Chapter 18: Midnight Dance

The tall slender gates of the Ouran High School entrance opened to darkness and silence. Moonlight flickered on the tops of the grand buildings revealing a cascade of beautiful pearly architecture. However serene it seemed, this was not ordinary. If you listened carefully, you would notice how empty it was. Not long ago, flocks of merry people had partied here but they had all left for somewhere else. Broken cutlery scattered pathways. The air smelt of burning chemicals and the school emergency garages (where limousines were kept) were empty.

Despite the chaotic aftermath (of a potion attack and gatecrash; nothing too serious), some people still remained. Coming towards the school hall, were three tall silhouettes and one short shadow. The three Lobelia girls, with Haruhi tied to them, laughed their way out of the buildings and into the sparkly night.

"That was so super easy!" Benio boasted, as she tugged at Haruhi's wrist. The girl, still under the influence of the potion, was utterly terrified. She would be screaming her lungs out like a typical girl if not for the black swath of cloth pushed in her mouth.

"So it is fun gate crashing the Ouran Prom," Chizuru, the blond Lobelia girl, smiled faintly as she eyed the chaos around her. "But remind me why we have shoved a potion into Haruhi, and kidnapped her?"

"To get Haruhi's second kiss of course," Benio replied triumphantly. "That means EVERYTHING to the Zuka Club. I can't believe it took us this long to finally come up with a successful plan after that failure last year."

"We're definitely better than Host Club," Hinako, the tiniest member of the Zuka Club added. "With this kiss, we will destroy the Host Club!" They gathered into the hall where it was all dark and secluded.

"It's easy now," Benio tugged the black swath of cloth out of Haruhi's mouth. "Watch."

Immediately she put her hand over her screaming mouth. "Shhh!!" She said reassuringly. "We'll let you go, as long as you do one thing for us."

Haruhi became still and silent, her eyes watchful. She nodded quickly.

"Hey," Benio signaled to her co members, "Get the camera ready."

Benio bent down to face Haruhi. "All you have to do is kiss me on the mouth."

Haruhi's nodded obediently. "Easy."

The Zuka Club co members giggled. "I can't believe this is happening! Neko's potions worked after all! We'll keep our deal with him. We promise Benio, we'll capture this nice and big on the camera." They held their breath in anticipation as Haruhi put her hands on Benio's shoulders and leaned forward. A shadow flickered in the doorway.

"What was that?" Hinako whispered uneasily. Haruhi flicked her head away from Benio's face out of curiosity.

"Shut up," Benio pulled Haruhi back towards her.

"They're going to kiss!!" Hinako and Chizuru started squealing.

"And they will not," a cold voice struck them dumb. Benio felt her expression of satisfaction slide away from her face. She opened one eye. Haruhi's face hadn't gone within 5 centimeters of hers. She wasn't looking into hazy brown eyes, but cold black ones.

"KYOUYA!" Benio fell backwards. "YOU RUINED MY PERFECT OPP-"

"Get out," he said coldly. "You're under serious offence for gate crashing the Ouran Prom."

The Zuka Club gaped at him. He was standing in the doorway with his arms firmly crossed.

"I'm serious," he replied to their looks of incredulity. He only pointed at the police members surrounding them.

"They're your family police," Benio argued.

Kyouya raised one eyebrow. "They're still here to arrest you. Now get out."

He pulled the stunned Haruhi towards him and hoisted her in his arms.

"By the way," he added over his shoulder. "If you think you can promise Neko the third music room, think again. You can't destroy the host club." He turned to leave.

"And oh," he said coolly without turning around, Haruhi still in his arms, "Haruhi's second kiss is already taken."

"WHAT??" The Zuka girls screamed a scream of defeat.

Kyouya left them to the hands of his sinister family police.

"T-T-Thank you for saving me…" Haruhi whispered as Kyouya carried her out of the Zuka girl's sight. "You're my hero-"

Kyouya effectively pushed something into the girl's mouth. "Take this pill and swallow it. You'll be normal again."

Haruhi coughed violently. The pill went down her throat and something in her eyes seemed to clear. Kyouya watched her. The girl blinked several times.

"W-w-what?" Haruhi was confused. It was night. She was somehow traveling a meter above the ground. How could she do that? She gave her head a shake and realized someone was carrying her. Alarmed, she glanced up to catch her carrier's eye. "Kyouya-sempai!" Haruhi gasped in shock. She hadn't seen him for a week. He had been avoiding her and she had felt disappointed and hurt. Now he was there and carrying her in his arms. What was going on?

"Haruhi," Kyouya sighed in relief. "You're back to normal."

"What do you mean, back to normal?" Haruhi asked quickly.

"Don't you remember anything?" Kyouya looked at her closely.

Haruhi tried to recall what had happened. Ah yes, tonight was the Prom. Kasanova-kun had been late and the twins had tried to trick her into going in with them. Not being tricked, Haruhi had gone in by herself. There had been food and dance. She saw everybody else. Then…Haruhi had a funny impression that bats had flooded the hall. Maybe she was dreaming, but the bats had dropped colored bottles everywhere and people had been screaming.

"The bats-" Haruhi muttered uncertainly. "They weren't-"

"They were," Kyouya interrupted smoothly. "You weren't dreaming. Can you remember what happened after that?"

Haruhi was horrified that she couldn't! Between then and now, her memory was of a vast and hazy period. She didn't drink any alcohol! "I can't…" Haruhi replied slowly, slight tones of panic coming through her voice.

"Hmm," Kyouya frowned. "The potion had that property as well."

"What?" Haruhi gasped. "Those coloured bottles were potions?"

"Unfortunately yes," Kyouya replied. "And one dropped on your head."

"What did it do to me?" Haruhi gasped in horror.

"You probably don't want to know."

"You're right I don't." Haruhi closed her eyes and tried to forget about it all.

"It'll be okay Haruhi," Kyouya murmured. Haruhi looked at him.

"You're back to normal," she stated. He blinked. "I have not been ab-"

"You have," Haruhi cut in. "For a time," she tried to tell him, "you acted like you didn't know me! You were back to debt business and- ah!" Haruhi gasped as Kyouya set her down abruptly onto the ground again. Some of the chandelier lights switched on.

They were on the dance floor. Except debris lay everywhere and not a single person besides them were there.

"Will you dance with me?"

Haruhi stared at the slender hand offered to her, her ears ringing with his out of the blue question.

"Why-" Kyouya put his hand swiftly over her mouth. "Please, just dance with me."

Two people stumbled around the Ouran grounds in the dark.

"Haruhi on the loose like that is not a good thing!" Kaoru gasped.

"No," Mori agreed.

Both had decided to team up and search for Haruhi after they had lost her in Neko's Black Magic room. Kaoru had wanted to look for Hikaru as well, but Mori had emphasized that looking for Haruhi was more important. Who knew what her evil twin would do on her own?

"Where do you think she could have gone?" Kaoru searched the gardens surrounding them. "Ouch!" he jumped and cursed as he stepped on broken glass. "Careful, there's glass everywhere."

Suddenly an image of a defenseless Haruhi smashed against sharp glass fragments stole through his mind. "Dammit! Mori, hurry let's find her."

"Look," Mori pointed at a distant flickering light. "There are people there. Maybe-"

Kaoru sped past him.

"Wait!"

The door was ajar. The light was within.

"Mori, this is the school hall," Kaoru carefully inched his way along the glass scattered steps. His face suddenly brightened up as he gazed through the gap in the door. "It's Haruhi-"

Mori's eyes widened and he looked over Kaoru's shoulder urgently.

Something seemed to have died in Kaoru's expression. "-and Kyouya."

"Why?" Haruhi asked silently. She formed the words on her lips but Kyouya's eyes were closed and he didn't lip read her question.

The wind, the rustling trees and the resonance of their footsteps were their music. The half obstructed dance floor with debris laying everywhere governed their dance steps. The two of them were alone in their own world, oblivious to two people watching their every move. The lights dimmed out.

"The lights!" Haruhi whispered, concerned.

"I can still see you," Kyouya replied. His eyes were open now and she saw the moon reflected in it. Kyouya's hand in hers was surprising warm.

Suddenly, Haruhi worked it out. "I know why you're dancing with me," she stated directly.

"Why?" Kyouya looked at her in surprise.

"Because I'm Prom Queen, and you're Prom King and you've got to keep the tradition."

He only smiled faintly. "It's to say sorry." He kissed her hand like a prince and walked away.

"Wait!" Haruhi cried. He halted. "It's difficult for you to keep feelings for a commoner because of your father right?"

"You're not a commoner."

"Your father doesn't like it and he told you to stop. That's why you avoided me. It doesn't have anything to do with a change in your feelings."

"I must impress my father," he said quietly. "Sorry Haruhi."

He gazed back her and bowed deeply. "It was an honor to dance with you, Prom Queen."

Haruhi felt something slip away from her as she watched his figure disappear into the darkness.

A limousine lurched around the corner and chugged away from Ouran High School.

The Hitachiin limousine compartment was unusually quiet and the two brother were going home after a chaotic prom event.

"Kaoru, what happened?" Hikaru finally burst out, unable to contain his thoughts any longer. He had been knocked out after the Lobelia girls had taken Haruhi from him and woken up a while later with Kaoru frantically shaking his shoulders. "Did you find her? The cure? Did she get home? What about the Lobe-"

"She's fine Hikaru," Kaoru said heavily.

"So-" Hikaru clenched his fists in frustration. "You found the potion? You found her? You kicked those Zuka girls home? You cured her? You got her home in a taxi?"

"No."

"WELL THEN WHAT HAPPENED?"

Kaoru turned to face his brother. "Hikaru," he said, "Haruhi is fine….with Kyouya-sempai."

"K-k-kyouya-sempai?" Hikaru mouth fell open. "When did he-?"

His twin put his head between his hands and continued in the same bland voice. "Haruhi loves Kyouya."

"NO!"

Kaoru felt something rip in his heart at his brother's outburst.

"Kaoru, tell me that isn't true," Hikaru's voice was desperate. "Tell me! Look at me."

Kaoru didn't answer. There was silence.

"What did you see?" there was an edge to Hikaru's voice. "Tell me what did you see? And what did you hear?" he asked forcefully.

"It was plain from her how she looked at Kyouya," Kaoru replied softly. "They were dancing together."

"Why?" Hikaru's voice cracked. "BUT you didn't hear her say that she loved Kyouya. How can you be absolutely sure?"

"No I didn't," Kaoru agreed. "But the way she looked-"

"I don't give a damn!" Hikaru yelled. "If she didn't say it herself, I won't believe it. I just won't!"

"Hikaru…"

"It's not true Kaoru," he turned on his twin angrily. "Don't you let it get to you-"

"It was…" Kaoru stared into Hikaru's fierce eyes and knew that anything he said would be pointless. But it was true. He had seen the look on their faces. It had hurt, it had hurt so much that he couldn't stand to look at Haruhi and Kyouya dancing together anymore and left before they stopped.

"You know when I first knew I liked her, I was so stupid," Hikaru was speaking in a low tight voice. "I was always stumbling around like a fool. I was selfish and childish and I never had the courage to express my true feelings. But then I tried so hard Kaoru, tried so hard to be considerate, to hold back my anger and to make Haruhi look at me differently. And-" Hikaru forced his brother to look him in the eye. "after all that, I'M NOT GIVING UP THAT EASILY. I JUST WON'T BELIEVE THAT HARUHI LOVES KYOUYA. I'M NOT."

Kaoru dropped his head and looked at his lap. Haruhi is fine. She's happy. She's with Kyouya. He'll look after her properly and take her home. He'll be there for her.

The mantra overtook his mind. Kyouya's with Haruhi. Kyouya's with Haruhi. Kyouya's with Haruhi….

"Haruhi?"

She was still standing where Kyouya had left her, in the school hall. The air had become cold and her skin was mottled with goosebumps.

"I'm so glad you're okay. Let's take you home now. It's just after midnight."

A warm jacket was placed around her bare shoulders.

After midnight is when the spell breaks.

"Come on. Your father is waiting for you back at home."

Or when a new spell begins.

Haruhi looked up at the person who clasped his hand over her cold ones. He smiled gently.

"Thank you Sempai."

"Aren't you going to call me by my name?" He whined.

She smiled. "Tamaki, then."

A/N: I'm sorry for taking so long. I'm really busy these days! But I managed to write this chapter this weekend. I hope you liked it! Comments/suggestions/crit. Always welcome. Thank you everyone for you continued support. Cheers,

lu.e3