Chapter 19 - Oh Crap!

She nodded lightly looking down. "...I'm sure."

"All right..." he said, starting the car and starting to drive. She looked outside the window sadly watching the surroundings move outside.

"What are you planning to ask...?” he said softly, keeping his eyes forward on the road.

"...For Kyou-kun to be free." She spoke sadly keeping her eyes from him.

Free..? But he is free, at the moment..."

"I want him to be free of the cage forever..."

"That's not going to happen..." he said, shaking his head side to side, "Akito will never allow it."

"He might if I do something to change his mind..." She kept her head lowered.

"What are you planning..?" Shigure asked in all seriousness.

"...I don't want to tell you. You won't let me go if I told you..." She kept her head down.

“... Kyou-kun deserves to be free just like anyone else..."

"I still think you should talk about this first... the other's won't be happy if something happens to you, or you do something foolish..."

"...I know, but I don't want them to be worried, that's why I lied about going to Uo-chan's."

"They worry about you constantly... they don't want you to go away, they don't want to lose you."

"I know and I won't let them go away from their sanctuary they have here."

"To them, it won't be much of a sanctuary... if you're not there to share it with them."

"...I won't lose Kyou-kun to Akito-san..."

"And he won't lose you to Akito either... he'll fight to the death if need be..."

She nodded sadly. "...I just want Kyou-kun to be free."

"Kyou... is very fond of you Tohru, he won't easily stand by and watch you suffer in his place..."

"I know he won't. I won't tell him anything that happens." Nodding, Shigure just continued to drive, not saying anything more as they approached the Sohma Estate. She placed her hands on her lap as she looked toward the estate. As they approached the gate, it slowly opened, the car driving in slowly. She lowered her head slowly as she closed her eyes halfway.

"We can still go back... if you don't really want to do this..."

She shook her head slowly. "I won't turn back now."

"Alright," he said as he parked the car slowly and stepped out, walking around to open her door. She stepped out when he opened the door for her. Her eyes opening slowly looking around the area waiting for Shigure to lead her to Akito's room. "Let's go.. He doesn't like to be kept waiting... by now he already knows you're here..." She nodded lightly as she followed close behind him.

Slowly he walked into the main house, walking down the long, wooden floors.

"Shigure-san you don't have to go in with me. I'll be ok." She didn't want to get him in any trouble.

"I... don't trust Akito with you alone, it's best if I go with you..."

She shook her head. "I don't want to risk them being taken from you."

"You'll be taken from us, if he decides he doesn't want you around... with no one to stop him, who knows what he would do."

"Shigure-san I promise I'll be just fine please just wait for me. I don't think it'll take that long..."

"Fine... but I'll be right outside the door... if you need anything, you holler..." She nodded lightly as she made her way to the door walking in slowly sliding the door shut. Slowly he kneeled by the door, listening. She knelt down slowly in front of him her head low.

His back was turned to her, his face turned to the wall, "What do you want?"

“... I want you to let Kyou-kun stay free after high school."

"Ha! You ask a lot girl, coming to me and asking me to let the cat stay free...” Slowly he turned his head, looking back at her, "the cat cannot be allowed to stay free... or else the curse will grow worse."

She kept her head down. "...What if I took his place then..."

Akito's eyes widened slightly, "You want to take his place in the cage..."

She nodded slowly. "...He doesn't deserve to be punished because he's the cat..."

"But he does! The cat doesn't deserve anything he's given, and you're making that wrong!" Quickly he jumped up and grabbed her hair, "You're making everything all wrong, the cat doesn't deserve to live let alone get anything else."

She let out a weak cry as she fell forward at the pull she didn't scream she didn't want Shigure to run in to save her. “... Please he deserves to be like anyone else..."

"The cat is a fool, the most evil and devious of the zodiac curse! You've seen his true form; the evil within him creates that form. If he isn't sealed away, he WILL destroy this family!"

"Please let me take his place..." She looked to him sadly struggling to keep the tears back.

"No! He will be in the cage, or he will destroy this family, and I will not allow that!"

"...Please I'll do anything for him so he could live like anything else!" Tears started to roll down her face.

Slowly the door opened, Shigure looking in having heard the yelling, "Let her go Akito, she's just trying to help those she loves."

"Loves? He is a beast, and he will be locked away when the time is right, I will not allow this family to be destroyed. I face the most difficult of the curse, and I am in charge! Get Hatori in here, I want her memories erased!"

Her head lowered sadly. “... You don't think I care about the curse I'm trying my best to make everything easy like there is nothing wrong like their just like anyone else!" Tears started to roll down her face. "...I want to break the curse I want them to be free... I want them to be happy..."

"Their happiness doesn't matter! The curse is something that makes it so they can never be normal no matter how hard you try!" Lifting his hand, letting go of her hair, he got ready to strike her. Before he could though, Shigure grabbed her and took her from the room.

She kept her eyes from his. "...I've done it this time haven’t I..." She spoke sadly. "I can't keep the family together... I don't deserve to be part of your family..."

"You were trying to take Kyou’s place in the cage? Do you know what it would be like..? He would never let you do that."

"...Yuki-kun said he would be the first cat not to be locked away because of me... I wanted to make sure he stayed free... I don't want to lose him... I don't want to lose him like my mother..." She covered her hands with her face.

Quickly he led her to the car, pulling open her door for her, "He still has a chance... but that isn't what Yuki meant..."

She looked to him sadly. "...Then what did he mean...?"

"He has faith that you are the one that will cause the end of the curse... you can't do that if you're locked away in a cage that's meant for Kyou"

She sat down in the car keeping her eyes from him. "...It doesn't matter anymore I screwed up Hatori-san is going to take my memories away..."

"Hatori... Hatori believes much the same way we do... your visit with him, made him see..."

"...He has to obey Akito-san... just like with Kana... I am no different I am a stranger that was invited into the house... I broke the rules..."

"Kana wasn't like you though... she was broken, and wanted out... He did it, for her sake."

“... Shigure-san... I don't know what to do anymore..." She rested her head on her knees.

"Just... be yourself and wait, good things come to those who are patient."

“... Kyou-kun only has a month before the cage... I'm running out of time to save him... I need to go back to Akito-san..."

"You can't go back there alone though, you're trying to do too much all by yourself. You should tell them the truth... let them go with you..."

"...He'll hurt them if they come with me I won't let them be punished because of me..."

"Tohru... you really can't do this alone... You need to see that."

"...I can do it please let me do this, this is the only thing I can do for them that'll let them be free..."

"No... You can't do this on your own..." he said, driving out of the gates and back towards the home. "They would not want to let you suffer for them... and in the end, you would only make them suffer more because of that..." She kept her head down a slight bruise appearing near her cheek. The rest of the ride was in silence as they drove back to the house, pulling up in the driveway. She looked up slowly feeling the car stop wiping the tears away quickly to hide it from them. "You have to be truthful with them... or you'll only make them suffer," he said. "If you truly want to make them happy... then you have to let them help you... they will suffer more if you suffer..."

She nodded lightly looking to him sadly. “... I’ll talk to them tonight..."

Nodding softly, he slowly gets out of the car and walks around to open her door

She stood slowly as she got out of the car. "...Promise not to tell them before I do..."

"I won't say a word... it wouldn't be right for me to."

"...Thank you Shigure-san..." She moved away from him slowly heading into the house.

Nodding, he slowly moved back to the driver side, taking the car back to the garage to park it. She took off her shoes as she walked through the dining area. Slowly Kyou walked in through the back door. She looked to him slowly before looking away from him going into her room.

"Tohru..?" Slowly he walked up the stairs towards her room as well. She shut her door locking it behind her. As he walked to the door, he tried to open it, blinking. "Tohru... what's wrong, open up..." She stayed quiet burying her head into her pillow.

"Tohru... what happened at Uo-chan's? What's wrong, speak to me, please..." Kyou stood at her door, knocking on it softly.

“... I just need to rest... I'll come out in a little bit..." Her voice was filled with sadness.

"Tohru..." he said again as he stood by her door, "you've never locked us out before... and you just don't sound like yourself..." She made sure her eyes were clear of tears before walking to the door opening it slowly.

"What's bothering you…? I've never seen you like this before... you're always smiling no matter what. But… today," he whispered, looking into her eyes.

She looked away from him blood rolling down from where Akito had grabbed her by her hair her eyes lowering. “... Uo-chan was teaching me how to fight she as worried about me living here... She thought I should learn some self-defense she went a little to far... It was an accident."

"But... you're not smiling... you always smile when you've been with your friends. Is... Something bothering you?"

She shook her head slowly. "...I just got a headache is all..."

"Ahh... why don't you lay down and rest then..." he said softly, "Just... don't lock us out."

She nodded lightly as she leaned up kissing his cheek softly. "...Later on I need to talk to you and Yuki-kun..."

"Alright," he said with a nod, blushing slightly. "Rest well now..." She nodded lightly turning away from him blood dripping to the floor as she closed her door.

Looking down a bit, he slowly walks back down the stairs and outside, bumping into Shigure along the way. He looked down to Kyou before looking away. "She tell you anything?"

"Only that Uo-chan got carried away while teaching her some self-defense... why didn't you help her?"

"Help her with what you want me to stay at her house with her next time?"

"Oh, you didn't stay with her?" He shook his head slightly and smiled, "No... of course you didn't... good thing too, pervert."

Yuki looked up hearing knocking on her door standing walking over opening the door. "Uo-chan and Hana-chan why are you here?"

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