. She's really hurting inside. I just hope she knows what she's doing…"

Hatori looked away somewhat uncomfortably. Shigure noticed this, and jumped slightly. "I didn't know what I was thinking, babbling on like this!" He said, obviously embarrassed. "Go on before she freezes to death."

Hatori gave Shigure on last look, then walked out to the car with the gloomy Tohru inside. They were off to see Akito…