Archive of Our Own ^beta

Chapter Text

A Kind and Steady Heart can make a grey sky blue

As Kyo lay in bed with Tohru, he still couldn't shake the feeling of how surreal yet right it was to be living in their old home again. It was completely theirs now, no longer Shigure's. After four years of intense training in the dojo by that lovely, hilly seaside town, he and Tohru had returned home. The house had been empty ever since they left, but it was still Sohma property and Akito and Shigure had more than enough servants working in the main estate to come by once a month to ensure the house was still in good condition.

Shigure, ever the mastermind, had long planned on bestowing his former home to one of the young people he had shared it with. Turns out that since they had arrived home before Yuki moved back, it meant that they automatically 'won' the house.

They'd moved in just two days ago, and most of their things had been put up, with decorations and photographs mounted on the walls, along with Tohru's collection of books and DVDs. They wouldn't be there forever, as Akito had promised to have houses built not just for them, but for Yuki and the other former Zodiacs she had wronged. Kyo still found it bizarre to see Akito, of all people, being so kind and generous with the Sohma clan's seemingly bottomless coffers, but Tohru had that effect on people. Or maybe it was Shigure's idea, a way to make up for his own past sins and to keep the house a personal little getaway for him and his wife.

Kyo had to admit that Shigure wasn't all bad for a highly manipulative, perverted bastard. His sense of humor was still awful though. He decided it was best not to linger on Shigure's many vices, he wouldn't want to destroy the gratitude he felt towards the former Dog of the Zodiac. After all, if it wasn't for him and Yuki, he wouldn't be with his precious Tohru.

When lying in their bed due to struggling to sleep or, in this case, waking up early, his eyes tended to gaze out the window of their room, which had once been Yuki's (they had chosen to make his former room theirs since it was the largest bedroom in the house), or close his eyes and reflect on the past or present happenings, but most of all, he liked to just watch his sleeping fiancé.

She still wore her cute blue pajamas, sleeping soundly as she nuzzled against his topless body. He smiled as he carefully brushed some stray strands of her lovely brown hair out of her sweet face. It had been nearly five years since they became a couple, and he still enjoyed just looking at Tohru, cherishing the feelings she sent through his heart, mind and body.

He gently moved his arm under her and pulled her into an embrace which she accepted with a happy sound, it was as if even when asleep she could feel him and loved his touch. All those years of little to no affection from anyone, save his Shishou, had made Kyo needy when it came to hugs, so when he hugged Tohru it tended to last a while. This was something she understood and was more than happy to give him all the affection he could ever need.

She was an endless source of love and kindness, the fact that he and others were no longer bound by the Zodiac Curse was proof enough of that. Now it wasn't simply the kinship of the Sohma clan that bound the former Zodiacs together, instead, they were bound by their love for one another, but especially for Tohru, the girl who had been the key to their salvation.

Kyo's body was stronger now, his muscles were very well-developed and he was even a couple inches taller than he had been when they left the Kaibara area of Tokyo. He had spent four years of intense training to master karate, he had learned and perfected nearly every punch, strike, kick and move the martial art had to offer, and he also dabbled in jujutsu, judo and aikido to spice things up. While he had been an average student in high school, he excelled at martial arts; it was only natural, since had been raised by Kazuma Sohma, who was unquestionably the best there was.

Kazuma had elected not to retire, feeling he wasn't old enough just yet, which was something Kyo was happy with, so they decided to run the dojo together. Kyo had no doubt that however old his Shishou got, he'd easily be able to kick anyone's ass if push came to shove. He could easily picture Kazuma as a seemingly senile man nearly a century old, cryptically teaching foolish youngsters the wisdom and strength they needed to become strong, just like in the old legends.

Kyo wondered if he'd be getting students when he was that old.

Of course he would. He planned on living for a long time, and keeping Tohru in his company until the day he died, which he would make sure wasn't going to happen any time soon. She had already lost so much, he'd make sure she wouldn't lose anything else.

Especially since the wedding was in a week.

He had proposed to her not long after they moved to the seaside, using money granted to him by Kazuma to buy a pair of engagement rings, which they had been wearing for four years now, but they both agreed they wouldn't get married until they came home.

It was quite easy to wait, because they had been with each other nearly everyday, save for a few times Tohru had went on trips to visit Saki, Momiji, Kisa and the others here at Kaibara or up the coast to visit Arisa and Kureno or to Hokkaido to visit Yuki at the university.

Of course, they had made a few trips to Kaibara before moving back, the first trip back had been to attend Ayame's wedding to Mine Kuramae a mere five months after moving to the seaside. Kyo was rather reluctant to come but Ayame had won him over with the promise that when he and Tohru got married, he'd craft her the second most beautiful kimono his skilled hands would ever make. The most beautiful wedding kimono, of course, was reserved for his beloved Mine. Kyo had to admit that Mine's black and white wedding wardrobe was rather nice, though he had zero fashion sense and knew that Tohru would look beautiful in anything.

That wasn't the only wedding they attended in the past few years and Ayame got repeat business from his fellow ex-Zodiacs, as only three months later was the wedding of Hatori and Mayuko Shiraki, the former teacher of Tohru, Kyo, Yuki and some of their friends. Of the many things Kyo found odd, the fact that his Shiraki-sensei was now a member of the clan didn't rank particularly high compared to the rest of the craziness in his life.

Their third return home had been during the last autumn for the wedding of Shigure and Akito. Despite the…very complicated feelings most of the former Zodiacs had in regards to the ex-'God' they had been bound to, they had all attended, though Isuzu had attended the ceremony as it unfolded in the garden, she only came at Hatsuharu and Tohru's insistence. Ayame had naturally crafted beautiful outfits to the specifications for each of them, and Tohru had found Akito to look strikingly beautiful in her white wedding kimono decorated with red camellia flower patterns.

It had been at that wedding where Tohru had met Shigure's parents, and she found them to be rather uptight, but they were probably more relaxed when not engaged in such important matters as their son's wedding. They were courteous enough to her, but it didn't take long for Tohru to figure out that they shared Hatori, Kyo and Yuki's…mixed emotions towards their son. Tohru couldn't help but wonder where Shigure got certain aspects of his personality from, as he seemed absolutely nothing like his parents, unless they were very good at hiding certain personality traits.

When Shigure gave a speech thanking everyone for coming and announcing his intentions to stay true to his vows and remain by his bride's side for the rest of their lives. He had said this with such sincerity that even Yuki and Hatori said they could see absolutely no hint of his usual sly and subtle nature, and that it was more than a little surprising to see him being completely transparent for once.

He voiced his love for Akito and ended his speech thanking his 'Musketeers' Hatori and Ayame for helping him along the way and thanking Tohru, Yuki and Kyo for staying by his side for several years, making it clear to everyone, in his typical evasive way, that they had helped him break down the barrier between Akito and the world and had helped her embrace her true self. Many in attendance had been half right in assuming he meant helping Akito get over the extreme issues she had suffered in regards to her gender, thanks to the madness of her mother Ren.

It hadn't escaped notice that Ren Sohma had been absent from the wedding.

If there was one thing Kyo could empathize with Akito, it was that he too knew what it was like to suffer under an abusive, mentally unstable parent who irrationally despised you. That was how he had been able to forgive her.

One of Tohru's solo trips to Kaibara had been nearly two years ago to be with the other Sohmas when Hatori and Mayuko welcomed their daughter Kinu into the world. Kyo wished he could have been with her, but he had very important training to do, and some opponents who weren't going to be in the area for very long. Neither of them had ever had to worry about being unfaithful while separated, because as far as Kyo was concerned, no woman in the world could compare to Tohru and she felt the same way about her beloved Kyo-kun.

He closed his eyes and took in her scent and the sensation of his arms around her petite body. He had done this hundreds of times, but never got tired of it. Who could? He decided just to savor this moment of peace, because the day was going to be quite busy. With Yuki moving back home, Akito and Shigure had decided to throw a small celebration to welcome Tohru, Kyo and Yuki back and to begin preparing for the wedding. Kyo was going to drop Tohru off at the main estate while he'd join Hatsuharu, Isuzu, Machi and Kakeru to pick up Yuki from, as well as Arisa and Kureno, who's train would be arriving about half an hour later.

Tohru wished to spend as much time as she could with the others to make up for how long she had been gone. They'd had visits from Hiro and Kisa, Momiji, Isuzu and Hatsuharu from time to time, mostly during the summer or some other break, but it just wasn't the same as living in the same area as them.

She especially wanted to get to know those who could potentially become future members of the family such as Momiji's girlfriend Usagi Sakai and Kagura's boyfriend Raizo Tanaka. Neither had been told about the Sohma curse yet, both Momiji and Kagura wanted to wait until they felt they were ready. Tohru had met both a few times, while Kyo had only met the former once and the latter twice.

Mayuko, Mine, Arisa and Saki, along with Mitsuru, who had been going steady with Ritsu for a few years now, were all made aware of the now broken Zodiac Curse, with blessing from Akito.

Some of them had a hard time believing it, but were eventually convinced it had to be true due to how serious the former Zodiacs were about it. Saki Hanajima had believed them right away, which didn't surprise those who knew her, as her gift of sensing people's 'waves' had allowed her to detect the intense vibes and emotions those who had been cursed with the Zodiac gave off. She had remarked "It makes sense, you and Yuki-san always reminded me of a cat and rat fighting."

Uotani, on the other hand was a little skeptical at first, but believed them due to how earnest Tohru was with her confession, as well as her pleas for forgiveness for hiding the truth from her best friends for several years, which the duo instantly granted her without much thought. Kureno had also fessed up the truth about being formerly cursed to be the Rooster of the Zodiac, and it was part of the reason he had been so loyal to Akito even when she didn't deserve it.

Kyo was ripped out of his thoughts when the alarm clock went off.

"Wah!" Tohru cried as she shot up, tearing herself out of Kyo's grasp.

Kyo mentally scolded himself for not shutting the damn thing off, but he had been so lost in his thoughts as he savored Tohru that he'd forgotten all about it. He reached over and pressed the button, silencing the alarm. "Good morning." He told her, giving her that smile that sent her heart aflutter.

In return, Tohru gave him her own irresistible smile, the one with her eyes closed that he found so damn cute. "Good morning, Kyo-kun!" She said as she calmed down, leaning into his bare chest, wrapping her arms around his neck. His arms once again wrapped around her waist, pulling her into him for their good morning hug and kiss. He cherished these sensations so much, on those days she had been off visiting the others, he had found himself almost as moody as he had been in his early teen years, but now they were home. She wouldn't have to go off anywhere that often anymore, now that they were with the majority of their friends and family again.

Their lips parted and Tohru cuddled into his chest, kissing his bare pecs. "Did you have a good sleep?" She inquired.

"Just fine," Kyo answered, "And you?"

"I slept wonderfully." she returned as she opened those dazzling brown eyes while she quickly found herself once again staring lovingly into his own orange pair. She reached up, running her fingers through his hair, which now ran down to the bottom of his neck.

He had decided to grow it out, not just because of his Shishou's influence, though that was certainly a factor, it mainly had to do with the fact that he during their second year by the sea he had caught her watching the DVD Momiji had made of that insane 'Cinderella-ish' play they had put on their third year for the culture festival and she had remarked that he looked very handsome with the fake wolf tail he had worn to play the Prince.

He never got tired of hearing that. While he had suffered a lot of hatred and contempt in his life, the love of his late mother, Kazuma, Tohru and even Kagura, in her own funny and violent way, had kept him stable. It's just that…it felt so right coming from her.

"Wanna get up and start the day?" He asked.

"We should," Tohru replied, blushing under his loving gaze before kissing him once more, "But it feels better to just lay here with you."

"No arguments here, but people are expecting us. Uh…wanna save time by…erm, showering together?" Kyo asked, blushing.

Tohru's cute face turned a dark pink, her eyes going wide and white as her mouth fell open.

They had seen one another naked before and when it finally happened, Tohru had practically fainted. It had taken just under a year to actually get to that point in their relationship, not because they didn't trust one another, but more because of how bashful the both of them could be. However, they both very much enjoyed what they saw, and while they hadn't had sex yet, they had enjoyed some very passionate nights.

From Tohru's point of view, her Kyo-kun was the apex of how attractive a man could be. There were many men Tohru would consider handsome or cute, like Yuki, Momiji or Hiro but Kyo was the only one she truly considered to be sexy. That made her feel a bit inadequate over her own body, as there were times she felt he deserved someone a bit more developed. As much as she didn't want to admit it, Tohru was indeed a skinny girl. She wasn't at Akito's level of flatness but she felt she lacked the curves or other certain features that Arisa, Saki, Kagura or Isuzu had, but she always found solace in the fact that even if a woman had breasts larger than her perky B-cups or wide hips or a better butt, Kyo never spared such women so much as a second glance.

"If you don't want to, that's oka-"

"Yes!" She cut him off quickly, still blushing like mad, "Yes, I would like to…we can both fit in the shower and…I think we can control ourselves until after the wedding."

Kyo smiled. They were both still virgins, Tohru was old fashioned in that way, wanting to remain celibate until they said their wedding vows. While many would find it frustrating or a cliche, it was just so Tohru, and he was perfectly fine with waiting for that day. They had waited together for nearly five years, what was a few more days?

"Yeah, we can," He said with a smile, kissing her forehead before swinging his legs off the bed as she sat up and slowly began to unbutton her pajama top.

The former Cat of the Zodiac walked out of their room and past the mostly empty room Tohru had once resided in, down the stairs and into the bathroom where he turned on their showers, letting the water get hot.

He took off his pants and boxers, letting them pool onto the floor as he stretched his body out. He heard Tohru approaching so he turned around before glancing back to see her enter the doorway. She stopped, clad in her underwear and blushing like mad, she couldn't help but admire his toned, muscular form. Despite the fact that she had glimpsed his bare form multiple times due to a side effect of the Zodiac curse and their more intimate moments, or the fact that they had been a couple for half a decade and their wedding was mere days away, Tohru still got nervous when she saw him naked.

Kyo understood, he got flustered seeing her in a state of undress as well. Tohru rarely ever wore anything that showed off too much skin, even her swimsuits tended to be conservative one-pieces that only showed off her arms, legs and upper back, but to Kyo she was breathtaking no matter what she wore, and he just couldn't take his eyes off of her when she was half or nearly naked.

"If you don't want me to look, I won't." He promised, closing his eyes.

"Uh, erm, no! No, you can look!" Tohru managed to say as she closed the door and then gathered the courage to finish undressing. Kyo glanced at the mirror and saw her take the undergarments off, and he just couldn't help himself.

He turned around and scooped her up into his arms, lifting her up and pressing her against the door as he kissed her passionately. Tohru let out an adorable squeal of surprise, her eyes going wide, but she returned the kiss and wrapped her arms around his torso.

They reluctantly ended their kiss after a minute, gazing into one another's eyes as they had done countless times before. "I love you." She told him in that soft, sweet voice that could erode his rough exterior.

Kyo lowered his head, burying his face in the crook of her neck, "Say it again. Please." He begged.

Tohru had said it to him countless times since that rainy night where she had confessed her feelings and he had confessed the truth about his past with her mother, but no matter how often she said, she was always happy to oblige, "I love you. So much, Kyo-kun." She added as she ran one hand across his back to soothe him while another caressed his orange locks.

"I love you too, Tohru. For as long as we live, I'll love you." He told her before carrying her into the warm shower.

After showering, getting dressed and sharing breakfast together, the couple departed the house and made their way to the main Sohma estate, holding hands almost the entire way there and enjoying the lovely Spring Saturday, looking like a textbook definition of young lovers. Tohru's hair swayed long behind her with loops framing her while Kyo had tied his longer hair into a warrior's wolf tail. When they made it to the main estate, they were greeted by an ecstatic Momiji and Kisa.

"Tohru! It's about time you got here!" The former Rabbit of the Zodiac said as he hugged her.

Momiji was a little taller than he had been when they left, he was just a few inches shorter than Kyo and was just as handsome as the typical Sohma man, with eye-catching blond hair and his German accent. He currently worked alongside his father in one of the businesses run by the Sohmas, something that surprised most who knew him as he never struck them as a business-oriented fellow, but he was apparently quite good at what he did.

He still dearly loved Tohru, but no longer held romantic aspirations for her, he knew her heart belonged to Kyo. Now he was very devoted to his girlfriend, a student nurse named Usagi, and the fact he ended up with a girl whose name meant rabbit made everyone wonder if it was fate or if the blond just went out of his way to start a relationship with a girl of that name just for the sake of the joke.

Tohru found Usagi to be a sweet, spunky girl who was quite caring and had a very optimistic outlook on life, she was a perfect match for the ever cheerful Momiji and she couldn't be happier for him. Momiji deserved someone as lovely as her after what he had been through. She knew Momo was likely in the estate somewhere, alone with Momiji's no-longer-amnesiac mother Anne, who's memory had come back to her after spending enough time around her son.

Instead of being disgusted by him, she was deeply ashamed and horrified by how she had treated her first child, as well as her attempted suicide. Anne was still struggling to forgive herself, as was her husband Gennosuke Sohma, who blamed himself for the amount of suffering his cheerful son had been forced to endure. Momiji, however, forgave them both without a second thought.

It was probably part of the reason why Momiji had managed to forgive Akito for her past wickedness once he found out the truth about her. A mother who had gone mad and hated them was something the two had in common. Sadly, Ren Sohma was not regretful like Anne was. When Anne next encountered Tohru, she thanked her profusely for being there for Momiji, saying she had been a better mother to him than she had.

The now eleven year old Momo had once remarked to Tohru that while Momiji was an optimistic and understanding person by nature, he might have been able to forgive them both so easily because of the influence she had on him. Personally Tohru didn't believe that, she felt that Momiji just wanted to be with his family and wouldn't let petty grudges get in the way.

"You saw her last night. I swear, you can be needier than me." Kyo remarked with a smile before he patted the blond on the back.

Momiji smiled and slapped exchanged a high-five with the orange-haired man before replying "No one's needier than we ex-Zodiacs, Kyo-kun."

"No one knows that better than nee-chan!" Declared Kisa, who had grown up quite a bit, she was now Tohru's height and developed into a very beautiful and attractive young woman. She had just begun attending classes at the University of Tokyo, which Hiro would also begin attending early next yet. The golden-haired ex-Tiger of the Zodiac's incredible beauty never failed to turn heads, many even mistaking her for some exotic foreign girl, but like how faithful Tohru was to Kyo, Kisa only had eyes for Hiro.

Despite the vicious beating Kisa had suffered at Akito's hands in the past, Kisa had found it within herself to forgive the 'God' of the Zodiac. She had been wary and scared of Akito, but at Tohru's insistence, came to understand what Akito had gone through and forgave her. Kisa had told Akito "I will not let pain you inflicted on me in the past get in the way of our future." Upon hearing this, Akito hugged her tightly and thanked her profusely as she wept, still apologizing.

Akito had also once sadly remarked to Kisa that she would always be a better person than her, as she had said "Had I been in your position, I would have transformed into a Tiger and mauled the one abusing me. The fact that you didn't is proof of how strong you truly are, Kisa-Chan."

Kisa had only hugged Akito in response and assured her that she forgave her. She wasn't that wicked 'God' anymore. She was just Akito.

"I still can't believe how big you've gotten, Kisa-chan!" Tohru cried, feeling tears form as she remembered Kisa as that quiet, shy girl she had first found hiding in her Tiger form, biting her when she tried to get close.

"Yes, but you'll always be a big sister to me, nee-chan," Kisa told her as she hugged her tightly, her voice was no longer as soft as it had been but was still melodious. She released Tohru and went over to hug Kyo, who smiled as he hugged her back. Despite their rough start, they had become fairly close over the years. Kyo had once told her, "We felines gotta stick together."

She released Kyo and told them "Kazuma-san, Raizo-san, Hanajima-san and Mosca-san haven't arrived yet, but everyone else is here and waiting for you at Akito-san and Gure-nii's house."

"That's good," Tohru said as they walked through the estate together. She frowned, however, when she caught Kyo stopping to gaze at a certain house not far from the main gate. She knew that's where his father, Daigo Sohma, resided. Where Kyo had spent the first five years of his life experiencing the cruelty of his father and the weak, desperate attempts at comfort from his poor mother, the late Yuuna Sohma.

"Kyo-kun?" She asked carefully. Every time they had come back for the weddings, Kyo had made a token attempt to speak to his biological father, but it never went well, and he would often return to their guest room seeking comfort in her arms.

He turned away from the house to face her, "Sorry. Every time we come here, I can't help it. I know he's still in there, slowly drinking himself to death."

"Oh, well…actually, Harii has been able to keep his drinking to a minimum." Momiji informed them.

"Really? What, did Hatori use hypnosis on him?" Kyo asked as they resumed walking.

"He said he was tempted to, but it was more a choice on Daigo-san's part," Momiji said, careful not to refer to Daigo Sohma as Kyo's dad or father, because they all knew who his true father was. Momiji continued "He had a bad case of alcohol poisoning last year, came close to death or so Harii says. He cut down on it big time, but still drinks, or so I've heard."

Tohru reclaimed Kyo's hand in hers, "Wo-would you like to see him, Kyo-kun?" She asked gently.

Kyo considered it, but shook his head, "Nah. That bastard always leaves me feeling depressed and frustrated. Wouldn't want to ruin the mood I'm in. Let's just keep our distance until after the marital bliss settles down, okay?" He told her as he managed a smile.

"I agree with Kyo-nii-chan," Kisa voiced, "I don't want that man's misery affecting your happiness."

Tohru nodded and squeezed Kyo's hand comfortingly, but she still felt bad about how seemingly irreparable the relationship between Kyo and his biological father was. She glanced back at the house, glimpsing it from between other homes, knowing that the angry, lonely man was in there.

They walked through the estate, Tohru, Kisa and Momiji bidding a 'hello' or a 'good morning' to everyone they saw, while ignoring those who shot dirty looks at Kyo. Sadly there were still those among the Sohma family who held onto old prejudices regarding the Cat Curse, even though it had been broken for half a decade now. Kyo paid them no mind, he had long stopped caring what they thought. He didn't give a damn about what they thought of them as long as he had Tohru and the rest there for him.

They soon arrived at the estate's main house, the home of Akito and Shigure. Hatsuharu, now the tallest of the young Sohma men, sat out on the porch, casual as ever, playing on a handheld game system as Isuzu, her beautiful black hair now shoulder-length, lay her head on his lap, reading a novel as they silently enjoyed one another's company.

Hiro was with them, along with his five year old sister Hinata, cute as ever with her brown pigtails, reading a picture book telling of 'A Story of Oki Islands' to her as she sat in rapt attention as he performed voices for the brave heroine O-tokoyo and the vile sea serpent Yofune-nushi. Hiro had become fairly close to Hatsuharu and Isuzu, the latter of whom had come to greatly appreciate the concern he had shown for her and sympathize with the trauma he had suffered from witnessing her fall.

Like Kisa, he now viewed most of the older Zodiacs as elder brothers and sisters, but he still felt he was more mature than most of them, as evidenced by the fact that no longer called Tohru 'Stupid Girl', mostly because he genuinely cared for and admired her, but a minor reason was that he knew it would earn him a beating from Kyo now that he grown up.

Like Isuzu, Hiro had struggled to forgive Akito; he had been traumatized by witnessing the Horse Zodiac's fall, by the sight of the blood bursting from her body the instant she hit the ground, and the physical violence Akito had inflicted on his beloved Kisa because he had asked permission to romance the girl had made him suffer immense guilt and self loathing.

Another big reason was that after the curse on him had lifted and he was no longer the Ram Zodiac, he had been terrified of Akito enacting a terrible punishment on him by harming Kisa again, maybe even worse than the first time. Or harming his parents…or worst of all, his newborn sister. He confessed to Kisa that during the days and nights after the curse broke and before Akito held the meeting with the former Zodiacs he would suffer horrible nightmares of finding Hinata dead in her crib and Akito emerging from the closet with a wicked yet playful smile on her face. He had also experienced terrible dreams of finding Kisa stabbed to death while Akito would stand behind him asking why he had forced her to do such horrible things.

Despite his young age, Hiro had done an admirable job of hiding his fears and true emotions, as he tended to do, and how he managed to conceal how tired he had been due to staying awake to not experience the nightmares. Everyone knew Hiro did his best to avoid being emotionally vulnerable in front of others, but Kisa said that when he confessed these things to her, he had broken down sobbing in her arms. Tohru had wished so badly she could have been there to help the girl who was like a little sister to her comfort the poor boy.

After finding this out during their first trip back home, Tohru had embraced Hiro as tightly as she could and even Kyo did his best to reassure the two youngest former Zodiacs that he'd look out for them, and even apologized for how he initially treated Kisa when she stayed at Shigure's house. Kisa could only hug the orange-haired man while Hiro settled for a handshake of mutual respect.

Eventually, with help from Kisa, Momiji and the others he was able to conquer his fear of Akito and forgive her. Though the encounter had left Akito emotionally drained as she realized just how much damage she had done to both he and Kisa, practically coming off like some demonic Yokai out of a folktale.

The youngest of the former Zodiacs noticed their approach and placed the book down as he said "They're here, Hinata-chan."

"Tohru-nee-chan! Kyo-onii-chan!" She cheered as she ran for them. Tohru giggled and dropped to one knee, capturing the little girl in a hug.

Kyo let out an exaggerated sigh and he smiled before ruffling Hinata's hair, "Good to see you too, squirt."

Hiro stood up and approached them, "Tohru-san, Kyo-san, I trust you're having a good morning." He was now a very handsome eighteen year old, about as attractive as one would expect from a young Sohma man.

"We are indeed, Hiro-kun," Said Tohru as she stood up with Hinata in her arms before she captured Hiro in a hug, which Hinata was happy to be a part of. "You better keep a tight grip on this one, Kisa-chan! Knowing the Sohma boys, he's bound to have a gang of admirers."

"Don't worry, nee-chan! I've got my 'claws' into him pretty deep." Kisa joked as she joined in the hug and leaned up to kiss him on the cheek, making him blush.

Indeed like Yuki, Momiji and even Kyo, there had been no lack of girls chasing after him and gawking at him with dreamy expressions during high school, but he had always politely declined, for his heart belonged to Kisa. In fact, Hatsuharu had been the only one of them to not have any fangirls, not only due to his personality which many saw as 'weird', but because there had been a few times during his third year of high school where Isuzu had shown up during break and lunch periods to visit him and firmly establish to the girls that her Haru was off limits.

Kyo smiled as Haru put down his handheld and Isuzu sat up, "Yo," Haru said in that bland, casual tone of his that betrayed little emotion. He got up and approached them, Isuzu right behind him.

"Yo yourself, Haru." Kyo said with a smile as they caught one another's hands firmly, resulting in a mighty 'slap' sound as they began to arm wrestle.

While Haru put up a good struggle, he ultimately had to admit defeat, "I surrender. For now," He said, he knew how much stronger Kyo had become in his time away, and had no doubt that if push came to shove, he would emerge victorious in a battle, but still wanted to find out for himself just how powerful Kyo had become. "How about a fight later?"

"Eh, after the wedding. Wouldn't want either of us to wear a cast or something during the ceremony." Kyo said with a laugh while Tohru put Hinata down.

"Fair enough." Haru conceded.

"How's that game testing job of yours coming along? Play anything good?" Kyo inquired, as Hatsuharu had landed a job as a game tester for a major game developer.

"Fine. Some good, some bad, a few terrible, a few great." Haru answered plainly.

Like his girlfriend, Haru had struggled to fully forgive Akito. He had come very close to totally losing control of his 'Dark' side and assaulting her before he rescued Rin from the now demolished prison cottage used to imprison the Cat Zodiac. The deepest part of 'Dark Haru' had genuinely wanted to kill her that day. This was something Akito didn't begrudge him, as when he forgave her, she had wept and hugged him, offering desperate apologies as she confessed that had she been in his place, she wouldn't have been able to purposefully miss that punch, she would have given in.

He eventually came to sympathize with and forgive Akito, as he felt that it was the fault of those who had raised her that she had become so cruel, along with her fears of being abandoned driving her to irrational acts of cruelty. Forgiving her hadn't been easy, as because of her evil he had nearly lost the love of his life, and those closest to Hatsuharu could tell that he was still a little distant from Akito, he remained civil towards her

"Hi Tohru-kun. Is he treating you well?"

"He better be," Said Isuzu, who hugged the shorter girl affectionately. While Isuzu, Rin to those closest to her, could still come off as a little cold and distant at times, she was a little more open with those she considered her true family, and Tohru was among them for the kindness and compassion she had shown her, even in light how how rude she had initially been to the Honda girl.

"Don't worry, he is." Tohru assured her as she hugged Isuzu back while Hiro shook hands with Kyo, "I don't think Kyo-kun's capable of treating me poorly."

"I know, you mean as much to him as Haru does to me." Isuzu told her as she glanced up at Kyo and offered a small smile "You're the things that kept us sane in our darkest moments."

Isuzu was currently enjoying a job working for Mayuko's parents at their bookstore and thanks to Hatori's connections with other doctors, she no longer suffered from stomach problems and had been treated for some severe ulcers. She still hated staying in hospitals, the lingering trauma from being abandoned by her parents, who now lived on the other side of Japan, still made her uncomfortable in them but she was able to handle it when Haru was at her side.

To Tohru's dismay, Isuzu was the only one of the former Zodiacs who hadn't forgiven Akito for her past sins. The scar on the former Horse Zodiac was a constant reminder of what Akito had done to her, as well as to the others. She had tried, but the anger, fear and misery still lingered deep within her, something Akito didn't blame her for. There had also been an altercation shortly after Hatori married Mayuko and told her the truth about the Zodiac curse, an intense confrontation between a furious Mayuko and a submissive, regretful Akito that Isuzu had been a witness to.

According to Hatsuharu, she had watched the ordeal with a subtle, satisfied smile on her face.

As bad as Tohru found that to be, she couldn't really blame Isuzu, the scar on her back a constant reminder of what Akito had done to her and the others. Like Hiro, Kyo, Yuki and some of the others, she too had suffered from nightmares due to the physical and psychological trauma she had endured because of Akito. During one of their previous conversations regarding forgiving Akito, Isuzu had opened up about nightmares she had suffered because of the Sohma family's head; the worst of them being locked up alongside Kyo in the Cat's Room, her head almost completely bare, covered in bruises and scars from the forced cutting and tearing out of her hair, forced to watch as Akito brutalized Haru, Tohru, Yuki and the others before having her fun with the two who had been locked away.

Tohru knew that getting Isuzu to reconcile with Akito was going to be a long, difficult task, some might even say a hopeless one. Now that she was back, Tohru hoped to spend more time with all her friends, and also help them in any way she could. She knew it would be wrong to force it, and it would take a very long time, but she still had hope that someday the former Horse of the Zodiac would find it within herself to forgive Akito.

They didn't notice Kyo had spaced out. The mention of treating Tohru poorly had made him flinch and recall those times he had yelled at her or treated her like a nuisance when they were still getting to know one another, or how he had struck her when she confronted him when his hideous beast form had been forcibly revealed to her by Kazuma.

He remembered how, one day while they lived by the sea, the area was hit by a light typhoon and the two had decided to just stay inside their cozy apartment until it passed. The rain had always made Kyo despondent, so after doing morning exercises he just lay in bed with Tohru, cuddling with her.

As he watched the rain pour down outside, he apologized for how he had hurt her that night, striking her hard enough to draw blood and send her flying into the pond. It was easily among his biggest regrets and shames, yet she simply smiled at him and said that she had forgiven him mere moments after it happened and no apology was necessary.

He had asked her why, and she answered it was because she could tell how much anguish and misery he was experiencing, the self-loathing, shame and loneliness that had radiated off his beastly body that it was so horribly obvious to her he needed love and compassion more than she needed an apology. She told him that she could no more blame him for striking her that night then she could blame Kisa for biting her when they had first met.

Kyo had hugged her tighter than ever as he failed to hold back tears, thanking her for everything. He should have known better; Tohru didn't have an ounce of resentment in her body.

Once again Kyo was snapped out of his thoughts as Haru slapped him across the back, "Earth to Kyo, you in there?" He asked dryly.

"Yeah, just remembering something." Kyo answered before looking at Tohru and smiling, "We got like two hours before Yuki's train arrives, right?"

"Yes, I'll drive us to pick up Machi and Kakeru, then to the station," Haru told him, "They're both very eager to see him."

"More like desperate in Machi's case," Remarked Momiji as a familiar figure emerged from the doorway.

"Ah, Tohru-kun, Kyo-kun! It's about time, everyone's eagerly awaiting you!" said Shigure Sohma, looking much the same as he always had, even clad in a green kimono similar to the one he often wore during those years they lived at his previous house.

"Hello, Shigure-san!" Tohru greeted as she came forward to hug him.

Shigure accepted her affectionate gesture, smiling down at her, "I trust you both enjoy having the house to yourselves? Does it make for a proper love nest?"

"Yes! We love being back in your old home, Shigure-san, I'm just happy Kyo-kun actually has a bed there this time!" Tohru said, as it had never sat well with her that her boyfriend had slept on a mere futon, even though he never complained about it.

"Yes, and the fact that he's sharing your bed makes it even better, right?" Shigure quipped, making both Tohru and Kyo blush, the orange-haired young man rolling his eyes.

"W-well…yes," She admitted.

Shigure chuckled, "Well, I'm just happy someone's living in that house again. Let's head inside, everyone's very eager to see you two again!" He told them, gesturing for them to go inside.

"Come on, Hinata-chan, let's go." Kisa said, holding the little girl's hand.

"We'll finish the story later." Said Hiro, picking up the picture book as they all headed inside.

The group arrived at a large washitsu room in the main house that Shigure had turned into he and Akito's personal living room, making it a curious mix of a traditional washitsu room with Western-style sensibilities such as bookshelves and several futon couches. Inside of the room Akito was conversing with Kagura, Mine, Mitsuru and Anne while Satsuki was having a friendly chat with Mayuko and Momo and Usagi were playing with the young Kinu. Off to the side was Ritsu, clad in a wonderful green kimono, speaking to Ayame.

"Two of the guests of honor have arrived!" Shigure announced jovially.

Kagura wasted no time in shooting out of her seat and rushing to capture both Kyo and Tohru in a powerful hug. "Kyo-kun! Tohru-kun! It's about time you got here!" She told them, "Good to be back, right?"

"Right!" Said Tohru as she returned the hug, while Kyo just sighed and also returned Kagura's gesture. While Kagura still cared deeply for him, she had managed to totally move on from her romantic feelings for him, she knew how he had utterly fallen for Tohru and that her youthful, sometimes violent enthusiasm hadn't won him over. Kyo, however, had forgiven her for the injuries and beatings he had gotten at her hand whenever he had done something to tick her off and he was glad they were now on good terms.

Kagura had calmed down significantly and was no longer as violent as she had been. She would be working alongside him at Kazuma's dojo, where she had started her own self-defense classes for teenage girls and women. Woe be upon whatever mugger or pervert tries to pull something on any of Kagura's students.

"I'm looking forward to working with you, Kyo-kun. I know you'll make a great sensei." She told him.

"Thanks, Kagura. I hope so." He replied with a soft smile.

"Ah! Tohru-chan, Kyonkichi! It is wonderful to have you both back and grace us all with your presence!" Ayame said in his typical flamboyant fashion as he approached them, "With Yuki-kun returning home to stay as well, it'll be just like old times, perhaps even better!"

"I certainly hope so." Said Tohru happily as Mine pardoned herself from her conversation to join them. Mine's stomach had a noticeable swell to it, as she was four months into pregnancy, when she and Ayame called to deliver the news to Tohru, they had been over the moon with happiness.

"Looking as adorable as ever, Tohru-chan! Excited for the big day?" Mine asked.

Tohru blushed, "Yes, I am. I just know it's going to be wonderful."

"Speaking of wonderful, don't think I've forgotten about my promise to you two! My dear Mine and I need to take your measurements as soon as possible and you need to take a look at the designs I've sketched out and pick the ones you like the most so we can get started on making your wedding clothes! We only have a handful of days to create my secondary magnum opus!" Ayame declared loudly.

Kyo managed to suppress a laugh when he noticed Akito covering her face to hide how obnoxious she found him. While Akito had never done anything personally to Ayame, as his overbearing personality was enough that she wanted as little to do with him as possible, he was uncharacteristically somber and vague if he had forgiven her for the trauma she had inflicted on Yuki. He wasn't cold towards Akito and didn't act like he held a grudge against her, as the truth was Yuki's suffering at her hands was something he blamed himself and their parents for just as much. It was hard to decipher his feelings towards Akito, but Mine implied he didn't really hate her. Then again, who could ever truly figure Yuki's brother out?

Tohru smiled, "Right! I know whatever you make will be absolutely beautiful, Ayame-san," She said happily, "If it's anywhere near what you did for Akito-san, Mayuko-sensei or Mine-san, I will be a beautiful bride!"

"We'll make sure you'll be a very beautiful one, Tohru! Then again, you're already cute enough that you'd look radiant in anything!" Declared Mine. Ayame's wife had been very accepting of the truth regarding the Zodiac curse; she felt that there had to be some explanation why her husband had been so physically distant from her despite her advances in the past. That was why, when Ayame sensed the curse was broken, he wasted no time in embracing her and announcing his feelings for her.

While Mine initially disliked Akito for what she had done to Yuki and the others, she eventually became very good friends with her, much to everyone's surprise. Naturally, Shigure had talked Akito into letting Ayame create their wardrobes for their wedding and while taking her measurements, while preparing her wedding kimono, they had talked about what Akito had gone through and done, and Mine could tell that Akito had been through a lot herself and was truly repentant. She had complimented Akito on her lithe body, saying that it had been a crime for Ren Sohma to deny the world to see how pretty she really was. After that, a firm friendship had formed between Akito and Mine, to the point that Akito was able to tolerate Ayame a little better.

Ritsu stood and bowed to them, "It truly is wonderful to have you all back. Uh, sorry I didn't come to greet you, but I was a little preoccupied with our conversation." He said.

Tohru smiled, "It's fine, Ritsu-san, it's good to see you again, I hope you've been well."

Kyo was still surprised that Ritsu's notoriously melodramatic, compulsory apologies actually had gotten under control. Since it had been a notable tic of Ritsu's for most of his life, Kyo had expected he'd lapse back into his constant, loud cries of 'Sorry!' and begging for forgiveness in the most ludicrous fashion, but no. He still apologized for nothing, but it was far less over-the-top than it had been. His hair had been allowed to grow out just a little, though nowhere near the length he had kept it at for so long, and he occasionally cross-dressed for comfort and did favor wearing kimonos and yukatas.

When it came to his relationship with Akito, Ritsu had, for a change, been on the forgiving side of the relationship. Despite Akito's cruel mockery of him in the past for his crossdressing and how she reveled in hearing his groveling, over-dramatic apologies, especially after she had reduced him to quiet, broken sobs, Ritsu felt it wasn't right to hold a grudge against her and accepted her apologies quite easily. He had known what it was like to hate oneself and beg for forgiveness, and knew it would be wrong to deny it to anyone, even Akito.

Mitsuru waved to them, giving them a warm smile. She had grown her purplish-grey hair a little, wearing it in a ponytail, and appeared to be much less of a nervous wreck than she had been as Shigure's editor. When Mitsuru had been informed about the Zodiac Curse, she was convinced it was another one of Shigure's strange jokes that he had sadistically enjoyed playing on her.

Eventually Ritsu and the others managed to convince her they were telling the truth, so she was naturally shocked and was shocked and took a while to fully process it. Once she accepted it, she could simply remark "It's only fitting that my ex-sensei was a damn dog."

This had caused Shigure to laugh uproariously.

Mitsuru seemed too nervous around the Family Head to really say anything good or bad against her, as if out of fear that she might disapprove of her relationship with Ritsu. Though Ritsu had convinced her to give Akito a chance, and now the editor seemed fairly comfortable around the head of the Sohma family.

Hinata had dropped down to join Momo and Usagi. "I'm back, Kinu-chan! Sorry, but I really wanted to see Tohru-nee-chan and Kyo-onii-san!" She said to the toddler, who was excited to see her back.

"Wow, you've gotten even bigger than the last time I saw you, Kinu-chan!" Noted Tohru as she knelt down to address the toddler, who had inherited her mother's light brown hair but had her father's violet eyes.

"Tohru, you saw her yesterday." Kyo pointed out.

"Yes, but I'm fairly certain she grew a centimeter or two overnight!" Tohru defended cheerfully.

"Well, considering how tall her parents are, you might be right." Remarked Mayuko as she sat forward, facing her old students with a warm smile.

Mayuko had been quite skeptical about the Zodiac Curse, but came to believe it because Hatori was so dry in his humor and she knew he'd never joke about something as serious as explaining what had happened to Kana and him all those years ago. When Hatori told her the truth about the incident that led to the deep depression Kana had suffered that eventually led to him using his hypnosis talents to erase her memory, Mayuko was livid and coerced Hatori into telling her about what else Akito had done, so he had admitted the abuse Akito had inflicted on Yuki, Kyo, Tohru, Momiji, Isuzu, Kisa and the rest.

After that, Mayuko wasted no time in confronting Akito, she had been absolutely seething with fury and Hatori, Shigure and Hatsuharu all had to hold her back. Mayuko wanted to punish Akito not only for what she had done to the love of her life, her best friend and how she had ruined their happiness, but for the ungodly abuse she had inflicted on children, several of which happened to have been previous students of hers.

When Mayuko calmed down, Hatori had pointed out to her that they were only together because of Akito's cruelty. This was enough to make the teacher concede that in some twisted way they owed their current happiness to Akito destroying his relationship with Kana. The fact remained, however, that she was responsible for some horrible things and had inflicted trauma on children for her own selfish reasons. So while Mayuko had promised Hatori that she wouldn't hate Akito and would try to forgive her, she had made it clear to the head of the Sohma family that if she ever abused anyone other than Shigure (who was fair game as far as Mayuko was concerned) she'd pay dearly for it.

Akito had been utterly terrified, but had done nothing to shout down or oppose the enraged teacher, because the head of the family was still dealing with self-loathing and intense regret for the years of pain she had inflicted on most of the Zodiacs. She had just bowed, weeping and agreeing with the venomous words Mayuko spat at her.

Upon being told of the incident, Tohru, Kyo and Yuki were all astonished that their former teacher truly cared about them so much. Yuki had remarked it was very impressive that despite the casual, deadpan or snarky facade Mayuko put on, she truly did care about them. Kyo was impressed, and made a note to never piss off Mayuko-sensei.

During their wedding, Mayuko had hugged her three former students and apologized for never catching on to what they had been going through, and offered her sympathies to Momiji, Hatsuharu, Isuzu and the others. She had even apologized to Akito for how angry she had gotten, but Akito forgave her, saying she had deserved such a brutal scolding.

"You two taking care of each other?" Mayuko asked.

"We've got to," Kyo replied, "I'd probably be totally lost without her around."

"And Kyo-kun keeps me perfectly safe." Tohru added with a smile, "Are you and Hatori-san enjoying life?"

"Very much, Tohru, thank you," the teacher answered with a smile of her own, "Though that little terror is keeping us quite busy. Apparently I was just like her when I was that young, so I really hope she mellows out as she gets older."

"Oh my, Kinu-chan! Are you giving your parents a hard time?" Tohru asked playfully, the toddler shaking her head 'no'. It wasn't surprising that she was fairly smart for her age, given who her father was.

"She's giving us one!" Laughed Momo, her beautiful blonde hair now reaching the small of her back, "She loves showing off how strong she is. Watch; Kinu-chan, show Tohru-san and Kyo-san how strong you are."

"Yeah!" Said Kinu, her eyes shining brightly before she shoved Momo down, the blonde clearly just falling over on her own, but to the toddler it was proof of how strong she was.

"Try to push me down, I bet you can't!" Teased Tohru.

Taking up the challenge, the two year old charged Tohru and bumped into her. It wasn't very forceful, but Tohru decided to play along like the others and fell over.

"Oh wow, you really are strong! Has Aunt Kagura been teaching you some techniques?" Tohru asked be

"Yeah! She's super strong." Laughed Kagura as Kyo sat down.

"Betcha can't take me down, brat." He dared with a playful smirk.

Kinu took up the challenge with gusto and charged into him, only to be confused when he didn't go down. With a puzzled expression, she looked him up and down as he grinned. She shoved into him again, pushing as hard as she could, but Kyo wouldn't budge, making everyone laugh at the sight.

"Oh Kyo-kun, come on!" Tohru implored, trying not to laugh at the adorable sight.

"Do you need help, Kinu-chan?" Hatsuharu asked, coming down and kneeling beside Kyo.

She looked embarrassed but nodded. "I'll give a little push, you just shove Kyo as hard as you can, okay?" He told her, and she once again nodded. She backed up and charged, and right before she shoved into Kyo's chest, Hatsuharu struck out at Kyo's forehead with enough force to knock him onto his back.

"Yeah! I did it! Hooray! Thank you Haru-onni-san!" Cheered Kinu as everyone in the room laughed at the scene, even Isuzu couldn't help but chuckle.

Kyo groaned as he sat up, "Okay, we're definitely having a real match once my honeymoon is over!" He snarled at Hatsuharu.

"I'll get him for you, Kyo-san!" Said Kinu, and she shoved Haru down.

He gave in without any resistance and fell onto his back, "Oh no, she's so incredibly powerful," Hatsuharu said dryly as he clutched his chest, "I think the wound is fatal. Rin, I'm sorry to leave you, but I promise we'll be reunited in heaven."

Now Isuzu couldn't help but laugh, a rare sight indeed.

"Ah, that takes me back. Hiro could be just like that with Yuki, Hatsuharu and the boys when he was young." Satsuki remarked as she smiled at her oldest child.

As Momiji, Kisa, Momo and Hinata began to play with Kinu, Usagi scooted over to Tohru to talk to her. She was a rather pretty girl with light, honey-brown hair and a sweet face. "So, are you settling in nicely?" She asked.

"Yes, it's wonderful to be back in that house. We have so many fond memories from our time there, I hope to make more." Tohru told the blonde.

Usagi smiled back, "I'm happy for you, you really deserve a happy home after all you've been through and done."

Momiji had told Usagi as much as he could about their relationship with Tohru and how much she had done for them and how he had once had feelings for her. Of course, he had to be quite vague in some regards due to keeping the Zodiac Curse a secret from her for the time being. He had been careful to say that both Akito and his mother had been going through very severe mental health crises for a long period and because of an odd 'tradition', Akito had been allowed to inflict much harm on those 'chosen' without repercussions. It was mainly through Tohru helping them that eventually granted them the freedom to stand up to Akito and helped her realize the error of her way, which would eventually lead to his mother reconciling with him.

Usagi was a smart girl and suspected that Momiji wasn't being totally honest with her, she could tell that it was a painful subject for him and she valued their relationship too much to risk damaging it by prying for more information. During their first meeting, Tohru had been worried that Usagi would be resentful of her due to Momiji's old unrequited romantic feelings for her, but she never had any hostility towards her at all. She could tell that Tohru was utterly in love with Kyo, just as she was with Momiji.

Tohru hoped that her feelings for the blond ex-Rabbit of the Zodiac wouldn't change once he eventually told her the truth. She personally believed that their relationship would survive that particular revelation, as Usagi was working as a student nurse at the Sohma General Hospital and was obviously a very caring and empathetic person. One had to be to work at such a place.

"Will you miss your old seaside home?" Usagi asked.

"Hm, a little. It could be lovely during the summer and even during a storm, and we made many friends there, but it's good to be home. Some of our friends threw us a good luck party before we left." Tohru told her.

After a brief conversation about life by the sea, Tohru stood up and walked over to join Akito and Shigure on their futon.

"Thank you for having this dinner for us, it's very kind of you." She told them.

"It's the least we can do, after all you have done for us, and all you and Kyo have been through," Akito told her with a smile.

Akito was still the Head of the Family and oversaw and had final approval of most of their important business dealings and real estate transactions. She had faced some scrutiny and controversy when she admitted her true gender to the family's various business associates and clients, but was able to save face just by being fair to them and offering a sincere apology for the deception.

There had also been controversy among the Sohma family who knew about the Zodiac Curse, many at a loss about its end and many more vocally angry that Kyo was allowed to go free, Daigo Sohma's voice loudest among them. Akito had stood her ground, however, and made it clear that her change of heart brought about by Tohru and Hatsuharu's rebellion to save Isuzu had caused her to rethink everything about herself and how she did things. Even had the curse not been lifted, she couldn't live with herself if she blindly followed tradition and imprisoned Kyo. In fact, she felt that if any of them deserved to be imprisoned for life, it was her.

After all, the God of the Zodiac had done more harm than the Cat ever had.

Akito had struggled with depression and self-loathing ever since the Curse had been lifted. Nights of lying awake, looking up at the ceiling or sitting in the main house's large tsubo-niwa, looking up at the stars and wondering just how her late father would feel about her actions. There had been days when Yuki, Kureno or Kyo would receive a call from her, begging for forgiveness as she voiced her many regrets. She would call Hatori, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro or Hatsuharu for lunch where she would break down apologizing, even after they made it clear she had been forgiven. She had invited Isuzu several times, but the former Horse declined each time, and Akito never blamed her for it.

For his part, Shigure had been there for her every step of the way to support her and give her the affection she so desperately needed. Every night she would sleep in his arms, and when she woke up he would whisper calming stories to her or just hold her in his arms until she finally fell asleep again.

She also had the support from those who befriended her, such as Kisa, Momiji, Mine, and Saki Hanajima.

Akito was much more stable now than she had been, her depression being under control for the most part, but she still had occasional episodes.

"Where is Hatori-san?" Tohru asked.

"You know Haa-san, he's got at least a few appointments from various Sohmas every day. He'll join us this afternoon." Shigure told her. Tohru nodded before Shigure leaned in and whispered "So, be honest with me Tohru-kun; have you and Kyo-kun given into the passion and done the dirty, sweaty deed yet?"

Tohru blushed a shade of tomato red as Akito glared at her husband.

"Shigure! Don't ask her questions like that!" She scolded.

"Especially when there are children present." Seethed Mayuko.

"Not like they understand or are paying attention," Shigure defended with a shrug, before he received a whack to the head courtesy of Kyo.

"Well I understand and I was," He growled.

"Looks like curiosity killed the dog in this case," Ayame remarked to Shigure with a smile and a shrug.

"Can anyone blame me? It's very unusual these days for any couple to wait before marriage to consummate their relationship." Shigure said as he rubbed his head.

"Not everyone's a lust-crazed pervert, at least not on your level, Shigure," Remarked Hiro.

"Well, I think it's very romantic!" Voiced Kisa as she leaned into her boyfriend with a soft sigh, "Waiting until after they've exchanged vows and united the families to indulge in the ultimate expression of love and trust."

"Yes! The denial of carnal pleasure until you're absolutely sure you've found the right partner to spend life with! What could be better?" Agreed Usagi.

Momiji and Hiro joined Tohru and Kyo in blushing, much to the amusement of the others.

Shigure glanced over at Haru and Isuzu and was tempted to say something, but decided against it. He usually knew when it was time to stop pushing his luck.

After a few conversations and greetings, Tohru went with Mine into another room while Kyo reluctantly joined Ayame to get their measurements taken, to make adjustments for the previous recorders Ayame had down just in case.

"Oh Kyonkichi! I can't believe you, of all people, are going for a traditional wedding and not something a little more modern!" Ayame remarked as he measured the length of Kyo's arms and the size of his muscles to make sure his kuromontsuki kimono would be more than comfortable for him.

"It's what Tohru wanted. Really I don't care what kind of wedding we have as long as we're together and she's happy," Kyo replied.

"Ah, the boy has become a man, and a wise one at that! Making your partner happy is something every aspiring husband should keep in mind, and I can tell you've made Tohru-chan a very happy girl!" Ayame told Kyo.

"Hey, I do my best. You'd do the same for Mine, right?"

"Of course I would! She's become one of my main reasons for being, Kyonkichi! The artful clothes I craft would be nothing without her touch! And with a child forming in her womb, I'll have even more to dedicate myself to!" Ayame declared dramatically.

"Yeah, congrats on that, again. You looking forward to being a dad?" Kyo asked, blushing a little.

"Indeed I am! My father was always more preoccupied with business, especially once Yuki was born. While I love what I do, I'll do my best to let it come between me and my wife and children!" Ayame said with fierce determination before he gave Kyo a wry look and asked "Do you hope to become a father soon, Kyokichi?"

His blush intensified, and Kyo fought the urge to make a smartass remark and simply said "Yeah."

Ayame placed a hand on Kyo's shoulder and said "It's a little overwhelming at first, knowing that you're bringing a new life into the world. I'll have a lot to learn myself, but trust me, Kyokichi; I think you'll make a good father."

Kyo was surprised by how earnest Ayame told him this, lacking his usual flamboyance. "Thanks, Ayame."

"You'll be better than that drunken wretch of a sperm donor you've been unfortunate enough to put up with. Besides, Kazuma-san and Haa-san will be there to give us advice should we need it." Ayame added.

Kyo sighed, "Yeah…yeah, you're right."

"Of course I am! So, you want the traditional black, white and grey?" Ayame asked as he showed a drawing of the traditional groom's outfit.

Kyo smiled, "Yeah…and one little addition Tohru and I came up with…"

Tohru was putting her clothes back on after Mine finished taking measurements and making other notes about what she wanted for her shiromuku.

"Hm, I was hoping for something more than the traditional shiromuku," Mine commented, "There's nothing wrong with it, obviously, but personally I think you'd look much more radiant in a colorful uchikake or a Western-style dress. Then again, you're very pretty no matter what you wear."

"Thank you, Mine-san," Said Tohru as she slipped her pink blouse back on, "I've just always found shiromukus beautiful, always wanted to wear one. Thank you so much for helping us with this."

"It's our pleasure, Tohru," Mine replied with a smile, "We essentially owe our happiness to you, in a way, so we're more than glad to make whatever you require. Though I don't quite understand why you'd want something like that on the back of the shiromuku, but at least it's cute!"

"By the way, how are you doing with the baby?" Tohru asked, gesturing to Mine's stomach.

Mine smiled and caressed her belly, "Just wonderful, especially now that the morning sickness is over and done with. Ayame-kun is just so dedicated to me, practically tried to do everything himself so I wouldn't have any undue strain, but we're working together perfectly. So, you're going to wait until your honeymoon to make love?"

Tohru blushed deeply yet again, but managed to answer "Y-yes, we are. In fact, our honeymoon will be spent at home, just enjoying each other's company."

"At home? You don't want to go to Okinawa or Hawaii or even Paris?" Mine asked.

"We personally don't have enough money to spend much time in Okinawa or Hawaii, and Paris is…well, just too much. We don't want to ask for money from Akito-san or anyone and besides, we just got home, why would we want to leave so soon?" Tohru pointed out.

"Point taken. So, the moment you get inside and lock the doors, you two are going to go at it?" Mine asked with a blush.

"Uh…uh…I…well, maybe…" Tohru answered nervously.

"Relax, I'm just joking. I know you two are passionate, but you've got better control over yourselves than some of us do," Mine replied, thinking back on her own honeymoon and the intimate times she had shared with her husband fondly. She continued, "Still, I know for a fact that you and Kyo will be very happy with each other. When that special time comes there sadly will be some pain for a bit, but it will lead to sensations that will make you feel…indescribable happiness."

"Thank you, Mine-san. I'll keep that in mind, and I certainly hope you're right."

Mine chuckled before hugging Tohru, "As Ayame said, we'll make sure you'll be a very beautiful bride."

It was soon time for Kyo to leave with Isuzu and Hatsuharu to pick up Machi and Kakeru to fetch Yuki, and then Arisa and Kureno from the train station.

"Have fun while we're gone," Kyo told Tohru, giving her a kiss that she was happy to return.

"I will, you stay safe out there." She told him. Normally she'd ask to go with him, as she was excited to see Yuki, Arisa, Kakeru, Machi and Kakeru again, but she had a plan. A plan she knew that Kyo would be very much against.

"I'll be extra careful, just for you." He promised with a sly smile as he headed out with Isuzu and Hatsuharu, they were going to head for the Sohma estate's garage where Isuzu kept her Toyota van, which had just enough room to comfortably seat the seven people, plus Yuki's luggage as well as Arisa and Kureno. Most of Yuki's stuff had already arrived yesterday via Hatsuharu and Isuzu bringing his stuff in their van, as he would be moving in with Machi into a rather nice apartment they had rented out several months previously during one of his visits.

As they made their way out of the main household's front entrance, Kyo felt something, or someone, very close by. He turned and moved his hand just in time to intercept a right handed jab, catching it and holding it back.

Tohru was shocked, then pleasantly surprised, to see Kazuma Sohma had been the one to 'attack' Kyo.

Kazuma, his hair once again long though not to the extent it had been when Tohru had first met him, smiled at his adopted son. "Your skills grow ever sharper, Kyo." He told the orange-haired young man before he moved to strike with a hook kick that Kyo once again caught and used the momentum to toss his master, who easily landed on his feet before defending himself from a volley of jabs and kicks from Kyo.

Tohru, Hatsuharu, Isuzu and Shigure watched with interest as the master and apprentice fought, blocking each move with striking perfection. The kind of perfection that only came with hundreds upon hundreds of hours of training, of Kazuma passing on every skill he knew to the ex-Cat of the Zodiac.

Then Kyo managed to surprise his adoptive father by ducking under a simultaneous sweeping kick and strike, sliding in between his legs and hooking his arms around Kazuma's knees, taking him down before leaping up and planting a foot on Kazuma's stomach.

"Gotcha!" Kyo declared.

Kazuma smiled up at his adopted son fondly from the ground. "I'm glad to see our practice match yesterday was no mere fluke. You truly have become a great fighter, Kyo."

Kyo removed his foot from Kazuma and offered his hand to help him up, "You don't know how much that means coming from you, Shishou." He said.

Kazuma accepted the hand and stood up, "I do, I felt it when my own master told it to me. You'll make a fine sensei for the students." He said before launching another surprise jab at Kyo's face, that he managed to catch just in time. Kazuma laughed and added "And I have no doubt that you'll surpass me."

Kyo shrugged as he released Kazuma's hand, "Gonna be a long time until that happens, Shishou. I'll still need you around to help and advise me."

Kazuma smiled warmly, happy to see how being with Tohru had taught his adopted son humility. Before meeting her, Kyo had seemingly been burdened with a personality that flipped between being arrogantly overconfident or worryingly self-loathing and defeatist because of how much more despair there was in his life than hope. Now that he had Tohru, he had reached his potential and had truly become the man Kazuma had always known he was deep within. He couldn't be prouder.

"Nice to see you came for the party, Shihan," Said Hatsuharu casually as he offered his hand to shake.

"I told you he wouldn't miss it for the world," Voiced Isuzu as she hugged the man who had done so much for her after her parents had cruelly abused and abandoned her.

"You couldn't pay me enough to avoid this." Kazuma told them, hugging Isuzu back gently before he moved to hug Tohru, who had truly come to love Kazuma Sohma as a father-in-law.

"We're happy you could make it, Kazuma-san!" She said, "Can Kunimitsu handle the students in your absence?"

"I would let him if I didn't completely trust him," Kazuma answered as he embraced Tohru, "You keeping Kyo happy?"

"As happy as he can be!" Tohru answered with one of those precious eyes closed smiles.

"Better than I was before I had her, Shishou," Kyo added with a fond, loving smile, "We're gonna leave to pick up Rat Boy, the delinquent model and Kureno, so we'll spend time once we get back, okay?"

"Of course. I look forward to seeing them." Kazuma told them.

Kyo gave Tohru a kiss on the cheek before following Isuzu and Hatsuharu towards the garage.

"So, Kazuma-san," Began Shigure, "Rin-chan says you've had a few movie stars come to study under you to prepare for roles in action films. Any truth to that?"

"Oh yes, several. Word of my prowess has spread." Kazuma admitted.

"Kyo-kun says that you could defeat any martial arts champion or action movie star with ease," Tohru commented, "He said that you could easily wipe the floor with Sonny Chiba in his prime!"

"Part of that is due to how Kyo idolizes me, but my skills are quite sharp. Those actors and aspiring martial artists keep asking me why I don't seek fame and notoriety like they do." Kazuma said.

"And why don't you? You could easily make some money with your abilities now that you don't have to look after Kyo-kun." Shigure pointed out.

"Fame can be a dangerous thing, Shigure, and you know better than most how we Sohmas prefer our privacy. I simply prefer a peaceful life, and I know I can do more good training others than I would be able to as some movie star." Kazuma said.

"I suppose you have a point, that's one of the reasons I declined an invitation to write the screenplay when Toho adapted my book 'The Hermit's Mountain' into a film, even snubbed them when they invited me to the premier." Shigure said, "Though I must admit I was very happy with how it turned out."

"Yes, I enjoyed it very much, though Kyo-kun thought it was boring," Tohru told him.

"Even as an adult he lacks taste," Shigure sighed with a shrug before quickly adding "Except when it comes to his taste in women, of course! There, he made a most excellent choice, Tohru-kun."

"No arguments there, Shigure-san." Kazuma voiced, smiling at Tohru kindly, causing her to blush.

"Thank you both, I'm very happy to be with Kyo-kun. I'm very excited for the big day." Tohru admitted.

"As are we all, we couldn't be happier for you, Tohru-kun." Kazuma assured her as he followed Shigure inside of the main house.

Tohru went with them and returned to the washitsu room to rejoin the others. After a while Akito excused herself and made her way towards the tsubo-niwa, but noticed that Tohru was following her.

"Excuse me, Akito-san, but I need to ask something of you." She said, bowing her head respectfully.

Akito gave her a small smile, "For you, Tohru, anything." She answered, but her expression turned troubled when she noticed how uncertain Tohru looked.

"Kyo-kun's father, Daigo-san…I wish to talk to him." Tohru told her.

And a task that seems impossible is quite possible for you.

Chapter Text

A Kind and Steady Heart is sure to see you through

Akito looked at Tohru, not bothering to hide how surprised she was.

"Daigo? Why on Earth would you want to speak to that man?" She asked, but she suspected she already knew the answer.

"I just…Kyo-kun's tried to connect with Daigo-san, try to make him understand that he was never an evil monster, tried to establish a proper relationship with him but every attempt has failed. I've wanted to meet with him, but Kyo-kun forbids it." Tohru told the older woman.

"He 'forbids'?" Akito echoed, not liking that choice of word.

"Oh, he's not forceful or harsh about it!" Tohru clarified, waving her hands nervously, "In fact, I think Kyo-kun is afraid."

"Of what?" Akito asked gently.

"He's afraid of what Daigo-san might do or say to me if we were to meet. He doesn't like talking about his biological father, but from what I understand, Daigo-san blames the death of his wife on Kyo-kun. I know it's not my place, but I want to try to convince him that's not true. With the wedding coming up, he at least deserves a chance to see how wrong he is, a chance to make up for his past mistakes." Tohru told her former 'God' of the Zodiac.

"Kyo has already tried, Tohru. So have I and Kazuma-san," Akito told her before cracking a small smile, "Even Kagura tried when she was younger and got a protection order against her and she can't come within a hundred meters of Daigo."

Her face grew serious again as she continued, "From what I've been told by those older than myself, Daigo Sohma always had an abrasive side to his personality. Oh, he managed to hide behind some charisma, which is probably how he managed to win Yuuna's hand in marriage, but when she gave birth to a baby that held the Cat Spirit, his facade shattered. What has Kyo told you about his parents?"

"I know how his mother died, and how she tried to hide him from the rest of the family. I don't know if it was out of shame or to protect him, but I want to believe that she did love Kyo-kun. I also know that his father was cruel to him, that he was very vocal against letting Kyo be free." Tohru answered.

"To say the least," Deadpanned Akito, "When I told him that the curse was finished and the Cat's Room would be destroyed, I thought the fool was going to have an aneurysm. He bowed his head to the ground, pleading with me to imprison the 'monster' that 'killed' his wife. When I made it clear that no such thing would happen under my watch, he shot to his feet and screamed at me, calling me a fool for 'letting the beast do as it pleases', he kept claiming that Kyo would kill him. Quite frankly I wouldn't blame Kyo if he did."

"He would never. Kyo can be brash, but I know for a fact that he isn't a monster. Even in his beast form, he was no killer," Tohru said as firmly as she could, "I-I don't think he'd kill anything beside a bug or a fish. It's just not in his heart."

Akito sighed sadly before telling the younger woman "I know that, but Diago has carried this hatred within him ever since Kyo was born and it only intensified with Yuuna's suicide. I understand you want to see the good in everyone, to help even those who don't deserve it; you even helped me, the least deserving of all…but Tohru, there are just some people in this world that are sadly beyond help, like Daigo or my mother."

Tohru nodded stiffly, Akito had told her about Ren Sohma's abuse, the way she had used Isuzu which had led to the ex-Horse of the Zodiac's imprisonment. About how she had mocked and belittled Akito, forced her to live as a man, even tried to provoke her daughter into killing her and had attempted to murder Akito herself. Despite that, Akito didn't have her mother locked away in an institution or imprisoned, perhaps because of the change of heart she had gone through shortly afterwards, in the rainy day when Tohru and Kyo confronted one another in the rain with heartbreaking truths, a stormy day where Tohru had come close to dying.

"And…how is your mother doing?" She asked nervously.

"About the same as she has been ever since she discovered the box Noriyo-san gave me was empty. She goes about her life as if in a trance, she's not completely there anymore. She blamed me for the death of my father, just as Daigo blames Kyo for Yuuna's death, and just like my mother resented me even before my father died, so too did Daigo hate Kyo." Akito explained.

She sighed again as she walked out into the tsubo-niwa, "That's why I allowed Kazuma to take Kyo in when I was young. It wasn't long after my father died and while I foolishly resented Kyo because of the Cat spirit, I knew what he was going through. I could tell his father was even more mad with rage than my mother was. I allowed it due to a fleeting moment of empathy." Akito mused as she sat down and took in a deep breath.

"A moment that showed that for all your faults, you weren't beyond help. That there was good in you," Tohru pointed out gently as she sat down beside her.

Akito smiled, "Thank you, Tohru. However, while I wasn't, I'm not sure seeing Daigo is a good idea. Kyo is right to keep you away from that man."

"I understand Kyo-kun's feelings and yours, but still…I have to try," Tohru said to the Head of the Sohma Family.

Akito looked at her in disbelief, "Why? There's little hope of changing his mind."

"I know, and I'll try to prepare myself for the worst, but…well, my mom was a delinquent known as the Crimson Butterfly, she told me how horrible she could be to others, that she inflicted a lot of pain with both cruel words and her fists. If it wasn't for my dad offering her a way out of that life, she could have been killed in some gang fight or spent her life in prison. If it wasn't for my dad helping her when no one else would, I would never have been born," Tohru explained.

"I see…" Akito muttered with a nod.

"Uo-chan used to be a delinquent too, ran with a very rough crowd, she sought me out because she idolized my mom from her days as the Crimson Butterfly and was very disappointed to see her throwing that away to raise me. Despite how mean she tried to be, I saved her from her own gang. The more time she spent with me and my mom, the more she grew to dislike the delinquent lifestyle. So she quit. She nearly died because of that, but my mom saved her, because one of the gang members cared about her and wanted to save her. We never saw that gangster girl again, but I feel that she was proof that someone will always be capable of doing the right thing," Tohru explained, "So, unless we give Daigo-san a chance, how can he redeem himself?"

"And if he rejects that chance? He might hate you just because you love Kyo." Akito pointed out.

Tohru sighed and nodded "I have considered that. If he does, then I will not trouble him any further, and I will apologize to Kyo-kun for doing this behind his back. This is something I just feel the need to do." She said.

Akito leaned forward, steepling her fingers as she considered this. She lifted her head and nodded, "Very well, but on one condition; Kazuma-san and I shall accompany you. He'd never dare harm either of us, as he knows that attacking me would destroy what little standing he has left in the Sohma family and Kazuma could render him unconscious with a minimal effort." She told Tohru, "We will only intervene if he gets violent, we will leave the talking to you."

Tohru bowed to Akito, "Thank you! Thank you so much, Akito-san!".

Akito sighed and told the younger woman, "Please, Tohru, I don't want you to bow to me. I am undeserving of such respect."

"But I do respect you, Akito-san," Tohru defended, "The things you have done to atone for past sins is very much worthy of my respect."

The Head of the Sohma Family smiled, "Thank you, Tohru, but of the two of us, you are the one most deserving of such respect." She told Tohru before bowing her head to the young brunette.

Tohru blushed, "Oh! Uh, I'm not worthy of being bowed to by-"

"Enough with the modesty, Tohru. You've earned more than a few bows." Akito said with a small laugh as she stood up, "Shall we head off?"

"Yes, I'd like to get this over with before Kyo-kun comes back, one way or the other." Tohru said.

The pair headed back into the washitsu, Akito making her way to Kazuma who had been speaking with Shigure. "Pardon me, Shigure-kun," She began softly, "But Tohru and I need to speak with Kazuma-san about a rather important matter."

"And what might that be?" Kazuma inquired.

"Something we'd rather keep private." Akito told him.

Kazuma shared a glance with Shigure before he looked at Tohru, the look in her eyes telling him it was a serious matter. The two men stood up and followed the women out of the washitsu and into the hallway, but their departure did not go unnoticed.

"Wonder what's up?" Mused Momiji.

"From the look on nee-chan's face, something serious." Kisa said, concerned.

"I think it's best if we don't pry and just stay out of it for now," Remarked Hiro, "I trust we'll find out about it soon enough."

Despite their curiosity, they knew the ex-Ram of the Zodiac was right.

The four went into Shigure's personal study, the walls were covered with loaded bookshelves, his collection had expanded since he left his old home. Tohru told Kazuma and Shigure what she planned and both men seemed skeptical.

"Tohru-kun, your intentions are as pure and noble as ever, but I think it's a foolish thing to even attempt," Shigure told her bluntly.

"Shigure!" Akito scolded, even if she didn't necessarily disagree.

"It's the truth, my dear. Simply put, Daigo-san is a stubborn, spiteful bastard. I always found him to be terrible, even before Kyo-kun was born. How he managed to win the heart of a woman as lovely as Yuuna-san is beyond even me." Shigure said.

"I agree, I've found that speaking to Daigo is a pointless endeavor," Kazuma told Tohru, "I might not be a psychologist, but to me it's obvious that Daigo is a mentally and emotionally unstable individual. Ever since Kyo was born, he's blamed him for anything that went wrong. Even Yuuna's suicide."

Tohru nodded carefully, "I know. I've spoken to Kyo-kun about his mother and what happened to her. I don't believe he blames himself for her death anymore, but he's still not comfortable discussing it, not even with me. Whenever I try he becomes distant, broods, and then he just seeks comfort with me. Hugs me and just sits with me. So I haven't pressed him further, I don't wish to force him to discuss an uncomfortable topic, not after what he's been through. What we've both been through." She told them.

Akito, Shigure and Kazuma all looked at one another. Kyo had confided in Akito and Kazuma his resurfaced memories from his early childhood, the verbal and even physical abuse both he and his mother had endured from Daigo Sohma. It became clear to them all, especially after Akito told Shigure, that Kyo wasn't the true cause of Yuuna Sohma's suicide. Evidently it was something he hadn't been prepared to talk to Tohru about just yet.

Kazuma gave Tohru a sad smile and said "I personally doubt you'll be able to talk sense into Daigo-san, but you've accomplished things just as surprising. I suppose it wouldn't hurt to at least try, especially if we'll be there to look after you. Regardless if this succeeds or fails, will you tell Kyo about this endeavor when he returns?"

"Yes, I won't hide something like this from him." Tohru answered with a nod.

"Kyo won't be happy, but he won't stay angry for long. If anything he'll be touched by your efforts. What you're willing to go through for him…quite frankly, Kyo couldn't ask for a better woman to share his life with." Kazuma told her kindly.

Tohru fought back tears as she smiled brightly at him, "Thank you, Kazuma-san. No matter the outcome, I'll always think of you as Kyo-kun's true father."

Kazuma's smile widened, "Thank you, Tohru-kun."

"Well, you should get this over with before Kyo-kun returns with Yuki-kun and the others. I'll keep our guests distracted while you're away." Shigure said to the three before he smiled warmly at Tohru, "Tohru-kun, I don't think you'll be able to persuade Daigo-san to change. Sadly, there are some people beyond help, but if there's a chance that he can change, only someone like you can make it happen."

Tohru couldn't help herself and hugged Shigure, "Thank you so much, Shigure-san!" She told him.

He smiled down at her and returned the hug. He saw the smile of approval Akito gave him. "I can be a decent man, occasionally." He remarked to his wife and Kazuma.

Machi Kuragi stood outside the apartment building she lived in, and would very soon be sharing with Yuki Sohma. She had really missed having him with , but the young lovers called each other every single day and Machi had made sure to visit him at least twice a month and he would always return to spend time with her during breaks. Sometimes he'd spend the night with her, sharing her bed. Which they'd be doing for the foreseeable future.

She eagerly waited, tapping her feet anxiously before she spotted a dark red Toyota van heading towards her and pulling up to the curb. Isuzu Sohma waved at her from the driver's seat with Hatsuharu beside her while Kyo was in one of the middle seats. The orange-haired young man leaned over and pulled the door handle, allowing it to automatically slide open for her.

"Hey, how've you been?" He asked as Machi quickly took her seat and strapped in.

"I'm fine, Kyo-san," She said, "Kakeru couldn't come, one of his co-workers got sick and he had to take over, so he'll join us later."

The three nodded as Isuzu drove off. "How did the move go?" She asked Kyo.

"Pretty well, we're happy to be home after so long," Kyo told her.

While there had been a distance between Yuki's fellow student council members and Tohru, Kyo and others close to Kaibara High's 'Prince', Yuki had introduced them all not long after the Curse had lifted and he had officially become an item with Machi. Kakeru had already visited Tohru while she was recovering from her fall at the hospital and had made up for how cold he had been to her when they first met.

Machi had initially been hesitant to meet Tohru, as she knew how close she was with Yuki and worried that the older girl might be overly protective of him as she knew how Tohru had supported Yuki and helped him overcome a lot of his personal problems, she was relieved when Tohru fully supported their relationship right out the gate. The two young women hit it off quite well, with Machi admitting she wished she had a friend like Tohru when she was younger.

After learning about Tohru's past and how she had originally met Kakeru, she gave her half-brother a good conk on the head and gave Tohru her sympathies before she eventually told the girl about her very distant relationship with her estranged parents, the details of which had caused Tohru visible heartache.

During one of Tohru's visits, Machi had confessed to the older girl that she couldn't decide which would be worse, to have such loving parents and lose them or to have horrible parents who were as cold as her own.

Tohru's answer was "Both are awful. I think our pain is about equal, so let's not try to measure it. At the very least we have the people we love in our lives now to make up for it."

Machi couldn't help herself and had hugged Tohru in response. She had also managed to become good friends with other members of the Sohma clan such as Kagura, Kisa, Hiro, Momiji, Hatsuharu, Ritsu and Isuzu, the last of whom was able to bond with Machi over their shared curse of terrible parents.

"Bet you're happy that Yuki's finally home. Were you feeling lonely in that apartment?" Kyo asked her.

"A little, but it wasn't so bad. Kakeru, Kimi and the others come over and hang out at least once a week and Naohito calls when he can. Eita's been coming around a lot ever since he began rebelling against our parents." She told him.

Kyo smiled, "Good for him."

"After how they treated you, it's the least they deserve." Isuzu said plainly as she brought the car to a stop at a traffic light.

Indeed, Machi's little brother Eita had recently turned twelve and had entered a rebellious phase, smarting off to their parents and making it clear how he resented their efforts to shape into a perfect heir.

A little over a year ago, Eita had shown up outside Machi's apartment on a rainy day, looking tired, soaked and spiritually lost. He told her he had gotten into a big argument with their mom over low test scores and he confessed that he had failed on purpose just to spite her. Their fight ended with him running off to the one place he knew their mother wouldn't look.

As he lay on Machi's bed, wrapped up in a blanket, Eita admitted that he had been afraid of her for so long because their parents had instilled in him the idea that she had tried to smother him when he was three because she was jealous of no longer being the heir. He asked her if any of it was true and Machi's only response had been to cry and hug her little brother as she told him the truth; that she had never tried to harm him and that she had simply been trying to keep him warm while he was napping on a chilly winter day.

Eita's response had been to tightly hug his big sister back, crying as he apologized for ever believing their parents. Machi could only hold him and let him cry until he fell asleep. When their mother called late that night asking if she had seen or heard from him, Machi decided against her better judgement to let her know that Eita was safe at her apartment before firmly telling her that it would be best to let Eita stay with her for the weekend until he had calmed down enough and was ready to come home, which Mrs. Kuragi surprisingly but reluctantly agreed to.

It took some doing, but they were eventually able to convince their parents of the truth, and while they did seem to feel guilty initially, they acted as though taking Machi to a dinner or two and buying her some expensive gifts would be enough to make up for the years of emotional abuse. Needless to say, Machi was still distant with her parents but had become quite close to Eita, who had also rekindled his relationship with Kakeru, though he found the oldest sibling's enthusiastic attempts to take him under his wing quite tiresome.

Less-than-stellar parents was something Machi and Kyo had in common, though Kyo really felt bad for her, because while he had Kazuma she didn't have anyone. When she had told him and Tohru about her poor relationship with her parents, Kyo had simply said "My biological father's a total bastard and your mom sounds like a royal bitch. Is there a competition going on to see which parent can be the biggest piece of shit?"

That statement had done wonders to break the ice, making Machi laugh and instantly become friends with Kyo. Though once she had learned of what Isuzu had gone through, she felt that if there was such a competition, her parents would take the trophy.

However, if there was one thing her parents had done right it was that they had helped her enroll at the Tokyo University of the Arts. Photography had become a passion of Machi's, specifically she loved capturing images of the imperfect world around her, her own way of showing the world that despite how many people strive for perfection, imperfection was all around them and should be accepted, not abhorred.

Despite everything, Machi's personal resentment of perfection remained but now she had control over it. A good healing exercise for her had turned out to be going out and taking pictures of everyday imperfections; messy riverbanks after a heavy rain, cracks in old sidewalks, fallen branches and scattered leaves in a forest after wind storms in autumn, toys that had little mistakes on them like a character's eye being painted wrong, haphazard drops of rain on windows or neglected railway yards overtaken by weeds with old coaches and outdated engines left to gather graffiti and rust.

Her personal favorite subjects to photograph were fields, lots and lawns where dandelions were allowed to grow freely without being cut down. There was something beautiful about how tenacious the weeds were, how quickly they spread and how varied they could be in size, about how their seeds would scatter on the wind to begin anew in any location they ended up in.

Her absolute favorite, of course, was disturbed snow. Left unchecked, snow created a perfect white blanket over everything and anything it could touch during the frigid months. It rarely lasted that way for long, of course, as people would tread or drive through the snow drifts, leaving boot prints or tire tracks. It was something that had interested Machi ever since she was young, to see the perfection of snow and how easily it was ruined.

The car began moving again, and Hatsuharu glanced back at Machi and said "So, at Yuki's graduation last week you mentioned you were working on some sort of anime error project?"

She nodded, happy to talk about her newest project, "Yes. I'm interested in doing a collage on animation errors, anything from hand drawn, digital, CGI or stop motion and from anywhere too; anime, American shows, anything." She told them.

"Where'd you come up with this idea?" Asked Isuzu as she turned a corner.

"Eita," She answered, "He wants to follow in my footsteps and be an artist, though instead of photography he wants to be a mangaka, he has trouble drawings things consistently so I wanted to show him how it's all right to be flawed as an artist, how imperfections are tolerated even in the professional field."

"How many have you gotten so far?" Asked Hatsuharu.

"A pretty good amount, I asked around on some internet forums, got pointed to a lot of shows from before our time, the sixties to the early two thousands. Might have to make it a digital screen thing, since some only become obvious when you see them in motion," She elaborated.

"What kind of errors?" Kyo asked.

"You know; blatant coloring mistakes, the same background character being used over and over again, proportions being weird, silly single frame faces, characters showing up in the background after they'd be killed off. That kind of stuff," She elaborated, "I think it's interesting, it shows how not even the things we loved in our childhood were perfect, nor should we expect them to be."

"I'd love to see it once you're finished," Hatsuharu told her politely.

"It'll be a while, I'm taking my time with it, especially since I might be a bit distracted." Machi admitted.

"Yeah, having that certain someone around does tend to steal your attention." Kyo admitted as he looked out the window, thinking of Tohru.

Haru looked at Isuzu who glanced to meet his gaze. She offered her left hand and he happily accepted, giving it an affectionate squeeze. "Indeed, let's hope I don't distract Rin too much, I'd prefer to avoid an accident." He remarked.

"Don't worry, I can enjoy looking at your body later, Haru," Rin said as she focused on her driving.

Machi smiled and looked out the window, knowing that every second brought her closer to being with Yuki again.

Yuki Sohma looked out the window as the train ran down the mainline, speeding past forests and lakes and over bridges that held the tracks above rivers. Nearby he could see pleasant villages, further away were cities and in the distance beyond were the mountains. It was always a beautiful sight, especially on a sunny spring day.

He had come to enjoy riding on trains to and from Tokyo; the sound of the wheels rolling along, the sight of the sleepers zipping by underneath, children waving as they passed by road-and-rail crossings. Sure there was the occasional obnoxious chatterbox or crying child, but Yuki personally found that the rides were mostly a pleasant experience.

He'd miss it now that he wouldn't have to go so far and would be spending the next few years studying to achieve his Master's Degree at the University of Tokyo in order to become a mental health counselor. He had gone through most of his life not really knowing what he wanted to be, thinking he wouldn't really have a choice due to the control Akito once had over those afflicted with the Zodiac Curse.

Once the curse lifted, however, it didn't take much time for the ex-Rat of the Zodiac to choose his career path; he wanted to help people who were suffering through emotional trauma. He had gone a long time not knowing how to cope, hiding his fears and anxieties from the world, he really didn't have many people there for him. His brother was quite distant for the first half of his life and his parents, while they had improved in the last few years to be sure, had carelessly allowed his suffering at the hands of Akito, his mother Reona even contributing to the abuse in some cases, even if she didn't understand that she was.

Yuki's mental health had improved dramatically ever since that fateful day that Tohru happened to come by the house he used to live in with Shigure. He actually had someone who cared for him, who helped him, who worried about him. Tohru had been the maternal figure and friend he had lacked in his life up to that point and was a godsend for his mental stability. She had saved him, Kyo and everyone else burdened with the Zodiac Curse and for that, Yuki would always love her as one of the best friends he could ever ask for.

He had successfully done the same thing by helping Machi overcome some of her crippling anxieties in regards to perfection. Though her issues weren't completely gone, he remained steadfast in his dedication to support her, even if he couldn't be physically with her as much as liked. Helping Machi had felt quite good, not in terms of boosting his ego but in knowing that he had helped someone with their struggles had, for lack of a better term, warmed his heart.

It would take a few more years, but it was a career he was determined to have. Anything to help others who had suffered like he did because of Akito.

His relationship with the Head of the Family was awkward to say the least. He truly had forgiven her, especially once she had repented and began atoning for the terrible things she had done to them. A weaker person might not have been able to face one's self and realize how wrong and horrible they had been. A weaker person might have doubled down or allowed their shame and regret to eat them alive and maybe attempt to end it all, but instead Akito came out of it changed.

She had made great strives to improve herself and earn their forgiveness, so that alone warranted his respect. However, there was still a part of him that panicked when he found himself alone in a small, dark spaces, so he avoided small closets at all costs. This was still something he had to work on, because as his girlfriend was so fond of pointing out; no one was perfect, everyone struggled to overcome fears no matter how hard they tried. People were a slow work in progress and his experiences in college learning how to help people emotionally had proven that to be very true.

Akito herself was also uneasy whenever he visited the main estate, cringing with regret as looking at him caused her to recall the terrible things she had put him through, what she had said to him in her attempts to make him devoted to her. She'd always cry as she offered her sincere apologies, and he would always gently take her into his arms and assure her that everything was forgiven.

After all, how could he truly help those in need if he didn't believe in reconciliation?

Though she had been getting better and was apologizing less and less, he felt another such encounter was inevitable once he got home.

Yes, home. Home used to mean the estate. A place he hated being because it meant being with the 'God' he had to spend so much time with. Then it meant being with Shigure, a man equal parts amusing and frustrating…and a savior who had pulled him out of that dark room when everyone else either couldn't or wouldn't help him. Home meant sharing a roof with Tohru and Kyo, the thought of the couple made him smile, as he knew they deserved to live in that house.

Now, home would mean living with the woman he loved. Sleeping with Machi, holding her to him and listening to her breathing at night. Home would mean being close to Tohru, Kyo, Kakeru, Shigure, Momiji, Haru and the others again.

That was home, and he couldn't wait to get there.

Daigo Sohma's house, a rather nice and fancy one in a more modern style that Tohru had to admit she wouldn't mind living in, was just outside of the main Sohma estate. She looked at the house cautiously, thinking to herself how sad it was that Kyo probably had very few positive memories from his time in the house.

Akito went ahead and knocked on the door and a moment later it was answered by a middle-aged man with a mop of dark brown hair that Tohru couldn't but noticed wasn't too different from how Kyo's looked, but it of course lacked the vibrant orange color of her precious fiancé's hair due to the Cat Spirit's influence on his body. He was a rather gaunt man with a stern face and cold, distant eyes.

"Akito-sama, to what do I owe the pleasure of this visit?" He asked, bowing. While he had vocally opposed and argued with her decisions, he at least had the good sense to remain respectful, though there was a noticeable intensity in his voice.

"I have someone who wishes to speak with you, Daigo-san. Kazuma-san and I decided to accompany her." Akito said, gesturing towards Tohru and Kazuma.

Daigo tensed upon seeing Kazuma, while he had been grateful enough for the martial arts master for taking his disowned son in, he despised the younger man for showering Kyo with the affection and kindness that, in Daigo's mind, was inappropriate and undeserved. He scowled at the younger man before he noticed Tohru.

"Who is this?" he asked.

Tohru stepped forward, "My name is Tohru Honda, Mr. Sohma. I… Well, I-."

Daigo's grimace intensified, "I've heard about you from other members of the clan. You're the foolish girl who wants to marry that thing my wife was unfortunate enough to give birth to."

"Watch your tongue, Daigo," Akito warned sharply, "Tohru has become a good friend to the Sohma family and is loved by several prominent members. My husband and I are fortunate enough to count ourselves among them."

Daigo nodded, "And what did you wish to speak to me about, Honda-san?" He questioned as he clenched his fist.

"I wish to speak to you about Kyo-kun. I want to help both of you, I want to see if I can mend your relationship." Tohru explained, doing her best not to sound nervous.

Daigo let out a bitter laugh. "I suppose I could use some amusement. Come in, I will do my best to be a gracious host for my guests." He told them, voice dripping with sarcasm.

He stepped out of the way and Akito came inside, followed by Tohru and Kazuma. His house was neat and tidy, the walls were decorated with posters advertising concerts of classical music from both Japan and Europe, a few framed photographs of various members of the Sohma family, though she did recognize a young Akito in a photograph taken of her, her mother Ren and her sickly father, the late Akira Sohma.

What really caught Tohru's attention was a young woman in several photographs, one with a kind face and a cheerful smile and bright eyes.

"Kyo-kun's mother…" She said, amazed. Kazuma also stopped, looking at the photographs with a melancholy expression.

Daigo paused and glanced back at her, "Yes, her name was Yuuna."

"She's very beautiful, Kyo-kun has her eyes," Tohru remarked as she gazed at the photograph.

Daigo ignored her and spoke to Akito, "Would you like some tea? I'd have to prepare it myself, as the maid isn't in today."

Akito didn't find that surprising, according to Namie the other maids disliked working at Daigo's house as they found him horribly depressing to be around. She simply replied "No, thank you. Tohru, Kazuma-san?" She asked.

"None for me, thank you." Kazuma declined.

"Oh, I'm fine, but thank you for the offer, Daigo-san." Tohru told him, trying to be as polite as normal.

"Kazuma-san and I will wait for Tohru in the living room, Daigo-san. I believe this is a conversation Tohru and you need to have alone, but we will be listening, of course, to ensure that emotions do not get out of control." Akito said.

Daigo looked at the Sohma Family's Head before simply nodding, "Very well, Akito-sama. Come on, girl." He told Tohru, who nodded and followed him into his personal favorite room in the house.

On their way there, something occurred to Tohru; there were absolutely no pictures of Kyo.

As an audiophile and dedicated lover of many genres of music, Daigo Sohma collected many vinyl records and CDs from Japan and from other countries. He sat down on his chair in front of the window and Tohru sat on a chair across from him, a small coffee table in between them.

"Oh, you have a very impressive music collection, Daigo-san, you even have one of those old fashioned record players. My grandfather used to have one, but it stopped working a long time ago." Tohru said, trying to seem casual and relaxed.

Daigo simply nodded as he surveyed the girl sitting before him. "I've spoken to Hatori-sama about you in the past, he told me about how you came to live with Shigure-sama, Yuki-sama and the creature. By the look in his eyes he was quite reluctant to indulge me, I'm not very popular among the family, not with the current generation at least. Akito-sama, Hatori-sama and the creature my wife was unfortunate enough to bring into this world have spoken very highly of you, how you've helped those afflicted with the Zodiac Curse with their personal problems. It even told me you saw its true form. Is that so?" He inquired, staring at her intensely.

Memories of that rain soaked night flooded back into Tohru's mind.

"If you are referring to the odd beast he turned into when the Juzu bead bracelet came off, then yes. I saw it." She admitted.

He looked at her, perplexed. "Then why the hell do you choose to be with It?"

"Because I love him," Tohru said, looking at him with tears forming in her eyes. With her voice quivering a bit she added "Please, stop calling him 'It'. He has a name, he's your son. He's Kyo-kun."

Daigo snorted in disgust, "How did you fall in love with 'him'?" How did 'he' seduce you?" He demanded.

"He didn't. It was…well, it was slow. I'm not sure when exactly he fell in love with me or when I fell in love with him, but ironically, I think I realized that I loved him when I saw that bestial form," Tohru said as she looked down at her feet, ignoring the shocked gasp that came from Daigo, "The bracelet came off and Kyo-kun turned into that odd, twisted creature that didn't even resemble a cat, it was more like some demon from hell. The strange distorted voice, the terrible odor…the pain in his eyes and on his face…"

Tears fell from Tohru's eyes, hitting Daigo's carpet. She continued, "His miserable cries, the loneliness and sadness that radiated off of him. He ran and tried to hide his shame, but I chased after him. I saw the pain he was in, I saw that h-he needed me. He didn't understand why I came after him. He thought that I pitied him, like how Kazuma-san's grandmother pitied his poor grandfather. He lashed out at me, struck me-"

"A-ha! There! I knew it!" Daigo declared as he stood up, pointing at her, "It struck you! It had to have drawn blood, right?! It must have been painful! Ju-just like…"

He trailed off and Tohru looked up at him, "Yes it was. He snarled at me, threatening to do worse if I didn't leave…but then he screamed about someone 'forcing love on him'. That he 'didn't need it'. I could tell he was lying to himself. That he needed to be loved. Desperately. I went right back and embraced him, begged him to come back with me. He tried to throw me off, but I just held on."

Daigo stared at her incredulously, "Wer-weren't you scared?"

She shook her head, "I could never be scared of Kyo-kun. I could tell that Kyo-kun was in that monstrous form, and as long as he was in there, there was nothing to truly be afraid of. The thing that did terrify me was losing him. He had been there for me when I was scared, when I was sick, when I was weak or discouraged, when I needed someone to listen to me. I needed to be there for him. To let me worry for him and with him. That's when he turned back into his true self, a human."

"H-he turned back without the Juzu beads?" Daigo asked in disbelief.

Tohru nodded as tears streamed from her eyes, "He told me about how his mother loved him, but she avoided looking at him too hard, how she pretended there was nothing wrong, how she acted like she wasn't worried. He told me that I gave him everything his mother didn't give him. Then he just hugged me, turned into a cat and just accepted my embrace. Accepted that he did need someone to worry for him, to care for him, and that I was there to do just that. I don't claim to understand your late wife, Daigo-san, and Kyo thinks she did love him-"

"Yes!" Daigo suddenly snapped, pounding a white-knuckled fist on the table, making Tohru jump a little. The man was shaking with rage as he managed to speak with venom dripping from his voice while he looked up at Tohru with a furious glare, "Yes, Yuuna loved that thing. She loved It more than anything else. She loved It more than me! Despite what It was, despite how I tried to reason with her, despite all our fights, despite the suffering and humiliation It brought us, she loved that abomination."

"Please stop," Tohru said gently, trying not to let the insulting, dehumanizing words that were being applied to the love of her life bother her. They were. "Don't talk about Kyo-kun like that."

"I will speak about the beast anyway I damn please." He spat

Tohru clasped her fingers together, trying not to let her emotions get the better of her. "I've noticed you don't have any photos of Kyo-kun on your walls."

"No. In fact, when Kazuma-sama took It in, I burned them all." Daigo told her with the bluntness of a sledge hammer.

Tohru closed her eyes and wiped away the tears that fell from them. She had seen the photos of Kyo as a child that Kazuma had in his possession, but none younger than five. He had been a very cute little boy and she had wanted to see what he had looked like as a baby, but now those hopes had been callously dashed.

"Why would you do that?" She asked.

"Because that thing is the reason my wife is dead. Isn't that justification enough for you? How would you feel if someone you loved was dead because of that thing and It was allowed to walk free?" Daigo demanded.

Tohru looked up at him with sad eyes before asking "Did you know that my mom is dead?"

He paused before answering "Yes, Hatori-sama told me and you have my condolences."

"Well," Tohru began, "Kyo-kun actually knew my mom before I ever properly met him. He was there when she died."

Daigo was taken aback by this revelation, not sure how to respond to that information.

Tohru continued, "She met Kyo-kun after you disowned him, he'd go around town on his own to be alone, to reflect. One day he happened to be sitting outside our apartment building and my mom noticed him, in an odd way they became friends. He said she thought he was a 'cute brat',"

She couldn't help but smile at that.

"When she asked where his parents were, he told her about his mother and yourself. Quite frankly, Daigo-san, I don't think you and my mom would have gotten along." She said. Daigo gritted his teeth, but remained silent, curious to see where Tohru was going with this.

"One evening I got lost, I was scared and all alone and didn't know where to go. Kyo-kun happened to show up at our apartment and saw my mom freaking out about how she couldn't find me. He promised to find me, to protect me and get me home…but he couldn't find me. Not that day, anyway. By a twist of fate, Yuki-kun was the one who found me and he lured me back to my home. Even stranger was the fact that he had been wearing a hat that once belonged to Kyo-kun, who let him keep it because of the animosity between the Cat spirit and the Rat spirit.

"When my mom told Kyo-kun about it the next day, he was so angry, so heartbroken. He felt like a failure because Yuki-kun had done what he couldn't. Once again the Rat caused the Cat to suffer, even if unintentionally. He was so angry at himself for failing to live up to his promise and at Yuki-kun for showing him up that he yelled at my mother and ran away. I kept that hat for years afterwards, not knowing who had helped me."

Tohru paused, preparing herself to tell the man before her about the next part. "The day she died, I-I had stayed up late studying for a test, I didn't wake up in time to see her off," Tohru wiped her eyes, "Kyo-kun happened to be there on the sidewalk. There was a car that was out of control, something had gone wrong with its brakes. I don't know why she didn't notice it, maybe she had been too busy thinking about me, but Kyo-kun did see it. He almost pushed her out of the way, but he stopped himself…and she got hit."

The young woman buried her face in her hands and said "She only lived for a few more moments. He heard her whisper 'I'll never forgive you' right before she died. After that he ran off, traumatized and consumed by guilt, shame and self-hatred. After four months in the mountains, he came back, and happened to meet me at Shigure-san's home."

"So why are you with that monster?!" Daigo demanded to know, "You should hate It just as much as I do! You became an orphan because of that thing! It ruined your life!"

Tohru looked up at him, her eyes held both sadness and frustration. "Do you know why he hesitated? Why he didn't save her?"

"Because It is evil!"

"No!" Tohru suddenly cried, standing up to face the man, speaking as firmly as she could, "He stopped himself because he knew that if she got too close to him, if their bodies touched too much, he would transform into a cat in broad daylight! In public! For years he was tormented because he thought his inaction was a selfish, cowardly thing, but really it was brave and selfless! He chose to live with the burden of my mother's death rather than risk exposing the Sohmas! The torment of seeing her broken, bleeding body and those last words, rather than revealing this family's Curse. Have you ever considered what could have happened if the public or the Government knew about the curse?"

Daigo didn't answer. He just stared at Tohru.

"Because I have. They could have frozen the Sohmas' assets, interrogated you and every member of the clan demanding to know why this was kept a secret from them even during times of war. Kyo-kun would have been locked away and experimented on by scientists, that could have led to Yuki-kun, Shigure-san, Hatori-san, Momiji-kun, Kisa-chan, Hatsuharu-san…all of them, being imprisoned and studied, maybe even cut up," Tohru told him as tears flowed freely from her eyes.

She sat back down as she carried on "As awful as it sounds, he let my mother die to protect everyone, not just himself. Even after how horribly you and most of the Sohmas treated him, he did it for all of you. Knowing how awful it was, knowing that no one would ever be grateful. He lived with that awful truth, he lived with me for several years before he told me the truth, the pain and guilt so awful he tried to repress the memory of what happened, but it eventually came back."

"B-but your mother's dying words…" Daigo pointed out.

"Who knows what was going through her head as she died? Who knows what was going through your wife's head when she decided to take her own life?" Tohru pointed out, making the man flinch. "But I knew my mom, Daigo-san. She used to be an infamous delinquent called the Crimson Butterfly, a real sukeban, but by the time she died, she didn't have it in her to truly hate anyone. She had experienced first-hand what hatred can do to people, she wasn't on speaking terms with her father because of the hatred in his heart."

Despite everything Tohru managed a smile, "Personally, I like to think that when she saw Kyo-kun, she just remembered the promise he made to protect me and was trying to tell him that she wouldn't forgive him if he didn't keep that promise."

Daigo couldn't believe what he was hearing, "That creature was responsible for your mother's death, yet you forgave him?"

"He wasn't responsible for what happened to her, Daigo-san. It was just an accident. My mom wasn't the only one who died in that accident, Mr. Nakao, the man driving the car, was also killed." Tohru told him, "After the funerals, I was living with grandfather, on my dad's side, and Nakao's daughter Komaki came to visit me with her boyfriend Kakeru. While she was praying inside, Kakeru-san pointed out that I wasn't the only one suffering, that I was being selfish, acting like I was the only one who lost somebody. His words were harsh, but true. We eventually met again through Yuki-kun and I became friends with both Kakeru-san and Komaki-san. Kakeru-san even asked me to forgive him for how cold he had been to me that day, so I did."

"Just like that?" Daigo asked in disbelief.

Tohru nodded, "Just like that. Don't you understand, Daigo-san? You lost your wife, but Kyo-kun lost his mother."

"We lost her because she couldn't take the shame of having that thing as her child!" Daigo snapped. "You ridiculous, idiotic girl! You just forgive horrible things and go on merrily as if nothing's wrong! Acting like forgiving such crimes is so easy!"

"Daigo-san, holding onto grudges brings one nothing but pain and suffering. I-if you learn to overcome the sadness you feel over Yuuna-san's death, to look past the Cat Spirit, it could lead to something amazing. If you forgive Kyo-kun for what you believe he did, then I'm sure he'll forgive you for how you treated him." Tohru implored, even though she knew for a fact that Daigo didn't really have anything to forgive Kyo for, but she had to say this to convince him.

Daigo turned his back to her, looking out the window, not saying anything.

Gathering her courage, Tohru managed to speak up again, very gently "And Daigo-san, if I may…could I please borrow a photo of your late wife? I promise to return it, I just want to make a copy it for Kyo-kun. I think he deserves to have a way of remembering his mother other than the painful memories."

Daigo let out a tired, bitter laugh. "You truly are pathetic, Miss Honda." He said, his voice calm but dripping with spite.

Tohru recoiled, this insult wasn't like Kyo's playful and affectionate ones. It was sincerely malicious.

He turned to face her, his eyes had changed. There was insanity in them. "You're such an idiot it's almost cute. Maybe that's why the monster chose you to be Its slut; you amuse It." He snapped.

Tohru couldn't believe what she was hearing. She closed her eyes and hugged herself as Daigo continued his vocal barrage.

"Tell me, girl, has that Beast forced itself upon you? Taken your virginity yet? Or were you experienced before you even met him? You said your mother was a genuine sukeban, so I suppose it's no surprise a devious delinquent who puts on a pleasant, kind facade would be the one to end up with that creature! Or are you just a dumb girl who pitied the beast, like Kazuma-sama's grandmother? Or perhaps you're just a freak who wants to have sex with a monster!" He kept prodding her, breaking Tohru's heart as she covered her ears to block out his cruel words.

Tohru realized that Daigo couldn't be reasoned with. She now understood why Kyo didn't want her around this man, he had been trying to protect her from the darker, uglier aspects of the world, of the Sohma clan and of humanity. She didn't want to be around Daigo and she didn't want Kyo around him either. This man was awful.

Daigo knelt in front of her and grabbed her face, forcing her eyes open as he continued, "I'll tell you something, Miss Honda, I wish Yuuna hadn't stopped me from killing that abomination when it was a newborn! I wanted to throw it into the river! No one would've blamed me! I would've been seen as a hero, but she loved that creature…that thing that we should have aborted before it could ruin our lives!"

"ENOUGH!" Screamed a voice from the doorway. Tohru turned around and Daigo looked up to see Akito standing in the doorway; her expression furious, teeth gritting hard, her fingers spread tightly resembling claws ready to lash out and her eyes bright with righteous anger.

"Ak-Akito-sama-" Daigo stammered, but he was cut off as Akito rapidly moved towards him and with surprising strength grabbed him and forced his back down into his chair as she glared at him with such intensity that he was rendered mute.

"Dear God, you fool," Akito hissed at him, "Why don't you love somebody? Just a little? Are you even capable of love?"

None of them even noticed Kazuma entering the room, silently watching along with Tohru, who was stunned into silence.

Akito leaned close to Daigo, nearly face to face as her hands gripped the armrests of his chair as she continued her rant, "Tohru comes here to offer a hand of friendship, to make you part of her family! She gives you a chance to redeem yourself, and you treat her like this?! Why couldn't you have just accepted it?! Why couldn't you love your son?! Why can't can't you just help them! Help, for the love of God! You insane, black-souled, family torturing bastard!"

Using her grip on the armrests, Akito flipped the chair over, sending Daigo crashing to the floor.

Tohru cried out in shock, but Kazuma placed a gentle hand on her shoulder before he brought her in for a calming embrace.

Daigo looked up at Akito with a mixture of outrage and shock as she seethed furiously, her body shaking as she tried to get her anger under control. Akito breathed in and out raggedly, no one saying anything as she managed to calm herself down.

She spoke again, her voice cold and uneasy, "Tohru, I think you deserve to know the truth…and it's time reality smacked you in the face, Daigo. Kyo wasn't the reason Yuuna threw herself in front of that train. It's because of you. You're responsible. You and this clan."

"No!" Daigo snapped as he scrambled to his feet, "I loved Yuuna! We were happy…we loved each other before th-that thing came into our lives and ruined everything! No one can say I was the reason she killed herself! No one could accuse me of not loving her! Not even you, Akito-sama! For you…for you to come in here and say such things…" He brought his fist to his mouth as he turned, "How could you?!"

Despite the horrible things he had said, Tohru couldn't help but feel a small pang of pity for Daigo.

"I can because I am the Head of the Family, and I know the truth," Akito told him, "It was this family's irrational hatred of the Cat Spirit that drained Yuuna's will to live. She loved Kyo dearly, but everyone else hated him for completely idiotic reasons. We hated and feared him because of our own stupidity and pride. The Sohmas broke her spirit, eroding it away until she couldn't take it anymore. Contrary to the rumors, it wasn't a planned suicide, there was no note. You berated and abused her until she gave into her misery and killed herself in a moment of weakness, right in front of your son! All because of the relentless torment and misery you and this accursed clan put her through! If she regretted anything about Kyo, it was that he had to be born into such a world!

"But you had no sympathy for him. You blame Kyo for Yuuna's suicide, but the truth is that if there's any one person to blame for what happened to her, it's you!" Akito shouted, jabbing her finger at his face, "Despite the scorn and calumny from the rest of the family, she loved Kyo with all her heart. She tried everything to make him happy, to protect him from a world that irrationally hated him, she wanted to protect him from you. Even if she had to lie to him, keep him hidden from the family, even with the toll it was taking on her spirit and mind…she loved him.

"You resented that, Daigo, don't deny it! You hated the fact that she loved Kyo, hated that she saw more to him than just the Cat, hated that she wouldn't let you kill him when he was an infant! I learned much of this from our conversations with Kyo, and he admitted that he's been recovering his early memories that he had repressed. Memories of how you'd scream obscenities at him and Yuuna, how you'd hit them. You abused your wife and child, not just physically but with cruel words that would break anyone. That's the truth, Daigo. No matter how much you try to deny it, you know that is the truth."

Akito's rant came to an end, she panted as she placed a hand on her heart while she calmed down. Kazuma released Tohru who ran over to embrace Akito. Neither said anything, Akito simply accepted Tohru's affection and returned the embrace, tears flowing from her eyes as well.

Daigo looked at them, and then at Kazuma, whose face was solid and grave, but his eyes didn't bother to hide his contempt for the older man.

"I don't understand…" Daigo said at last, "How can any of you care for It? You've all seen what It really is; a creature lurking beneath a human facade…"

"It's gone, Daigo-san. Besides, the bestial appearance was no fault of the Cat itself." Kazuma told him.

"What do you mean?" Daigo demanded.

"Not long after the curse broke," Akito began, "Those of us who had been affected by it all had a dream that showed us the truth. The Cat wasn't left out of the Zodiac due to the Rat's mischief, and the Cat was never a monster. The God wanted to make his animal companions immortal but the Cat was wise and saw that eternity is a curse, not a blessing. It told them that truth, and the God and the other animals, not understanding…not wanting to, cursed and scorned the Cat. That beast the Kyo could turn into? That wasn't the Cat's true self, but a curse put on it by the foolish anger and fear of the God and the other Zodiac animals.

"The Cat was right; the Curse that the Sohma family lived with for countless generations was not due to any malice on the Cat's part, but because of the God's arrogance and refusal to accept that all things must end. Kyo was never a monster, not even in that ferocious form. Most of the real monsters weren't cursed at all. They were, and are, quite human." She told him darkly.

"Akito-sama, please, stop speaking such nonsen-" Daigo tried to say, only for Akito to cut him off as she tore herself away from Tohru.

"Don't you understand, you idiot?! We were to blame! People like you and I! We're the monsters! We're the freaks! Kyo never was!" Akito shouted, letting out a sob.

"Akito-sama, please…the unfortunate situation in regards to you being forced to hide your true gender doesn't make you-" Daigo began before Akito shut him up again.

"I wasn't a freak because of that, you damn fool! It's because of who I was back then! What I did to Kyo, to Yuki, to Kureno, Isuzu, Hatori…to all of them. The delusion of Godhood caused me to think that they were nothing but my pets and I could do anything I wished to them. I harmed them physically and mentally, put some of them in the hospital, ruined their happiness because I was a psychotic monster who thought I owned them! I was no God, I was a demon," Akito told him, her emotions and true feelings coming out freely.

"That truth became more and more obvious as the Curse grew weaker. I was desperate to deny the truth, so I blamed all my troubles on Tohru. I was insane and prepared to kill her…but instead, she helped me. She helped me realize that the reason I had been so cruel, so possessive was because I was afraid of change," Akito wiped away some of her tears, "She understood me, empathized with me. I thought I was unworthy of forgiveness or friendship, but Tohru was there for me. She wanted to be my friend and help me even after all the terrible things I had done.

"When I look at you, Daigo, I see what I once was; a miserable wretch strewing in hatred and self-pity. All alone. I would still be that mad, cruel thing hiding away in the main house inflicting pain on those who were helpless to stop me had Tohru not shown me the light. I will never again be anything like that. I'm repenting for my sins, and though I don't know how Yuki or Isuzu or Kureno or Hatori could ever forgive me for what I did to them, I'll keep trying. I'll keep bettering myself until I am truly redeemed."

Akito let out a tired sigh before addressing Daigo once more, her voice taking on that cold sharpness that had once come to her so easily when she had believed herself to be a 'God', "Tohru is a very precious person to all of us, and if you ever insult her or speak to her like that again I will see to it that you are cast out of this family. You will be disowned and thrown into the real world, where you will eventually die, alone and unmourned. Is that clear?"

Daigo was silent, his face pale and blank, his fists clenched so hard they were white as bone and his eyes simmering with impotent rage. "Yes, Akito-sama." He answered blandly, he looked at Tohru and bowed ever so slightly, "I am sorry, Miss Honda."

Tohru could tell that he didn't really mean it, but she simply nodded and after a pause she responded, "I accept, Daigo-san."

His head snapped up and gawked at her, baffled. "That easily? Don't you hate me, Miss Honda?" He inquired.

"No, I don't. I feel bad for you, Daigo-san. I feel sorry for you." She told him.

"What?! You dare-"

"Shut up and listen to her, Daigo." Akito commanded sharply.

Not wanting to push his luck any further with the Sohma Family Head, Daigo remained silent.

"I feel sorry for you because you don't seem to know what you've done to yourself. You don't know how alone you are, what you're denying yourself or what you've allowed your hatred to turn you into. Kyo-kun is a wonderful person, but you've shut him completely out of your life, despising him for something that was beyond his control. Y-you could have been part of our family if you just let go of the hate and try to make up for the past. Instead you were so horrible to me… I feel so terrible for Kyo-kun, knowing that he had someone as cruel as you looming over him in the first few years of his life.

"You don't even know Kyo-kun, but I do. I've looked into his heart, his soul, and words can't describe the love I feel for him, and I know he feels the same way about me. I'm very lucky to know Kyo-kun, to have someone like him to love and share my bed with, to sleep in his arms, to hear him whisper how much he loves me… Yes, he can be moody, stubborn and a little thick headed, but in order to really love someone you have to see how their virtues outweigh their problems!

"We cook for one another, he takes care of me when I'm sick, he would carry me home when I had a tiring day at work and he kept his promise to my mother and protected me! Kyo-kun might not like to admit it, but he's incredibly sweet. You don't know how foolish you are, letting your hatred blind you to what a wonderful person your son is. You drove your wife to kill herself. You destroyed your own happiness, ruined your own life and you have no one to blame but yourself, but you can't accept that, so you blame Kyo-kun for it. I truly am sorry for you." Tohru finished.

Daigo turned away, "I've heard enough of this preaching. It might have fooled you, but I know what that thing truly is, and one day It will kill you all. You'll never convince me otherwise. Now please, if you'd all be so kind, just leave me alone." He told them, his voice sounding strained and tired.

"We will," Said Akito, "But before we do, I have a request for you, Daigo. We overheard Tohru ask to borrow a photo of Yuuna to make a copy of. You never answered her, but I think you're going to grant that request. I assure you a maid will return it in the next few days. You won't miss it."

Daigo looked like he wanted to protest, but after Akito's exemplary showcase of rage earlier he didn't dare speak against her.

"Take one, I don't care which." He said, his voice utterly defeated.

"Thank you, Daigo-san." Tohru said politely, bowing respectfully before following Akito out of the room.

Daigo glanced back to see Kazuma had stayed behind.

"You were wise not to lay a hand on her, Daigo-san," Kazuma said, "If you had, I would have had to harm you. Tohru-kun has become quite precious to me for a multitude of reasons, not the least of which is how she's brightened up Kyo's world. I promise we won't tell him the specifics of what you said to her, we wouldn't want him losing control and punishing you himself, now would we? Though the Cat Spirit has left him he's still a powerful and skilled young man, and can be quite fierce."

"Just get out." Daigo snapped.

"I think that would be for the best, I find you unpleasant to be around. Goodbye, Daigo-san," Kazuma bid him before exiting the room and closing the door, leaving Daigo Sohma alone.

As he deserved to be.

It may not seem like very much right now, but it'll do.

It'll do.

Chapter Text

When you find yourself in the middle of a storm

Tohru wiped away the tears that fell from her eyes, she hadn't expected the meeting to become so intense or go so poorly. Akito was a tad exhausted from the confrontation and was resting against the wall, but couldn't stand to see Tohru in such a state, so she came forward and placed a comforting hand on her shoulder before pulling her into a gentle hug.

"I'm sorry, Tohru. I shouldn't have let you come here." Akito told her softly.

"No, it's all right, Akito-san. I-I had to try. Poor Kyo-Kun, poor Yuuna-san," Tohru wept softly. She couldn't believe what her husband-to-be had been through.

While she herself had been through a lot, Kyo had witnessed both his mother and her's die horrible deaths, guilt gnawing at him all while being abused by such a terrible excuse for a father, being ostracized by most of those around him and the fate of being locked away hanging over his head.

It was a miracle he was sane.

When he came back, she was going to hug and kiss him and she wasn't sure if she'd be able to let go.

Kazuma approached them, "Well done, Akito-sama," He congratulated.

She shot him a small smile "Even though I'm no longer a cruel, deluded madwoman, I can still be quite fierce when the need arises." She replied.

Kazuma smirked and said "Quite frankly I'm jealous. I've wanted to put Daigo in his place like that for years," He then focused on Tohru and carefully asked "Are you all right, Tohru-kun?"

She nodded as Akito reluctantly released her, "Yes, I'll be okay, Kazuma-san. Thank you…" Tohru said before she shot forward and hugged him, "And thank you so much for being there for Kyo-kun, for saving him. For being the father he deserved. Who knows what would have happened if he didn't have someone like you there to love him."

Kazuma returned the hug and told her "It wasn't just me. He had Hatsuharu, Kagura, Momiji and friends among my students. While he could get more than a little annoyed with them, butt heads and get into shouting matches or fights, he always appreciated them, even if he didn't know how to admit it. You've helped him so much, the fact that you were willing to come to this house and speak to Daigo is proof of the lengths you're willing to go for him. Ever since that day in the rain, when I saw you offer to share your umbrella with him, I knew you were the right one. Thank you for being there for Kyo, Tohru-kun."

Tohru squeezed him a little tighter, her tears straining his kimono.

She soon regained her composure, wiping her eyes and calming herself down. "I'm okay, I'll be fine. Thank you both for coming with me." She told them as she managed a smile.

Both Akito and Kazuma smiled back, "There's no way we'd ever let you come to this miserable house alone, Tohru. Now, let's pick a photo and get out of here." Akito said.

Tohru nodded, and began surveying the walls, looking for a photo she really wanted Kyo to have; there was one of both Daigo and Yuuna walking on a beach, one of them as newlyweds, one of her in a school uniform…but one in particular truly caught Tohru's eye.

It showed Yuuna Sohma sitting in one of the gazebos on the Sohma estate, wearing a flowing sundress, cradling a belly that looked about four months pregnant. The warm smile on her face, the happiness in her eyes… She had been so eager to be a mother.

"This one," Tohru said as she gently took hold of the frame and lifted it off the wall.

Akito smiled, "Very well, once we get back to my house, give it to Namie, she'll get a copy made."

Tohru nodded, she knew Namie; a dark-haired servant of the Sohma family who had confessed to Kureno about what Akito was doing to Isuzu and helped rescue her from imprisonment and later found Kureno after Akito broke down and stabbed him. After Akito's ever-faithful head maid Noriyo had retired, Akito appointed Namie as her successor, as Namie's willingness to do the right thing in spite of the punishments she would have received had impressed the Sohma family's head.

Eager to escape the dreary atmosphere of Daigo's house, Tohru led the way out the door, followed by Kazuma and Akito, the latter of whom glanced back at the house, her mind tormented by regret for the things she had done and had allowed to happen, but relieved by the fact that she had changed as a person, and such abuse would never happen again under her watch.

Tohru stepped away from the house as Akito closed the door, shuddering as she clutched the frame to her chest.

"You know what the worst part of it is?" She asked quietly, "Daigo-san isn't the only person in the world like that. Isuzu-san's parents, Machi-san's mother, my mother's father, and your own mother, Akito-san… How could people be so horrible to their own children?"

Kazuma looked at Akito, who remained silent, the mention of her own mother's cruelty brought a haunted look to her face. She had been wondering that question many times, in the last four years Shigure had been there for her to support her and give his own theories, but he didn't make excuses for his one-time lover.

"I wish I had the answer for that, Tohru-kun," Kazuma answered, "The worst thing about humanity is how cruel we can be to each other, sometimes for no reason at all. I myself am guilty of such cruelty, I feared and hated my grandfather because of the Cat Spirit within him, and it wasn't until I saw Kyo going through the same awful treatment that I realized how absurd the entire thing was, how horrible it was to turn a mere five year old into a pariah. I took Kyo in not just for his sake, but to redeem myself. I hate how selfish that sounds, but I hope the love I've come to feel for my son makes up for it."

"You have, Kazuma-san," Tohru assured him, "He loves you, and so do I."

"I love you as well, Tohru-kun." Kazuma said with a genuine smile.

Akito looked back up at Daigo's house, seeing Daigo's shape moving past a second floor window.

"Pain is the answer," She said as she joined them in walking away, "Shigure and I have discussed it at length. Everyone experiences a great pain, a loss so powerful that it transforms them. For some people like you, Tohru, it turns you into a better person. Losing your mother made your spirit even stronger, helped make you capable of incredible love and kindness even towards people you hardly know…or people you have no reason to be so good to. Others, like Daigo, are twisted by pain and seemingly become only capable of hate. For Daigo it was the pain of having the Cat Spirit in his son and the loss of his wife made him worse.

"Sometimes it's not even a loss that transforms a person; my mother loved my father so much that when I was born, she resented the fact that her husband would love someone other than her. My mother was probably never a stable person, and when my father died, something within her broke. Something in me broke as well when Kureno's curse lifted, it was the beginning of my madness, my cruelty. I look back on what I was during those years and I shudder, I weep with regret and horror at what I became," Akito said before she stopped Tohru and looked into her beautiful brown eyes.

"Everyday, I think about how grateful I am to have you in my life, Tohru. That you didn't run screaming from a mad woman wielding a knife like anyone else would have. That you chased after me when I ran. That you survived that fall. You're the reason I'm not like Daigo or like my mother, and I'll never stop loving you for that." She finished.

Tohru couldn't help herself and hugged the older woman, whispering "I love you too, Akito-san, and I'm grateful to have you as my friend…and soon, we'll be family."

Akito wiped away tears as she hugged Tohru back, "I can't wait," She whispered back.

"Well, it seems our help wasn't needed after all," Said a voice that all three of them knew very well.

They looked over to see Saki Hanajima approaching them, still looking quite beautiful with her long, flowing black hair and a dark blouse and skirt combination that complimented her attractive figure quite well. While she still occasionally cooked for Kazuma's dojo, she had gotten over her crush on the older man, though was still good friends with him, and now primarily worked at a successful bakery. Tohru had chosen the bakery Saki worked at to bake the cake for the wedding.

Beside Saki was her younger brother Megumi who was now a handsome young man that practically towered over his sister, he smiled fondly at Tohru, very happy to see her after several years.

Right behind them was Kagura, leading two men that Tohru recognized; one of them was Saki's boyfriend Antonio Mosca, with messy dark brown hair and a slight tan, and the other was Kagura's boyfriend Raizo Tanaka, a cute but wiry young man with tanned skin and short hair. Kagura had gone to the front gate to greet her boyfriend just as Saki and her group had arrived.

"Hana-chan! Megumi-kun!" Tohru wasted no time in running to greet them, capturing the 'Wave Girl' in a loving hug.

"Tohru-kun, I sensed particularly dark waves coming from here, among them was great sadness that I recognized as yours. I'm so happy you're safe," Hanajima told her oldest friend as she returned the hug. She looked over at her two other friends, "Akito-san, Kazuma-san, are you all right?"

"We're all right, Hanajima-san. We just finished something that was emotionally draining for Tohru-kun." Kazuma told the young woman.

"Was it Daigo?" Kagura asked, her voice tense.

"I'm afraid it was," Akito confirmed.

"Ah, Kyo's father. You've both mentioned before what an unfriendly person he is, it seems you may have put it mildly." Saki remarked.

"Did they ever; Kyo-kun's father is an asshole, plain and simple." Kagura replied bluntly, crossing her arms as she glared at the house with disdain.

Tohru was about to nod in agreement, but stopped herself and managed a smile as she hugged the younger Hanajima, "Megumi-kun, it's been nearly a year since I saw you last. Finally stopped growing, huh?"

"Yes, but that's not important right now, Tohru-chan," He told her softly, "It's obvious you've been crying. Did Daigo Sohma hurt you? Would you like me to put a curse on him?"

Tohru giggled and Antonio chuckled along with Kazuma and Akito while Saki and Kagura gave the young man a smile. Raizo, not familiar with Megumi or the Hanajima siblings' sense of humor, just gave them all an odd look.

"Heh, it's a little in-joke of theirs, Raizo-kun. You'll get used to it." Kagura told her boyfriend.

"Honestly, even if you could curse him, I wouldn't want you to. I think the curse of hate, loneliness and fear that Daigo-san has put upon himself is punishment enough as it is." Tohru answered him, glancing back at Daigo's house sadly.

"You feel sorry for him?" Kagura asked incredulously.

"I suppose I do, even if just a little. I don't think I can truly sympathize with him, not after all the awful things he said about Kyo-kun and me," Tohru said.

"What exactly did he say?" Saki asked, interest piqued and ire raised, "Perhaps when Uo-chan arrives we can talk some sense into him."

"No, no! I don't think that's necessary! I think he deserves to just be left alone. In his own misery…at least until he can be reasoned with." Tohru answered.

"After all that you think there's a chance Daigo can be reasoned with?" Akito asked, shocked. She looked at Tohru, not believing the depths of the girl's empathy and kindness, "Sometimes I wonder just what exactly you really are, Tohru, because you're too pure to be human."

Tohru blushed at the older woman's words, "I just do my best to be kind." She answered.

"And you have," Saki assured her, "What's the photo?"

"It's of Kyo-kun's mother before he was born. It's a wedding present for him." Tohru explained.

"Aw, that's so sweet!" Cooed Kagura, "Did you have to steal it from that jerk?"

"I ordered him to let her borrow one…though truth be told, Namie will give the copy to him. You and Kyo can keep the real thing." Akito told Tohru.

Tohru gasped, "Ar-are you sure, Akito-san?"

Akito smiled, "Of course I am. Kyo deserves it, Daigo doesn't."

Tohru held back tears as she bowed her head, "Thank you so much, Akito-san."

"It's the least I can do, Tohru. Now go back to the main house, you need to be around friends after what you just experienced. Kazuma-san, would you please accompany me for a walk? I have a matter I'd like to discuss with you."

"I'd be more than happy to talk with you, Akito-sama," Kazuma agreed, "And she's right Tohru-kun, seek solace in your friends."

"I will, and once again, thank you both for helping me." Tohru said.

"You're welcome, Tohru-kun," Kazuma said before looking at Kagura, "Hamajima-san, Kagura-kun, please look after her until Kyo returns."

"Of course, Shihan," Kagura said with a smile, bowing to her mentor.

"I was going to do that anyway, Kazuma-san," Saki said with a smile as she bowed her head gratefully to both he and Akito.

Tohru went with Saki and the others while Akito walked with Kazuma through the estate. She looked at Antonio and Raizo, hoping to get to know them more.

"It's good to see you again, Antonio-san. Are you still enjoying Japan?" Tohru asked the young Spaniard.

"Of course, Tohru-san, I love it here. How could I not? It's where I found Saki-chan ," He said, smiling lovingly at his girlfriend, who smiled back before leaning up to plant a kiss on his cheek.

Antonio Mosca had had a fascination with Japanese culture ever since he was a boy, which continued into adulthood as he learned to speak and read Japanese. He worked as a translator for a major publisher in Spain and when they struck a deal with one of the largest manga publishers in Japan they assigned him to be one of their lead translators. After a few days of living in Tokyo he went out to explore the city but quickly got lost, as even with a map his sense of direction was awful, which had been the biggest concern his mother had when he had told her he was taking a job in Japan.

Saki had been enjoying a day out with her mother when they came across the handsome and utterly lost young foreigner. Even though he tried to play it cool, Saki could sense how nervous he was, so she and her mother helped him find his way and taught him some easy shortcuts and routes through the city, which he was very grateful for. He offered to buy them dinner to thank them, which Saki was all too happy to accept.

The two hit it off quite well and, with some not-so-subtle matchmaking from Mrs. Hanajima, formed a friendship which eventually blossomed into romance. After a few dates, Saki told him about her ability to sense 'waves' coming off of people and read their real emotions. He was initially skeptical but when she demonstrated her abilities on him, he quickly became a believer. He assured her that he didn't think she was weird, and that if anything, it added to her mysterious beauty and made her 'more incredible'.

That led to the first time Saki Hanajima had ever kissed a man.

"You sure you're all right, Tohru-kun?" Kagura asked, "I know from experience that dealing with Daigo can be emotionally testing."

"I'll be fine. I have all of you and the others to comfort me," Tohru answered, before she looked at Kagura and carefully added "Akito-san mentioned that Daigo-san has a protection order against you. Is that true?"

Kagura chuckled, "You better believe it is!"

"Isn't that essentially a Japanese version of a restraining order?" Antonio inquired, still familiarizing himself with Japan's culture and laws.

"Indeed it is," Megumi confirmed.

"What happened?" Tohru asked.

"It was back when I was twelve and Kyo-kun was ten, we were playing…well, he was running from me and I was chasing him, you know how I was back then," Kagura began, making Tohru chuckle as she remembered Kagura's aggressive way of showing affection. She had toned it down considerably in recent years, and she and Kyo were on good terms now, but could still be quite domineering when she wanted to be. "He happened to turn the corner and run right into his father, who was coming home from work. Kyo-kun had told me and Haru-kun about how much Daigo hated him, so I was afraid of how he'd react. Kyo-kun tried to apologize, but Daigo smacked him into the wall, hard enough that blood flew out of Kyo-kun's mouth and nose."

"Shit," Swore Raizo in disbelief as he took his girlfriend's hand to comfort her while Tohru covered her mouth in shock, "What the hell's wrong with that guy?"

"I'd like to know why such awful abuse wasn't reported to the authorities. Anyone who hits a child like that should be locked away." Antonio said indignantly.

"Sometimes the authorities can't really do anything. That can be either a good thing or a bad," Saki told her boyfriend as she thought back to her own past and how she had believed her powers to be responsible for certain things that happened to people who bullied her and how afraid she had been of being arrested or punished for it.

"It's a complicated situation, Daigo blames Kyo-kun for his wife's suicide and disowned him shortly after," Kagura explained, keeping the primary reason a secret from the two, "As for why it wasn't report…well, for all his faults, he's a fairly good business man for the clan's main corporation and has made some powerful friends there."

"So what happened after he hit Kyo?" Asked Raizo.

"I beat the crap out of him," Kagura answered simply, sounding quite proud of the fact, making Tohru and Raizo laugh while Saki and Megumi gave amused smiles. Antonio, however, was stunned.

"Y-y-you attacked him? A twelve year old girl beat up a grown man?" Antonio asked in disbelief.

"Knowing my girlfriend, it's not that surprising," Raizo said as he pulled Kagura closer, "Couldn't be prouder, sweetie."

"Aw! Thank you, Raizo-kun!" Cooed a blushing Kagura as she affectionately leaned into the tan young man, "I used to be quite the violent hothead, Antonio-san…a bit like a wild boar, you could say. I used to be madly in love with Kyo-kun, even though he didn't feel the same way about me, and while I could give him a really hard time, I couldn't stand seeing someone hurt him like that, so I just lost control and the next thing I knew Shihan and Haru-kun's dad were holding me back while Daigo was a bloody pulp trying to crawl away."

Tohru couldn't help but smile, "I-I know I should feel bad for laughing but after what Daigo-san said to me and what he said about Kyo-kun, I can't deny that he had it coming, especially if he really hit Kyo-kun like that. Thank you for looking out for him, Kagura-kun." She told the older girl.

"I'd do it again if you'd like me too, Tohru-kun," Kagura said with a smile.

"And I'd be glad to help!" Raizo chimed in confidently.

Kagura had met Raizo Tanaka by chance one night when she was returning home after a night out with some of her friends from college. He had been out delivering a pizza, a job he had since quit, and was unfortunate enough to run into a gang of thugs who decided to have some fun by mugging and inflicting pain on an easy target. Despite his valiant efforts to fight back and escape, they cut him off, began beating the hell out of him and stole the money he had made on the job that day.

His cries of pain as they kicked him and slammed pipes and bats into his body drew Kagura's attention. Without thinking, she rushed down the alleyway and into a construction site where the gang had cornered Raizo. Kagura didn't hesitate to jump into the fray, sending a gang member flying with a mighty punch before offering to let the rest of the gang go without further punishment if they left Raizo alone.

Instead the gang members, angry at having their fun interrupted, told her exactly what they planned to do with the 'cute girl who thinks she's tough' that had interrupted their fun.

Kagura proceeded to beat the living hell out of the gang, sending them running and screaming, clutching at broken arms, bruised bodies and bloody noses.

After that, Kagura collected the barely conscious young man she had saved into her arms and dashed off to the nearest hospital, which happened to be Sohma General. She spent all night by his side, even though he was a complete stranger to her, she wanted to make sure he'd be okay. When Raizo woke up in the middle of the night, suffering from a broken arm and several broken ribs, and saw her sleeping by his bedside, he realized he hadn't dreamed that he was saved by the cutest girl he'd ever seen.

From that night forward, the two became friends and after Kagura enrolled him at Kazuma's dojo, they eventually entered into a serious relationship.

The group reached the main house, where Shigure stood on the porch awaiting them. He offered his greeting to the new arrivals before asking "How did things go, Tohru-kun?"

Tohru gave the ex-Dog of the Zodiac a sad look and admitted "Not as well as I hoped, Shigure-san. Daigo-san wouldn't listen to reason, his heart is consumed with irrational hatred for Kyo-kun. You were right, it was foolish to even attempt."

At the looks Saki and Kagura shot him, Shigure quickly told her, "Now, now, Tohru-kun, remember I also said that though it was unlikely, if there was ever a chance that Daigo-san would have a change of heart only someone like you could make it happen. I meant that."

Tohru smiled at him, "Thank you, Shigure-san."

"Any time, my dear. Now, where's my wife and Kazuma-san?" He inquired.

"They're out on a walk through the estate, apparently they had something to discuss." Kagura informed him.

"I see… Perhaps I'd better join them. Go ahead, I'm sure you'll be needing the comfort of your friends after what you've been through," He told them before walking off.

Raizo watched Shigure walk off and remarked "I swear, I can never read that guy."

"That's just the way he likes it." Saki told him as Tohru led the group inside.

On their way back to the washitsu, they found Momiji speaking to Namie. "Ah, Tohru-chan! We were wondering where you ran off to. Shii-chan wouldn't say," He told her.

"Well I…I tried to speak to Kyo-kun's father," Tohru admitted.

Momiji's face turned grave, he and the other younger Zodiacs had long since learned the details of Kyo's dark, tragic family life. It was something that Momiji deeply sympathized with.

Without another word he gently hugged Tohru, who gladly accepted the embrace.

Meanwhile Kyo, Machi, Hatsuharu and Isuzu made their way through the bustling train station. It wasn't as busy as it could be, but at least the three members of the Sohma family could freely go into a bustling place without having to worry about someone bumping into them and causing them to transform.

Following the signs, three of them rode the escalator up to the platform while Kyo jogged up the stairs as he always thought escalators were for lazy people.

Machi stepped off the escalator and looked up at the large digital screens that showed the timetable for arrivals and departures and saw that they had six minutes before Yuki's train was due.

"Made it with time to spare," Hatsuharu commented.

"Even if we were late, we'd have to wait an hour for Uotani and Kureno." Kyo pointed out as he heard a luggage trolley rolling towards them.

Suddenly a familiar, strong arm came up from behind Kyo, wrapping around his shoulders. "Yo, did you mention us, Carrots?" Said the familiar voice of Arisa Uotani as her luggage trolley skidded to a halt.

Uotani looked much the same, but now with her blonde hair was styled short, now only reaching down to her shoulders and no longer covering one of her eyes. While she had given modeling a try, she had decided it just wasn't the life for her, and after she moved out to a seaside town with Kureno and had taken up a job as a lifeguard at the beach during the summer and held down other jobs around town for the rest of the year. She spoke with Tohru and Saki at least twice a week and not a day went by that she didn't miss being with them. She and Kureno would always travel to Tokyo for New Years to visit Saki, the Sohmas and Arisa's father, who had thankfully not relapsed into alcoholism since his daughter set off into the world.

"An ambush? Once a gangster always a gangster!" Kyo laughed as he freed himself from her and grabbed her hand, gripping it tightly.

"How's Tohru? You taking proper care of our living beam of sunshine?" She asked as she squeezed down on his hand hard.

"I'm marrying her, what do you think?" Kyo answered with a smirk.

Arisa smirked back, "Then you're doing a good job so far."

Despite how the two hotheads could get on one another's nerves, they had to admit they were a lot more similar than they'd like to admit and they had both come to genuinely respect one another, especially for how they looked after their significant other. Arisa supported Tohru and Kyo's relationship a hundred percent and couldn't be happier that they were getting married.

Arisa had found out the truth about the Curse not long after she moved in with Kureno and Tohru had come to visit them. They had carefully explained the truth to her and why Tohru had to keep it a secret from her friends. She learned the truth about Kyo's past as well as his relationship with Kyoko, what Akito had gone through and why she had become a cruel tyrant to the other Zodiacs and her eventual redemption. She learned why Kureno had stayed with Akito even after the Curse on him had ended.

It was so crazy and unbelievable…yet when one took their story into account, everything added up. So many things that hadn't made sense to her were suddenly explained.

While Arisa had been annoyed at being kept in the dark about it for so long, she didn't have it in her heart to stay mad at either of them or anyone else involved in the affair. How could she after all Tohru had done for her? How could she resent Kureno after all he had gone through? How could she blame Kyo for not saving Kyoko when he could have exposed himself and all of the Sohmas?

She had responded by giving them both a little smack on the forehead before hugging them both as hard as she could, thanking them for trusting her enough to tell her the truth.

Her feelings towards Akito weren't as complicated as one might expect. Sure, Arisa held the woman responsible for a lot of suffering, but their first encounter at the hospital had always stuck with her. The look of self-hatred, of regret, of wanting to do it all over again and do it better. Arisa knew that feeling all too well.

She'd be dishonoring everything she had learned from Tohru and Kyoko if she didn't give the Head of the Sohma Family a second chance.

"Hello everyone!" Greeted Kureno Sohma with a pleasant voice, "Wonderful to see you all again, it's been too long since our last trip here."

Kureno looked much the same as he always had, though he still needed the use of a cane to move around comfortably as a result of being stabbed by Akito. He had shed the demeanor that his fellow ex-Zodiacs had been familiar with, that of a bland servant that was practically devoid of a personality and dutifully followed Akito around, doing her bidding without question. He now went around with a smile on his face, something Kyo, Hiro and a few of the others were still trying to get used to. He was still learning the ropes, socially speaking, but had made great progress living in a small town near the seaside where he worked as a financial advisor, as his time assisting Akito had taught him much about money, and he was very much trusted by his clients.

"Wonderful to see you too," Isuzu greeted Kureno before hugging him. Despite how distant they had once been, they were now on very good terms with one another due to Kureno saving her from the Cat's Room, something Hatsuharu felt he could never repay or thank him for enough, even if Kureno insisted nothing of the sort was necessary. They'd call him at least once a week to check in on him, and he was always glad to hear from them and the other Zodiacs, who wished to make up for the time that Akito had kept him separated from them.

"Been too long. How's the old wound?" Hatsuharu asked as he shook Kureno's hand.

"It only hurts every now and then," Kureno assured him, "Besides, if something were to ever happen, I have the perfect person around to save me."

"Damn right you do," Laughed Arisa as she kissed his cheek.

"How'd you get here so soon? Your train isn't due for another hour." Isuzu said as Kyo shook hands with Kureno.

"We got on an earlier one, woke up at the crack of dawn," Arisa explained, "My idea, to be honest, I wanna spend as much time as I can with Tohru, Hanajima and the rest before the big day!"

"It's nice living on our own, but I can't deny it will be wonderful to see everyone again." Kureno said as they moved over to the benches away from the platform while Machi joined Kyo by a large column waiting for Yuki's train.

"Even Akito?" Isuzu questioned with a raised eyebrow as they sat down.

Kureno simply nodded, "Yes, even her. Things are still a little uneasy between us, but I know she's serious about atoning. The fact that I'm living the life I am now is proof enough of that. I take it you still haven't forgiven her, Isuzu?"

Isuzu crossed her arms and looked away, "No, and I still don't get how you can. I mean, she used you, made you into her servant and nearly killed you once you started to defy her." She reminded him.

"I know, but I'm also more familiar with her fears and insecurities than you are. Emotional pain was eating her alive and she lashed out to inflict it on others thinking that would stop it. That doesn't excuse what she did, but I can't really hold it against her. I also understand that you may not ever be able to forgive her, and I can't blame you for it nor will I try to force you to reconcile with her," Kureno told the ex-Horse of the Zodiac, "We all deal with pain and forgiveness in different ways. Some of us are able to forgive terrible things and others aren't. I just hope you understand that I care about you all, and that will include Akito, despite what she did to us."

Isuzu rubbed the bridge of her nose and muttered "Damn, you really are like Tohru."

Arisa threw her head back as she burst out laughing.

Hatsuharu glanced at Kureno's cane and noticed a certain something on his ring finger. "You two got engaged?"

"Yep!" Arisa proudly confirmed, wiggling her fingers, "We're gonna do it here later this year, so we don't have to bring everyone to us."

"I must say I'm a bit surprised you two haven't gotten married yet." Kureno commented.

"Well, we are engaged," Isuzu said, showing off her own dazzling engagement ring that Hatsuharu had saved up for several years for, "It's just we're waiting for the right time."

"We don't want to rush into it, even though I don't think any other woman on this planet would ever work for me the way Rin does." Haru said simply as she brushed a few strands of hair out of Rin's face, making her smile lovingly at him, "Besides, we wouldn't want to steal Tohru and Kyo's thunder. Let those two be the first."

"They certainly have earned it," Isuzu agreed with a smile as the PA system announced the arrival of Yuki's train and advised anyone on the platform to maintain a safe distance.

The train entered the station, gradually slowing to a crawl until it came to a complete stop. Once it was safe the doors slid open and passengers began to emerge.

Machi dashed ahead of Kyo towards the second coach of the train, where Yuki had been seated. Sure enough, Yuki emerged, his silvery grey hair unmistakable as was the Mandarin collared shirt that was left unbuttoned revealing a T-shirt, showing that he was no longer as prim and proper as he had once been. He spotted them right away and smiled brightly, especially happy to see his girlfriend.

He came to meet them and Machi came to a halt in front of him, smiling and blushing. They embraced, Yuki gently leaning in to kiss her on the lips.

"I missed you." She whispered.

"We were together last week for graduation." He reminded her.

"Four days is still a long time to be apart." She countered with a smile.

Yuki nodded, he couldn't deny how wonderful it was to be with her physically and not talking to her over a screen or on the phone.

"Hey, how's it feel to be back?" Kyo asked him, offering a hand.

Yuki accepted it and shook, "It feels great. How has the old house held up over the last four years?"

"It's in good shape, about the same as always. I think I might like it a bit better just being me and Tohru on our own." Kyo said with a smirk as they walked over to the others.

"Yuki, good to have you back where you belong." Said Haru as he came up and hugged his old friend, who decided to simply return it.

"Nowhere else I'd rather be," Yuki replied as they parted, he nodded, "Rin, are you keeping Haru in order?"

"As well as I can, you know how he can be." She answered with a smile, "I don't think I'm as glad to have you back as certain other people, but it is good to have you back."

"Thank you, Rin." He said as he placed an arm around Machi.

"Yo Prince! How was the ride?" Asked Arisa as she and Kureno came up, dragging the luggage trolley behind them.

"Uotani-san, Kureno? I thought your train was coming later." He remarked.

"We decided we didn't want to hold up the big reunion. It's about time everybody got back together." She said, offering her hand for him to shake, "And look at you, gonna be a big time therapist or whatever."

"A mental health counselor, dear," Kureno reminded her, "We're all very proud of you, Yuki. The world could always use people striving to give the emotionally vulnerable or broken the help they need."

Yuki shook Kureno's hand, "Thank you, Kureno. I'd love nothing more than to be someone who can give others help like we needed back in the day."

"Nothing more?" Machi asked wryly.

"Well, that and having a home with you, of course." Yuki added with a small smile.

"Well, let's not waste anymore time! Let's get this show on the road and get to the estate! There's some people there I'm dyin' to see!" Arisa declared as she turned and began walking.

Isuzu nodded and took the lead with Haru by her side. The group walked off, with Machi walking side by side with Yuki, leaning into him a little.

"So, once we get home tonight would you like to…well, you know?" Machi began, smiling at a certain memory.

"Carefully make a crack in the window just like at your old apartment?" Yuki guessed with a smile.

She nodded back.

"Of course." Yuki agreed with a smile, ignoring the look Kyo was giving him.

"Are you two talking about sex or are you literally gonna break glass?" He asked curiously.

Machi blushed deeply while Yuki let out a laugh and answered "None of your business, stupid Cat."

Kyo smirked, "Guess it isn't, dumb Rat."

Though Machi didn't say anything, she wouldn't be opposed to doing both.

Akito and Kazuma had come to rest in one of the gazebos on the estate by a lovely koi pond. The Clan Head stood at the back, silently looking down at the fish swimming about as Kazuma sat on the bench, savoring the silent moment with Akito.

Kazuma decided to finally break the silence, saying "We've been awfully quiet ever since we parted ways with Tohru-kun. What was it you wished to talk about?"

"About families, and how broken the Sohmas were." She replied, not turning away from her reflection that merged with the koi fish swimming to and fro.

"Ironically the bonds of this family have become much stronger than they were before the bonds of the Curse broke. That went a long way in healing us," He said.

"I wonder, can everything be healed? Is no one truly beyond redemption?" Akito wondered aloud.

"Are you referring to Daigo-san, your mother or yourself?" Kazuma inquired carefully.

"I suppose all three," Akito confessed, "Despite everything I've done to make up for my misdeeds, I still have a long way to go. Not a day goes by that I don't look back on who I used to be and shudder."

"The 'God' of the Zodiac is dead, Akito-sama. She died that day in the rain thanks to the unconditional compassion of a kind girl, and from her husk emerged a very noble woman, one I am proud to call my relative." Kazuma assured her.

Tears fell from Akito's eyes and into the pond, sending Koi swimming away. "Thank you, Kazuma-san. D-do you think that my father was a good man? He allowed your grandfather's imprisonment to continue…"

"I won't speak ill of the dead, but while I do think Akira-sama was wrong to cling to the traditions, I think his poor health also may have affected his judgement. It left him little time for pondering such questions or battling traditions," Kazuma answered.

"That doesn't excuse the fact that the abuse Kyo and Yuuna suffered under Daigo happened under his watch. He had to have known…" Akito pointed out.

"He was also a dying man by the time Kyo was born. He was doubtlessly far more concerned with you and your mother. I cannot blame him for that, only Daigo-san. I can also say for certain that whatever Ren-san's faults, and there are many, she and your father deeply loved each other." He told her.

"I know. That's part of the reason why I haven't had her committed; she was there for him in a way that no one else was or had the courage to. I've spoken to Shigure, Tohru, Yuki and Hatori about her and how, despite everything she did to me…I don't hate her. Not anymore. After all, I was worse. She may have tried to stab me, but I nearly murdered Kureno and Isuzu, I tried to pit Kyo against Yuki, I emotionally tortured most of them. I deserve to be locked away just as much as she does. Maybe even more." Akito said.

"You've gone to great lengths to atone for what you did as the 'God'," Kazuma reminded her.

"But will it ever be enough?" Akito wondered, "Will the guilt I feel ever fade?"

"Guilt is an incredibly hard thing to free oneself from, Akito-sama," Kazuma said, "Despite my efforts to atone by saving Kyo from his father, I still feel moments of guilt for running away from my grandfather that day I went into the cottage. For rejecting him just because everyone else did."

Akito laughed bitterly, "Out of all of us, Kazuma, you have the least to feel guilty for. There's something I've been wondering for quite a long time; what were your plans to keep Kyo free? Daigo once told me that you said you'd never cooperate with any attempt to imprison Kyo, and I believe that to be true. What would you have done to save your son?" Akito asked quietly.

Kazuma sighed and answered "Well, when I first realized that I loved him, I became desperate to form a plan to keep him free. When I heard about that unfortunate situation poor Momiji had gone through with his mother and how Hatori had used hypnosis to make her forget her son, I considered asking him to join me in trying to come up with something to get you under control but I knew he'd never have the will to betray you. Then Shigure told me about the unfortunate end of his relationship with Kana and I approached him, asking him if he would be willing to use the hypnosis on you, to bend you to our will. He refused naturally, but promised that he'd never tell you about my ambitions."

Akito let out a sad sigh as more tears fell into the pond, "Dear, loyal Hatori. He had every right to despise me, to want me dead, yet even after the Curse lifted and there was nothing keeping him bound to me, he stayed. After my apology and confession, he admitted that while there was still resentment lingering in his soul for what I did to him, Kana and the others and for the things I forced him to do, he doesn't hate me. I never deserved him in my life."

"There's a wonderful man behind that stoic face." Kazuma remarked with a smile, before resuming, "In my time I've made more than a few friends, they're all across Japan and I even have a couple in America and one in Brazil, some of them came to visit while Kyo was young and they all liked him. I had planned to send him off to one of those places in secret. He might have had to flee Japan, but he'd be free and away from the people who scorned him. However, that would have been difficult to maintain, as he'd never willingly go very far away from me.

"Plus, when I saw him with Tohru in the rain, she offered to share her umbrella with him so he wouldn't have to hold his own up. The way she held his cat form, carrying him home… I knew he loved her and that he'd never willingly leave her behind, despite what he might have said otherwise. It would have been cruel to separate them, and it would have been almost as bad to have Tohru escape with him and leave behind everyone she knew and loved. I couldn't force that onto them."

"So you simply hoped the curse would break?" She inquired.

"I hoped it would, so that matters would be resolved peacefully. I suspected Shigure had his own grand plan, but truth be told I was prepared to fight everyone, even you, to keep him free." Kazuma admitted, "And if you had ordered Hatori-san to use his hypnosis to erase my memories of Kyo, I had already planned for ways to remember him thanks to photographs and other things I had Kunimitsu hide. Had the worst come to worst, I would have snuck into this estate in the middle of the night, rescued him and we'd escape to someplace you'd never find us."

Akito turned and said "Kazuma, your martial arts skills are unmatched in our family, you're doubtlessly the greatest Sohma warrior of our generation. Answer me honestly; would you have been willing to kill me if it would keep Kyo free?"

Kazuma stood up and turned to face her.

He gave his answer.

A relieved expression spread across Akito's face. She nodded and looked back into the pond.

"I hope you know that none of them ever liked the idea of locking Kyo away," She told him, "They've all told him this, Kisa being the first to admit it to him, but I don't know if he ever told you how they felt. I could see it in their eyes that the mere idea made them uncomfortable. It horrified and appalled them, but because I was the 'God' they couldn't resist or speak out against me. Even if they feared the Cat's beast form, I was the one they were truly afraid of. I might have been the only one of the Zodiac who never transformed into an animal, but I was the only one of them that was truly a beast."

"And yet most of them stayed and those who left eventually came back or will come when they can. Most of them have forgiven you." Kazuma pointed out.

"Isuzu hasn't," She countered before adding "Not that I blame her. Some things are just unforgivable."

"Rin struggles when it comes to forgiveness, it took her until after the Curse broke to become close to Kyo. They spent so much time competing for my attention when they should have been like siblings," Kazuma said, shaking his head as he smiled at certain memories, "It's because of her parents. However, unlike them, you repented. It will take some more time, but I believe she will be able to forgive you one day. She'll have Haru and Tohru there to ease her into it."

"I hope you're right, Kazuma-san. I really do," She said with a sigh before adding "I could never understand Isuzu's parents."

"How could you? You were merely a child, just a few years older than she was when it happened," Kazuma said, "As for those sorry excuses for human beings, they struggled badly with the curse like many did. Some, like Satsuki-san, handled it remarkably well, but there were those like Anne-san and Daigo-san who couldn't handle it at all. Rin's father couldn't get over the fact that if he hugged his daughter she'd turn into a pony, so they lived in denial. Rin says it was like they were constantly playing pretend, trying to deny reality and act like everything was normal, not for Rin's benefit but for their own. So when she asked them about it…they snapped. Violently. Horribly. They could no longer live in their fantasy, but they denied the fact that it was for themselves and not Rin and because of that their long concealed resentment spiraled out of control and they let that hate twist and consume their souls. Them leaving Rin, as much as it broke her heart, was the best thing they could have done. It saved her from any further abuse."

"Until her suffering resumed because of me," Akito reminded him, "Because I wanted to keep Hatsuharu to myself. To keep them all to myself like a spoiled child hoarding toys. I don't blame Kureno for leaving, I tried to control him for so long, kept him isolated for years… It's a miracle any of them can look me in the eye."

"It's quite easy when your eyes are so beautiful." Said Shigure's voice.

They turned to see Akito's husband walking towards them, a pleasant expression on his face, "Excuse me for interrupting, but when I saw the state Tohru-kun was in after her meeting with Daigo-san, I began to worry about how my wife might be faring." He voiced as he joined them and embraced his wife with a gentle hug that she was all too eager to seek comfort in.

"I'll be fine, Shigure," She assured him as she nuzzled into him, "I just had to put Daigo in his place."

"It was quite the sight to behold," Kazuma remarked to the younger man.

"Wish I could have seen it, you can be quite exciting when you're angry at someone who deserves it, my love," Shigure told her, "Tohru-kun made it back to the house, she seemed shaken up, but it's nothing the comfort of her friends won't help. Sadly she's been through worse."

"Yes, but this is one of the few times she's encountered someone who might be beyond help, despite what she may think," Akito replied.

"Perhaps. Who knows? Maybe it will simply take more time to talk sense into him, though I doubt it'd be worth the effort," Shigure remarked, "Still, Tohru is an amazing young woman, the fact that we're free from the Curse is proof enough of that."

"Thanks to her and your own gambits, Shigure-san." Kazuma reminded him.

Shigure closed his eyes, smiled and shrugged, "I don't like to take much credit, but I suppose I did have a hand in helping here or there, like playing matchmaker for Haa-san and Mayuko."

Akito separated from her husband, much to his displeasure, and asked him "Tell me, Shigure, when did you decide to make Tohru your pawn?"

Shigure sighed, "You make me sound like some cold, uncaring mastermind. I'm a warm, lovable mastermind," He told them with a sly smile, "To tell you the truth, it began when I first met her, she saw my Zodiac figurines and lamented the absence of the cat. She told me the version of the story that her late mother had told her about the Zodiac and her compassion for the Cat intrigued me. When Yuki and I discovered her living situation, I was at first simply going to let her stay with us until the renovations to her grandfather's house were completed, as I couldn't let her live in the wilderness…and I really needed help in the kitchen. However, as the days went by and I got to know her, as I saw how her kindness was affecting Yuki and Kyo,

"Tohru-kun amazed me, still does, and I realized her kind and compassionate nature, to the point where some would think her unreasonably empathetic, was the key to breaking our Curse. Your own gambit to force Kyo to show her the Cat's beast form destroyed any lingering doubts I had, Kazuma-san," Shigure admitted, "I knew that if she could see something like that and see not a beast but her friend, still feel compassion and love for him, then she could help you, dear Akito, see past the limitations of the bonds. Only then could we all be free of the curse. It was hard work and took a lot of subtle planning and a lot of patience, but I think it was worth it in the end."

"Some things happened that you didn't plan on, Shigure," Akito reminded him as she went back to looking down at the koi, "Like me stabbing Kureno. Like Tohru's fall."

Shigure looked at his wife before sharing a glance with Kazuma, who remained silent.

Akito's husband joined her and said "No. I never planned for or wanted such things to happen. I felt horrible when I learned that Kureno had been stabbed, and I felt even worse when I saw the state Tohru-kun was in after the fall."

"You initially thought I pushed her. What if I had?" Akito asked him softly, her voice quivering a little.

"Then I wouldn't have been able to forgive you. Or myself," Shigure admitted before he wrapped his arms around the thin woman from behind, "But you didn't push her. You accepted her friendship. The curse was so close to breaking…but at a high price. Had Tohru died from her injuries, I would have had to live with and regret that price for the rest of my life. Thankfully she survived, and I regret nothing save the injuries she suffered. And what happened to Kureno, I suppose. I'm sorry, but I can be quite greedy when it comes to you, my love."

"I've shared a bed with you long enough to know that's the truth," Akito remarked with a smirk.

"Shigure-san, we were discussing my old plans regarding Kyo's freedom. Considering your own machinations, would you have helped me?" Kazuma inquired.

"Hmm, I probably would have. I've always liked and sympathized with Kyo-kun, despite his little flaws. I told Tohru-kun I wouldn't have tried to stop it, but I suppose if it would have helped end the Curse, I would have helped out a rescue mission in any way I could," Shigure voiced, "I think it's best not to dwell on the past, on the what-ifs and what-could-have-beens. We're all here, we earned our happily ever after, and we recover from the wounds and sins of the past one day at a time with the support of each other."

"And to think, you did it all just so you could have me to yourself." Akito said with a smile as she turned around in her husband's arms.

"Well, it wasn't just so I could have you. I wanted to free us all, you especially, beloved." Shigure told her.

Akito looked into his eyes, listened to his voice and saw no sign that he was lying to her, and she had become very good at knowing when he was. It was a rare occasion when Shigure was being completely sincere and wasn't hiding or exaggerating something.

She leaned up and kissed him, which he eagerly returned.

Kazuma smiled and knew that Shigure was right. This generation had gotten their well-earned happy ending and those yet to come would never know the burden of the Zodiac Curse. True, scars both mental and physical still lingered, but there was always hope that time would heal all wounds. Time and the love they had for one another.

It didn't take long for Tohru to cheer up. It was easy once she was surrounded by her close friends, many of whom would officially become her family once she married Kyo. She had never liked having to burden others with her own problems, but being around Kyo, Yuki and the others had taught her that it was perfectly okay to let someone know if you were feeling down. Indeed, doing just that helped her feel a bit better.

Kagura, who worked at a daycare center whenever she wasn't helping or teaching at Kazuma's dojo, knew the topics they'd be discussing wouldn't be appropriate for the younger members of the family. While Momo had learned the truth about the Curse at the time her mother regained her memories, Hinata was still in the dark about it and obviously Kinu was far too young to know. Kagura, took them off into another room with Satsuki under the pretense of escaping from 'super boring grown-up talk'. Kinu accepted it without question, though Satsuki and Momo could tell right away that Tohru had experienced something decidedly unpleasant, and even Hinata, fairly bright for a five year old, picked up on how concerned Momiji, Kisa and the others were.

Tohru told them the basics of her meeting with Daigo, but left out certain things such as the Curse and the Ca's beast form so Usagi, Raizo and Antonio wouldn't know until their significant others felt the time was right to tell them. However, to those who knew about the Curse and what the Cat of the Zodiac had suffered through, it was obvious what she was leaving out and why Daigo was so full of hate, even if irrationally.

Momiji, Saki, Kisa, Ritsu, Ayame, Mine, Usagi, Mayuko, Megumi and Mitsuru had all hugged Tohru to comfort her, offering her kind words of praise and comfort.

"Any one of us could have told you it wouldn't have worked, Tohru-chan," Ayame lamented sadly, "That awful man is just too full of bitterness and spite to listen to reason, even if it's from someone like you. That's what happens when one jumps into a pool of negativity and refuses to emerge."

"But still, she deserves praise for trying," Mine reminded her husband.

"Indeed she does," Agreed Ritsu, "It takes a lot of courage to do what she did. We've all known for years how much Daigo-san has hated Kyo-kun, but Tohru-chan is the first one of us to attempt to talk sense into him."

"Not true," Tohru admitted, "Kyo-kun, Akito-san and Kazuma-san have all tried to persuade him before, but it never worked. Whenever Kyo-kun came back from that house, he'd be so moody and dejected. I'd just hug him and do everything I could to make him feel better."

"Knowing how he brightens up around you, nee-chan, it didn't take much," Said Kisa with a small smile. Kisa had been among the first to apologize to Kyo for how distant they had been from him, for her ignorance regarding the truth about that Cat and their lack of efforts to stand up to Akito and help him. Kyo, naturally forgave her without a second thought and assured her that he didn't hold a grudge against any of them. She looked over at Hiro, sitting cross legged on the floor and looking particularly ashamed, "Though still, I feel awful about what Kyo-onii-san has been through."

"It really does put things into perspective, how well off some of us were in comparison. My parents might have gotten embarrassed by me and apologized for me to the point I felt ashamed, but they still loved me. They never hated me or wanted me dead," Ritsu said, looking down at the floor as he squeezed his chin hard. While he had been belittled for his crossdressing habits, he had never been senselessly hated and feared like Kyo had. Mitsuru could tell how troubled he was and came up to hug him as he added "Thank goodness that Kazuma-san was there for Kyo-kun or who knows what would have happened to him."

"I…I don't think we should dwell on that," Said Momiji, who looked over at his mother worriedly, the topic of Yuuna Sohma's suicide had darkened the aura around his mother considerably, to the point where Saki occasionally cast a worried look in her direction. Anne was standing in front of one of the bookshelves, pretending to scan the small portion of Shigure's collection but was actually deep in thought, reflecting on her past actions and how close she had come to ending her life due to her hysteria over her son's Rabbit form. How she had nearly done the same thing that Yuuna Sohma did.

Momiji really felt bad for Kyo. At least he and his mother were eventually able to reconcile and his father was constantly trying to make up for what had happened. Kyo wasn't so fortunate, even if he still had wonderful people in his life. "But you're right, Ritsu-san. We should all be grateful for Kazuma-san's wonderful act of kindness." The blond said, managing a smile for Tohru.

"I can't get over the fact he saw his own mother kill herself," Said Usagi, who had wrapped her arms around her knees and was hugging them to her chest. "What do you think that does to a child? How could she do that with her son watching?"

Momiji scooted over to his girlfriend and embraced her, kissing her forehead to give her some comfort.

"Everyone has moments where we go crazy," Anne spoke up, drawing everyone's attention to her, "We all struggle with life, with grief, and some of us…some of us just can't take it. We all make mistakes, some more fatal than others. Suicide is often done on an impulse, some can resist it but some…some can't."

Momiji looked at his mother sadly, and when he saw the tears streaming down her face he couldn't hold himself back. He stood up and strode over to his mother, taking her into his arms and calmly whispering to her, "It's okay. It's all forgiven. You're better now, mama. I'm here. It's okay."

Anne couldn't help herself and cried in her son's arms as she hugged him back, offering quiet, tearful apologies. Momiji was happy to accept them as he gently guided her out of the room. Tohru, Usagi and Saki watched them leave, the last of whom could feel the sorrow and guilt emerging from the German woman.

"Please excuse her," Said Usagi, before calmly explaining to Raizo and Antonio what she knew of the sordid history between Momiji and his mother, as she was still ignorant when it came to the details regarding the Curse.

"Jesus," Muttered Antonio, crossing himself.

Mayuko let out a heavy sigh as she looked at Tohru and said "I wonder if you really understand just how much you've helped the Sohmas, Tohru. This family was screwed up beyond belief before you came into their lives and fixed them."

Blushing at her former teacher's praise, Tohru replied "Oh, well thank you Mayuko-sensei but I can't take all the credit. Everyone helped out in their own way."

"You might not be entirely wrong, Tohru-chan, but it is a simple fact that we all owe you a great debt!" Ayame declared.

"Yeah, so just accept the compliments, okay?" Hiro told her, "You're great and some of us didn't deserve you."

"Hiro-kun?" Kisa asked, worried about his tone of voice.

"What makes you say that, Hiro-kun?" Tohru asked him softly.

"I was a real brat for treating you the way I did when we first met. I never deserved you being so nice to me after that." Hiro admitted.

"Hiro-kun, what's wrong? What brought this on?" Kisa asked as she sat beside him, taking one of his hands into hers and squeezing it comfortingly.

Hiro looked into her beautiful eyes, not at anything else. When he looked at Kisa, everything became easier. "When I think about how bad everyone else had it; Kyo, Momiji, Yuki, Rin…even Akito, I look back on what a little brat I was and wonder what the hell was wrong with me? I had no right to be such a pain in the ass."

"You weren't," Tohru assured him.

"I was basically bullying you when we first met, Tohru-san. The fact of the matter is I was a brat," He told her firmly, "All because I was jealous of Kisa-chan loving someone else. I have great parents, they never hated me or had any mental problems, so what right did I have to be so clingy?"

Antonio glanced at Raizo, who was sitting next to him, and leaned in to whisper "Do you get the feeling there are details they're not telling us?"

"I get that all the time with the Sohmas. I think they'll tell us when they think they're ready." Raizo muttered in response as Tohru approached Hiro and Kisa.

"Maybe it's because you saw how bad some of the others had it, with neglectful parents or strained relations and you were just scared of losing something. Everyone feels like that at some point. Everyone gets selfish now and then, even me," Tohru reassured him kindly, "And even if you were a little mean to me at first, I understand why and I forgive you. The fact you acknowledge the way you acted was wrong is proof of how much you've grown, Hiro-kun."

Hiro leaned back, turning his head to look at Tohru as he smiled, "Thank you, Tohru-san. And thank you for being there for Kisa-chan when I wasn't. I think even once Yuki gets his Master's Degree, he'll probably still come to you for advice."

Everyone in the room laughed.

"Still, regardless of the disappointing outcome of your meeting with Daigo, I think you should be congratulated for trying. It speaks volumes of your bravery and dedication to Kyo that you'd face a man who not even Akito-san could talk sense into," Saki told her friend.

"Hear hear!" Agreed Mitsuru, and everyone else offered words of agreement.

"Kyo-onii-san couldn't ask for a better wife, and we couldn't ask for a better addition to the Sohma Family." Kisa told her.

Tohru smiled broadly as she captured both Kisa and Hiro in a hug "Thank you all! It's wonderful to hear that and to be surrounded by such loving people, especially after dealing with such a difficult man."

Just then Tohru's phone rang out. She reluctantly separated herself from the happy Kisa and the blushing Hiro to look at the screen and saw the caller I.D.

"Ah, it's Cousin Manabu!" She said.

Despite the less-than-kind words her male cousin had said to her the day she nearly returned to live with her grandfather before Yuki and Kyo had shown up to bring her back to Shigure's house, Tohru never held a grudge against Manabu or any of her father's family. Especially after he apologized to her after getting a stern talking to from their Grandfather Jiichiro Honda.

She had long learned to accept that her mother's reputation as the notorious Crimson Butterfly was difficult for some people to get over, but despite that she had patched things up with her Aunt Chiyoko and her cousins Manabu and Misa, who had come to understand some of what Kyoko and Tohru had been through and had all apologized for how they had treated them. Naturally, Tohru had forgiven them all right away, much to the slight annoyance of Kyo who still hadn't gotten over the things Manabu had insinuated about her that day, but despite that he did his best to be civil to the Honda family.

She answered the phone, "Manabu-kun! It's good to hear from you so soon. Do you have any news?"

Manabu, who had become a police officer as he had always wanted to, was still climbing up the ladder to reach the rank of detective, but he had the ability to track people down, and right before Tohru and Kyo moved back home, when she had called her father's family to tell them about the upcoming wedding, she had asked him to find her mother's parents.

She knew how poorly her mother's relationship with her parents had ended, though she always got the impression that her grandmother was too submissive to her grandfather to defy him. She hoped that, with all the time that had passed and the knowledge that their daughter had died, they'd be willing to start a relationship with the granddaughter they had never truly known.

"Ah, yes, Tohru-chan, I do have some news for you regarding Aunt Kyoko's parents," He said, his voice sounding awkward. Troubled.

"Is something wrong?" Tohru asked, concerned.

"I was able to find your grandmother's address," He told her, "But…"

"Just my grandmother's?" She echoed, feeling uneasy at the wording.

Manabu sighed over the phone, "I wish I didn't have to tell you this, Tohru-chan. Aunt Kyoko's father passed away three years ago. I'm so sorry."

And you're tired and cold and wet…

Chapter Text

And you're looking for a place that's cozy and warm

Tohru's grip on her phone tightened as Manabu's words reached her brain. Yukichi Katsunuma, her maternal grandfather, was dead. Had been for several years.

There was a sad, familiar sensation in her stomach and chest. It was similar to what she had felt when she had been told on that awful day years ago that her mother had been killed. Similar to how she felt when she discovered that Kyo was destined to be confined. However, it was nowhere near as intense as what she had experienced on those occasions, mostly due to the fact that she had never met Grandpa Katsunuma.

Kyoko rarely ever spoke of her parents except for times when she'd casually reminisce to Tohru about an incident or fond memory from her childhood. Even then Kyoko's face would turn sad, regretful, sometimes even frustrated by the fact that they had disowned her. That they wanted nothing at all to do with her or their granddaughter, not even when Katsuya died and she was struggling so hard to cope.

Tohru felt bad because she should be sadder than she was. She should be shedding tears for the dead man…shouldn't she?

"Nee-chan, what's wrong?" Asked Kisa quietly as she carefully took Tohru's free hand into her own. Tohru realized she had frozen up and saw everyone was giving her concerned looks.

"My…my grandfather passed away," Tohru answered.

"Oh no," Saki muttered, covering her mouth as her eyes filled with grief.

"What? I-I thought he was in good health for his age!" Cried Kisa, shocked, as she had met and gotten to know Grandpa Jiichiro Honda on a few of Tohru's visits to Tokyo.

"Oh, no! Not Grandpa Honda! It was my mother's father, Grandpa Katsunuma. He died three years ago, I…I never met him." She explained, her voice sad but not devastated.

Saki's expression changed from dismayed to a bland but hard one that Tohru recognized as what she looked like when she was trying to hide her anger or disgust with someone. "Oh. I see." She said, simply.

Kyoko had told both of Tohru's best friends about her past and how her family had thrown her out of their lives and how Katsuya had saved her. With this in mind, Saki didn't feel anywhere near as bad as she would have at the passing at Grandpa Honda, who had stood by Kyoko and Tohru even when the rest of his family couldn't conceal their contempt for Katsuya's wife and child.

In fact, she felt nothing for the dead man at all.

"Tohru-chan, are you all right?" Asked Manabu's voice from over the phone.

"Oh! Yes, I'm fine, Manabu-kun, thank you. Thank you for finding my grandmother for me. Where is she?" Tohru inquired.

"She still resides in the house that the Katsunumas lived in for about forty years. It's in a rather nice part of the city, just about three miles or so from the Sohma estate," Her cousin told her, "I'll text you the address. Are you sure you'll be okay?"

"I'm okay, Manabu-kun. Thank you for asking, I'm with my friends at the estate." She told him.

"That's good. Again, I'm sorry I had to bring you such bad news. I'll see you at the wedding next week, goodbye and have a good day." He bid her before ending the call.

Tohru wondered; was it bad news? After all, her maternal grandfather had disowned his daughter and had refused to even see his granddaughter. Kyoko had told her what a hard outlook on life Yukichi Katsunuma had; separating people into categories of 'useful' and 'worthless' and had firmly placed his own child in the latter category.

Would he have considered her worthless?

Still, there was a chance that maybe his heart had softened with age. Maybe he would have asked for forgiveness had she met him.

She remembered that after her mother was killed, Grandpa Honda had managed to find their number among Kyoko's possessions and had called the Katsunumas to inform them of their daughter's death. He had told her that Kyoko's father had answered the phone and had reacted to news of his daughter's death with a voice that betrayed no emotion, simply taking the horrible news in stride, thanking the older man for contacting them and declining an invitation to the funeral.

Could Yukichi Katsunuma have been convinced to see the error of his ways? Would he have held his now adult granddaughter in his arms, weeping with regret for his past actions? Go to his daughter's grave to mourn her and pray for forgiveness?

Tohru would never know for sure.

Her grandmother, Tamayo Katsunuma, was another story. There was still a chance. She was alive.

There was still hope for forgiveness, for reconciliation.

Her grandmother had apparently been more concerned with appearances and social standing than what her daughter had been going through, but Kyoko had admitted to Tohru on multiple occasions that she had always regretted the harsh, horrible things she had shouted at her parents. They had hurt her, but she had hurt them just as much.

"I look back on how I treated them, and it's no wonder they disowned me. That was a very painful day, Tohru, even with your father there to save me, I look back on how we treated each other and wish so badly I did things differently." Was what Kyoko had once told her daughter.

"You gonna be okay, Tohru-kun?" Asked Mayuko, as she knelt down in front of Tohru.

Tohru was ripped out of her thoughts again and realized she was surrounded by Saki, Kisa, Mayuko, Hiro, Ritsu, Ayame, Mine, Usagi, Megumi and Mitsuru, all of them looking quite worried.

"I'm all right, I'll be fine. Thank you all so much for being so concerned," Tohru said with a smile. It really warmed her heart to know just how much these people had come to love and cherish her. She then said "As soon as I can, I'm going to visit my grandmother, who knows what she's been going through since my grandfather passed away? Mom always wanted to patch things up with them, but her father wouldn't allow it. Now there's a chance."

"Tohru's mother didn't exactly have a good relationship with her parents," Saki explained to the others, "In fact, they've never even seen Tohru."

"Oh…that bad, huh?" Hiro said awkwardly as Tohru's phone buzzed, alerting her that Manabu had texted her the address.

Tohru nodded and Ritsu asked "Wh-what if she doesn't want to see you?"

"I don't know how she'll react, but if she rejects me…it will make me very sad but I won't try to force it," Tohru answered, "Still, I have to try. You never know when someone might die, we have no idea how much time we have left to live, so I can't waste this chance. Her being angry to see me is just a risk I'll have to take."

"You're much braver than I'd be in your place, Tohru-kun." Ritsu said.

"May I come with you?" Saki asked.

Tohru looked at her and smiled, answering, "Yes, I'd love for you to come with me, Hana-chan."

"I want to come too, Nee-chan," Kisa chimed in, determined, "Even if your grandmother isn't willing to listen to you, she needs to understand what a wonderful person she's kept locked out of her life."

Tohru was surprised, but before she could say anything, Hiro spoke up, "Kisa-chan's right. You helped her so much when she was young, helped us all. It's the least we can do for you."

"Indeed," Areed Saki, "And if she is reasonable, she deserves to know about all the good you've done for us. How you've helped us. I'm sure Arisa and the others will agree when they get here."

"Okay, you guys can come with me!" Tohru agreed.

"If it's been three years since her husband died, she must be feeling quite lonely," Mine pointed out, "She'll probably be very happy to see you."

"While we don't know the full details of whatever happened between your mother and grandparents, I think she might be like how I was with Yuki, perhaps she'll be desperate to make up for lost time." Ayame suggested.

Tohru brightened at that, "I hope so, Ayame-san, I really do."

"Hey, at the very least she can't possibly be worse than Kyo-san's father." Hiro remarked, earning some chuckles and smirks from the others.

Tohru nodded, while she had failed to get through to Daigo Sohma, there was still a chance that she could form a wonderful relationship with Grandma Katsunuma. She had to do it, not just for herself or for her mother, but for her grandparents, who at the very least deserved a chance at redemption.

She could only pray that her grandmother wouldn't violently reject her the way Daigo Sohma had.

Isuzu parked her car in the estate's garage and everyone disembarked, with Yuki, Arisa and Kureno retrieving their luggage from the trunk. As they emerged from the garage and out into the expanse of the estate, Kureno and Yuki looked around, taking in the subtle changes that most wouldn't have noticed.

"Good to be back?" Arisa asked her fiance as she came up beside him.

"Yes," Kureno replied as he smiled lovingly at her. During their first visit home, he had been rather nervous about coming back to the estate, but had gotten over that anxiety fairly easily with her support. "It's still odd knowing that I can now come and go as I please. That I'm not forced to live here. Despite that, I guess it's nice to come home every once in a while."

"It is odd to think that we wouldn't mind returning here," Remarked Yuki, thinking back to his desperate pleas to his parents and then to Shigure to liberate him from that black room and how desperate he had once been to leave the estate. While he still didn't want to live on the estate, he could now freely come and go without fear of anything happening to him.

That was another thing they owed to Tohru.

Whenever they were seen by someone on their way to the main house, they were greeted kindly by other members of the Sohma family or by servants who came across them. Yuki and Kureno politely returned the greetings and 'welcome home's from the estate residents, some of whom also offered Kyo the same greeting while a few of the older Sohmas ignored him, but a few of these elders were kind enough to welcome him too, now that Cat Spirit was no longer with him. Kyo didn't really care either way.

"Ah, Yuki-sama! I heard about your graduation, we're all very proud of you," Said a maid who worked for Yuki and Ayame's parents.

Yuki nodded and smiled at the woman, "Thank you, is my mother here?"

"I'm afraid not, Yuki-sama. Reona-sama went with Hideyo-sama on a business trip to America." The maid told him.

Yuki sighed, his parents were always busy and had been absent for so much of his life that he supposed he shouldn't have expected his return home to be any different. Though at least they were spending time together, it meant their relationship wasn't hollow.

Things between him and his parents were still awkward, they had felt a little regret over how they had abandoned him to Akito's abuse, though only after Akito herself had called them out. The Head of the Sohma Family held herself responsible for the abuse the Zodiacs suffered, but knew there were others to blame; those who had enabled her. Yuki and Ayame's parents, Kyo's father and Isuzu's estranged parents, whom Akito had completely cut off from the family's funds, had all faced her wrath at some point or another.

Akito held no grudge against the parents of Hatsuharu, Kisa, Ritsu, Hiro or Kagura who had been too afraid of the consequences of opposing her to ever speak out against her, but she was angry at those who used their children to gain her favor, as Reona Sohma had.

They had apologized, but reconciling wasn't easy. Hideyo Sohma was the definition of a workaholic, so married to his work and so rarely seen by other members of the family who weren't involved in the business that it was a miracle he ever found time to get Reona pregnant, let alone twice. Hideyo was as distant as ever, but on the occasions they were able to get together he made it clear to both his sons that while wasn't a people person in the slightest, he sincerely regretted what a sorry excuse of a father he had been and how it had affected his sons.

For her part, Reona knew she wasn't a good mother, she knew she had failed her sons even worse than her husband had. Being a proud woman, admitting failure didn't come easy for her. When she had apologized to her sons, after a harsh conversation with Akito, Yuki could tell she was using every ounce of willpower she had to keep herself from shedding tears. Would they have been tears of regret or anger or self hatred? It was hard to say.

Yuki also understood that the Zodiac curse afflicting both of her sons probably had an effect on her own mental well-being. Some parents had handled it quite well, but there were those who just couldn't take it. While Reona had never been as cold and abusive as Rin's parents or Kyo's father, Yuki could tell the distance between them was likely due in-part to the Curse. The fact that her sons turned into a Snake and a Rat, two animals that most women didn't exactly find appealing, probably didn't help matters at all.

He wondered just what effect it had on a mother's mind to hold her child for the first time, only for it to turn into an animal that most would want dead on sight.

Despite all this, their relationship, while still distant, was better than it had once been, as Yuki was more comfortable being around her now. He knew what kind of a woman his mother was; Reona strove to maintain perfection in both professionally and appearance-wise. It was very difficult for her to look back on what she had done and not just see her flaws, but admit to them. Especially when she had to admit how those flaws had done her children harm.

Yuki had learned, both due to his own experiences with his friends and family and his studies to become a mental health counselor, that holding grudges never amounted to anything good. His father was someone who struggled to make connections with other people, even family and he just couldn't hate his father for that, even if it had caused him harm. As for his mother, he had learned all too well the complexities of human psyche and emotions, there was probably some traumatic incident in Reona Sohma's childhood that had made her obsess with perfection the way Machi's own childhood had given her an aversion to it. His mother was a selfish woman, but that didn't mean he hated her. In fact he hoped he could help her one day.

Though Yuki had forgiven his parents, Ayame was a bit more distant towards them. His brother had admitted to him that he resented them for not trying harder to right their wrongs, the way he had with Yuki. Still, Ayame had forgiven his parents, despite the awkwardness between them, and had even created a rather fashionable business suit for Reona on one occasion.

Their parents were also surprisingly quite supportive of his choice to become a mental health counselor, though he suspected because of the money they thought he'd make from it. Truth be told Yuki didn't plan on becoming a therapist who charged exorbitant amounts of money from his patients, he'd fight to lower costs for his services for his future clients as much as possible

His parents had also approved of his relationship to Machi, though that had more to do with the wealth and status of the Kuragi family rather than how much the two loved one another. Machi personally didn't like them, which was only natural given her disdain for perfection and his mother's vanity, but she did her best not to let it show.

Putting those thoughts aside, Yuki kindly told the maid, "I see. Well, give my regards to the other maids."

"Thank you, Yuki-sama, I will. It's good to see you again, Machi-sama," The maid said, bowing in respect towards Machi.

"Thanks," Machi said with a slightly stilted voice, as she still wasn't used to having the honorific at the end of her name. As they carried on, she looked at her boyfriend and remarked "I can't believe they didn't stay to welcome you home. I know they're not the best, but you'd think they'd at least wait a few days."

"It's not that surprising when you know them," Yuki told her, "Even though our relationships are better than they once were, things are still awkward."

"When it comes to parents a lot of us drew very short straws," Isuzu commented darkly.

Hatsuharu squeezed his lover's hand comfortingly and said "Some shorter than others. My parents have their flaws, but when you compare them to Rin's and Yuki's parents or Kyo's biological father they're practically saints. The fact that they enlisted Shihan to help me control my Dark half instead of just disowning me is proof enough of that."

Kureno sighed, his relationship with his own parents was awkward to say the least, for years he had been distant from them due to the short leash Akito kept him on and it did sadden him to know they hardly made any efforts to see him after the Family Head made it clear to them she wanted his close company. It had always saddened him that he couldn't embrace his mother after his curse broke because Akito wanted him all to herself and to keep his Curse breaking a secret. Despite that he forgave them when all was said and done, and made it clear that despite all he had suffered he held no ill will against them and he still called them every now and then. In fact, he was looking forward to seeing them again.

They approached the main house and saw Akito and Shigure sitting on the engawa, quietly conversing with Satsuki while Kagura and Momo played with Hinata and Kinu.

Shigure noticed the group first and smiled fondly at them as they approached, "Ah, there you are at last."

"It's good to be back, Shigure," Yuki answered with an honest and cheerful smile. Despite how annoying, perverted and manipulative his former housemate could be, Yuki couldn't bring himself to ever dislike Shigure. After all, their current lives wouldn't be possible without him.

Akito stood up and carefully approached them, both she and Isuzu were avoiding one another's gazes. The Head of the family looked at Yuki and Kureno and they noticed that the guilt that had been so transparent in her eyes whenever she saw them over the last four years had lessened. It was still there, but it was no longer as prominent as it had once been. However, every time she saw Kureno's cane, guilt pounded in her heart.

"Welcome back," She said softly, not making any move to embrace them out of shame for her past actions.

Despite this, Yuki placed down his luggage and gingerly embraced her, "Thank you, it's good to see you're getting better, Akito."

Isuzu wanted so badly to say something, it still bewildered her that Yuki and Kureno could forgive the woman, considering the emotional torture she had inflicted on the former and how she had practically enslaved the latter. She bit her tongue, knowing that any sardonic remarks wouldn't be appreciated by the others.

Shigure smiled, happy that Yuki no longer lived in fear of Akito and that his wife had earned his forgiveness. He looked at Machi and said "It's good to see you too, Machi-kun. I know you're happier than anyone that Yuki-kun is home where he belongs."

"You'd be right," Machi said with a slight blush.

Yuki pulled back from Akito and asked "I trust you're keeping Shigure in line?"

Despite everything, Akito let out a chuckle, "It's not easy, but I manage to make my loyal Dog behave himself and in return he supports me to the best of his ability."

"I do my best for you, my dear," Shigure told her as he came over and shook Yuki's hand, "And speaking seriously, it's wonderful to have you living in the city again. We missed having you, Kyo-kun and Tohru-kun with us. The same goes for you, Kureno."

Akito's face faltered as she focused on Kureno and Arisa. She was happy for them, grateful that Arisa was the lover that the ever faithful Kureno truly deserved after all she had put him through, but she still considered it a miracle that they would willingly visit her at all.

"Thank you, Shigure-san. While I love living by the sea, it's nice to be home." Kureno told Shigure as they shook hands, their past animosity now buried for the most part. He then looked at Akito and gave her a kind smile, "Hello, Akito-sama. I trust not much has changed since our last visit?"

She shook her head, "No, still mostly the same."

Arisa rolled her eyes and wrapped one arm around Akito and the other around her fiancé before pulling them into a three-way hug.

"Akito, how many freakin' times do we have to tell you? You're forgiven!" The blonde said as Akito's eyes widened in surprise at how forward the ex-gangster girl was.

"Arisa-chan is right, Akito-sama," Kureno voiced as he gently wrapped his arms around his former 'God'. His ex-lover who had nearly killed him. "It's all in the past, and trying to hold onto the darker things of the past can lead to misery. I might be happy to be free and live my own life, but that doesn't mean I'll ever hate you."

Tears formed in Akito's eyes before she quietly thanked him and Arisa for how understanding they were.

"Yuki-onii-san! Uncle Kureno!" Cheered Kinu as she and Hinata ran towards them. Kinu had been so preoccupied with Kagura and Momo that she just now noticed the new arrivals, while Hinata was polite enough to wait.

Yuki knelt down and hugged the young girls. "It's wonderful to see you both," He told them, "I missed you at my graduation."

"Mommy said I couldn't come because it was boring, but I had lots of fun with grandma and grandpa!" Kinu said.

"That's good," Yuki told her with a smile.

"Are you done with school now?" Hinata asked inquisitively.

"I'm afraid not, Hinata-chan, I still have a few years to go before I'm ready." He told her.

"You still have things to learn?" She asked, surprised.

"No one ever stops learning," Yuki told them fondly. He caught Machi staring at him hugging the children.

The sight had made her think how wonderful he'd be with their own child. She blushed madly and mentally scolded herself, 'Where did that come from?!' she thought.

"Are you all right?" He asked, noticing her flushed face.

"Oh, yes! I just…remembered some embarrassing incident from my childhood!" She excused, but could tell he didn't quite buy it. She looked over to Kagura, who had a coy expression on her face that told her the ex-Boar of the Zodiac knew exactly what she was feeling.

Yuki let the two girls go and Kinu then hugged Kureno's leg as Arisa knelt down, "Jeez Kinu-chan, you're getting big!"

"Yep! I'll be bigger than you, Aunt Arisa!"

Arisa simply smirked and ruffled her hair, "I'd like to see you try, squirt. Nice to see you, Hinata-chan. Is Hiro being a good big brother?"

She nodded and answered "The best! I just wish he'd hurry up and marry Kisa-nee-chan already!"

This provoked laughter from the adults, Satsuki's being the most cheerful. Even Isuzu and Hatsuharu couldn't help but crack smiles.

"Now, where's Tohru and Hanajima? I'm dying to see them." Arisa declared as she stood up.

"They're in the main washitsu with everyone else, you know where it is." Akito told her as Kyo went on inside, eager to be with Tohru again.

"Do you think we should have told him?" Kagura asked softly.

"No, it's best if he hears it from Tohru." Shigure answered.

"What do you mean?" Yuki inquired.

Akito let out a sad sigh and told him about Tohru's request to meet Daigo Sohma.

Yuki looked at her, bewildered. He knew little about Kyo's biological father, but he knew that the man wasn't kind or easy to speak to at all. He had spoken to Kyo about his very strained relationship with his father and the things the man had done and said to his own son were appalling. "Did things get out of hand?"

"I'm afraid Daigo-san wasn't in a reasonable mood, but I stepped in and put him in his place when he became volatile," Akito elaborated.

"Did he hurt Tohru?" Isuzu asked, her voice hard and her fist clenching.

"Not physically, but he showed her some of the emotional abuse Kyo had to suffer through when he was young." Akito told them.

"That miserable son of a-" Seethed Arisa, stopping herself so she didn't swear in front of the children, "What exactly did you do?"

"I showed him my own dark side, the old part of me that rarely rears its ugly head anymore. I didn't enjoy it, but if there was anyone who needed to be on the receiving end of my wrath, it's that man." Akito stated, "I made it clear he'd be cast out if he ever spoke to Tohru like that again."

Isuzu looked at the older woman, stunned.

Yuki smiled at her and bowed his head, "Thank you for looking after Tohru."

"Yeah, I owe you for that." Agreed Arisa.

"I had to," Akito said, "I owe Tohru so much, it was the least I could do for her."

"Well, we better go in and make sure Kyo doesn't freak out." Hatsuharu suggested.

"He won't," Yuki told them, "He might have once, but now…he won't be happy with it, but he won't get angry with her either. Let's go, I want to see her myself."

With that, the group headed inside.

Kyo made his way through Akito and Shigure's home, he never liked being away from Tohru for long and was eager to be with her and the others again.

He still found it unusual to be so welcomed in the place, for everyone to fully embrace him without any hesitation or slight fear of the Cat Spirit. He couldn't blame any of them for it. The older Kyo, the one who had once been drowning in anger, misery and self-loathing, might have resented his former Zodiacs, but now he was a changed man. Changed by Tohru's unconditional love.

He passed by a doorway and stopped when he saw Momiji sitting in a large chair comforting his mother with help from Usagi. Anne sat in her son's lap, offering apologies as he rubbed her back and accepted them. The blond had heard these tearful apologies and accepted them thousands of times by now.

Momiji looked at Kyo and gave him a sad smile, while Usagi, now knowing a little about what Kyo had gone through, gave him a look he knew all-too-well from Tohru; a look that said she wanted to hug him and make him feel better, but was too preoccupied with helping her boyfriend calm Anne down.

Kyo wouldn't consider himself a particularly smart person, but it didn't take a genius to see that something had brought Anne Sohma's unpleasant past up in her mind and her shame was once again consuming her.

"She gonna be okay?" He asked quietly.

Momiji nodded, "Yes. Thank you, Kyo."

Anne looked up at him, her eyes red and puffy from crying, "Kyo-san…I'm so sorry…" She managed to say, "About your mother…I'm so sorry you had to see that…"

Momiji explained "The topic of your mother came up. Mama was…upset by it."

Usagi squeezed one of Momiji's hands tightly as she looked at Kyo and told him "I'm so, so sorry you had to go through that, Kyo-san. No one should have to experience such horrible things."

Kyo nodded and replied "I've heard it before, Usagi-san, but thank you. It was…difficult to live with, but thanks to Shishou, Tohru and my friends, I survived."

He knew what Anne Sohma had been through, how she had once not been all that different from his own father. She had been so disgusted by Momiji's Zodiac form that she nearly took her own life. At least she knew how awful and wrong she had been. At least she was tearfully apologizing to her son. He doubted he'd ever get to experience that from Daigo, but he was happy that Momiji was able to have his mother in his life after all he had suffered through.

"Kyo…" Momiji began, looking like he was trying not to cry, "I'm very sorry your mother isn't with us today."

Kyo swallowed, the topic was never one he was comfortable discussing. He simply nodded and said "Thanks, Momiji. You… We've both been through a lot, and you've always been a lot stronger than you seem. At least have your mom with you now. I'm happy for you."

At that Anne tightened her grip around Momiji and sobbed. Her son held her lovingly as he smiled, a tear fell from each of his eyes as he answered "Thank you, Kyo."

"Mama?" Came Momo's voice as she and the others came up from behind Kyo.

Ever since their mother's memories came back to her, Momiji's younger sister had become familiar with the sound of their mother weeping. Her vocal regret for her past actions, her hatred for her past self and what she had done to Momiji.

Kyo stood aside for her, allowing Momo to run in and join Momiji and Usagi in embracing Anne. He watched awkwardly as they held each other tightly and the others quietly moved on to give the four peace.

He walked alongside Yuki and Machi, glancing at the silver-haired young man and whispering "Is she gonna be all right?"

"She feels incredible guilt for what she did in the past. As Akito proves, recovering from such guilt isn't easy. You have to take it step by step, one day at a time. I've spoken with Anne-san about it before, on Momiji's behalf; she has a lot of regrets about her past and she's struggling to understand how she ever could have done something so horrible to her own child. However, I have faith she'll eventually recover from this, because the important thing is that her children are with her, and they forgive her." Yuki told him quietly.

Kyo nodded, "I guess that's what matters most." He mused.

Machi looked down at her feet, wondering why her own parents hadn't felt anywhere near as much guilt for their past actions as Anne did. Her fists clenched briefly, but she quickly calmed herself down, trying to ignore Kinu and Hinata asking why Anne was crying.

"Well, Anne-san did something really bad to Momiji a long time ago and she didn't understand how bad it was for a long time." Kagura explained, Kinu's hand in hers while Hinata's was held by her mother.

"Yes, but now that she knows, she feels horrible about it and they're trying to make her feel better, let her know they forgive and love her." Satsuki explained, doing an excellent job of hiding how saddened she was by the ordeal. They both hoped that the young girls would forgive them for lying once they were old enough to know the truth.

It had often been said that out of all the mothers of the ex-Zodiacs, Satsuki was the best; kind, warm and accepting her son's Ram form without hesitation. Truth be told, when she was younger and first had Hiro, she loved him so much that she simply couldn't understand Anne's hatred for her own son. A part of her had always wanted to slap Anne and yell at her for doing that to her child, even though she wouldn't have had any idea what she'd have been talking about. Now though, Satsuki only felt sympathy for the poor woman.

Satsuki looked back at Kyo with a sad, sympathetic look and he simply nodded at her with a kind smile. A smile that she was happy to return.

They reached the washitsu where their collected family and friends awaited them. Kazuma was chatting with Raizo about Kagura's training under him when she was young, Mine was speaking to Tohru, Saki and Kisa about the joys of pregnancy to assure the young girl it wasn't all morning sickness and an unusual appetite while Mayuko offered snarky comments in return. Megumi was chatting with Antonio and Hiro about his ambitions to become a teacher with Hiro telling them of his own plans to become a doctor. Ayame was chatting with Ritsu and Mitsuru about some of his more interesting clients, a few details of which made the couple blush.

"I'm pleased to announce that our wayward family members have finally come home!" Shigure declared.

Tohru's eyes lit up the instant she saw Yuki and Arisa, but before she could get up, Ayame excused himself from Ritsu and Mitsuru and dashed over to his little brother.

"At last! After four long years of tireless studying, Yuki is home to stay! Though our typically careless parents neglected to be here to greet you, I will ensure that you feel loved and welcomed!" The white-haired man declared with his usual passionate flare. He then wrapped an arm around Machi, dragging her close to him, "And dear Machi-kun! I know you two will be very happy to finally live together, for you have given Yuki the same love that my wonderful Mine bestowed to me!"

Yuki let out a little sigh, but still smiled, "It's good to see you too, Ni-san." While he still found his brother's flamboyance very overbearing, he had gotten used to it for the most part and was just happy they were closer now than they had been when they were young.

Arisa Uotani carefully brushed past them and ran to embrace Tohru and Hanajima as they stood up. "Uo-Chan!" Cried Tohru happily as the blonde held her best friends tight and they hugged her back just as eagerly. Kyo smiled, it always warmed his heart to see Tohru happy, even when it wasn't because of him.

"You're here early," Noted Saki as she hugged her second oldest friend, "Not that I'm complaining."

"Yeah, we decided to take an earlier train. Got tired of being apart from you two." Arisa said, doing her best to conceal happy tears. While she frequently talked to them over the phone, it just wasn't the same as being physically there with them.

As Kyo made his way towards them and Kureno said his hellos to Ritsu, Kisa and the others, Machi couldn't hide how uncomfortable Ayame's way of showing affection made her so softly said, "Uh, not that I don't appreciate the welcoming, Ayame-san, but can you please let me go?"

"Ah, still getting used to such a passionate environment after such an uncaring upbringing, I see. I understand completely, our own parents were hardly any better!" Ayame said as he released them.

"You don't know how happy it makes Ayame-kun to have you here again, Yuki-kun," Said Mine, smiling at her brother-in-law as she stood up.

"Actually I think I do," Yuki replied as he surveyed the room and locked eyes with Tohru as she looked at him from over Uotani's shoulder. He shared an affectionate smile with her as he added "There's a lot of people here I'm very happy to be with again, and I don't plan on leaving any time soon."

"That's good, because in a matter of months you're going to be an uncle." Mine reminded him, rubbing her rounded stomach, "I'm very happy that you'll be a part of his or her life."

Yuki's smile widened, "I'd very much like that, Mine-san. You'll make wonderful parents."

"At the very least, we know what not to do," Quipped Ayame to his brother. Despite himself, Yuki couldn't help but chuckle.

Arisa finally loosened her grip on Tohru and Saki, grinning at them, "It's so damn good to be together again! You excited for the big day, Tohru?"

The mention of her upcoming wedding made Tohru's dazzling brown eyes light up, "Yes, I'm very excited! I just hope everything goes well." She voiced

"I promise you we'll make sure everything goes over perfectly, Tohru," Saki assured her, "After all you've been through and all you've done for us, it's the least we can do, right?"

"You betcha. Anything goes wrong, we'll sort it out like that," Arisa said, snapping her fingers.

The bride-to-be smiled warmly, "Thank you both so much! Although, a part of me wonders if we should have gone with a more western style wedding. That way you could have both been my bridesmaids." She said.

Ever since she had been a little girl, Tohru had dreamed of a traditional shinto wedding. She had always wanted to be clad in a beautiful white shiromuku and wataboshi, to be admired by all as her groom gazed upon her radiant beauty and savored the thought of sharing a life with her. However, certain parts of the ceremony never sat well with her, so both she and Kyo had agreed to forgo certain traditions for the sake of their friends and family, as well as their own tastes.

"Hey, it's your wedding! It's what you've always wanted so that's what you're gonna get. At least you're not gonna do that crappy thing where the bosses and coworkers get front seats," Arisa said, snorting at the idea.

"Good choice," Remarked Isuzu as she joined them, "Whoever came up with that idea in the first place hopefully suffered for it."

"Well, I think that's a little harsh, Isuzu-san but…oh! Excuse me, so sorry!" Tohru said to the other girls as Shigure and Kureno came to Yuki and Machi's rescue by drawing Ayame's attention away from them. "Yuki-kun! Machi-san!"

"Hello, Tohru!" Yuki said as the girl flung herself at him and Machi, who stiffened a little at Tohru's affection, but it wasn't as over-the-top as Ayame's, so she smiled and followed her boyfriend's example by returning the hug. Machi still wasn't used to Tohru's openly affectionate ways, but she couldn't deny she liked the older girl, especially for how much she had helped Yuki.

Yuki savored the embrace from the girl who had been like a mother to him. He honestly couldn't thank Tohru enough for all she had done for him and the other former Zodiacs and he knew that his life would be much worse off had she not come to live with them.

"It's wonderful to have you back, Yuki-kun! I'm still so proud you graduated from college." The brunette told him as he blushed a little.

"Thank you very much, Tohru, and it's wonderful to be back and to know that we'll be able to see each other much more often now," He told her, "I still have a few years to go before I'm truly ready, but it will be worth it to help others the way you helped me. Do you enjoy living in our old house again?"

"Very much!" Tohru chimed as Kyo came to join them, "Shigure-san even had the ladder reinstalled so Kyo-kun and I can go up and relax on the roof in the evening, just like old times."

"Ah, that sounds wonderful," Yuki said, thinking back on those years he had spent with Shigure, Tohru and Kyo in that house. They hadn't always been easy, they had all had eventful and stressful days, times of existential dread and soul searching, but it was impossible to deny that they had more good times than bad while staying there.

"Perhaps we could visit tomorrow?" Machi suggested.

"You guys are free to come by anytime you'd like." Kyo told them as he placed an arm around Tohru's shoulder. "And I guess that goes for everyone else too."

"Thank you, Kyo, I'd like that very much." Yuki said, smiling at the orange-haired man, happy that the animosity between them was now firmly in the past.

Tohru grinned as she leaned into Kyo and stood on her tiptoes to kiss him on the cheek. Her eyes flew open as she remembered what she needed to tell him.

"Uh, Kyo-kun, I have a couple of things I need to discuss with you." She said, voice giving away how uneasy she suddenly felt.

"Hm? Sure. What's wrong?" Kyo inquired. He had come to know Tohru so well that he could tell something was wrong by her facial expressions, the look in her eyes and the tone of her voice. The fact that she wanted to get away from the group just after Yuki and Uotani had arrived was enough to get him worried.

"I'll tell you once we're alone. It's very important." She told him as she gently took his hand.

Kyo sighed as he savored the feeling of her skin touching his and nodded "Okay, let's go."

As they moved out of the room, Tohru offered a greeting to Kureno, who gave a polite and cheerful one in return, before she then offered her apologies to everyone else for their sudden departure but assured them they'd be back soon.

As sure as they were certain Kyo was no longer in ear shot, which was a moment or two considering that most of the former Zodiacs had maintained good hearing, Ritsu looked at Akito and said "You didn't tell him, Aktio-sama?"

"I think it's obvious he doesn't know, Ritsu-onii-san," Remarked Kisa, "Kyo-onii-san would be a lot more worried and irritable if he did."

"Well…it's been thirty seconds. Wanna follow 'em?" Arisa proposed to the others.

"Of course." Saki agreed casually.

"Obviously." Said Isuzu.

"Naturally." Voiced Kazuma.

"It's sure to be a heartwarming scene." Kisa commented, eager to see it.

"Those two are better than any romance movie, shoujo series or morning drama I've seen." Satsuki remarked.

"And they're so sweet they'll probably decay our teeth." Joked Mitsuru.

"Uh, shouldn't you guys at least try to respect their privacy?" Suggested Antonio.

"Now where's the fun in that?" Shigure asked, bewildered by the mere concept, causing his wife to roll her eyes and shake her head.

Arisa led Saki, Kisa, Hiro, Isuzu, Kazuma, Shigure, Kagura, Ritsu, Mitsuru, Satsuki and Hinata out of the room, going as quietly as they could so the young couple didn't catch onto them.

"Can we go too, mommy?" Kinu pleaded as Mayuko pulled her daughter into her lap.

Mayuko chuckled but shook her head, "Nah. It's gonna be a bunch of lovey dovey stuff, you don't need to see that."

"Should we try to stop them?" Machi asked.

"I'm afraid it's no use," Yuki sighed, "They're dead set on watching this unfold. Kyo will be annoyed and Tohru will beg for forgiveness which he'll grant without a second thought."

"Her visit to Kyo-san's father won't be the only thing they'll be discussing, I'm afraid." Megumi commented.

"Hm? What do you mean?" Akito asked.

Megumi and Ayame began explaining to them the recent revelation regarding Tohru's maternal grandfather.

The pair went out into Akito's large tsubo-niwa, which had a small fountain, a variety of attractive flowers and even a small rock garden. Tohru kept her back to Kyo, which he knew was never a good sign.

"Okay, now you've got me worried. What happened while we were gone?" He asked.

Tohru turned to face him, her features nervous as she forced herself to look him in the eyes, "Well, Kyo-kun I…I know you won't like this, but I met with your father."

Kyo's eyes went wide, "You what?!" He exclaimed, his expression turning to one of surprise and horror as he quickly came over to her and grabbed her hands, "What the hell were you thinking?!"

Tohru winced at his tone, but didn't look away. That wince made Kyo feel a stab of guilt in his heart.

He looked down at their feet before lifting his head up, looking at the lightly clouded sky as he muttered "You idiot," in a voice that let her know he was far more concerned than angry. He looked down at her, his expression troubled and guilty for snapping at her as he softly asked "Why would you do that?"

"I-I just wanted so badly to convince him that you're not a monster." Tohru explained to him.

"We've tried. Me, Shishou and even Akito. He won't listen to reason," Kyo told her, the pain from his past verbal lashings from Daigo blatantly obvious, "I know he'll hate me until the day he dies."

"It isn't right!" Tohru cried, "I don't want anyone to hate you!"

"I know that, but… Tohru, I wanted to keep you away from him for a reason. Some of the things about you that I love most are your innocence, your never ending kindness, how generous and compassionate you are. Your crazy ability to see the good in everyone, even when they can't find anything good about themselves. How you're able to forgive people who most would see as irredeemable. Those parts of you amaze me and I cherish them so much. I don't want someone as harsh and consumed by spite and hate as my biological father to corrupt that," Kyo told her as he gently wrapped his arms around her and pulled her close.

Tohru returned the hug, nuzzling into his chest and savoring the embrace. She felt new tears streaming down her face as he went on.

"I was afraid of what would happen if you met him," Kyo confessed, "I was afraid that if there was anyone to corrupt your innocence, to make you think that maybe being so kind and empathetic isn't worth it, to make you stop being so damn forgiving, it would be that bastard. There are awful people in this world, people who have an ugliness in their very souls and I didn't want someone like that to make you give up or lose hope."

"I would never," Tohru told him as she let out a heavy breath, "I swear I'd never let anybody make me think like that, Kyo-kun. I know there are bad people in the world and as terrible as it is to admit, I know there are people who are beyond help, who can't be forgiven. I just wanted to believe that Daigo-san wasn't one of them but I-I was wrong. The things he said about you, the things he did to you and your mother…oh Kyo-kun!"

She hugged him tight, crying into his shirt and she wept for him. Wept for his mother. Wept for Kazuma's grandfather and all those who had carried the Cat Spirit before him and the terrible things they had suffered because of the Sohmas' dogmatic traditions.

Kyo rubbed her back to comfort her, "It's all right now. I'm here. I'm so, so sorry I wasn't here to protect you from him." He told her quietly.

"Kyo-kun, all the things you had to endure…" Tohru tried to say before an impulse hit her. She wrapped her arms around his neck and lifted herself up to kiss him with all the passion she could muster. Kyo's eyes widened and he blushed, but he returned the kiss as he lifted her off her feet, holding her up so their eyes were level.

They parted for air, and after a few breaths Tohru continued, "Thank you for enduring it all. You suffered so much, but you survived. You never deserved any of that guilt or hate, you deserved to be loved and I swear I will give you that love for the rest of my life."

Kyo's grip on her tightened like he was afraid of letting her go, as if she'd fade away if his hold on her loosened.

"I know that, you big dummy," He told her, "And I feel the exact same way about you. Just never do something like that behind my back again. It makes me feel like I can't protect you. If I can't protect you, then I failed my promise to your mother and I'm totally worthless."

"You're not worthless, Kyo-kun! Please never say that!" Tohru implored.

"Okay. Okay I won't, as long as you promise me one thing." He told her.

"Anything. Name it." She replied.

"Never give up," He told her as he looked into her beautiful brown eyes while she gazed into his orange pair that sent shivers down her spine. "Never think that being kind isn't worth it, because it is. You're an inexhaustible source of good and that's what makes me love you so damn much."

"I love you too, Kyo-kun, and I promise that no matter what I'll never stop being nice or holding onto hope. Kindness has gotten me to where I am now, with a wonderful fiance and a family that loves me as much as I love them. It was hard, but it was worth all the heartache to be here with you. I promise I'll never give up on anyone, not even Daigo-san." She swore to him.

Kyo looked at her, surprised. "Are you serious?"

She gave him a smile. One of those closed-eyed smiles that melted his heart. "Yes! Because if we stop trying to help him, then that means he sort of wins. Can't have that, now can we?" She explained as she opened her eyes, which sparkled with determination, "We have to have faith, even if it's hopeless or stupid, we shouldn't ever give up. I want to make Daigo-san realize how wrong he's been, I want him to see what a wonderful person you are and that it's not too late to make amends."

Kyo stared at her incredulously before he let out a shuddering laugh and smiled, "You never cease to amaze me, Tohru. Even by some miracle he does try to atone, what if I don't want him in my life? What if I'm happy with Shishou?"

"Because that's not who you are, Kyo-kun. You're very kind, even if you don't realize it. Yes, I'll always consider Kazuma-san your true father, but if Daigo-san ever understands how terrible he's been and tries to apologize for what he did to you, I think you'll accept because you're like me; you want to break the cycle, right?" Tohru said.

"I do." Kyo admitted with a nod, "Okay. Okay, you win…as always. I promise I'll keep trying to make him see sense, no matter how much hatred he'll spew at me. I won't let negativity win. I won't give up on him, for your sake, for mine and for my mom's. I'm gonna make him realize how wrong he's been all these years, make him apologize to me, to you and to my mom's spirit. Until that day comes, I still don't want you around him."

"Why?" Tohru asked.

"Because until he repents, he doesn't deserve to be around someone as beautiful and good as you," He told his betrothed firmly, shooting her a grin that practically turned her to putty in his hands, "I promised your mom I'd take care of you, so that means not letting you around someone as shitty as him."

"Well, okay, Kyo-kun. I know you'll do your best, and I understand that you just want to protect me." She said, "Just don't give up, don't let him win."

Kyo smirked, "He lost the moment you saved Akito from herself and when she burned down that damn Room. He lost the moment I stopped being afraid of him. Though I guess I haven't really won until he wants to be forgiven, so I'll keep seeing him, keep talking to him."

Tohru smiled broadly, "I'm so proud of you, Kyo-kun." She told him.

Blushing, Kyo added "I'm sorry I snapped at you. It's just that when it comes to your wellbeing, I get really riled up."

"I know, Kyo-kun, it's all right," Tohru assured him as she ran a hand through his long shock of orange hair, "It shows how much you really care. But it's not like I went alone! Akito-san and Kazuma-san went with me."

She then explained how Akito had come to her rescue and told Kyo some of the things Akito had shouted at Daigo, leaving Kyo stunned.

"Akito said all that? You're not exaggerating?" He asked.

"She said all of that and more, and I know she meant every word." Tohru told him.

"Well, remind me to thank her, and thank you for trying to do something like that for me," Kyo told her before he kissed her forehead and added, "I swear to you that I'll never treat you the way he treated my mother. I vow that I'll treat our child the way Shishou treated me."

Happy tears formed in Tohru's eyes as she said "Don't worry, Kyo-kun, I already know that you'd never do that, because you're you. Though you're wrong about one little thing."

"Huh?"

"You'll treat our children the way Kazuma-san treated you. I…I want to have more than just one!" Tohru admitted, blushing deeply, "Wou-would that be all right?"

Kyo gave her an incredibly happy grin that made her heart flutter. "Hell yeah!" He answered as he spun her around, making her laugh melodically.

"Awww!" Cried the familiar voices of Hinata and Satsuki, who could no longer help themselves.

Kyo came to a sudden halt as he realized they weren't alone. His head snapped around and he saw their audience, who had only barely managed to hide themselves behind doorways or columns of the engawa.

"Oh dear, we've been found out." Saki deadpanned as Kisa knelt down next to her, wiping her tears away while Isuzu leaned against the wall with her arms crossed, smiling at them fondly.

Kyo quickly but gently placed Tohru back on the ground before he childishly stomped on the ground and shouted "Would you guys get the hell out of here?!"

"Sorry!" Ritsu offered.

"I'm not! You're a great romantic lead, Carrots!" Said Arisa, trying not to give away how much the two had warmed her heart. Tohru was blushing, but she wasn't embarrassed at all, if anything she was happy that they got to see what a loving person Kyo really was.

"Are you serious?! Tohru and I were having a moment!" The former Cat shouted.

"And what a beautiful moment it was, Kyo-kun!" Kagura declared, so happy for the pair that she practically had stars in her eyes.

"Indeed! If I still wrote, this would have been a wonderful inspiration!" Shigure said, cupping his chin devilishly, making Mitsuru look at him fearfully, as she did not want to deal with his pranks again nor did she want any other editor to have to suffer under him.

"If you even try to come out of retirement and base a pervy novel on any of us, I'll break all your freakin' fingers!" Kyo threatened.

"I'd be willing to help you, Kyo-san!" Mitsuru promised, looking at her former sensei with a look of dread. This made everyone laugh, even Kyo couldn't help but crack a grin.

"You oughta lighten up Carrots. Can you blame us for spying?" Arisa asked.

"I had to put up with a certain duo chaperoning our first date! Excuse me if I find it annoying that we can't seem to get any privacy when you two are around!" Kyo cried, pointing accusingly at Arisa and Saki.

"You're forgiven." Saki said.

"We're sorry, Kyo-onii-san, but we couldn't help ourselves! You're just so cute together!" Kisa said as she came over and hugged him. Kyo rolled his eyes but gave in and gently hugged the girl back.

"Thank you, Nii-chan!" Replied Tohru as she and the golden haired young woman hugged one another, "I hope we're as adorable as you and Hiro-kun."

Hiro blushed at that, trying to ignore the looks he got from his mother, his sister and even Isuzu.

"You're all adorable. Almost cloyingly so," Isuzu remarked as she came over to Tohru. She shot Kyo a smile and added "I can see we have nothing to worry about. You're obviously in very good hands, Tohru."

Kyo returned the smile, he had long since apologized to Isuzu for being so possessive of Kazuma when they were children and the ex-Horse of the Zodiac accepted his apology. The sad truth was that they had both been scared, hurt kids who were greedy when it came to the one adult they could count on. Neither one of them liked to dwell on what would have happened to them had Kazuma not been there. Kyo and Isuzu were much closer now, their animosity a thing of the past, and now they were slowly beginning to form a somewhat sibling-like rapport.

"The best hands!" Tohru declared.

"I couldn't agree more, Tohru-kun." Admitted Kazuma as he made himself known to his adopted son.

Kyo was stunned as he realized Kazuma had also been eavesdropping. "You too, Shishou?!"

"I'm sorry, but seeing how happy you and Tohru-kun are together is irresistible," Kazuma confessed as he came over and placed a hand on Kyo's shoulder, "I didn't hear everything but I heard enough. Whenever I think I couldn't be prouder of you, you find a way to outdo yourself."

Kyo smiled bashfully and said "Thanks, Shishou, but I wouldn't be able to if it weren't for Tohru."

"Perhaps, but the fact remains, you've resolved to offer your father a chance for redemption even when he soundly rejected someone as sweet and compassionate as Tohru-kun. I myself have written Daigo-san off as beyond help but the fact that you two just won't give up is very admirable," Kazuma said, smiling.

"Maybe that's because two of the most important people in my life never gave up on me." Kyo told his adoptive father.

"You never once gave me a reason to ever consider giving up on you. You've always been a good person, Kyo. You've always been far better than you believed," Kazuma said, before looking over at Tohru and bowing to her, "Tohru-kun, you helped Kyo understand that when I couldn't. For that, I will always be in your debt."

"I feel the same way about you, Kazuma-san, because you saved Kyo-kun when no one else would. So let's say we're even." Tohru told him with a chuckle before bowing in return.

Kazuma's smile broadened as he nodded, "Very well, and I hope you live up to your claim that you'd like multiple children, because I'm very much looking forward to becoming a grandfather someday."

Both Tohru and Kyo blushed, but Tohru managed a happy face and replied, "You'll be the best grandfather they could ever have, Kazuma-san."

"I'll try to be. Now, I think it's best if we leave these two lovebirds alone for a while. I believe Tohru-kun said she had more than one matter to talk to Kyo about." Kazuma told the others.

Arisa looked at Saki, her face silently asking if she knew what else the couple had to discuss and Saki answered with a grave expression. That was all the ex-sukeban needed to know it was indeed something serious.

Isuzu moved in front of Tohru and said "Tohru, I need to know; Akito really said all that to Daigo?"

Tohru nodded, "Yes. To be honest, I about to flee the house before Akito-san barged in," She said before taking a deep breath and adding "Isuzu-san, I know you still haven't forgiven Akito-san for what she did to you, and it would be wrong for me to try and force you to, but I hope you understand that Akito-san despises the person she once was. The only person who struggles with forgiving Akito-san more than you just may be herself."

Isuzu just stared at Tohru before slowly nodding before simply saying "I see."

She joined Shigure, Kazuma, Mitsuru, Satsuki and Hinata in leaving the large garden but Tohru's oldest friends, Kisa, Hiro, Kagura and Ritsu lingered behind. Kyo's hearing, however, was still good enough that he could tell Isuzu was talking to Shigure and Kazuma about something rather serious.

His attention was taken off of that by Hiro approaching him and saying "Um, before we go, I think we need to tell you something, Kyo-onii-san."

Kyo looked at the youngest ex-Zodiac, surprised. Hiro only used that honorific in tandem with his name when it was something serious.

"You see," Kisa began, "When Tohru-nee-chan came back, we began talking about all you went through. All the suffering you had to put up with and…"

"We can't say how sorry we all are!" Ritsu exclaimed.

Kyo sighed and looked at his fellow ex-Zodiacs telling them, "Look guys, I understand; you hate the fact that you all allowed your fear of Akito and the Cat Spirit to create a rift between us and you feel horrible that you didn't do enough to help me or keep me from being confined. We've been over this before. I get it and it's okay. I understand that you couldn't have intervened, and even if you did Akito would have punished you for it. I wouldn't have wanted any of you to suffer on my behalf."

"Oh, Kyo-kun!" Cried Kagura who grabbed him and hugged him hard enough to cut off air to his lungs, "I'm so sorry for all those times I lost control and went wild on you!"

"I appreciate the gesture, Kagura, but you're overdoing it again!" Kyo managed to rasp out as he struggled to breathe.

"Oh! Sorry!" She said, letting go of him.

Kyo took in some deep breaths before muttering "I feel bad for Raizo, his ribs have to be made of steel!"

Kagura blushed as the others laughed.

After regaining his breath, Kyo continued "As I was saying; sure, back when I was a stubborn, stupid asshole, I might have resented you guys, but not anymore. You've all told me you're sorry like a hundred times and my answer is the same as always; I forgive you all. The fact that you're all so remorseful is proof you deserved to be forgiven. So don't feel bad about the past, okay? I know how cheesy and dumb this sounds, but I'm just glad that we can be a real family now."

Yes, family.

It felt right to have a family like this. A family that could be annoying as hell and drive him crazy, but would also shower him with both passionate and casual affection that he had hardly known during his younger life, save for the love Kazuma had given him. Sure, he had known most of them for most of his life, he'd been fairly close to Haru, Kagura and even Momiji, but there had always been that subtle distance between them, even with Kagura's outspoken and violent love for him. He never held it against them, the fact that they even associated with him despite the taboo that the Cat Spirit brought with it was enough.

Kisa couldn't resist and flung herself at Kyo, hugging him tightly, "Thank you so much, Kyo-onii-san! You don't know how much that means coming from you!"

Kyo sighed but ruffled the girl's hair, "No problem, imouto."

Kisa let out an adorable cry of happiness as she squeezed him even tighter, though nowhere near as hard as Kagura.

"Man, Tohru really softened you up." Arisa remarked with a chuckle.

"If you're willing to spar with me after the wedding, I'll show you just how soft I am!" Kyo replied with a laugh of his own.

"Nah, wouldn't want to rough up Tohru's boytoy." Arisa declined, grinning at him.

"Kyo-onii-san," Hiro said as he approached the older man, "I just wanted to say that I'm sorry if I was ever a pain or annoyed you or contributed to your sorrows in any way. Looking back on it, I was really lucky, I had parents who loved me while you had a father who irrationally hated you and a mother who took her own life. True, Kazuma-sama took care of you for most of your life but that doesn't change how bad you had it at first. I think I speak for all of us when I say I'm sorry about your mother, that you deserve Kazuma-sama rather than that terrible man Daigo and that you completely deserve the happiness you and Tohru-san now share."

Kyo just stared at the youngest ex-Zodiac before he glanced at Arisa and said "And you say I got soft?" He then looked down at Kisa and added "Kisa, you've made Hiro softer than the Ram he used to turn into!"

Everyone except Kisa laughed as Hiro's face turned an angry red in embarrassment and grit his teeth in frustration.

"I'm trying to be sincere, damn it!" He snapped.

"I thought you were very sweet, Hiro-kun." Kisa told him, smiling proudly, causing his face to blush cherry red.

"Hey, don't sweat it, Hiro. I appreciate the sentiment and like I said, I accepted your apologies a long time ago. So we're good, okay?" Kyo asked, offering his hand to Hiro.

"Okay." Hiro said, accepting Kyo's hand and shaking it.

Ritsu and Kagura excused themselves and went back to the washitsu, passing Yuki and Machi as the couple made their way out into the tsubo-niwa.

"I take it everything is all right?" Yuki asked.

"Everything's fine, Kyo-kun kun gave me a little scolding and then we talked it out." Tohru told him.

"Well I didn't really scold her," Kyo excused, "It was more of a…er…"

"Whatever it was, I'm sure it led to a very romantic scene," Yuki said with a smile before he looked at Tohru, "It was incredibly brave of you to face Daigo-san, you keep giving us more reasons to admire you, Tohru."

"She does have a habit of doing that." Saki commented.

"Thank you, but I have to confess that I wasn't prepared for how hateful Daigo-san truly is. I came out unscathed thanks to Akito-san and Kazuma-san, but it's sad to think about what he's denying himself." Tohru remarked.

"If he wants to deprive himself of your company, then it's his loss," Yuki remarked, before adding "And Megumi-san told us about your grandfather, you have my condolences."

"Wait, what? Did old man Honda die?!" Cried Arisa, shocked.

"No, Grandfather Honda is fine!" Tohru said, before once again clarifying that it was her mother's father.

Kyo and Arisa's faces went sour and the latter muttered, "Oh. Him."

Kyoko had told both of them about her estranged parents; she had told Kyo during their encounters outside of her apartment and had told Arisa not long after she left the gangster life behind.

Having been abandoned by her own mother, Arisa despised people who mistreated their children so callously. She understood that Kyoko hadn't been a particularly good person in her youth, nobody who lived the violence and anger-filled lifestyle of a street punk was, but Kyoko got out. She had turned her life around and was raising a daughter who Arisa considered by the far the best person she had the pleasure of knowing. How could Arisa think anything less of the woman who had saved her life.

So how could Kyoko's own parents still refuse to have anything to do with her after how hard she had worked to better herself? How could they refuse to meet their own granddaughter who had never done anything wrong? It made Arisa's blood boil.

For Kyo's part, he had worked so hard to earn Kyoko's forgiveness and everyday he wondered if he had. He wasn't perfect, but he was trying. Despite everything, the image of a bloodied and dying Kyoko still lingered in his mind, there wasn't a day that went by that he didn't think about her and his promise to look after Tohru.

Given how rough his own early years had been, Kyo had always sympathized with Kyoko and had deduced that they remained estranged when he saw that Jiichiro Honda was the only grandparent in Tohru's life. While he'd never say it to Tohru, he couldn't bring himself to feel bad that Yukichi Katsunuma had died. How could he? For Kyoko's own parents to reject her so completely brought up painful memories of his biological father. The fact that the Katsunumas didn't even come to their own daughter's funeral pissed him off.

And yet…

Kyo went over to his fiancé, letting out a sigh as wrapped an arm around her, bringing her in for a half-hug and saying "A part of me wants to say he deserved it for how he treated you and your mom, but I know that's wrong. How can I hope to talk sense into my father if I don't show any sympathy for a dead man who made the same mistakes? I'm sorry, Tohru."

Tohru couldn't help but smile, glad that Kyo admitted his initial dark thoughts weren't healthy. She leaned up and pecked Kyo on the cheek before addressing the others.

"I know this sounds crazy, but I have to-"

"See your grandmother and try to form a relationship with her?" Kyo guessed, giving her a knowing smile.

"And invite her to the wedding?" Added Yuki, also smiling, "Say no more, Tohru. We understand."

"We'd be more than happy to come with you," Said Arisa as she placed an encouraging hand on Tohru's other shoulder, "I hate how she let her husband kick Kyoko out, but what the hell? We gave Akito another chance and she did worse."

"And it's as Kisa-san said earlier, your grandmother should at least know how much you've helped us all, the impact you and Kyoko have had on our lives. She had to know that even though it was cruel, some wonderful things may never have happened had her husband not disowned Kyoko." Saki told the brunette.

"That's a marvelous idea," Said Yuki, shooting an approving look at Saki and Kisa, "Shall we go tomorrow?"

"That's what I had in mind," Tohru said, "Are you sure you'd all like to join me?"

"Tohru, if you give us a chance to tell this lady how great you are, do you honestly think you could keep us away?" Kyo asked her with a smirk.

"Well, I guess not," Tohru admitted with a smile and a shrug, "Thank you so much everyone."

"It will be an honor to help you in any way we can." Saki assured Tohru.

"I don't know how hard it might be to persuade your grandmother to let you into her life, but if it makes you happy, it will be worth it." Yuki told her.

"Doubly so if she agrees to come to the wedding." Added Machi.

"You want to come too, Machi-san?" Tohru asked, surprised.

"If it's all right," Machi said with a nod, "Even if you didn't play matchmaker for Yuki and me, I'm aware that we probably wouldn't be together had you not been there to help him overcome the problems he faced. I'd like to be there for you."

Tohru nodded, "I understand, I'd be happy to have you along. Are you sure you all want to come?"

"You've done so much to help us, Tohru, so please allow us to help you in return." Yuki told her gently.

"Okay, then it's settled! Tomorrow, we're going to meet my grandmother!" Tohru declared, brimming with determination.

You'll make it, if you never forget…

Chapter Text

A kind and steady heart can conquer doubt and fear

Momiji had returned to the washitsu with his mother, Momo and Usagi now that Anne had calmed down and after she apologized for breaking down, they were once again chatting with the others. Momiji struck up a conversation with Raizo about Kyo and how the latter planned on telling the orange-haired young man how much he sympathized with and respected him for withstanding such a difficult life.

Akito had been quietly conversing with Kureno and Mayuko, a bit awkward to say the least but she was doing her best to overcome her anxieties regarding the two and Mayuko was trying to bury the hatchet and make up for the rampage she went on when she discovered the truth.

She didn't know what she expected when her husband returned with the others, but one of the things she didn't was for Isuzu hesitantly approaching her with a transparently conflicted face.

"Ma-may I speak with you?" She asked as calmly as she could.

Akito looked at her, utterly stunned. Isuzu had long since made it clear that she simply couldn't forgive the Head of the Family for what she had done to her, and as such they had hardly exchanged words at all since the Curse lifted. Akito looked up at her husband, who stood beside the younger woman.

"Rin has promised me she simply wants to talk," Shigure assured her.

"Look, if it makes you feel any better we can talk in another room; Haru, Shihan and Gure-nii can stand out in the hallway to make sure things don't get heated." Isuzu suggested.

Akito nodded slowly as she excused herself from the others, Kureno whispering "Good luck."

Momiji also looked at them with concern obvious on his face, but Hatsuharu gave the blond a reassuring gesture as he got up from the futon and joined the group in leaving the room. He looked at his fiancé with an expression that only those closest to him could read.

"Don't worry, I promise I'm not going to start anything." She whispered as quietly as she could as they kept a distance from the others.

"I know you won't," He whispered back, "I'm just curious why you're interested in speaking to Akito personally after keeping your distance for so long."

"Listen and you'll find out." She told him as they arrived at Akito's personal office she used for tending to the Sohma family's business affairs. Akito opened the door, allowing Isuzu to go in first before following her, but she left the door ajar so that the three men could hear them.

"What do you need of me, Isuzu?" Akito asked, doing her best to maintain her composure and not let her anxiety show, "It must be something very important if you're willing to speak to someone who did such awful things to you."

The regret and shame practically dripping from her voice didn't go unnoticed by the younger woman.

"While we were spying on Tohru and Kyo being as saccharine as they could possibly be, I overheard her say how you defended her from Daigo. She mentioned some of the things you shouted at that pathetic excuse for a man and Shihan confirmed that she wasn't exaggerating." Isuzu said.

Akito nodded, "It was something I had to do. You're probably aware of this, but I've been struggling badly these past few years, Isuzu," She voiced, refraining from calling her 'Rin' as she felt she didn't have the right to call her by her nickname, "I look at people like Daigo and I see the monster I used to be."

"Well, at least you understand what you did was wrong. People like him or my parents refuse to acknowledge that they're the ones at fault, not their children." Isuzu stated.

"You can add my mother to that list," Akito remarked, "Though I won't use my own trauma as an excuse for what I did to you or anyone else. I had no right to take all my pain and rage out on all of you, I had no right to be so selfish or controlling or to treat you like toys I could do with as I please. Even breaking you if I wanted to…"

She cringed as the memory of pushing Isuzu off the balcony flashed in her mind. The memory of attacking Hatori and damaging his eye, her beating of Kisa and the many things she did to Yuki…

She clasped her hands over her mouth as she did her best to focus on the moment at hand.

"I was evil, Isuzu. I want you to know that I greatly admire you for defying me so boldly, knowing what I was capable of doing to you." Akito told her.

"Thank you," Isuzu managed to say before adding "And thank you for looking out for Tohru. I know she's stronger and braver than she seems, but there's some people in this world I don't think she's prepared to deal with, and I'm grateful you were there to protect her from someone as submerged in his own hate as Daigo."

"I don't deserve praise for it," Akito replied, "Tohru is my friend, the first real friend I ever had. She wasn't forced to bow to me like you and the others, she had no reason to show me compassion or offer me her friendship. She just did it because of who she is."

"I don't think any of us would want her any other way," Isuzu agreed, "I was a bitch to her at first, I kept rejecting her kindness and attempts to befriend me but she never gave up on me. Even when she saw how messed up I was mentally when I mistook her for my mother, she didn't write me off as a psycho like most would have. She accepted me, showed me real affection like my parents should have. Like a mother…"

She paused and turned around, wiping away tears of her memories regarding Tohru. How Tohru had embraced and comforted her outside of Shigure's house, the jelly she had made for her during one of her hospital stays.

It took Haru a lot of restraint to not rush into the room and embrace the woman he loved. He knew this was something she had to do and he didn't want to interrupt.

Akito looked down at her feet, her hands clasped together hard, "She really is incredible, and we're incredibly fortunate that she came into our lives. She didn't just save us from the Curse, she saved me from myself. I've had nightmares about what would have happened had I forced Hatori to erase her memories or i-if I had killed her that day. I've dreamed of what the rest of you would have done to me had she not survived that fall…"

Isuzu looked at her, intrigued and perhaps just a bit concerned.

"What did that dream entail?" She asked.

Akito looked Isuzu in the eyes and answered "That you would all take to your Zodiac forms and attack me. You, Hatsuharu, Kagura and Hiro were stomping on my limbs, crushing them. Ayame bit me all over, injecting venom into my blood. Kureno pecked out my eyes as Kyo slashed my throat open. Kisa eviscerated me as Momiji and Ritsu attacked me with their small bodies. I was mauled by Shigure before Yuki managed to claw my chest open and bite into my black heart. Finally Hatori became a true Dragon and incinerated me with flames from his mouth."

Isuzu gazed at the other woman, shocked. "You dreamed all of that?"

Akito nodded, "I thought it was what I deserved, had Tohru not recovered. I was able to get over those nightmares with help from Shigure, Hatori and Tohru. A part of me feels like maybe I still deserve it."

At that Kazuma and Haru both looked at Shigure, who had his eyes closed with a dour expression. He opened them and gave the two a nod, confirming that Akito wasn't lying about her nightmares.

"You used to deserve that, but not anymore." Isuzu told her.

Akito couldn't help but smirk, "I suppose I can always count on you to be honest."

Despite everything, Isuzu wouldn't help but crack a small smile. She took a breath and then said "Look, Akito…because of my parents I've always struggled when it comes to forming connections. Except for Haru and Shihan, I tried to keep a distance between myself and everyone else. I never really allowed myself to feel like part of Kagura's family after they took me in. I dismissed Hiro's concern for me and I was bitter towards Kyo and Yuki because of their relationships with Shihan and Haru…yet despite how harsh I was towards them, they all forgave me. They treat me like I'm their big sister now an-and I like that feeling, even though it's a bit hard for me to admit it. But…"

She trailed off as Akito looked at her.

"But despite all that, you still struggle when it comes to me." Akito finished for her.

Isuzu nodded in confirmation. "I've spoken with Haru, Tohru, Yuki, Kagura, Hiro and the others and despite how hard I've tried, I still don't know if I can forgive you."

"I don't blame you," Akito assured her, "How could you? You nearly died twice because of me. Your beautiful body is scarred because of my jealousy and avarice. How could I expect anything less than you despising me until the end of your life?"

Isuzu was silent for a moment as she leaned against the wall, looking out the window to see a pair of sparrows perched on a bird feeder outside. It made her think about Kureno and how he had defied their 'God' to save her, the stabbing he had suffered as consequence. Yet he still forgave Akito.

"I won't lie to you, Akito; deep down, there's a part of me that still hates you…but I don't want it," Isuzu told her.

"Why not? I deserve to be hated." Akito said.

"Because if I hold onto the hate, I'd be like my parents," The ex-Horse answered. "I want to be better than them. To be a better person than either of them could ever hope to be, I want to be better than you were and I can't do that if I let the hatred fester inside of me. Yet it's hard to get over what you did, it's very hard to let go of that resentment but I know nothing good can come if I hold onto it."

She looked at Akito and continued, "I don't know if I'm ready to forgive you yet, but I think I can at least tolerate you. Is that a good enough start?"

Akito managed a smile before saying "I can't ask for anything more than that, Isuzu. Thank you for reminding me that I still have a long way to go before I've truly atone for my sins."

"Well, I know for a fact that since Tohru and Yuki are living in town again, sooner or later they'll be trying to help us reconcile, so I might as well try to get ahead of them before they start badgering me." Isuzu answered, her tone much lighter than it had been.

The former 'God' of the Zodiac chuckled, "Good call, Tohru can be quite persistent, can't she?"

"The fact that we're here now is proof enough of that. So…" Isuzu offered the older woman her hand, "To tolerating one another?"

"You're the one tolerating me. I'm just grateful you're giving me a chance I honestly don't deserve," Akito answered as she accepted Isuzu's hand and gently shook it, "Thank you, Isuzu."

Outside, a smile appeared on Hatsuharu's face, one that stayed even when he realized Shigure and Kazuma had seen it.

"I'm proud of her too, Haru." Kazuma told his former student in a hushed voice.

Isuzu soon left the room only to find herself swept off her feet by Haru. He held her bridal style as he kissed her lovingly, she didn't resist or complain, she simply accepted his affection and kissed back with equal passion.

Their lips parted and Haru whispered to her "I don't have the words to tell you how proud I am of you or how much I love you."

Haru knew how much she savored being told that she was loved. After witnessing her parents abandon her, he resolved to do everything he could to make her feel the love she deserved. Apparently he was doing a decent job at it.

"I feel the same way." She muttered back, giving him a smile that could tame Dark Haru at his most volatile.

He put her down, so as not to embarrass her in front of the older Sohmas, and the two walked off, hand in hand.

Shigure went into his wife's office and hugged her from behind, "You did wonderfully," He praised.

She silently leaned into him and reached behind to caress his face as she accepted his affection.

"Thank you for agreeing to see her, Akito-sama," Kazuma said from the doorway, "I know you must have had trepidations about it, but I'm glad you both took this first step towards reconciliation."

"I might not deserve her forgiveness yet, but I'll keep doing my best to earn it." Akito told the older Sohma.

Kazuma nodded, "I think you're doing well so far. Excuse me." He said before departing.

"Well, today's been quite eventful for you, hasn't it?" Shigure remarked, keeping his arms around her as she turned to nuzzle into him.

She nodded into his chest, "Let's hope that it doesn't get any more emotional than it's been already." She quipped.

"Hmm, with this group you never know. There's always a surprise in store." He told her, his smile never leaving his face.

"Perhaps one from you?" She asked, giving him a curious look.

"Me? My dear, I don't devise any cunning plans unless necessary. Right now the only thing that's necessary is enjoying our time with our family the way it is now. Because it's obviously going to grow bigger in the future." He told her.

Akito frowned slightly and he quickly added "I know you're not yet ready. You don't have to rush. I will always wait for you, Akito."

Her frown vanished and said "I know. Thank you."

Shigure answered by leaning down to unite their lips.

Akito would return to her office several hours later, this time meeting with Yuki. For reasons she didn't yet know, he had retrieved his briefcase from the front hall.

"Thank you for agreeing to meet with me in private," He said, "Kakeru and Komaki-san are on their way now. Knowing him, I doubt he'll let me out of his sight for very long once he gets here."

The Head of the Family allowed herself a smile, "I understand. It's very rare for us to spend any time together one on one. I still find it astonishing you're willing to be alone with me."

Yuki gave her a concerned look, "I meant what I said when I told you I forgave you."

"And I initially reacted by smashing a pitcher against your head like a psychopath." Akito reminded him, ashamed.

"And after you left, I privately vowed that I'd never return to your side. Yet here I am with you." Yuki pointed out.

"But we're no longer the 'God' and the Rat, are we? Just family. Yuki, I know that I've told you this countless times since the Curse broke, but I am so deeply sorry for how I tortured you," She said, "The things I did to you were unforgivable, yet you forgave me anyway."

"I have to. I'd be dishonoring everything I hope to be if I didn't try to let go of the pain from the past. Everything I learned from Tohru, my experiences with my friends, the bonds I've formed and even myself if I didn't forgive you," Yuki voiced, "I want to spend my life helping people, how can I do that if I don't give you another chance? How can I grow as a person if I demonize someone else?"

"I deserve to be demonized. Looking back I honestly don't know who I hurt more; you, Isuzu, Kureno or Hatori. I was a true demon to you and the others." Akito said, shuddering a little as she once again saw flashes of her actions as the Zodiac 'God' in her mind.

"That might be true, but you repented and you've been doing everything you can to atone. It's like I said that New Year; I wasn't perfect. I had many faults I had to improve on, still do, and it would do me no good to blame you, my mother or anyone else for my problems, even if you were the source of some of them," Yuki reminded her, "Machi helped me understand something; the concept of a perfect human being is inherently absurd. No one is perfect, even someone as wonderful as Tohru makes mistakes. As much as I helped Machi with her own pain, she helped me with mine…"

Yuki placed his suitcase on the desk, opened it and took out something hidden amongst his clothes; a small purple ring box.

Akito gave him a happy look, "Have you asked her father?"

"Yes. After graduation, Kakeru helped me get in touch with Kuragi-san and he gave me his blessing to marry Machi. Though quite frankly I think he's more happy to have one of his children marry into the Sohma Family," Yuki replied.

Akito smirked, "He wouldn't be the first parent who didn't think twice before giving his daughter away to a Sohma. You don't need to ask for my permission to marry Machi-san, unless you wish to tell her the truth about the Curse?"

Yuki nodded and Akito's face grew serious.

"How much does she love you?" She asked.

"I love her as much as I've ever loved anyone, and she feels the exact same way," Yuki answered, "I'm the only person she's ever had romantic feelings for. She loves me because I was there for her in a way that no one else had ever been. I plan on spending the rest of my life with her, but I can't do that if I'm not honest with her about my past. She deserves to know everything about me. Only then will I deserve to have her as a wife."

"What if the truth causes her to reject you?" Akito asked carefully.

Yuki firmly answered, "I won't lie, I am afraid of that, but I have faith that she won't. I believe her love for me can withstand that truth, especially since the Curse is gone."

"All right. If your faith in her is that strong, you may tell her." Akito permitted.

"Thank you, Akito," Yuki said with a bow.

"It's the least I can do for you, Yuki. I seem to have taken several steps today on the path to redemption." She mused.

"Yes, Tohru told us how you stood up to Daigo-san and Haru tells me that Rin will do her best to be civil towards you from now on." Yuki said, "Thank you for being there for Tohru."

"She means so much to me, to all of us, that I couldn't let her face Daigo alone," Akito told him, "I just wonder if they truly can get him to see the error of his ways."

"If anyone can, it's Tohru." Yuki answered, smiling fondly.

Akito nodded in agreement, "I hope so," before her face fell and she solemnly asked "Yuki…the pain of what I did to everyone and what I allowed to happen to them; will it ever fade?"

Yuki sighed as he put the ring box back in his suitcase and closed it, "That's not an easy question to answer. I've learned that for some people, emotional trauma never really goes away. Some are able to get over it while others can't cope. There are those who are mostly able to move on, but the pain remains, even if it dulls and they find that no matter how hard they try they can never completely get over it," He told her before facing her, "But that doesn't mean we can't be there for those people who suffer like that. We can always try our best to make things right, and I know that you're doing that. In my eyes, that's enough to earn both my respect and my forgiveness."

Akito couldn't help herself and captured Yuki in a gentle hug, tears forming in her eyes as he returned the embrace.

"Thank you, Yuki-kun. Thank you so much," She whispered as she did her best to maintain her composure, "I know you're tired of hearing this, but I'm sorry."

"It's okay, Akito. It's in the past, we must do our best to move on," Yuki told her before they parted, "The bonds that once held us together may be gone, but thanks to Tohru they've been replaced. We're no longer bonded because of the Curse,"

"But instead because of family," Akito finished for him with a look of genuine happiness that had once been so rare to see on her face, "Speaking of family, are you going to tell Machi here?"

"No, I don't want to risk Raizo-san or Usagi-san overhearing before Kagura and Momiji are ready to tell them. I'll do it when we get home tonight." He answered

She nodded, "Well, good luck. I'll be looking forward to your wedding as much as Tohru and Kyo's."

Yuki only smiled in return.

"Sorry I wasn't able to greet you at the station Yun-Yun! Had to deal with a big hassle at work." Kakeru Manabe said as he and Komaki Nakao approached the house. Yuki, Machi, Hatsuharu, Momiji and Usagi had all come out to greet them.

"I'm sure you'll tell us all about it," Yuki replied jovially as he shook Kakeru's hand.

The former vice president of Kaibara High's student council had hardly changed at all personality-wise. Some had wondered if he'd become less of a jokester once he entered college but no, he was still very much the energetic 'life of the party' he was during high school, even though his ambitions weren't exactly high, as his job ended up being the team leader at the entertainment department for Tokyo's biggest Ito Yokado shopping center.

Kakeru resisted the efforts of both his mother and his father to pursue a job in a more serious field like law or business and instead chose something he felt suited him better. He felt that his experience with the student council had prepared him enough to become a leader and he insisted that he and his underlings always had a fun, if occasionally chaotic, time.

Yuki couldn't help but suspect things weren't much different for Kakeru's team than they had been for the student council.

As Kakeru enthusiastically hugged Machi and greeted Hatsuharu and Momiji, whom he had become fairly good friends with in Yuki's absence, Komaki approached Yuki and bowed respectfully.

"Welcome home, Yuki-san! It's great to have you back." She said, her dark honey colored hair had grown just beneath her shoulders, her body language and tone as peppy as ever. She still worked at her family's dry cleaners and was regarded as one of the friendliest and hardest workers they ever had. She worked so hard in fact that she hadn't been able to attend Yuki's graduation.

"I'm just as happy to be back," He told her with a smile

"Sorry I missed your graduation, we had a big load of clothes from a theater company to tend to and we needed all hands on deck." She explained.

"I understand, don't worry about it," Yuki assured her before he glanced at Kakeru, who was chatting with Momiji, "Keeping him out of mischief?"

"I try to, but it's a tough job," Komaki answered with a grin.

"Hopefully you're doing better than I did in high school," Machi quipped, giving her brother a wry look.

"You guys make me sound like a hyper kid who needs constant supervision," Kakeru remarked with a laugh as he glanced back from his conversation with Momiji.

"Well, if the shoe fits…" Muttered Machi, making her half-brother laugh even harder as Tohru and Kyo came out of the house together.

"Kakeru-san! Komaki-san!" Called the brunette as she jogged towards them.

"Ah, Honda-san and Kyon-Kyon! Nice to see you!" Kakeru said. Kyo rolled his eyes, a tad annoyed by Kakeru's adapting Hiroshi and Yusuke's old nickname for him, but he didn't mind it much.

"Hello Tohru-san! How're things now that you've moved back home?" Asked Komaki, happy that they were on such good terms, considering the rather painful way they initially met.

"Well, a certain encounter I had today could have gone better, but aside from that I'm very happy to be home, surrounded by the people I love." Tohru told her.

"Nothing could be better than that!" Agreed Komaki cheerfully, "And thank you so much for inviting us to your wedding! I just know you two are going to be as happy as can be!"

"Lots of weddings are coming up, including ours!" Kakeru said as he came back to stand by his girlfriend, lifting up her hand to reveal her ring.

Tohru gasped and grabbed Komaki's hands and cheered "Congratulations!"

"Thank you! I cried so hard when Kakeru-kun proposed!" Komaki said.

"I took her to her favorite restaurant to pop the question," Kakeru admitted, "Cost me a lot, but it was worth it."

"Aw, so sweet!" Cooed Momiji, adding it to his mental list of ideas for when he felt it was time to take his relationship with Usagi to the next level.

"Nice touch," Remarked Hatsuharu.

"Speaking of that particular question, Yun-Yun, when are you and my little sister gonna tie the knot?" Kakeru inquired.

Machi's face glowed like a stoplight at this and shouted "Would you mind your own business?!"

"If you insist! Man, I'd hate to think how you react whenever Eita asks that question." Kakeru responded.

"He just turned thirteen and he's still far less blunt than you!" Machi pointed out, as Yuki, Kyo, Momiji and Komaki struggled to contain their laughter.

After exchanging further pleasantries, Kyo and Tohru excused themselves as they set out for a stroll around the estate. As much as Tohru loved spending time with everyone, she couldn't resist alone time with the man she loved.

They walked hand in hand, giving polite hellos to any Sohma they encountered, which happened to include Kisa's mother Kahori and Kagura's mother Nobuko, who gave the couple a kind 'welcome home'.

Kyo hardly said a word during their walk, he just savored being with Tohru. How could he not? Her soft, soothing voice. That content look she frequently wore on her pretty face which became even more striking when she looked at him with those beautiful, adoring eyes. The joy she found in everyday things like birds singing or the sound of children playing. The way the sun shone on her exposed skin. The bounce of her perfect brown hair… The years spent with Tohru had caused him to fall hopelessly in love with every little part of her.

He wondered if she knew just what she did to him.

Now familiar with the estate, Tohru led the way, eventually ending up at the same gazebo and koi pond that Akito and Kazuma had conversed at. Kyo chose not to sit, leaning against a pillar and observing Tohru as she gazed down at the koi as they swam around.

She remembered something and glanced over at Kyo and asked "Isn't this the pond you fell into once?"

Kyo sighed and confessed "Yeah, this is it. I cannot believe Haru told you about that."

When he was seven, Kyo had been wandering around the estate with Hatsuharu while Kazuma was having a meeting with Zodiac Ox's parents about their son's emotional issues. During their walkabout, he had bumped into a maid, causing him to transform. Kyo had naturally been scared of someone he wasn't familiar with seeing his Zodiac Form, so he ran while Hatsuharu distracted her. While hiding, he came across the koi pond and a combination of his feline instincts and his childish curiosity took over, causing him to lean too far over the pond, his small paws dabbling at the fish until he fell in. Haru had arrived to pull him out and return his clothes just in time before he turned back.

Giggling at the mental image of the incident, Tohru took out some rice she had taken from the main house's kitchen and carefully allowed pieces of it to fall into the water, resulting in the koi swimming quickly to snatch up the tiny bits of food. Kyo came over to watch with her and Tohru found herself gazing not at the fish but at his reflection.

Those beautiful fiery eyes of his were no longer mired in angst, but instead they were calm. Content. Even happy. No matter what, Tohru found it quite easy to get lost in those orange irises, even when he was riled up by some annoying person or when he was despondent on rainy days, those eyes were just irresistible.

Tohru loved every part of Kyo; his gorgeous orange locks, his voice and his practically flawless body that she felt could be compared to a Greek statue. Not to mention all those little things he did to show his affection; holding doors for her, constantly making sure she was warm enough during the winter, making her food when she was sick or tired, the way he'd hold her in his lap with his arms around her while resting his chin on her shoulder whenever they'd watch a movie or tv…

She wondered if he had any idea how much he made her heart soar.

Seeing that she was ogling him, he leaned in and whispered "Like what you see?"

"Yes, you're very hot," She blurted out before she quickly snapped out of her daze as she realized what she had said. She smacked a hand over her mouth and blushed brick red. Kyo blushed as well, shocked by her honestly before he smiled and picked Tohru up, setting her on the gazebo's balustrade, his arms snaking under hers to hook her in place.

"Thanks. Anyone ever tell you how cute you are?" He asked, doing his best to sound like the lover she deserved.

"You've mentioned it before, but tell me again…" She answered as she leaned down, their foreheads touching as they stared adoringly into each other's eyes.

"Kiss her! Kiss her! Kiss her!" Chanted a chorus of young voices, the moment once again shattered.

Tohru looked over to see a group of five young Sohma girls, ranging from nine to twelve in age, all from various branches of the clan, very much enjoying the romantic scene playing out before them.

Kyo hung his head and groaned, "We're not gonna be left alone today, are we?"

Tohru giggled and shook her head, "Doesn't look like it."

"Come on! Kiss her!" Called the oldest of the girls.

Kyo shot Tohru a quick wink before he looked at the girls and shouted "How about I just punch her instead?"

This threw the girls for a loop, and they just stared at him, stunned he would say something like that. Tohru, however, was unphased.

Kyo drew back his fist and threw it at Tohru, but he stopped mere centimeters away from her forehead, which he gently knocked on with his knuckle.

Tohru couldn't help herself and burst out laughing at the bewildered looks on the young girls' faces and upon glancing back at them, Kyo couldn't help but erupt into laughter himself. The girls, obviously not knowing about Kyo's unusual way of showing affection to Tohru, were just weirded out.

Tohru laughed hard enough that she lost her balance and fell backwards, but Kyo was swift enough to save her from the pond, his arms moving as quickly as striking snakes to catch her while Tohru's fingers managed to catch the balustrade, leaving her head and hair hanging above the pond, the fish blissfully unaware of the guest they nearly had.

Moving a hand down to her neck, Kyo lifted his fiancé back up to safety as the girls laughed at the accident.

"You okay?" He asked.

She nodded, "Close call…guess I shouldn't have brought up your little accident."

Kyo smirked and leaned up to gently kiss her, giving the girls the sight they wanted, earning coos from them.

They left the gazebo soon after the incident, going around the estate and eventually heading back to Akito's house, when something caught Kyo's eye.

Tohru got a few steps ahead when she noticed he had stopped, gazing down a small stone path leading into a lightly wooded area with bamboo trees littering the opening of the area. The grass had been allowed to grow tall, easily coming up to her knees.

"Kyo-kun, what's wrong?"

"That's where the Cat's Room was." He answered quietly as he let go of her hand.

Tohru's eyes widened, she had never seen the place. It was kept sequestered behind the trees in a disused corner of the Sohma estate, hidden from view like the dirty secret it had been.

Before she could say anything, Kyo started down the path. She followed him without hesitation.

They walked down the winding path that led to the abandoned area, where they found the charred remains of the pavilion that had been used to imprison those the Cat Spirit had inhabited. Most Sohmas who knew of the Curse and the Cat's fate referred to it as a cottage, but that was just a way to ease their guilty consciences, to cover up what the building truly was; an inhumane prison.

Akito had burned the house until it was nothing but charred remains, leaving them standing so the Sohma clan couldn't simply ignore or forget the awful things their ancestors had done.

"I came to this place a few times when I was a kid," Kyo told her, not taking his eyes off of the burned skeleton of a building, its roof and one of its walls had collapsed in, the exposure to the elements over the past four years had worn it down even further; many of the beams had crumbled and the ashes had long since decomposed.

"I never stayed longer than like ten minutes, I just walked around this place. Orbiting it like the moon. Maybe I was trying to figure out a way to escape when the time came or maybe I just wanted to know what the outside looked like. I stopped coming here when I was eleven because Shishou caught me. He gave me a real scolding but he was way more worried than angry." Kyo told Tohru before he began to maneuver his way into the ruins.

"Kyo-kun! Be careful!" Insisted Tohru.

His only response was a dismissive hum as he came to an area that he knew to be the prison of the Cat's Room. He squatted down and picked up a handful of dirt. He clenched his fist as he thought about the loneliness the previous Cats must have endured.

Very briefly, anger flared in his mind. He felt the impulse to grab the burned chunks and slam them into the beams, shattering the wood into black splinters until there was nothing left of the accursed place. That's what the old Kyo would have done. Not this Kyo, the one who's heart had been tamed by the incredible young woman who watched him with concern.

"I wonder what was the worst thing the isolation did to Shishou's Grandfather and those who came before him; madness or total despair?" Kyo thought aloud as he let the dirt fall from his hand.

"Madness is the final retreat for a mind that suffers horribly." Remarked a familiar voice.

Kyo and Tohru turned to see Hatori standing on the path, passively watching them. Clad in one of his usual expensive-looking suits, many regarded his face as unreadable, but once one got to personally know him, they could tell what he was feeling just fine. Right now, he looked quite glum.

"Hatori-san! Ho-how long have you been watching us?" Tohru inquired.

"I saw you turn down this path from about a hundred meters away. I got worried." The ex-Dragon of the Zodiac told them as he stepped forward, coming to a stop beside Tohru.

Kyo stepped out of the ruins, wiping his hands clean of the dirt, "We're okay. Thanks for checking, Hatori."

Nodding, Hatori looked at the ruins, his eyes darkening. "Tohru-kun," He began, having become far more familiar with her now and was comfortable with using her given name, "Did you know that my father Zentaro was the doctor who tended to the Zodiacs before me?"

She nodded, "Yes, Shigure-san told me."

"He also tended to Atsuo-san, Kazuma-sama's grandfather, and was quite fond of him. Atsuo-san's wife even invited my father to join her to be by his side when he was dying." Hatori revealed.

Tohru's eyes simmered with sadness as Kyo came over, placing an arm around her and his head atop hers as she leaned into him. Kazuma had told him about the friendship between his grandfather and Hatori's father, so it wasn't a big surprise to him.

"Not long after Kazuma-sama took you in as his ward, my father voiced how grateful he was. I was young and still believed that the Cat was a monster, I was idiotic and cruel enough to believe that you had been responsible for your mother's death. I hope you can forgive me for ever being so blind, Kyo." Hatori said, glancing at the younger man.

"Don't worry about it, we all think stupid things when we're young. Besides, you weren't the only one here who thought that." Kyo reminded him.

Nodding, Hatori continued, "When I told my father what I thought, he slapped and scolded me for thinking about a mere child that way. He then told me about his friendship with Atsuo-san, and how he had asked the dying Atsuo-san if he had any hatred in his heart for the other Zodiacs of his time for wanting nothing to do with him or the family that had forsaken him. His answer had been 'No, how can I hate them for fearing something they were taught was a monster?'"

Tohru buried her face in Kyo's chest as he wrapped his arms comfortingly around her, but he kept his eyes on Hatori.

Hatori let out a heavy sigh before adding "That has stayed with me ever since. The next time I saw you was later that year when you were sick with a bad cold. My father brought me along with him to Kazuma-sama's dojo and that's when I understood the truth; I didn't see any monster that needed to be confined, instead all I saw was a sick, innocent child. I realized how wrong it all was. My horror at how the Cat was treated only intensified when I read the records about their deaths. It was often by suicide."

Tohru tightened her grip on Kyo, her hands sprawled tight as she imagined what the previous Cats of the Zodiac had suffered. She glanced at Hatori and saw a dark, haunted look in his eyes.

Hatori met her gaze, and saw how this information saddened her, so he decided not to say anything further. The knowledge that most of the Zodiac Cats rarely lasted more than a year after they were confined before ending their own lives and that Atsuo Sohma had been an outlier by dying of pneumonia at an old age was information Tohru deserved to be spared from.

The mere thought of suicide made Hatori shudder. Shortly after he had forced himself to wipe Kana's memories for her sake, he had considered ending his own life. Kana had been the light of his world, one of the few things that made him smile and though he had restored her spirit by stripping most of her memories of him, his was left to wallow in sorrow.

Kana hadn't been the only reason; his guilt over what he was party to regarding the suffering of Momiji, Yuki and Kyo plus the existential dread of essentially being a slave to someone like Akito were also factors.

Despite his depression, he never attempted to kill himself.

After Anne's memory had been wiped, Gennosuke was often busy taking care of her, especially after impregnating her with a second child. That left Momiji precious few people to look after him, so Hatori had stepped up to fill the void in the boy's life. They made a very odd pair, his serious nature clashed with young Momiji's boundless energy and childish personality, but Hatori always enjoyed being around the boy, even if he didn't show it. Momiji knew that to be the case.

His relationship with Shigure and Ayame also managed to keep him sane, despite how annoying they could be. Not that he'd ever admit it to them, for fear of inflating their egos.

There had also been the other younger Zodiacs to consider; they had needed someone who could take care of them if they suffered Akito's wrath. They needed someone to be a voice of reason in the chaotic life of someone afflicted with the Zodiac Curse.

That someone had to be him.

He was torn out of his thoughts by Kyo asking "You and the others have told me that you didn't want me confined, did you ever say so to Akito?"

The older Sohma nodded and said "Once I earned my medical degree, I spoke with her at length, trying to convince her that there was no need to imprison you, that your beast form was under control thanks to the Juzu beads. At first she was amused, but as I pressed her further she became annoyed and eventually irate. She struck me and said that she'd never change her mind about confining the Cat."

Tohru pulled away from Kyo to properly speak to Hatori and said "Well, thankfully we all know how wrong she was about that. Speaking of her, did you struggle to forgive Akito-san?"

Hatori mulled over the girl's question before answering "I confess that a part of me deeply resented her, but I always understood that she had suffered from a young age due to her mother's spite and the death of Akira-sama. Such an upbringing would make anyone unstable. Once I discovered the truth about Kureno, it became obvious that her mental state had deteriorated due to her fear that the Curse breaking would cause us to abandon her. That fear and desperation drove her to cruelty, which in her mind would make everyone afraid to leave her."

He placed a hand over his left eye, remembering how she had lashed out when he and Kana had asked for her blessing to marry.

"While some may feel she got off too lightly, I believe that the shame and self-loathing she's been struggling with ever since that fateful day she confronted you is punishment enough. Though she was a source of pain for us all, I still forgave her. How could I not? I was practically an accomplice to her wickedness." He remarked.

"What? No you weren't!" Tohru insisted, her raised voice causing some birds resting in the trees to take flight.

"Tohru's right. Sure, there were times you came off as cold and detached but you were never mean to any of us. Except Shigure, but he kinda deserved it." Kyo said, trying to lighten the mood.

Hatori allowed himself a small smirk before frowning again. "Do you really think that, Kyo? I erased the memories of Yuki's friends when they saw his Zodiac form, further isolating him from all but Akito. I erased Anne-san's memory of Momiji. I neglected my duty as a doctor by not reporting Akito's abuse of Yuki, Isuzu and Kisa to the authorities." He pointed out.

"Well, true as that might be, you made up for it!" Tohru argued, "You were there for Momiji when he needed someone! You took care of everyone whenever they got hurt!

Hatori resisted the urge to scoff, "Not as much as I could have."

"True, maybe you could have done more but I think you did all you could," Tohru told him, "Ask Momiji, he's told me time and time again how you were there for him, how much you mean to him. He loves you Hatori-san, and so do I."

Hatori couldn't help but smile, "You and Momiji-kun are two of the most loving people I've ever had the pleasure of knowing, so obviously you'd say that."

"You shouldn't beat yourself up over the past," Kyo told him, "If you had reported Akito, the truth about the Curse would've gone public and everything would have gotten way worse for all of us. Trust me, I know what it's like to let something terrible happen just to protect everyone else."

Hatori looked at them for a moment and slowly nodded. The truth about Kyo and Kyoko was now known among all of the ex-Zodiacs, it was something else that the others deeply admired the ex-Cat for. "Yes, I suppose you understand my guilt better than most would, Kyo," He said before allowing himself a small smile "And it's obvious we have similar methods of coping. You have Tohru-kun and I have Mayuko and Kinu-chan."

"You deserve all of the happiness they bring into your life," Tohru said with an honest, happy expression as she came over and affectionately squeezed his hand, "And regardless of what you think you're guilty of, do you honestly think we wouldn't forgive you?"

Hatori smirked, "Knowing you, Tohru-kun, I suppose not. Perhaps if I ever deserved punishment, losing Kana was it. If I'm fortunate enough to have such a wonderful wife and daughter, then it must mean I've redeemed myself."

"Well I think you have, and I know for sure that others don't hold anything against you," Tohru assured him.

"Thank you, Tohru-kun," He replied lightly, briefly glancing at Kyo and noticing a rather troubled look on his face.

"Speaking of Kana-san, do you still miss being with her?" Tohru inquired as gently as she could.

"There's still a little pain in my heart whenever I see her and that smile I loved so much. However, thanks to Mayuko, I'm on good terms with Kana again. I keep my distance, however, as I don't want to risk her memories coming back and ruining the happiness she has with her husband and children. You've seen that memory restoration isn't always pleasant," He told them and they both nodded, knowing he was referring to Anne, "She has her own life, a very good one and I'm happy for her. While I'll always miss her, I think that I've come to love Mayuko just as much, perhaps even more and Kinu-chan has become the light of my life. My life is a happy one now, and while the road to reach it wasn't easy, the destination was very much worth it. Thank you for offering me such comfort…and thank you for everything you've done for us."

Tohru beamed and looked at Kyo, hoping to see him as happy for the older Sohma as she was but was surprised by how trouble he seemed. He was once again looking at the burned ruins, deep in thought. "What's wrong Kyo-kun?"

He looked at her and answered "Tohru, I don't know how I can face your grandmother if I'm not honest with her. I need to tell her the truth about Kyoko's death."

Hatori was surprised by this news, and despite how shocked she was by what Kyo had said, Tohru was able to fill him in.

He sighed and said "Kyo, I don't think telling Mrs. Katsunuma so soon would be wise. For all you know it could ruin any relationship Tohru-kun could hope to share with her."

"Well she needs to know about the Curse one way or another!" Kyo snapped, "How else can she understand how great Tohru is if she doesn't know what she really achieved, how she helped us!"

"Valid as that point may be, you'd be taking an awful risk. She could even object to your marriage and none of us would want that." Hatori countered.

Kyo looked at Tohru, seeing how conflicted her face was as she considered the outcomes. "What do you think, Tohru?"

She stayed silent for a few more moments before answering "I think you're right, Kyo-kun. She deserves to know the truth, but only after I've spoken with her and gotten to know her. Okay?"

Kyo nodded, "Okay. Still, perhaps I won't be allowed to. After all, we have to ask Akito's permission to tell someone about the Curse."

"True, but given what's at stake she'll likely forbid you to tell Mrs. Katsunuma about being present for Kyoko-san's death, especially if your feelings are at risk, Tohru-kun," Hatori argued.

Tohru nodded, "Thank you, Hatori-san," She then walked over to him and leaned up to kiss him again, quietly telling him, "And thank you, Kyo-kun. No matter what happens, I have faith that our love will withstand it."

"Same here." Kyo replied as he took her hands and squeezed them affectionately.

Hatori smiled at the two young lovers before speaking up, "Well, I think it's time we left this place. The others are probably wondering where you are and I have a wife and daughter waiting on me."

"Right, let's go!" Tohru said, practically dragging Kyo along, his hand firmly grasped in hers.

"Daddy!" Shouted Kinu, her eyes lit up with happiness as she dashed for her father the instant she spotted him.

"There's my girl," Hatori said with a calm smile as he knelt down and caught her in a loving embrace, holding her in his arms as he stood up, "I missed you."

"I missed you too, Daddy. Did you save anyone today?" She asked. Momiji had taught her that since her father was a doctor who made people better, that made him a hero and she considered him to be one.

"I'm afraid not, unless you count filling prescriptions as heroic," He told her, confusing the toddler as Mayuko approached them.

"People who need that medicine might," She remarked to her husband as she hugged and kissed him before murmuring "I missed you too."

Hatori smiled as he kissed his wife's forehead. Ever since they committed to a serious relationship, Ayame and Shigure had often joked about how weird it was to see him so openly happy, but they were both glad for him.

Kakeru was regaling the others with anecdotes about the antics he and his crew got into at the shopping center, about how earlier that day he had tried to help a new employee control the various trains on the large model train display set, only to end up causing a disastrous crash involving several model trains.

Tohru and Kyo took advantage of this to steal Akito away, telling her they needed to talk to her about something very important.

Akito led them to her office, where they informed her that they wanted to tell Tohru's grandmother about the Sohma Curse, if nothing else than to convince the widow of what a wonderful person her granddaughter was and how much she had helped the Sohmas.

The Head of the Family carefully considered it, "Are you sure you wish to tell her? You've never even met this woman, Tohru." She pointed out.

"Sadly that is true, but I want so badly to make up for lost time," Tohru said, "She might be suffering from guilt about letting my grandfather disown my mom. I have to at least try."

"But is it necessary to tell her about the Curse?" Akito countered.

"If she's to understand how great Tohru is, then yes she should know," Kyo said firmly, "Let's face it, we'd all be way worse off had Tohru not entered our lives. She has to understand that her husband's act of cruelty ultimately led to something good. The best and quickest way to convince her of that is to tell her the truth about us."

"And how exactly do you plan on convincing her that you're not lying? A woman of Katsunuma-san's age would likely dismiss the truth as a bizarre prank from troublesome youths." Akito told them.

"I…I don't know how to convince her," Tohru said, "All I know is that I want to be with her, to try and make my grandmother a part of my life. If she doesn't believe me, then that's okay. I just want her to know I don't hate her. That my mom didn't hate her."

Akito stroked her chin, looking out the window as she considered it. She thought about the regret the old woman must have been living with for decades now. After several minutes, she turned and answered "Very well, you may tell her."

"Thank you, Akito-san!" Cried Tohru as she went over and gratefully hugged the older woman, who returned the gesture.

"You're very welcome, Tohru. I hope everything goes well tomorrow." She said.

"Thanks, Akito. And thanks for looking out for Tohru. Thanks for standing up to my dad and everything you said on my behalf. I owe you big time for that." Kyo told the woman.

Akito looked at him and simply smiled, "You may consider us even, Kyo"

Not long afterwards, Hiro's father Junpei arrived along with Momiji and Momo's father Gennosuke and the banquet the servants had been preparing for the last couple of hours was ready.

It was a wonderful feast, and afterwards Tohru made arrangements with the others to meet up outside of the estate in the morning before heading off to meet with her grandmother. Arisa, Saki and Kisa all vowed to do their best to convince the widow of the quality of her granddaughter's character. Isuzu had wanted to join them, but had work the next day so she wouldn't be able to join them, but promised that whenever she met the woman, she'd tell her how much Tohru had helped her. Yuki, Kyo and Momiji also made it clear they'd tell the old woman how much Tohru had changed their lives for the better, while Hiro would also go to support her.

Long after dusk fell, the gathering ended and they bid goodbye to everyone. Kakeru and Komaki took Tohru, Kyo, Yuki and Machi home in their car, but it wasn't a large vehicle, so Tohru and Machi had to sit in their respective boyfriends' laps, which Tohru enjoyed very much.

It wasn't long before Kakeru dropped them off at the steps that led up to the house. Tohru and Kyo wished Yuki and the others goodbye and good night before they drove off, leaving the couple alone.

The moon was out, so it wasn't very dark at all, and the sky was decorated with countless stars.

They safely reached the house and after using the bathroom, Kyo made his way out onto the balcony and then climbed up the ladder to the roof.

Naturally, Tohru followed him.

Kyo lay on his back, the tiles still in good condition and felt much the same as they had when they were teenagers. He held out his hand for Tohru as she carefully walked over to him and came to lay next to him, cuddling into his side.

"Today was a good day." She told him.

"Even after meeting my dad?" He questioned, not surprised by her relentless positivity.

"That part wasn't exactly nice, but at least I have a better understanding of what you went through. It means I'll have to love you even more." Tohru said with one of her charming smiles. Plus, unbeknownst to Kyo, she had gotten a wonderful wedding present for him as a result of her meeting with Daigo.

"You're incredible," He remarked as he pulled her closer.

"Thank you, Kyo-kun." She replied, her heart warmed by his compliment. She set her head under his chin, enjoying the warmth of his body.

As they lay atop the roof, just enjoying one another as they looked up at the moon and the stars while listening to the chirping of crickets, backed up by the very distant sounds of cars traveling on the roads. For Tohru, the most beautiful sound she could make out was the beating of Kyo's heart.

Suddenly something wet dropped onto her hair. Tohru was confused as there wasn't supposed to be any rain for a few more days, but then she heard soft laughter from her fiancé. She lifted herself up and was surprised to see Kyo had tears streaming down his face, but he didn't look sad at all.

"Kyo-kun, what is it?" She softly asked as he sat up.

"I just…I was just thinking back on my life. I never expected I'd be this happy," He confessed with a small laugh, "While a part of me held out hope I'd be free, mostly I thought I'd end up dying inside that damn Room. Even with Shishou, Haru, Kagura, Kunimitsu and Momiji there for me, I never even dared to hope that one day I'd have someone as wonderful as you by my side. That I'd have real friends who'd stand by me, that I'd be getting married… That I'd be a father one day!"

Tohru smiled at him, reaching up and wiping away his tears and he gently placed his hands on hers as she caressed his cheeks.

"It's funny. I promised your mom I'd protect you, but in the end you were the one who saved me." He said.

"If it meant seeing you this happy, I'd do it all over again, Kyo-kun." Tohru promised him before she kissed away his tears.

He captured her in another embrace as he held her close, pulling her into his lap. "Tohru, no matter how meeting your grandmother turns out, I'll stay by your side. I'm gonna marry you, I'm gonna give you children. I'm gonna be with you for the rest of our lives. I will do everything to make you happy." He vowed.

"You already have," She told him before she kissed him, "And I feel the same way, I want to do the same things. When I said our love is invincible, I meant it. I promise we'll always be together."

"I'll hold you to it." He replied before kissing her back.

They eventually climbed down and went to their room, with Tohru changing into her pajamas while Kyo just stripped down to his boxers. Kyo cuddled into Tohru as she eased him to sleep by humming a song for him, one her mother would hum to her when she was young.

Kyo was soon sound asleep, and Tohru absently ran a hand over his topless body, soaking in the sight of his muscular form as she gently caressed. She briefly thought about how badly she wanted him, for him to make love to her…but she could wait just a little longer. Besides, he was asleep and she was quite sleepy herself.

Tohru cuddled against him and looked out the window. She thought about her parents and how their lives were tragically cut short. She thought about her friends, her family. Her life hadn't been an easy one, but the people she had in her life now and the love they had for her made all the struggles and suffering worth it. She wouldn't trade the life she had for anything.

While she wished her parents were still alive to share the happiness she had now, something told her that their spirits were out there in some afterlife, watching her from beyond. If they were, then she knew they were very happy for her.

"I love you," She whispered, just on the off chance her parents' spirits were watching her.

"And here we are at your home sweet home!" Kakeru declared as drove his car up the entrance of the apartment building.

Yuki looked up, seeing the windows exterior door and balcony of their apartment on the fifth level of the six floor building. He briefly wondered why felt excitement rising within him, as he had stayed in the apartment before over the course of the last six months, but he quickly figured out that it was because this time he was here to stay.

"Thanks for the ride, Kakeru," Machi thanked her half-brother as Yuki opened the door and got out of the car before turning and offering his hand to her, which she eagerly accepted, grasping it affectionately.

"Thanks for inviting us to the estate, Yuki-san, we had a wonderful time." Komaki told him from the front seat.

"You're welcome, Komaki-san, thank you for coming and thanks for bringing us home, Kakeru." Yuki replied.

"Any time, Yun-Yun." Kakeru shot back with a grin, "Have a good night and remember sis, go easy on him! Try not to let the passion get out of control!"

"I swear to… Do you keep him gagged when you're alone with him, Komaki?" Machi asked as she managed to suppress a grin.

Komaki giggled, "No, but it's not a bad idea."

"Whoa, I don't plan on getting that kinky!" Kakeru quipped with a laugh, making Komaki giggle hard while Machi rolled her eyes even harder.

Despite himself, Yuki let out a laugh at the innuendo, shaking his head as he bid the couple good night and closed the door before walking side by side with Machi to the entrance of the building they called home. The individual apartments were decently large, but Yuki was able to afford it easily with his own savings from the Sohma family, and while it wasn't a particularly luxurious building, they didn't need it to be.

They entered the elevator and Yuki pressed the button for the fifth floor, the button lighting up as the doors slid shut. Yuki leaned back against the wall, looking at Machi as she came to rest beside him, meeting his gaze.

"It's a little messy," She warned him.

"Just how we like it." He replied with a small, charming smile that had easily won the affections of so many young girls during his teenage years.

Machi blushed slightly as she returned the smile and slowly leaned into him, her hand brushing against his before his fingers intertwined with hers. She thought about how lucky she was to have him.

The elevator arrived at the proper floor and they walked out together into the hallway, not having to travel far to their apartment. Machi unlocked the door and led the way inside, Yuki eagerly following her. The interior of their door had been marked with a large slash mark courtesy of Machi's keys, just to make her feel like they really owned the place.

The thin entry hall was decorated with a few art pieces Machi had purchased, but they were outnumbered by framed photos of the two of them together, one of her with Eita, one of both of them with Kakeru, a picture of Kakeru and Komaki, one of Ayame and Mine, a photo of their student council, one of Tohru and Kyo and one of the Tohru with the Sohma Zodiacs. The newest addition was of Yuki in his graduation gown and cap, proudly holding up his degree while surrounded by Machi, Tohru, Kyo, Kakeru, Shigure, Akito, Ayame, their parents and Mine.

The main living room was connected to the kitchen and past the kitchen was the balcony, decorated with a small table and two chairs. There were two bedrooms, one they would sleep in together while the spare would be used as an 'office' for them; it was where Machi had Hatsuharu put Yuki's desk and computer, which joined her personal work tables and her laptop.

The living room had a decently large sofa against one wall and in front of it was an old, slightly worn coffee table that Machi had purchased. Said table was littered with various photos, scribbled note pages, another framed photo of Yuki, along with a few empty soda cans. There were also a few wooden chairs and a large hassock for guests to sit on, should they have enough visitors. Against the wall were two bookshelves, a smaller one that belonged to Machi and a larger one for Yuki that had been recently brought over from his college dorm. Both were loaded haphazardly with various novels, manga and movies, as well as art and photography books. A television and some media players sat on a cabinet against the other wall.

Articles of clothing lay scattered about the floor, joined by Machi's jacket and shoes as she discarded them. "Great to be home?" She asked.

"It's wonderful to be here for good." He answered, trying to hide how excited he was as he placed his suitcase on the cleaner side of the table, atop a few notebooks. He briefly strolled to the left and into the kitchen, which had a fair-sized fridge and a small table that Yuki knew would hardly be used at all. The sink had a small assortment of half dirty plates and the cleaned ones were arranged in a disorganized fashion on a small rack.

He came back to the living room and flopped down on the couch, kicking his own shoes off as he folded his arms behind his head.

Machi admired Yuki's body and handsome face before she joined him on the couch, slinking over to kiss him on the cheek.

"Finally alone." She muttered.

"It's about time." He said as he wrapped an arm around her and dragged her in for a kiss.

She returned his affections and they became far more amorous as the minutes ticked on. His hands became tangled in her dark grey locks while her arms wrapped firmly around his back, her hands rubbing downward. She hooked her fingers on the bottom of his T-shirt, eager to remove it, before he stopped her, reluctantly pulling away, "Wait, wait…"

"What? Is something wrong?" She asked, afraid she might have gone too far. The couple had gone close, but had never gone beyond groping and caressing.

"Are you ready to take our relationship to the next step?" Yuki asked her as he shrugged off his Mandarin collared shirt.

Machi let out a heavy breath as she nodded, "Yes. I want you. Every part of you, Yuki."

"I want you too, Machi. I want to be with you in the most intimate way possible, I want to spend the rest of my life with you but I can't do that unless I come clean," He said, "I want your complete and total trust, and I haven't earned that."

Machi's eyes went wide with worry, "Wh-what are you saying?"

Yuki braced himself, there was no turning back now. "I'm saying I haven't totally earned your love yet, I won't until I stop hiding the truth from you. It's time for me to prove how much I love you," He took a very deep breath to steady himself and didn't look away from those stunning eyes that were an indistinguishable shade of brownish-grey. "You know all those old legends about animals turning into people and vice versa?"

Machi stared at him, dumbfounded. "Y-yeah? Like in 'Wolf Children'?" She asked. Yuki smiled; she loved that movie. Kisa had recommended it to Machi, Tohru and Isuzu and all three had fallen in love with it. The first time Machi had watched it she wept for an hour and told him how much she wished she had had someone like the films main character Hana for a mother.

"Sort of. Machi, I swear I'm not lying to you, I'm not trying to trick you or insult your intelligence. I'd never do that to you, especially not regarding this. Are you familiar with the Chinese Zodiac? The God and the thirteen animals?" He inquired.

She nodded, "Yes, but aren't there only twelve?"

"No, there was also a Cat, the thirteenth. An outcast. The Cat had the wisdom to tell the rest of the animals and even the God that true immortality is not possible, that nothing lasts forever and nothing should. The Cat was wrongfully punished for it because of the ignorance and fears of the rest of the other Zodiac animals and the selfishness of the God. Some say the Cat was betrayed by Rat's treachery." He told her, wincing at that unfortunate version of the tale.

"Yuki, where is this going?" Machi asked, totally lost.

He gingerly took her hands into his as he gazed into her eyes and answered, "There was a Curse on my family. The Curse of the Zodiac. Thirteen members from the various branches of the Sohma clan were affected and we transformed into one of the thirteen animals when we hugged or came into close contact with someone of the opposite sex."

Machi looked at him in bewilderment. "Huh? I-is that why Kyo-san always calls you a Rat and you call him a Cat?"

Yuki nodded, "That's right. The Sohma Family carried this Curse for untold generations but ours was the last. I was the Rat of the Zodiac and Kyo the Cat. Shigure was the Dog, Ayame was the Snake…" He continued listing who was what animal and finally said "And Akito was the 'God'."

"This is crazy." Machi said, unsettled by the honesty in his voice and eyes.

"I know. I know it sounds like an absurd fairy tale and I wouldn't believe it had I not lived through it. I transformed into a Rat, I could talk to rodents, persuade them." He told her.

"You keep using words in past tense," She noted.

"That's right. The Curse was broken over four years ago, it had been weakening throughout the generations, but thanks to Tohru, and some cunning manipulation from Shigure, it finally broke. Ever since then we've been free to hug those of the other gender we loved without transforming. Do you remember how, the first time I hugged you, I turned away for a moment and began crying?" He asked.

Machi nodded, coming to understand, "Was that when the Curse broke?"

"Yes," Yuki answered, "I heard a voice from behind me, saying 'You are the last.' The next thing I knew I was in another place, seeing the original Rat going to join the other Zodiac animals and the God."

"What else did the God say?" Machi asked, utterly entranced by his story.

"He thanked the Rat for keeping the original promise. A promise that the Zodiacs would always be together. Maybe it was because out of them all, the Rat was the one who most desperately clung to the concept of eternal life. Perhaps that was why the Rat and Cat were enemies, the Cat was wise but scorned while the Rat was foolish yet adored…" Yuki stopped, wiping tears that were forming in her eyes.

Machi grabbed Yuki and hugged him, "I-I see," She said, "That's what you were referring to that day; the Zodiac spirits."

"Yes," Yuki confirmed as he returned the embrace. He didn't know if she'd reject him over this, so he was going to savor the wonderful sensation of her touch for as long as possible, "That's why I hugged you the way I did. Why I was so desperate to embrace you, why I became so emotional. The more I came to know you and understand what you had been through, the more I loved you. I wanted more than anything to embrace you, to take you into my arms, but I couldn't until that day. Not without exposing myself. I hated that so much."

Machi pulled away from him, her head lowered so he couldn't see her eyes, "Why are you telling me this now?"

"I've wanted to tell you for so long, but I was afraid you'd think I was lying to you. Mostly I was afraid you'd reject me, that you'd think I'm a freak because…who'd want anything to do with a filthy Rat?" He said quietly, "Despite how scared I am of losing you, you deserve to know the truth. If you can't accept this or if you think I'm playing a sick joke on you, then I'm not worthy to be by your side."

She raised her head but Yuki jerked his down, too scared to look into her eyes.

Machi gently placed a hand on his cheek and guided him to look at her. Her eyes held no contempt for him, only love and concern.

"Your story is absurd but I think you're telling the truth. I've always had the feeling you've been hiding something, and now I know what. Looking back on it, so many little things that didn't make sense are suddenly adding up; why you stayed away from romantic relationships despite those girls practically throwing themselves at you, how you went out of your way to avoid being touched… It sounds utterly impossible, but I know you well enough to tell when you're being honest with me. I know you wouldn't just make something like this up. Kakeru would, Shigure-san would, maybe even Ayame-san but not you." She voiced.

"You're not angry? Or disgusted?" Yuki asked, his eyes widening with hope as he felt like a weight was being lifted from his shoulders.

"No! Not at all," She assured him, "I'm thankful you're coming clean. So what if you're not the Horse or the Dragon? Some rodents can be cute."

Yuki let out a very relieved laugh. He reached out and cupped both of her cheeks as he said "You have no idea how happy I am to hear you say that."

Machi chuckled before asking "So who else besides Kyo-san and those you mentioned can vouch for this?"

"Tohru. She saw us transform on multiple occasions. Don't worry, she averted her eyes whenever we turned back into humans." He told her.

"Uh, why would she have to?" Machi asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Oh, right…forgot to mention that part. Well, it's because when we turned back to normal we were naked." He explained.

"What?!" She cried, blushing at the mental image of him and the other Sohma men nude.

"Yes, I'm afraid the Curse's effects didn't extend to what we were wearing," Yuki said, blushing slightly, "But I swear she never got a good look at me. I think she saw Kyo naked more than me."

"I certainly hope so." Machi replied, smirking.

"Mine, Uotani, Hanajima, Mayuko, Mitsuru can all vouch for us. They never saw us transform, but we let them in on the secret after the Curse lifted. You can also ask my mother and the other parents." He said.

Machi tensed at that; while she didn't hate Reona Sohma, she honestly didn't like her much at all. She was just too similar to her own mother for her liking, even though she wasn't as bad.

"Honestly it's easier to believe this than speak to her. If even a no-nonsense woman like her thinks this is for real, then you must be telling the truth." Machi remarked, "But why are you telling me this now? You were clearly afraid of this hurting our relationship, so why risk it?"

"Because I've kept it from you for too long as it is and I didn't want to hide it anymore now that we're going to live together. I'm telling you this now because I love you more than words can do justice," He said before he reached over and as quickly as he could he opened his suitcase and yanked out a small box.

Machi gasped as she realized what he was doing, tears instantly forming in her eyes as Yuki popped the box open, revealing a beautiful diamond ring that had a small crack in it.

"Machi Kuragi, will you become my wife?" Yuki said.

Machi's answer was to throw herself at him, accidentally slamming the back of his head into the arm of the couch. Yuki let out a small cry of pain, but it was drowned out by Machi's happy sobs as she managed to say "Yes!" several times.

Ignoring the slight pain, Yuki grinned as happily as he could as he wrapped his arms around her and said "I love you, Machi."

"I-I lo-love you too, Yuki!" She cried as she lifted herself up and crashed her lips into his.

Eventually they had to part for air, Machi lifted herself onto her knees and prompted him to put the ring on her finger as she held her hand out. He sat up and gently slid the ring onto her finger. She admired it while he simply took in how happy she was, that look on her face was worth all the anxieties he had about how she'd react to the truth.

When he purchased it from the jewelers he had told about her problems regarding perfection and paid them extra to carefully make a crack in the diamond.

He lowered her hand, gently removing the engagement ring, surprising him. "Yuki. I need you." She told him.

Yuki's entire face went red as he understood what she meant. "I…are you ready?"

She blushed just as brightly as she nodded, "Ye-yes. I want you to make love to me, Yuki. I want you so bad."

"All right" Yuki said. He suddenly swept her into his arms and made his way through the living room, down the hall, past the bathroom and into their bedroom.

They spent the rest of the night showing one another the extent of their love for each other.

A little courage goes a long, long way…

Chapter Text

G ets you a little bit further down the road each day

Tamayo Katsunuma felt her cat Shiro's furry cheeks pressing against her face, purring softly as it tried to wake her up. This had become routine for the sixty-seven year old woman ever since she had found the stray Tonkinese cat on the streets with a badly injured left hind leg, not long after her husband had passed away.

As she had nursed the cat back to health, she had looked around for any potential owners, but after failing to find anyone who claimed ownership of the cat, Tamayo decided to keep it and named her Shiro for her mostly snow-white fur.

She knew the real reason she had decided to keep the cat was so she wouldn't be so lonely. Despite the efforts of her friends and neighbors to cheer her up, Tamayo still felt so alone without Yukichi. Even though he was partly to blame for the emptiness she had been feeling for well over two decades.

Smiling, Tamayo sat up, Shiro looking up at her in a way she found rather amusing. She got the feeling Shiro was telling her 'It's a cat's job to sleep so much, not yours'. She looked over and saw one of Shiro's three kittens climbing up the side of the bed. She had named this one Ume, after the plum because the black fur on her face compared to the rest of her white furred body

back reminded her of a rice ball. The other two, Chobi and Fuku, had blackish fur on other parts of their bodies, and unusually while they had the normal black furred ears, Ume's were a light gray, making her black furred face stand out even more.

"You're doing wonderfully, Ume-Chan," Tamayo told the three month old kitten encouragingly as she carefully swung her legs over the bed and helped the kitten up. Ume rubbed against Tamayo's hands before Shiro set about licking her, ignoring her struggles to avoid a bath.

Tamayo smiled bittersweetly at the sight, it reminded her of Kyoko and how she had been so anxious about baths when she had been a baby. The old woman frowned, memories of Kyoko never failed to make her heart feel heavy.

She placed a hand against her forehead and muttered to herself, "Need to stop thinking about it."

This was the fate she and her late husband had made for themselves. While Shiro and her kittens alleviated the loneliness, the fact that she had failed as a mother and especially as a grandmother was never far from her mind.

Well, sitting in her bed wasn't going to change any of that. Nothing could.

She removed her sleepwear and changed into a casual blouse and a pair of pants. As she finished dressing, so too did Shiro finish bathing the reluctant kitten. She reached down and pet Shiro, remarking "You're a good mother, Shiro."

Better than she had been.

Tamayo went about her morning routine; filling up the cats' food and water bowls with just the right amount and then making herself tea and breakfast while listening to the morning news which had very little of note aside from reporting that they'd have very pleasant weather for the next week. Once her morning meal was ready she changed the channel to a gardening show, which she had been a devoted viewer of for many years, so long in fact that she had learned quite a lot about planting and gardening, so it rarely taught her anything anymore. Still, she enjoyed looking at the images of the flowers and listening to her fellow gardeners talk about their ways of taking care of plants.

Eventually she collected ice cubes from the freezer into the largest glass she had before going upstairs to the room that had once been her daughter's.

After the terrible day when Yukichi had made good on his threats to disown her, something Tamayo had never thought would ever come to pass, her husband sold off nearly everything that had once belonged to Kyoko, though Tamayo had been able to save a few things. Afterwards, Yukichi turned the room into a conservatory for his wife's plants, with several shelves loaded with a diverse array of potted plants, some native to Japan and some from other countries. She went about placing the ice cubes inside the pots, which would melt down and water them nicely, and after that she provided each one with a careful dosage of plant food to ensure they were healthy.

It was simultaneously her favorite room in the house and the one that haunted her the most. Despite much blustering, Yukichi had never destroyed the photos of Kyoko, he simply hid them away in a box stored in the back of the downstairs closet. Not long after he died, Tamayo had taken them all out, reframed them and had placed them all over the house, but a good majority from Kyoko's childhood were in her former room.

She had even managed to find a photo of Kyoko riding around in the city during her time as the infamous Crimson Butterfly. There had been a report about the female gang activities, the Crimson Butterfly being the most notorious of these gangsters, and it was hard to resist adding one to the collection. Tamayo viewed these photos as a way of punishing herself; they were a constant reminder of the daughter she had brought into the world. The daughter she had failed.

How could it have been considered anything else? She had impotently stood by as her husband disowned Kyoko. She hadn't even tried to challenge him on it, she hadn't tried to reach out to Kyoko and understand her. She had been afraid of her. She had been too worried about how her daughter's unruly behavior would affect their social standing.

In a corner of the room was a small chair and sitting on it was an ichimatsu doll that Kyoko had gotten for her sixth birthday. However, Kyoko had taken it upon herself to make this doll unique by cutting its hair short, painting its face differently, placing a few cuts in the kimono and giving it a painted pencil for a sword, dubbing the doll to be a 'War Maiden' that protected a handsome prince from an evil lord and his ninja minions. When they had seen what Kyoko had done, Tamayo had been a little concerned, wondering if this meant her daughter craved a violent lifestyle while Yukichi had scolded Kyoko for 'ruining' any resale value the doll might have had once she outgrew it.

Tamayo still wondered if that was where their mistakes began.

As she went about placing ice cubes into the pots followed by a pinch of plant food, she once again began thinking about how badly she had failed Kyoko. She had had nearly twenty years to attempt to reconnect with her daughter, but she had been too scared of going against her husband…too scared of Kyoko rejecting her, especially after Yukichi refused to let them even try to reconcile after their son-in-law had passed away.

That fear had cost her deeply, because Kyoko had been dead for seven years.

She heard one of the kittens meowing outside the door which she kept closed so the little animals didn't knock over any of her plants. It had to be Fuku, who was such a needy little thing. She chuckled and said "I'll be right out, Fuku-chan."

Tamayo lifted her head up and her eyes met those of a young Kyoko's beautiful light brown eyes. They looked lovely in a photograph, but failed to capture how beautiful they had been in life. She placed the now empty glass onto a shelf as she braced herself against it, her hands gripping the black frames tightly as she wondered where her granddaughter was now. Was she happy? Was she loved? Did she have a baby of her own yet?

She didn't know, nor did she deserve to. She wanted so badly to find Tohru, but just couldn't bring herself to even try. The young woman would probably scream at her and tell her to get away, since Kyoko doubtlessly would have told her daughter how horribly they had treated her and who would want anything to do with such cruel grandparents?

In all the years that had passed since that awful day that she had stood by allowing her husband to kick their daughter out, letting the handsome stranger Katsuya whisk her away, not a day went by with such thoughts plaguing Tamayo's mind.

She could only pray that Tohru was having the best life possible.

At around ten in the morning, Tohru and Kyo met up with Momiji, Arisa, Kisa and Hiro and killed time chatting amongst themselves as they waited in the front courtyard of the estate for Yuki, Machi and Saki to arrive.

Tohru was wearing a light-pink long sleeved shirt and a dark brown pencil skirt, doing her best to look presentable. She had even considered putting on her seldom used makeup, but Kyo convinced her she looked great without it. In his opinion, she looked great no matter what she wore and he felt she looked better without makeup.

"Are you sure Anne-san is all right, Momiji? It seems that she's still struggling with guilt quite badly." Tohru remarked to the blond.

"Mama's all right," He assured her, "Right after her memories came back, Harii was able to get her in touch with Hisae Sohma, one of the psychiatrists in the family. Funnily enough, she's the daughter of the woman who was the previous host of the Rabbit Spirit. She's helped mama out quite a lot, but sometimes she has…episodes. Yesterday's sadness was brought about by the conversations regarding Kyo's mother, but she's mostly stable."

Tohru nodded, she hadn't met Hisae Sohma, but knew of her from conversations with Yuki and Isuzu, who had seen her at Hatori's insistence. Yuki spoke quite fondly of her and she had encouraged him to follow his ambitions to become a counselor, even Isuzu seemed to genuinely like her.

"That's good," Tohru said before asking "Do you know if Akito-san has seen Hisae-san?"

Momiji looked around, as if to make sure nobody was eavesdropping, before nodding, "Yes, Harii's mentioned to me that it took over a year and help from Shii-chan to convince her, she's apparently quite embarrassed by it and doesn't want the rest of the family to know. Akito-san's had a few critics in the Sohma family since she changed her ways."

"Yes, at first it was how angry they were about the Cat's Room being burned down, but from what my dad says it's mostly been older family members who work in the various businesses challenging her over policies she wants to change and how she keeps disregarding certain traditions. She's been far more generous to the partners of our main businesses, for example." Kisa explained.

"So they'd view her seeing a psychiatrist as a weakness, use it as an excuse to call her mental stability into question. They tried that already with her gender ordeal, but the fact her new business strategies haven't been detrimental to the financial bottom line put an end to that plan." Hiro finished, while Arisa scoffed in disgust.

"I don't think we have anything to worry about there. After seeing her in action against Daigo-san yesterday, I know for a fact that Akito-san is still quite strong!" Tohru remarked confidently, "Anyone who wishes to oppose her will discover she still has a lot of fight in her!"

"That's good, but from what Kureno-kun's told me it sounds like typical old business people bullshit. Really happy he doesn't have to put up with them anymore." Arisa voiced.

"The same cannot be said for me," Momiji said with a shrug, "I'm still in college, but my father's been showing me the ropes of the business, so I've had to meet many of the older generation. Most of them are actually decent, but the bad ones are quite unangenehm!"

Kisa glanced at Kyo as they all knew that Daigo Sohma was among Akito's opponents, even if he wouldn't dare criticize her to her face.

"Ah, it seems I'm not late," Said Saki as she strode towards them, clad in a dark outfit as usual.

"Just in time! Now all we need is Yuki-kun and Machi-san." Tohru said.

"Yuki-onii-san is usually punctual, so I doubt we'll have to wait for much longer." Kisa remarked.

"Indeed we won't, Kisa-chan," Saki replied, "Their waves aren't far from us, and are perhaps the happiest I've felt since Tohru-kun and Kyo got together."

True to her word, Yuki and Machi came around a corner down the street a few minutes later, hand in hand and with smiles so big and bright they could be seen from all the way down the road.

Tohru waved at them and Yuki returned the gesture, with much more enthusiasm than he would usually have. "Hello everyone! Beautiful day, isn't it?" Yuki said, his eyes brighter than ever and his voice so cheerful it wouldn't surprise Kyo if he broke out into song.

"It really is. A good day for meeting a grandmother for the first time," Machi said to Tohru, her tone little different from Yuki's. She was blushing and constantly glancing at him, making adorable smiles they had rarely seen on her face as she twiddled her fingers excitedly, her body language could only be described as 'giddy'.

"My goodness, you two seem awfully happy," Tohru noted, "Did you had a good night together?"

"That would be an understatement, Tohru-san. See for yourself," Machi said before holding out her hand, showing them the engagement ring.

The subsequent cries of happiness from Tohru and Kisa could be heard in many of the surrounding buildings, forcing Kyo, Arisa and Hiro to cover their ears. Tohru and Kisa both hugged Machi, who happily returned their affections.

"I'm so happy for you, Machi-san!" Tohru said.

"Welcome to the family, Machi-Nee-chan!" Kisa added before they pulled back from her.

"Thank you both so much! Yuki's keeps making me experience happiness I never thought I deserved. Just when I think he can't make me feel any better…" She blushed, deciding not to say anymore as memories of the incredible time they shared together last night flashed in her mind. "Yuki told me about the Zodiac Curse and everything last night, so I know I especially owe this happiness to you, Tohru-san. Had it not been for you, Yuki and I might have never even met!"

"Oh, I didn't do anything on that end! Yuki-kun would probably have become the Student Council President regardless of me." Tohru said.

"I don't think so," Machi said as she held Tohru's hands, "Yuki told me how much he came out of his shell thanks to you. So stop trying to be so modest, Tohru-san. Seriously, if it weren't for you, they might still be under the Curse, and Yuki and I would both still be so lonely. Thank you for everything you've done."

She hugged Tohru, who happily returned it.

"Herzlichen Glückwunsch, Yuki!" Momiji declared as he shook the ex-Rat's hand energetically, "This is wunderbar! So many weddings are coming up now, it's a bit overwhelming! Who else knows?"

"Kakeru knew I was going to pop the question and I also asked Kuragi-san for permission several days ago. Akito knows as well, as I asked for her blessing to tell Machi about the Curse last night." Yuki explained.

"Wow, Manabe knew for days and didn't spoil it? Didn't know he had it in him," Quipped Kyo before he shook Yuki's hand, "Congrats, man. We're all really happy for you."

Yuki smiled at the ex-Cat and answered "Thank you, Kyo."

"So, I take it you're all right with the Curse, Machi-san?" Hiro asked.

Machi nodded, "Yes, Hiro-san. To be quite honest, while I'm glad the Curse is lifted and you're all free, a part of me wishes that I could've seen your transformations for myself," She remarked, "I bet your Ram form was adorable."

"It really was." Kisa confirmed, making Hiro cover his face to hide his blush.

"We-well not nearly as cute as your Tiger form, Kisa-chan." Hiro managed to say, making Kisa blush lightly in return.

"So, you weren't annoyed that he kept it from you for so long?" Arisa asked the shorter girl, who shook her head.

"Not really. Last night…" She stopped, blushing as she remembered how, during breaks between lovemaking sessions, she had pressed Yuki for more information about his past and details regarding the Curse and the others. "Last night he told me about Akito-san's…old personality problems and how Hatori-san would erase the memory of those who discovered the secret. I'm happy he cared enough about me to not risk my memories being taken and now that I know what he really went through, I'm even more determined to stay by his side."

"That sounds familiar," Saki deadpanned, glancing at Tohru.

"So, have you decided on a date for the wedding?" Tohru inquired.

"We don't have an exact date, but we've decided to have it this December," Yuki said, "Right before New Years."

Tohru let out a happy sound, "Celebrating the New Year with a new marriage! That sounds wonderful! I can't wait!"

"Neither can I." Said Machi, looking at Yuki with a very happy smile and subtle blush on her face, an expression that he mirrored.

"Well, enough about us for the time being," Yuki said as he failed to suppress his smile, "We have a very important visit ahead of us."

With that, the group set off. Tohru, Machi, Saki, Arisa and Kisa led the way, the girls eagerly talking with the newest bride-to-be about potential wedding plans and ideas for what type of ceremony they'd have, while the boys lingered back a few meters.

"I noticed the cracked jewel, a very nice touch." Momiji praised.

"Thank you. The jewelers were really confused when I made that request, but went along once I told them about her issues with perfection. Paying extra didn't hurt either." Yuki said, managing to tear his eyes away from Machi to look at Momiji.

"Heh, I bet it didn't." Chuckled Kyo, "So, Ayame doesn't know?"

Hiro scoffed, "Obviously not, once the Snake finds out the entire clan, if not all of Tokyo, will know."

Yuki chuckled, "Very true. We're going to visit Ayame and Mine tonight, so as not to distract them from making your wedding outfits," He explained to Kyo and the others, "I just know he'll be overjoyed."

"I'm pretty sure we'll know once you tell him. I bet we'll be able to hear him from our house." Kyo joked, shaking his head.

Momiji laughed, but stopped once he noticed a certain light red marking peeking out from under Yuki's shirt collar.

"Oh my, Yuki! Is that what I think it is?" The blond asked, leaning in to get a closer look.

Yuki blushed and lifted up his collar to cover the hickey, but not before Kyo and Hiro had noticed it too. There was no denying what it was, they had all seen hickeys on Haru and Isuzu, who could be very unsubtle when it came to their passion for one another. Kyo had left some on Tohru, but that was outnumbered by the many she had given him. Yuki had left his own marks on Machi as well, but they were…below the neck.

"S-so you and Machi-san really did it?" Hiro asked, blushing at the thought.

"Before marriage?" Kyo whispered with a faux-shocked voice "Tsk, not very princely of you."

"To hell with that. After so many years we needed each other badly," Yuki replied quietly so that the girls didn't overhear them. Truth be told he had wanted to make love to Machi even before the Curse lifted, but the honorable part of him always felt it was wrong to do such a thing without asking for her hand in marriage. Something he couldn't ask for without telling her the truth. Once it was all out, the two of them had freely expressed their love for one another with all the passion they had been building up for over five years.

Last night had probably been the greatest of their lives.

"Well I for one am happy for you, Yuki. You two deserve such pleasure and joy after what you've both been through." Momiji told him, patting him on the shoulder.

Yuki gave the younger Sohma a smile, "Thank you, Momiji," He said before glancing at Kyo and adding "Besides, Stupid Cat, I personally have a hard time believing that you and Tohru are totally innocent."

Kyo made a face decorated with a hard blush, but said nothing. However, it was enough to let the other young men know Yuki was right on the money. They had both been so starved for a loving touch, it would have been insane to not indulge themselves.

While he and Tohru hadn't gone all the way, they had enjoyed some rather erotic moments with one another. One of the best night's Kyo ever had was that for Tohru's birthday the first year of their stay by the seaside, they had completely shut off their phones for solitude and he literally kissed every inch of her naked body, one of his proudest moments (not that he'd ever admit it to anyone but Tohru) was giving her the pleasure she deserved, making her pant like crazy and earning utterly adorable squeaks and noises from her, topped off by melodious moans as he drove her over the edge. Then there was how surprisingly gifted Tohru was with her mouth. Kyo briefly shivered as he recalled that adoring yet hungry look in her eyes that had just a little hint of nervousness.

He always savored the times they had slept naked together, the feeling of her soft skin against his hard muscles was just heavenly. He shook his head and tried to think of something not perverted.

"Well now you've made me curious," Momiji said, eyeing Kyo, "Have you and Tohru truly not yet made love?"

"Not that it's any of your business, but no. Not yet." Kyo snapped quietly, really hoping the girls wouldn't overhear them.

"Oh! Forgive me, Kyo! I didn't mean to be rude or imply anything! But…why?" Momiji asked, "I'd have thought with you two being so utterly in love and so deservedly happy together, you'd have given into the passion long ago."

Kyo sighed and quietly explained "Truth be told, we both decided to wait until after the wedding. She wanted to have it here and at a time when everyone would be able to come while I wanted to hold it off until I felt I was worthy of having her as my wife."

"That's absurd. This is Tohru we're talking about and as far she's concerned, you've been worthy for years." Hiro pointed out.

"You're not wrong. I somehow got the idea in my head that I'd only be worthy once I completed my training. Maybe my logic was that once I disciplined myself, had complete control over my body and my temper, then I'd be able to dedicate myself to her and a family. Maybe I thought I'd prove that I really do love her enough to be with her, that I'm not just some beast who'd use her for sex."

Yuki had been listening to them, though his eyes were focused on Machi. Even from behind she was very pleasant to look at, but that didn't distract him from Kyo's worries. "None of us would ever think of you that way. Tohru certainly wouldn't." He argued.

"I know you guys wouldn't, but certain Sohmas would." Kyo said. It didn't take a genius to deduce who he was referring to.

"Kyo, forget about him or anyone else stupid enough to not get over the Curse. Tohru saw you in your beast form and still wanted to be by your side. Nothing in this world could change how she feels about you." Yuki told him as firmly as he could.

"Yeah, but there's also the fact that despite everything she and I have been through, there's a part of me that still struggles with guilt over certain things." Kyo admitted.

"Like her mother," Yuki stated plainly.

He nodded. "Yeah. I'm doing my best to keep my promise and take care of Tohru."

"Nobody could be doing a better job," Momiji told him reassuringly, "You have kept that promise, you two deserve one another in every possible way. You don't still hate yourself do you? Please tell me you don't."

Kyo shook his head, "Not anymore. I know my mom's death wasn't my fault. I could've saved Kyoko, but it would've meant exposing us, but as long as I take care of Tohru and love her as much as I can, then I'm redeeming myself for that failure."

"Then what would you possibly have to feel guilty over?" Yuki asked him.

Kyo let out a sigh, "I don't know. I just…I hope you guys are right. I hope I really am the man she deserves."

"Kyo, listen to me," Momiji began as he grabbed Kyo's shoulder, "She deserves nothing less than a happy life, to have beautiful children with the man she loves. Remember I once had a crush on Tohru, and though I still love her like a sister or a second mother, I had to get over that because I understood she would only ever have those kinds of feelings for one man; you, Kyo. If she chose you, then you are worthy. You make her happier than anyone else ever could, one would only have to see the way she looks at you to know how irrefutable that fact is. So please stop doubting yourself, okay?"

"Didn't expect a lecture from you, but you're a hundred percent right. Thanks, Momiji." Kyo told him.

Momiji simply smiled, and despite growing up, his smile still looked like it belonged to a child. "Happy to be of help."

"I hope you don't have any doubts regarding how she feels about you, right?" Yuki asked.

"Not a single one. I know she loves me with all her heart and I feel the same way about her. I'm really happy I was lucky enough to have someone as amazing as her come into my life. I'm gonna give her a family and make her the happiest woman in the world." Kyo vowed quietly with a determined grin.

What he didn't tell his fellow Sohmas, however, was that he was going to spend the next few days after their wedding showing Tohru the true depths of his love for her. That reminded him to make sure everyone knew not to come near their house for a while.

"Have you and Tohru spoken about the..intimacy issues? Does she have any problems? I'd assume not, given how happy she is." Yuki said, as he knew Tohru well enough to know when she was trying to hide how she really felt.

Kyo nodded again, "She's never pressed me about it, she's just content to be with me and I feel the same. We've done…things, but we don't want to rush things, considering what a whirlwind romance her parents had."

Yuki tensed up a little, the age difference between Tohru's parents had always made him raise an eyebrow, but he personally never said anything about it out of respect for the dead and for Tohru. She had told them that she was born when her mother was seventeen, so that at least meant that the late Katsuya Honda had the decency to wait for Kyoko to reach Japan's age of consent. Though given what he knew about Kyoko, Yuki wouldn't be surprised if she had been the one to initiate things.

"I'm personally surprised she'd be comfortable with waiting, given how Katsuya-san died so young and…" Yuki trailed off, not wanting to bring Kyoko's death to the forefront of Kyo's mind again.

"Yeah, I actually asked her about that. She said she had faith we'd be fine, so we're both being really careful about getting sick or doing anything too reckless. A part of it's because I'm worried about what kind of dad I'd be. Would I be more like Shishou or…him?"

"I can safely say that you're worried about nothing, Kyo. You're no longer a violent hot head and Tohru has made us all dedicated to breaking the cycle the Sohma family was trapped in for centuries. So relax. You're going to be a wonderful husband and a better father than Daigo could ever hope to be." Yuki assured him.

Kyo gave his former rival an earnest smile and said "Thanks, Yuki. Right back at you. I know you're gonna make Machi happier than she's ever been and you'll be a great dad too."

Yuki simply smiled back before saying "Thank you, but let's agree to never tell Shigure we're being this nice to each other."

The ex-Cat laughed before answering, "That goes without saying!"

Tohru and Machi glanced back at their boys, the former was happy to see them so cheerful while the latter just gazed at her lover with an almost drunkenly happy smile.

"It's so nice to see them getting along." Tohru commented.

"I sensed waves of concern emanating from them, but I can tell they're sorting it out," Saki told Tohru. She decided to not comment about the…interesting feelings Machi was experiencing.

"That's a relief. So, Machi-san, have you begun making wedding plans yet?" Tohru inquired.

Snapped out of her stupor, Machi shook her head and ignored the knowing look Arisa was giving her, "No, not much more than the time of year. Personally I want a Western-style wedding rather than a traditional Japanese one. I just prefer bridal dresses to kimonos." She said.

"I'm with ya there," Arisa agreed, "Kureno was a little unsure at first, but I managed to sweet talk him into a Western-style ceremony. Though we're planning a little something different for the dress."

"Oh really? Like what?" Tohru asked.

Arisa winked and said "You're gonna have to wait and find out, 'cause I don't want to spoil the surprise."

Tohru giggled and replied "Fair enough. Have you told your mother and Eita-kun yet, Machi-san?"

"Yuki and I are probably going to have to pay them a visit to tell them. I know Eita will be very happy, but I'm worried my parents will try to use the wedding as leverage to enter the elite circles that some of the Sohma Family mingle with. It's the kind of thing they'd do." Machi remarked.

"Couldn't you just ban 'em from the ceremony?" Arisa suggested.

Machi shook her head, "No. I've learned that it's not healthy to hold a grudge. Besides, I want to prove I'm better than them by not kicking them out of my life the way they did to me."

Tohru gave the younger girl an approving look, "That's very strong of you, Machi-san. I hope it will help them understand what a good person you truly are and how wrong they were to treat you that way."

"I don't count on it, but I'll keep holding onto hope that one day they'll change." Machi said.

"It won't be easy, but perhaps that will happen someday," Remarked Kisa before she carefully asked "So, Nee-chan, are you at all nervous about meeting your grandmother for the first time?"

Tohru let out a sigh and admitted "Well, I guess I am a little afraid that she might just slam the door in our faces."

"Well, if she does then it's her loss! Though if she's too scared to face you, she'll find out we're not the kind of people who give up easily." Arisa commented, scowling at the thought of someone rejecting Tohru, of all people, like that.

"Uh, I hope you don't plan on doing anything drastic, Uotani-san. I don't want to end up getting arrested." Machi said, which made Tohru's eyes go big.

"Oh, yes! Uo-chan, please don't do anything that would make her call the police! That's the last thing I want!" Tohru cried.

"Relax!" Laughed Uotani, "I don't mean we'd break into her house or anything. We'd just try to talk to her through the doors or something, write a note she could read through the window, leave her your number. That kinda stuff."

"It could go either way," Saki voiced, "The years may have dulled any resentment she had towards her daughter but could also have turned the pain of the past into a festering wound that she may want left alone. I'll be able to make an educated guess once we arrive outside her home and I get a decent reading on her waves."

"I don't see why she wouldn't want to at least speak with you," Kisa said, "If I were in her place, I'd do anything to connect with my granddaughter."

"Someone like you would never have allowed herself to be in such a predicament, Kisa-chan," Saki pointed out, "You might be incredibly kind, but you'll also stand your ground against something you know to be wrong. That's a strength Katsunuma-san evidently lacked."

Kisa thought about those times she stood by and did nothing to help someone when they were being mistreated by Akito and said "Well, I wasn't always like that but I was able to find such strength thanks to Nee-chan. Perhaps Katsunuma-san just needed someone to help her find her own strength too. That's why I came along, I wanted Katsunuma-san to know how her granddaughter helped me through a very difficult time and changed my life for the better."

Tohru smiled at the younger girl, happy she had helped the former Tiger of the Zodiac to become who she was today. When Kisa was sixteen, she had decided she wanted to become a nurse, around the same time Hiro had told his parents he wanted to be like Hatori and help the sick and injured. Kisa, for her part, wanted to be someone who could help sick children and make them feel better. When Kisa had told Tohru her ambitions over the phone, Tohru felt so proud of her 'little sister' that she had seriously considered catching a train to Tokyo just to hug Kisa. Kyo had to talk her into simply praising the ex-Tiger over the phone.

"A sentiment we all share, Kisa-chan," Agreed Saki before she looked at both Tohru and Arisa to add "I shudder to think of what could've happened to me had I never met either you."

"Same here, Tohru's the real life saver." Arisa said, giving the shorter girl a smile that told her it wasn't up for debate, "Honestly, there've been times where I lie awake at night wondering what would've happened to me had I never met you and Kyoko."

Tohru could only smile, very happy to hear such kind words about her. Not long after the Curse lifted, she had learned to accept the compliments her friends, Kyo and the others gave her, even if she personally felt they were overselling how wonderful she was. Still, she couldn't deny it felt nice to receive such compliments.

"Thank you, I'm happy that I mean so much to you all." She thanked them.

"Damn right you do. Our lives were pretty freakin' miserable before you came into them. Hopefully we can get your granny to see that havin' you around will only improve whatever her situation is." Arisa said before she noticed that Machi was constantly glancing back at Yuki, blushing like crazy.

That made Tohru frown, "I hope she's all right." She said as she held her hands together in front of her chest, glancing up at the sky and imagining the grief her grandmother must have experienced.

Arisa let out a sigh, mentally scolding herself for giving Tohru something else to worry about.

"I'm sure she's fine," The blonde quickly said, gently taking hold of one of Tohru's hands into her own, "I mean, your mom said she was really worried about how her behavior made the family look to the neighbors, so she probably has friends of her own."

"This is sure to be a very emotional meeting, regardless of your grandmother's temperament. Come what may, we'll be by your side." Saki commented.

"Always!" Agreed Kisa.

"For sure." Arisa put in.

"I'll be there for you too, Tohru-san." Machi assured her, "After all, we'll eventually be family and Yuki and I would never have gotten together if not for you."

Tohru's smile grew. She really was blessed to have found such wonderful friends.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the Katsunuma residence, a two story house painted a peach pink with bricks framing the edges and the front door. Six potted plants sat out while four were suspended from the bottom of the second floor, which capped the first. It was rather tightly nestled in between a three story house made of dark, sandy-colored bricks and a corrugated garage.

"This is it? Kinda expected something fancier, given how proud Kyoko made Grandpa Katsunuma sound." Arisa remarked.

"At least it hasn't fallen into disrepair since he passed," Yuki noted, smiling at the sight of the potted plants. While he preferred to grow vegetables, he found it comforting to know that Tohru's grandmother clearly had a passion for plants. He recalled that gardening was a common hobby of those suffering from Empty Nest Syndrome, as it was a healthy outlet for someone missing their children. Hopefully this was a positive sign.

Saki looked up at the house, a troubled expression on her face. Arisa was the first to notice and asked "You sensing anyone home?"

The black-haired woman nodded, "Yes, I can tell Katsunuma-san is here. Her waves are…troubled." She said before she stepped away from Tohru so Kyo could stand beside her.

Kyo gently took hold of Tohru's hand and whispered "This is it, Tohru. You ready?"

Tohru took a deep breath and gave her friends one of her ever-charming close-eyed smiles. "It's now or never!" She declared as cheerfully as she could. Saki, however, could sense that her friend was quite nervous deep down.

Before Tohru could knock, Saki said "She's not inside, I sense her waves coming from the backyard."

Yuki looked over at the thin gap between the houses and carefully began making his way through it.

After watering the garden, Tamayo knelt on the grass of her small backyard, her gloved hands carefully ripping the first weed from the earth, tossing it into a plastic bag. There were only a handful to remove and they were all fairly small, but it was still annoying that she had allowed any to grow at all.

She looked up as she heard the sound of someone walking behind her fence. Who could that be? She wasn't expecting anyone, her friends usually called ahead to let her know they were coming and she hadn't ordered anything in a couple of weeks.

She shrugged. It was probably the neighborhood kids playing hide and seek.

Tamayo dug around another weed and tore it out before she heard a voice coming from behind the fence. "Hello? Is Tamayo Katsunuma there?" Asked the voice of a young man.

She looked over, surprised and curious. Had something happened to one of her friends? Was this one of their grandchildren coming to give her bad news in person?

"Yes? Who is it? Do I know you?"

"I'm afraid not. My name is Yuki Sohma." The voice said.

A Sohma?

What in the world would a young man from one of the biggest and oldest clans in Japan want with her? Tamayo had encountered a few Sohmas at parties and dinners that she and Yukichi had attended over the years and she'd even met a few Sohma women at the Japanese Women's Society Foundation Meetings but she never really said more than a few words to them. The Sohmas were known to be quite rich yet very few of them flaunted their wealth, as they were known to be quite secretive, she remembered something from about four or five years earlier the newspapers were talking about a radical change in the Family's Head.

Then she remembered that she did have an odd encounter with a Sohma woman once, many years ago. Could this be about that?

"What do you need, Sohma-san?" Tamayo asked.

"I'm with someone who wants to meet with you, Katsunuma-san. I promise you we don't intend to harm you or deceive you, we just want to talk to you." Yuki told her.

"Hmm, very well, but I'd like to see who this person is before I let them into my home." Tamayo said as she removed her sunhat and gloves. On a whim she grabbed a small spade, just in case these visitors did have some nefarious ulterior motive for coming to her house.

She opened the sliding door, kicked off her sandals and traveled through the house to the front door, keeping her cellphone in her hand just in case. She stopped, her curiosity and a pinch of paranoia making her want to get a good look at these unexpected visitors so she quietly went into the living room and looked out the front window. She was surprised to see a group of nine young people, ranging from late teens to early twenties.

She couldn't help but recall all the gossip she had heard throughout her life about how attractive Sohma men were, she had heard it from other girls when she was young and even women she was friends with now. They hadn't been exaggerating. The four young men standing outside her home were all quite handsome, especially the blond one who seemed to be half-caucasian, but the one who truly captured her attention was a very fit looking young man with a long shock of orange hair that was only a couple shades darker than Kyoko's locks after she dyed them.

There were five young women of varying heights, one of them had strikingly beautiful golden hair with equally beautiful amber eyes. However, she couldn't make out one of the girls, as she was obfuscated by the orange-haired man.

Placing her spade in her pocket and gripping her phone tightly, she unlocked the door and carefully opened it.

"Who exactly wants to spea-" Tamayo's voice died as she came face to face with a young woman with brown eyes and flowing brown hair.

A young woman who looked almost exactly like her dead daughter.

Though she seemed to be some years older than Kyoko had been when they kicked her out and her hair was still her natural color. It was like looking at what Kyoko would have looked like had she never gone down that troubled path.

Tamayo suddenly felt dizzy, her legs going weak.

The girl bowed her head politely and said "Hello, Katsunuma-san! I am Tohru Honda! I-I-I am your granddaughter and if it isn't asking too much, may I please come in and speak with you?"

Tamayo dropped her phone as she felt herself collapsing. Everything went black.

While the Zodiac Spirits were gone, a few certain traits stayed behind. For instance, Momiji was still energetic, had good hearing and he was very good at digging though it was a skill he rarely ever used.

For Kyo, he still couldn't stand the taste of chives or leeks, he still felt weak whenever it rained and his reflexes were almost as sharp as they had been prior to the Curse breaking thanks to the good shape he kept his body in.

When Tamayo Katsunuma collapsed, he was fast enough to instantly catch her.

"Oh no! Did she have a heart attack?! Did we kill her?!" Tohru exclaimed, her eyes big and her expression panicked.

Kisa and Hiro wasted no time in acting; the former having already completed her first year in college for her future career as a nurse and the latter had already learned quite a lot about human health from both his studies and from being mentored by Hatori.

"She just fainted, Nee-chan! It's all right." Kisa assured Tohru as she got in front of her, grabbing her hands to calm her down.

"Uotani, help Kyo get her lying down on a futon or something flat, right away!" Hiro ordered, "Momiji, Saki, find the kitchen and see if she has a bottle of water in the fridge!"

None of them argued with the youngest ex-Zodiac. Arisa carefully took hold of the older woman's left arm and got it around her shoulder while Kyo held onto the right side, taking the lead. As they carried the unconscious woman into her front hall, Kyo heard the all-too-familiar sound of a cat's warning growl.

They glanced over and saw a Tonkinese cat standing at the hall's corner, its back raised and its eyes alert as it growled at them, obviously not trusting the strangers with its owner.

"Too bad you can't speak to 'em anymore." Arisa quipped before they made a gamble on the open room on the right hand side of the hall, which was directly across from several hallway closets that were fronted by mirrors.

Luckily, their gambit paid off as they found themselves in the living room with a rather nice sofa, which the two carefully set the older woman onto.

Tohru and the others carefully went inside, the cat eyeing them suspiciously as the brunette picked up her grandmother's phone.

"Don't worry! We aren't going to harm you or Grandmother!" Tohru told the cat, hoping it would understand her, before she followed Kisa and Hiro into the living room.

Momiji and Saki could tell that they had no other way to get to the rest of the house than past the cat, which wouldn't take its eyes off of them. Suddenly a kitten came from behind it, curious as to what was going on, but the second it laid eyes on the strangers it pivoted and ran away, its mother following to make sure the intruders didn't harm her kittens.

"Well, good thing she doesn't have a dog," Momiji joked as he followed Saki in searching for the kitchen.

Yuki stood on the brick step outside the door and looked around to see if there were any witnesses he'd have to assure that they meant the widow no harm. Once he was certain they hadn't been noticed, he and Machi went inside and gently closed the door.

In the living room, Hiro lifted Tamayo's feet up to the sofa's armrest, accidentally knocking over a picture frame in the process, while Kisa leaned down to place her ear on Tamayo's chest, listening carefully. "Her heartbeat is good and her breathing is normal." She reported.

"That's good. As long as she wakes up in the next minute or two, she'll be okay." Hiro said as he looked her over just to ensure there weren't any injuries, removing her spade and placing it on the side table. He looked up at Tohru and managed to give her the most reassuring smile he could, "She's going to be all right, Tohru."

Tohru breathed a sigh of relief, clutching her hands to her chest to calm her heart's rapid beating. Kyo got behind her, wrapping his arms around his fiancé to comfort her and she wordlessly accepted his embrace, leaning into him as Yuki and Machi stood in the doorway and watched.

"What a relief," Machi said, running a hand through her hair.

Yuki nodded, mentally scolding himself for not warning the widow, "I suppose I should have told her who wanted to see her. I should've known that seeing her grandchild for the first time was going to be quite a shock." He said as Kyo gave him a look.

"Why didn't you?" He asked.

"Uh…maybe I wanted to surprise her?" Yuki admitted sheepishly before face palming. Truth be told his mind was so preoccupied with Machi he hadn't properly thought things through like he normally would.

Tamayo let out a soft groan and began to move her head, lifting up a hand to her face.

"She's coming around, which means we won't have to make a trip to the hospital." Hiro said as he stood up.

Kyo released Tohru as she knelt down next to her grandmother, Kisa right beside her just to be safe.

Saki came into the room, a bottle of water in her hand while Momiji came to a stop in the doorway alongside Yuki and Machi so as not to crowd around the old woman.

Tamayo's head turned as she opened her eyes, only to be met with Tohru's own pair.

Eyes that were so much like her daughter's.

"Ky… To-Tohru?"

She nodded and answered in a very delicate voice "Y-yes. It's me, Oba-chan."

She looked at Tohru in disbelief.

It was really her.

Tamayo moved to sit up, only to be alerted to Kisa's presence by the golden haired girl putting a gentle hand on her shoulder.

"You shouldn't sit up yet, Katsunuma-san. I'm sorry, but after fainting you should remain lying down for at least ten minutes," Kisa advised her as politely as possible.

Tamayo nodded and allowed her head to rest on a pillow as Saki loomed over them, unscrewing the bottle's cap. "Would you like some water, ma'am?" She asked as she carefully handed it to Tohru.

She nodded and leaned her head up as she accepted the bottle from her granddaughter.

Her granddaughter was here.

Hands trembling slightly, she sucked the water from the bottle before laying her head back down and surveying the odd assortment of guests. The tall girl with blonde hair had turned her back to them and was surveying the pictures hanging on the wall, seeming particularly fascinated with the pictures of Kyoko. The girl with black hair who had given her water was glancing down at her with an unreadable expression, the golden haired girl seemed quite concerned, the brown haired boy looked either awkward or anxious, or maybe both. She could tell there were others just outside in the hall.

And now that she had a better look at the orange-haired young man, something about him was vaguely familiar. Maddeningly so; his face, his eyes, his hair… Had she seen him before somewhere?

"Wh-who are these people?"

"Forgive me, Oba-chan, these are some of my dearest friends. They insisted on coming with me," Tohru explained.

"We didn't know what your temperament would be, so we all decided we wanted to be here to support Tohru-kun." Saki stated.

"Yes," Tohru confirmed with a nod, "This is Saki Hanajima, one of my closest friends."

"It's a pleasure to meet you at last, Katsunuma-san." Saki said, bowing respectfully. She could sense the incredible surprise and confusion that was surging through Tamayo's mind, but knew it would soon settle down.

Tohru pointed at Arisa, who had turned to face the older woman with an unreadable expression on her face, "And that's Arisa Uotani. She's my other best friend, the one I've had the longest."

"Uh, hey. Nice to meet ya. Heard about you and your husband from Kyoko before she…well, you know what happened," Uotani said, and the older woman gravely nodded, "Yeah, I wanted to be here for Tohru. Just in case she needed me, you know?"

Tamayo could tell what the blonde meant by that. If Kyoko had told Tohru's friends about how she and Yukichi had treated her, it was no wonder so many had accompanied her.

Kisa bowed to her, "I am Kisa Sohma, I'm also here to support Tohru-Nee-chan. I'm also training to become a nurse, so I can tell that you should recover from fainting without any problems."

"Thank you, dear. I take it you and Tohru are close?" Tamayo asked.

The golden haired girl nodded, "Yes! She's like a big sister to me," She said before gesturing to Hiro, "And that's my boyfriend, Hiro Sohma, he's studying to become a doctor and he helped make sure you were unharmed."

"Thank you both." Tamayo said.

Hiro smiled at Kisa before he replied, "Think nothing of it, Katsunuma-san. I suppose it's lucky we came."

"You already know Yuki-kun," Tohru said as Yuki, Machi and Momiji walked into the room so she could see them.

"I'm sorry, Katsunuma-san, I should've given you more of a warning about who wanted to visit you." Yuki said, bowing apologetically.

"It's all right," Tamayo assured him.

He nodded, grateful she wasn't angry at him, as he had been worried he might have jeopardized Tohru's reunion. "Thank you. This is my girlfriend Machi Kuragi."

Machi bowed, "Hello. To be honest my presence here isn't necessary, but I wanted to support Tohru-san after all she's done for Yuki and the others. I owe her a lot."

Tohru smiled at her before gesturing to Momiji, "This is Momiji Sohma."

"Hello, it's an honor to meet you, madam," The ex-Rabbit said as he bowed to her, "I hope you're feeling all right. Also, it seems we gave your cats a bit of a scare, sorry about that."

"Given the circumstances it's understandable," Tamayo said before she glanced at Kyo. "And who is this?"

Try as she might, she still couldn't figure out where she had seen him before.

"I'm Kyo Sohma," He introduced, "I'm Tohru's…well, I'm her fiancé."

Tamayo's eyes widened. Had it really been that long? Of course it had. So many years she could have spent with her granddaughter, gone. And that name; Kyo Sohma. She knew that name but how could it be possible?

Having sensed her 'waves' Saki glanced at Kyo, wondering just how the old woman was familiar with Tohru's beloved, as he seemed to not recognize her at all.

"M-my God, you're really here. Wha-what are you doing here?" She asked her granddaughter.

"I-I wanted to see you, especially after my cousin was able to find out that Ojii-san passed away." Tohru told her carefully

"But why?" Tamayo asked, utterly confused, "Don't you know how we treated your mother? That we neglected and disowned her? Abandoned you?"

Tohru glanced down, her hands steepled tightly together in her lap, "Yes, mom told me about all that."

"Then why on Earth would you ever want to see me?" The older woman questioned.

"It's because Kyo-kun and I just moved back to Tokyo after living at a town by the sea for several years and since we're getting married, I decided I wanted to try and find my mother's parents and give them a chance to be a part of my life. I'm so sorry I didn't try to find you sooner, then maybe I would have had a chance to meet my grandfather," Tohru told her, her voice getting emotional. Tears formed in her eyes as she managed to say "I wanted to give you a chance. I want you to come to my wedding. And I'd like to talk about my mom…"

Tamayo sighed and closed her eyes. "You shouldn't have come, Tohru. I don't deserve to be a part of your life. You deserve a far better grandmother than me."

"No, I deserved to have you in my life sooner," Tohru told her as firmly as she could, her voice trembling ever-so-slightly as she did her best to stay strong. It was easy for Tohru as she felt Kyo's hand on her shoulder. Easy because she knew the people she loved were there for her.

"How could you say that?" Tamayo asked as she turned her head to face Tohru, "How can I accept your offer after the pain we caused Kyoko, that we caused you? You were orphaned and we didn't even come to Kyoko's funeral! If I was any sort of grandmother I would've been there for you; holding you in my arms, crying and mourning with you. We should have taken you in! Instead we just abandoned you. Like we did Kyoko."

"Ma'am, if you had, all of our lives would be very different from what they are now, and not in a good way." Momiji said in a firm voice.

Tohru nodded and said "Momiji-kun's right. I never would have met him, Kyo-kun, Kisa-chan and so many others that I'm happy to consider my friends and family. Yuki-kun would have remained just another boy in my class."

"We'd all be far worse off," Hiro spoke up, "We can't emphasize enough how much Tohru has changed our lives for the better. Every person who came with her owes her something, and we're not even a third of the people whose lives are better for Tohru being there."

"Yeah, so just know that some good came from kicking Kyoko out." Arisa spoke up, "Y'see, my mom left when I was very young and my dad was a drunk. I fell in with a bad crowd and I started hearin' stories about the Crimson Butterfly. She was a legend to punks like me, I idolized her! I heard from one of the other girls that she had a daughter at the school I sometimes bothered to attend, so I met Tohru and she introduced me to Kyoko…"

Arisa paused as she sat down in a chair and continued, "And I was disappointed; the Crimson Butterfly wasn't some ass-kicking biker gang leader. She was an adoring, hard working single mom who loved her daughter more than anything. I tried to get away but I learned that Tohru doesn't give up easily, even if someone's a total bitch to her. The more time I spent with them, the more I felt like I didn't deserve to be their friend if I remained a punk. I quit and…well, you probably know what a gang does when you tell 'em you want out."

Tamayo nodded in confirmation, she remembered that mere days before Yukichi kicked Kyoko out, she had tried to leave her gang and had been brutally beaten as a result.

"One of the girls turned out to be decent and told Kyoko I needed help. For just one night, the Crimson Butterfly was back," Arisa wiped tears from her eyes, blushing as she hated letting others see her cry, "I-I'd probably be dead if it weren't for Kyoko. Your daughter saved my life."

Tamayo covered her mouth as tears formed in her eyes, she just barely managed to repress a sob as Saki went over to embrace her friend.

"I owe Tohru-kun and your daughter as well, Katsunuma-san," The black-haired woman voiced, "I doubt you'll believe me, but I have a special ability; I can sense how people feel, what they're thinking. Because of this I was a complete outcast and didn't have any friends growing up. Though my family loved me, other children were either scared of me or bullied me, calling me a witch."

She proceeded to tell her about the cruel boy who forced her to eat a live newt, how she became so angry that her powers lashed out and he collapsed. How she had felt so guilty and afraid of being punished that she began avoiding everyone outside of her family. Even when more daring bullies did horrible things to her, she did nothing to retaliate because she didn't want to be a monster.

"Eventually my family moved across the city and I attended Kaibara High where I met two of the most important people in my life. Tohru-kun was helping serve lunch and because I was new she gave me extra food. I tried to keep my distance, but Tohru-kun could tell I was lonely, so she didn't let up. Before I knew it, I had real friends for the first time in my life. However, the rumors caught up with me and began circulating throughout school.

"I was so afraid that I ran, but Tohru-kun and Uo-chan gave chase. They caught up with me and assured me they didn't care about rumors or if I was weird. They just wanted to keep being my friends. Because of them my life is significantly brighter than what it once was." She finished, looking up at the older woman and adding "I have your granddaughter to thank for the life I have now. Had you not kicked Kyoko-san out, perhaps I would have…fallen."

Tamayo shuddered as she understood the hidden meaning behind the younger woman's words.

"We're not exaggerating any of this. Kyoko and Tohru saved us. Hell, if it weren't for Tohru I wouldn't have my fiancé Kureno-kun," Arisa voiced before she looked at Tamayo and added "We swore on Kyoko's graves that we'd take care of Tohru and that's part of the reason we came today. So yeah, kicking her out was really shitty of you and your husband, but if you hadn't we probably wouldn't be alive right now! So find some solace in the fact that at least something good came out of it!"

"More than just some, Arisa-san," Yuki spoke up, "Every single person in this room owes Tohru a lot, that's why we're here for her today."

Tamayo nodded but said "Be that as it may, I still don't understand why you'd ever want to give me a chance. I'm thankful that good things came about as a result of our cruelty, but that doesn't excuse my failings as a parent. Kyoko must have hated us. Yukichi even refused to help her after Katsuya-san passed away and I did nothing to challenge him on that."

"That was bad," Tohru admitted, "But that doesn't mean you can't make up for it."

She gently took hold of one of her grandmother's hands and said "I can tell you feel very bad about what happened. You really regret it and wish so much you could go back and do things differently. Do better. If you want to make up for your mistakes, please let me help you. Let me be more than your granddaughter, let me be your friend. Please?"

"Bu-but…"

"But nothing," Kyo said, "Look, we all know people who have screwed up. People who've done horrible things but…Tohru's done her best to help them. By doing that, she's helped us all become better people. I wasn't exactly a good person before I met her, I hated who and what I was. Tohru helped me get past that. I owe her my life."

"Yes, considering that we're now on good terms with certain members of the Sohma Clan that we once hated or lived in fear of, we'd be very hypocritical if we didn't offer you a chance to redeem yourself." Yuki told her.

Tamayo looked at him before turning her head to look up at the ceiling, "I don't deserve redemption. I was so concerned about what others thought of us, so worried about our social standing and being proper that I neglected Kyoko. Naturally, she resented us and our values, our behavior, and before I knew it, my little girl had fallen in with a bad crowd. The Kyoko I thought I knew was gone and her place was a violent delinquent. I wasn't ashamed of myself or sad for her, I was ashamed of her, sad she wasn't who I wanted her to be. More scared that my husband would be angry with me for letting her become a 'disgrace'. When I asked her to tell me how she turned out that way…I'll never forget her response…" She struggled to say it.

Those words still hurt so much all these years later.

"She said 'In that case, you never should have had me. I never asked to be born!'" Tohru said, tears still welling in her eyes, "Mom told me about that. She remembered every word. She really regretted it."

"Sh-she did?" Tamayo asked, her eyes widening as tears began flowing freely.

Tohru nodded solemnly, "She said that when she found out she was pregnant with me, she…freaked out. She was scared of failing me, of not being good enough for me…that's when she understood how horrible her words were. She said she always wondered how shattered you must have been to hear her say something like that."

Tohru pressed her grandmother's hand against her face, "She was so ashamed, she wanted so badly to take back what she had said to you. She told me that my dad managed to calm her down by explaining she'd be a great mom, one who understood that her child was going to be an individual. He told her how they'd do things right, that they were going to learn from the mistakes that their own parents had made. They were gonna hug me, hold me, be patient with me, apologize if they let their feelings get the best of them. And you know what? He was right."

She looked up at her grandmother with a smile, "They were the best parents I could have asked for, even if I lost my dad when I was really little. When I was ten, I saw a movie about a family reconciling and I asked her if she could try to make up with you and Ojii-san. She said she wanted to, but she just couldn't bring herself to try. She was so ashamed of what she had done and so afraid of you and Ojii-san hating her. She suffered a lot when my dad died, so I don't think she wanted to risk further heartache, but believe me when I say she really wanted to fix things. That's one of the reasons I'm here.

"And besides…if you and Ojii-san hadn't made your mistakes, then I would never have been born. I know it sounds awful, but thank you for making mistakes, Oba-chan."

Tamayo couldn't help herself. She allowed her legs to slide off the sofa and threw herself forward, capturing Tohru in a desperate hug as she sobbed.

All Tohru could do was hug her back, managing a smile as she let her own tears stream out.

"Thank you…thank you so much…I'm sorry…I'm so sorry…" Tamayo told her.

"It's okay, Oba-chan. Everything's okay now." Tohru whispered, just as Kyo knelt down and gently took them both into his arms.

"I'm so proud of you." He whispered to Tohru kissing her temple as Kisa joined them, offering the pair all the comfort she could give.

"We all are." Yuki said as he joined the hug.

Saki, Arisa and Momiji couldn't help themselves and joined as well, forming a warm cocoon of bodies, giving Tamayo more comfort and happiness than she had felt in decades.

Machi and Hiro stood to the side, just watching the group, their hearts very warmed by the sight.

"I doubt this could've gone any better." Hiro whispered to Machi.

She smirked and muttered "We could've done without the fainting."

One by one the others pulled away, leaving the granddaughter to hold and comfort her grandmother.

Having planned ahead, Momiji pulled out some tissues from his pocket, which he kept on hand for his mother, and handed them to Tohru, who smiled gratefully at him and offered them to her grandmother.

"Let's give them some room," Yuki suggested.

"May we go see your back garden?" Kisa asked.

Tamayo nodded her permission, and so everyone save Kyo departed the room. Kyo never liked being apart from Tohru, and seeing her so emotional made it nearly impossible for him to leave her.

Tohru helped her grandmother back onto the sofa. "Are you all right?" She asked.

The widow nodded her head, "Yes, yes I'm all right. Just overwhelmed. I never dared dream something like this would happen. I thought that…that you'd hate me." She said.

Kyo smirked as he sat down on the chair that was directly across the sofa, "Trust me, lady. Tohru doesn't even know how to hate."

Tamayo chuckled, "I hope you're right, Kyo-san."

Tohru smiled until, out of the corner of her eye, she noticed a photo of her mother as a child. She turned to look at the framed picture hanging on the wall, which showed Kyoko at the age of four or five riding a bike without training wheels for the first time. The origins of the Crimson Butterfly.

"You have photos of my mom?" Tohru asked in surprise, "I expected Ojii-san would have gotten rid of them."

"He just hid them away in the back of a closet," Tamayo told her, "We have a lot of photos, some good memories but…once she becomes ten you can tell her smiles aren't genuine. We became too fixated on other things when we should have focused on her. We allowed ourselves to drift apart. Didn't eat together, rarely went anywhere…though now I know some wonderful things came about as a result of our neglect, I still wish I could've healed our relationship. God, when Yukichi told me she was dead I thought I'd die."

Tohru was silent for a moment before asking "What happened?"

Tamayo took a deep breath to brace herself, "Yukichi told me that Honda-san had called to tell us about the accident."

Kyo stiffened.

"I broke down. I cried for hours, completely hysterical. I was so out of my mind with grief that Yukichi had to give me a sedative. For two weeks I was a shell of a human being; I barely ate, hardly got out of bed, didn't say more than a few words a day. I seriously contemplated divorcing Yukichi, I blamed him for everything. Him and his dogmatic way of categorizing people as either 'Needed' or 'Not Needed'...but the truth was that, deep down, he was drowning in regret." Tamayo told them.

Kyo placed his hands behind his head, so the women wouldn't see them clenching tightly. "He really regretted disowning Kyoko?"

Tamayo nodded, "I know it sounds hard to believe, but he truly felt awful. He did his best to hide it from everyone, even me. A few weeks after Kyoko's death, I received a surprise call from one of Yukichi's underlings at the office. He asked if there had been a tragedy in the family, because several of the other office workers had noticed a hollow look in his eyes, some had even claimed to overhear him quietly weeping in a bathroom stall."

Tohru's heart ached for her dead grandfather. It was a relief to know that under his hard, cold exterior he did care about his daughter, but heartbreaking that had never been able to reconnect with her.

"When he came home that evening, I confronted him about it. He tried to deny it, but somehow I found the courage or the anger to keep pressing him until he admitted it. He confessed that he regretted disowning Kyoko, letting Katsuya-san take her away." Tamayo said.

"Then why'd he do it? Why not try to patch things up?" Kyo asked.

"He wanted to punish her for all the trouble she'd caused us. He knew how horribly her words had hurt me and wanted to teach her her 'proper place'. He said he always believed she'd come crawling back one day, getting on her knees and begging for our forgiveness and help. He planned for that to happen and then she'd be allowed back into the family, the way he coldly shunned her after Katsuya-san died was another ploy to push her into submission.

"But…the more time went by and she didn't come back, the more wounded his pride became. I wonder if Kyoko had inherited his damn stubbornness, saw right through his plans and refused to give in." Tamayo mused, earning a very bittersweet smile from Tohru.

Kyo let out a sad sigh, that stubbornness had caused a lot of pain…yet perhaps Tohru had also inherited some of that from the old man. Her heart was simply better than his.

Sighing ruefully, Tamayo looked around at the few pictures of her daughter and said "Sometimes a few of my friends had mentioned they'd spotted Kyoko around town, holding hands with the most precious little girl. Looking tired, but very happy. For years I wanted to be with you, but Yukichi refused to let me. He just couldn't admit defeat, his pride wouldn't allow it."

Tamayo let out a shuddering sigh as fresh tears fell from her eyes, "His damn pride cost us both the chance to ever see or speak to Kyoko again. I wanted so badly to come to her funeral, but I just couldn't. Neither of us could."

"Why?" Tohru asked softly.

"How could we go to pay our respects to her when we showed her none when she was alive? Neither of us could bear to face you, knowing what we had done to both of you. We were so afraid you'd hate us. You have no idea how relieved I am that you're here, and that you don't hate me." Tamayo explained, letting out another heavy sigh.

Tohru gently placed an arm around her grandmother and brought her in so she could lean against her.

"At least you know that now, Oba-chan. I'm just sad Ojii-san died believing that," Tohru said, glancing over at another photo that showed Yukichi and Tamayo on a beach when they were a young couple, "I wish he could have at least seen me."

"Well…he did," Tamayo admitted. She glanced over at the small side table and noticed the photo that Hiro had knocked over was the one she was looking for. She picked it up and showed it to Tohru.

"Kyoko and Katsuya-san sent this not long after you were born. It's one of my most precious treasures." She told her.

Tohru's eyes widened as she took in the photograph; it showed Katsuya sitting on the engawa of Grandpa Honda's home with Kyoko sitting in his lap, and cradled in her arms was an adorable baby girl with big brown eyes.

Tohru knew this picture, Grandpa Honda had taken it and kept a framed print of it in his home. She never knew that there was a copy of it.

"They intended it to be an olive branch between us, but Yukichi wouldn't accept it," Tamayo explained, "He didn't have it in him to throw it away or destroy it, so he hid it from me. For years he kept it at the bottom of his desk's drawer until the night I forced him to tell me his true feelings about Kyoko's death. I slapped him so hard he had a bruise for a week."

Kyo couldn't help but chuckle, Tohru gave him a look but couldn't really begrudge him. Her late grandfather did seem like a really difficult man, but not an evil one.

"How did Ojii-san die?" Tohru asked, hoping it hadn't been a painful death.

"He was a hard-working man and sadly his philosophy of categorizing people as those who are needed and those who aren't stayed with him as his retirement loomed. He worked himself so hard he developed heart problems not long after we forced Kyoko out. I think the idea of becoming one of those 'useless old timers', as he put it, scared him into overworking himself. Eventually it caught up with just before he had to retire," Tamayo explained.

"I'm so sorry for your loss." Tohru told her.

"Thank you. I was with Yukichi in the hospital when he died," Tamayo revealed, "He told me how sorry he was for how badly he had treated me. How much he regretted casting Kyoko out of our lives. Damning himself for all the horrible things he had done. In his last moments, he just closed his eyes and began calling out for Kyoko. Begging for her forgiveness."

"Oba-chan, if its any consolation, I know that mom would have forgiven him and you too." Tohru told her as she gently held her just a little tighter.

"Th-thank you, Tohru-chan. Ma-may I call you that?"

Tohru gave her a smile, "Of course, Oba-chan."

Tamayo wiped her eyes with the tissues as she turned and embraced Tohru again, who didn't hesitate to return the affection.

Shiro slowly came into the living room, carefully surveying the strangers but was no longer growling as she could tell her owner wasn't in danger.

"Hello!" Said Tohru, smiling at the cat, "I'm very sorry if we scared you earlier."

Tamayo pulled away and smiled, beckoning Shiro to come to her. Shiro came over, leaping into Tamayo's lap as Tohru carefully offered her hand for the cat to smell.

"This is Shiro, I found her injured on the streets a few years ago and took her in. I really needed the company, even if she went off and got pregnant while I wasn't looking," Tamayo said with a laugh as Shiro allowed Tohru to pet her.

"Cats can be a bit of a handful," Kyo agreed, remembering how many cats had flocked to him before the Curse broke, with more than a few female cats wanting him for a mate.

"Do you like cats?" Tamayo inquired.

"Eh, they're all right." Kyo said, shooting Tohru a wry smirk. In return she gave Kyo a loving smile, once again effortlessly melting his heart. Tamayo saw the adoring look in his eyes; one would have to be a complete fool to not see how utterly in love the two were.

Tohru's answer, however, was much more enthusiastic, "I love cats! In fact, when mom told me the old fable about the Zodiac Cat, I wanted my Zodiac sign to be the Cat."

Tamayo chuckled, "I remember telling that story to Kyoko when she was very young. I'm glad I had some positive influence on her."

"Well, now that we've found out your story, would you like to hear about how I came to be with the Sohmas?" Tohru offered.

"I'd like that very much." Tamayo said with a smile before she stood up with Tohru, ready to rejoin the others, Shiro leaping off her lap and then rubbing against Tohru's bare leg, invoking a giggle from the brunette.

As they moved to the back of the house, Tamayo glanced at Kyo; why couldn't she shake the feeling she'd seen him before?

And before you know it, you'll hear someone say

"That'll do, babe. That'll do."

Chapter Text

A Kind and Steady Heart is sure to see you through

Tohru and Kyo followed Tamayo, with Shiro walking alongside, through the house and to the kitchen, which led to the porch and garden. The grandmother and granddaughter couldn't help but smile as they saw that Kisa, Saki and Momiji had managed to temp the kittens Ume, Chobi and Fuku out of hiding and they were gently petting and playing with the small animals. Shiro made no attempt to stop them, but began prowling around, carefully sniffing each one of the visitors just to be on the safe.

"Hello, I take it everything's all right?" Yuki said as Shiro 'inspected' him. Before the Curse lifted, Yuki didn't exactly have a good relationship with cats. Kyo and the Cat Spirit aside, if they got too close to his face they could upset his asthma, but the real problem was that they could sense his Zodiac side and would chase him, hoping to catch the wild rats he tended to attract, and Yuki always felt very guilty if a rat was killed because of him. Now that the Rat Spirit was gone, however, he had no problem with cats, as long as they didn't trigger any asthma attacks.

"Everything's wonderful, Yuki-kun! We talked to Oba-chan and welcomed her into the family!" Tohru told him.

"Great news, Tohru!" Voiced Arisa.

"We're very happy for you!" Chirped Kisa as she sat on the porch, petting Fuku, who sat contently in her lap. "Also, you have a lovely garden, Katsunuma-san."

"Thank you dear," Tamayo replied.

"She also wants to hear our story, and since you were actually the first to meet me, Yuki-kun, it's probably best for you to start us off." Tohru told him.

Yuki nodded as Tamayo sat down in her porch's Adirondack chair. "Katsunuma-san, what we've told you so far is just the beginning. Fair warning, there are many parts you may not believe." He told her.

"Before today, I would've found old yokai tales and ghost stories more believable than the idea that my granddaughter would show up on my doorstep wanting me to be a part of her life," Tamayo said as she leaned back in the chair, "I'd love to hear how she helped you and how you all came to love her so much."

Tohru, Kisa, Machi, Saki and Momiji all sat on the porch while Yuki, Kyo, Arisa and Hiro remained standing. While Fuku purred atop Kisa's lap, Saki found that Chobi was quite taken with her, rubbing against her thigh, so she reached down to gently scratch his cheek until he climbed up onto her and nuzzled against her hands. Curious, Ume approached Tohru and smelled her, she picked up Tamayo's scent on Tohru, which told the kitten that the brunette was trustworthy, so she climbed up to her lap. With a soft giggle, Tohru began petting the kitten, which practically melted into Tohru's gentle hands.

Yuki began, "After the accident that took your daughter's life, Tohru lived with her grandfather for a while, but when his home needed renovations, he went to stay with his daughter but Tohru decided to live in a tent in the woods, unknowingly squatting on Sohma property."

Tohru explained and justified to her grandmother her less-than-positive relationships with the other Hondas at the time, due to their past dislike of Kyoko and the bitterness they felt over Katsuya's death, and how she had kept the truth from her friends because she didn't want to impose on their families. Tamayo briefly felt angry at the Hondas, but she couldn't really blame them. After all, how had she and Yukichi been any better?

Yuki continued telling the story, "And so, given how destroyed Tohru's tent was, her sad situation and the rather sorry state Shigure kept the house in, we decided to let her stay with us as a live-in maid and chef."

Tamayo looked at Tohru incredulously, "You agreed to live with a man and a boy who were practically strangers and clean up after them?"

"Well, yes, but it was never an ordeal! I've always enjoyed working and cooking, so while it was odd I decided it was probably my best option!" Tohru said, getting a little nervous as she kept petting Ume.

Kyo decided to come to her rescue by interjecting, "Well, this is where I enter the story. Y'see, at the time Yuki and I didn't get along, a lot of us Sohmas were at odds back then. When they showed Tohru her room I sorta…crashed through the ceiling and tried to beat the hell out of Yuki." He confessed.

Tamayo stared blankly at him before asking "Are you insane?"

Momiji, Arisa and Machi stifled their laughter and Hiro turned away to hide a smirk while Yuki shook his head, "Not insane, ma'am. He was just…a bit stupid."

To Yuki's surprise, Kyo didn't object to that.

"He's calmed down a lot since then!" Tohru assured her, "He doesn't try to fight anyone unless its at the dojo! He's a very talented martial artist and wouldn't dream of doing stunts like that now!"

Tamayo still gave them an odd look but simply nodded. Who was she to judge who Tohru spent her life with? Plus, it was obvious the young man had calmed down considerably and he obviously cared about Tohru very much, she could tell by looking into those orange eyes. Why did they look so familiar?

Tohru, Kyo and Yuki shared a knowing look with each other, as well as Momiji, Kisa and Hiro before Kyo sighed.

"You're not gonna believe this next part, but it's true," Kyo said, "Before I could land a punch, Tohru tried to stop me and tripped over some debris, she fell into me and…she found out the truth."

"The truth?" Tamayo echoed, confused.

"Oba-chan, that story about the Zodiac? It's not entirely a myth." Tohru told her.

"Excuse me?"

"Katsunuma-san; when Tohru fell against Kyo, she discovered the secret the Sohma Clan had been hiding from the world for generations," Yike said, "We were under a Curse of the Zodiac. Kyo, Momiji, Kisa, Hiro and myself were five of the fourteen members of the family who were possessed by a Zodiac Spirit. If we embraced someone of the opposite gender who wasn't also part of the Zodiac, we'd transform into the animals of the Zodiac."

"Ma'am, I know this must sound like a fairy tale or like we're trying to play a joke on you, but I promise you that it's all true." Kisa told her.

"We're being completely honest with you, Oba-chan. I fell on Kyo-kun and the next thing I knew, he was gone in a puff of smoke and in his place was an orange cat." Tohru confessed.

An orange cat? Puff of smoke?

No. It couldn't possibly...

Tamayo looked around at the nine unexpected visitors and saw no sign of deception in their eyes. Every one of them seemed to believe it.

"You're all insane." She said.

"None of us can blame you for thinking that, but it is the truth," Yuki said, "I turned into a Rat."

"And I was the Cat. The outcast." Kyo stated, crossing his arms.

Momiji, Kisa and Hiro all told her their animals and explained who the others affected by the Zodiac Curse were, right down to Akito.

Tamayo looked down at her feet as she struggled to come up with words to express herself. "This is…this is-"

"Unbelievable? Absurd? Couldn't possibly be true?" Machi said as she took the older woman's left hand into hers while her other hand stroked Shiro, who was now laying by Tamayo's feet, "I know the feeling, Katsunuma-san, I myself only learned the truth from Yuki last night."

"Why do you believe it, Kuragi-san?" The widow inquired.

"Because I know Yuki well enough to know that he'd never lie about something like this, nor would Tohru or any of the others. It wasn't easy for him to tell me, he was a little worried it would ruin our relationship. He only told me because he wanted to be completely honest with me about himself so he could propose. Which I accepted," She showed Tamayo her ring before adding "You have no reason to believe me, I'm a complete stranger who came in with a bunch of other complete strangers, but I assure you they're not lying."

Tohru gave Machi a very grateful look as Tamayo lay back in her chair, looking at them all before finally replying "Well, congratulations on your engagement, my dear, but can you prove any of this?"

"I'm afraid we can't," Yuki admitted, "The Curse broke nearly five years ago. While it had been weakening over time, I can say with absolute certainty that we mostly owe our freedom to Tohru."

"Plus a lot of other things." Kyo added.

Tamayo's face became unreadable, "So you expect me to believe this wild fantasy all on your word?"

"On your granddaughter's word," Hiro said, sounding more stern than he meant to, "Obviously it's a very hard pill to swallow, but it's all true. Shigure manipulated many people to break the Curse, but his plans never would have worked had it not been for Tohru-san. After all these years of never seeing your granddaughter, of not challenging your husband, the least you can do is believe this!"

"Hiro-kun!" Kisa scolded.

Hiro couldn't stand seeing the disapproving look on his beloved's face, so he took a breath and turned away, "I'm sorry. I don't mean to be rude, it's just… For the first twelve years of my life, my mom couldn't hug me without me turning into a Ram. She liked sheep, so in the privacy of our own home she'd hug me whenever she wanted, but she could never publicly show how much she loved me."

He went onto explain how for the first few days of his little sister's life, he couldn't hold her due to the Curse. Then, on that fateful night his Curse broke, he was able to embrace his baby sister, savoring the feeling of hugging someone he loved besides Kisa.

"Now I can hug my mom and Hinata anytime I want, and I mainly have Tohru to thank for that." He finished as he turned around to face them.

Tohru gave Hiro a very happy look, he had told her before how grateful he was for all she had done for them, but he hadn't been so emotional about it.

Kisa's expression had softened and was now one of gentle, proud, loving smile as she scratched Fuku's chin and said "Ma'am, I'm afraid our lives weren't all that happy before we met Tohru. Some of us had it worse than others," She glanced at Kyo, Yuki and Momiji, before adding "But we all were subjugated by our 'God', Akito Sohma."

Tamayo didn't think she could get anymore startled, "I-I've read about your Family's reclusive head, there are a lot of rumors about her, especially when that controversy about her true gender broke out."

"Yes, that was part of the reason why she used to be…" Yuki trailed off.

"An abusive monster," Kyo said bluntly, "I won't sugarcoat it, she was probably the cruelest 'God' there ever was, though I doubt those who came before her were much better. She was gonna lock me away once I graduated high school…"

"You see, the Cat had a certain stigma about it," Yuki said, noticing Tamayo's shock and confusion, "Those possessed by the Cat Spirit had to wear Juzu beads or they would transform into a hideous beast."

Juzu beads?!

Astonished, Tamayo looked at Kyo, who had turned away to look at her garden, but his stiff body language made it clear this wasn't a comfortable subject for him.

'No…he couldn't be…this can't be true. Could it?' She thought before asking "W-why did the Cat Spirit transform into a beast?"

"We used to believe it was because of the Cat's rage over being left out of the Zodiac due to the Rat's trickery," Momiji explained, before filling her in on the truth of the Zodiac legend, why the Cat was left out and what the hatred of the other animals did to it. Explaining that those who carried the Cat Spirit were the pariahs of the Sohma Clan, treated horribly and imprisoned for the crime of simply existing.

"Now that Curse is gone, most of the Clan treat him well, but there are still those who glare at him with suspicion. His own father hates him to this day," Yuki elaborated, "Akito couldn't transform like the rest of us, but she held power over us; we couldn't disobey her, even if we tried our hardest we'd still do whatever she told us to do."

"But, like they said, the Curse was fading," Arisa spoke up, "My fiancé, Kureno-kun, was the first one whose Curse broke. Y'see, Akito was already in a bad place because her mom forced her to pretend to be a boy and then her father passed away. Akito just lost it, she thought her only purpose in life was to be the 'God' of the Zodiac and knowing it wouldn't last sent her over the edge."

Yuki nodded and resumed, "She begged Kureno to never tell the rest of us that the Curse was breaking, the death of her father made her terrified of being abandoned. Kureno's a bit like Tohru, so he faithfully stayed by Akito's side, even though she isolated him from the rest of us and his own parents. Her fear of losing control over us drove her to do horrible things; she'd torture us both mentally and psychically. Isuzu nearly died twice as a result and I myself became a favorite plaything of hers for years."

Yuki briefly shuddered as he recalled those traumatic experiences, prompting Machi to stand up and hug him. Yuki's shudder, expression and the haunted look in his eyes were so real Tamayo knew right away that he wasn't lying.

"I don't understand…" Tamayo said, shaking her head, "If Akito-san did such awful things why not report her to the police?"

Kyo then pointed out that revealing the Curse to the public would have many negative repercussions for the entire Sohma Family, especially those affected by the Curse. "It was never easy, but we had to bear it for the entire clan. She wasn't that abusive to everyone, but when you got her angry…it wasn't pretty." He told her.

"She was very possessive of the boys," Kisa said, she then told the old woman what Akito had done to Hatori, Isuzu and how she herself had suffered a horrible beating from Akito that put her in the hospital simply because Hiro loved her.

Tamayo was horrified, covering her mouth as she muttered "Dear God…"

"She's the reason I attacked Yuki that day. She made a deal with me; if I could defeat Yuki in a fight before graduation, she wouldn't imprison me. Funny thing is, I never did." Kyo admitted, letting himself smile.

"You probably could quite easily now, if I'm being honest," Yuki said, smiling as well, "I don't have the Rat's instincts anymore and it's been quite a while since I sparred with anyone."

Kyo chuckled before looking down at Tamayo and saying "I eventually decided to stop fighting Yuki because it upset Tohru. I didn't want to admit it to anyone or even myself, but I had totally fallen in love with her."

Tohru smiled at him, the love she felt for him practically glowing in her beautiful eyes.

"You were willing to throw away a chance to escape imprisonment, just to avoid upsetting Tohru-chan?" Tamayo asked, bewildered.

"Yeah," Kyo sighed, "That's the effect she has on people."

"On anyone who ever got to know her," Momiji put in before telling Tamayo about his mother's mental breakdown and how she had despised him due to the Curse, how she had attempted to take her own life, after which all memories of her son were wiped away by Hatori.

"I was never really alone because I had Harii, Haru and others but…" The blond stopped as he steadied himself, his arms wrapped tightly around his knees, "I missed my mama so much. That's why, when I heard about Tohru and realized she worked at my father's office building, I couldn't help myself and kissed her on the cheek. We got to know each other and became very good friends, I was so happy to have someone who accepted me for me, who'd let me hug her…"

"You were also the first of us to see that her kindness was a strength, not a weakness," Yuki commented.

Momiji chuckled, "Yes, and I'm not afraid to admit I had a massive crush on her," He said with a blush, sharing an understanding look with Tohru, "I loved her enough to stand up to Akito, which got me punched…but it was okay, because Tohru was there to cry for me, cry with me. While my love for Tohru isn't romantic anymore, I think that the world would be a much better place if there were more people like her. In fact, I think that everyone deserves to be loved by someone like Tohru, which is why I came, I wanted to help make sure someone else, even a person I'd never met, got to experience that love."

"You poor boy. Is your mother…?"

"She remembers me now, and feels incredibly guilty about what she did. She's been struggling with self-loathing ever since, but she has my father, my sister Momo and myself to help her," Momiji said, "Others might've held a grudge against her but…I just couldn't. I couldn't hate her, not after all I had been through. I knew it would make mama's emotional state worse, it would upset my sister and father…and it would have greatly disappointed Tohru."

Kisa placed a supportive hand on Momiji's back, smiling at her cousin before she began, "As for me, I already told you how Akito-sama beat me after Hiro-kun told her how he felt about me…"

She then told Tamayo about how she had been bullied by the other girls at school because they believed she was dying her hair for attention, unaware that it was natural due to the Tiger Spirit.

"I tried to go to Hiro-kun for comfort, but he felt so horribly guilty over what Akito-sama did to me, so he stayed away, not wanting to cause me further suffering. The bullying got so bad and I was in such a dark place that I couldn't even bring myself to speak, I began causing trouble for my family and eventually I ran away from home…"

She related to Tamayo of how she first encountered Tohru only to end up biting her and running away, hiding in a bush after Haru explained what she had been going through. How Tohru had found her just as her mother arrived, at her wit's end

"Then Nee-chan told us how she had been bullied when she was young and tried to hide it from your daughter, but when Kyoko-san found out, she gave Nee-chan the comfort she needed." The Ex-Tiger told Tamayo, which made the old woman smile.

"Nee-chan understood me so well without me even having to say anything. She saw herself in me, figured out that I didn't want to worry everyone and that I was afraid my parents would hate me for being weak. She helped me realize that I had hurt my family by refusing to speak. I was so happy someone understood me that I turned back into a human and hugged Nee-chan. Mom allowed me to stay at Gure-nii's home for a while so I could be with Nee-chan, as she could tell I needed someone like her, someone who would accept me no matter what." Kisa explained, before giggling, "It was a few days before I began to talk again, I just followed Nee-chan around like a duckling but eventually I found the strength to go back to school."

Kisa smiled as she continued to pet Fuku as she finished by saying "I don't know what would've happened had I never met Nee-chan, in fact it's kinda scary to think about. I love her, we all do. I hope you'll come to love her just as much."

Tamayo finished the bottle of water Saki had given her and said "These stories are all heart wrenching and heartwarming. It's incredible..."

"Tohru is an incredible person," Yuki said, smiling at her, "As for myself, I was very distant from my family when I was a child, especially because as the Rat, I was the 'God's' favorite. While Akito was terrified of losing us, she feared losing me most of all. She did things to me that she believed, in her desperate state of mind, would make me too dependent on her to ever leave her side."

He decided to spare her the details, simply telling her that eventually Haru convinced Shigure to get him away from Akito.

"I admit that when we invited Tohru to live with us it was partly motivated by our desire to rebel against Akito, but very quickly I became friends with Tohru. She was the first genuine friend I ever made outside of the Clan. She listened to me, supported me, encouraged me and she didn't even care that I turned into a Rat," Yuki said, giving Tohru a genuine smile, "And it turns out…we'd met before."

Tohru and Yuki then explained to Tamayo how her granddaughter had once gotten lost and that Yuki had been the one to lead her back home, hiding his identity with a hat that once belonged to Kyo. However, it didn't escape Tamayo's notice that Kyo looked a little uncomfortable when they discussed that evening, as if they were omitting something.

Yuki told her more of how Tohru had helped him, with his 'secret base', with coming out of his shell, giving him the affection he'd been denied for so long.

"I eventually realized I loved Tohru but not romantically, though I tried to fool myself into thinking I felt that way. I loved her like a mother, because of how distant my own was to me. Tohru's one of the best people I've ever had the fortune to know, even when we're far apart, she's always willing to listen to me, to talk about whatever problems I may be facing and I'm always glad to return the favor. She inspired me to pursue a career in mental health, gave me the strength to make more friends and fall in love," Yuki said, glancing down at Machi affectionately, "I owe her more than I can ever repay."

"You have, Yuki-kun. Trust me, you have." Tohru assured him.

He nodded, "Thank you, Tohru."

"Well, that just leaves me," Kyo sighed as he approached Tamayo, "Tohru wasn't the first person to treat me well or to not care about whatever baggage the Cat Spirit carried with it, that'd be my Shishou, but…well, Tohru was the one who understood that I didn't want to deny how worried and scared I was of my beast form, of being imprisoned, of…so many things. Because of how I was treated inside the clan, I never had an easy time connecting with outsiders, mainly because I thought I'd be locked up so why even bother? Sure I'd had some casual acquaintances from my Shishou's dojo but no one I'd really call a friend. Even though I had Kagura, Haru, I knew they'd be powerless to do anything to help when the time came. Tohru didn't have that problem. She wasn't afraid of my beast form. When I transformed in front of her, I ran away…and she chased after me because she knew I needed someone. I didn't want her to see me looking like that, I tried to push her away but she wouldn't leave. She just wanted to be there for me…that was the night I really fell in love with her.

"I loved Tohru so much that I didn't want her to know how I truly felt, because I didn't want to cause her any pain when I'd be imprisoned. I tried so hard to hide my feelings but as time went on it became increasingly hard to deny, to hide. I think most of the people here can attest to that."

"Boy can we ever," Deadpanned Arisa.

Kyo rolled his eyes at her before continuing, "Tohru means everything to me. I just hope you'll let her into your life because it would make her very happy, and that's what I want more than anything in the world."

Tamayo smiled at him before Tohru asked "So...do you believe us, Oba-chan?"

Tamayo sat up, covering her mouth with her hand as she looked at the group.

"I probably shouldn't. Your stories are so incredible and utterly unbelievable that years ago I probably would have shown you all the door. Yet I believe every word." Tamayo admitted, "I look into your eyes, hear your voices and I can tell that none of you are acting. I know you're being totally honest with me despite how impossible it all sounds. I think the reason I believe you is because, miraculously enough, I think I've already seen proof."

This took everyone by surprise.

"Wh- Y-you have?" Tohru asked, stunned.

Tamayo nodded and looked up at Kyo, "Some of you might've noticed I kept glancing at Kyo-san."

Kyo and some of the others nodded, with Saki remarking "When you woke up I could tell by your waves that you recognized something about him, but you couldn't recall what or from where."

"Indeed, Hanajima-san. Something about him has been hauntingly familiar, but I couldn't place it until you mentioned the Juzu beads," She said before carefully asking "It's all coming back to me now. Kyo-san, was your mother named Yuuna?"

Everything went quiet, save for the mewls of the kittens and the distant sounds of traffic and children playing.

Tohru looked at Kyo; he was as still as a statue, eyes wide and his expression one of astonishment.

"Y-yes," He confirmed.

She let out a sad sigh, "I now know why I struggled to remember. Your face bears a resemblance to hers, though I can tell by your expression something happened to her."

Kyo nodded as he answered in a quiet, sad voice "She's dead."

Tamayo took one of his hands into her and squeezed it comfortingly, "I'm very sorry to hear that."

"How did you know her?"

"I didn't really, I only met her once, on a cold, dark night in late February twenty-two years ago. Yukichi and I were driving home from a banquet his superiors were throwing to celebrate a very prosperous deal when we saw a woman standing on the street corner, clutching a bundle in her arms. It was obvious she wasn't homeless by the way she was dressed and how she carried herself, and for a fleeting moment I hoped Kyoko had come home. As we passed her I knew it couldn't be my daughter; her face was different and she wasn't as tall as Kyoko, it was a woman we'd never seen in the area before.

"I could tell by the way she was looking at that bundle in her arms that she was holding a baby, though a very small one. I wondered what could possibly make her take an infant out in the bitter cold. As Yukichi parked in our garage, curiosity got the better of me so I went out to check on her, ignoring his protests. She was alerted to my approach by my feet crunching in the snow but she didn't run. I asked her if she was all right, and she looked at me with a tired face and…eyes that I had seen in my reflection after a fight with Yukichi or Kyoko.

"'I'd be lying if I said I were,' Was her answer, so I asked what was wrong. She looked at me with a bleak expression before saying 'You'd never believe me. My husband hasn't been very good to me since Kyo was born. I needed to get out of the house and away from the estate…to get my baby away from the man I thought I knew.' I told her that I had a daughter named Kyoko, it was an incredible coincidence our children would have such similar names and so we introduced ourselves. I was very surprised to learn she was a Sohma, but I figured that even elite clans had their dark sides. Concerned for the baby's health, I asked if I could see her child, but she was very reluctant, saying she didn't want anyone else calling him a freak or monster.

"I quickly thought he must have been born with a deformity and assured her that I wasn't the kind of person to hate someone just because they looked different. Yuuna looked at me and replied 'Even if they're cursed?' That took me by surprise, so I told her I didn't believe in nonsense like that and admitted I was worried about her and her baby. I came to stand beside her, and to my surprise I saw that the bundle was mostly blankets and nestled inside was a little kitten with vibrant orange fur, its eyes shut and a rosary of Juzu beads around its body.

"I immediately came to the conclusion that the poor soul had miscarried and was struggling to cope, substituting a kitten for her dead child. She obviously needed help and though I knew Yukichi wouldn't like it, I invited Yuuna into our home for the sake of her and the kitten's health. She kept refusing, saying she couldn't intrude, that she didn't want others to whisper about her child, to call him a monster…she mentioned something about not risking strangers seeing his 'true form'.

"I was utterly lost at what she could've meant by that. That was when I began to wonder if the miscarriage had traumatized her to the point of madness. She saw the look on my face and I'll never forget what she said; 'I know what you must be thinking; I'm crazy. I almost wish I was, then at least I wouldn't have to face reality. My husband and the others in that Clan are the crazy ones for wanting to imprison my baby. Some might regret giving birth to a cursed child, but not me. I've suffered through a lot in the month since Kyo was born, but just looking at him makes it all worth it. The only thing I regret is that he has to suffer cruel, superstitious idiots hating him for something he can't control.'

"I had no idea what to think. What she was saying was so impossible, yet she seemed utterly convinced without coming off as deranged or broken. I asked her why she didn't simply leave the Sohmas and she said she didn't dare attempt it, that they'd hunt her down and take her baby away. She said she had to stay for her little boy, to be strong for him and protect him, to give him the love that every child deserves to feel. I looked down to see that the kitten had opened its eyes, revealing beautiful orange irises that looked up at her the way a baby looks at its mother. At that point I knew without a shadow of a doubt that, even if she was delusional, she was a far better mother than I had been." Tamayo said, wiping tears from her eyes

Also driven to tears by the story, Tohru looked up at Kyo and her heart broke as she saw tears of his own streaming down his face. She gently placed Ume down, stood up and hugged him, but he hardly reacted at all, not taking his eyes off of the old woman sitting before them.

None of the others said a word, though Kisa and Momiji were sniffling.

"I spent five more minutes trying to convince her to come inside when a car pulled up, a man got out and I found him striking because of his purple eyes, very rare to see those," Tamayo noted.

"Ah, that was probably Zentaro-sama, Hatori's father," Yuki managed to say, his voice melancholy, "He died from a disease about ten years ago."

"I'm sorry to hear that, he seemed like a decent man. He thanked me for trying to help Yuuna and then began talking to her, saying that members of the family had been searching for her for hours and that her husband was in trouble with someone named Akira-sama, who I take it was Akito-san's father?" They confirmed her suspicions with nods and she went on "She lied and insisted she hadn't told me anything important, which he probably didn't believe but I suppose he could tell just by looking at my expression that I had no idea what to make of the situation. After he assured her she wasn't in trouble and that no harm would come to her child, she agreed to go back to the estate with him, but not before she thanked me.

"I watched them drive off, and for a second I thought I saw a puff of orange smoke in the back seat but I wrote it off as a light inside the car or my mind playing tricks on me. I never forgot that odd encounter, I thought about Yuuna Sohma and her little kitten every so often over the years. Now I know she was telling the truth. What happened to her?" Tamayo asked, having finished her story.

"She tried to put on a happy face for me so I wouldn't worry, but the years of being ostracized by almost everyone in the family, of being abused by my father, of trying to protect me from it all…the relentless torment was just too much for her. When I was five we were out for a walk and she…suddenly threw herself in front of a train." Kyo told her.

Tamayo covered her mouth as she gasped, looking up at him with a horrified expression as Tohru hugged him tighter.

The grandmother got up and embraced both of them, "You poor thing. I'm so sorry, no child should ever witness something so horrible. I hope you didn't stay with your father."

"No, I was taken in by Kazuma Sohma, the grandson of the previous Cat," Kyo explained, "He's my Shishou, and I owe my life to him just as much as I owe it to Tohru, he's the best father I could've asked for, though I don't know if I'm worthy enough to call him my dad yet."

Before Tohru or the others could reply, Tamayo cupped Kyo's cheek and said "Young man, I might not know you very well, but I can already tell that you are worthy. You've been through so much, yet here you stand. Most people would have been reduced to a hollow shell if they had to experience half of what you've endured, I know I would have. I can tell that Tohru loves you very much just from the way she looks at you. In my eyes, anyone who makes her so happy is worthy of anything he wants."

Tohru managed to pry and arm off of Kyo and wrapped it around her grandmother, "Thank you, Oba-chan." She whispered.

Tamayo smiled before saying "If the offer to attend your wedding still stands, I'd be honored to come."

Despite everything, Kyo couldn't help but smile while Tohru pulled away and said "I nearly forgot one of the main reasons we came here in the first place!"

"Not surprising, given all this drama," Hiro remarked, everyone calming down now that the hard part was out of the way.

However, that wasn't true for one of them. Kyo still felt turmoil raging inside of him. Saki could feel it and knew what he wanted to say. She looked up at him and was tempted to say something, but decided to remain silent.

After Tohru and the Sohmas came clean to her best friends about the Curse, Kyo also confessed to them about his past with Kyoko. On that day, Saki had finally understood why his waves had been so chaotic. She had taken his hands into hers and consoled him, saying she understood what it was like to be an outcast, to be hated and feared for something she couldn't control, to resent oneself and live with immense guilt over something you had let happen.

For Arisa's part, she had initially been angry, wanted to punch Kyo until he bled and call him horrible names for letting Kyoko die, but that knee jerk reaction died away when she realized how haunted he had been by that day. She looked into his eyes and understood how much he had suffered and how determined he was to fulfil his promise to the dead woman. She hated that her angry, violent side wasn't entirely dead, but she made sure it wouldn't come back out. Instead of giving into any violent impulses, she had told him that she didn't hate him, he had gone through hell just as bad as Hanajima had. That he had been forced to live with the memories of Kyoko and his own mother's deaths plaguing his mind and blaming himself for them both meant he'd probably tortured himself far worse than she ever could. She then hugged him and assured him that Kyoko would have forgiven him, and that they forgave him too as long as he made Tohru happy.

With that in mind, Saki kept her eyes on Kyo, hoping that his inevitable confession wouldn't ruin the day.

"I think I speak for all of us when I say we'd be very happy to have you at the wedding, Katsunuma-san, and that we all hope you'll experience some of the joy Tohru has given us." Yuki said.

Tamayo let out a short chuckle and said "I think I already am, Yuki-san. I can't tell you how happy I am when I think about all the good Tohru-chan has done for each and every one of you and the others you've told me about. And you're even friends with Akito-san?"

"I know it's hard to believe, given what we've told you about her so far, but she is our friend," Tohru told her grandmother as they ended the hug, "I know she did many terrible things, but deep down she was just a lonely, scared person who needed help from a friend."

"And there was no one better to be that friend than Tohru," Kyo voiced, "Sometimes I wonder if I could ever really deserve someone so pure, so beautiful, so full of unconditional love for those around her. Someone who could face someone as cruel as Akito had been and offer her friendship. Someone who looked at a jerk like me and saw a person who needed to be loved. I'm still doing my best to earn that love, Katsunma-san…that's why I have to tell you the truth."

"Kyo-kun, don't!" Tohru protested, her expression shocked, concerned and just a little angry.

"I knew Kyoko," He confessed.

There was no going back now.

Kyo told Tamayo how he had met Kyoko, how they'd meet up and how he would spy on a young Tohru, that he had been there on the night Tohru had gotten lost, his promise to Kyoko to take care of Tohru and how he'd felt like such a failure when Yuki had been the one to get her home. How he had been so angry that he took it out on Kyoko.

Finally, he confessed that he had witnessed the accident. That he had let her die and his reasons for doing so. How he'd heard her dying words as she lay covered in blood in the street.

Tamayo's face was blank, her eyes hard to read.

"For years, I hated myself so much after that day. I blamed myself for the deaths of Kyoko and my mother. Despite how hard Shishou tried to help me, I thought I really was a monster that deserved to be imprisoned. That I deserved to be hated. I deserved to die. I managed to repress that memory after meeting Tohru at Shigure's house but I…When I realized how hopelessly in love I was with her, I hated myself for that too. How could someone as awful as me deserve to be with someone as good as Tohru?

"We went through a lot and eventually I came to understand that it wasn't my fault my mom killed herself. I may have failed to save Kyoko, but I could redeem myself by keeping my promise and looking after Tohru. When I told this to Tohru, it was to try and push her away from me…it was one of the hardest things I've ever done. But Tohru wasn't angry, she didn't hate me. She hated that I blamed myself, she refused to believe Kyoko would ever hate me. She helped me overcome the hatred I had for myself.

"Originally we were gonna wait a while to tell you this but…I can't stand to keep it secret anymore. After all, how can I marry her if I don't let what family she has left know the truth? I don't blame you if you hate me, Katsunuma-san, but I want you to know that I'll never fail Tohru the way I failed your daughter."

Everyone was silent once again, none of them found it easily to look at the old woman.

Finally, Tamayo took a breath and replied "I have no right to ask this, given that I only met her today, but I want to know more about what Tohru-chan means to you."

Kyo boldly kept his eyes on her as he answered "I love her more than any man has ever loved a woman before. Someone could offer me all of the money in the world, but it'd be worthless compared to spending a day with Tohru. A fertility Goddess could try to seduce me and I wouldn't give a damn because she wouldn't be Tohru. She's the one I want to spend my life with. To love, to hold in my arms, to have children with…"

Tohru couldn't take it anymore. She reached up and grabbed his face, forced him down and kissed him with more passion than she ever had before, making Kyo's eyes go bigger than golf balls as everyone watched the two, Tamayo looking on passively…but Saki could sense that she wasn't angry.

Tohru pulled away and said "I feel the exact same way, Kyo-kun. I didn't want you to tell her yet but…you… Oh, I wish I could show you just how much I love you."

Kyo managed a smirk, "I think ya just did."

Tohru blushed as she realized what she had just done in front of her grandmother and friends.

She looked at Tamayo and said " I didn't want him to tell you until I thought you were ready to know, but now I see how keeping that inside of him again would have caused him more pain. I'm so sorry, Kyo-kun. I love him, Oba-chan. So much that sometimes it hurts when we're apart or when I see him in pain or unhappy. I savor every moment with him as if it were the last because you never know when life will take something away from you. I know you probably hate him now, Oba-chan, but I can't give him up, not even for you. I'd do anything for my Kyo-kun, so if you don't approve of us being together, then I'm sorry but I have to ignore your objections."

Tamayo approached the couple, placed a hand on both their shoulders as she looked Kyo in the eyes and said "Perhaps I should be angry, but if I were to hate you, then I'd have to hate the driver of that car and all of the other people who were there that day and likewise failed to save Kyoko. I blamed and hated myself and my husband for her death just as you did. I think you've suffered enough, Kyo-san. We all have. We'll suffer even more if we don't let go of our hate and grief. The happiness you've all made me feel since I woke up has made me understand that I can't allow misery to rule my life anymore. As long as you keep giving my granddaughter the happiness you've blessed her with, I give you my permission to marry her…and I forgive you."

Tohru let out a happy sob as she hugged both her grandmother and Kyo to her. They both returned the embrace, the three gripping one another tightly.

"I love you," Kyo whispered to Tohru.

"And I love you," She replied as she kissed his chin.

"You did well, Kyo-san." Said Saki from behind them. Even though he couldn't see her face, he could tell she was smiling.

As the three pulled away from each other Tamayo looked at her granddaughter and asked "So, would you like to see some photos of your mother?"

Tohru's hands shook slightly as she held the very first picture ever taken of her mother. The photo showed a younger Tamayo, with a hairstyle that had been considered fashionable nearly forty years ago, sitting in a rocking chair cradling a baby Kyoko in her arms.

"The day we brought her home from the hospital. This was one photo I never allowed Yukichi to take or hide, I always kept it in my purse, even when Kyoko was at her worst." Tamayo told her granddaughter, who had been joined by all the others. In her lap was a heavy photo album which held a vast majority of the Katsunuma's photos; the pictures of Kyoko that hadn't been framed were safely kept in there.

"She was so cute," Tohru murmured as she traced her finger gently along the face of the infant that became her mother; a cute, innocent face with big brown eyes and soft brown hair that was only beginning to grow.

"Eh, all babies are, Kyoko wasn't gonna be an exception," Arisa remarked, trying to hide how much the day had emotionally affected her. Really it was amazing to see all these pictures of the woman who had been, and still was, her role model.

"Looks like you're in a different house," Kyo noted.

Tamayo nodded, "We originally lived in Kyoto, we put off moving until after I gave birth. We named her Kyoko so neither she or the two of us would ever forget where we came from." She elaborated.

"Hmm, we never went to Kyoto, we never had enough money for a real trip. She said she named me Tohru because it means transparent, that way everyone would be able to see me for who I really was and maybe I'd be able to see them for who they are."

"Needless to say it was an excellent choice!" Remarked Momiji with a broad smile, one echoed by Tamayo.

"So, what was Kyoko like as a child?" Saki inquired.

"Oh, she was the very definition of a spitfire. Fearless, bold, more energetic than a rabbit and ready to take on anything the world threw at her. While Yukichi was a bit headstrong and brave when it came to business, Kyoko was on another level." Tamayo told them.

"Hm, it would seem that boldness runs in the family," Yuki noted as he glanced at Tohru, recalling her own showcases of bravery over the years.

"What are these?" Tohru asked as she pointed to a page of the album with several very similar photos showing Kyoko in a kimono and grinning widely and seemingly laughing uncontrollably.

Tamayo chuckled, "This was her last time in the Shichi-Go-San festival, when she was seven years old. Yukichi insisted she keep a straight face for these pictures, to look graceful and ladylike, he felt it was a good way for her to show that she'd be leaving childish things behind. Instead she just kept grinning and laughing. He became so annoyed that even I began to laugh," She related to her visitors, smiling at the memory, "Eventually we got a good picture of her looking elegant, which is the one I framed."

"She sounds wonderful," Sighed Kisa, "I wish we could have met her."

"I'm sure she would have adored you, Kisa-chan. She'd have loved all of you," Tohru assured her friends.

"Eh, I don't know about that, I think she'd have to do something about Shigure before she could stand him." Remarked Hiro, provoking laughter from Kyo, as he imagined Kyoko easily intimidating the ex-Dog into submission.

"Well, I think it'd be good for you to see some of the photos hanging around the house and see what used to be her room." Tamayo told her granddaughter.

Tohru beamed, "Yes, I'd love to!" She said as she stood up with her grandmother.

The photos really warmed Tohru's heart, her own baby and childhood pictures were currently in the possession of Grandpa Honda and she mentally cursed herself for not bringing them or her grandfather along but there was always tomorrow. Hopefully there would be, anyway.

Tamayo led Tohru, Arisa, Saki, Momiji and Kisa out of the living room, leaving Kyo, Yuki, Machi and Hiro behind so as not to crowd the halls, as well as to let Kyo rest after his emotional gambit that had thankfully paid off.

She took them up to the conservatory room that had once belonged to Kyoko and showed Tohru and the others photos from Kyoko's childhood, such as a photo from her first birthday showing her with growing brown hair and her face covered with white frosting and smears of strawberry.

Another photo showed Kyoko at the age of five coming in from playing in the rain, her hair was down to the middle of her back and was soaking wet and she had some mud splashed onto her shins and knees.

"Kyoko wasn't afraid to get dirty or do things other kids might be too afraid to do. Not long before her third birthday we were visiting a cousin of mine, she gave Kyoko some candy while she went out into the yard to play. About ten minutes later I went out to check on her only to find that her hands were covered with bees because she was trying to share the candy with them."

"Oh my goodness, I would have screamed!" Kisa laughed.

"At least they weren't giant hornets." Remarked Arisa, shivering a little at the thought.

"I'm guessing she had to go to the hospital for stings afterwards?" Momiji speculated.

"Believe it or not, no. She was so young she didn't understand why bees scared other people. I got Yukichi and he was able to have Kyoko gently place the candy down and get her 'friends' out of her hands and then wipe her hands down with a wet washcloth so the bees wouldn't buzz around her anymore. She learned her lesson, but still she was never afraid of bugs." Tamayo told them, "Nor was she afraid of getting scolded. She wasn't exactly a big fan of rules, as you may have guessed."

"Maybe, but that changed when she stopped being the Crimson Butterfly." Tohru pointed out.

Tamayo sighed ruefully, knowing that Kyoko had only made the choice at the same time Yukichi had decided to disown her.

"Wow, this must have been your last picture of her, huh?" Arisa commented, drawing their attention to a picture of Kyoko standing in the doorway with her hair dyed orange, wearing a first year high school uniform and giving the slightest of smiles.

"Her first day of high school. Our relationship was very strained by then but I still wanted a picture of her wearing her uniform. That was the last time she smiled at me." Tamayo remarked sadly.

"She'd smile when talking about you, though sometimes it was a sad one because of her regrets," Tohru assured her with a kind look.

"It's a huge relief to know that, Tohru-chan," Her grandmother replied, "I wish we hadn't been so foolish, but now I have the comfort of knowing that some wonderful things came about because of it."

She showed them other photos, among them were Kyoko's first day of school, a summer trip to Okinawa, several photos of various New Years Celebrations but the photo depicting Kyoko's graduation from elementary school caught Tohru's attention. There was a small, faded bruise on Kyoko's cheek and while she was smiling there was a troubled look in her eyes.

"She has a bruise in this picture," She noted.

Tamayo nodded, "Kyoko was in more than her fair share of fights in school, by the third grade she developed a reputation for being a tough girl. She stood up to bullies and defended younger students, stopped troublesome boys from harassing girls and even protected weak boys from mean girls. It got her in trouble quite a lot and we grounded her more than a few times. The bruise you see? She got from defending a young girl who came from a wealthy family from other students who were trying to force her to give them money. Kyoko was the winner in that fight, you should've seen the bruises she gave the bullies.

"Still, we grounded her for it, and I think it's obvious that when our mistakes really began; she was doing something noble yet we punished her for it. Yukichi and she got into shouting matches and she developed anger issues. She'd yell at those she once defended for being weak, brutally beating any who challenged her. She severed ties with many of her friends and began to fall in with the delinquent crowd. Despite the fact that we never enrolled her in a dojo, she was quite the cunning fighter, apparently she learned enough from watching action movies and anime to be effective in real life.

"She joined the gang during the break between elementary school and middle school, during that time she began spending more and more time with the delinquents and drop outs… Over the next year she helped her fellow gang members win enough brawls over territory that eventually they rewarded her a bike. So began her career as the Crimson Butterfly, until Katsuya-san came into her life," Tamayo sighed and said "I honestly don't know what to think of him."

"We couldn't tell you, we met Tohru-kun and Kyoko long after his passing." Saki commented, glancing at her friend, knowing the complicated emotions Tohru once had for her late father.

Tohru saw her friend's look, but they knew each other so well that there were times they didn't need to say anything. Tohru joined Tamayo at the window and said "And he died when I was only three, so I sadly don't have many memories of him. Mom was…a wreck after we lost him, constantly crying, hardly eating or doing anything. I…I was really afraid I was going to lose her too."

Tamayo covered her face to hide fresh tears. Tohru wrapped an arm around her grandmother and continued, "Things got so bad for her that I began to resent my dad, I was scared he was gonna take her away from me. So I began emulating his way of speaking because I thought if I sounded like him, I'd be able to keep mom all to myself. Just as I started doing that, mom came home and hugged me, desperately apologizing. After that she snapped out of her depression. Years later I asked her what brought her back; she said that when she was off wandering on her own she saw a mother and a child and she just realized how much she'd been neglecting me after dad died, that I needed her so dearly.

"Wh-when she died, I was devastated. I was terrified I'd forget about her, so I placed her first in my heart, if that makes any sense. I thought about her everyday, kept a picture of her on me almost all the time. It took a few years, but eventually I let someone else become my most cherished person." Tohru told her grandmother.

The identity of that loved one didn't require any speculation.

"Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun and…, well everyone really, helped me move on and accept that mom was gone. I'll never forget her though, and I'll never stop loving her…or dad." Tohru finished.

"That's very wonderful to hear, Tohru-chan. I'm sorry I wasn't there for you, but I'm glad you found a family that was." Tamayo said, glancing at Momiji and the three young women, before she asked "You don't still resent Katsuya-san, do you?"

Tohru shook her head as she turned to examine the potted flowers, "No. I realized it was wrong to blame him for mom's suffering. He worked so hard for me and mom, to give us a good life, that he didn't take care of himself. I wish I could've gotten to know him better, but Grandpa Honda and Aunt Chiyoko have helped out with that. Telling me stories about him, showing me photos, just like you are now."

"That's good to know," Tamayo said, smiling briefly before she glanced over at potted Marigolds and took a moment to admire the buds that had yet to bloom, "Did Kyoko…ever mention the eight year age difference between them?"

There was a brief, uncomfortable silence in the room as Tohru sighed, "No, she never said a bad word about him. Sure, the age gap is odd and a lot of people raise eyebrows when they find out about it, but I don't think it really matters in the end," She told her grandmother, "He was a good man who helped a girl that the rest of the world had written off as a lost cause, ignored almost his entire family when they objected to him marrying an ex-bike gang leader, went along with the odd ideas mom occasionally had, comforted her whenever she needed it…and from little I remember he doted on me like crazy."

Tamayo smiled a little before she added "And he cared for her when my husband refused to. When I was too scared to. Ultimately, I think that's the easiest, most comfortable conclusion I can reach. Their relationship might not have been very appropriate, but in the end they truly loved each other. I suppose that's all that really matters."

"Kureno-kun is…much older than I am," Arisa confessed, "I think Kyoko rubbed off on me in a lot of ways, I guess that includes tastes in men. He wasn't exactly easy to talk into having a relationship with, he thought it was inappropriate, and didn't want me to waste my time on waiting to get to a 'proper' age. I tried to get over him, especially after he moved away, but in the end I just couldn't stop thinking about him. He needed someone, and I didn't want that someone to be anyone but me.

"I know there are people who don't like it, but I say screw what they think. I love Kureno-kun, and Kyoko loved Katsuya. She never tried to rebound or anything, kept the mourning shrine up even when Tohru was a teenager! Sorry to get so emotional, I can't help it when it comes to Kyoko." Arisa finished.

"It's all right, Uo-chan, I do too." Tohru assured her.

"I…" Tamayo began, "If it's all right with you, could we go to the graveyard where she's buried? I'd like to finally pay my daughter the respect she always deserved."

Tohru offered a kind smile and nodded, "I think such a visit is long overdue."

"I hope you're feeling better after all that," Yuki remarked to Kyo as the ex-Cat absently stroked the back of Ume.

"Honestly? Yeah, I am," He confessed, "It's a real load off my shoulders. I've been worrying about it ever since I realized I'd have to actually face Kyoko's mother."

"After the story she told us and the years she spent separated from Tohru-san, I don't think she has it in her to hate anyone. If someone saw that happen to their family once, they'd never let it happen again," Machi commented, before letting out a sad sigh, "If my parents came to me, feeling genuinely bad about what they did to me and offered their sincerest apologies, I'd accept them. I might be a little angry at them, but that doesn't mean I don't want them in my life, that I don't want them to be better."

"I guess that's how I feel about my father too," Kyo admitted, "Why I decided to not give up on trying to talk sense into him."

"Even after all he did to your mother?" Yuki asked cautiously.

Kyo sighed, "Yeah. I don't think mom would want me to hate him. I don't want to sink to his level or to make him think he's right. I wanna prove to that bastard I'm a human being, and a better one than he ever was. Not for me, but for my mom and for Tohru." He said.

Hiro, sitting on the floor and scratching Fuku's chin, nodded, "I hope one day that idiot grovels at your feet begging for forgiveness. It's the least he deserves after all the pain he inflicted on you and your mother. I hope you never forget what happened today, Kyo-onii-san; You showed us all how dedicated you are to being the perfect husband for Tohru-san. I also hope any doubts about your worthiness are gone…though you're not the only one among us who's questioned how worthy he is of the woman he loves."

The other three looked at the youngest ex-Zodiac, Yuki speaking up "What do you mean, Hiro? Do you doubt your own worthiness for Kisa-chan?"

Hiro didn't look up at them, he merely nodded as he kept his eyes focused on Fuku and Chobi rubbing against him.

"Don't be stupid!" Kyo snapped, "Kisa loves you!"

"I've seen her looking at you the same way Tohru-san gazes at Kyo-san." Machi pointed out.

"I know that, but…" Hiro tried to say before Yuki cut him off.

"Has she ever looked at a man the way she looks at you? Or expressed interest in anyone but you?" The silver-haired man asked.

"N-no, but there are times when I simply don't feel worthy of her," He confessed, running a hand through his light brown locks, "She's so kind and gentle and I…can be a real asshole."

"I mean yeah, but we all have moments like that," Kyo said, "I won't lie, I could be a real jerk back in the day."

"And while Tohru would never admit it, I know for a fact that it wasn't easy for her to deal with the two of us and Shigure nearly every day for four years." Yuki said, allowing himself a laugh.

"Plus juggling school work, the rest of the Zodiac, her own personal typical teenager issues and of course trying to break the curse," Machi reminded them before adding "Wow, how'd she keep from going crazy?"

"We Sohmas had a monopoly on it," Hiro answered dryly before adding "That's another thing; even though I apologized, I made the worst possible first impression on Tohru.

"Eh, maybe. Does it compare to me crashing through the ceiling and shit talking Yuki?" Kyo asked with a smirk, "Or Hatori being built up as a cold-hearted bastard who'd erase her memories? Or Kagura going berserk at the sight of me?"

"I took her wallet, which had a picture of her mother. I'd say I was worse." Hiro countered, "All because I resented her being there for Kisa when I was too much of a coward to."

"First off; you've already apologized and she's forgiven you. Just ask her about it and she'll do everything she can to reassure you. That's what Tohru does. Secondly, you kept a distance because you were afraid of Akito hurting Kisa even worse. Our ex-Tiger made it perfectly clear she forgave you and felt horrible you'd been carrying that guilt." Yuki pointed out to the younger man.

Hiro nodded, "I know, I know. I just…"

"You struggle worrying if you're good enough for the person you love. Everyone does." Machi said as Yuki came to sit next to him.

Yuki nodded and said "Machi and I both had those fears, so did Haru and Rin, Hatori and Mayuko-sensei… Ayame once confessed he had worried if he truly deserved Mine's love after concealing his true feelings from her for so long, but of course those were unfounded."

"We've already established that Tohru and me can have our awkward moments, and I know for a fact that Uotani and Kureno do too," Kyo added, having overheard quite a lot of their relationship anxieties via Tohru's phone conversations with the ex-gangster girl. More than he ever wanted to know, in fact.

"I've talked with Momiji, and he's admitted there've been times when he felt awful about burdening Usagi-san with his problems, like Anne-san's breakdown yesterday," Yuki continued, "But Usagi-san keeps telling him that she's happy to help. I've only met her a few times, but I do get the feeling she doubts that she's good enough because of how rich Momiji's family is, and he does everything he can to convince her that's not true at all."

"So it's normal to question how worthy you are?" Hiro asked as he looked at the ex-Rat.

"Absolutely. I know it won't be easy, but perhaps you could talk to Kisa about this?" Yuki suggested.

"Well I-uh, I suppose I can try… Truth is, I want to be worthy of her love. I want us to be as happy as the rest of you." Hiro told them.

"Well, do you love her more than words can describe? Are you willing to do anything for her?" Kyo asked.

"And since you wish to become a doctor, are you willing to work hard to balance both your relationship and your job?" Yuki questioned.

Hiro's answer to all three questions was a series of firm "Yes,"s.

Kyo patted the younger man on the back, gave him an encouraging grin and said "Then you've got nothin' to worry about. If you're worried that being a doctor and studying for it will affect your relationship, then just talk to her about it. Knowing her, she'll totally understand."

"Thank you both. Seriously," Hiro told them, "To be honest, I aspire to be as good of a boyfriend to Kisa as you are to Tohru, Kyo-onii-san and you to Machi-san, Yuki-onii-san. How do you do it?"

Kyo and Yuki looked at one another, both with surprised, bewildered expressions which got a big laugh out of Machi.

"Honestly, I don't really know. I just…do whatever I think is right and that usually works out." Kyo said.

"Same here," Yuki admitted, "There's always going to be nagging doubts and anxieties, but if you do your best to do right by her, I think everything will work out. Just be yourself, Hiro, even if you don't think you're good enough, because the important thing is that she loves you. Never forget that."

"I won't," He swore, before he let out a sigh, "Thank you, both of you. I'm really happy that the two of you are getting married, because if your relationships don't work out, then how could mine?"

"Well, for one your parents are a lot more stable than mine." Kyo remarked.

"And far more reliable than mine," Yuki added with a slight smirk, "To be honest, I think we were both a little jealous of you, Hiro. We both could've used parents as good as yours."

"Yeah. I wish your mom had been around to know mine. She could've used a friend like Satsuki." Kyo voiced. Satsuki had originally not been a part of the Sohma clan and had only married Hiro's father shortly before Yuuna's suicide.

Hiro nodded solemnly and offered a small smile, "I think they would have been good friends. I wish they could have met."

"That's very sweet of you to say, Hiro-kun," Said an all-too-familiar voice.

Hiro leapt to his feet, Fuku clutched to his chest as he pivoted to see Kisa, Tohru and Momiji standing in the living room doorway, the last of whom was giving him a huge grin.

"Uh…how much did you hear?" He asked nervously.

"We came downstairs just as Kyo-onii-san told you not to be stupid," Kisa told him, smiling a little.

"And I do forgive you for how you initially treated me." Tohru assured him with a kind expression.

Blushing, Hiro swallowed dryly, "Kisa-chan, studying to be a doctor is going to take up a lot of my time and I'm afraid I might neglect you, but I want to dedicate myself to helping others. To make up for how I wasn't able to help you when you needed me. I…"

He was cut off by Kisa closing the distance between them, wrapping her arms around him and giving him a loving kiss on the lips. "Hiro-kun," She said, "I understand how you feel, but don't worry. After all, a nurse is just as busy as a doctor, right?"

She smiled at him and he couldn't help but smile back.

As she petted the kitten in his hands, she went on, "I love you with all my heart, Hiro-kun. You're the only one for me, so don't worry! I'm going to dedicate myself to helping others too, just like Nee-chan. We're going to do that together, so it makes sense that we'll always be together, right?"

Hiro nodded, "Right…"

"We're both going to have to work hard and inevitably we'll both make mistakes, but I have faith that everything will work out in the end. No matter what happens, I'll be here for you." Kisa promised him.

Hiro hated that he was letting tears spill from his eyes, "So will I, Kisa-chan." He said as he gently placed Fuku down so he could kiss Kisa again.

Kyo stood up, smiling at the young lovers as he approached his own beloved, "Enjoy the house tour?"

Tohru nodded and answered "Very much. Would any of you object to visiting the cemetery?"

The wind blew gently as the group approached the graveyard. Tamayo, who had dressed herself in black clothes, was surprised to see which cemetery her daughter had been laid to rest in.

"I almost can't believe it, but after everything that's happened today, it's not that big of a surprise." She mused.

"What is it, Oba-chan?" Tohru asked.

"This is the same graveyard Yukichi's ashes were laid to rest in." Tamayo answered.

The others were quite surprised, but Tohru simply smiled. "Then they're close." She said as squeezed her grandmother's hand comfortingly.

"Thank God for that." Tamayo replied with a smile as they went into the cemetery together.

It wasn't long before they arrived at the gravestone shared by the ashes of Kyoko and Katsuya Honda, their names chiseled in kanji into the rock. Having collected a few roses from her garden, Tamayo and Tohru both placed individual roses on the grave marker.

Aside from Tamayo, Hiro and Machi were the only members of the group who had never visited the grave before, Momiji and Kisa had both joined Tohru on prior visits over the years. Regardless, they all bowed their heads in respect to the departed, offering prayers for Tohru's parents.

'I hope you've found each other in the hereafter. Thank you for giving us all someone very wonderful and irreplaceable.' Momiji thought.

'Thank you for giving us Nee-chan. I know you're both very proud of her.' Kisa prayed.

'We'd be lost without Tohru. Thank you…and forgive me for my initial foolishness.' Hiro offered, hoping his prayers were heard.

'Tohru was very lucky to have had parents like you. I wish mine could've been like you. I hope you've found peace.' Machi thought.

'Thank you for Tohru. Thank you so much. I wish you could be here to see the wonderful life she has and how she's blessed us all by being part of ours. And I hope you've forgiven Kyo. He's earned it. So has your mother, Kyoko-san.' Prayed Yuki.

'We've kept our promise, Kyoko-san. We'll continue to, but I think we've found the perfect successor. I hope you're both enjoying one another's eternal love, and may we all be able to partake in it one day.' Saki thought.

'Kyoko, I might not be able to always keep an eye on Tohru, but that's because I know she's gonna be okay. Kyo's a good guy, I know he's the one for her…so cut him some slack and forgive him. Same for your mom, she's really sorry. I just know your spirit's gonna be watching over their wedding, and I hope you'll look over mine too.' Arisa prayed.

'I'm keeping my promise. I'm taking care of her. I always will. Please forgive your mother, I think she's earned it by now.' Was Kyo's prayer.

A thousand thoughts rushed through Tohru's mind as she prayed; 'Mom, dad, I get the feeling that you're both watching over me, so you probably already know this; I'm so happy with Kyo-kun. I know you've forgiven him by now, neither of you would hold a grudge against him. He's taking such good care of me, treating me like a princess…I can't praise him enough. I'm doing my best to take care of him too. Mom, I now understand how you felt about dad; I'd go crazy with despair too if I lost Kyo-kun, so I'll make sure nothing happens to him. Mom, I've brought Oba-chan; she's so very sorry and she's forgiven you for the things you said, so I know that you'll forgive her. Please forgive ojii-san too.'

Even as Tamayo bowed her head, she kept looking at the gravestone, focusing on her daughter's name. 'So many years we could have spent together as a family; wasted. How often did you think of us? Not a day went by where I didn't think about you, Kyoko. I prayed for forgiveness every day and night. Your father and I failed you…but I'm going to spend the rest of my life trying to make up for it. I'll be there for my great-grandchildren and let them know how wonderful their grandma were and how much you would have adored them. I'll be there to support Tohru-chan and Kyo-san. I'll do everything I can to earn your forgiveness…I'm so sorry my daughter…'

Tamayo fell forward, but caught herself on her hands and knees as she began to weep.

Tohru knelt down to be by her grandmother's side and gently pulled her into another embrace, joined by Kyo.

"She forgives you, Oba-chan. I know she does." Tohru gently assured the older woman, who tightened her arms around her granddaughter.

After everyone had paid their respects and Tohru and Tamayo traded fun stories about Kyoko, the grandmother guided the granddaughter to another part of the cemetery where the ashes of Yukichi Katsunuma had been laid to rest several years earlier. Kyo followed them, while Yuki and the others decided to wait for them by the entrance.

The pair knelt down in front of the grave marker, Tamayo saying "Yukichi, this is Tohru-chan. Our granddaughter. Despite everything, she's here."

Tohru bowed her head, "Hello, Ojii-san. I wish I could have met you." She said before she prayed for him. Prayed that her mother would forgive him and that he could forgive not just her, but himself. She prayed that he would know that some truly wonderful things came about as a result of his harshness.

Tamayo bowed as well, hands clasped together as she prayed 'I'm not going to waste this opportunity, Yukichi. I'm going to live what time I have left on this Earth to the fullest and savor every day I can with Tohru-chan and her family. Your pride cost you the chance, it nearly cost me mine. Despite everything, I forgive you, you old fool. I…I don't know if there's really an afterlife, but if there is I hope you and Kyoko have reunited and that you've forgiven each other, like we all should have when we were alive. I hope your spirit can feel Tohru-chan's love. I've only known her for a few hours, yet she's already changed my life for the better. Just understand that we were wrong, we were horrible…but if we hadn't, this beautiful young woman may never have been born. We made a difference, Yukichi…'

"We made a difference." She said aloud.

"What was that, Oba-chan?" Tohru inquired.

Tamayo smiled, "I was just thinking about how we did make a difference. They're right, you know. Had we not kicked Kyoko out, you may never have been born, the Sohma's Curse may never have broken as soon as it did. Who knows how badly Kyo-san, Yuki-san and the others would have suffered if they didn't have you in their lives. Our horrible deed led to someone as wonderful as you doing great things, Tohru-chan. I can find comfort in the fact that all the sadness and suffering was worth it in the end. You got your happy ending."

"It's not over yet. Lives end, stories come to a close, but our memories live on through our children and the friends we make, the bonds we share. We might physically be gone, but as long as we leave an impact on them, our spirits will go on forever. Mom and dad left such a huge impact on me, I'll carry on their memories always, and yours too." Tohru told her grandmother.

"And our children and theirs will carry on all of ours." Kyo added as he came to stand in between the two women.

Tohru nodded, "That's right, Kyo-kun."

Tamayo let out a noise that was a mixture of laughter and sobbing. "What is it?" Tohru asked as she took her grandmother's hand into hers, while Kyo placed a hand on both their shoulders.

"Nothing's wrong, Tohru-chan. I just never thought I'd be so happy after Kyoko was disowned. I'm so glad I was wrong. Thank you for coming into my life, Tohru-chan. Thank you for bringing your friends and letting me know your incredible story. And thank you, Kyo-san, for loving my granddaughter."

Kyo smirked, "It's hard not to."

They began walking away from the Katsunuma plot, but not before Tohru and Tamayo gave it one last look.

Upon leaving the cemetery and making their way back to the Katsunuma home, Tamayo said "You know, now that the kittens are old enough and are no longer nursing, I've been thinking about finding people to give them homes of their own. Would any of you be interested?"

Tohru grabbed Kyo's arm and gave him big, sparkling eyes that pleaded with him to say yes. "Can we, please, Kyo-kun? Please?!"

They had been talking about getting a cat, as Tohru genuinely missed petting Kyo's cat form, but put it off until after the move. Kyo sighed and shook his head, "What am I gonna do with you? There's no way I can say no."

Tohru cheered as she hugged her fiancé, while Saki said "I would like to own one, I have been thinking about getting a pet for quite some time now and my apartment does allow them."

"I'd have to call my mom and ask permission, but I'm sure she'll say yes!" Kisa said.

Tamayo smiled fondly at them, "I couldn't imagine better homes for them to go to."

"Won't the mother be upset?" Asked Machi, to which Tamayo shook her head.

"No, they're at the right age. She'll miss them, but animals just know when the time comes. They understand certain things far better than we humans." Tamayo answered.

Upon returning to the Katsunuma residence, Yuki and Machi departed for the Kuragi home to see Eita and Machi's parents to deliver the news, but not before congratulating Tohru and Tamayo for a wonderful first meeting.

Kyo, Hiro and Saki made a trip to the nearest store that sold pet supplies. They bought litter, litter boxes, cat food and carriers for cats, allowing the kittens enough time to play with each other (and Tohru and Kisa) and for Shiro to spend a bit more time with them.

When they came back, Shiro seemed to understand that her owner had found her kittens new homes as she saw Tohru with Ume, Kisa with Fuku and Saki with Chobi. She licked and nuzzled each one of her kittens with the occasional playful swatting. She then smelled each of the humans, as if judging them, but seemed to be content as she made no objections.

Kisa's mother allowed her daughter to have the kitten, so Kisa gently took Fuku away, saying goodbye and thank you to Tamayo before she departed for the estate with Hiro and Momiji.

Saki allowed Shiro to say goodbye to Chobi before gently placing him in the carrier. She bid Tohru and the others goodbye before leaving for her apartment with Arisa, who wanted to spend a little more time with her before joining Kureno back at the estate.

Tohru and Kyo stayed for a few more hours, helping Tamayo finish her gardening all the while discussing their lives and the upcoming wedding, exchanging phone numbers and giving Tamayo the date, time and place of the ceremony.

By the time they decided to leave, the sun was setting. Kyo stepped onto the road as Tohru hugged her grandmother goodbye, "If I have enough time before the wedding I'll come over with Grandpa Honda and show you pictures from my childhood. If not, I promise to do it after the honeymoon." She vowed.

"I'd like that very much, Tohru-chan. You two be careful going home!" She said.

"We will! I'll call you tomorrow to let you know how Ume-chan is doing!" Tohru said as she walked away, hand in hand with Kyo, who held the supplies in his other hand while Tohru carried Ume's carrier, "Goodbye, Oba-chan! I love you!"

"I-I love you too, Tohru-chan!" Tamayo called as she watched the young lovers walk off.

She gently closed the door and went back into the living room, sitting on the sofa and leaning back as she breathed out in relief. Shiro leapt up to join her, rubbing against her, obviously pleading for affection now that her kittens were off to homes of their own.

Shiro meowed, and Tamayo smiled, "I know, Shiro. I'll miss them too, but they'll be all right," She looked out the window, "Yes, thanks to Tohru-chan, they'll all be very happy."

A little courage goes a long, long way…

Chapter Text

And before you know it, you'll hear someone say…

Machi came to a halt as the home that belonged to her parents came into view. Yuki saw the apprehensive look on her face and offered her his hand.

"Don't worry, Machi, I'm here," He told her reassuringly.

Machi's relationship with her parents was so tense that even Tohru felt it was best not to get involved for the time being, though she wished to help Machi and Eita, she knew it wasn't good to barge in and try to forcefully mend bonds that were so strained.

Machi tore her eyes away from the nice two story house and focused on him, managing a smile as she accepted his hand. "Sorry, I just get nervous whenever I see this place."

Yuki nodded, "Understandable, you don't have many happy memories from the years you lived here. I used to feel the same way whenever I had to go to the estate."

"Don't exaggerate, you had it way worse than me." Machi argued. After learning the truth, she would probably never look at Akito the same way ever again. Even though the Sohma Head had changed for the better and deeply resented the person she had once been, that didn't magically erase what she had done to Yuki and the others. In fact, Yuki was a little nervous about how she'd react about Isuzu's close calls with death that Akito had been responsible for.

"Let's not make a competition out of it. We both had it rough and it's always difficult to confront the sources of our pain, even if we've done it before." He reminded her as they resumed walking, "Besides, I won't be the only one there. I know Eita will support you just as passionately as me."

Machi smiled, she was lucky that Eita came to her as a safe haven from their overbearing mother, Emika Kuragi. He was a great kid and she felt bad that he'd had to bear the brunt of their mother and father's less-than-stellar parental skills for years. At least they were there for one another now.

"You think Tamayo-san will be all right?" Machi asked as they got closer.

Yuki gave her a nod and a smile, "Of course. As far as I'm concerned, once Tohru enters someone's life, it's an immediate improvement."

"I suppose that's an irrefutable fact, as far as you Sohmas are concerned." Machi remarked with a smile.

The Kuragi house was a very nice, upper-class home, not exactly a mansion but it seemed expensive enough, the exterior was in a modern style, or what had been modern about thirty years ago when it had been built, and was painted dark blue while the roof was the more traditional kawara style. A brick wall surrounded the house and yard with a black iron gate keeping the outside world locked away.

The Kuragi family had long been partners in a very successful law firm, with Machi's father Gota Kuragi being part of the third generation and a decently renowned lawyer who represented several major businesses and even a few celebrities. Yuki had only met Gota Kuragi a few times, not counting their phone conversation to get his permission to propose to Machi, and he struck Yuki as a stereotypical rich lawyer, albeit one with considerable skill.

Gato was a bit stern and perhaps a little too business-minded, but not an awful person, all things considered. When Yuki asked for his blessing to marry Machi, he gave it without much fuss, as long as the young Sohma promised to take care of his daughter, which Yuki naturally vowed he would until his dying days. Yuki had the impression that Gato genuinely regretted how Machi had been treated after she and Eita convinced their parents of the truth, it was just that, like Yuki's own father, he had difficulty expressing such shame and regret. Though helping her get into the Tokyo University of the Arts had been a step in the right direction.

Emika Kuragi, on the other hand, wasn't as easy to get along with. She wasn't lazy, as she was occasionally employed as a freelance interior decorator or at the least was a good consultant for that field, she would often fulfill that role for clients of her husband's law firm as well as others in the upper echelons of Tokyo's high society. She was rather attractive, Machi had inherited her looks and beautiful eyes, but she wasn't that pleasant of a person, she was the type who would act nice and polite to someone, share a friendly chat but the moment that person was gone she'd be insulting and complaining about them.

In essence, she wasn't too dissimilar from his own mother on her worst days.

Still, if Tohru had taught him anything, it was that no one was irredeemable. If someone acted horrible, then there was likely something that had made them that way. Hopefully Emika was no different.

Machi had called ahead that morning to let her family know she and Yuki would be coming over to visit, and learned that her father would be coming home early today, which was a nice coincidence. Approaching the gate, Machi pressed the button on the gate's intercom, built into the brick wall, and said "Mother? Eita? We're here."

A moment later, Eita's voice came over the intercom, "Hang on, Nee-chan! I'm punching in the code!" He said, and the gate drew backwards after a buzz from the security system.

With a big smile on his face, Eita came out of the front door, waving to them as they walked up the driveway while the gate automatically shut. He was of average height for a twelve year old boy, with neatly combed medium hair the same shade of grey as Machi's, but he had his father's dark blue eyes.

He hopped off the porch and ran over to hug his sister, normally such an open display of affection might have been odd for a boy of his age, but ever since the day Eita had sought Machi out, she had become the most dependable person in his life; someone he could confide in, seek advice from or find sanctuary from their parents.

It reminded Yuki of how eager Ayame had been to mend their relationship not long after Shigure removed him from the Sohma Estate. Of course, Yuki's resentment towards Ayame due to how the ex-Snake had done nothing to stand up to Akito or their parents, essentially abandoning him to the Zodiac's 'God' and the torment she inflicted on him, created a divide between them that was now thankfully closed.

Machi, however, had been forcibly separated from her little brother due to their parents' paranoia leading them to jump to a foolish conclusion. The near decade Machi and Eita had spent apart ultimately brought them closer together than they otherwise might have been. Machi was the rock Eita could brace himself against, just as Yuki was her rock. Just as Tohru was his.

"Not that I don't appreciate the affection, Eita, but we haven't been apart that long," Machi chuckled as she ruffled his hair, a tad annoyed that in a few years he'd doubtlessly be taller than her.

"Yeah, well you don't have to live with mom," Eita retorted, rolling his eyes, "Always on my back about me being presentable, though I'd like to know who she's gonna 'present' me to. Not to mention how she's always harping about keeping my room clean."

"She'd probably have a heart attack if she saw how our apartment looks." Yuki remarked with a laugh as he offered his hand to the younger man.

Eita accepted it and shook, "Great to see you again, Yuki-san. Now that you're living with my sister full time, you better take care of her!"

Machi shook her head while suppressing a giggle while Yuki laughed freely. "Don't worry, Eita-san, I'll do everything in my power to keep her happy. You have my word that I won't let either of you down."

Eita gave the silver-haired man an earnest smile, "I know you won't, Yuki-san, but I'll hunt ya down if you ever make her cry!" He told him, only half-joking.

Machi rolled her eyes and gave her little brother a nudge, "I don't doubt it, your older brother would probably be first in line though," Yuki commented, glancing at Machi and nodding.

"Yuki and I have made it clear that we're very determined to look after one another," Machi said to her brother before she showed him the engagement ring.

Eita looked at the ring in surprise and then up at them beaming, "That's fantastic! It's about time! You better not be like cousin Aoto! He and Kirika got engaged when I was five and didn't get married until last year!" He explained to Yuki.

"You know Aoto, he's always worried about being financially stable or worthy enough. Don't worry, we've already decided to do it later this year." Machi assured him as they went inside the Kuragi abode.

If there was one thing Yuki could compliment his future mother-in-law on, it was that she was very talented at making her home look good. The house was definitely on the more modern side, eschewing the traditional Japanese aesthetics in favor of more modern, Western and European influences, though there was the occasional Japanese touch, such as the dining room table and a few old heirlooms on display.

"Can't wait for the wedding! Speaking of which, I'm still invited to Tohru-san and Kyo-san's wedding this weekend, right?" He asked.

"Of course! Tohru said she's honored to have you attend, she's eager to see you again." Yuki said.

Tohru had met Eita before during one of her visits to Tokyo and like many who met the Honda girl, he felt indebted to her for all she had done. Machi had told him that had it not been for what Tohru had done for Yuki, she herself may not have had the strength to support him. Tohru found him to be a rather sweet, charming boy and had invited not just him, but also Kimi and Naohito to the wedding as well.

"That's great, I'll be there. It'll be a traditional wedding, right? I'll have my kimono ready." Eita said.

"My my, whose wedding will it be?" Asked Emika Kuragi from above. They all looked up to see Machi and Eita's mother standing atop the stairs, she wore a pleasant expression on her decently attractive face, but Yuki could see something in her eyes that he always saw whenever they visited. It told him she wasn't exactly comfortable around her daughter or her son-in-law to-be.

"My cousin Kyo is getting married to Tohru Honda, a very good friend, this weekend. We just came from her grandmother's home." Yuki elaborated.

"How nice! If it's a traditional wedding, I'll make sure Eita-kun looks good for such an occasion. Maybe he'll be able to charm a pretty Sohma girl." Emika mused as she sauntered down the stairs.

"Cut it out, mom." Eita groaned.

"It's a mother's duty to embarrass her child." Emika said.

Machi was tempted to make a bitter comment, but she simply took hold of Yuki's nearest hand and squeezed it for comfort, which he was happy to give her. "So, now that you're living in Tokyo again, Sohma-san, I hope you find the apartment livable. I know Machi-chan can turn any living space into a disaster area." She remarked humorously.

Yuki felt Machi's grip tightened.

"I'm very happy to be back, Emika-san, and Machi keeps our apartment just the way I like it." Yuki told her as politely as he could.

"That's good. So-" She stopped as she noticed the ring on Machi's finger. She dashed over and tore Machi's hand away from Yuki's, "Oh my! Is that what I think it is? An engagement ring?!"

This took Machi by surprise, the last time she had seen her mother genuinely excited for her was when she told her she was romantically involved with a Sohma. However, just like then, she got the feeling that Emika was more interested in what being linked to the Sohma Family could do for the Kuragis' social standing.

"Oh, nasty little crack in it. Did you drop it, Sohma-san? Or was it one of those clumsy luggage handlers? Oh well, easily replaced," Emika said, before releasing Machi's hand. It had taken all of the grey-haired girl's will power not to tear her hand away from her mother's grasp. "Still, this is wonderful! When's the wedding?"

"We're going to have it in December." Machi answered, trying her best not to be terse.

"Ah, a winter wedding! That can be quite romantic if handled correctly," Emika remarked, "We'll have to begin making arrangements; guest lists, location, catering, photographer, honeymoon options and of course the proper wardrobe for such an occasion."

"It's still many months off, so there's no need to rush," Yuki spoke up as he followed Emika into the living room, the siblings lingering behind a little, "After all, I'm a bit more focused on settling in with Machi and helping Tohru-san and Kyo prepare for their wedding."

"Always so considerate of others, Sohma-san! Obviously Machi-chan didn't just pursue you for your looks." Emika remarked.

"Actually, Emika-san, I developed feelings for your daughter first, though Kakeru did help bring us together." Yuki reminded her.

"Oh, forgive me, I do have trouble remembering details of stories like that, my husband on the other hand never forgets such minutia." Emika said, dismissing it casually as she sat down on a futon, gesturing for them to sit on the one across from her, a low coffee table separating the two pieces of furniture.

Yuki and Machi sat on the futon across from Mrs. Kuragi while Eita sat next to his mother, mainly just to give his sister something else to look at besides their mother. "Sohma-san, now that you've graduated I take it you'll begin work soon? My daughter's photography hobby won't be able to support you both, after all."

"It's way more than a hobby mom, you should know that by now," Eita remarked, hardly trying to hide his annoyance, "And her stuff's really good."

"Yes, well I'm just thinking practically, Eita-kun," Emika said.

"Actually I still need a few more years of studying before I can become a properly licensed counselor. Like any doctor, I'll need more than the standard four years of college," Yuki informed the woman, "And we have nothing to worry about financially, the accounts my family set up for me weren't just to pay for my education."

"How silly of me," Emika said, pretending to slap her forehead, "To forget that my daughter is involved with a boy from one of the richest families in all of Japan! I suppose she'll probably never have to work a day in her life and be taken care of. Like always."

"What?" Machi asked, looking at her mother with an expression of confusion and hurt, especially due to the thinly veiled look of bitterness in her mother's eyes.

"Oh don't be dramatic, Machi-chan. I'm just joking." Emika excused.

"You're not good at it, nobody's laughing." Said Eita, bitterly.

Emika gave him a little glare, "Another comment like that, young man, and you won't be going to that Sohma wedding."

Eita looked down, hands clenched softly on his lap.

"You're unbelievable," Machi spoke up, looking her mother in the eye, "After everything you've done, I thought you'd have learned the error of your ways by now."

"Ugh, my children are so dramatic!" Emika declared, "I apologize for them, Sohma-san, I'm sure your clan doesn't have to put up with such emotional nonsense."

"You'd be surprised at just how wrong you are," Yuki said, "And forgive me if this sounds rude, Emika-san, but while you do need to apologize, I'm the only person in this room you don't need to apologize to."

There was a short silence in the room.

Emika closed her eyes and gave a forced, uncomfortable smile, "I suppose I have been acting haughty. Machi-chan, Eita-kun, I'm sorry if I hurt you." She offered, though not as sincere as she could have been.

Not wanting to start an argument, Machi and Eita simply accepted her apology. They spent the next forty minutes discussing Machi's photography and how she had earned high grades from her teachers, with Tohru even asking her to help photograph the wedding. They also talked about Yuki's studies and the people he had worked with, as well as telling them about Tohru's heartwarming reunion with her grandmother.

"That sounds really nice," Eita said with a genuine smile, glancing at his mother and adding "Makes me wish we could've met grandma, mom."

Emika managed a genuine smile at both her children, her mother had died of pneumonia during a harsh winter shortly before she married Gota. "She would have adored both of you."

"What about your father?" Yuki inquired, but he stopped when he saw the warning looks Machi and Eita gave him, as well as how Emika flinched. It then occurred to him that while Machi had talked to him about her father's family, she hadn't mentioned her mother's family at all other than mentioning her mother's parents had both died and that her childhood hadn't been very pleasant.

Emika's head lowered, hiding her eyes from her children and future son-in-law. "Let's just say my children should be grateful they don't have to endure what I did, Sohma-san," She raised her head to look at Machi and then Eita before adding "I'm no fool, I know you both resent me over certain…mistakes that I made, but I hope you both understand that there are children out there far less fortunate than you. Your own family probably told you that many times when you were young, eh, Sohma-san?"

Yuki kept himself from grimacing as he remembered those same words from his mother. From Akito.

"Indeed I did, Emika-san." He said as Machi shared a concerned look with Eita.

Emika took a breath before asking in a tone of forced happiness "So, have you decided on a modern wedding or a traditional one?"

"Modern," Machi answered, now a little apprehensive about her mother's mood.

"That's good, bridal dresses are much more pleasing to the eye than glorified kimonos, don't you agree?" Emika said, as if the topic of her parents hadn't come up at all.

After some further discussion about possible plans for their wedding, Yuki's future courses in mental health studies, Machi's animation error collage project and their apartment, the topic shifted to the homes Akito was going to have built for them.

"Akito-sama seems like a very generous person, if she's willing to pay for the homes of her family members. You'd think with that much money the Sohma Family would be living in mansions!" Emika remarked.

"Some centuries ago, our ancestors' greed and extravagance nearly brought our clan to ruin. Ever since then we Sohmas have never forgotten to be grateful for what we have and to not let greed or the desire to exhibit our wealth get the better of us. These homes Akito will have built for those who have been close to her won't be anything extravagant, nothing more than two stories tall," Yuki clarified. This was the standard answer members of the Sohma used for outsiders curious as to why they didn't flaunt their wealth more.

Obviously, the Zodiac Curse had always been the true reason why the family tried not to appear overly wealthy to the outside world, so they needed a good cover story. Thankfully Emika didn't probe him too deeply for further details, as she, like most people, was satisfied by that answer.

"Still, it's very impressive. During your first visit here you mentioned that you have a passion for gardening?" Emika said.

"Yes indeed, though I haven't been able to keep up the hobby since I began college. Hopefully once our homes are complete I'll be able to start it up again, though I know I won't have the time for it that I used to." Yuki noted.

"Well, I'll do my best to help out." Machi told him, offering a small smile that he returned.

Emika nodded, "Keep that in mind, Eita-kun, you need to appreciate the freedom of childhood while it lasts."

Eita nodded, for once he knew his mom had a point. He'd heard from both Machi and Kakeru that life after high school wasn't an easy time for some people, though he was dedicated to his dream of becoming a mangaka and knew that it wasn't going to be easy to achieve. Still, he was just a kid, he figured he should probably savor his lack of responsibility while he could.

"By the way, Eita, how's your art coming along?" Machi inquired, causing her little brother's face to light up.

He'd received praise from schoolmates, teachers, Machi, Kakeru, Komaki, Yuki and Tohru, but he knew he had a long way to go before he was ready to be a true artist. He drew every day to improve upon his work, following the philosophy of a famous American cartoonist who had said that every artist has ten thousand bad drawings in them and the best way to get rid of them was to literally draw them out. Eita had no idea how many drawings he had made in his short life, but it was hopefully over ten thousand, so maybe his bad drawings were behind him.

"Pretty good! At least I hope so. I'm trying to create a style of my own and not copy others, which is kinda hard when there've been so many before me." He remarked.

"I'm sure every artist feels like that at some point or another. Whatever you end up creating could struggle or could be quite popular. Whatever you create may not reach 'Mogeta' levels of popularity, but that shouldn't discourage you from trying." Yuki advised.

Eita smiled, "Thanks, Yuki-san."

"Hey, mind showing me some of your more recent drawings? I'd love to see them." Machi said. He worked with both physical and digital tools, and while he could email Machi his digital work anytime, his physical work had a more personal touch to it.

"Sure! If you don't mind us taking a break, mom," Eita said, making sure not to raise his mother's ire.

"Of course not, dears! Go on ahead, there's still lost time to make up for!" Emika said, sounding just a tiny bit uncomfortable at the reminder of how she had kept them separated, a not entirely convincing smile on her face.

Eita and Machi stood up, but Yuki remained seated. Machi turned to look at her fiancé and asked "Coming, Yuki?"

"Actually I thought I'd stay and continue speaking with Emika-san, get to know her a little better." Yuki said, earning a surprised look from the siblings and a curious, but not displeased, expression from their mother.

"Why, that's quite nice of you, Sohma-san. I'd love to." Emika told him, glancing over to her children and giving them a dismissive wave, "Don't worry, Machi-chan, I'll do my best not to embarrass you or steal him away."

Machi managed not to let out an exasperated sigh or roll her eyes before she followed Eita out of the room and up the stairs. She glanced back at the love of her life one last time, and he gave her a reassuring look, promising he'd be all right.

Inwardly, Yuki couldn't deny that there was a part of him that was nervous to be alone with Emika Kuragi, but he had to try. He knew true reconciliation between Machi and her mother was unlikely, to put it mildly, due to Emika's lack of humility, but a part of him felt he had to at least try to get to know and understand this woman.

He had to be brave for Machi's sake.

He had been a coward in the past; too afraid and bitter to face his family, too scared of Akito and most of all terrified of the Cat's True Form.

Whenever Yuki thought back on the night when Kazuma had forced Kyo to transform and face his True Form, forcing Tohru see him for what the Clan thought he truly was, Yuki cursed himself for not doing anything to help. He should have run out of the house and into the forest, into the seemingly endless rain, and gone after Tohru to look after her. To help Kyo when he desperately needed someone there for him.

If only he hadn't been so afraid of the Cat's True Form and of what Kyo, in that state of rage and misery, might have done to the one who carried the Rat Spirit.

He had often imagined what would have happened if had possessed the courage to go with Tohru and help Kyo. He could have held Kyo back, kept him from striking Tohru and helped her calm him down. Instead Tohru, who had no idea of the Cat's beastly True Form or of what Kyo might have been capable of in that state, had gone after Kyo without a second thought, simply because she knew he needed somebody.

He wondered what Kakeru or Motoko and the rest of that fan club who had coveted him so much would have thought if they had seen him do nothing.

Tohru's awe-inspiring bravery, which had saved not just Kyo but all of those affected by the Zodiac Curse, had been what motivated Yuki to do more with his life. To become the Student Council President, to make friends outside of the Sohma family, to pursue and help Machi, to help others.

Tohru had taught him the value of helping people, and though there were people like Daigo, may refuse to learn the error of their ways, perhaps Emika Kuragi wasn't one of them.

As soon as Emika was certain her children were out of earshot, she leaned forward, looking at Yuki with a serious expression. "So, why did you really decide to stay behind, Sohma-san? To psychoanalyze me?"

Yuki didn't flinch under the woman's steely gaze, instead he met her eyes head on. "No, I meant what I said. I'd like to get to know you better and understand you. By the end of the year, we'll be family." He told her.

"What does family mean to you, Sohma-san?" Emika asked.

"If you had asked me when I was a first year high school student, I wouldn't have been able to give you a solid answer. My relationship with my own family was quite strained. Even now, things can be awkward between me and my parents, my mother in particular. Now? It means everything to me. My Cousin Kyo? We used to hate one another with intense passion, unaware that we were deeply jealous of one another. Now I consider him one of my closest friends. I have Tohru Honda to thank for that, and though she won't officially be part of the family until the end of the week, I've considered her to be family for years now.

"I think what makes someone family is that you love them, regardless of whether they're related by blood or not. They can come through for you or let you down, drive you crazy or calm you down… What matters is that they care about you and you care about them." He finished.

Emika leaned back on the futon, "A very good answer, Sohma-san, one you've obviously thought about quite a lot, but that makes sense given the profession you aspire to. For me, family means stability and affection, at least that's what I want out of a family. I suppose you don't like me very much, do you, Sohma-san?" She asked.

"I don't dislike you, though I suppose most people in my position probably would. I realized years ago that hating and blaming other people, even if they are guilty of making you suffer, wasn't healthy. I've done my best to move past it, and while my mother and I aren't as close as a parent and child should be, we're far better than we used to be and I hope to mend our relationship even more in the future. Perhaps your relationship with Machi isn't beyond saving either." Yuki told her.

Emika snorted, "Sohma-san, I think you're being foolishly optimistic if you think she really wants anything to do with me. Eita-kun is the only reason she ever set foot in this house again, though I suspect you had a hand in it as well."

"I did my best to convince her to maintain some semblance of a relationship with you and your husband, for Eita's sake if nothing else." Yuki admitted.

"What has Machi-chan and Kakeru-kun told you about her upbringing?" Emika inquired.

Yuki gave her a serious expression and answered "They said enough."

Emika leaned forward once again, clasping her hands together. "I admit I'm not perfect. I've had some very bad days, but you must understand something, Sohma-san; every day was bad when it came to my father."

"Were you abused?" Yuki asked carefully.

"The bruises to prove it faded away decades ago. He was a construction worker, fairly good at his job but flawed enough that he never rose up through the ranks, which made him bitter and drove him to drink…which led to some unfortunate incidents for me and my mother. He took his anger over his flaws out on us. In my third year of Elementary School, my best friend Asuna saw my bruises and told our teacher. After she reported it to the Child Guidance Center, my mother finally mustered the courage to divorce and leave my father. About six years later we were told by the police that he'd been found in Aokigahara Forest." She told him.

Yuki went a little pale at that. "I'm very sorry to hear that. I myself-"

"Stop," Emika softly told him, "It's obvious you're trying to play emotional counselor with me, Sohma-san, but I don't need your pity, nor do I expect you to truly understand me. As someone born into a rich family like the Sohmas, you've probably never had to go hungry or wear worn-out clothes or have only old toys from thrift shops to play with. You've never had to worry about rodents or roaches or having to bathe in cold water…"

Yuki remained respectfully silent as Emika spoke, but the look in his eyes gave her pause. True he had never gone without nice clothes and given his Zodiac form he had never had to be concerned with pests, save for the bugs attracted by the disaster he and Shigure had made of their kitchen before Tohru came to live with them. However, Akito had occasionally let him go hungry, or deprived him of anything to play with…and did much worse. Yes, abuse was something Yuki was familiar with, Emika could tell that he was just by looking into his dark grey eyes.

"So, it seems that unseemly behavior isn't limited to commoners like me." Emika remarked.

"You have no idea," Yuki replied, "My mother isn't dissimilar from you. There's a certain tradition in our family, which thankfully ended several years ago, which caused me to gain favor with our family's head. My mother took advantage of that to climb up the Sohma's social ladder and better our immediate family but…Akito wasn't a stable person. When I ran to my mother and begged her to take me away from Akito, she hit me. Both Machi and I were basically golden parachutes, as my father once put it."

Emika tried to cut him off before Yuki continued, his voice remaining calm and firm, "You've told me enough that I can ascertain what happened to you, Emika-san; you grew up poor, with a cruel father and a mother who struggled to be strong for you. You saw nothing but flaws in the world you came from and you desperately wanted more than anything to escape from it. So when your interior decorating skills earned you an opportunity out of that life you took it. You climbed up and out of the slums and into the nicer side of Tokyo where you eventually met Kuragi-san, who you saw as more than a lover; he was a way to stay in the perfect world of the upper class. If only you could give him a proper heir."

She stood up, glaring angrily at him, "How dare you-"

"I'm not judging you, Emika-san. You grew up with a life where hardly anything was perfect and you've tried so hard to escape flaws. But you can't. No human being is perfect, no one ever can be. Everyone has a pain they struggle with, a pain that can overwhelm them in moments of weakness or cause them to give into dark impulses, but that's no excuse for inflicting pain on others. That's something I myself am guilty of." Yuki confessed.

Emika sat back down, curious to see where her future son-in-law was going with this.

Yuki considered telling her about Akito's bet with Kyo, but knew that would entail telling her about the Zodiac Curse. Had he known that Kyo's freedom had been riding on defeating him, Yuki probably would have allowed the Zodiac's Cat to beat him senseless, because he knew how much Kyo's imprisonment would have devastated Tohru. But Kyo, far better and nobler than most ever gave him credit for, simply abandoned his ambition to defeat Yuki to not upset Tohru. There was someone else he had hurt, however…

"Because of the significant age gap between us, my brother and I were quite distant when we were young, he stood by and did nothing to prevent my abuse. When I left the Sohma estate to live with my cousin Shigure, Ayame realized the error of his ways and tried desperately to become a worthy brother, but I shunned him for several years. He never allowed it to show, but I know my spiteful rejection hurt him. And as I said, Kyo and I used to hate each other, because neither of us truly understood what the other had suffered through. Kyo's father and the suicide of his mother were the source of his pain, while the source of mine was my mother and Akito. However, Akito had her own pain, her emotionally abusive mother, that combined with the fear of being abandoned and unloved drove Akito to treat me horribly. Just as the fear of going back to the flawed world of the lower class drove you to treat Machi and Eita the way you have."

"Yes," Emika said with a haunted voice that was half a sob. "Damn it, Sohma-san, you're right. I was terrified of being poor again, of living in a tiny apartment infested with vermin. Th-that's why I was so desperate to defeat Mone Manabe and win the inheritance, why I did everything I could to mold Machi-chan into the perfect heir for Gota. It's why I punished her for falling even slightly short of perfection and why I jumped to the insane conclusion that she was trying to kill Eita-kun. I admit it, I'm a bitch and an awful excuse for a mother. Are you happy?"

"No. While I want you to confront your flaws and mistakes, I don't hate you. More importantly, I don't want Machi to hate you nor do I want you to hate yourself," He told her as he stood up and came to sit beside her, "It's obvious you regret how things turned out."

"Of course I do, I'm many things but a heartless psychopath isn't one of them," Emika snapped quietly.

"That's good. That means there's a chance for reconciliation," Yuki said.

"Is there? Like I said, Machi-chan wants nothing to do with me." Emika reminded him.

"That's not entirely false, but if you do your best to better yourself and make up for your mistakes, perhaps she'll be willing to have a relationship with you," Yuki remarked before asking "Will you at least try?"

Emika was silent for several moments as she mulled it over, "Yes. I want to at least try to earn my daughter's forgiveness," She confessed before smirking, "You know, Sohma-san, most people in my shoes would utterly despise you and would've thrown you out by now. People like me don't like having to face and admit their flaws, confronting the darker parts of their souls."

"I know, I've seen my fair share of that in my life," Yuki told her, "I mentioned that earlier today Tohru met her grandmother for the first time in her life. Her grandmother had been a widow for several years and had been trapped in a dark place full of regret and self-loathing for over twenty years. I wouldn't wish that on anyone, not even you."

"And how is this old woman now that she's been reunited with her long lost granddaughter?" Emika asked.

"Much better now. If I'm being honest, their reunion was one of the most wonderful things I've had the pleasure of witnessing," He admitted before adding "I hope that someday Machi being able to forgive you will be among them."

"I still think it's very unlikely." Emika stated.

"I once would have scoffed at the idea of forgiving Akito or viewing Kyo as a good friend. Your abusive father was the source of your pain, but you allowed that to turn you into a selfish person who became the source of her childrens' pain. However, that doesn't mean you're beyond redemption. Trust me, if we could forgive Akito, then I have faith that Machi will find it within herself to forgive you. You'll have to work very hard to earn it, but it will be worth it in the end." Yuki told her.

Emika wiped away a few stray tears and said "Are you sure you still need more studying, Sohma-san? Because you seem pretty good at this already."

Yuki allowed himself a chuckle, "Let's just say that before college, I learned a lot from Tohru."

Emika smiled before she looked over a framed photograph of the Kuragi family on the wall, taken when Eita was only two years old, a matter of months before Machi was kicked out of the house. "After that incident…when we thought Machi-chan had tried to smother Eita-kun, I thought that I'd made her too competitive, that I had made my daughter so obsessed with becoming the perfect heir that she'd even resort to murder. I decided to try a different approach with parenting Eita-kun, especially since he'd have no competition…but in the end Gota and I still tried too hard to make him into the next great Kuragi lawyer when he had no interest in it." She told him.

"And that drove him to seek Machi out," Yuki stated with a nod.

"We threatened to take away his art supplies if his grades didn't improve, we didn't understand that he purposefully failed to spite us until after he returned with Machi-chan," Emika recalled "I-I admit that on that day when we fought and he ran out of the house during the storm, I thought he'd come crawling back after twenty minutes, an hour at most. I was worried after two hours and scared out of my mind by nightfall. We called everyone in the family, even Kakeru-kun and his mother, to ask if they'd seen him, but none of them had. None of his friends from the Academy knew where he was, not even Naomi knew."

Yuki nodded, he knew of Naomi Yazawa, a girl who lived down the street from the Kuragis and was a very close friend to Eita, she was one of the very few female friends he had due to attending an all male academy.

"Gato and I got desperate enough to ask Machi-chan, even though we thought it was a longshot. Sure enough, he'd gone to her, of all people. The sister we had told him had tried to kill him when he was little because we were so damn cruel and stupid. Eita-kun chose her over us…and it was the right choice. When she told us he was with her, safe and warm, I was relieved but so scared she'd do something to him, but Gato felt it was best if he stayed the weekend with her, don't ask me why. I was amazed when he came home safe and sound…it hurt seeing that he was happier with someone we tried to make him afraid of than with us." Emika confessed.

"It got even worse when they began telling us the truth; about how she had just been trying to keep him warm, about the mental harm I'd inflicted upon her. I hated hearing it, but we could tell in the two days Eita-kun had spent with his sister he had come to love her and he wasn't going to let up until we accepted the truth," She went on, "I felt awful when I realized how horribly had I screwed up, it was like someone had shot me through my soul."

"You obviously weren't as honest with her as you're being with me. Why didn't you tell Machi how sorry you were?" Yuki inquired.

Emika sniffled, "It's…it's never easy to face the facts when they all point to you being wrong, it's especially difficult to realize you'd made such an unbelievable mistake. That you'd done that much harm to your own child and went about your life as if you were perfect and blameless. I didn't know what to do, I didn't know where to begin apologizing, so I tried to hide my shame. I've had to take sleeping pills ever since then, because at night I lie awake because I struggle with the fact that I'm a catastrophic failure of a mother who did awful things to her children," She paused and looked Yuki in the eyes, "I wanted so badly to be perfect, but the truth is I'm probably more flawed than my father. How could Machi-chan ever forgive me after what I did to her?"

"You know, Tohru's mother used to be a notorious biker gang leader called the Crimson Butterfly," Yuki said, proceeding to tell her the story of Kyoko Honda and how being disowned by her parents, while terrible, ultimately led to good things, even saved lives of Tohru's friends. "What I'm trying to say is, sometimes horrible acts can lead to good things. Even though what you did to Machi was horrible, I don't think she and I would have fallen in love had you not put her in such an awful position. The wonderful relationship we have now was only possible because of what you did."

Emika snorted, "What? You're thanking me for being such an abominable mother? For making my daughter's life hell and giving her an intense aversion to perfection?"

"In a strange way, even though it sounds crazy and even stupid, I suppose I am. Trauma and suffering are our great trials and it depends on how we face them and overcome them that matter, and how we help others face theirs. I love Machi so much that now I can imagine spending my life without her. What I'm trying to say is that there's a bright morning at the end of a dark night. Tohru's grandmother has gotten her second chance, so can you," Yuki told her, "When Eita ran away and sought out Machi, that was the beginning of your second chance, Emika-san. Please don't waste it."

Emika looked at Yuki, the tears in her eyes had caused her makeup to run down her face. "You've given me a lot to think about, Sohma-san. Some of it is very uncomfortable, but…I admit that I failed, I harmed my children in such a way that I-I don't know if I can ever really redeem myself…all because we wanted a perfect heir when his brothers' kids were probably going to continue the firm's success anyway. Do you think my children will ever be able to forgive me, Sohma-san?"

Before Yuki could answer, they both heard Machi's voice from behind them. "Maybe…"

"Think he'll be okay alone with mom?" Eita asked as he led his sister to his room.

Machi nodded, "He'll be fine. We haven't told you everything yet, but trust me when I say Yuki's been through a lot. Our mother is nothing compared to how the head of his clan used to be." She said, still contemplating over what she had learned about the Sohmas, the Curse and Akito in particular. One thing was for sure, her admiration for those who had been affected by the Zodiac Curse and had to endure Akito's past cruelty had skyrocketed, as had her appreciation for Tohru for bringing an end to it all.

"What do you mean by that?" Eita questioned, curious.

"Let's just say the Sohmas used to be very messed up. Yuki's not very comfortable with others knowing, he only told me the truth last night before he proposed. He hasn't even told Kakeru yet, so please keep this between us." Machi told her younger brother as they went into his room.

The twelve year old shrugged, "I like Yuki-san, so as long as he keeps you happy, I won't pry."

Eita's room was a typical preteen room, walls covered with posters of anime like 'One Piece', 'Fullmetal Alchemist', 'My Hero Academia', plus a poster for one of the recent Godzilla films, with shelves that were filled with manga tankobons, video games and movies. She was relieved there were no posters of scantily clad anime women or models, meaning at the very least her little brother wasn't openly a pervert.

He had two desks, one for his computer, which had a tablet next to it for digital drawing, and one where he did physical art with pencil, pen and paper. He had done a lot of sketches and drawings of places; there were a few of his academy and one of the wide panoramic view that surrounded it, obviously done from the school's rooftop. There was a drawing that made Machi smile, "I know this trainyard," She said.

"Yeah, after you showed me those photos I decided to go there and do some drawings of the old trains. Don't worry, some of my tougher friends went with me to make sure nobody tried to mess with me." Eita told her.

"Good to know you have friends that look out for you," Machi said with a smile as she took in his studies of a Golden Retriever, done in a much more traditionally cartoonish style than his drawings of locations.

"That's Kenzo, Naomi's dog," Eita explained, "I always wanted a pet but you know how obsessive mom is when it comes to keeping things neat and tidy; a dog or a cat would've driven her crazy."

Machi chuckled as she thought about how hysterical her mother would be if she ever learned the truth about the Zodiac Curse, especially that her future son-in-law used to turn into a Rat. She stopped when she caught sight of a drawing that had been hidden under the one of Kenzo, a drawing of a girl that she recognized.

"What's this?" She asked as she gingerly pulled it out.

"Uh, that's a bad one! It-" Eita tried to say, but it was too late.

Machi examined the stylized drawing of Naomi Yazawa, a girl who lived down the street from the Kuragi family and was one of Eita's best friends. Her father was a prominent executive for Toyota and had spent many years as a company representative in America before moving back to Japan four years ago, so Naomi had spent most of her life overseas and she had a noticeable American accent. Machi had first met Naomi when she brought Eita home after the weekend they spent together and Eita had even brought her over to Machi and Yuki's new apartment shortly after she moved in. Machi could tell by the amount of faint lines that had been mostly erased that this was a piece Eita had put his heart and soul into. He had captured her pretty face, long black hair, charming smile and beautiful dark eyes perfectly.

She looked at Eita, whose face had been consumed by a deep blush. Her little brother was in love.

"Please don't tell her." He begged.

Machi gave him a smile as she placed the drawing back down on the desk. "Relax, your secret's safe with me. You have my word I won't tell anyone else, especially not mom or Kakeru." She promised.

"Gods, he's the last person I'd want to know! Who knows what crazy stunt he'd pull." Eita said. He loved his half-brother, but there was no denying his antics could get very tiring.

Machi sighed, "Knowing how he tried to play matchmaker for me and Yuki, he'd probably give her your underwear."

Eita's face turned a shade of red that probably had never existed before. "What?!"

Machi slapped her forehead and groaned, "Ugh, why did I mention that? Please forget it." She implored him.

"No way, you've got me curious. What did Kakeru do?" He asked.

Machi explained how she had once had a small breakdown at school and afterwards Kakeru told Yuki why she lived apart from the rest of her family, which made Yuki concerned enough that he wanted to go check on her. One of the first things Kakeru did after dragging Yuki past her and showing him the chaotic state of her apartment was tricking the ex-Rat into holding one of her bras.

"Oh my God…remind me to hit our brother next time I see him." Eita said.

"Don't worry, Yuki and I already took care of that," Machi said, smirking at the memory before she gave her little brother a more sincere smile, "It was embarrassing for both of us, but we don't hold it against Kakeru. In the end he helped bring us closer together."

Eita managed a smile, "Then I guess it's okay. I won't hit him too hard. Hey, speaking of coming closer together, I'd like to make a drawing of Tohru-san and Kyo-san as a gift for their wedding. Can you and Yuki send me some pictures so I get their features right?" He asked.

Machi smiled back, "Of course we will. I know Tohru will love whatever you make for her." She said.

"Thanks, and I'll do one for you and Yuki too." He promised.

"I'd like that very much." Machi replied, her smile growing.

"Though I guess that means I'll have to do one for Kakeru and Komaki, which means Kimi will probably pester me to make one for her too…" Eita said with a groan.

Machi snickered, she and Kakeru had introduced their little brother to their friends; he got along just fine with Naohito and both Komaki and Kimi adored Eita, and while he liked Komaki he found Kimi to be pretty but a little overbearing. Given that Kimi's personality had toned down a bit after her first relationship ended poorly, Machi knew her little brother probably would've straight up hated the old Kimi Toudou.

"Well, they're all coming to Tohru and Kyo's wedding, so Kimi will probably insist you do a portrait of her once she sees what you make for them." Machi told him.

"Wonderful." Eita sighed.

"Oh and, Eita? Don't worry about drawing Naomi, when I started taking pictures I took a lot of Yuki, so I could still see him every day. I think it's normal for artists like us." Machi assured him.

Eita's blushed was now more subtle, "Thanks, Machi-Nee-chan. I was worried I'd turn into a pervert or something."

"Unless you've drawn her in a bikini with big boobs, I'm not worried." Machi told him, smirking as his blush intensified again. She laughed, "I better stop, I'm probably going to make your nose bleed at this rate."

"Yeah. Let's go back downstairs, don't want to leave Yuki-san alone with mom for too long." Eita said as they left his room.

They were just making their way down the stairs when they heard their mother say "Yes. I want to at least try to earn my daughter's forgiveness,"

Machi was so surprised she nearly fell, but braced herself on the handrail and came to a halt, looking at her brother, whose eyes had gone as wide as hers. They silently eavesdropped on the rest of the conversation between their mother and Yuki, listening to their mother freely confess her failings, her shame over how she had treated Machi, how she'd been scared for her son after he ran away and how awful she had felt once she learned the truth and why she had tried to hide it.

The siblings silently made their way to the first floor as Yuki regaled Emika with the story of Kyoko and how the callous acts of her parents ultimately led to truly wonderful things.

They stood in the entryway to the living room, silent until Emika asked "Do you think my children will ever be able to forgive me, Sohma-san?"

Before Yuki could speak, Machi suddenly found her voice and said "Maybe…"

Emika jumped off the futon like a startled cat, whipping around to see her daughter and son standing a few meters away. Yuki turned, also rather surprised to see the pair. "How much did you hear?" He asked.

"We were coming down when we heard mom saying she wanted to earn Machi's forgiveness." Eita stated, his voice a little quiet and his face giving away how shocked he was to hear and see his mother so vulnerable.

There had been a time when Machi would have struggled to look her mother in the eye, but Yuki, Kakeru, Eita, Tohru, Isuzu, Kimi, Naohito and the others had given the grey-haired girl the strength to face the woman who had driven a mere child to the edge of sanity to obtain the impossible goal of perfection.

"Do you mean it?" Machi asked, her voice as firm as it could be, "Tell me this isn't some sick joke you're playing on us for your amusement."

Emika was silent, her hands were clasped so tightly that her nails were close to drawing blood. She struggled badly to speak, only nervous noises coming out of her mouth as she felt the three pairs of eyes refusing to focus on anything but her.

Finally coherent words escaped her lips, "Y-yes…I meant every word. It's just…so hard to admit that I was wrong, that I hurt you…"

"That's an understatement," Machi told her abuser. An abuser who had tried so hard to suppress her shame and regret, but now it had bubbled to the surface and she was a nervous wreck on the verge of tears, "For years I felt like I was suffocating, like I was the only flaw in a world of perfection. The moment Eita was born you acted like you didn't need me anymore, casting me aside like I was a broken toy…then Yuki, Kakeru, Tohru and my other friends put me back together."

She stepped closer to her mother, tears forming in her own eyes, "You were so obsessed with your life being perfect that you never once stopped to think of what you were doing to your children. You dismissed me as boring and plain, you honestly thought I was jealous enough of my baby brother that I would try to kill him! You kicked me out and left me all alone! Never once stopping to consider that you were wrong! That you had been the one at fault!" She ranted, angrier than Yuki had seen her in a long time. She grabbed her mother's shoulders and shook her, "Why?! Why did you do that to me?!"

"Because I was selfish, scared and stupid!" Emika cried as she grabbed her daughter, both women freely crying now, "That's the truth, Machi-chan! I used you to keep myself in a good place, but I had no right to do that to you! Either of you…"

She looked over at her son, seeing tears forming in his eyes as well, before she forced herself to look at Machi and continue, "I was awful and cruel. I- I don't deserve this house, the money or either of you… Not after what I did. I drew water for my own field, looked out for almost no one but myself. It was inexcusable and I don't… I don't know why you're even here, why would you ever want to be in the same room as me after all I did?"

Machi hung her head, allowing tears to fall from her eyes and onto the carpet before she looked up and managed to answer, "Because I want to be the better person. I want to at least try to fix our family. Thanks to Yuki, I've gotten so much stronger and learned more than I would have had I just stayed secluded in a messy apartment. He's trusted me with his deepest secrets and I love him in a way that words can't do justice. I want to spend my life with him. So if Yuki can forgive Akito-san, Ayame-san and his parents for everything they did or allowed to happen and if Tohru can forgive her late grandfather…then I have to at least try to forgive you. As long as you're sincere about making up for it."

"I am!" Emika told her desperately, "I wish I could go back and do everything differently, make it so that I never treated you the way that I did…but I can't. I understand this is something that can't be bought with money or presents, I can only try to earn your forgiveness. I know I have a long way to go, but I swear I'll do whatever it takes."

"Well, all right," Machi answered, "I suppose you can start by saying you're sorry. Earnestly this time."

Emika couldn't help but smirk and chuckle, "I suppose my earlier apology wasn't nearly as genuine as it could've been, was it? I'm so very sorry for everything I did to you, Machi-chan."

Machi allowed herself a faint smile, "Some people might not be able to forgive you, but I can tell you're being sincere. What I saw earlier today at Tohru's grandmother's house taught me that sometimes people do horrible things because they're stupid or selfish or hard-headed, and while they hurt others, like Yuki said; sometimes…just sometimes, some incredible things can come out of that pain sometimes. I'll never be able to forget what you did to me…but I want to give you a chance to earn forgiveness."

Emika managed a smile, a true smile, and gave into the urge to embrace her daughter. She launched herself forward, capturing Machi in an overeager hug. Machi was surprised, she hadn't been hugged like this by her mother since she was very small. She wasn't sure if she was really at the hugging stage just yet…but what the hell? She gently returned the embrace.

Eita made his way to stand beside Yuki and whispered "Thank you. For real, this never would have been possible without you and everything you and the others have done for Machi-Nee-chan after practically everyone else abandoned her."

Yuki simply smiled and whispered "It's my pleasure to help the woman I love. After all, how can I help others if I don't help her?"

Before Eita could respond, he noticed his father standing in the entryway of the room. The sight of his wife hugging their somewhat estranged daughter brought a stunned look to his face

"Evidently I didn't get off early enough." Gato Kuragi remarked.

The newly-engaged couple spent the next few hours at the Kuragi home explaining to Gato what he had missed, comforting Emika as she kept apologizing to both her children, and just talking as a family. Both Emika and Gato thanked Yuki profusely for being there for Machi when they had failed her so horribly. Yuki humbly accepted their thanks, though they could tell that Emika would be apologizing for quite some time and it wouldn't magically fix everything, as Machi would still feel uneasy around them for some time, but it was at least a start.

After all was said and done, Yuki and Machi said their goodbyes and promised to see the Kuragi family soon before they set off for Ayame's store and the loft he and Mine shared above it. Before leaving, however, Yuki sent the photos of Tohru and Kyo he had in his phone to Eita so he could begin work on his wedding gift project, which he promised to do the best he could.

On their way, they decided to go ahead and inform their closest friends about their engagement.

Kakeru was first up, since he had played a not insignificant part in making them a couple.

"Yo, Yun-Yun! What's up?" Asked Kakeru's voice over the phone.

"I'm out walking with Machi, it's been a busy day," Yuki remarked as he held the phone out, on speaker so both he and Machi could talk to Kakeru.

"And a busy night. He proposed." Machi informed her brother.

"That's fantastic! I was beginning to worry that you'd chickened out when I didn't hear anything!" Kakeru teased.

Yuki scoffed, "No way I was backing down from this. Once I purchased the ring I was committed."

"And thank you for helping him to get dad's blessing," Machi told her brother, "Seriously, you can be incredible when you're not being a pain."

"That's the best kind of big brother!" Kakeru answered.

"What's up?" Asked the voice of Komaki from over the phone, and Kakeru answered his girlfriend, "Oh my goodness, that's wonderful! What happened? How did you do it, Yuki-san? Don't skimp out on the details!" Komaki eagerly asked, her voice now much louder as she had seemingly snatched Kakeru's phone away.

Machi explained how Yuki had proposed to her the previous night, obviously excluding his confession regarding the Zodiac Curse. Yuki grimaced, he felt bad about keeping his best friend in the dark regarding the Curse and knew that the longer he kept it from him, the more it could damage their friendship. He'd have to get permission from Akito, but it would probably be a good idea to tell Kakeru as soon as possible.

Yuki saw that Machi had noticed his troubled expression, but he gave her a reassuring look before he said "We had quite an eventful day. Tohru met her grandmother and they're no longer estranged."

"After we were sure they'd be all right we set off for my family's house and we told Eita and my mother about our engagement." Machi informed them.

"Anything awkward happen with your mom? I mean, knowing her…" Kakeru commented.

"Well at first, but Eita and I were out of the room for like five minutes and Yuki managed to pull off a miracle." Machi said before they explained what had happened.

Kakeru was, for once, rendered speechless before finally managing to respond with "You gotta be kidding. Yun-Yun, you actually got that stubborn woman to apologize? What, do you have some supernatural abilities you neglected to tell me about?"

"As a matter of fact…" Yuki said lightly, just a touch of nervousness in his voice, but it got a laugh out of Kakeru and Komaki nonetheless. "Kakaeru, I do have a little something to confess to you, but we're on my way to meet up with my brother and tell him the good news. Want to meet up tomorrow after you're done with work?"

"Sure! And Yun-Yun, thanks for everything you've done. I'd hate to think of leaving my little sister and brother in the dark places they used to be. You dragged 'em out into the light." Kakeru said.

"I didn't do it alone," Yuki told him, smiling fondly.

"We owe some of our happiness to you. So fair warning, I accidentally mentioned the time you gave Yuki my bra to Eita, so expect a kick to the shin or punch in the shoulder next time you see him." Machi advised.

Both Kakeru and Komaki laughed out loud, "I'll keep that in mind! We won't keep you long, but tell the Commander and Deputy Commander we said hi!" Kakeru said.

"Goodbye, have a great evening you lovebirds!" Komaki teased before Kakeru ended the call.

Next up was Kimi. During Machi's final year of high school, Kimi had discovered that her boyfriend Tamon had been cheating on her with Minami Kinoshita, who had been looking for someone to court after Yuki graduated. Kimi had been devastated, had even skipped a day to just cry in her room. Machi felt genuinely terrible for the spoiled girl so went over to visit her, dragging Naohito along and they managed to comfort her. Naohito apparently had experience with it, as he had helped comfort his older sisters when their own relationships failed.

After that, the three had become really good friends, Kimi was no longer as mischievous but was still giggly and outgoing and Machi and Naohito found themselves enjoying her company more than they had previously. Kimi had gone through several relationships since then, only one lasting longer than a year, but she had been able to bounce back just fine thanks to her friends. Kimi currently worked as a secretary for a pediatric doctor's office in the city and her cheerful personality made her popular among the staff and young patients.

Machi called her up, knowing her shift had ended not long ago, and Kimi's bubbly voice came over the phone, "Machi-chan! How's everything going? Did you and Yun-Yun have fun last night?" She asked suggestively.

Machi glanced at Yuki, a blush on her face as she remembered the incredible experience they had shared last night. It was good that he had kept his affections below the neck, she would have died of embarrassment if her family had noticed a hickey on her.

"Uh, Yuki's right next to me, we're out walking." She said.

"Really? Put me on speaker! It's been months since I spoke to him!" She said, and after Machi did, "Yun-Yun! So glad you're finally home! Does it feel nice to be living with your beloved Machi-chan?"

"Very nice, Kimi-san. It's good to hear your voice again," Yuki said, before they told her the good news.

"Oh. My. God! I can't believe it finally happened! You two have been just boyfriend and girlfriend for so long I was beginning to wonder if you'd ever commit! I can't tell you how happy I am for the both of you! And how jealous! Ugh! Wish I could find a guy as wonderful as you, Yun-Yun!" She voiced.

"I'm sorry to hear you're still looking for the right guy. What happened with…what was his name?" Yuki asked.

"Ugh, Hirotami. Don't even get me started on him! Always late, more financially irresponsible than I am and cared more about his car than me! I swear, I should've gone after your cutie cousin Momiji when I had the chance." Kimi ranted.

Yuki cracked a grin at the Momiji comment, but said "I'm sorry to hear that, but don't give up. I believe that you'll find the right partner sooner or later."

After telling her what little they had planned for the wedding and how Yuki had proposed, Kimi said "That sounds so wonderfully romantic! It was nice of you not to propose at the banquet so you didn't steal Tohru-chan and Kyo-kun's thunder. By the way, tell them I'll definitely be there this weekend! Wait, oh! Gotta go, my mom's calling. I'll call you back tonight, and Machi-chan, I want to hear the spicy details! Bye!"

She hung up before either of them could get a word in edgewise. Yuki and Machi shared a look before laughing together.

"I see no matter what happens, Kimi will still be Kimi." Yuki remarked.

"At least she didn't call dibs of being the Maid of Honor." Machi pointed out.

Last but not least, was Naohito Sakuragi. Like Yuki had, he spent most of his time away from Tokyo, attending Kyoto University and spent his breaks back home with his family, as he wanted to spend time with his sisters' children. During the last months of Yuki, Tohru and Kyo's final school year, the youngest member of the Kaibara High's student council had begun to mellow out considerably. He was still pretty uptight when it came to his grades and council duties, but outside of school he became quite personable. Surprisingly he even formed friendships with Momiji and Hatsuharu, as there was something about the ex-Ox of the Zodiac the Naohito liked, but not even he could ever figure out what.

He was apparently considering a career as a writer, as he was majoring in literature studies in college but also had a decent job at the Tokyo Metropolitan Central Library, helping them out with their digital catalogue, which he was even able to do over at Kyoto.

More astonishingly, Naohito had started smiling! The first time Kakeru saw him smile, he thought for sure it was an omen of disaster.

"Yuki-san, nice to hear from you, congratulations on graduating," Said Naohito over the phone, his voice sounding a bit worn out, "Good to be home?"

"Very good. You home as well?" Yuki inquired.

"Yeah, staying with my parents for the summer. My nieces and nephew are overjoyed to have me back. Just spent the day with them, they left about twenty minutes ago so I'm trying to rest. I love them dearly, but no end of year exam has ever exhausted me this much." He groaned.

"But you had fun?" Yuki asked.

"...Yeah, I guess I did," Naohito confessed, "Machi with you?"

"Yes she is, and we have some news for you," Yuki said before putting his phone on speaker and Machi told him that they were engaged.

"Well it's about time," Naohito remarked, earning some chuckles from the couple. It was such a Naohito thing to say. "To be serious, I'm glad for the two of you, I know you've both been through a lot and you deserve all the happiness you'll bring one another."

"Thank you, Naohito," Machi said, "It's odd to hear something so sentimental coming from you, but nice."

"Yeah, being friends with you guys and becoming an uncle has softened me up. Call me when college is back in session and I'm panicking over a test, then I'll be back to my old self." Naohito griped.

"We'll let you go, sounds like you could use some rest." Yuki said, "Have a good night, Naohito-san."

"You too, Yuki-san, Machi-kun. See you this weekend." He replied before ending the call.

It wasn't long before they approached Ayame's shop, though it now had an awning with somewhat risqué art of a long white snake coiling around a toga-clad woman with butterfly wings, and it was still simply labeled 'Ayame'. The ex-Snake had wanted to change the name to 'Ayame and Mine', but Mine loved the dress shop the way it was and didn't want to change anything about it, though Ayame had felt a little guilty about not giving his wife the credit she rightfully deserved. Mine had once let it slip that he had made up for it in bed.

The store's business hours were nearly over, but Yuki couldn't see anyone inside. He held the door open for Machi, the bell ringing as she went on inside ahead of him, "Ayame-Ni-san? Mine-san?" Yuki called.

They were probably still hard at work on Tohru and Kyo's wedding wardrobe, but it usually didn't take long for one of them to come running whenever he visited. He cautiously went over to the brown door by the counter and knocked, hoping he wasn't disturbing them.

The door gingerly opened, and to Yuki's surprise he had tears running down his handsome face. "Yuki! Machi-chan! So wonderful to see you so soon after yesterday. To what do we owe the pleasure?" He asked, in a tone of voice that suggested his tears weren't ones of sadness.

Ayame gestured for the young couple to move past him. Yuki led Machi inside, holding her hand to keep the ring a surprise. He glanced at his brother and said "We just decided to stop by, are we interrupting something?"

"Not at all! It's wonderful that you came at this moment in particular! The baby just started kicking about ten minutes ago!" Ayame told them as he followed them back to his office, where Mine sat behind the desk, affectionately rubbing her rounded stomach, stains of happy tears marking her face as well.

"That's wonderful!" Voiced Machi as she came in, "It doesn't hurt, does it?"

Mine giggled, "Not at all! The baby's so small that it just feels like something is fluttering inside me! We only just felt the first few kicks, and according to what my mom and your mother told us it'll probably be another hour before the next kick." She said before she gasped upon noticing Machi's ring, "Is that what I think it is?"

Ayame saw his wife was gazing at Machi's finger, eliciting a gasp from him as well as he shot over to her, dropping to his knees as he inspected her ring. "An engagement ring!" He looked at his younger brother, fresh tears forming in his golden eyes, "My little brother's…getting married?"

Before Yuki could say anything, Ayame shot forward, moving as quickly as the snake he used to turn into and captured the younger Sohma in a hug. If the strength of Ayame's hug was anything to go by, Yuki wouldn't have been surprised if his brother's Snake form had possessed some Boa Constrictor traits.

"How wonderful! I haven't been this overjoyed since I learned I'd become a father!" He released Yuki before he placed his right hand over his heart and added "Dear brother, I swear I'll outdo myself when it comes to making your wedding clothes!"

Chuckling, Yuki waved him off, "Don't worry about that. We don't want anything extravagant, so I'd prefer it if you just focus on Tohru and Kyo's outfits for the time being. You'll have plenty of time, since we're having the wedding in December." He said.

"December? Yuki, why that time of year?" Ayame moaned, the effect the cold had on him still lingered.

"Don't worry, we'll be having it inside, though we haven't decided where yet. We haven't even called mom and dad to tell them." Yuki admitted, "I asked for Akito's blessing last night, but I haven't given her or Shigure the news."

"Well let's rectify that! Oh, and we'd love to know how the visit to Tohru's grandmother went." Ayame said as he gestured for them to sit on the couch as Mine rose up.

"Would you like a drink?" She offered.

"Some water, please, but I can get it myself." Machi assured her, not wanting to burden the pregnant woman.

As Machi left the room and made her way to the breakroom in the back of the shop where Ayame kept a fridge stocked with water and other drinks. Mine followed her, eager to get a closer look at the engagement ring and maybe get some early ideas for what kind of cute wedding outfit she'd make for Machi.

Yuki approached his brother, his face showing a guilty expression. "Ni-san, we just returned from Machi's parents' home and seeing her so close to her little brother Eita after the years they were forcefully separated…it made me feel guilty about how I treated you when you tried to reconcile with me." Yuki admitted.

Ayame gave his little brother a surprised look, but then smiled, "It's all right, Yuki. Considering how I didn't so much as lift a finger to object to the treatment you suffered, I can't really blame you for resenting me." He said.

"Yes but…I could get pretty harsh with you at times," Yuki argued, "I mean, 'Skin this revolting snake and roast its reptilian corpse?' I went too far with the things I said to you."

Ayame covered his mouth as he laughed, "If you think that was too harsh, you should've heard some of the things Tori-san shouted at me the first time we got drunk with Gure-san. To this day it's the only time I've ever seen him raise his voice."

Yuki laughed, "Okay, you've got me curious. However, the point still stands that I'm sorry for how I tried to keep you out of my life."

"And I've never stopped regretting that I never did enough for you when we were young. Let's not linger on old wounds that have closed, Yuki. We all have a bright future ahead of us; Mine-chan and I have our child on the way, you'll be married to a wonderful girl by year's end and at the end of the week Tohru-kun and Kyonkichi will finally be united for all time! You've forgiven me, and I have forgiven you. Let's not dwell on it any more, okay?"

Yuki knew his brother was right; the future seemed full of happy endings and bright new beginnings. He shouldn't allow guilt over past actions, ones that he'd already been forgiven for no less, distract him from that future.

"Thank you, Ni-san." Yuki said.

Ayame smiled, "You're very welcome, Yuki. Now, once our lovely ladies return, I want to hear everything that's happened since yesterday evening!"

Yuki blushed slightly, which was enough to tell the older brother that one certain event that had happened last night was best kept between the young lovers.

"That'll do…"

Chapter Text

"That'll do…"

Tohru found herself lying on a bed in a room she knew. She had slept in this room almost every night of her life before her mother's death. 'Why am I in the old apartment? A different family lives here now.' She thought.

She looked up at the open doorway and saw two shadows moving down the hall. A male voice that Tohru found familiar asked "You're not worried either?"

"'Course not. She'll be fine, so will the Jari-Gaki…and their children." Answered a woman's voice that Tohru recognized right away.

She leapt to her feet and ran out of her former room, down the small hallway and into the living room of the small apartment and found she saw a man and a woman standing out on the balcony, looking out over a sprawling ocean where the city should have been.

"Mom? Dad?"

Kyoko and Katsuya turned to face their daughter, both of them wearing proud, joyful faces. Tohru ran to them with happy tears streaming down her face and felt their arms wrapping around her…

Tohru felt herself being shaken awake, the dream vanishing as her eyes began to open. "Tohru-kun, it's time to wake up." Said Saki Hanajima.

Tohru groaned as she stirred, she felt something wet on her face. "We're sorry to wake you up so early, but you were crying in your sleep." Voiced Kisa, sounding worried.

"And despite your tears, your waves were so bright." Saki commented.

"Something up, Tohru?" Arisa asked as she squatted down beside her best friends and Kisa.

As she remembered what she had just been dreaming, Tohru shook her head and smiled, "I'm okay, thank you for checking on me. I was just having a really good dream about my mom and dad."

Arisa and Saki smiled at her and the tall blonde said "Then we're sorry we woke you, but when we noticed the tears we got worried. Though Hanajima was pretty happy having you cuddling her like that."

"Obviously you missed Kyo-onii-san quite a lot!" Kisa giggled.

"Sorry, Hana-chan!." Tohru said, eliciting a smile from the 'Wave Girl'.

"It's all right, I've always appreciated your affections, Tohru-kun. Though I think it would make Antonio-kun and Kyo quite jealous, especially on your wedding day." Saki remarked.

Tohru shot straight up, standing atop one of several futon mattresses that had been laid out in Akito and Shigure's living room for her, Hanajima, Uotani, Kisa, Machi, Isuzu, Kagura, Mitsuru and Usagi, most of whom were either sitting around casually in their sleepwear. Isuzu and Mitsuru were the only ones still asleep, the latter having had a little too much to drink last night and the former liked getting as much rest as she possibly could on her days off.

"The wedding's today!" Tohru cried, her eyes wide and hair frizzing out, "I have to bathe, I have to do my hair, get my shiromuku! I'm getting married-"

"Not until two, and it's not even eight yet. You don't need to stress out over anything." Machi reminded her, still lying down, hugging her blanket to her. She had grown quite used to sleeping with Yuki over the past week and was missing his body as much as Tohru missed Kyo's.

"Don't be so sure you won't be stressed out come December," Arisa remarked to Machi

Tohru and Kyo had decided to spend nearly all of yesterday apart so it would be even more impactful when they finally reunited at the wedding.

The bride-to-be had been joined by Uotani, Hanajima, Machi, Akito, Kisa, Isuzu, Kagura, Mine, Komaki, Mayuko, Mitsuru and Usagi for a wonderful girls' day out. They went shopping, with some of the girls getting wedding gifts for the couple while also helping Tohru select the hikidemono, gifts that the newlyweds were to grant those attending their wedding. Isuzu had let Tohru know she was going to give her her gift a bit early that morning and that it was important she keep it from Kyo until the time was right. Tohru had been confused, but Isuzu promised she'd understand.

Akito then treated everyone to a nice lunch at a rather fancy restaurant, and while Tohru felt a little guilty about Akito having to pay for so much food, Kisa was quick to remind her that Akito was among the few members of the Sohma Family who actually knew how rich the clan really was. Even the appetites of Saki and Komaki would be slaked and it wouldn't put a dent in Akito's purse. Tohru accepted, but promised Akito to make her a delicious meal to thank her one day, something Akito gladly accepted.

There had also been a surprising run-in with some familiar faces at the restaurant, as Arisa had spotted none other than the former delinquent trio that once idolized her, Yuika Takemura, Shiori Ito and Mio Ishihara, working there as waitresses. Turns out that their attempts to become 'proper Sukebans' didn't work out very well and they left Uotani alone out of embarrassment. They had stuck together, however, and even shared the same apartment and job, being very polite to their former inspiration and her friends.

After that Akito had several drivers deliver them to the Sohmas' Hot Spring, where Ritsu's mother Okami welcomed them warmly. While at the onsen, at the insistence of Mine, they all made sure that everyone was satisfied with their wedding outfits. They then spent most of the afternoon and the early evening relaxing in the Hot Spring, letting the soothing waters soak up their bodies, which was something every woman there was more than happy to savor after a long day out.

Afterwards, they returned to the Sohma Estate for the night, where the cooks treated everyone to a lovely dinner. Though Komaki was sure to have some of the meat selection, she didn't stay, leaving early to get the outfits approved by Ayame and Mine to her family's dry cleaners, where her mother and half-a-dozen other members of the Nakao family were prepared to work through the night to get them ready. Mrs. Nakao saw it as penance to Tohru for the tragedy that took her husband and Kyoko.

Ayame had likewise delivered the men's outfits to them the previous night before he returned home from a day out with Kyo and the boys, uniting with Mine at their loft to put some finishing touches on Tohru and Kyo's wedding attire. Mayuko didn't stay either, leaving to meet up with Hatori and get Kinu, who had spent the day with Satsuki and Hinata.

Tohru, Saki, Arisa, Kisa, Isuzu, Kagura, Mitsuru and Usagi spent the night in Akito and Shigure's main living room, having one last sleepover.

Tohru had loved spending time with the girls, savoring every moment of their day out as well as how incredible the hot spring had felt on her body. However, she dearly missed Kyo, who had been enjoying a day with Yuki, Haru, Shigure and the others.

"Glad you had fun yesterday, because I don't think you'll be sleeping without Carrots for the foreseeable future." Arisa quipped, earning a giggle from Usagi.

"'Sleeping with carrots', you know, I once came over to see Momiji-kun and he was dozing with a carrot in his mouth like a cartoon bunny! He's so adorable!" The young blonde declared.

Tohru gave Usagi a smile as she calmed down while Arisa shared knowing looks with Kisa and Kagura, who had also woken up. They all wondered when Momiji would work up the nerve to propose to Usagi, but given his optimistic attitude and the way he easily formed emotional bonds they knew it couldn't be that far off.

"I take it you all had a good night's sleep?" Asked Akito as she opened the shoji door to the room, her husband looming over her with a smile on his face. Once, Shigure doubtlessly would've made perverted jokes about the various attractive pajama-clad young women in his living room, but now he only had eyes for his wife.

"We did, Akito-san! It seems that Isuzu-san and Mitsuru-san still are." Tohru said.

Shigure smirked devilishly and Akito craned her arm up to give him a soft slap on the cheek, "Don't even think about scaring them awake."

Pouting, Shigure whined and muttered "You're no fun sometimes, Aki-chan."

Akito allowed herself a smile before telling the girls "The servants have begun preparing breakfast. After that, we'll begin preparing Tohru-chan while Shigure oversees the preparations to the banquet hall where the reception will take place. The ceremony itself will be held at the estate's shrine where Osamu-san assures me everything is in order."

"That's good. Do the servants need any help making breakfast? I wouldn't mind-" Tohru began offering before Kisa cut her off.

"No, nee-chan. No way in the world are you making food for us on today of all days! Let yourself be pampered for once!" Said Kisa as she stood up. She wasn't much taller than Tohru, but like her big sister figure, Kisa could be quite firm and insistent when she needed to be.

They went off to the dining room, followed shortly afterwards by Isuzu and Mitsuru, and it wasn't long before they were all chowing down on grilled fish, omelets, rice and other things.

The wedding ceremony was mostly going to be traditional but not strictly so; Tohru and Kyo decided that since their life had been so unusual and different from what the average person went through, then their wedding should be no different. Besides that, traditions had done quite a lot of harm to the Zodiac, so who really cared if some of them were eschewed?

Guests were allowed to bring a plus one, something very much frowned upon in Japanese weddings but Tohru felt that anyone who wanted to come deserved to, even if she didn't know them that well. For example Eita had mentioned the wedding to his friend Naomi Yazawa, who had never been to a Japanese wedding before due to living in Texas for most of her life, so Tohru was more than happy to let her come.

Another way that it would differ would be that they'd be dancing at the reception. Dancing wasn't that unusual due to Western influences, but Tohru wanted so badly to dance with Kyo-kun, even though he insisted he wasn't a good dancer, something Kagura scoffed at because she felt martial arts training was a distant cousin to the art of dance.

About halfway through the morning meal, Namie announced the arrival of Ayame and Mine, who came through the entryway, looking as fashionable as ever. Behind them were a pair of servants carrying boxes that no doubt contained the finalized wedding outfits.

"Good morning everyone! Especially to you, Tohru-chan!" Mine announced as she excitedly made her way over to join them, asking permission to have some of the extra food as her pregnancy cravings were acting up again. She'd had to carry some snacks with her all day yesterday. "I hope you slept well, I was so giddy on the night before my wedding that Tori-san had to come over and sedate me!"

Tohru giggled, "I'm okay, Mine-san. All the walking we did yesterday tired me out, the trip to the Hot Springs made me ready to fall asleep the moment we got here."

"It's good you had a proper rest, Tohru-kun," Ayame said as he sat down beside his wife before playfully feeding her a piece of grilled fish. He looked at Shigure and added "I hope Kyonkichi and the others will be here on time."

"Aya, are you doubting your brother's ability to get Kyo-kun here?" Shigure asked teasingly.

"Of course not, Gure-nii! It's just that Yuki will no doubt have his hands full with Kyonkichi, Momiji-kun, Haru-kun, Kakeru-kun and Ri-chan even though he'll have Hiro-kun and Kureno-kun there to help." Ayame pointed out.

"Good point, but just to be on the safe side, Kazuma-sama said he'd head over to meet up with them and make sure they're getting ready. He should arrive by ten or so and two cars will arrive at a quarter-til noon to bring them here," Shigure assured everyone, "Komaki-san's mother will have one of her delivery drivers send up the wardrobe for the rest of us sometime around eleven. I must say you picked excellent outfits for us, Aya."

"Of course I did! Would you expect anything less of me?" Yuki's brother asked, striking a pose.

"Just remember, Tohru-chan, no matter how badly you'll want to see Kyonkichi, you can't see him until you walk into the shrine!" Mine reminded her playfully.

"I don't get why," Kagura remarked, "It's not like either of 'em are gonna back out, after all they've been through. I know Kyo-kun won't."

"Not if he knows what's good for him." Isuzu quipped.

"Yeah, it's not like we're in the old days where weddings were pretty much just glorified business deals and they didn't want either the bride or groom backing out of it if the other happened to be ugly or obnoxious." Agreed Arisa.

"Well, I've read that for overseas weddings, it's considered bad luck for the bride and groom to see one another before the wedding properly begins. Let's face it, this family has been rather superstitious in the past." Machi voiced as she eyed Usagi who was the only one there not in the know about the Zodiac Curse.

"It's probably best to be cautious," Tohru voiced, before she blushed and her grin grew, "Still, I can't wait to see how wonderful Kyo-kun will look."

"Kyo-nii-san is probably thinking the same thing about you, Nee-chan." Kisa assured Tohru.

"Has our lucky man come back from his morning run?" Yuki asked the others as he emerged from the showers wearing a t-shirt and a pair of shorts as he continued to dry his hair off with a towel.

"Don't know," Answered Hiro from the kitchen as he and Kureno prepared breakfast for the others while Momiji, Hatsuharu and Kakeru sat at the table, the latter of whom was letting out a loud yawn as they watched the morning news. Kureno had learned to cook fairly decently while under Akito's service, even though he very rarely had to make anything for her he did prefer to make his own meals to take the burden off the maids. For Hiro, Satsuki's clumsiness had prompted him to become her assistant chef for most of his life, so he was a competent enough chef.

Momiji was playing with Ume the kitten, who had grown quite attached to Tohru so when she didn't come home with Kyo last night the kitten had cried loudly as it searched for her, only to find comfort with Momiji. Despite how much Momiji had grown, he still loved cute things and was more than happy to give Ume all the affection she could need until he had to leave.

"Actually, I heard him return a while ago," Kureno said as he used a spatula to flip a pancake, "I think he's exercising outside."

"Ooh! Looks like our groom wants to be nice and sexy for his bride during their homebound honeymoon!" Kakeru quipped brightly.

Yuki shook his head as he drew the sliding shoji doors open and went out on the engawa. He and Kyo had spent yesterday with Momiji, Hatsuharu, Shigure, Ayame, Hatori, Hiro, Kureno, Ritsu, Hiroshi and Yusuke, the last two the ex-Cat had stayed in touch with while he and Tohru were away, to celebrate the end of Kyo's days as an unmarried man.

Much to Kyo's frustration, a lot of it was spent with Ayame fussing over everyone's wedding outfits, making sure the right ones had been selected before they were sent off to the Nakao Family Cleaners. To Yuki's surprise, Kyo had also spent much of their waiting time letting Momiji and Ritsu teach him some basic dances so he could dance with Tohru at the reception.

Kyo had introduced himself to Kazuma's current class of students earlier in the week, telling them he'd soon become a sensei to them as well, only beneath Kazuma himself. However, due to his relatively young age, some of the older students doubted his abilities, so when Kyo and the others visited Kazuma yesterday, Kazuma agreed to let them test Kyo's skills in a match where his current top five students, all black belts, would take on the orange-haired young man at once.

This was something Kyo was more than happy to agree to and Kunimitsu, well aware of Kyo's martial arts prowess, warned the students that it wouldn't be an easy victory, but they paid him no mind. Kazuma told his students not to overexert themselves or do too much damage to Kyo, as he would be getting married, but to make things more interesting, Kyo said that once he had knocked all five of them off the tatami mats, they could come at him again. This earned laughs from the three young men and two young women, who were more than confident that their sensei's adoptive son wasn't that much of a challenge for all five of them.

With Yuki, Hatsuharu and the others watching from the sides, they witnessed a long, dragged out twenty-five minute match, all five of his opponents were knocked off of the tatami mats multiple times and they had to admit defeat. Obviously it hadn't been an easy match for the ex-Cat and he was covered in sweat, but wasn't bleeding or bruised, his opponents had hardly been able to land more than a few strikes on his body, which meant he'd look just fine for the wedding.

By the end, Kazuma, Hatori, Hatsuharu and Kunimitsu were the only ones not gawking at Kyo like he was Bruce Lee returned from the grave. Despite the ego boost he felt from how impressed everyone was, Kyo did his best to remain humble, simply bowing and saying he looked forward to passing on some of his skills to his future students, who now knew better than to underestimate Kazuma's greatest student.

After night fell, Shigure and Hatsuharu had led the group to a rather nice bar that the ex-Ox of the Zodiac sometimes went to with Rin. Hatori and Kureno did their best to protest and Kyo admitted he wasn't too crazy about it either, nor was Hiro who didn't even want to think what Kisa and his mother would say if they found out he had gone to a place like this, especially considering that Shigure bribed the bouncer to get him in. Yuki wasn't too crazy about it either, but they found themselves outvoted by Shigure, Haru, Momiji, Ayame, Kakeru, Yusuke, Hiroshi and surprisingly even Ritsu.

Despite Shigure, Haru and Kakeru's best attempts to get Kyo drunk, the ex-Cat adamantly refused because his alcohol tolerance was very weak. Shortly after graduation, Shigure had gifted his three wards with a sake bottle as a congratulations for making it through high school. Yuki's tolerance turned out to be fairly high while Tohru turned out to be a happy drunk, giggling and blushing the whole time but Kyo passed out after his first drink. It wasn't all that bad, as he did wake up hours later with Tohru lovingly draped over him.

Kyo stayed sober the whole time, drinking only water with Hiro while everyone else drank sake or other alcoholic beverages but thankfully Hatori was there to make sure no one got intoxicated.

"No one's having a hangover on the day of Tohru-kun and Kyo's wedding." He had firmly told everyone.

Yuki found a shirtless Kyo doing pull-ups, his hands firmly grasped onto the edges of the roof that hung over the engawa, his nearly shoulder-length hair drenched with sweat as he quietly counted off how many he was up to.

"Forty-five…forty-six…"

"Good morning, Kyo." Yuki greeted.

Kyo glanced down at him and nodded, "Mornin'," He returned as he did the last few pull ups, ending at fifty, and then lifted himself onto the roof, reclaiming his sleeveless shirt that he had tossed up earlier. He looked over and gestured for Yuki to climb the ladder and join him.

Yuki climbed up after Kyo, joining him on the upstairs patio. "Nice to sleep in the old place?" Kyo asked him.

"It's a little odd to be sleeping in your old room instead of mine, but it wasn't bad. I missed Machi though." Yuki confessed.

Kyo nodded, "I missed Tohru too. I've gotten so used to having her there that it's a little hard to go to sleep without her. Hey, remember the first time you found us sleeping together?"

The first time Kyo had slept with Tohru was the first Friday night after the curse had broken; he had endured a terrible nightmare of being stuck in his True Form and locked in the Cat's Room, with Akito and the other Zodiac members hatefully glared and cursed at him. He had seen Yuki, with a gleefully cruel smile, lead a weeping Tohru to Hatori. She begged to have her memories wiped, begged to forget the sight of the monster she had deluded herself into loving. When Kyo woke up from that he hesitantly woke Tohru up and told her about it. She had wasted no time in hugging him, offering him all the comfort she could give, insisting he sleep with her.

That first night Kyo had slept with Tohru, savoring her scent and the way she gently hummed an old lullaby, had led to the best sleep he'd ever had. He'd been in such a deep sleep and Tohru, though she'd been blushing like mad, didn't dare wake him, which meant that Yuki found the couple holding each other in Tohru's bed. He had initially assumed something untoward had happened the night before, his angry shouts waking Kyo up but it didn't take Tohru long to lay his fears to rest.

Yuki nodded solemnly, "I do. Again, I'm sorry I jumped to conclusions. I really should've known better."

Kyo shrugged, "Eh, I probably would've made some smartass cracks if we found you and Machi snuggling. Thing is…ever since I began sharing a bed with Tohru, I haven't had one bad dream."

"Only good and strange ones, then?" Yuki inquired.

Kyo nodded as he gazed out at the beautiful forest that surrounded the house and admitted "I dreamed about my mom last night."

Yuki's head jerked to look at Kyo, the most surprising thing was that the ex-Cat was smiling fondly. Typically his dreams about his mother were far from pleasant, so this was very much a change for the better.

"It was a good dream?" Yuki ventured.

"Yeah, it was," Kyo answered, "She said she loved me and told me how sorry she was for taking her own life, for not being there when I needed somebody. She said that she was so happy I found the right person to spend my life with. What do you think?"

"You mean, do I think your dream was just a dream or that her spirit reached out to you?" Yuki asked. Kyo nodded and the ex-Rat answered "Well, I don't think I can honestly say for sure. I looked into such dreams during my studies; from the psychological perspective it's seen as a sign that certain things in your life are having a very positive influence on your emotional state. It could also be your own subconscious trying to reassure yourself that she's watching over you or trying to obtain closure or even forgive her for what happened.

"Then there's the paranormal options; the supernatural is extraordinarily rare, but not impossible, the Curse was proof enough of that. So the concept of souls, ghosts and the afterlife isn't that far-fetched, though I wouldn't go telling my superiors that. Perhaps her spirit really did come to speak with you, to give you both closure that only the two of you could give one another." He was silent for a moment before asking "Did you forgive her for what she made you witness?"

Kyo was silent as he leaned on the patio's handrail, his eyes focused on the forest and the city beyond before he nodded. "Yeah, I did. The me that held grudges against people faded away thanks to Tohru…and you."

"Me?" Yuki asked, surprised.

Kyo turned to face his silver-haired cousin, "Yuki, that day I tried to leave, when I nearly let my shame and fears win, you stopped me from making a terrible mistake. If it hadn't been for you, Tohru and I probably wouldn't be together, we wouldn't enjoy the happiness we have now. I owe you a lot, man. Thank you for knocking some sense into me when I needed it most."

Years ago, Yuki never would've believed that Kyo would be freely saying something like this. But that was back then, now Kyo was someone Yuki didn't want to insult or antagonize. He had shown himself to be far stronger and smarter than most would have believed, not to mention having a bigger heart than a lot of people ever would have suspected him of possessing.

Yuki himself had moved beyond the stuck-up 'Prince of the School' who felt the need to spite the Cat at every opportunity. No longer was he jealous of Kyo's ability to socialize with others, now he was able to form friendships. Like Kyo, he had Tohru to thank for that.

"You're welcome. Thank you for bringing Tohru the love and happiness she deserved. You're the only one truly capable of that. Despite some of the less-than-kind things I've said about you over the years, I want you to know that you're a good friend and a great cousin. I'm honored to have someone like you in my family, Kyo." Yuki told his cousin.

Kyo managed a smile, "I guess I'd be lying if I said I didn't feel the same way, Yuki." He said as he offered Yuki his hand, which the ex-Rat was glad to accept.

"Kyo, I'm sorry for…most of the insults I hurled at you over the years," Yuki admitted, "I was so consumed by my own self-pity, I foolishly thought my own pain overshadowed yours. I think I speak for everyone when I say we were too selfish and caught up in our own problems to think about how awful your situation was or think of a way to help you."

"Cut that shit out," Kyo demanded, placing his hands firmly on Yuki's shoulders, "It's like I told the others; I understand why you treated me the way you did. I wasn't an angel either, I could be a real prick at times and I didn't even try to understand how bad you had it with Akito. At least I had Shishou looking out for me, you hardly had anyone. It doesn't matter whose pain was worse, what matters is that we forgive each other and that from here on, we do our best to look out for each other. Right, cousin?"

Yuki smiled and nodded, "Right."

Kyo sighed and muttered "You know, we'd probably have to hug if Tohru was here."

Yuki chuckled but abruptly stopped when they both heard the patio door opening. They both turned to see Hatsuharu, having apparently recorded some of the scene on his phone. "Tohru and Machi will love to see this." He remarked.

Yuki and Kyo both sighed, before the orange-haired young man just let out a laugh, "You know what, Haru? The old me would've tried to kick your ass, Dark Haru or Light, and make you delete it, but I'm in too good of a mood to get angry. Plus, I know Tohru's gonna love it." He admitted.

"How much did you record?" Yuki asked.

"Right when Kyo mentioned how he doesn't hold grudges anymore." Haru admitted.

"I don't, but that doesn't mean I won't hand your ass to you next week." Kyo told him with a smirk.

"You'll try." Haru deadpanned.

"Try nothing, I'll do it. Now if you'll excuse me, I gotta shower. Can't get married smelling like this." Kyo said as he made his way inside.

"Don't forget Momiji's gonna do your hair. No backing out of it." Haru reminded him.

"As long as he just gives me a ponytail like Shishou used to have, I won't fight him." Kyo remarked before vanishing inside.

"Haru, do you think Rin and Akito were able to get along all right yesterday?" Yuki inquired.

Haru nodded, "Rin's was skeptical about Akito's change of character, but after she told off Kyo's sperm donor and defended Tohru from him she's tolerating her. She understands that Akito has changed, so she'll do her best to try to be around her until she's able to truly forgive Akito. Even if Akito did something to piss her off, I know Rin would do her best to hold her anger in until after the wedding, because she cares about Tohru and Kyo's happiness. Besides, if something did happen between them we would've heard about it by now."

Yuki nodded, "You're right."

The cousins shared a pleasant moment of silence, listening to birds sing and the wind softly brushing through the trees before Haru finally muttered "I still can't believe you slapped me so hard last night."

Yuki shot him an incredulous look, "You really should have seen it coming. 'How was sex with Machi?' How the hell could you ask that right in front of everyone?"

"I'm just curious if you two are as good at sex as Rin and I am." Haru defended dryly.

Yuki couldn't help himself and laughed, "Even after all these years, there are times I just don't get you, Haru."

"So, you're probably not interested in a foursome?" Haru asked.

Yuki smacked Haru upside the head. "You know, between you and Kakeru, I'm not sure whose sense of humor was worse!" Yuki exclaimed.

They made their way downstairs just in time, as Kureno and Hiro were nearly done preparing breakfast, which consisted of pancakes and omelets, with milk and orange juice for drinks.

"How's Kyo?" Momiji inquired as he played with Ume, dangling a string over her, making her try to leap up and snatch it.

"I highly doubt he'll be getting cold feet," Yuki answered, "After spending nearly five years as a couple, he's not going to back out on today of all days."

Momiji smiled at Yuki until Ume jumped onto his lap and caught the string in her claws and teeth, meowing loudly as she tried to keep him from tearing it away from her again. Momiji smiled and let go, "Very well, Ume-chan, you've earned it." He said.

Kureno began carrying out the meals for everyone; pancakes for Momiji, Kyo, Haru and Kakeru while Yuki, Hiro and he would have the omelets.

Kyo emerged from the shower after everyone else was halfway finished, wearing sweat pants and an orange and black t-shirt. "Smells great, thanks for making breakfast guys." He told Hiro and Kureno as he poured himself a glass of milk.

"No problem, Kyo-san." Kureno said with a slight bow of his head.

Kakeru finished eating first and said "Welp, thanks for the food and the great time yesterday, I better get goin'. Gotta get my own shower, make sure the clothes are ready, pick up Komaki, Eita and his girlfriend."

"Please try not to embarrass him in front of Naomi, I don't think it'll end well for you." Yuki warned him, suppressing a smile as he recalled Machi admitting she had told the youngest sibling about the mortifying 'bra incident', which Eita wasn't amused by in the slightest. Kakeru still didn't know that his half-brother knew.

"Yun-Yun, he's twelve. Plus, it's my job as a big brother to drive the younger siblings crazy." Kakeru declared as he put his shoes on and slid the door open, "See you guys at the estate!"

After Momiji finished eating, he set out tying Kyo's hair into a ponytail. Kyo sighed in annoyance; he personally didn't like anyone touching his hair, something that had frustrated Kazuma and his mother when he was a child, though he had come to like it when Tohru did it. Still, he did his best not to fuss or snap at the blond. Instead he focused on eating or petting Ume, who seemed to like him enough, but not as much as she loved Tohru.

"You're sure you're not anxious, Kyo?" Momiji asked as Hiro went for his turn in the showers.

"What the hell do I have to be anxious about? I'm getting married to the greatest woman I've ever known! I've been mentally preparing myself for this since the Curse broke. Besides, the most difficult parts are behind me; the True Form, the truth about me and Kyoko… Compared to that, marrying her will be one of the easiest things I've ever done. I admit I'm not the smartest guy in the room, but I'm not idiotic or cruel enough to even consider backing out after everything she's done for me. For all of us." Kyo told him firmly as Momiji finished up with his hair.

"You'd also have to be suicidal, considering the long list of people you'd provoke into a borderline murderous rage if you were to leave her at the altar." Kureno commented as Kyo went into Shigure's old room, where Tohru had hung up a mirror, to make sure his hair looked good.

Kyo shuddered; the idea of what Saki, Arisa, Kagura and Isuzu would do to him individually, let alone together, if he ever broke Tohru's heart was enough to terrify the most hardened soldier.

"Yeah, that's a good reason too, I guess," Kyo admitted, "So it's a good thing I plan on spending the rest of my life with her. No way I'm ever lettin' her go."

"We'll hold you to that," Yuki remarked, "Because I know she feels the same way."

Kyo smiled at Yuki before saying "Thanks, Momiji. Looks just like Shishou's old hair style."

"Ja! Tohru told me that's what she wanted it to look like! She thinks you look extremely handsome with long hair." Momiji said brightly as he sat down to play with Ume again, "Then again, Tohru will think you're attractive no matter what!"

"That's just the Sohma genes," Chuckled Kureno.

As the others took their showers or killed time until they had to leave, Kyo went outside to the koi pond. It had enough water in it and was kept clean by the servants Shigure sent over, but was still devoid of fish. Shigure had once joked he kept it empty because he didn't want Kyo to steal any fish out but Yuki confirmed it was because Shigure would have been too lazy to bother feeding them.

He sat down before the pond, looking down at his reflection as he thought back to the lonely, brooding, traumatized boy he had been. If someone had told that Kyo he'd be walking freely with the Curse broken and everyone else who had been affected by it offering their sincerest apologies for how they had treated him, how they hadn't done enough to help him, and that he'd be getting married to the most wonderful girl to ever walk the planet, he'd have thought it a ridiculous attempt at a cruel joke.

Now, however, everything was different. They had all changed. Some things would remain the same; Haru was still an oddball, Momiji would always have a childish side to him, Kisa would be as sweet as could be and Tohru would be Tohru.

She was like a kind princess right out of a fairy tale, going out of her way to help everyone and treat every person she met as though they were a close friend. While she wasn't a pushover anymore, she was still the girl he had fallen in love with. His savior.

He contemplated his wedding, mere hours away and he felt an odd feeling in his stomach and in his heart. A good feeling. Before he could think on that further, he heard someone coming up the stone steps.

Glancing back, he saw Kazuma appearing over the steps, carrying a small box that contained the black kimono that he'd be wearing.

"Good morning, Kyo." Kazuma called as he approached

Kyo smiled as he moved to stand, "Hey dad!"

Everything went quiet as the two froze in place. Kyo was so shocked at what he had just said that he fell onto his rear, eyes wide with surprise. Had he really just called his Shishou that?

Apprehensively, the ex-Cat forced himself to look up at the man who had taken him in when no one else would. The man who had been the only true father he had truly known. Even at Kazuma's weakest moments when he got annoyed or frustrated with Kyo when he had been bratty or moody, he had been a better father than Daigo Sohma could ever hope to be.

Kazuma was still as a statue, save for a small breeze rustling his kimono. Tears were forming in his eyes as he walked towards the younger Sohma, who rose to his feet, an anxious look on his face.

"Ca-can I… Am I worthy enough to call you that?" Kyo managed to ask.

Kazuma gently placed his hands on Kyo's shoulders and with a proud, happy smile, he looked into Kyo's eyes and said "You've always been worthy, Kyo."

Letting his emotions take over, Kyo embraced his father, who hugged him back.

Kyo found such incredible comfort in Kazuma's arms. In that instant, he was that motherless little boy just happy that there was someone else that wanted to take care of him, wanted to love him.

"From the moment I first took hold of your hand, I wanted you to call me that, even after you made it clear you felt you had to earn it. A father couldn't ask for a better son, and Daigo's a damn fool for never understanding that."

With a sob, Kyo said into his real father's shoulder "Th-thanks… I-I love you dad."

"And I love you, son." Kazuma said, not wanting this moment to end.

But it had to. After all, this was Kyo's wedding day. He couldn't keep his son forever, he belonged to Tohru now. One thing wouldn't change, however, and that was he'd still be there for Kyo. Just as Kyo would be there for his father.

They drew apart, Kazuma wiping his eyes. "I should control myself. After all, I'll be shedding plenty of tears at the wedding."

Kyo chuckled, "A lot of people will. I'm gonna do my best not to cry too much."

"I'm sure Rin and the others will be struggling as well," Kazuma remarked with a laugh, "You look wonderful, Kyo. I can't wait to see you in your kuromontsuki, Tohru won't be able to take her eyes off of you!"

Kyo blushed a little as he smiled, "Thanks. Hope I don't gawk at her like an idiot. I came out here to think and the more I think about her, about spending my life with her…I just get this feeling I can't really describe beyond just 'happy' but to be honest that word doesn't do it justice." Kyo confided.

"You should know by now, Kyo; it's love. I once felt that way myself," Kazuma reminded him.

Kyo stiffened, Kazuma rarely ever spoke of Fuyuko Sohma; unlike him, Fuyuko never stopped believing that the Cat was an evil monster and when Kazuma decided to take Kyo in, Fuyuko gave him an ultimatum; stay with the woman he loved or adopt a demon-possessed brat who drove his mother to suicide. Seeing her true colors made it an easy choice for Kazuma.

"I'm sorry about that," Kyo offered, "Maybe you'd have gotten married and have kids of your own if it weren't for me."

Kazuma grabbed his son, more harshly than he meant to, "No. None of that. Fuyuko was beautiful and I wanted to have a life with her, but seeing her spewing venom at a traumatized child made it clear she wasn't the woman for me. I have no regrets whatsoever about ending things with her because you needed me far more than I needed her. Besides, having you, Rin, Haru, Kagura and the others made my life richer than she ever could." Kazuma told his son.

Kyo did his best not to cry, "Thank you, dad. I just hope that you're able to find a girl of your before you get too old."

Kazuma laughed. "Don't worry about me, you just take care of Tohru."

Kyo nodded, "I will. I'll do everything in my power to keep her and our children safe and healthy."

"I know you will. So will she. After all, you're very blessed to have each other. No one else in the world will ever have the pleasure of marrying Tohru Honda or Kyo Sohma, except for the two of you." Kazuma said, "Not feeling worried, are you?"

Kyo smirked, "I'd like to see anyone try and stop me from marrying her."

Kazuma clapped him on the back, "That's my boy. Now, let's go inside, we still have a while before it's time to leave. Everyone was quite impressed with your performance yesterday, you handled them flawlessly."

"Well, I couldn't have asked for a better teacher…or dad." Kyo said, smiling lovingly at his true father.

The pair went inside and rejoined the others, allowing Kazuma to regale Yuki and the others with amusing stories about Kyo's childhood. Momiji and Ritsu cooed, Hiro smirked, Haru gave off a very amused aura and Yuki and Kureno chuckled. For Kyo's part, he simply pet Ume in his lap and did his best not to look too embarrassed.

"Well dad, at least you're not doing this at the reception." Kyo remarked.

Everyone looked at him, surprised that Kyo had called him that. Haru simply muttered "About time."

Tohru took a deep breath and flung her head back as her bare body emerged from the warm waters of Akito's luxurious bathtub which was embedded in the floor. The water felt so good, that Tohru wondered if, combined with the wonderful hot spring trip she had enjoyed the night before, she'd become a bit spoiled.

Then again, while this bathroom was very nice, it didn't compare to a shower with Kyo. She blushed as she imagined his tall, toned, muscular body with a tantalizing wet sheen as he loomed over her, an adoring look in his beautiful eyes. His strong, gentle arms around her, his lips on her neck, collar and face. His fingers kneading certain sensitive parts of her. Their bodies so close they could practically merge to become one…

She shook her head as she set about washing herself. She had to keep her imagination under control until they got home. After all, she wouldn't have to imagine making love to him for much longer.

The others had offered to wash her body for her, treat her like the princess she practically was to them, but Tohru politely declined. She preferred to wash herself and besides, she found the idea much too flustering.

She dutifully made sure her body was totally cleaned and her hair thoroughly washed. She then brushed her teeth and emerged from the luxurious bathroom, dressed in a bright yellow sleeveless shirt and shorts and returned to the living room, allowing Machi to go next.

The girls sat down and began watching a romantic comedy that Tohru loved while Saki brushed her hair and Arisa and Kisa did her nails. They spent a while mulling over what kind of hairstyle she should go with; one of the takashimada styles or the maegami? A wareshinobu or something more modern?

Tohru didn't really think it would matter, since the wataboshi headdress would mostly cover her hair anyway. In the end, she had selected the shimada mage style, though they wouldn't do her hair until the wedding was an hour away, so for now her brown locks hung freely behind her head.

The girls took turns bathing and after Saki had hers she departed to go check in with her mother to make sure the cake was ready and collect Antonio while her family got ready.

Akito and Shigure were off making sure everything was being properly prepared. Not only did they both feel that they owed Tohru a tremendous debt and wanted her big day to be everything she wanted, but they also felt that it would be a nice way to truly earn Kyo's forgiveness after all he'd endured.

It was ten thirty, so Mrs. Nakao would be arriving with the wedding wardrobe for the girls quite soon. Tohru felt excitement building up within her, but she did her best to remain calm, thinking to herself, 'You've been waiting for this for over half a decade. You can keep it together for a few more hours.'

Isuzu sat beside Tohru and placed something in her lap, "Tohru, here's your early wedding present."

Tohru saw what it was, blushed and couldn't help but laugh before she looked at Isuzu's subtle smile. She began laughing. It was a set of panties with cats on them, the face of an orange cat right in the center. They were far more cute than sexy, but Tohru couldn't deny that they suited her. Everyone began laughing when they saw them.

"I saw them while we were shopping and I just couldn't resist. It'll be a nice little surprise for Kyo too." Isuzu remarked, making Tohru's blush intensify.

"Too bad we won't be able to see the look on his face when he sees 'em!" Laughed Arisa.

As the girls shared a good laugh, Namie came into the living room, leading a group of five familiar faces inside. "Tohru-san, your family is here." She announced, though the small picture frame she had under her arm didn't escape Tohru's notice. Ignoring that for the time being, Tohru put Isuzu's gift aside and went to greet her family, who were all dressed up in kimonos.

"Hello, Tohru-chan!" Tamayo said as she embraced her granddaughter. During the week, Tohru had brought her grandfather Jiichiro over to visit her and show off Tohru's baby pictures and the two elders had become good friends. Pulling away from her grandmother, Tamayo added, "I can't wait to see you in your shiromuku, I just know you're going to be the very definition of beauty."

"Don't worry about that, Katsunuma-san! Ayame-kun and I worked very hard over the past week to make these wedding kimonos the best we've ever produced!" Mine declared proudly.

"I hope you didn't work too hard, dear. I wouldn't want you to over exert yourself in your state." Tamayo said, noticing Mine's pregnant belly.

"Not to worry, when it comes to making girls look pretty, not much can keep Mine-san down." Kisa remarked from her spot on the floor, recalling the pretty dress Mine had given her for her first proper date with Hiro.

"Still can't believe you're marrying into this family," Misa, Tohru's female cousin, remarked, "This estate is huge, you sure you don't want to live on it?"

"Remember, Misa-chan, Akito-sama will have a home built for Tohru-chan and Kyo-san a home of their own. I think that's a good enough wedding present, so if they don't want to live on the estate, we shouldn't question it." Manabu told his little sister as he sat down, sharing a casual nod with Arisa.

"Guess after all the bad luck you had when you were a kid really turned around, huh Tohru?" Misa quipped, "Who knew living in a tent in the woods would get you taken in by a bunch of hot rich guys."

"I still feel awful that we were bad enough that you'd rather camp than deal with us." Aunt Chiyoko Honda lamented, her hair showing early greyness.

Tohru hugged her father's sister and said "It wasn't that, Aunt Chiyoko, I promise! I just didn't want to be a burden on you."

Chiyoko hugged her back and said "The fact that we made you feel like one is bad enough. I'm just glad you were willing to give us another chance after we never really gave Kyoko-san one."

"Mom knew it wasn't right to hold grudges," Tohru voiced, "Sure you could've been a little nicer to me, but if you had I probably wouldn't have befriended the Sohmas and fallen in love with Kyo-kun. Don't worry, all that stuff is in the past and I forgive you. I know mom and dad would too."

Chiyoko choked back a sob as she placed a hand on Tohru's cheek, "You might look like Kyoko, but you have my brother's spirit."

Tohru smiled at her aunt, feeling her eyes get a little wet at the compliment.

Arisa smiled as she stood up and shook hands with Jiichiro, "How you doin' old man?"

"Just fine, despite all the aches and pains that come with being a geezer," Jiichiro answered with a smile, "I trust you're enjoying country life, Uotani-san?"

Uotani nodded and said "It's a good thing you stepped in and let Tohru live with the Sohmas. Who knows how different our lives would be if you let her stay."

Jiichiro simply nodded sagely as he sat down on the futon.

"Tohru-san, before I go, I have Kyo-san's gift, just as you requested." Namie said as she presented the framed picture of the pregnant Yuuna Sohma to her.

"It's wonderful!" Tohru declared before she hugged Namie, "Thank you so much!"

"I'm just doing my duty, Tohru-san," Namie said humbly, "I'll be back with some gift wrap, you mentioned you wanted to wrap it yourself, right?"

Tohru nodded excitedly and thanked the Head Maid again as she left the room.

"What's the photo, Tohru-chan?" Asked Manabu.

"It's a picture of Kyo-kun's mother," Tohru said before telling the Hondas about Yuuna's death when Kyo was young and how he'd been disowned by his biological father.

Jiichiro shook his head, "Shameful to treat your own son like that."

"Don't worry about it, sir. Kyo-kun was mostly raised by our Shihan, Kazuma Sohma. He's as much of a father as anyone could be." Kagura voiced, tempted to tell them about the time she gave Daigo a good thrashing.

Namie came back soon with wrapping paper and Tohru set about making sure the photo was properly concealed. She insisted on doing it herself, as she felt it would be even more meaningful for Kyo.

She couldn't wait to see his reaction.

Kyo leaned against the door of the car Shigure had sent to pick up the boys. Kazuma, having changed into his jet black kimono, sat in front of him next to the driver while he was in the back with Yuki and Hatsuharu. The car behind them carried Momiji, Hiro, Kureno and Ritsu. He had made sure Ume had enough food and water to last until they returned.

He tuned out the conversations the others were having as he looked out the window, gazing up at the pure white clouds scattered under the sky. His thoughts were focused almost entirely on Tohru and imagining how their honeymoon of solitude in the house would go.

"Hey, Kyo," Haru suddenly said, reaching over to shake his shoulder and get his attention.

Kyo hid his annoyance and said "Yeah, Haru?"

"Remember how I went on a Dark rampage in school after Rin dumped me and Momiji brought you guys to get me under control?" Haru asked.

Kyo shared a look with Yuki, wondering why the former Ox was bringing the incident up. "Uh, yeah. What about it?"

"Well, when I saw you and Yuki being cute earlier and apologizing for being mean to one another, I thought about what I said to you that day; 'Your very existence causes trouble for us all'," Haru glanced up at Kazuma, who was now looking back and giving him a stern look that made him feel even more ashamed. He sighed and continued "Even for Dark Me, that was out of line. I always felt bad about that, but I never apologized 'cause I figured you were used to it. Even if I was angry about Rin, I had no right to take it out on you. I never should've said that."

Kyo shook his head, "I punched you halfway across the room so I think we're even."

"Really? That was mostly because I tried to drag Tohru into it. You're not gonna call me a schizo asshole who doesn't deserve Rin?" Haru inquired plainly.

"Nah," Kyo answered with a shrug, "I don't know if you've been paying attention, but I'm done with holding grudges over that stupid Curse. Rin and I apologized for how we treated each other before and I'm sorry if I ever made you feel like you were a schizo asshole. Besides, you and Rin deserve each other as much as me and Tohru."

Haru gave him the slightest of smiles, "Thanks, Kyo."

Kazuma's face was now one of subtle pride as he nodded in approval of how his former student had apologized and how his son had gracefully accepted it.

It wasn't much longer before they arrived at the estate, the cars coming to a stop in front of the main gate. Kyo was about to head inside when all of a sudden Momiji covered his eyes in a blindfold, "No peeking! I texted Usagi-chan, they've got Tohru away from the windows so she won't see him!"

"What's the big idea?" Kyo demanded as Ayame appeared from around a corner and approached them, a cunning smile on his face.

"Bride and groom aren't supposed to see each other, right?" Ritsu reminded him.

"We're not taking any chances on finding out if it really is bad luck." Hiro answered as Yuki took the Groom by the hand.

"Come on, we'll guide you." Yuki said.

"Little help here, dad?" The ex-Cat implored.

"Sorry, Kyo. Ayame-san, I leave him in your capable hands." Kazuma told the white-haired man.

"He's going to look magnificent, Kazuma-sama! You have my word!" Ayame vowed before he joined his brother and the others in heading off to Hiro's home, where Hiro's father Junpei had agreed to let them change. Kyo grumbled a little but put up no further resistance as he was led away.

Kazuma chuckled as he walked off to the main house where he was to meet his fellow greeters for the ceremony, Tohru's remaining grandparents.

Tamayo and Jiichiro stood on the engawa surrounding Akito's tsubo-niwa, watching birds drink from a birdbath and bees pollinate the flowers.

"Jiichiro-san, I wanted to thank you for letting Tohru-chan stay with the Sohmas. You don't understand how much good that did for these people. For Tohru." Tamayo told the old man.

"Well, I've been around young people for decades. I was a father, grandfather and teacher for so long that after a while you come to understand just what they need just by looking at them. My eyesight might not be as strong as it once was but I could tell Tohru-san was happier with them. Plus, when I looked at those boys and the way they looked at her, not as some pretty girl they wanted to share a bed with, but as someone they genuinely cared about. I knew they needed her far more than I did. Good to know I was right." Jiichiro said with a smile.

Tamayo returned his smile, "Congratulations, Jiichiro-san, you're Tohru's only grandparent who didn't screw up."

"Incorrect, Tamayo-san," Jiichiro refuted, "

I made my fair share of mistakes throughout the years, especially with my own children. I did everything I could to pressure Katsuya to follow in my footsteps, so he'd be a teacher like me, stern but fair. While he never made a fuss or fought me too hard, it created a rift between us. I didn't realize how deep it was until my wife Hiroko passed away from stomach cancer, just a year before he met Kyoko."

Tamayo remained silent as she let her fellow grandparent continue, "I pushed him very hard to study, to pass the exams to earn his diplomas. That gave him very little time to see Hiroko, he wasn't even able to be with Chiyoko and me by her side when she died. He hardly spoke to me at all for a month afterwards, not until I begged for his forgiveness."

"Did he accept?" Tamayo asked, sounding more desperate to know the answer than she should have.

"It was hard to tell at the time, but at least he began speaking to me again, though I think it was mostly due to Hiroko being a better influence on our boy than I was," Jiichiro told her, "I think that's why he reached out to Kyoko the way he did. He saw someone lost, like he would've been had he given into his emotions and rebelled. After the unpleasantness with your husband, I was more than happy to approve their admittedly unusual relationship. It was a way of redeeming myself for how I'd failed Katsuya in the past. I hope the things I did for Kyoko and Tohru was enough to truly earn his forgiveness."

"Well, I only met him once," Tamayo began, "But if he was able to look into the face of a troubled, angry young woman and gave her the love and support her own parents failed to give her, then I think he'd forgive you."

"That's what Tohru and Chiyoko say as well. I get the feeling you're all right." Jiichiro said, managing a smile which Tamayo returned.

She looked up at the sky, clouds briefly eclipsing the sun, and said "I wish they could have been here. Kyoko and Katsuya. Your wife and my husband. Kyo's mother."

"They are. In spirit." Jiichiro said.

"I believe that's the case myself, Honda-san." Said an unfamiliar voice. The two elders turned to see Kazuma approaching them, "Hello, we've never met but Satsuki-san said I'd find you both here. I'm Kazuma Sohma." He said with a bow.

Tamayo and Jiichiro returned the bow, "Hello Kazuma-san! We're going to be greeting the guests together, it's good to meet you. Especially after hearing all you did for Kyo-san." Tamayo said as she took his hand.

"It was the right thing to do after all he'd suffered at such a young age," Kazuma returned, "Tohru-kun tells me that, incredibly, you once met Yuuna-san and tried to help her. I only met her once myself, but I just know she appreciated your kindness, Tamayo-san."

"And I know she'd be very grateful for how you saved her son." Tamayo replied.

"I couldn't have done it alone, not without your granddaughter. She's an incredible young woman." Kazuma said.

"That she is, Kazuma-san," Agreed Jiichiro fondly, "Now, please lead us to the shrine so we can greet the guests."

When Tohru had walked into Akito's personal dressing room with Mine to get dressed, she found Arisa, Kagura, Isuzu, Kisa, Usagi and Mayuko waiting for her, with eager looks in their eyes. Mine's expression was particularly intense, like she was a mastermind plotting a heist.

"The moment of truth has come, Tohru! Close your eyes!" Mine commanded. There was no getting out of it, the girls weren't going to let Tohru dress herself, especially since everyone knew her sense of fashion wasn't the best.

Tohru found herself in darkness for close to twenty minutes, feeling herself being stripped and then gently redressed in a gorgeous shiromuku kimono. It was the same color of dazzling white as the land after a snow storm, and fit Tohru just perfectly. After all, traditionally white represented purity and everyone knew that aside from young children, and Kisa, there was no one purer than Tohru.

The insides of the sleeves were blood red, the same color as the tasseled kaiken dagger pouch and the hakoseko pouch which held the sensu fan. The obi sash, however, was just a little less white than the kimono.

Kagura carefully slipped Tohru's feet into zora sandals while Arisa, Isuzu and Kisa carefully worked her hair into the shimada mage hairstyle, her beautiful locks pulled back into a top bun on the top and back of her head. Once they were satisfied with it, Usagi gently applied subtle makeup to Tohru's face, topped off by red lipstick. Mayuko and Mine supervised, making sure everything was done correctly.

After that, they carefully worked to attach the wataboshi, a bridal hood that prevented anyone but the groom from getting a good look at the bride's face, to certain ornaments Arisa and Isuzu had placed in Tohru's hair.

"Okay Tohru, open your eyes!" Mine told her.

Tohru did so, and was stunned by what she saw in the mirror.

"You look absolutely beautiful, nee-chan!" Kisa declared, her eyes sparking.

"I hope Kyo-kun doesn't faint." Quipped Kagura with an adoring smile.

"He'll be stunned for sure, I'm certain everyone will be." Isuzu remarked.

"When I get married I hope I look half as good!" Voiced Usagi.

"Well, Tohru, what do you think?" Arisa asked as she stood next to her dearest friend.

Tohru was doing her best to hold back tears, "I-it's wonderful…" She said, turning to face her friends, "Thank you all so much! Mine-san, I wish I could hug you right now!"

"So do I, Tohru!" Mine said, wiping her eyes as she gazed upon what was likely her magnum opus.

"There's plenty of time for that at the reception," Mayuko told them, "Right now, you need to remain picture perfect like this while we get dressed."

"Right! The clock is ticking, girls! Working together, we can get ready in no time!" Kagura told the others.

Tohru went out into the hall, only to find Namie waiting for her. "Akito-sama wishes to see you before the wedding, Tohru-san. You look wonderful, if I may say so."

"Thank you, Namie-san. Please lead the way." Tohru permitted. As she followed Namie to Akito and Shigure's room, she spoke up again, "Namie, if Akito doesn't mind, would you like to attend the ceremony?"

Namie looked back at her in surprise. "What?"

"If it hadn't been for you, Isuzu-san might have died in that awful Room. Plus you saved Kureno-san after the…unfortunate incident and you got Kyo-kun's present just perfect! I'd love to have you there." Tohru told her.

Namie smiled, "Akito-sama's right; your kindness knows no bounds."

The maid knocked on the door and Akito's voice bid them to enter. Namie opened the door and Tohru went inside, where she saw Akito dressed in a beautiful dark red kimono. The Sohma Head's eyes widened upon seeing Tohru's bridal wardrobe.

"You look incredible." Akito said as she stepped forward.

"Thank you. I hope everyone likes it." Tohru commented.

"Anyone who wouldn't has to be a fool." Akito stated.

Tohru then asked if Namie could attend the wedding and Akito couldn't refuse her. "Namie, pass on your duties to your most trusted underlings for the rest of the day."

Namie bowed, "Yes, Akito-sama. Thank you very much."

Akito waved her away and looked into Tohru's eyes. "Tohru, I wanted to thank you once again. You saved all of the Zodiac from the monster I had become. You saved me from myself. I was everything awful and putrid about humans because I thought I was above humanity. Anyone else would have written me off as an irredeemable personification of evil…but not you. I can never thank you enough for everything you've done for us." Akito told her.

The praise made Tohru blush, "I didn't do it alone. Quite frankly, I don't know if I would have had the strength to help you if it wasn't for Kyo-kun, Yuki-kun and everyone. If it wasn't for everything my parents instilled in me." She replied.

Akito smiled, "Still, the fact remains that I'll always be indebted to you for opening my eyes to the truth. I'll always cherish our friendship. I love you, Tohru."

"It was a pleasure to help, and I love you too, Akito-san!" Tohru said with a shrug, still managing to hold back happy tears.

Akito chuckled as she walked around her and became puzzled when she saw something peculiar. "Tohru, why did Mine put that on the back of your shiromuku?"

Tohru answered with a giggle.

Kyo looked at Satsuki's mirror, he felt a little awkward being so dressed up in the kuromontsuki. Zori sandals and grey hakama trousers adorned his feet and legs while his torso was clad with the black montsuki which was covered by another black haori kimono jacket that bore two small Sohma family crests, along with a white, tied obi sash hanging just above his navel. With his hair tied in a ponytail, he thought he'd look like a stereotypical samurai out of a movie or manga.

He entered Satsuki and Junpei's living room. "Okay, how do I look?" He asked, bracing himself for potential mockery.

"You look great," Yuki assured him, "I just know Tohru will fall in love with you all over again when she sees you wearing that." The ex-Rat, who wore a dark silver kimono.

"Absolutely beautiful!" Said Ritsu, clad in a dark green and gold kimono, not too dissimilar from what he used to wear when he crossdressed.

"Ja! Tohru's gonna be so flustered, it'll be neidlich!" Declared Momiji, wearing a dark blue kimono that bordered on indigo and looked a tad baggy on him.

"She'll love it all right. Then again, you could wear anything and she'd be happy to marry you," Hiro said with a shrug, he had a simple black kimono, not doing anything too fancy.

"What they said." Haru stated simply, giving his cousin a thumbs-up. Fittingly, he wore a black and white kimono.

"I'm definitely having you do my outfit when Arisa-chan and I get married." Kureno told Ayame, the ex-Rooster was wearing a light brown kimono.

"Ah, I've truly outdone myself this time. Rest assured Yuki, I will do everything I can to top this when the time for your wedding comes!" Ayame declared, closing his eyes and smiling proudly in his red kimono.

Kyo couldn't argue with that. After all, the ex-Snake had promised he'd make Tohru's outfit the best, not his. Machi's wedding dress would probably have subtle, purposeful flaws in it for her sake while Tohru's was as close to flawless as possible.

"I must admit you do look quite handsome, Kyo-kun. Though I think I pulled off that look better during my wedding. Don't you agree, Haa-san?" Shigure asked as he and Hatori entered the room. The former Dog of the Zodiac was dressed in a fashionable emerald kimono while the ex-Dragon wore a deep purple.

"No," Hatori stated bluntly, causing Shigure to fall down in exaggerated shock.

"Haa-san! How could you be so cruel?" Shigure asked with an over the top hurt expression on his face.

"You make it too easy," Hatori answered as he walked over to Kyo and patted him on the back with an honest smile, "You look great, Kyo. I know for a fact that Tohru-kun will cherish the memory of today for the rest of her life."

"Thanks, Hatori," Kyo said, returning the smile. It had once been very rare to see Hatori smiling, some considered his smile to be borderline mythological. Momiji and Shigure said that changed when Kana came into his life, only to sadly vanish again when he had to erase her memories of him. However, ever since he and Mayuko had gotten together, he'd been smiling much more frequently, especially after Kinu was born.

"Auf Wiedersehen! I've got to meet up with Momo-chan, we're helping out with the music for the ceremony!" Momiji said before he dashed off.

"I better get going too, I agreed to help greet the guests." Yuki noted as he began walking away, only to be stopped when Kyo grabbed his arm.

"Hey, Yuki, before you go, I thought you should know that if Tohru had wanted to do a Western-style wedding, you probably would've been the best man." Kyo admitted before letting go of him.

"Really?" Yuki asked, surprised.

Kyo nodded and said "Of course, the three of us have been through so much together, there really wouldn't be any other choice. It's like I said, we probably wouldn't be getting married if you hadn't stopped me from running."

Yuki smiled, "Thank you, Kyo." He said, before giving his cousin a respectful bow.

Kyo returned the gesture, and Yuki walked away. Shigure came to stand beside Kyo and said "I have to admit, you've matured into a fine man, Kyo-kun. Seems like it was only yesterday you were the berserker outcast who smashed through my ceiling. I suppose Beauty truly can tame a Beast."

"Which beast; Kyo or Akito?" Hiro deadpanned, provoking a slight chuckle from Hatori, Ayame and the others.

Shigure ignored them, "I only have one question; why did you have Aya put that on the back?" He asked as he glanced at the image Ayame had placed on the kuromontsuki's back.

Kyo answered with a smirk.

Yuki walked over to the front of the Sohma Estate's personal shrine were the wedding ceremony would be held. He saw Kazuma, Tamayo and Jiichiro standing at the entrance, speaking to Osamu Sohma, the family's Head Priest that wore traditional white, black and red robes with a kanmuri atop his grey hair. He was a stern looking man but was actually quite kind and polite, before the Curse broke he had been among the few Sohmas to treat the Zodiacs, even Kyo, as though they were normal people. When he had learned the extent of Akito's abuse, he had gently admonished her and had offered his deepest apologies to all of the former Zodiacs for not doing enough to help them.

"Ah, there you are, Yuki," Kazuma said, "We might need your help identifying certain guests."

"No problem, Kazuma-sama. Good to see you, Kannushi Osamu." Yuki said with a bow.

"You as well, Yuki-san," Osamu replied, "If you'll please excuse me, I must prepare."

As Osamu walked into the shrine, where Chiyoko and her children were already seated while Momiji and Momo were gathered with some other musicians from the Sohma family, getting ready to perform traditional wedding music. Momiji's sister was dressed in a nice light blue kimono as she discussed the music selection with her brother and the other musicians.

Yuki turned to see Machi, Kakeru, Komaki, Eita and Naomi all approaching the shrine. Machi's kimono mirrored Yuki's dark silver outfit.

A dark grey kimono-clad Kakeru waved at him, but Yuki was momentarily stunned silent at the sight of Machi wearing such a beautiful kimono. "Yo, earth to Yun-Yun! We ready to get this wedding started?"

"Uh, yes. Good to see you're not late." Yuki said as she accepted a high-five from his best friend.

"Hey, Yuki-san." Eita said, he was dressed in a dark navy blue kimono, his hair was neatly brushed, but there was an anxious look in his eyes as he kept glancing at his plus one, Naomi, who wore an aqua kimono, her long black hair was done up in a braid.

"Hey. I'm glad you made it, so will Tohru." Yuki said as Naomi bowed to him.

"It's good to see you again, Yuki-san." She said, her accent was a curious mix of Japanese and American, making her voice seem rather exotic to the Japanese ear.

Yuki returned the bow, "We're honored to have you as our guest, Naomi-san. Tohru said she'd love to meet you."

"Feelin's mutual!" Naomi told him before she and Eita bowed respectfully to Kazuma and the grandparents before a shrine maiden led them to their assigned seats.

"I'm just glad the outfits all arrived on time," Komaki voiced, her kimono was dark yellow.

Yuki nodded, "I knew they would. Rest assured there will be a few Sohmas interested in doing business with your family's dry cleaners in the future."

Komaki let out a happy noise that earned her a weird look from Machi while Kakeru fist pumped the air.

They went inside as Machi hugged her fiancé and kissed him, "Thanks."

"For what?" Yuki asked, confused.

"The gawking look you just gave me." Machi answered with a smile, eliciting a laugh from Tamayo. "We left the gifts at the banquet hall, as instructed, but I've got my camera in my purse.."

Yuki nodded, smiling as Anne and Gennosuke came up, joined by Hatsuharu's parents Hidefumi and Sumire and Shigure's parents Satoko and Manato.

Not far behind them were two women in their sixties joined by their husbands. Yuki smiled as he recognized them; Beniko and Ginka, Tohru's fellow custodians from when she worked at Gennosuke's office building. Gennosuke had found them and given them an invitation on Tohru's behalf.

After they all went in, Kazuma smiled upon seeing Kunimitsu coming with his wife, a dark brown-haired woman named Yana. "Welcome, old friend." Kazuma said as he bowed.

Kunimitsu and his wife bowed in return as Kazuma's trusted assistant said "I wouldn't miss this for the world."

Then came Satsuki and Junpei, looking every bit a happily married could, leading young Hinata onwards. Yuki glanced at Machi, and wondered if they'd be as happy as Hiro's parents when they were their ages.

Afterwards came Kagura's mom Nobuko and her dad Goro, with Kureno's parents Daisuke and Utami. Not far behind them was Kisa's mother Kahori and her father Tadao. All sets of parents bowed to the greeters, politely exchanging pleasantries.

Yuki smiled as he recognized the Hanajima family; Megumi was looking quite smart in a pitch black kimono, joined by his father Kazumasa in a similar outfit while his wonderful wife Erika gripped his hand lovingly. Behind them was Kazumasa's mother Shina, who wore black like her son and grandchildren.

"Hello Yuki-san. Cake's at the banquet hall. You and Machi-san look nice." Megumi told them.

"Thank you." Yuki and Machi said at once.

Tamayo greeted the Hanajimas warmly, thanking them for being there for Tohru and Kyoko. Erika smiled and hugged the older woman, saying "Kyoko would've been so happy that you came. Whatever happened between you, I know she would've forgiven you."

Tamayo tearfully hugged her back and whispered her thanks.

As the Hanajimas went inside, Yuki noticed another familiar face approaching the shrine.

"Ah, I was worried the driver would be late." Said the weary voice of Okami Sohma. Yuki gave Kazuma a concerned look, knowing that Okami had a rather…extreme personality quirk. Kazuma, however, didn't seem too worried.

"It's been too long, Okami-san. Forgive me for not visiting your Hot Spring more often." Kazuma said as he bowed.

"Oh, it's no bother, Kazuma-sama," Okami told him, "I'm just grateful Tohru-chan and Kyo-chan thought enough of me to think I was worthy of an invitation."

"Ma'am, Tohru would invite all of Japan if she could." Machi remarked, making the older woman chuckle.

"She's kind enough to do just that. I hope I get a chance to speak to Kyo-chan, though." Okami muttered.

Just then a familiar, peppy voice called "Yun-Yun! Machi-chan!"

"Hello Kimi." Machi greeted Kimi, who wore a rather nice pink dress. She quickly came to the shrine practically dragging Naohito, clad in a black kimono.

"Good to see we're not late, the traffic's murder today! My outfit's not too much is it? I know it's taboo to show up the bride! I wouldn't want to steal Tohru-chan's spotlight." Kimi said.

"It's tame compared to what you wore at my sister's wedding." Remarked Naohito with a roll of his eyes, "You both look good."

They thanked him, only for Kimi to say "Good? They look fantastic! I can't wait to see what your brother cooked up for Tohru-chan and Kyo-kun!"

When Okami finished speaking with Tohru's grandparents she suddenly noticed the younger guests, whirled around and cried "OH! PLEASE EXCUSE ME! I DIDN'T MEAN TO BLOCK YOUR WAY! I'LL SIT DOWN NOW! SO SORRRRRYYYY!"

She went inside, as if nothing had happened, leaving a startled Kimi, Naohito, Tamayo and Jiichiro in her wake. Naohito gave Yuki a 'what the hell was that?' expression.

"Please excuse Okami-san, she's a little eccentric." Yuki excused.

"I'll say." Murmured Kimi, more amused than anything.

"Yuki-san, your family's damn weird." Naohito said, shaking his head.

Yuki, Machi and Kazuma all laughed, even Tamayo gave out a hearty chuckle. "You have no idea." Yuki replied.

After they went inside, someone Yuki had only seen once or twice before came into view; Arisa's father, Iemon Uotani. He seemed to be in decent shape, as he had managed to stay sober even after his daughter had moved away. He spoke briefly to Tamayo and the others, giving her his sincere condolences for Kyoko, who had been helped Arisa push him to quit booze.

After Mr. Uotani went in, Yuki smiled as he saw Hiroshi and Yusuke arriving with their girlfriends, but he was surprised by the fact that he recognized the black-haired glasses-wearing girl who was holding Yusuke's hand. It was Dia, the Vice President of Mayuko's class.

"Dia-san?" He said.

"Yuki-san! It's been so long!" She said, bowing respectfully, "How are you?

"I'm doing fine," Yuki said, introducing her to Machi, who had hardly interacted with Yuki's classmates that much, "I didn't expect you two to be dating."

Yusuke shrugged, "Well, you Sohmas aren't the only guys the girls of Kaibara High chased."

Dia rolled her eyes and snickered as Hiroshi came forward with his girlfriend, a girl with long black hair and tanned skin, "This is Zuiho, we met a couple years ago working together at our campus' cafe." He explained.

"These three have told me a lot about you Sohmas, apparently there was hardly a dull moment when you guys were around." Zuiho said as she bowed.

Yuki returned the bow, "Our lives can be fairly dramatic, I admit. It's good to meet you."

Hiroshi and Yusuke looked back, the former asking "Is our lucky Prince on the way?"

"He'll be here quite soon, go ahead inside." Yuki said before Kazuma and the grandparents bowed respectfully to them. Hearing his phone buzzing, Yuki looked down at the message he received and turned to Jiichiro and said "Honda-san, it's time for you to meet up with Tohru."

Jiichiro agreed to take the place of his late son and escort the bride. The old man smiled and nodded, "Then I better get going, wouldn't want to hold the ceremony up."

He walked away and once he was out of sight, a cavalcade of almost all the remaining Sohmas and their dates approached.

Leading the group was Akito and Shigure, and behind them was Ayame and Mine, the latter of whom was clad in a lovely black and white kimono that accentuated her pregnant figure. Following them were Kagura, dressed in a light green kimono, and Raizo, who looked quite nice in a dark blue kimono. The young Okinawan was blushing as Kagura clung adoringly to him.

Next in line was Hatori and Mayuko, clad in a pale yellow kimono. In between the married couple was little Kinu, dressed in an adorable pink kimono, looking very happy to be allowed to attend the wedding as she skipped along, but her parents clutched her small hands to keep her from running ahead.

In the center of the group was Kyo, who had a fading blush on his face due to all the compliments Kagura, Kisa and the other women had given him when they saw how handsome and dashing he looked in his kuromontsuki.

Behind the ex-Cat were the former Ox and Horse. Hatsuharu held hands with Isuzu, who was likewise wearing a black kimono. It was a little strange to see Isuzu wearing something that didn't show off her cleavage or the rest of her attractive body, but he figured Isuzu didn't want to steal the spotlight from Tohru.

Following them were Hiro and Kisa, the former was blushing as he gently held the ex-Tiger's hand. Yuki had to admit she looked beautiful in her lavender kimono, and the sight of her leaning into Hiro was enough to warm the hearts of anyone who saw it.

Coming up after them were the clearly nervous duo of Ritsu and Mitsuru, the latter clad in a fetching grey kimono. They were both walking carefully, doing their best not to mess anything up. Bringing up the rear were Usagi, who was clad in a nice periwinkle kimono, and Namie, who had changed into a white and red kimono, looking very happy that a servant like her was allowed to be a wedding guest.

Machi leaned to her boyfriend and whispered "Wow, Kyo looks phenomenal. Makes me wonder what Ayame-san's got in mind for us."

"I'm sure it'll be something quite memorable," Yuki agreed as he bowed to the others.

Tamayo resisted the urge to hug the young man who would soon be her grandson-in-law. After all, she wouldn't want to wrinkle his kuromontsuki. The thankful look she gave him was more than enough to tell Kyo everything he needed to know.

Kazuma gazed at his son with a very proud smile. Kyo had come so far from being the scared, lonely little boy despised by the clan for inane reasons. He was now a man who had proved himself beyond a shadow of a doubt to be strong and goodhearted. Kazuma doubted that any man in the history of the Sohma Family had ever been as proud of a son as he was right now.

He bowed to his son, who bowed back.

Once they were all inside, Yuki looked back and grinned as he saw the bride approaching with her grandfather and the last four guests.

Tohru was escorted by her grandfather, who was surprisingly able to keep pace with her despite his age. They were flanked on both sides by her two best friends and their dates, because of how much Arisa and Saki had looked out for her after Kyoko's death, they all agreed it was only fitting that they help Jiichiro escort the bride to the ceremony.

On Tohru's left was Saki, dressed in a gorgeous black kimono with Antonio, who wore one that matched, but he clearly wasn't as used to wearing kimonos as a native Japanese person would be. He didn't look too worried, he was more preoccupied with holding his girlfriend's hand and taking in how beautiful she was.

On Tohru's right was Arisa, dressed in a quite beautiful purple kimono, who had her hand entwined with Kureno's. Kureno smiled at his own fiancé adoringly and leaned in and planted a kiss on her cheek, making Arisa chuckle before pushing him away. "Later, babe." She whispered.

Thousands of thoughts had gone through Tohru's head that day regarding her future with Kyo; would she be able to please him in bed? Was she cut out to be a mother? What if there would be something wrong with their baby? Would she mess up her vows? Did she look good enough? What if her nose itched during the wedding and she made herself look like a fool by scratching it in front of everyone? Or what if she tripped like the clumsy fool she could be at times? Or what if one of the older guests suffered a heart attack?! Or what if Daigo showed up to object and cause a scene?!

Saki and Arisa noticed that Tohru was beginning to stress out. "Tohru, relax." Arisa quietly said to her.

"I don't need waves to tell that you're nervous, Tohru-kun, but there's no need to be. Everything's going to be just fine. Better than that, this wedding is going to be exactly the one you deserve; a wonderful one." Saki told her with a genuine, bright smile that once had been quite rare in those dark days before Tohru came into her life.

"And if anyone objects or tries to start somethin', there's a few people in there who can help us beat the hell out of 'em!" Arisa declared, making Tohru, Kureno and Antonio laugh.

"Thank you," Tohru said, very happy they were foregoing certain traditional elements, she couldn't imagine doing this without her best friends. She confidently but quietly declared "I-I can do this. I will do it!"

Tohru lowered her head as she walked with unusual grace into the shrine, allowing the attending maidens to lead them in.

A pair of videographers who had filmed Shigure and Akito's wedding had been rehired to film this one as well. One stood near the back and the other off to the side towards the front, hired by Shigure stood at the back, silently filming everything.

Off to the side of the end of the altar were Momiji, Momo and the other musicians, who began to play traditional wedding music. Most of the musicians played on the shakuhachi flute, but they were overshadowed by the beautiful melodies of the two violins played by Momiji and his sister.

Inside of the large shrine, the seating was arranged in five rows where the guests sat around small rectangular tables. At the back, closest to the entrance, stood Hiroshi, Yusuke, Dia and Zuiho with Namie on the left. Beniko, Ginka, their husbands and Shigure and Kureno's parents were placed on the right side.

On the left side of the fourth row was Anne and Gennosuke, along with Usagi, who was silently savoring the beautiful music Momiji and his sister were gifting everyone's ears. With them were Satsuki, Junpei and Hinata. Across from them were the parents of Hatsuharu, Kagura and Kisa.

On the third row's left side were Kakeru, Komaki, Eita, Naomi, Kimi, Naohito, Ritsu, Mitsuru and Okami. Komaki wiped her eyes as she leaned into Kakeru, who lovingly kissed her temple. Eita gazed at Tohru before glancing at Naomi and he couldn't help but wonder how she'd look in a shiromuku. He blushed furiously and tried to banish that thought from his mind. Naohito was just happy that it looked like Okami wasn't going to have another 'eccentric' freak out, while Ritsu leaned into Mitsuru to keep himself from sobbing happily.

On the right side was the Hanajima family, joined by Mr. Uotani. Erika leaned into her husband as memories of their own wedding flooded her mind while Megumi smiled fondly at his sister's best friend.

For the second row, the left was occupied by Kagura, Raizo, Kunimitsu, his wife, Hatori, Mayuko and their daughter. Kagura did her best not to weep happily as Raizo wrapped his arm around her. Kunimitsu knew Kyo's mind was far more focused on his bride, but he shot the boy he'd helped raise a thumbs-up regardless.

"Tohru-nee-chan looks so pretty, mommy." Kinu said aloud, earning her a gentle shushing from her parents who both had very happy expressions on their faces.

Across from them on the right were Tamayo and the Honda family. It took Tamayo every ounce of self control she had not to burst into tears when she saw how beautiful her granddaughter looked in her wedding attire. Chiyoko smiled and gently held the older woman's hand.

Traditionally, the front seating was usually reserved for the nakudo, the matchmakers, but Tohru and Kyo felt they owed their happiness to so many people that they felt the nakudo was a big collective of their friends and family. If Tohru could, she would have had them all sit at the front.

At the left stood Yuki, Machi, Shigure, Akito, Kazuma, Ayame and Mine while on the right were Hatsuharu, Isuzu, Kisa and Hiro. Kisa had tears streaming down her face as the happiness she felt for her nee-chan nearly overwhelmed her. Thankfully, she had Hiro there to support her.

Arisa, Saki and their dates peeled off from the bride, giving her over to the man who had completely earned their trust. Kyo wasn't the absent-minded hothead who would leap out of the class window anymore. He was a good man who would be forever faithful to the friend they loved with all their hearts.

'Go get 'im, Tohru.' Arisa thought as she, Kureno, Saki and Antonio moved to join the four ex-Zodiac members of the right.

Saki paused as she watched Tohru go, her beautiful smile widening. 'Her waves are brighter than any I've ever sensed before.' She thought to herself.

At the altar stood Kyo and Osamu Sohma. The priest glanced at the younger man, who couldn't take his eyes off of his bride. While there were dozens of other people in the room with them, they might as well not be there as far as Kyo was concerned. Nothing existed in his eyes right now except for Tohru.

The shrine maidens went to their proper places as Jiichiro gave Kyo a trusting smile. The old man knew his granddaughter would be happy and safe with the young man.

Jiichiro moved to join his family as Kyo and Tohru moved to face each other.

She looked up at him under the wataboshi, the sight of her was enough to make Kyo's heart skip a beat. Some would say that Tohru was a rather plain-looking girl, but Kyo would tell anyone who thought that to go to hell. In the instant he saw her looking so radiant, it hit him that this was really happening.

When he was young, he never dared to hope to get married. He had resigned himself to rotting away in that accursed building, alone.

Now that damned place was a charred ruin and here he was getting married to the finest woman to ever walk the earth, surrounded by people who cared about him. A few happy tears fell down his face as he resisted the urge to prematurely give Tohru a passionate kiss.

As Tohru had travelled through the shrine, she had kept her eyes cast down at the ground, not daring to look up at Kyo and letting how wonderful he looked distract her or cause her to mess up. Now that she could see him, she didn't simply find him handsome; he was beautiful.

Young Tohru tended to be overlooked and left behind by other children, so she thought it was miraculous that here she was; getting married to a Prince she had freed from a Curse, just like in a fairy tale.

Everyone bowed as Osamu began the opening purification rite, but many were wondering why the backs of both Tohru and Kyo's outfits were adorned with images of a plum.

Chapter Text

Osamu Sohma continued the norito-sojo prayer. With this prayer he presented the couple to the Gods, pleading the deities to bless Tohru and Kyo's union with happiness, health and prosperity.

Tohru felt bad about not properly listening to Osamu's prayer, she knew he must have worked hard on it, but she simply couldn't take her eyes off of Kyo. Her heart and stomach were all a flutter and her hands were slightly trembling. All thoughts of her friends, family and those in attendance were washed away by the sight of Kyo in his kuromontsuki.

Kyo has always been handsome, but something about his now longer hair enhanced that. What had always made her heart beat faster was the way his orange eyes looked at her, like she was a sacred treasure he was protecting. Plus, that incredible smile of his that melted away her worries.

Gazing into his eyes, she mentally thanked the Gods and the spirits of her parents for giving her the strength to endure all she had.

Kyo's eyes were just as fixated on her. He simply couldn't look away nor did he have any desire to. Kyo thought she looked utterly amazing, though he thought she looked great everyday because her beautiful face matched her beautiful soul. If he was being honest, he thought she looked better without the makeup and her hair flowing freely down, they looked good on her regardless.

He also had mixed feelings about the wataboshi, he wished she could be totally unobstructed but he couldn't deny that there was a certain appeal to the fact that he was the only one who had a good look at her. It made him feel greedy, but maybe he was entitled to be a little greedy for once.

And their eyes certainly were a bit greedy, taking in every little detail of one another's faces; their eyes, lips and hair… Tohru and Kyo already knew one another's faces intimately, but there was something about the wedding that gave their features a new, special meaning. Perhaps it was because their marriage felt like a reward for all the difficult trials the two endured throughout their lives. Doubtlessly they would have more to face in the future such as children and all that would entail, but they knew in their hearts that whatever challenges life sent their way, they'd conquer them together.

Their love was invincible, after all.

Osamu ended the prayer and everyone in attendance bowed before sitting.

The next phase of the ceremony was the San San Kudo, a ritual where the bride and groom would take three sips from three sakazuki cups of varying sizes. Due to what a lightweight Kyo was when it came to alcohol, Shigure arranged for them to be filled with a non-alcoholic sake, especially after Akito made sure he'd regret it if he 'forgot' that detail

Because Kyo hadn't been to any weddings at all prior to Ayame and Mine's, he still wasn't all that clear on what the San San Kudo actually represented, but Tohru seemed to understand. Osamu poured the drink into the first and smallest cup on the altar before presenting it to Kyo.

Kyo carefully took three sips from the small cup, as was tradition due to the number three symbolizing balance and harmony. Apparently each cup had different meanings in the different regions: in some places, the first cup was said to represent important relationships; between parent and child, friend and lovers. In others it was supposed to express gratitude for their ancestors, something that didn't exactly come easy for Kyo.

He thought about the dream he had about his mother, how she had apologized. As he took the three sips, he thought about his mother and the things she had suffered. His thoughts also turned to Kazuma's grandfather Atsuo and all the others who the Cat Spirit had inhabited, those poor people who had experienced so little kindness or love. He mentally vowed that he would live his life to the fullest, to experience as much joy as he possibly could, for their sakes as well as his.

He then offered it to Tohru, who eagerly accepted and took three sips as well. Her thoughts were of Kyoko and Katsuya, of her grandparents. All they had endured, all they had gone through, all their triumphs and mistakes, the tragedies that prevented them from being there. Tohru also made a silent vow, that she would do everything she could to have a good life, to make Kyo and their children happy and to spread that happiness to everyone she met. Even promising to offer forgiveness to those who probably didn't even deserve it.

Tohru had the feeling that the spirits of her parents, her grandparents and Kyo's mother were watching over them. After all, her dream wasn't a random vision born of wishful thinking. It was a sign that they had watched over her, that they were sure she and Kyo would be fine. That's what Tohru chose to believe, anyway.

Osamu poured the second, moderately sized cup, which was said to be either a prayer for their relationship or to represent human flaws such as passion, hatred and ignorance. Things certain members of the Sohma Family knew a lot about.

Tohru took her three sips and then she offered it to Kyo with that smile; her goofy, oblivious, perfect, indescribably precious smile that melted Kyo's heart with ease. A smile that had given him hope and comfort when so little could. He gently accepted it and took his three sips, trying not to come off as eager to get the ceremony over with.

Osamu then poured the sake into the third and largest cup. This cup was said to be a prayer for the prosperity of their children and the future generations that would come after them. It was also said to be a prayer to free them from desire, jealousy and arrogance. Quite frankly, Kyo was finished with those things, save for desire. As right now his heart, his very being, was desiring Tohru very much.

Kyo took his three sips and then gave the cup to Tohru, who did likewise. Their hands met on the final cup as they returned it to the altar.

With the San San Kudo finished, Momiji, Momo and the other musicians began playing a very old wedding song as the lead shrine maiden began performing a kagura-hono, a sacred dance dedicated to the gods in order to appease them and bless the wedding.

Tohru watched, smiling happily as she savored the beautiful music Momiji and Momo provided them. She could tell by the way they played they'd been practicing for a long time and were giving it their all. Kyo watched the Maiden dance, but he was struggling a bit as he would much rather focus on Tohru.

Daigo Sohma stood some distance away from the shrine, a grimace on his face as his fists clenched tightly. He could hear the music of the kaura-hono dance, meaning the ceremony was well underway.

'It's not too late. I can still put a stop to it. As that Thing's father it's well within my rights to object… No. I can't. If I even try, Akito-sama will cast me out of the family and who knows what Kazuma would do if I push him too far. Even if I was able to provoke the Beast enough to make him show everyone what a monster It is…It'd probably kill me. It'd be a shallow, pyrrhic victory. Not worth the risk.' He sighed in defeat as he sat on a bench, taking out a cigarette and lighting it as he skulked on the otherwise pleasant day.

"Hello there, Daigo-san." Said a voice Daigo hadn't heard in many years.

He looked up with wide eyes as he saw a beautiful woman with long black hair and dark grey eyes. Daigo had caught glimpses of her walking about the estate over the past few years with her escorts, a pair of maids and a guard in a dark suit, but hadn't spoken to her personally since Yuuna's funeral.

He quickly stood up and bowed, "It's an honor to see you again, Lady Ren."

"It has been quite a long time. May I sit with you?" Ren inquired.

Daigo was surprised, but nodded. Rumors had circulated throughout the estate for nearly a decade that her mental state had been deteriorating ever since Akira Sohma's tragic passing. The rumors sprung up again nearly five years ago, this time saying Ren's mind had gotten worse due to a delusion where she believed the soul of her dead husband was kept inside of a box in Akito's room which had apparently led to an altercation where Akito and Ren had nearly stabbed one another. After that she'd been given escorts to keep an eye on her. Daigo didn't know if there was any truth to these rumors, she seemed stable enough but he understood that looks were deceiving.

Ren gazed towards the shrine and smiled, "Ah, weddings. A rather bittersweet subject for me, my marriage to my precious Akira had quite a few opposing it. Weddings just remind me of how handsome he looked that day, the affection in his eyes, the way his hands held mine… It's always good to speak with someone who shares the pain of losing a spouse."

Daigo nodded gravely, "Yes. It boils my blood to know that right now, the Creature that drove my wife to suicide is in the shrine, getting married to an idiotic girl."

Ren gave a laugh that sounded so deranged that even Daigo found it chilling.

He looked at her in confusion before she said "Daigo-san, the Curse was broken nearly five years ago! Don't tell me you still hate your son over the ridiculous traditions surrounding the Curse?"

"Why shouldn't I?! That monster that killed Yuuna! He's got them all fooled, but I know the truth…"

"You know nothing, Daigo-san." Ren said suddenly, her voice colder than ice. He didn't dare speak as she fixed him with a glare, "As a Maid in this estate, I knew about the Zodiacs and how the Cat was treated. I found it unsettling and when I became Lord Akira's wife, I was privy to many things, including Yuuna-san's complaints about you."

"What?!" Daigo exclaimed as he stood up, gritting his teeth as he glared at the woman with all the intensity he could muster.

"Oh yes, I overheard her speaking with Akira, she said you'd become a different person after Kyo-kun was born. She feared you and begged Akira to do something about the treatment she and her son were suffering. Sadly, given the Cat's status as a lowly outcast, he could do little more than scold you and try to make you see reason, but you never did. I know how you really treated her, Daigo-san. Are you still deluded into thinking a mere child was the one who drove wife to suicide?" She inquired with a coy, mocking smile with an accusatory look in her eyes.

"You never saw its true form! You should know what evil the Cat is capable of!" Daigo snapped.

"Oh I've heard all about its form and the evil it supposedly did in the past, but I honestly can't blame the poor animal. After all, it was deceived by the wretched Rat and mocked by the others. Though I have heard a more recent version where the other animals hated the Cat because it didn't want to live forever. The Cat never did me any harm, so I feel no need to hate it." Ren told him with a shrug.

"Well it's done me plenty of harm! The humiliation, the whispers behind my back, the shame of knowing I had helped bring that monster into the world!" Daigo raved.

Ren shook her head and sighed, "Oh please, my daughter stole Akira's love from me and tried to murder me on several occasions. I think I'm the authority here on giving birth to monsters," She told him, her voice dripping with contempt at the mention of her daughter. "Did Kyo-kun ever try to harm you?"

Daigo was silent for several moments before he begrudgingly answered "Aside from taking my wife, no…but cats are nothing if not patient."

Ren smirked, "Your boy is no monster, Daigo-san. No matter how cruelly he was treated, he never harmed anyone. If the Cat truly was a violent monster, he would've murdered poor Yuki-kun years ago," She pointed out before darkly adding "And would have done worse to you. No, Yuuna's blood is on your hands and those of the Sohmas who blindly hated the Cat."

"How dare you-!"

"I've always seen this Clan's devotion to the Zodiac Curse as absurd and pathetic. Imprisoning those possessed by the Cat Spirit was abominably evil, proof enough that this Clan's monsters weren't the Zodiac's animals, but its God and Elders who never stopped to question tradition. Don't try to refute me, Daigo-san; I know the rotten core of this accursed family very well. They objected to Akira marrying me and when they couldn't keep us apart, they conspired to destroy him!" Ren's voice became more agitated and erratic, "They could've saved Akira had they tried harder or spent more money but once we gave them an heir, one who had the God's spirit no less, they let him die!"

Daigo knew that wasn't true; Akira Sohma had by far been one of the most beloved Clan Heads in living memory. Every single member of the Sohma Family, be they someone from the main branches or one of the outer families who didn't live on the estate, had shed a tear over his passing.

Ren continued, "This Family's cruelty killed Akira and inflicted untold suffering on those under the Zodiac Curse. That's why I did everything I could to shape my daughter into a cruel tyrant." Ren finally said, making Daigo gape at her in shock.

"What?"

"At first I insisted that we raise Akito as a boy because I was jealous of Akira's love for her, he reluctantly went along with it due to how strictly traditional this Clan was about gender roles, as he knew there'd be many objections to a woman becoming the Family Head. However, the more I saw Shigure-kun and the others in that Zodiac fawn over her, mindlessly obeying her, the more sickened I was by their blind loyalty and the unnatural Bonds of the Zodiac. I didn't have to do much, her fear and paranoia over being abandoned did most of the work. What really pushed her over the edge was my one night stand with Shigure-kun, helping him retaliate against her over her infidelity with Kureno-kun. Given what she did to poor Yuki-san, Hatori-kun, Kisa-chan and Isuzu-san, I'd say I came so very close to succeeding. She was abusive and insane, a worse monster than the Cat Spirit that fools like you were so afraid of." Ren said, a dark grin spreading across her beautiful face.

Daigo was baffled, "You wanted to turn your child into a monster simply because Akira-sama loved her?"

"Akira's love belonged to me! She had no right to steal it!" Ren abruptly snarled before calming herself, "Besides, not long before Akira died, Hiro-kun was born and there were whispers amongst the family's elderly members. It had been many generations since all of the Zodiacs had been alive at once, so they speculated that this would be the final banquet, a theory that Shigure-kun believed. My goal was to twist Akito into such an abominable person that the Bonds would snap and break the Curse! Once that happened, her precious 'pets' would no longer be bound to her and they'd be free to loathe her with every ounce of their being. They'd abandon her, leave her to drown in loneliness and misery."

Ren sighed as she looked over at the shrine, "Yet I never anticipated someone like that Honda girl intervening. She accepted them all despite the Curse and helped them overcome their problems, showed them the love Akito deluded herself into believing she gave them. Honda-san saved them all, even Akito, incredibly enough."

"I met the Honda girl for the first time last week," Daigo mentioned, "I found her to be cloyingly sweet, but it must be a trick. She has to be lying! No human can be that good and compassionate. It's disgusting that she thinks she can deceive everyone. No one but a monster could love that Thing my wife gave birth to."

Ren smirked, "I thought the same thing about Akito, yet Shigure-kun is maddeningly devoted to her."

Daigo sighed, "Akito-sama was with Honda when she came to visit. I let my emotions get the better of me and your daughter intervened, violently. She told me that people like herself and I are the real monsters and freaks."

Ren chuckled, "At least my daughter has accepted that truth about herself. From all accounts, Honda-san sounds quite a nice young lady, a friend I wish I had when I was young. I haven't met her yet, Akito won't let her anywhere near me. She's afraid I might harm her," She looked over at the shrine and added "I'm glad for her and your son, yet I can't help but hate her."

"Why do you hate her?" Daigo asked.

"You really are a fool," Ren muttered before clarifying "Because she rescued my daughter from the terrible fate she deserved. I don't know if Shigure-kun, a Dog far craftier than any Cat, saw my plot and was giving the girl orders or simply nudging her in the right direction, but Honda-san undid almost everything. Because of her, most of the Zodiacs were able to forgive Akito and my daughter is happy. That's something I cannot abide. Why should someone as awful as Akito be happy while I suffer in loneliness without my beloved Akira?"

"And why should that Thing be happy with his stupid little bride while I'm left alone?" Daigo replied, sharing her bitterness.

"Because you brought it upon yourself." Ren answered.

Daigo silently glared at her before retorting "Perhaps the same can be said of you, Lady Ren."

Ren's face transformed into a furious, hateful look which sent a shiver down Daigo's spine. Before she could say or do anything, one of the Maids stepped forward to intervene.

"Lady Ren, does Daigo-san irritate you?" She inquired.

Ren took a breath to calm herself as she stood up, "Indeed he does. Take me home. Perhaps I should prepare a card congratulating Kyo-kun and his bride." She said as she allowed her escorts to take her away.

Daigo was left alone again. He kept gazing at the shrine, thinking about his conversation with Ren. About what Akito had shouted at him last week.

He began to contemplate who was really to blame for Yuuna's death. It had to be the Cat. It had to be.

As the Shrine Maiden's ceremonial dance came to a close, she bowed to the Gods and then to Tohru and Kyo before returning to her proper place.

Osamu nodded to the bride and groom, it was time for them to exchange Seisho Sodoku, the wedding vows. They faced one another as Osamu began, and Kyo echoed his words.

"I, Kyo Sohma, marry this woman. No matter what happens, I will love Tohru. Respect Tohru. Console Tohru. I will help her until my death and I will protect her fidelity to me. I swear to the Gods and my ancestors that I will be with her always." Kyo said as he gently grasped Tohru's hands.

Tohru couldn't hold the tears back any longer, she let them flow freely down her face as she echoed the words back; "I, Tohru Honda, marry this man. No matter what happens, I will love Kyo. Respect Kyo. Console Kyo. I will help him until my death and I will protect his fidelity to me. I swear to the Gods and my ancestors that I will be with him always." She said with a firm voice despite her tears.

Osamu bowed, "May your family be prosperous and the path you walk together be a righteous one. I beseech the Gods Izanagi and Izamani to bless you both with long and happy lives."

Two shrine maidens approached the couple, each holding a tamagushi, a branch from a sakaki tree that was decorated with silk strips in the form of the zig-zagging shide. They both took hold of the branch with their right hands, their leafy sides came to rest in their open left palms. They respectfully placed the branches on the altar to offer them to the Gods before they both bowed deeply twice and clapped twice.

Kyo pulled out a pair of rings, a beautiful golden set that he had had purchased with the abundance of funds Kazuma had received from the Clan for raising him, which the dojo master had been saving up for years.

Smiling, Kyo placed his ring into Tohru's left palm before he gently slipped the ring down her right ring finger. It fit her perfectly. Kyo let out a breath as he smiled at the joyful expression on her face before she placed his ring on his finger.

One of the final steps of the ceremony was the Shinzoku-no-gi, a rite where the two families came together to exchange sacred wine to symbolize the new bond between them.

Jiichiro, Tamayo, Chiyoko, Misa and Manabu came up on Tohru's side, joined by Saki and Arisa. Their inclusion was unorthodox, but Tohru wouldn't dare exclude them. They weren't related by blood, but no one could argue that they were her sisters in spirit.

For Kyo's side, he was joined by Yuki, Shigure, Kazuma, Kisa, Hiro, Hatsuharu and Isuzu, some of whom were surprised they'd been chosen, but Kyo was more than happy to include them in the ceremony.

Osamu poured enough of the non-alcoholic sake into fourteen small sakazuki cups, which were taken up by the seven guests on each side, the Sohmas exchanged the cups with the person opposite them and vice versa. They then all took three small sips, just as Tohru and Kyo had earlier.

Osamu Sohma allowed himself a small smile as he announced "With this, I pronounce the ceremony bringing Kyo and Tohru Sohma together concluded. I've been told much about what you've been through, so I can honestly say you've both earned this wonderful day. Congratulations, I wish you the best and I hope the happiness I see on your faces now stays there for the foreseeable future."

He walked in front of the altar and bowed, everyone in attendance following his example.

While it was tradition for the bride and groom to lead the way to the reception, Tohru and Kyo decided to once again defy it by letting Akito and Shigure guide the guests to the banquet hall where the reception was being held. The newlyweds lingered by the shrine's entrance to thank each and every one of their guests for coming.

Tohru could hardly stop blushing due to the amount of compliments she received regarding how beautiful she looked and constantly bowed to thank the guests. Kyo smiled at her, bowing at similar compliments from the various women in attendance about how handsome he was and shaking hands with men who wished them luck.

As Kyo had anticipated, many were curious about the plums on their backs. Tohru simply giggled and promised to explain it at the reception.

"Impressive, counting Momiji and Momo's fellow musicians, over seventy people came." Noted Yuki as he came to stop beside them, with Saki and Antonio.

"I'm not surprised. Tohru-kun and Kyo-san are loved by many more people than they realize." Saki commented.

"Aw, thank you, Hana-chan! Still, I hope we have enough hikidemono to thank everyone!" Tohru said, a tad nervously.

"Relax, Shigure and Akito made sure they bought enough." Kyo reminded her.

"The fact that the ones getting married have to get gifts for the guests is something I still can't wrap my head around." Antonio admitted.

Kyo was about to respond, but he stopped, dread filling his eyes as he saw Okami approach them with Ritsu and Mitsuru.

"You look wonderful, Tohru-san. I hope you'll bless the onsen with your presence again soon." The older woman said, bowing to the bride, who returned the gesture.

"I hope so too, Okami-san." Tohru replied.

Okami then looked at Kyo, tears forming in her eyes, "I'm so sorry, I didn't do more to help you and Yuuna-kun, Kyo-chan," She told him, making Kyo's eyes widen at both the statement and how restrained she was, "You might not remember, but I was good friends with Yuuna-kun before you were born, we remained friends even afterwards despite your…unfortunate status."

Kyo nodded, "It's vague, but I remember you and Ritsu coming around sometimes when I was very little." He said, sharing a glance with the ex-Monkey.

Okami sniffled a bit before saying "I'm so sorry I didn't help more. I had to stay at the Hot Springs so much so I couldn't be around as much as I liked. Besides that there was the social pressure against it. I can't apologize enough for failing her and you."

Kyo took everyone by surprise as he hugged the woman, "It's all right. I know she'd forgive you, because I do."

Okami couldn't help herself and burst out into loud sobs as she hugged him back, looking away so she wouldn't stain his kuromontsuki with her tears. "THANK YOU, KYO-CHAN!" She exclaimed before calming herself when Ritsu placed a gentle hand on her shoulder, "Yuuna-kun might not be here to say it, but I know she'd be so very proud of the man you've become."

Remembering his dream, Kyo smiled and said "Something tells me you're right."

Releasing Okami, Kyo noticed the emotional expressions on the faces of Ritsu, Kisa, Kagura and the others. He sighed and said "Okay, hugs all around after we take the pictures."

Ritsu sniffled and said "Sounds good to me, Kyo-san!"

As Ritsu and Mitsuru walked off with Okami, Kunimitsu and his wife Yana came up. As Yana exchanged pleasantries with Tohru, Kunimitsu shook Kyo's hand, "I remember a time when you would've just blushed and clamped up at someone saying something like that to you. It's amazing how far you've come." Kunimitsu remarked.

"I had a lot of people to help me grow, make me who I am now. I definitely count you among them." Kyo told him.

Kunimitsu grinned, "That means a lot, Kyo. I look forward to watching you teach those kids, maybe you'll even give Kazuma and me some pointers."

Kyo laughed, "You bet."

It wasn't long before Yuki, Machi, Saki, Arisa, the shrine's maidens and attendants were the only ones left with the couple.

Machi came forward with her camera, "My camera's ready, shall we begin?"

"Yes, we don't want to keep everyone waiting too long." Tohru said.

"Ah, let 'em wait for another twenty minutes or however long it takes," Kyo dismissed as he took hold of Tohru's hand and affectionately squeezed it.

One of the attendants moved a chair in front of a white wall for Tohru to sit on while another made sure the lighting was to Machi's liking. After Saki and Arisa made sure Tohru's makeup still looked good, she sat down on the small chair with her hands in her lap and Kyo moved to stand on her right side while Machi got in position to take the pictures.

The young bride tried to keep her smile under control, but she felt so happy and excited that it was hard not to grin as widely as possible. Instead, a small smile graced her lips, just a little bigger than the subtle smile on Kyo's face.

Machi took several photos from several different angles before she moved her camera away and said "I think that's enough here."

Tohru gave her friend a huge grin, "Thank you for doing this, Machi-san! I can't wait to see them, I just know you did a wonderful job!"

It was hard for Machi to suppress her own smile as she said "Thank you for having confidence in me and for choosing me to do this over photographers who were probably way more qualified."

"Shigure hired Kisa-nii-chan's dad to photograph the reception, but Tohru didn't want anyone but you taking the most important ones." Kyo told her, making his wife blush.

"It's only natural, Machi-san. After all, we'll be family come year's end." Tohru reminded her.

Machi paused for a moment; family used to be something she didn't think very positively about. Up until last year, Kakeru had been the only relative who would be there for her. Now she was close to Eita and her parents were trying to earn her forgiveness. That wouldn't have been possible had it not been for Yuki, who had only been able to fall in love with her because of how much Tohru had helped him grow as a person.

Machi's smile grew as she replied "It'll be an honor to be part of your family, Tohru-san."

"I can tell you for a fact that it is," Yuki said as he stepped forward, smiling at Tohru. "Now let's get some more photos and then get you changed into your irouchikake. There are a lot of people that want to hug you and I won't deny that I'm among them."

Tohru giggled, "Of course, Yuki-kun!"

Machi took more photos of the newlyweds; a couple in front of the shrine itself, a few of them standing on a bridge over one of the estate's larger koi ponds and finally a batch of photos of the pair amongst some blossoming sakura trees, including one of Kyo kissing Tohru.

Machi put her camera in her purse and said "I think that's enough for now. I'll get them printed as soon as possible."

"Thank you once again, Machi-san." Tohru said with a bow.

"It was my honor, Tohru-san," Machi assured her before she allowed herself a coy smile, "You know, I normally don't take photos of perfect things, but I've made an exception today."

Tohru could no longer contain herself, she dashed forward and embraced Machi, who was taken by surprise but returned the hug, her head accidentally bumping into the wataboshi and knocking it off center. The sight made Kyo, Yuki, Saki and Arisa laugh as the groom approached his bride from behind.

"Come on, let's get this dumb thing offa you, I wanna show off my gorgeous wife." Kyo said as he turned her around and carefully detached the wataboshi from the ornaments in her hair.

Tohru's heart skipped a beat as she heard Kyo call her that.

Wife.

She was his wife now and always would be. They would be together forever.

With that knowledge in her heart and her wataboshi off, Tohru let her emotions take over. She leapt up, wrapping her arms around Kyo's neck as she kissed him as hard as she could. Kyo was surprised he wrapped his own arms around her, the wataboshi still pressed between his left thumb and index finger as he held her up so she could kiss him better, ignoring Arisa as she called "Whoo! Go for it!"

The two parted for air and a blushing Tohru said "I've been waiting to do that all day."

"Worth the wait." Kyo replied with a grin, "Hey, can you guys go ahead to the banquet hall? I've got something I wanna tell Tohru. In private." He stressed to them, giving Saki and Arisa a look that told them he didn't want them eavesdropping.

"Certainly, it's only natural that the groom would want a moment alone with his bride." Saki said as she took Arisa's hand to lead her off, "But if we may take a moment to say something…"

"We trust you, Kyo," Arisa said, the use of his real name took the ex-Cat by surprise.

"We wouldn't have supported this marriage if we didn't believe you were the right man for Tohru-kun. She means the world to us; we'd do anything for her and we know you feel the same way. Perhaps even more intensely than we do." Saki told him with a small smile.

"Thanks for making Tohru so happy, and making us so proud," Arisa said, giving him an earnest smile that only a few people had seen on the face of the ex-gangster.

"We know you'll never break the vows you took today. Thank you for helping us keep this precious person safe." Saki finished, bowing respectfully to Kyo and Tohru before walking off with the blonde.

Kyo was left stunned by the pair's words as Tohru leaned into him. "Must've been hard for them to let you go when we moved away."

"Very, but they knew I was in the best possible hands." Tohru told him.

"Indeed you are. We'll see ourselves to the banquet hall, excuse us." Yuki said before leaving with Machi. The ex-Rat paused and said "We'll make sure no one tries to spy on you."

Kyo chuckled, "Thanks!" He said before he took Tohru by the hand and led her over to a bench.

"What did you want to tell me, Kyo-kun?" She asked.

"I was gonna say this at the altar after our vows but I didn't want to screw up and make an idiot of myself in front of everybody. I mean, you've seen me look stupid plenty of times, but I didn't want to do that today." He told her.

"It's okay, Kyo-kun. I've never thought you were stupid, no matter what anyone said." Tohru assured him as she caressed his cheek, making him lean into her touch.

"Tohru," He began, the way he said her name made her tremble, "I don't think I really have the words to describe what I feel for you. At least, not in a unique way because you've heard me say them before or you've heard them in some movie or show. I've needed you so much, just as badly as I know you've needed me. I'm sorry if I ever made you feel sad by being too hard-headed or too much of a dumbass to face my feelings for you. I know I'm not that smart, that I can be really difficult to live with sometimes, but I promise you I meant every word of those vows."

"So did I!" Tohru assured him, trying to hold back tears.

"I know you did, but I have more to say beyond those vows; I promised your mom I'd take care of you, keep you safe. I've done my best to keep that promise, but it's time I made another one. I promise you now that I'll do everything in my power to be the husband you deserve and to give you all you could ever want. I promise to spend every day of my life with you and work to make you as happy as you should be. To make you feel as loved as you've made me feel. I'll do my best so you'll never feel lonely again.

"We both know I won't be perfect; there'll be times I'll screw up, but I swear I'll do anything to make up for those mistakes. I love you so much, Tohru, and I can't imagine my life without you. I don't want to. Everything I went through, all that suffering, loneliness, dread and pain…you made it all worth it. There's no one I'd rather spend the rest of my life with. Thank you for everything you've done. Thank you for becoming my wife." He finished, tears flowing down his face.

Tohru leaned towards Kyo and kissed him once more, her forehead coming to rest against his as their tears mixed. "I'm not worried about you keeping these promises at all. I know that you'll never break them because you kept your promise to mom," She said tearfully, nearly getting a sob out of her husband before she added "And thank you so much for becoming my husband. I don't think I could put the happiness I feel right now into words either and don't worry about your flaws, I've accepted them just as you've come to accept mine."

"You accept everyone, flaws and all," Kyo pointed out, "Only someone like you would've fallen in love with someone like me.

A sadness came into Tohru's eyes as she said "It's easy to love someone who deserves it so much. When I visited your fath- Daigo-san," She corrected herself, knowing the man wasn't worthy to be called Kyo's father, "I've always known that you're strong, but hearing how horribly he talked about you, I came to understand how horribly he treated you and your mother. It made me appreciate just how incredible you truly are. A lesser person would have broken, I would have."

"No, you wouldn't," Kyo told her firmly, "Because you're one of the strongest people I know. Nobody else could've done what you did. Besides, if putting up with the assholes in this family like him and being an outcast earned me you? I'd do it all over again. Just like you said you would."

Tohru was touched that he remembered what she had told him on the roof the night of the feast Akito and Shigure threw for them and Yuki. "I suppose we're both incredible, then." She mused.

"Damn right we are." Kyo said with a grin before he kissed her again.

Tohru surrendered to the kiss, savoring the feeling of his lips on hers. They had kissed countless times over the last few years, but every single one was special to her.

After the kiss ended, she looked up at the sky and remarked "I'm so glad I happened to wander into Shigure-san's yard that day."

Kyo smirked, "We all are. We better get going and change, if we keep 'em waiting much longer, they'll probably form a search party." Kyo quipped as he stood up, offering her his hand.

Tohru happily accepted it and walked side by side with her husband towards the banquet hall.

Kyo suddenly laughed, prompting Tohru to question "Is something funny?"

"It occurred to me I should savor every moment I get with you over the next year, 'cause I get the feelin' by then I'm gonna have to learn to share you with our kid." He answered wryly.

Tohru blushed but she couldn't help but laugh with him.

Tohru and Kyo arrived at the estate's banquet hall where the young bride reluctantly excused herself to a changing room where Mine would help her change out of her shiromuku and into an irouchikake, a type of outer kimono she'd wear over a plain white one. This practice was known as oironaoshi, which symbolized the bride adapting her new life. Though nobody really expected that Tohru and Kyo would act any differently, save for being more intimate with each other.

Kisa came by with her father Tadao, who shook Kyo's hand and assured him it was an honor to help out in his own small way.

Kyo leaned against a wall, looking off in the direction of the changing room, wondering what her irouchikake would look like, though he had no doubt that she'd be breathtaking in it.

"How's it feel to be a married man?" Asked a familiar accented voice. Kyo glanced over to see Momiji approaching him.

"Really good," Kyo admitted, "Thanks for performing for us, you did a pretty good job. I know for sure Tohru loved it."

"Just wait until you hear the other music we selected for the dances!" Momiji said excitedly. He might have grown, but it was plain to see that the ex-Rabbit's inner child was still vibrantly alive. "Tohru looked incredible in her shiromuku. You're a very lucky man."

"Yeah, I know. Momiji…remember how, after your Bond broke, you said I better make my move or you'd steal her?" Kyo asked, causing Momiji's face to drop.

"Oh! I-I was just…" Momiji tried to excuse before sighing and admitting "Looking back, that was horribly insensitive to say, considering what you were going through. I'm really sorry."

"Don't worry, I knew you were crazy about her. Who could blame you?" Kyo asked with a smirk, "But I want you to know that even if the Curse never broke, and if I had been confined…I would've been okay with her being with you."

Momiji gaped at Kyo, his gobsmacked expression got a good laugh out of the ex-Cat. "Not now, obviously. Now there's no way I'm lettin' go of her, but back then she would've been devastated if I got locked up. I know you would've been able to comfort and take care of her."

"P-perhaps, but she never would have been as happy with me as she is with you. I want what's right for Tohru, and I know you're the best possible person to spend her life with. The love between the two of you is beautiful and I wouldn't want to ruin that for anything in the world," The blond told him, "I'm sorry if you ever felt threatened by me."

Kyo shrugged, "Relax. You helped me realize I had to do something. Besides, I'm glad you found someone like Usagi. You two make a good couple."

"Of course we do!" Momiji replied, "You know, I'm giving her a private solo performance tomorrow."

Kyo gave an awkward smile, wondering if there was an innuendo in there, but said "If you play half as good for her as you did for us, then she'll love it. You play good enough that you should be in the national orchestra."

Momiji sighed and said "To be honest, I'm not that into the family's business. I'm doing fine, but even my father can see that my heart isn't really into it. I've been considering trying out for the orchestra but I don't want to disappoint him."

"I don't know your dad all that well, but he obviously cares about you. I get the feeling he'll support whatever choice you make." Kyo voiced.

"You should listen to him, Momiji. After all you've been through, I know Gennosuke-san wants you to pick a career that makes you happy." Said Hatori as he came up to join them, "Now I'd suggest you go join Usagi, Tohru-kun's cousin is on the prowl for potential dates and was quite disappointed when she noticed I was taken. So don't let her catch you without the lovely girl on your arm."

"Go get her, Bunny Boy." Kyo told him encouragingly.

"Right!" Chirped Momiji before he darted off.

Kyo glanced at Hatori and mentioned "Hope we're not taking you away from your patients."

"I made sure to take care of everything important, there was no way I'd miss this wedding. You know better than anyone the extraordinary effect Tohru-kun has on others." Hatori remarked.

Kyo smiled, "I do. Who else could've stolen the Cat's heart and charmed the Dragon?"

"I don't know about stealing your heart, but I think I managed to do the latter with a bit of effort," Voiced Mayuko as she came up behind them, Kinu in her arms, "You look great, Kyo. Who'd imagine you'd turn out so handsome?"

"Tohru-kun knew." Hatori quipped to his wife as he leaned in to kiss her.

Kyo noticed the adoring looks Hatori and Mayuko gave each other and got the feeling they were a lot more amorous at home than they were in public.

"Thanks, Mayuko-sensei. You bored yet, Kinu?" He asked the toddler, who shook her head.

"Tohru-chan looked really pretty in her sheer-o-moo-koo," She said, struggling to pronounce the last word before she eagerly looked at her parents and asked "Can I wear one?"

Mayuko chuckled as Hatori sighed before answering "Someday, Kinu-chan. Those are only for grown-ups, and I plan on you staying a little girl for a long time."

Kinu pouted, which elicited a genuine laugh out of Hatori, something that made Kyo smile. "You know, Kinu-chan, your dad was a pretty sad person. He hardly ever smiled before he got together with your mom. Kinda like me and Tohru." He told the little girl.

She gasped and asked "Does that mean you're gonna get a baby?"

At this, Kyo's face went bright red, Mayuko laughed uproariously while Hatori simply chuckled and shook his head. "Let's not rush them, Kinu-chan." He told his daughter.

Before Kinu could be disappointed, she pointed and said "Look! Tohru-nee-chan!"

Kyo's head jerked over as they all saw Tohru approaching them with Mine. Tohru was clad in a gorgeous, colorful irouchikake decorated with the Zodiac animals.

Blushing, Tohru twirled around and asked "So, what do you think?"

The Rat was placed on the right shoulder while the Rabbit was on the left, the right sleeve was decorated with the Dog and the Boar while the left sleeve had the Ox and the Horse. The Dragon was curled protectively around the midsection while the left side of the piece showed the Tiger cuddling with the Ram while the right side had the Monkey holding the Bird in its hand. The Snake seemed to be slithering up the back, flanking the shape of the God and the Cat was in the most appropriate place; embroidered right over Tohru's heart.

"I admit this is a little more colorful than what I usually make, but I conceived this after I understood Tohru-kun's role in breaking the you-know-what," The pregnant designer began, skirting around the Curse as Kinu still didn't know about it, "I began making it when I found out you two got together and I've been working on it over the last few years. It's my own personal way of thanking her for everything she did, as I wouldn't be where I am now if it wasn't for her!"

She caressed her stomach to remind them of the life growing inside of her. A life that might not have existed had Tohru not come into their lives.

Kyo was as clueless about fashion as he was about music, and while some might have found it garish, he liked it because Tohru was the one wearing it.

He wrapped his arms around Tohru and said "You look great. You always do, especially with that makeup gone."

Tohru leaned up and shared a kiss with him, not noticing Shigure and Yuki appearing as they opened a shoji door.

Yuki's eyes widened a little at the extravagant irouchikake, but Shigure cooed. "Ah! Aya said you'd made something special for the reception, Mine-san!"

"Do you like it, Gure-san?" Mine asked.

"Of course! It seems you and Aya will never stop impressing me." The ex-Dog declared.

Yuki coughed, "I agree you look wonderful, Tohru, but we should begin the reception."

Hand in hand, the newlyweds followed the others into the banquet hall, where their many guests had been waiting for them, everyone seated in a similar arrangement to how they had sat at the shrine, though Momiji and Momo had joined their parents and Usagi while the other musicians had their own table. Their instruments, along with a harp, a taiko drum and an old piano were placed towards the back of the room beyond the tables.

Sure enough, Tohru's irouchikake stole the show, Ayame looking quite proud of his wife and kissing her as passionately as he could while trying to be discreet.

Tohru and Kyo apologized for making everyone wait so long before they set about going to each table and lighting a candle, a traditional way of the newlyweds sharing the warmth of their love with their guests.

As they did this, Kisa's father stood off to the side taking photos of the event.

Once they were done they sat at the head table, where there was a very impressive cake created by Saki and her mother at the bakery they worked at, along with a letter that Tohru had written and three sakura bouquets.

Yuki, however, remained standing.

They both felt that Yuki was the best candidate to give the speech to honor them. Shigure had volunteered, but Kyo had adamantly refused, he didn't want to know what asinine things the ex-Dog might say.

"When Tohru asked me to give a speech, I couldn't possibly refuse. How could I? Just take a look around the room. Certain members of this family were very different people before we met Tohru. We were broken and very much worse off. I was a very lonely person before I got to know her and while the circumstances that led to us becoming friends were very odd and often tragic, I hope it's not in poor taste to say I'm glad they happened. After all, I think I speak for everyone blessed enough to be close to Tohru that she made us feel loved and understood in a way no one else had before.

"She is the kind of person to constantly place others over her own basic needs; during our first year living together, she spent most of her paycheck to make us Valentine's chocolates. Simple acts of kindness like that are just a small part of what endeared her to us. Tohru, no one can stress enough how much you've done for us, and I shudder to think of what horrible things would have happened had you not come into our lives. You found our sorry, broken world and mended it with your kind and steady heart that's full of love. You saved us all, and for that we will always love you." Yuki said, looking back at Tohru to see her burying her face in Kyo's neck to hide her tears and intense blush.

Yuki continued, "For certain members of the Sohma Clan, life was far from easy. While we all suffered and struggled, I think it's fair to say that Kyo had it worse than most of us," He paused briefly, knowing he couldn't say much due to the fact that not all of the guests knew about the Curse. He went on carefully, "The tragic death of his mother and the cruelty of his biological father, as well as being unfairly looked down upon by certain members of the family, rendered Kyo's life an open wound. Thankfully, Kazuma-sama was there to bandage it and eventually Tohru came to heal it. You have earned this happiness, Kyo. Both of you have. I know you'll be basking in it for decades to come."

He bowed to them and they stood up to bow back before Tohru hugged him as hard as she could, whispering her thanks. As she pulled away, Kyo gave him a smile, a firm handshake and a quiet "Thanks, Yuki."

It was then that Tohru knew for certain that the animosity between them that had been slowly dying over the years, was officially buried.

Yuki went to sit down with Machi as the newlyweds addressed the guests.

"I'm so touched that so many people came to our wedding," Tohru began, "Some of you are dear to my heart while others I haven't seen in a long time, but I'm very grateful to all of you just the same! Now, before we begin our letters to our parents, I think I should answer the question many of you are wondering; why did they have plums on their backs?"

She proceeded to explain that during her first winter spent with the Sohmas, she came to understand how envious Yuki and Kyo were of one another and how one morning she saw how Kyo excelled at shaping rice balls, which he didn't think was anything special. But Tohru found even something mundane like that admirable and wondered why Kyo couldn't see the things that made him special.

"So this idea just popped into my head that if people are like rice balls, then what's great about a person is like the plum on the back. The problem is that because the plum is on your back, you're not able to see what makes you special, you don't see the beauty or admirable things that others see so easily. No one is exactly like someone else, everyone has different qualities and talents, but you probably can't see what makes you unique because you're too busy envying the qualities of others because they're more obvious to you. So you might think there's nothing special about you, that you just blend into the crowd, but that's not true! Everyone has something wonderful about them, so I hope I've been able to help you all realize that." Tohru told everyone.

Some of the guests struggled to understand her analogy at first, but those close to Tohru understood right away. Tohru saw Tamayo looking at her with a serene but amused smile on her face.

Kyo chuckled at the perplexed expressions some guests had, "Yeah, I know it sounds weird. When she told me that and said I had a plum on my back she could see easily, I understood but I was kinda flustered and thought 'where does she come up with this stuff?' Back then I didn't have many people saying nice things about me. Then I told her I could see a plum on her back too; a little, really tiny one. Thing is, I was wrong; Tohru's plum is bigger than anyone's." Kyo said, blushing as he was hit with a chorus of 'awws' from the majority of the female guests and certain men like Momiji, Kakeru and Mr. Hanajima.

Tohru kissed Kyo again before revealing "And putting plums on our backs was Kyo-kun's idea! The first night after we moved back home, he remembered my plum idea and said we should put plums on our backs during our wedding!"

Shigure looked at Ayame and asked "I assume they explained this to you before you began working on their attire?"

"Actually they promised to elaborate after the ceremony, but I knew it had to be incredibly sweet. Who knew Kyonkichi was such a romantic?" The ex-Snake remarked.

"Tohru-nee-chan knew." Kisa whispered.

Kyo sat down as the still-standing Tohru picked up a letter that she had given to one of the maids earlier to place on the head table. It was customary for the Bride to read aloud a letter expressing gratitude to her parents, which was quite tragic given that Tohru's parents were dead.

That hadn't deterred Tohru, however, when Kyo had spent a day at Kazuma's dojo during the week, she had been composing her letter.

"'To my beloved parents, Katsuya and Kyoko Honda, though you are gone and I've been able to accept and move on, I still think about you often. I think about the hardships the two of you must have gone through, how you found love in a very unlikely person and how hard you both worked to provide for me.

"'I've often felt guilty that my dad worked so hard for us that he failed to take care of himself. When he died, mom fell into such a deep depression that I thought I'd lose her too, so in my mind my dad became the bad guy but I tried emulating him because I thought that way I'd be able to keep mom. To my father's spirit, I'm so sorry if I ever neglected or dishonored you, and I thank you with all my heart for reaching out to save my mom from the chaos she found herself in." She said, being careful not to make her grandmother feel guilty for the less-than-pleasant circumstances that finally led to Kyoko and Katsuya getting together.

"As for my mom, I know for a fact that she was the greatest. Someone who had gone through so much, lost the love of her life, yet still climbed out of a pit of despair and worked incredibly hard to raise me. She did everything she could to leave her murky past behind and lead me by the hand to a bright future, something he did for others she saw in need, like Uo-chan and Kyo-kun. She saw these troubled children struggling with life and helped them, even though she had no obligation to. That's the kind of incredible person mom was, even if some didn't see it until it was too late. But don't worry if you made a mistake like that, I know she'd forgive you.'" Tohru said, her already warm face looking positively radiant as she saw the smiles on the faces of her aunt, two remaining grandparents.

Taking up two of the bouquets, Tohru walked over and presented them to Tamayo and Jiichiro. "While my parents are no longer with us, I'm lucky enough to have some of my grandparents in their place. Please, accept this for them." She said.

Tearfully, Tamayo accepted one bouquet while Jiichrio took the other. "Thank you, Tohru-san. You've become an incredible young woman, just as I always knew you'd be." Jiichiro said with a kind expression on his face while Tamayo placed her flowers down on the table.

Tohru bowed to him before Tamayo stood up and embraced her granddaughter, doing her best to keep her emotions under control.

As Tohru returned to the head table, Kyo stood up, "While grooms don't typically write letters to their parents, I felt I needed to say something. Some of you are probably confused because it's no secret here me and my father aren't on good terms and some have blamed me for my mother's suicide. You know what? Forget them. The only dad I ever needed is right there," He said, gesturing to Kazuma.

Tohru gasped, surprised her husband had called Kazuma his dad, but she was overjoyed that he finally felt he was worthy. Like Kazuma, she always thought he was worthy.

Kyo grabbed the last bouquet and walked over to Kazuma, "You saved me, never gave up on me even when I gave up on myself. Always held onto hope when I thought I had none. I couldn't ask for a better father. Thank you for everything, dad." He said as he handed over the flowers, which Kazuma accepted and dropped onto his table so he could hug his son.

Some people, like Kagura, Kunimitsu, Ritsu, Okami and especially Tohru were so moved that they burst into tears.

Kyo pulled away and told Kazuma, "Dad, I know for a fact that your grandfather forgives you."

With tears falling from his eyes, Kazuma nodded and said "Thank you, son."

It felt so good to be called that.

Wiping away his own tears, Kyo moved back to the head table and said "As for my mother, I forgive her for leaving me, for failing in her struggles. I know that she loved me despite everything and now I'm able to say I love her too."

Kyo returned by Tohru's side as she stood and gestured to the wooden barrel of celebration sake, part of the kagami biraki ceremony which officially kicked off the reception and acted as a prayer for their new beginning. Even though he wouldn't be drinking any of it, he nodded and said "Let's get this party started."

Taking up two small wooden hammers, they struck the barrel open. The maids present helped pour the sake into cups and Tohru and Kyo went around serving the sake to those old enough to drink it. Kyo was a bit annoyed that they had to do it, but Tohru assured him it was necessary to share their joy and to symbolize unity.

With that done, Tohru and Kyo approached the cake and, acting as one, cut it. Taking two pieces for themselves, Kyo making sure Tohru got a good piece, they sat down as the servants began distributing cake pieces and other foods such as shrimp, red rice, sashimi, tempura and fresh vegetables.

Everyone began eating, though Komaki neglected her piece of cake for the delicious tempura and sashimi.

When the newlyweds finished eating, Tohru instructed one of the maids to start up the playlist she and Momiji had made for the wedding.

Kyo stood up and offered his hand to his bride and said "Shall we?"

"It'd be my pleasure, Kyo-kun!" Tohru answered as she let him lead her out to the center of the room, cleared away so they could dance. Both of them were secretly praying they didn't screw up.

The song 'Home' by Asako Toki began playing and the husband and wife danced with surprising grace around the space they had.

They never noticed the happy looks the others had on their faces as they watched them. Didn't notice Kagura's tears as she hugged Raizo tightly or how Akito leaned into Shigure as she recalled how they danced at their wedding. Didn't see Hiro nearly faint when Kisa absentmindedly mentioned she couldn't wait for their own wedding or Yuki and Machi share an intimate kiss after the grey-haired girl remarked they'd picked a great song.

"You're my home, sweet home

Shining

in a panoramic city.

You're my home, sweet home

No matter what night it is, no matter how far apart we are,

you are the one my heart returns to."

Kyo noticed Tohru's lip quivering and asked "You okay?"

She nodded, wiping away tears, "Yes, this just song really speaks to me. You really are my home sweet home." She told him, muttering an apology in advance before she buried her face in his chest, nuzzling against him as she tried to control her tears.

"You can be so cheesy, but that's just another thing I love about you, Tohru." He whispered tenderly, making her cling to him tighter.

Kisa's father smiled at the young lovers as he snapped a perfectly timed photo where he was able to get both of their smiling faces.

They were soon joined by other couples as additional songs played; Yuki and Machi, Hatsuharu and Isuzu, Arisa and Kureno, Saki and Antonio, Hiro and Kisa, Hatori and Mayuko, Momiji and Usagi, Ayame and Mine, Kagura and Raizo, Kakeru and Komaki, Ritsu and Mitsuru, Mr. and Mrs. Hanajima, Kunimitsu and Yana, Satsuki and Junpei, Yusuke and Dia, Hiroshi and Zuiho…

Hatori even danced around with Kinu in his arms, ignoring the teasing coos of Shigure and Ayame, while Momiji and Hiro danced with their sisters, though Hiro required some prodding from Kisa and Satsuki.

Kimi let out a quiet groan as she placed her sake down on the table. Naohito rolled his eyes and asked "What's wrong?"

"Oh, I'm not looking dramatic, am I? Don't get me wrong, I'm really happy for Tohru-chan and Kyo-kun, but I feel a little lonely being here without someone to dance with. Practically every guy here is taken." Kimi lamented.

"What about Naohito-san? You came with him," Eita commented, before slapping his hand over his mouth as he realized what he had said. Naohito looked at the boy with a horrified expression as a sly grin spread across Kimi's face.

"Hmm, Eita-kun has a point…and you have matured into quite a handsome man. What do you say, Naohito-kun?" She asked while placing her hand atop Naohito's.

"There's no way out of this, is there?" He asked.

"Nope." Kimi answered before leading him to the dance floor.

"Naohito-san, I'm sorry!" Eita offered as Naomi began laughing.

"They seem really fun." She remarked.

"Naohito-san's great but Kimi-san can be…exhausting," Eita remarked as they watched Kimi take the lead dancing with Naohito.

Naomi shrugged, "I don't know, I think they're kinda cute together."

Before Eita could reply, he did a double-take; he actually saw Naohito giving Kimi a smile as he slowly got into the dance of a more upbeat love song.

"Huh…maybe they'll be okay after all." He remarked.

Meanwhile, Tohru's cousin Misa sighed bitterly, her mom and brother keeping her from drinking too much sake. She had had any better luck in romantic pursuits than Kimi and couldn't help but say "You know, if I had known that Tohru-chan was gonna get involved with a family that has so many hot guys, I would've made a hell of a lot more effort to stay in touch with her back then."

"That's a rather shallow thing to say, Misa-chan." Chiyoko said.

"I'm single at a wedding, can't help it," Misa retorted, "Seriously, look at the blond who was playing the violin; really cute, but taken. That guy with black hair and purple eyes? Looks like he stepped out of a dream, but he's married and has a kid. Ugh!"

"I'm available." Said a voice from behind her. Tohru's cousins and aunt looked behind them to see Megumi, carrying a plate with a piece of cake and some other food for his grandmother.

"Uh…oh, you're the little brother of Tohru's spooky friend. No offense but aren't you a little young for me?" Misa asked.

Megumi shrugged, "It's not like it'll be serious. Besides, I do have a thing for older women."

Misa burst out laughing before she stood up, saying "Okay goth boy, I'm up for it."

As the couples danced and the guests ate, Kazuma made his way over to sit by Namie.

"Hello, Namie-san. It's good to see you here as a guest and not just a servant." He told her.

"Tohru-san invited me on a whim not long before the ceremony. Her kindness is remarkable." Nami stated.

"Indeed, I suspect her benevolence is infinite," Kazuma agreed, "I couldn't ask for a better daughter-in-law. By the way, I must thank you again for telling Kureno the truth and helping him free Rin when Akito-san imprisoned her. While Kyo is practically my son, Isuzu is like a daughter to me. She can be wayward, difficult and quite moody at times, but I love her as much as Kyo. I don't know what drastic things I would have done had we lost her."

Namie stiffened but nodded, "I felt so awful about what was happening, I knew she would've died if I didn't get her out but I was terrified of what Akito-sama would do to me if I defied her. You know how she was back then," She said, getting a nod from the handsome martial artist, "When Kureno-san found me, I seized the opportunity and told him everything. I'm just glad she seems happier now than she did back then."

"Very happy, now that the Curse is gone and she's free to be with Haru. She and Kyo are even treating each other like siblings, something I often prayed for," Kazuma remarked, looking over at his children dancing with their beloveds as a new song began playing.

Kazuma glanced at her and said "Namie-san, I believe I never properly thanked you for helping save Rin. Would an offer to dance be acceptable?"

Namie nodded with a deep blush on her face, "I-I'd be delighted, Kazuma-sama." She accepted, gently taking his hand and letting him lead her out to join the others. Kazuma did his best not to laugh at the surprised expressions Kyo, Isuzu and Kunimitsu had.

An hour-and-a-half went by; Tohru had danced with not just Kyo, but had also danced with Yuki, Kazuma, Momiji, Hiro, Shigure and her grandfather while Kyo found himself dancing with Kagura, Kisa, Saki, Misa and even Isuzu. Both felt a tad worn out and they sat down, deciding it was time to receive their gifts.

Momiji and Momo had pleaded to go first, as they said their gift was a perfect way to segue from the songs to the presents. The siblings joined their fellow musicians, who had gathered around the instruments.

"We dedicate this song to Tohru-nee-chan, who was there for Momiji-kun when he dearly needed somebody," Momo began as she took up her violin.

"And to Kyo! Although he can be a grouch at times, he deserves all the happiness I know Tohru will give him, because he's made her so happy. The music we'll be performing is the theme from an old foreign movie that Usagi-chan and her brother introduced me to called 'Love Under the Moon'. Heh, it's actually a movie about ghosts and trauma," Momiji admitted, raising a few eyebrows amongst the guests, "But it's very romantic and touching for a scary movie! The music was so beautiful that I knew I had to play it for two of the best friends I was fortunate enough to have."

With that, Momiji tapped his violin's bow on the music rack and led the small orchestra in playing what seemed at first to be a bittersweet, fluttering melody before Momo joined him with a deeper echo of the music, backed up by the strings of a harp from one of the other players. Flutes and horns performed by the others carefully mimicked Momiji, soon becoming one with the theme the blond was playing.

Tohru hardly knew any more about music than Kyo did, but she didn't need to to adore

the track Momiji had picked. It couldn't be anything else but an ode to two people who had struggled horribly before finding their soulmate in each other.

Throughout the song, Momiji moved closer and closer to the old piano, and as the players began to close out the theme, Momiji tossed the violin bow over to Usagi, who easily caught it, before he ended the track with a lonely piano solo. At the very end he was joined by Momo as she caressed the strings of her violin with her bow, the pitch growing softer as their performance came to an end. With his free hand, Momiji took his sister's hand that held the bow and they bowed together as their audience applauded.

Tohru clapped louder than anyone, naturally moved to tears by the music. Kyo clapped along, but wondered if his wife's tear ducts would ever dry up. As long as they were happy tears, he didn't mind.

Most of their gifts were the customary wedding present called goshugi; money presented to them in a fancy envelope called shugi-bukuro. They got quite a lot of money, and while Tohru had been looking for a job, some thought she probably wouldn't need it with all she and Kyo were getting.

While the irouchikake Tohru was currently wearing was Mine's personal gift, Ayame gave them thirty thousand yen. That amount was matched by the gifts from Ritsu and Mitsuru, Kunimitsu and his wife, Hiro's family, Tohru's Aunt Chiyoko, her cousins, Hiroshi, Yusuke and the parents of the other former Zodiacs.

Mr. Uotani didn't have much, but was still able to give ten thousand yen while Tohru's former co-workers both gave fifteen thousand.

The Hanajima family presented them with fifty thousand yen while Kakeru and Komaki gave them the smaller, but still appreciated amount of fifteen thousand. The donations from Raizo and Naohito were smaller yet, at just ten thousand yen each, but the couple appreciated them nonetheless. Kimi gave them twenty thousand, along with a cute 'Mogeta' shirt for Tohru that wasn't quite her style but she still gladly accepted it.

Hatori and Mayuko gifted them with an impressive ninety thousand yen. Upon seeing Tohru's shocked expression, Hatori told her "Before you say anything, Tohru-kun, it's not at all too much. After all you've done for everyone, all the pair of you have gone through, you've both earned this. Thank you for everything."

He bowed to them before Mayuko coerced him into hugging the bride, which Tohru eagerly returned.

Kagura gave them twenty thousand yen, along with something quite surprising.

"One of your old backpacks!" Tohru exclaimed as she held it.

"Yeah, I thought that if anybody should have one, it's the one who saved Kyo-kun." Kagura told her with a grin before they hugged, the ex-Boar was still quite strong so she was gentle with her friend. Not so much with her former crush.

In addition to the surprising gift Isuzu had given Tohru earlier that day, she and Haru had pooled their money together to grant them fifty thousand yen. "You've more than earned it," Isuzu told Tohru before hugging her, "Thank you for everything you've done for us. I'd hate to think of what would've happened if you never came into our lives."

Tohru hugged her back and said "I guess my tent being crushed in a landslide was for the best!"

"No arguments there," Deadpanned Haru before he took out his phone and showed them a picture of Kyo hugging Kazuma earlier that day, "Was out on your balcony when I noticed Shihan coming, heard Kyo call him dad and I couldn't resist, knew you'd want a picture. I'll get it printed later."

"It's absolutely wonderful, Haru-san!" Tohru declared with sparkling eyes before hugging him as Kyo groaned, a little embarrassed.

"Should've known you were spying." He muttered, just still slapped palms with the ex-Ox all the same. He hugged Isuzu and said "You know, dad would really like it if you called him that too."

Isuzu smiled, "Perhaps I will…"

Next up were Kisa and Hiro, they both carried envelopes but Hiro was holding a moderately-sized wrapped gift that could only be a framed picture. They presented them the envelopes, Kisa's had twenty thousand yen while Hiro's contained fifty thousand.

Upon seeing the size of Hiro's gift, the blushing ex-Ram said "It's the least I could do. After all, I still need to make up for what a brat I was. Besides, you're the reason I can freely hug my mom and sister."

Tohru hugged Hiro and Kyo slapped his hand before their attention turned to the ex-Tiger, who tearfully embraced the girl who had become her big sister. "It feels so wonderful to officially have you as part of our family, nee-chan!" Kisa said as Hiro placed the gift down, "I hope you don't mind, I found this in an antique shop a few weeks ago and I just thought of you!"

Tohru unwrapped the gift and smiled at the sight of the framed copy of a painting showing a young noblewoman sleeping as her pet tiger curled protectively around her.

"It's amazing, Kisa-chan!" Tohru announced as she hugged the younger woman.

Tearfully, Kisa returned the hug and said to Kyo, "I'm sorry I didn't get one with a Tiger and a Cat, onii-san."

"Don't worry about it, nii-chan. I kinda like it." He assured her with an affectionate smirk before he ruffled her golden hair.

Naomi and Eita came up next, the girl giving them seven thousand yen. "I'm sorry it's such a small amount, but I hope you know it's a real honor to be invited." She said with a respectful bow.

"And we're honored that our wedding is the first one you've ever attended in Japan." Tohru replied, bowing back to her with Kyo.

Eita then presented them his finished drawing which Mrs. Kuragi had gotten framed yesterday evening. The black and white drawing of the couple showed them sitting under the stars, Kyo's arms wrapped around Tohru.

Bashfully, Eita said "Yuki mentioned you guys like sitting out under the stars. Hope you like it."

"I love it, Eita-kun!" Tohru cried as she hugged him, making him blush while Kyo patted his shoulder.

"Not bad, kid. Better than anything I could ever draw." The ex-Cat said.

Eita's blush intensified as Tohru showed the drawing off for their guests, making Eita quickly retreat to rejoin Kakeru, Komaki, Kimi and Naohito at their table.

"That was actually really good, Eita. D-do you think you could make one of me?" Naomi asked as she sat next to him, making the grey-haired boy's eyes go wide.

Snickering, Kakeru said "Yeah, draw her like one of your French girls!"

His joke earned him light slaps from Komaki and Kimi and a hard elbow to the ribs courtesy of Naohito. Blushing brightly, Naomi buried her face in her hands in an attempt to hide her blush and silence her laughter.

The reference was lost on Eita, but he had the feeling it would make him conk his half-brother on the head.

Instead of money, Arisa and Kureno had arranged for something more personal made for the couple. Taking their gifts off the present table, Kureno presented them with two coat gift boxes.

Removing the ribbons, the newlyweds were surprised to see custom-made jackets with a red butterfly on the backs.

"I have a semi-retired clothing designer as a client, we asked her to make these as a favor." Kureno explained, blushing slightly.

Tohru looked up at Arisa, "Uo-chan…th-this is…"

"I know it's not really your thing, but Kyoko's legacy isn't petty crime, bleeding punks and street races, it's the wonderful girl she raised…and the weird brat she helped out." Arisa told them with a smile as she did her best not to cry.

Opening her arms wide, Arisa captured Tohru, Kyo and Kureno in a big group hug.

Saki and Antonio then came up, "Uh, sorry to say we don't have anything right now…" Antonio began.

"Not until next week. Next Thursday evening, Antonio-kun and I will be treating you both to dinner at a certain upscale restaurant downtown," Saki told them before mentioning "And don't worry, Kyo-san, they serve fish.'

"We'd be delighted, Hana-chan! Thank you both so much!" Tohru said as she hugged the couple.

"Sounds nice, as long as we don't have to pay." Kyo quipped. He shook hands with Antonio and even accepted a genuinely affectionate hug from Saki.

Saki nodded to Kazuma as he came up, "Looks like you'll be having a lot of photos." He chuckled as he handed a wrapped frame to Tohru along with an envelope.

Kyo opened the envelope, which contained thirty-five thousand yen while Tohru excitedly opened up the other gift to see that it was a framed picture of Kyo when he was seven standing next to a long-haired Kazuma, managing to smile for Kunimitsu, who had taken the picture.

Kazuma hugged them both and they gripped him tightly in return. "You've both given me so much happiness, and you're sure to give me more in the future. I hope there are acceptable gifts."

"It's perfect!" Tohru assured her father-in-law.

"Thanks for everything, dad." Kyo whispered.

Surprisingly, Jiichiro and Tamayo came forward together. In the widow's hands was a large photo album that clearly wasn't empty.

"After you introduced us to each other, we decided to collaborate on your wedding gift." Tamayo said as she handed the album to Tohru.

"In addition to that, we pooled our extra money to give you this." Jiichiro said as he handed an envelope which contained one hundred thousand yen.

"Wow, isn't this a little much?" Kyo asked.

"Nonsense, my boy. Some of us old folk have enough money that we don't do anything with it other than spend it on our families." Jiichiro told his grandson-in-law.

Tohru sat the album down on the table and opened it up, her eyes widening at the sight of numerous photos of the Honda and Katsunuma families. Her grandparents had gotten copies of their personal photos made to share with their granddaughter; showing Kyoko and Katsuya as they grew up, photos of a young Tohru with her parents and then just with her mother.

"Jiichiro-san even had some copies of your baby pictures made for me. I know you'll cherish these for the rest of your life, Tohru-chan." Tamayo told her granddaughter, who let out a sob as she hugged her grandmother tight.

"Feel free to add any pictures of your own to the album," Tamayo managed to tell Kyo as she hugged her granddaughter, "As long as we get to see them too."

"Definitely." Kyo agreed with a smile.

As Tohru got her tears under control, Akito and Shigure forth. The Head of the Family had clearly been shedding tears of joy for the couple while the ex-Dog seemed quite pleased.

"Well, I'd have to say Akito-chan and I organized a fine wedding, wouldn't you say?" He mused.

"The best wedding I could ever ask for, Shigure-san! It wasn't even this good in my dreams." Tohru voiced as she hugged both of them individually.

"I won't lie, you both did great," Kyo admitted as he shook Shigure's hand and embraced Akito, something that once he never would've seen happening outside of a nightmare.

"I know I still have a long way to go before I've completely redeemed myself, but I hope this has helped earn your forgiveness." Akito told him as she presented them with a shugi-bukuro.

The newlyweds opened it up, and were shocked to see they'd been gifted a staggering seven hundred and fifty thousand yen.

"Thi-this is…" Tohru began.

Shigure shushed her and said "The bare minimum you two deserve. Some would say it isn't nearly enough."

"Well…I guess we'll consider it compensation for having to put up with you for three years." Kyo quipped with a wry grin, making his wife giggle.

Last but certainly not least were Yuki and Machi. While Tohru considered the photos Machi had taken earlier to be a perfect present, Machi insisted on giving them an additional fifteen thousand yen.

She hugged both Tohru and Kyo, just a little awkwardly, and said "Thank you, for everything you've done for us."

"It was nothing." Tohru replied with one of those smiles Kyo loved so much.

"Not to many of the people here," Yuki said, gesturing around with a small gift in his hand, "To us, your actions meant everything, Tohru. We know that we can never repay you with physical gifts or with money, but I hope the sentimental value is enough."

He handed them their gifts, a small one for Tohru and a cardboard clothes box for Kyo. Tohru gasped upon seeing a bookmark that contained a small hair ribbon that looked very much like the one he had once gifted her years ago. While it was essentially the same as the bookmark he had once made for Machi, it was a heartwarming gift all the same.

"It's as wonderful as you are, Yuki-kun!" Tohru cried as she hugged him again. Yuki enjoyed her hugs almost as much as Kyo did.

Kyo opened his box to see a brand new set of black gi, along with another shugi-bukuro that contained another batch of thirty thousand yen, which meant that all together the newlyweds would be going home one million, seven hundred ninety two thousand yen richer.

The ex-Cat noticed the smile on his wife's face before asking "You want us to hug, don't you?"

"It would make me very happy and you did promise hugs all around." Tohru reminded her husband with a smile that he just couldn't resist.

The young men looked at each other before Yuki said "Well, just this once."

Kyo shook his head and muttered "The things we do for you, Tohru."

Much to the amusement of the other ex-Zodiacs and the delight of the bride, the ex-Rat and the ex-Cat embraced.

Both young men felt quite awkward as they parted. "We're never doing that again" Kyo stated.

"No arguments here." Yuki stated.

"Good thing I took a picture then." Haru's voice came from close by.

Tohru ignored Kyo and Yuki's annoyed expressions, getting alongside Haru to look at the snapshot.

"Speaking of taking pictures, I believe we should take a family photograph before our guests begin leaving." Shigure suggested, gesturing over to Kisa's dad Tadao.

"I'm ready whenever you two are." Tadao said with a respectful nod, "I've gotten some great pictures I'm certain you'll be very happy with."

"I can't wait to see them, Tadao-san!" Tohru answered while Hatori, Shigure and Ayame worked to get everyone into position.

However, Kyo noticed there was one last gift on the presents table and pointed it out to Tohru.

"Oh, that's a secret! It's for after everyone leaves." She explained. Kyo looked a bit suspicious, but left it at that for the time being.

Tadao took several pictures; first was one of the married couple standing with all members of the Sohma Clan who had attended. Then one of the newlyweds with Tohru's blood relatives and then one with Mitsuru, Naohito, Kimi, Naomi and the other guests who weren't related to the couple.

Finally, Tohru and Kyo insisted on taking one with the people they felt closest to; the ones they felt made up their family.

Kyo and Tohru stood in the center, to their right was Yuki, who stood side-by-side with Machi, their fingers firmly intertwined and behind them Kakeru leaned into Komaki so their cheeks would touch. Next to them was Momiji, who was gently squeezing Usagi's hand.

Beside them were Kisa and Hiro, the ex-Tiger leaning into the ex-Ram with a blissful expression on her beautiful face while her boyfriend wore a certain smile he only had when he was with her. At the end of the right side was Kagura, with a bright smile only slightly outshined by her eyes. With her stood Tamayo and Jiichiro, both holding the bouquets they'd received. Momo, Eita and Hinata all knelt before the older members of the group, happy to be included.

On their left was Saki, Arisa and Akito, the latter two were embraced from behind by their respective lovers, though Shigure easily towered over Akito's petite form while Kureno didn't have to lean down too far to rest his chin on Arisa's shoulder. Kazuma stood behind Saki, a calm, proud smile on his face. Hatori stood next to Shigure, holding Kinu in his arms with Mayuko leaning against him and right beside them was Ayame, who had copied Shigure and ensnared his wife in a loving embrace from behind.

Ritsu and Mitsuru were placed next to the Mabudachi Trio, the ex-Monkey's hand firmly grasping the hand of his girlfriend. Beside them was Hatsuharu and Isuzu, the ex-Ox had decided to lift up his fiancé, hoisting her up so his cheek pressed into her stomach, her feet well off the floor. Kunimitsu ended the left side of the group while Megumi knelt in front of them, just in front of his sister.

"All right now…" Kisa's father began before he was cut off.

"Everybody say peace." Haru suddenly said, his tone of voice was noticeably lighter, happier.

Grinning, Kyo suddenly swept his wife off her feet and held her in a proper bridal carry.

"Peace!" Most of the group declared.

Smirking, Tadao Sohma snapped the photo.

Tohru and Kyo spent nearly thirty minutes saying goodbye to their guests, thanking them for coming and the gifts. They also presented everyone with hikidemono, which varied from sweets to new tableware, tea sets to invitations to the Sohma Hot Springs.

Isuzu and Haru watched the newlyweds as they sat together by a large window. The ex-Horse sighed as she leaned into the ex-Ox and said "Look at them; they're ridiculously cute together. I can't believe I ever thought they should break up."

"That was back when Kyo was going to be confined. You were just looking out for Tohru." Haru reminded her.

"Doesn't excuse how bitchy I could be to him. I'm just glad he's forgiven me." Isuzu mused.

"That's Tohru's influence on him. Like Yuki said, she's changed us all for the better. Plus, you had to forgive him too." Haru said as his arm held her close to him, practically putting her in his lap.

Isuzu smiled, kissed him and whispered "Makes me wonder how our wedding will be. If we ever get around to it."

"Wanna do it this summer?" Haru suddenly asked, making her look at him with a surprised expression. He took hold of her hand, absently caressing her engagement ring as he continued, "So far it's been the older Sohmas gettin' married, but now that Kyo and Tohru have tied the knot, maybe we should too. Tohru looked beautiful today, but you're gonna look like a Goddess."

Isuzu was stunned, she looked at the young man who had loyally stood by her, even at her most unstable. Even when she dumped him to protect him from Akito. He had nearly hit their 'God' for her sake.

"Summer sounds good to me. At least we'll beat Yuki and Machi to the punch." She whispered with a smile.

"Good. We'll figure out a date later, right now I just care about-." Hatsuharu was cut off when Isuzu's hands captured his face, holding him still so she could passionately kiss him.

Eventually almost everyone had departed; Yuki and Machi were among the last to leave after the Honda family took Tamayo home. Tohru, Kyo, Akito, Shigure and a few maids were the only ones left at the banquet hall.

Arisa and Kureno were retrieving their luggage, as they'd be driving the newlyweds home before leaving Tokyo. The ex-Rooster was going to be driving himself and his fiancé home in one of the estate's cars that Akito had gifted him earlier that week. They could tell that she still felt quite guilty over what she had done to him in the past and had decided to simply accept it to assure the former 'God' that she was truly forgiven.

Tohru's shiromuku had been put away inside of a box by one of the maids for the young bride to keep as a memento of the wonderful day. Though Tohru doubted she'd ever be able to forget this day; her friends, the gifts, her outfits, the affection she felt from everyone and most of all her handsome husband and the devoted look in his eyes.

"Thank you so much for everything, Akito-san. The wedding wouldn't have been half as good without you and Shigure-san working so hard to make sure everything went so smoothly." Tohru told the older woman.

"We'd do anything for you, Tohru," Akito replied as she hugged her, "It's a great honor to have you in our family."

"You've practically been one of us for years, Kyo-kun just took a while to make it official." Shigure noted with a smile as he accepted a hug from Tohru as well.

"Hey, Tohru," Kyo said as he walked over his still-wrapped gift in his hand, "Since everyone else is gone, I'm gonna assume this 'surprise' is a gift from one of you three."

Tohru shared a brief glance with Akito, the look in Tohru's eyes told the Clan Head all she needed to know. Kyo was bound to become emotional when he saw what Tohru's gift for him was and if Shigure saw his reaction the ex-Dog would doubtlessly crack a tasteless joke. Tohru didn't blame her former guardian for it, but she knew that his sense of humor could be a bit twisted.

"Shigure-kun," Akito began, her voice taking on a rather seductive tone, her eyes looking at her husband in a way that he found irresistible, "The sun has almost set. Let's go out and enjoy it."

Shigure caught on right away that they didn't want him ruining the couple's sensitive moment, so he simply nodded and followed his wife out of the building.

"Kyo-kun, this gift is from me for you. It wasn't easy to get, but I hope you like it." She told him, doing her best to steady herself, not knowing what his reaction would be.

"Ah, Tohru!" Kyo groaned "Now I feel bad that I didn't get you anything!"

"I don't need anything else," Tohru assured him, taking his free hand into hers, "You're all I need right now, but this is something you need. Something you should've had a long time ago."

Looking at her with a raised eyebrow, she gave him a smile that he couldn't help but return.

He tore open the wrapping paper and froze in shock and amazement upon seeing a photo of his pregnant mother. He carefully took in how happy his mother looked, how beautiful she was in that sundress, the excited look in her eyes that told the viewer she was so eager to become a mother.

He looked at Tohru with a bewildered expression and stammered "H-how…?"

Tohru explained how she obtained the picture as she spoke Kyo didn't bother trying to hide the tears that quickly formed in his eyes and began sliding down his face.

"Do you like it?" Tohru asked hopefully with a tentative smile.

Kyo grabbed her and held her tight, his body racked with quiet sobs before he whispered "It's great. It's amazing. Just like you, Tohru."

A happy smile formed on Tohru's face as she began crying happily with her husband.

"Th-thanks for waiting t-to give it to me after ev-everyone left…I don't want 'em to see me a blubbering mess like this." He muttered as he managed to get himself under control, his arms still wrapped around her, "I can't thank you enough for this. You've only been a wife for a few hours and you've officially topped the rest of 'em."

Tohru giggled as she kissed his cheek several times. He then whispered "When we get home, if you're ready, I'm gonna give you a present we'll never forget."

Tohru blushed at the implication, but smiled, "I can't wait, Kyo-kun."

Akito and Shigure returned once the ex-'God' decided that enough time had passed and they found the younger couple holding one another, smiling as tears of joy streamed down their faces.

"Seems Kyo-kun liked his gift." Shigure whispered to his wife

Akito smiled. She thought back to the cruel, pathetic shell of a human being she had once been, one so desperate to hold onto Bonds between her and the others that had been forced onto them by the Curse. Those Bonds were gone, the Zodiac Spirits and the God were finally at rest, and the Sohmas' world was all the better for it.

Now there were new Bonds holding the former Zodiacs together, stronger ones forged by genuine friendship and love. Bonds only made possible by one incredible girl.

Tohru and Kyo looked into each other's eyes, their foreheads touching as Kyo whispered "I love you."

"Say it again." Tohru implored.

Smiling, her husband echoed "I love you."

"And I love you. I always will."

Akito paused as she leaned into her husband, "The God was wrong…but maybe the Cat wasn't entirely correct."

"What do you mean?" Shigure asked quietly, holding her.

"People die, but their legacies live on. This family has lasted for centuries, the Curse staying with us the whole time. When it broke, so did all the Bonds…yet we're still together. We're still family," Akito elaborated quietly, not wanting to disturb the couple, "As long as people remember us, our legacies go on. People can die, buildings can be destroyed, relationships can fall apart, and it's okay to let those things go, but love… A true love like theirs and the effect it has one others? Perhaps that will really last forever."

"That'll do, babe. That'll do."

Chapter Text

13 Months Later

Kyo hadn't had nightmares for the last few years, but in his gut he knew that he'd be having plenty after this.

It had also been a long time since he had hated himself, but as Tohru sat on the hospital bed, screaming and crying in pain as contractions kept hitting her, he relapsed into self-loathing.

Kyo knew he'd probably forgive himself if she and their baby made it out of this all right, but that was a bit up in the air right now, given that Tohru had gone into labor a week earlier than expected. On their way in the ambulance, she had managed to smile through the pain and joke that their baby must be so excited to see them for the first time that he decided to come early.

That had been nearly a day ago, but now she was in no mood for lighthearted jokes or whimsical observations. Now she was letting out agonized screams, excruciating pain wrought upon her pretty face as tears fell from her eyes. Her legs spread as wide as they could go as she maintained her breathing, but he didn't dare cast his eyes down towards her lower half.

He didn't want to see the blood…

Sumika Sohma, a woman in her late fifties who was Sohma General's lead obstetrician was working with a team of nurses and a midwife named Honoka who they'd met seven months earlier and had been a frequent visitor to their house during the last few weeks. Naturally Tohru had become good friends with Honoka and even Sumika was charmed by the younger woman. There were a couple of neonatal nurses as well, just to be on the safe side, and an anesthesiologist, who had given Tohru both normal anesthesia and epidurals to help with her pain, but that had been hours ago and now that the baby was very close to coming out the pain was back in full force.

Hatori was also present, as the personal doctor of all the ex-Zodiacs and their families it was his personal duty to be there for Tohru and Kyo during a very difficult time and advise Sumika and the team, just as he had for Ayame and Mine when their daughter Hibika came into the world.

The ex-Cat had sought advice from Hatori, Junpei and even Ayame about how best to comfort his wife during the grueling labor and delivery process. He should've known it was going to be bad when Ayame dropped his usual flamboyance regarding the subject. They had been brutally honest that it wasn't going to be pleasant.

He'd hoped their son's birth would be easier or that the older men had been exaggerating, but if anything they'd been underselling it. Or perhaps nothing could truly prepare him for seeing Tohru in pain.

Still, he had to remain strong for her, even if it was very upsetting to see her in such a condition.

During the first trimester, Hatori, Sumika and Honoka had determined that her pregnancy was thankfully not high risk. Several hours earlier, Hatori had assured Kyo that even though only ten percent of low-risk pregnancies went into labor prematurely, everything was normal so far. That didn't do much to soothe Kyo's tense state as Tohru screamed again, her eyes wide, her skin pale and shining with sweat.

"He's crowning. There's the top of his head." Sumika announced.

"Ya hear that Tohru? She can see his head. It's almost over, our son's almost here." Kyo told her as both his hands gripped her left.

Her hold on him was tight and had been getting stronger as the hours rolled by. He wasn't surprised in the least by how strong her grip was, he knew that she was far stronger than even she realized. After all she had managed to hold onto him when he was in the True Form when he'd been furiously trying to shake her off.

Tohru's eyes briefly looked into Kyo's as she shuddered, her breathing intense. Even though they both knew that this could probably go on for two more hours at most, she managed a brief but genuine smile for him and nodded before looking down at the doctors again.

Hatori stood behind Sumika, carefully supervising the operation and glanced at the couple before telling them "Orange hair."

Tohru's glee managed to eclipse the pain for a brief moment and she beamed at Kyo with bright eyes, but she noticed his concerned look.

Before she could question it, another contraction hit her and she cried out.

"It's all right, Tohru-kun, we're approaching the end," said Honoka from Tohru's other side, "Just a few more pushes!"

Kyo pushed aside his worries and told his wife "You got this, Tohru. Your mom did it and so will you."

She looked at him and nodded as she squeezed his hands as hard as she could, but he didn't mind. As far as Kyo was concerned, she could squeeze his hands as much as she needed to. Though they probably wouldn't be in the shape to land any strikes or punches during class for at least a week.

Kazuma had let him off on paternity leave several weeks earlier so he could be at home to help Tohru as much as possible and she loved having him around. That made him all the more determined to do as much for her and their son as he possibly could in the coming weeks.

"You're doing just wonderful, Tohru-kun," Sumika said from the bottom of the bed. Tohru nodded again, focusing on her breathing and on holding Kyo's hands.

"How's this compared to other women's first labors?" Kyo asked.

Hatori's facemask concealed a smile, "Tohru-kun is holding together remarkably well for a first pregnancy, better than Mayuko did," He remarked before shooting Kyo a serious look and adding "Don't tell her I said that."

Kyo nodded, "Guess she let you have it?"

After Tohru let out another cry of pain, Hatori answered "Let's just say that when Kinu-chan was born, Mayuko screamed things at me that I don't want to repeat."

"Especially that male seahorse threat, right Hatori-san?" Sumika deadpanned before looking at Tohru, "Okay, Tohru-kun, I need you to focus. It's going to hurt, but it will be well worth it. I need you to push as much as you can. Can you do that?"

Tohru nodded feverishly and took in deep breaths, squeezing Kyo's hands and with a loud grunt that turned into a screech, she pushed.

Time dragged on for the young couple. Tohru was just focused on pushing and imagining how happy they'd be with their baby once they were home. It wasn't going to be easy and she had no doubt there'd be some sleepless nights, but that didn't mean she'd be unhappy.

She listened to Sumika as she calmly ordered her to push, listened to Hatori's gentle advice and the kind words from Kyo and Honoka as they did their best to comfort her.

Kyoko had been seventeen when she gave birth to her, six years younger than Tohru was now. She wished so badly that Kyoko could be here right now to coach her…but Kyo had brought the framed photos of her parents and the other one of his own mother to place it on her nightstand, so they could be with them, in a sense.

He was so thoughtful.

Still, she wished she could ask her mother how she'd managed it. How much worse had that pain been on a younger woman? Or had Kyoko's time as the Crimson Butterfly toughened her up enough that the pain hadn't seemed so overwhelming?

Tohru didn't know the answers to those questions nor did she have time to ponder them.

She kept pushing and breathing, using every ounce of strength she had despite how tired she was. Steadying herself with a determined expression, Tohru pushed and pushed….

"His head's out." Sumika said, her gloved hands carefully getting into position to take hold of the newborn.

Kyo practically forgot to breathe as Tohru was hit by another contraction and with a great push, the baby came out of her.

Tohru hardly noticed the baby's weight leaving her as she looked down and saw their son, Hajime Sohma.

He was tiny, wrinkly, wet with amniotic fluid and a little blood, but she loved him immediately.

Kyo managed to take his eyes off of Tohru and look at Hajime. He couldn't look away.

Sumika inspected Hajime, making sure he was all right as his cries began filling the air. His cry was among the most wonderful sounds Tohru had ever heard, provoking a happy sob out of her mouth.

"His lungs seem fine but I'd recommend putting him on a respirator, just to be safe."

"Agreed," Sumika answered with a nod, "No signs of jaundice. We'll have to clean and weigh him."

Tohru moved her right arm down to Sumika and Hatori, "Pl-please…may we hold him?"

Sumika smiled, "Of course, but please let us wipe off the fluids first."

It only took a few minutes for them to wipe the baby down and weigh him, he was seven pounds and one ounce exactly. Very carefully, the obstetrician returned Hajime to his parents.

Kyo leaned over and helped Tohru take hold of their son, his hands steadier than hers. They held their boy in just the right position, holding his head up as they listened to him cry, his tiny limbs beginning to move for the first time in the world outside of his mother.

Hajime's eyes opened up, revealing the same vibrant brown as his mother's pair.

Despite how exhausted and sore she felt, Tohru couldn't help but laugh and sob simultaneously. Kyo's tears fell down onto his wife's gown as he managed to laugh with her. The hatred and blame he had felt for himself mere minutes ago evaporated due to the happiness on Tohru's beautiful face and the sight of their son.

"Welcome to the world, Hajime-kun! I'm your mommy and this is your daddy," She cooed with a soft voice that was just barely above a whisper. As gently as she could, Tohru lifted their son up and kissed his head as she tearfully added "And we love you so much!"

The comfort of his mother caused Hajime's cries to soften. He was still a little fussy, but he seemed soothed by his mother's presence, her gentle arms and voice.

As Sumika tended to the umbilical cord, Tohru leaned back in the bed, breathing in and out steadily, looking at Hajime like the treasure he was. She pressed him against her chest, her gown ending just above her still covered breasts as she savored feeling the baby's skin against hers.

Hatori removed his mask and came to stand behind Kyo, patting him on the back, "Well done, both of you." He said softly with a proud smile on his face.

Tohru looked up at Kyo and with a small smile she said "Kyo-kun, I think he wants to get to know you."

Kyo swallowed dryly but nodded. They'd been practicing with dolls in pregnancy classes and he'd been encouraged to hold young Hibika after she'd been born to get a feel for it, so he knew just how to hold a newborn.

But still…would his biological father and some of the other stubborn asses in the clan use Hajime's hair as proof that the Curse wasn't gone? What if they tried to hurt him?

Seeing the apprehensive look on her husband's face, Tohru clutched their child to her and firmly said "Don't worry about the hair. Daigo-san and those others won't ever lay a hand on him as long as I can help it," Her expression softened before adding "Now please, Hajime-kun wants to meet his daddy."

Tohru handed their son over to him, her complete trust in him visible in her eyes.

"Hey, little guy," Kyo began as he held Hajime for the first time, "I'm your dad. This is kinda surreal. I used to never think a day like this would come but here you are. Hopefully things'll be a lot easier for you then they were for me. I swear that no matter how much you get on my nerves or how much of a mess you make or how crazy you'll drive us…no matter what, I'll never stop loving you."

His voice was quivering as he gently hugged his son. His precious baby boy.

He kissed Hajime's head before gently returning him to Tohru. She gently presented her finger to Hajime's small hand and he managed to brush against it, not fully having enough control of his hands to grasp it yet.

It was soon time for the nurses to take Hajime away for the usual fare; eyedrops, a vitamin K shot and tests. With some slight hesitation, Tohru handed him to Honoka.

"Don't worry, Tohru-kun, we'll get Hajime-kun back to you very soon." She promised before wrapping the baby up in warm blankets and taking him out of the delivery room.

Kyo leaned down, kissed her forehead and whispered "I'm so proud of you."

Tohru responded by grabbing his shirt collar and yanking him down for a proper kiss on the lips as she managed to lean up a little and wrap her arms around him. "Thank you," She said with a voice that was shaky with emotions, "Thank you for everything, Kyo-kun."

"I'm just the support, not the one who pushed another human out of my body. That's impressive," Kyo quipped as he reached behind her to rub her back before asking "How ya feelin'?"

Tohru sighed, "I'm more sore than I've ever been…and totally exhausted."

"That's what every woman who just gave birth says," Hatori told them, "The bleeding was the usual amount and has stopped and the umbilical cord's been taken care of. Everything seems to be normal, so if you'd like, we can prepare a sitz bath for you before moving you to the postpartum room to get some much needed rest. You may tell the nurses what you'd like to eat, we must get some food in your system."

Tohru nodded, "Yes, thank you Hatori-san. I feel a little strange in my stomach area."

Hatori nodded, "That's your organs rearranging into their usual position now that Hajime-kun isn't pushing against them. That odd sensation will fade over the next couple of days," He answered, smiling at her before looking at the nurses and adding "Move her out. Get ice packs for her pelvic region and dispose of the placenta once it's out."

"Yes, Dr. Sohma." They said, giving him a bow.

"Want me to come with you?" Kyo asked her.

"No, Kyo-kun, I'm fine. I just know our family and friends are out there and they'll want to hear from you." Tohru said.

Kyo nodded as one of the nurses prepared a bio-hazard bag to dispose of the placenta once Tohru expelled it from her body. "You sure?"

"Yes. I can see that you're worried about his hair color, and that you're still nervous about if you're ready to be a father or not. I've been watching you handle children at the dojos for the last five years. The way you held him, what you said…it's proof that you are ready, Kyo-kun. I believe in you." She told him.

He wanted to point out that handling children for a few hours a day was different from actually raising one, but he knew that Tohru had made up her mind. Her judgment on his worthiness was final and one she wouldn't budge on.

He smiled and said "Okay. You win. It'll be easy for you, since you were practically born to be a mom, but I'll do my best."

"I know you will. Hatori-san, Hajime will be rooming with us, right?" She asked.

Hatori nodded, "I've made sure of it, Tohru-kun. After your bath you can come out and see your visitors." He said with a smile.

"Okay, don't push yourself any further than you already have. Just let the nurses take care of you," Kyo told her before planting a kiss on her lips, grabbing the picture frames and following Hatori out, only to stop and turn around so he could say "I love you."

Tohru smiled and said "I love you too, Kyo-kun."

Kyo followed Hatori out of the delivery room and halfway to the nearest waiting room he slumped against the wall to collect himself. "Are you all right?" Hatori asked.

Kyo looked up at him, a smile on his face but his eyes gave away that he was experiencing numerous different emotions at once, and unfortunately it seemed not all of them were positive.

"I-I'm a dad. Did you see Hajime? Tohru and I made that…" Kyo managed to say, struggling to keep his voice and hands steady.

Hatori allowed himself a smile as he placed a supporting hand on the younger Sohma's shoulder, "That's exactly how I felt, but it's obvious that Hajime-kun inheriting your hair color is troubling you."

Kyo considered brushing it off, but knew better than to try and fool Hatori. "I was hoping he'd inherit Tohru's hair color."

Hatori frowned, Ayame's daughter had inherited Mine's hair color, but orange the hair of the Cat would make Hajime stand out, like it had for Kyo.

"Kyo, the Curse has been gone for years." Hatori pointed out.

"But the effects still linger. Not every Sohma has accepted me, and I'm not just talking about my father," Kyo reminded him, "He's only been here a matter of minutes, but I love him so much that the thought of him suffering through what I did… It scares me."

"He won't," Hatori told him firmly, placing both hands on Kyo's shoulders, "Anyone who insults Hajime-kun or treats him poorly won't just have you and Tohru-kun to answer to, they'll have to face Yuki, Haru, Isuzu, Hanajima-san, Uotani-san, Kazuma-sama, Momiji, Kisa-chan, Hiro, Kagura, Shigure, Mayuko, myself, the others but most of all Akito."

He pulled back and continued, "Akito and I already discussed this possibility, and she's vowed to make it clear to those in the clan that still cling to old prejudices that if anyone so much as whispers something derogatory about your son, they'll be hearing from her."

Kyo found his fears subsiding as he chuckled, "I-I guess you're right. You'd think that after so long I'd be used to Akito's protective side or the fact that the others treat me like a brother, but it still surprises me every now and then."

"Considering what you had to go through, no one can blame you. I find it incredibly admirable of you to be willing to forgive us for how we excluded you all those years." Hatori remarked.

"Not like it was your idea, just a dumb tradition," Kyo pointed out with a shrug.

"One that's thankfully dead, as it deserves to be. Tohru-kun is correct, you'll be a good father." Hatori assured him.

"It's still scary though. There's a lot of things I could screw up." Kyo reminded him.

"I know the feeling. Don't forget I'm a father now too; I went through the typhoon of anxieties myself, but now? Now I wouldn't let Kinu-chan go for anything. Oh, and anyone who'd dare insult Hajime-kun must answer Kinu-chan as well." Hatori said, giving Kyo a smile.

Kyo laughed, Kinu adored her little cousin Hibika and was very excited about the newest addition to the family. Something told Kyo that Hajime and Kinu would be fairly close. He frowned again and asked "Hatori, do you plan on telling Kinu about the Curse?"

Hatori's eyes narrowed as he leaned against the wall beside Kyo, "Not yet. We'll tell her when she's old enough. I don't want to burden a toddler with such a secret."

"Tohru and I've decided to do the same thing, maybe when he's twelve or something but…what if he hates us for keeping it from him?" Kyo asked.

"You should know that he won't. If he takes after his mother in the slightest he'll be very forgiving and understanding." Hatori reminded him.

Kyo felt his anxieties fading a bit, he smiled at the ex-Dragon and said. "Yeah. You're right. Thanks, Hatori."

Hatori returned the smile, "Anytime. Now let's go give everyone the good news."

They soon entered the waiting room, where they found a crowd consisting of Yuki, Machi, Akito, Shigure, Kazuma, Saki, Arisa, Haru, Isuzu, Momiji, Kagura, Kisa, Hiro, Jiichiro, Tamayo and Chiyoko waiting for them. The unobstructed windows showed a bright, sunny early June day while the clock on the wall reported that it was a few minutes after two in the afternoon.

He had no idea how long any of them had been here, but a lot of them seemed tired and anxious. He was a little surprised to see that so many of them seemed worried, even his dad looked a bit on edge. He briefly wondered why Saki hadn't sensed the elation he and Tohru shared over the birth of their son, but then he remembered how Saki had learned special methods of meditation to block out the 'waves' while in hospitals due to how high emotions could run in such places.

Kisa was the first to notice him, "Kyo-onii-san!" She cried as she shot up from her seat, an engagement ring from Hiro on her right ring finger.

"Did everything go okay?" Asked Arisa, concerned, easily dashing past the others.

"Nothing went wrong, did it?" Momiji asked at the same time. The ex-Rabbit had asked for Usagi's hand in marriage after telling her the truth about the Curse a few months ago. She had accepted the truth and his proposal, so the blond now proudly wore an engagement ring on his left ring finger.

"Is Tohru all right?" Questioned Isuzu, equally worried.

"How's the baby?" Kagura questioned.

Yuki, Saki, Kazuma, Shigure, Machi and Tohru's family members stood back, but their faces didn't hide how anxious they were to know the answers to those burning questions.

Akito managed to get in between Kyo and everyone else before firmly but calmly telling them, "Calm down everyone. Kyo's been through a lot and doesn't need us crowding him."

Everyone backed away, looking embarrassed. Akito then turned to Kyo and continued "Though I can't blame them for getting excited, I'm desperate to know myself. Kyo?"

Despite his best efforts not to, Kyo grinned as he announced "Tohru and I are officially parents."

The next thing he knew, Kagura, Kisa and Momiji all pulled him into a powerful hug as they let out cheers, nearly crushing him.

Yuki breathed a heavy sigh of relief as Machi, who he was now happily married to, took his hand to give it a comforting squeeze while Akito covered her mouth with both hands as she choked back happy sobs, backing into her husband's arms as Shigure embraced her from behind, giving his former charge a satisfied smile.

Isuzu noticed how overwhelmed Kyo was and managed to pry Kagura and Momiji off of him, though Kisa was self-aware enough to do it herself before the ex-Horse decided to intervene.

"Hey, give him room, he hasn't slept or had much to eat in the last twenty-four hours." Isuzu told them.

Blushing, Kagura and Momiji offered their apologies.

"Thanks, Rin. It's okay, guys. I'd probably be way more excited myself if I wasn't so damn tired," Kyo voiced as he tried to walk over to his dad and Tohru's grandparents, but his legs were so tired from standing for so long that he felt himself about to collapse.

He managed to move towards one of the rows of chairs and let himself flop into one of them, letting the frames rest on his lap.

Yuki happened to be the closest one and he moved to join him, "Are you all right?"

"I doubt it," Machi stated, "You look like hell, Kyo-san."

Yuki gave his wife a disapproving look, but Kyo just laughed and said "Maybe, but I don't feel like it."

"How do you feel?" Yuki inquired.

"Happy. Anxious. Worn out. Hungry. Excited. A little guilty." Kyo confessed.

"Guilty? Why?" Momiji asked.

"Giving birth isn't exactly an entirely pleasant experience, Momiji-kun." Tamayo told the blond, remembering her difficult time bringing Kyoko into the world.

"It differs from woman to woman. For some, the emotional high of having a child can help them look past the pain. That was pretty much the case with my mother, but not for Mayuko-san." Hiro remarked.

"If Mayuko-sensei was here she'd put it a bit more bluntly." Yuki remarked. Indeed, Mayuko hadn't had an easy time during her pregnancy and she spoke of labor like it had nearly killed her. Still, it was clear by the way she acted around her daughter that she didn't regret it one bit.

Mine, on the other hand, had been so enthusiastic about her pregnancy that Satsuki said it surpassed her own happiness. Still, Mine had been in a lot of pain in the delivery room but had come out happy as ever with Yuki's niece Hibika.

Hibika had been born last November, the day was easily among the most tiring but rewarding of Ayame and Mine's lives. Yuki himself would be lying if he denied feeling quite emotional as he held his niece for the first time. He adored her and looked forward to seeing her grow up, even if she shared her parents' eccentricities.

It had also made Machi quite emotional, she tended to get nervous around babies and young children due to the unfortunate misunderstanding that led to her being estranged from her family for years, which was now thankfully a thing of the past. They had discussed having a child of their own, but Machi admitted she wanted to wait until she thought she was ready, which Yuki was more than willing to do for her.

Kazuma sat down beside his son and asked "When was the last time you ate?"

"Uh…around four in the morning. I've only had water since then." Kyo confessed.

"What about Tohru-nee-chan?" Kisa asked.

"The nurses are arranging for a meal of her choice to be brought up as we speak." Hatori assured her.

Kazuma nodded before looking at Hatsuharu, "Haru, please run down to the cafeteria and get something for Kyo before he starves."

Haru shot the dojo master and his cousin a thumbs-up and said "Gotcha, be back in fifteen minutes or so. I know what you like, Kyo. Maybe before Tohru's discharged we'll bring you some KFC."

Kyo called out his thanks as the ex-Ox left the room. Arisa knelt in front of him and asked "How's Tohru doin'?"

"She's really sore, exhausted, but very happy." Kyo explained with a smile.

"As we expected." Saki commented with a relieved smile.

"When'd you get here, Uotani?" Kyo inquired.

"'Bout four hours ago. Kureno-kun had too much work so he couldn't come, but he sends his love." Arisa related as she stood up, "Had to call in the substitute lifeguard, but I'm glad I was able to come. Wouldn't wanna miss this for the world."

"Hatori-san, will we be able to see the baby?" Saki asked.

"That depends on the test results, Hanajima-san. A premature birth, even just a week early, can have varying outcomes, but from what I could tell he seemed fine." Hatori reported to the assembled visitors.

"And what's the name of our precious new arrival?" Jiichiro asked his grandson-in-law, making everyone cast their gazes onto the ex-Cat.

"Yes, please tell us. You and Tohru-kun have been keeping us in suspense for months." Voiced Shigure.

Kyo shook his head; he and Tohru had decided to keep Hajime's name from the others until they first met him. "You'll have to wait until Tohru comes out."

Some of the visitors groaned, but the older ones were more patient. "We've waited for nine months, we can wait for twenty or so more minutes." Jiichiro said wisely.

"Agreed, Jiichiro-san," Kazuma voiced, "Still, I can't deny it's very exciting to know that I'm officially a grandfather."

"Wait until you've become a great-grandparent, then we can talk." Quipped Tamayo, the look on her face and in her bright eyes had a cheerfulness that was quite similar to Tohru's.

Kyo took out his phone, which he'd turned off in the early hours of the morning. Turning it on, he saw numerous texts from Ayame, Hiroshi, Yusuke, Ritsu, Mitsuru, Raizo, Kunimitsu, Kakeru and others.

"Ugh, way too tired to deal with this," He groaned before handing his phone to Yuki, "Hey, let 'em know Tohru and the baby are okay and they can start visitin' tomorrow."

"Of course," Yuki agreed before setting to work messaging everyone.

Wiping the sleep from his eyes, Kyo said "I seriously can't wait for you guys to meet him. He's the most wonderful thing I've ever laid my eyes on."

"You're biased, but you're probably right." Joked Saki dryly, "Thank you for being there for Tohru-kun through the whole delivery."

"No way in hell I was gonna leave her," Kyo said, "Wasn't gonna break her trust or yours."

Saki bowed in thanks as Kazuma wrapped an arm around his son and pulled him in for a half-hug. "I can't congratulate you enough, Kyo. I just know you're going to be a great father."

"I hope so. If I ever struggle, at least I know who to turn to for advice." Kyo said as he wrapped one arm around Kazuma to hug him back.

Shigure looked like he was about to make a comment about himself being a father figure to his three former wards, but the warning expression on Akito's face caused it to die on his tongue.

"Plus, he'll have the greatest bunch of Aunts and Uncles to spoil him." Kyo added wryly.

"Damn right we will," Isuzu said with a slight smile as Kisa, Arisa and the others laughed.

"He'll be like Kinu-chan and Hibika-chan; good practice for our own children." Kagura declared brightly, briefly causing Isuzu's expression to falter.

She and Haru had gotten married just over a month after Tohru and Kyo's wedding but she was apparently holding off on having children for the time being, due to her personal fears of becoming like her own parents; a notion that Haru, Kazuma, Tohru, Kagura and Kyo himself had recently managed to convince her would never come to pass.

Hatori said that everyone might be able to see the baby, provided no one had been sick recently and they all washed their hands. Luckily no one had been ill and everyone quickly went off to the restroom to clean their hands, Hiro making a quick stop by the vending machines to get Kyo a fresh bottle of water.

Hatsuharu soon returned with a meal of multiple salmon pieces and a lot of rice for Kyo, who was almost finished gobbling it down as the doors opened and a nurse pushed Tohru forward in her wheelchair.

She'd been cleaned and redressed in a new hospital gown but what surprised everyone, save Hatori, was the fact that she had her baby lovingly cradled in her arms.

"Hello everybody," She said with a soft voice as she faced the surprised crowd. Kyo wasted no time, abandoning his food to dash over to his wife and son.

"Can he be out here?" He asked as he knelt down to look his wife in the eyes, his own darting between her and Hajime.

"Sumika-san gave him a clean bill of health, his lungs are a tad small but stronger than the usual premature birth. We discussed things and decided there'd be no harm in everyone seeing him, at least. Just don't touch him." Hatori announced.

Kyo smiled at Tohru and kissed her before she announced, "Everyone, I'd like you to meet Hajime."

Everyone breathed sighs of relief or laughed or even cried in happiness as Tohru presented the baby to them.

"We were so worried, thank goodness you're okay, nee-chan!" Chirped Kisa as she stepped forward, "He's absolutely beautiful!"

"Thank you, nii-chan." Tohru said, her pleasant smile seemingly permanently stuck on her face.

The grandparents went up first. Tamayo was reduced to tears as she got a better look at her great-grandchild.

"Oh…well done, Tohru-chan!" She said as she leaned down to wrap an arm around Tohru and kiss her temple. "He's got his father's hair and his mother's eyes!"

Jiichiro smiled broadly, "Welcome, little one. I hope to live long enough to see you grow into a fine young man."

"I can already tell he will," Kazuma said as he looked at his son and daughter-in-law, "Thank you for blessing us with this beautiful child."

Sniffling, Tohru thanked him. Kazuma and Kyo hugged before Saki and Arisa came through. "Oh God, he's adorable. You look pretty good considering what you just went through. You're just as tough as Kyoko. He'll be even stronger." Arisa said, fighting tears as her words elicited some from Tohru.

"Thank you, Uo-chan… Thank you all for coming!" Tohru proclaimed.

"One would have to chain me to a building in another country to stop me from being here." Saki stated bluntly as she leaned down to kiss Tohru's forehead, "I had to close my senses off to prevent myself from being overwhelmed by the waves of the patients, so I couldn't sense how you were doing, but I can tell his waves will be quite bright. I'm very grateful that you and Hajime are doing well."

She looked at Hajime and smiled before covering her mouth to suppress a happy sob. "He truly is beautiful. I can't wait to hold him."

"I don't know if I'll be able to let go…" Tohru giggled, "I want to hold him forever."

"Every mother feels that way," Voice Tamayo, "But sooner or later, we all have to let go, sometimes not for the better but other times…well, you know."

Tohru's best friends stepped aside as Yuki and Machi came forward, the former returning Kyo's phone.

"Oh he's absolutely precious…" Cooed Machi, her eyes sparkling at the sight of Hajime.

Yuki smiled at his friends, the ones who had saved him from a very dark place and had made him into the man he was today, "I couldn't be happier for you two. I just know you'll be fantastic parents. I have to admit I'm curious; why name him Hajime?"

"It was Tohru's idea," Kyo began, "She sometimes comes down to the dojo, likes to watch me with the kids. Every time we begin a match we have to say 'Begin!', right? Well one day Tohru had come to watch us…"

"And the first time Hajime-kun kicked was the exact moment Kyo-kun said 'Begin!' to start a match!" Tohru told everyone. Kazuma grinned, he remembered that day and how eager Kyo had been to feel his son's kick.

"When we got home that evening, Tohru suggested we call him Hajime. Since he kicked when I said the word and…" Kyo paused, as he looked at Tohru, a bit too flustered to finish.

"And he's our new beginning. The start of a new chapter of our lives." Tohru elaborated.

"Ah, while some might say that's a bit overly saccharine, I personally find it beautifully poetic! I'm glad I had some influence on you two after all!" Said Shigure as he leaned over to see Hajime.

Kyo shot him an irritated look while Tohru simply giggled. Shigure looked at them and said, with surprising sincerity in his voice, "He's as cute as I expected him to be."

"Thank you, Shigure-san." Tohru replied as she saw Akito, who had tears in her eyes.

It was well known among the former Zodiac and those close to them that Akito was still refraining from having a child with Shigure. While the ex-Dog was as patient as ever, it still saddened him that the main reason his wife didn't want to become a mother yet was almost identical to Isuzu's own fears; she was terrified that the strain of pregnancy and childbirth would cause her to mentally relapse and turn out like Ren. She also viewed it as self-punishment for the horrible things she had done to the ex-Zodiacs.

After all, Isuzu tolerated Akito now but still hadn't truly forgiven her.

Shigure beckoned her over, but Akito only stepped forward when Tohru and Kyo nodded to her, granting her permission.

She stepped forward and smiled, "He's so cute, look at that little face…" She said with a quivering voice as she failed to stop her tears.

"I know, I just want to kiss it all over. Thank you, Aa-chan," Tohru said, using the affectionate term she, Saki and Mine used for the Family Head.

Momiji, Haru, Isuzu, Kisa, Hiro, Kagura and Chiyoko were all given chances to get a good look at the baby and coo over him. Tohru allowed anyone who wanted to to take pictures on the condition that they wouldn't post them on social media or share them via texts until she was ready. She wanted Ayame, Mine, Mayuko, Ritsu, Kakeru, Komaki and the others to see him in person first.

"So, how's it feel to have some of that extra weight gone?" Arisa inquired.

"Strange but nice," Tohru admitted, "I'm looking forward to being able to walk normally again and not being such a burden on Kyo-kun."

Kyo gave her a look and gently knocked his fist against her forehead, "Come on, you know you're never a burden. You make me feel terrible when you say stuff like that." He lightly scolded.

"I'm sorry, Kyo-kun, but I felt like one at times." Tohru excused.

"That's because you love to keep busy and this little guy was in the way of that," Hiro noted.

"Well, Hajime-kun will give you plenty to do in the future!" Momiji said, a little too loudly, causing Hajime to fuss in Tohru's arms.

"Not so loud!" Kyo hissed, annoyed.

"Oh! Sorry!" Momiji whispered as Tohru set about calming her baby.

"Sounds like Kyo-kun and I aren't the only ones who are tired." Tohru remarked with a fond smile before she let out a yawn.

"That or he's hungry," Haru deadpanned.

"In either case, we should get out of here and give this happy family some peace." Isuzu said.

"That would be for the best. Everyone can come back and visit tomorrow, though only a few people can go into the postpartum room at a time. I suspect we'll have quite a line." Hatori remarked.

Everyone said their goodbyes to Tohru before the ex-Dragon wheeled the new mother to her postpartum room.

Kyo stayed behind to shake hands and exchange hugs with everyone as they left.

"I'll be back tomorrow for sure," Arisa promised, "I'm crashin' with Hanajima and Antonio and I can only stay until the day after tomorrow."

"Sucks you can't stay longer. Isn't it weird to hear me say that?" Kyo noted, getting a laugh out of the blonde as she walked off with Saki.

Kisa came up, shaking her head, "Not really, Kyo-onii-san. You don't have that 'bad boy' image anymore. We can all see what a sweetheart you are."

Kyo rolled his eyes and muttered, "Thanks, imouto," before giving her a hug.

After Momiji gave the new father one of his overly affectionate hugs, the blond promised to stop by their house to feed Ume the cat on his way home.

The ex-Cat then hugged Kazuma, who was glad to hug him back. "Kunimitsu and our students are going to want to come too. You three may be a special attraction for this hospital for the next two or three days." His dad said.

Kyo sighed and said "As long as they don't make him scream and cry, I don't mind. Thanks dad, I love you."

The last ones out were Yuki and Machi, "We'll be back tomorrow, I'll take some pictures for Tohru if she'd like." The Kuragi daughter said.

"You know she will," Kyo smirked, "And you know she'll want Eita to come sometime. Maybe he can be Hajime's first art teacher."

Machi chuckled as Yuki shook Kyo's hand, "Thank you, Kyo."

"For what?"

"For bringing something so wonderful into this world. It's clear the world could use more people with her values," Yuki said, "And he'll have a good father to make him strong and protect him."

"Thanks Yuki. I know you're gonna be a good dad yourself someday." Kyo told his former rival.

Yuki and his wife briefly froze, but before the ex-Rat could say anything, Machi allowed a smile to spread across her lips and say "Perhaps."

Kyo collected what was left of his meal, the picture frames and walked off to be with his wife and son.

As the couple made their way to the elevator, Yuki looked at Machi and asked "Wo-would you really want a child?"

Machi shrugged, "I still don't know if I'm ready and with what Tohru and Mine had to go through pregnancy doesn't seem like it's a hundred percent wonderful. But then again, you know how much I appreciate imperfect things so…"

Yuki smiled and caught her in his arms, bringing her close to kiss her, "I'll happily wait until you're ready, Machi. And I'll be with you every step of the way."

Machi let out a content sigh as she leaned up to kiss her husband's cheek and said "I know you will."

Kyo arrived at the postpartum room to find Hatori, "She's feeding Hajime-kun. Honoka-san is resting so another midwife is staying with you two to watch over the baby as you sleep. I'll be going home myself, but if you need me just call and I'll be here as fast as I can."

Kyo nodded, "I will. Thanks for everything, Hatori. By the way, you and Mayuko can bring Kinu-chan to see him if she keeps quiet."

Smiling, Hatori nodded and departed.

Kyo went into the postpartum room, which was decently large and had some nice furnishings like a comfortable looking recliner chair he'd be sleeping in, situated next to Tohru's bed, several other, smaller chairs, a sofa in front of the window which gave them a nice view of the surrounding buildings. There was also a wall-mounted TV, but it wouldn't be used today.

On the other side of Tohru's bed was a bassinet, as she didn't want to be far from Hajime for the foreseeable future.

Tohru was sitting up on her bed, her gown down slightly so she could nurse Hajime. The midwife sat across from Tohru's bed and politely introduced herself to Kyo.

"Kyo-kun, did everyone leave?" Tohru asked as he placed the photo of Kyoko and Katsuya and the photo of Yuuna on her nightstand, as if making sure they could see their grandson.

Kyo nodded, "Yeah, they'll be back to visit tomorrow. Along with everyone else probably."

Tohru smiled, "Well, in that case we need to get plenty of rest. That includes you, Hajime-kun! You're going to be a little celebrity!" She cooed to the baby, who was very busy filling his stomach with her milk.

Kyo went over to the sofa and finished eating, disposing of it in the trash bin before he let himself collapse on the recliner chair next to Tohru.

"If I'm tired, I know you must be. How do you feel?" He asked.

"Still sore," Tohru said, " Especially my…pelvis, but the icepacks are helping."

"That's good. Once he's fed, you better get as much sleep as you can," Kyo told her before glancing at the midwife and saying "Don't let her chat too much. Trust me, once she's in a conversation it tends to go on for a while."

"Don't worry, Kyo-san, I'll make sure she rests." The midwife vowed.

Sumika came into the room after Tohru was done feeding Hajime and a nurse helped wrap him in new blankets, as they didn't want to risk any germs getting on him.

Together, Tohru and Kyo placed Hajime in the bassinet. They both kissed his head and Tohru whispered "Nighty-night, Hajime-kun. We love you."

"We always will." Kyo added. Tohru smiled at him and pulled a blanket over Hajime.

Kyo took Tohru into his arms and lovingly kissed her, "I love you."

"And I love you." Tohru returned, finishing with, "Always."

Kyo helped her into bed while Sumika and the nurses fit the respirator on Hajime.

Soon the lights were turned down low and curtains were drawn closed, leaving the room dimly lit so Hajime and his parents could fall asleep peacefully. The midwife's phone was the only real source of light as she stayed to monitor the family.

Kyo seemed to doze off while Tohru ate the meal a nurse had delivered for her, but his right hand was placed on the side of her bed, just in case she needed him.

Tohru was so hungry that it didn't take her long to finish her food and let the midwife dispose of it for her as she laid back in her bed.

She took Kyo's right hand with her left, gently squeezing it as she watched him sleep. She then turned her head to look at Hajime, who was also sleeping easily, warm and cozy in his bassinet as the respirator made sure he could properly breathe.

Tohru could hardly take her eyes off of Hajime. A precious, amazing little life she and Kyo had brought into the world. Someone who would be a part of the wonderful life they had made together. She briefly became worried; what if something were to happen to Hajime? What if some horrible tragedy snatched him away like what had happened to her parents?

Before she could fret any further, she felt Kyo's hand squeezing hers. She turned her head to look at him, his eyes just barely open.

"Tohru, relax. Everything's gonna be fine, I promise." Kyo assured her.

Tohru's fears suddenly vanished like dust blown away by the wind. She knew that when her husband made a promise, he kept it.

Tohru was overcome with emotions and let out a soft, shuddering sob and said "Well…then everything will be all right!"

The nurse looked up and asked "Are you all right, Tohru-san?"

The young mother looked at the nurse with the biggest, happiest smile she could manage and answered "Yes. More than all right."

After kissing each other good-night, it didn't take long for the young parents to join their precious son in a peaceful sleep that was the best they'd enjoyed in a long time. Their hands clasped together all through the rest of the day and the whole night.

They still had a long road ahead of them, and neither knew what life had in store for them next, but as long as they had each other, their child and their strange but wonderful family, they were confident that a happy ending was guaranteed.

The End