A/N: It's been awhile...I know. 'Pologize for grammar and/or misspelled words. It's 5:00 a.m. and no...I did not go to bed yet.
Disclaimer: Still…not mine…
Thanks: To Grrl N, Pebbled Sky, Mademoiselle Morte, lexirose, sayuri, shoomy for reviews and especially to Ruby Moon, who contacted me about updating. Honestly…this fic is nearly finished…but I lost heart a long time ago when I opened Pandora's box of Furuba spoilers. I don't know that it will ever be completed. Anyhow…enjoy!
The Plum on Her Back
Chapter 9: Sisterhood—The Red Butterly
Hatori gave Tohru permission to stay at Shigure's house that evening. As if the three men would have it any other way after the destructive outburst that had surfaced from Akito. Even Hatori feared the head of the household would not be congenial to her presence.
Tohru followed the three men toward her former home, but on the way, she felt that something needed to be done. There was an unsettled feeling that compressed her chest. "Uh—Shigure." She stopped walking.
Kyo and Yuki turned to her simultaneously. Shigure waited for her to go on. "I—uh—I uh, would you mind if I met you all at home? There is something I need to do."
Yuki's face filled with concern. "Miss Honda. What is it? If there is some place you need to be. I will gladly take you."
Kyo scoffed at the rat, folding his arms in that crossword motion and peering down at his shoes.
Shigure chuckled. "Now Yuki. I'm sure Tohru has had enough of us for one night." He looked at the girl. "You will yell if you need anything, won't you?" His dark eyes blazed with his hidden curse, meaningfully. She smiled, knowing that this meant there would be wolves at hand to protect her. She gulped. Or so she hoped.
Tohru hurried into the direction of the Hanajima household. Out of her two friends, Saki's was closest. From there, maybe she could call Uo and ask if she would come over. Tohru had disliked leaving things the way she had that day. She rang the doorbell, hoping it wasn't too late.
Megumi appeared at the door, surprised. He glanced at the grandfather clock near the entrance of the house. "Tohru Honda? You aren't lost are you? Is everything alright?"
Tohru hesitated. "Uh—yes, Megumi. I was just—um—wondering…is Saki home?"
Megumi looked, quizzically, at the girl standing in his doorway. She hardly ever came over anymore. And when she did, it was nearly 10:00 at night. "Sorry Tohru. She's out with Arisa."
Tohru felt her heart clench. They were out without her. Well, of course they were. It wasn't like she made time for them anymore. Tohru sighed, miserably. "Thank you, Megumi," she said as she turned away.
"Of course." He began to shut the door, but stopped. Tohru had already moved to leave. "Um—Tohru. In case you are interested. They said something about visiting Kyoko."
She felt her whole body heave with an intake of breath. Her eyes glistened, and she lifted her head up to the sky. Thank you mom, she said silently to it. And with that, Tohru moved into the darkness.
-
As she approached the graveyard, she heard voices—familiar voices. She felt a rush of gratitude spreading through her body, and she stepped forward. But something stopped her.
"Please, Kyoko. Keep Tohru safe." It was Hana
"We kinda lost touch with her, it seems," spoke Uo. "You always told us to believe—to have hope—to be the person that we are, and all would turn out right in the end." She heard her friend crying. "But maybe we are just too different. Maybe just being ourselves around her isn't what she needs anymore."
"It's OK, Arisa." She heard the sound of clothing, perhaps an embrace.
Tohru felt guilt. All this time—these past months—this past year. They stood by waiting, patiently. Perhaps they had even needed her and she had been too absorbed to notice. She hadn't even cordially thanked them for the guidance they had provided on the night of Kyo's transformation. Tohru heard the voice of Momiji's mother in her mind
I'm a horrible mother.
Tohru wept. "I'm a horrible friend."
"Nah. Only sometimes." Tohru looked up. Uo and Hana stood a few feet in front of her. "You're not very quiet when you're spying, are you Tohru?" Arisa chuckled.
The onigiri laughed through her tears. "No—I never was very good at that."
Hana stepped forward, taking her hand. "But you always were very good at being a friend." Tohru felt her body collapse with the emotional roller coaster she had gone through that day.
Her best friends lead her to the stone of her mother's resting place, and they sat down. Tohru laid her head in Hana's lap, while Uo leaned her own head on Tohru's turned waist. Hana played with her smooth, brown hair as she spoke. She noticed a scuff on the girl's chin, where a fresh bruise was coloring. Was it the Sohma's? Did they do this to her? Saki managed to discard the implanted thoughts from her mind as she spoke. "You don't have to always do it alone, you know."
Tohru was silent.
She went on. "Even if there are things that you cannot tell us—we will always be here, Tohru." Hana found the green eyes staring at her. "I have known for some time that there is something about the Sohmas we are not meant to know." She shifted her own denpa wave eyes up to the sky. "I also know that if Arisa and I were to find out what it is that they have entrusted with you, it could cause you great distress—perhaps, even harm."
Uo sat up. "The point is, Tohru. We don't like it. But we will deal with it—because we love you." Arisa pulled on her friend's arm so that she was forced to sit up. "But—if you're ever in danger," Tohru saw the anxiety in her eyes. "You'll tell us, right?"
Tohru nodded. "I promise."
And with that, the three friends stretched out on the cold ground to look up at the stars.
"Right there. You see," Uo was pointing up at the stars. "I would swear on it. That one looks just like orangey!" She laughed.
"Where? I don't see—oh—Uo, where is it?" Tohru searched frantically.
Hana rested her clasped fingers behind her head as she gazed up with them. "Thank you...Kyoko," she whispered.
-
Tohru knocked lightly on the door to the Hatori's office. "Come in, Tohru."
She beamed, honored by the expectant tone in his voice. The doctor looked up as she entered. "Well—did you have a relaxing night?" he studied her as she set her backpack down and walked to the center of the room.
Um, thought Tohru, not exactly. "Sure," she fibbed with a smile. The truth was, although she had shared a heartwarming experience with her two best friends, there had been many tears. Good tears, but it had been a long evening.
When she finally did stumble into Shigure's house much later than she had anticipated, Tohru detected Kyo on the roof. He was silent, and Tohru supposed he did not want her identifying that he had waited up for her. When she was inside, she heard the sound of Shigure at his computer. The onigiri self-consciously wondered if she had kept him up as well. She guessed not. Shigure tended to be a night person, especially when he was writing. Then, she had gone on to her room, only to see the light under Yuki's door suddenly flicker out as she made her way up the steps. Tohru was ill at ease with the prospects of keeping them up that late, but she could not help but feel touched at the gesture.
"Tohru, you do not look well." She snapped out of last night's events to see Hatori examining her from where he sat. "You need to be more careful. Yesterday was a draining day for everyone. If you run around at all hours of the night, you will only make yourself sick—do I need to remind you of how you have overdone it in the past?"
Tohru sweat dropped with a sheepish grin. It was amazing how Hatori could see right through her. Did she really look that peaked? "Sorry, Ha'ri."
The dragon stiffened at her using his nickname. He lowered his head to avert his gaze. Tohru puzzled over the redness that colored his nose. "Well then," a change of thought. "Today I will be giving Akito his weekly check-up. He is experiencing difficulty with fluid in his lungs, and he will not stop sulking in his room as a result of the incidents of yesterday. I would like you to accompany me in a while to examine him."
Tohru nodded. "Does he have problems with his bronchial tubes like Yuki?" she asked curiously.
Hatori turned to her, a deadpan air in his expression. "He has mesothelioma."
The onigiri wanted to ask what that was, but Hatori had already proceeded with an explanantion.
"It is a very rare cancer that attacks the mesothelium, a membrane that surrounds and protects many of your important organs. For some, the cause of it is clear, but, unfortunately for Akito, we can only assume that it is a result of the curse. All those who are forced to embrace the essence of our families' curse die young and quickly."
Hatori was so matter-of-fact, that Tohru felt her stomach tying in knots. Poor Akito. "That's so—so horrible." Sad crystalline objects appeared in the corners of each eye. "Is there a cure for it?"
Hatori was quiet for a moment. Finally, he spoke, his words a harsh reality. "There is no cure for the Sohmas."
The silence stretched on for several minutes. Hatori busied himself at his desk, and then stood up. "For now—why don't you rest or work on your homework."
Tohru was surprised. "Oh! But Hatori! I am here to work. There has to be something else I can assist you with in the meantime. I mean—"
"It's alright Tohru. You don't have to worry about that any longer. There will be things I will need your help in facilitating, but not now. And if you are worried about money, you needn't be. You will still get paid. Rest and enjoy life while you can." And the otherwise seemingly optimistic doctor started for the door.
A ringing sound startled both of them. Tohru looked to his desk, and hurried over to answer it. By that time, he had already reached the door. She might as well get it. Tohru had to work for her residence at Sohma House, after all. "Hello? This is Hatori's office. How may I help you?"
The person on the other line hesitated. A moment or two later, a woman said, "Well I didn't know the doctor had another assistant. Hello." The voice was cheerful. "Is Hatori around? Could I possibly speak to him?"
Tohru nodded to the receiver, and felt sweat forming on her forehead. Her arm extended to give him the item in her hand. Hatori balked at the look in Tohru's eyes. Who was it? What had transformed her cheerful countenance to one of anxiety? He slowly approached the thought, his mind clearly circulating. "Hello?" He spoke after taking the phone and giving himself a moment to gather himself.
His expression tensed, his one good eye, the right eye, moving at a rapid pace to keep up with whatever reflections were forming in his mind. "Yes, well it is wonderful to hear from you." Pause. "Oh really? That is fantastic news. I am happy to hear it." Pause. "Oh. I don't know. That might not be such a good idea. I am—things are—uh—difficult, er—I am quite busy here." Another pause. Tohru watched the visibly tormented look cross his features, until it had forced its way into his body. "Well—yes. I suppose. Of course." Pause, and in a defeated effort to hold on he said. "It will be good to see you too." The desperation fell with the receiver as he hung up the phone.
Tohru rushed forward when she sensed the young doctor's thin frame ready to collapse. "Hatori—what is it? Are you alright?" The panicked girl snatched the chair from his desk, placing it behind him so he had something to fall back into.
"Kana," the texture of his voice strangled on the word as he collapsed, like a dead weight, into the provided chair.
Moments later, the phone rang in Shigure's house, a piercing melody over the otherwise quiet residence. Shigure had been editing a chapter he just could not get right. Ok—so once more, he cracked his knuckles skillfully. The woman fell for the man, but the man fell for her daughter, and they had an affair. And the mom would—but then the phone had interrupted his thoughts.
"Yuki! Kyo! Can you get that?" He heard no effort to carry out his request. Shigure's inquisitive mind, tried a different approach. "Yuki! Kyo! It's Tohru!"
Footsteps on the stairs were heard, as two people fought to pull the receiver from the cradle. "Hello." It was Yuki's voice. Shigure smiled, pleased with his persuasive abilities. I should have been a lawyer, he thought, laughing to himself.
"It's for you, stupid," Yuki called to the dog, clearly not amused. Shigure was mildly shocked. Who would be calling him? Unless it was Aya. Hmmm. Something is amiss. He always enjoyed a good intrigue. The dog strode, merrily, to the phone. "Hello?" Came the sing-song quality of his voice.
"Shigure."
The writer tensed. It was Hatori. Was Tohru all right? Something must have happened. "Ha'ri, what is it? Tohru—is she—?"
"She's wonderful. A resourceful help."
There was a pause.
"Um—Ha'ri, did you call me for a reason—or is it that you just can't get enough of desirable ole' me?" The dog laughed into the phone, but with noticeable caution.
The doctor answered drily. "No. I uh—require your assistance."
Shigure turned serious. Hatori rarely ever asked him for help. Something had happened. Perhaps with Kana. They had been friends since childhood, and the dragon's standoffish pretenses were enough to push anyone away. But Shigure never failed to see clearly through that resilient mask. They played the same game after all; only Shigure used humor as his defense.
"I will be right over." Before Hatori had time to thank his old friend, the dial tone sounded into his ear.
A/N: Since I have written a lot more of this…I suppose I will be posting new chappies up later…most likely when Ruby Moon has decided that I am being lazy again. Take care all! Please review if you have a moment…