A Shocking Question and Answer!

Disclaimer: I do not own anything. :]

"Mommy!"

The high pitched shrieking of the over dramatic Tamaki could be heard throughout the 3rd music room.

A dark haired figure, with his hands on his slender hips sighed, and turned to face the enthusiastic blonde.

"Kyoya! Where is everyone?! They're going to be late, and the guests will be upset and I will have to do everything in my power to make them happy, and while that will be a difficult feat, I'm sure with my beauty and charm I'll-"

Kyoya pushed up his glasses and sighed again.

"Tamaki," he said, interrupting the prince's tirade, "I'm sure they will all be here on time. After all, we do have a half hour before they need to be here."

Tamaki straightened up from his distraught position on the floor.

"Well, Mom, I'm also kinda worried about my little girl and I know that those devilish twins will do anything they can to violate her!"

A slight cough came form by the doorway. Two red haired boys, totally identical and far too closely intertwined were standing there, eyeing their boss.

"Boss. That's just-" chirped one.

"Not right for you to assume that." replied the other.

And in perfect unison, "But it's not us you have to worry about."

Tamaki snapped to attention and was in front of the twins in a heartbeat.

"What're you saying? Where's Haruhi? Is she alone? My poor baby!" he cried, pawing at his hair with tears dripping from his chin.

Kyoya watched this exchange and began the write in his infernal notebook.

Hikaru and Kaoru watched Tamaki with twin expressions of glee and satisfaction, then turned to each other, golden eyes twinkling.

"Should we tell him?" Hikaru asked, smiling widely. Kaoru slid his hand down Hikaru's hip and licked his lip.

"Lets."

They wrapped their arms around each other and faced Tamaki, who was staring unabashedly and fidgeting unbelievably.

"Have you noticed the strange absence of Honey-senpai and his ever present guardian? Do you not think it strange that the two of them and Haruhi would be absent so soon before the Host club opened for business?"

They had barely finished their speech before Tamaki had latched himself onto Kyoya.

"I-is it true? Mommy?" he asked, eyeing Kyoya with a tear stained face.

"Well, why not. You are always worrying about Haruhi and how she needs protecting, so why not let her be protected by the two most capable people at Ouran?"

He shook off Tamaki, and began to walk back to a back room. He had writing to do.

"But! But! But who is going to protect Haruhi from them?!" was the shriek he heard before sliding the door shut.

Amongst the enormous buildings and paved walkways, there are gardens of a numerous variety. Rose gardens, water gardens and even tree gardens adorned the landscape of Ouran Academy. And it was among a water garden that found Haruhi along with her fellow Hosts Honey and Mori. They were walking - well, Haruhi and Mori were. Honey was riding along on Mori's shoulders, fast asleep. He hadn't been feeling his best and had spend most of the night awake and unhappy. As a result he spent the day sleeping in various places. And God help the soul(s) that woke him up.

And because the chatterbox was snoozing soundly, the conversation had fizzled immensely. The two awake hosts walked along, enjoying the scenery. Well, Haruhi was. She had no idea what was going through Mori's mind.

"Senpai?" she asked tentatively.

"Hn," came the grunted reply.

"Is…is anything bothering you? You're quieter than usual," Haruhi asked, looking up at the gentle guardian. She might've been deceived but she thought she saw a flicker of emotion shoot across his face, his steel grey eyes darkening slightly. But then it was gone, and he turned his head to look at her- well, look down at her. Once again, she was struck by this walking paradox. So quiet and complacent, and yet so capable of destroying everything around him.

"Ah."

"Ah? Senpai, you'll need to be a bit more…expressive," Haruhi said, smiling and wrapping her arms around herself. She was trying desperately to quell the tinglies in her stomach.

Mori stopped abruptly and Haruhi almost kept walking, but froze as well. Mori was setting down Honey gently, tenderly like a father with his child. She smiled at the picture before her and tried to erase it as Mori looked at her, but didn't succeed. He saw her smiling, and without her saying a word, knew why.

He walked up to her, and his reassuring smell washed over her. Slightly musky but mainly sharp and clean, like mint on a cool fall breeze. He placed his hands on her shoulders and her stomach did a somersault.

"I need to talk to you," Mori rumbled. His eyes were dark and he exuded an aura of sadness.

"In private."

"Is this private enough?" Haruhi asked, gesturing to the sleeping Honey.

Mori looked over at his charge.

"Mitsukuni will sleep soundly. This is as good as anywhere. But this is confidential."

The severity in his voice left no room for Haruhi to argue. She merely nodded and gazed up at Mori with something strange in her big brown eyes.

"A month ago, my father passed. He died suddenly and now, being the eldest, I am the next in line. Even though I have a brother, because he is in the middle school, he is in no position to run anything. As result, when I graduate I am too run everything. However, by rival families I was offered a deal- One month to grieve, and eleven months to marry and attempt to produce an heir. If I fail to do so, my family and its history will be destroyed and recreated under another name. I need help. I need a girl, a woman, actually to be by my side."

Here Mori began to look nervous, an emotion that Haruhi had never seen him wear before.

He shifted from foot to foot, before taking a deep breath and asking Haruhi a question that she never thought she would hear from him, much less anyone else.

"Will you be with me, Haruhi?"