Ehmagawd. I looove how fanfiction butchers the format.
Yeah. Here's the chappie. Late chappie is late. Yes. I'm aware. I apologize. I've been dealing with teen angst and writers block and what not. I'm gonna stop talking now. I mean typing. Whatever. Ya'll know what I meant!
Omg just read the chapter before anymore word-vomit comes out. The "888" means time skip. They won't let me put 3 aterisks. (Next chappie is halfway typed btw and the updates will be quicker now that I've accpeted my misery for what it is; fluffeh and caused by procrastination. Don't be like me kids. Instead, read the chapter.)

When Mori got back it was 9:30. Haruhi and Kyoya were both asleep. The room was a lot darker than it had been. Not that he cared how dark it got, he'd still stay. Haruhi was like his little sister. She needed to be protected. She had a difference type of innocence than Hunny had. Hunny looked the part, but was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. He simply preferred to act cute. Haruhi was obviously not capable of protecting herself and was more innocent than she looked. Or at least used to be.

Mori sat in his hard and uncomfortable chair, wishing it hadn't taken so long to check on Hunny. He was staying the night over Tamaki's house. It was hard to leave, but Hunny kept reminding him about Haruhi being alone with Kyoya. Then he noticed. The yellow spots on her arms that would turn purple by tomorrow. They weren't there before he left. No doctor's medicine would've done that.

Haruhi woke up to see Mori being choked against the wall. "Stop! Let him go!" She screamed. She put a foot on the floor and was defeated by the dizziness that followed. She yelled something else, but it came out wrong. Why weren't they stopping? Why, instead of stopping, were punching each other's lights out? What were they even fighting about? In a final effort to prevent a host-funeral, Haruhi threw her shoe at Kyoya's head. When he stopped to glare at her, Mori gave him a final punch to the jaw.

"Stop it! Just quit it, both of you!" She yelled. It irritated her, the way they just sat down like nothing happened, Mori pulling out his book. "What happened?" She asked.

"Nothing." They replied in unison.

"If you got into an argument, why can't you just tell me? It's not like I'll get mad." Haruhi said irritably.

"You should already know." Mori replied turning a page. Haruhi lay back down. Asking these people questions would get nowhere. Mori won't tell you because it was about you. He doesn't want you to be upset. Ann suggested. She was probably right.

The awkward silence was, well, awkward. Painfully awkward.

"How was Hunny?" Haruhi asked to loosen the tension.

"Good." Mori said.

"Oh." She said. When did she get to leave? The longer she was here, the longer she had to think about it when the offending person was actually in the room. She pulled the thin blanket over her face. She felt threatened with him in the room. What happened was two months ago. It wasn't supposed to be eating at her this way. Haruhi was now consumed by paranoia at all hours of the day and she couldn't get a full night of sleep as even the smallest relief from it. Haruhi sighed. Painkillers helped.

"Hikaru, are you okay?" Kaoru asked.

"Fine." He replied.

"We can't get mad at her." Kaoru said twirling a shoelace that had been on the dresser next to him in their room.

"Yes we can." Hikaru said.

"We don't own her."

"Neither do they." Hikaru replied tossing an apple.

"It'll be awkward now." Kaoru said quietly.

"Especially with the story she told about the spider. We don't even know what happened." Kaoru sighed.

"How can such a smart girl be such a terrible liar?"

"Are you going to eat that apple?" Kaoru asked. Hikaru tossed it to him.

"That's my shoelace, by the way. I need it." Hikaru said.

"For what?" Kaoru asked.

"My shoe." The boy replied with some irritation.

"Sorry." Kaoru replied, setting it back down. "We could go visit her tomorrow. Don't you think she wants her friends there?" Kaoru asked. "Apparently, we've over estimated this friendship." Hikaru said with a scoff tossing the unfinished apple into the trash and leaving room. He was right of course, but maybe if they'd heard the whole story, it would make sense. For now though, it'd be best to let Hikaru sleep on it.

Haruhi waved at the nurse and stepped into the elevator. The solitude felt nice. Thankfully, Mori and Kyoya had to go to school and weren't there the last two days. So, when she was discharged from the hospital, she did so on her own. No one knew she was leaving besides the nurses and the doctor. Hopefully, the Host Club caught the hint and didn't try to visit her house. Haruhi sighed. Going home would be depressing. Her dad hadn't even come to see her or answered his phone the last two days when she called to be picked up. Oh well. At least she could get back to life normally now. Or at least as normal as voices in the head could be.

Her phone clock read three thirty when she walked by the park. Now it was three thirty nine and she'd only waked about 5 steps. Thinking was slowing her down. She felt something tap her look and jumped.

"Can you tie my shoe?" A little blond girl asked.

"Sure." Haruhi replied bending down.

"Your hair is pretty." The girl said. Haruhi knew for a fact that her hair was mess, but said thank you anyway.

"Thanks. Do you want to be my sister?" The girl asked. Haruhi laughed. How incredibly random.

"Sure." Haruhi replied.

"You say that, but you're about to walk away." She said crossing her arms.

"Does your mother know where you are?" Surely, her mother would not be pleased that she was talking to strangers.

"She's right there." The girl said pointing to a woman absorbed in her laptop at a bench.

"What's your name?" Haruhi asked.

"Ayu." She said. "Come meet my mommy." Ayu said taking her hand and pulling over there. "This is who I pick." Ayu said to her mother. She looked at Haruhi over her sunglasses.

"And you agreed to this?" Her mother asked.

"Um…yes?" Haruhi replied, not really understanding the situation.

"We've been looking for a babysitter." She replied, closing her laptop.

"I guess I can do that." Haruhi said.

"The hours would be 6 to 10 pm Tuesday through Thursday and 12 to 7 on Saturdays. Twenty dollars an hour." Haruhi found it amazing that she could hold a conversation and send texts so quickly at the same time. "Unless you break something." She turned her attention towards Haruhi.

"Ok. I can do that." Haruhi said happily. Not happily enough for an exclamation point though.

"Great. You start next week." The woman said, flipping her straight blonde hair and opening her laptop. They exchanged contact information and arranged transportation. Mrs. Iwasaki lived on the other side of town. The rich part.

"So, you don't need an interview or anything? To get to know me?" Haruhi asked.

"I already know you, Haruhi." Mrs. Iwasaki said without turning around and dragging Ayu along with her.

What kind of mother leaves her child with someone she meets at a park? Haruhi wondered.

888

"Dad?" Haruhi called, using her key to get into the house. The house was empty and almost dark. Where was he? He was usually off work by this time. You've pushed him away with your relentless whoring. Reiko echoed in her head. She chose to ignore her and continued on to the kitchen. There was hardly anything in the refrigerator, so she settled on a grilled cheese sandwich.

A thought occurred to her. She'd have to quit the Host Club. Being there wasn't fun anymore. She always felt so faraway and disconnected there. Just then, her phone rang. The caller ID was restricted. She answered it anyway.

"Hello?"

"Haruhi?"

"Who's this?" She asked, discarding her phone etiquette.

"It's Kyoya. Where are you." It did not sound like a question.

"Huh?" Haruhi asked, confused. What did he need to call her for? Why wouldn't he just leave her alone?

"You're not at the hospital. Where did you go?" He asked.

"Um…" He can't come here. None of them can. "The park." She said, quickly hanging up and rushing to go and turn all of the locks on the door. Technically, she did not lie. Technically, she did go to the park. He didn't ask where she was, he asked where she went. They can't come here Haruhi, they'll bring him. Ann said quietly.

Haruhi got underneath her covers and considered not leaving them. It was like being stuck in time, living this way. Watching everyone else around her move at normal speed and convincing herself that she was moving wasn't working. Even if the Host Club did come here, if she asked to leave, they would. That was a sure fact. If Kyoya came by himself - She shivered, still remembering the look in his eyes that she still couldn't quite decipher.

"Haruhi!" Her dad yelled from outside. Haruhi jumped up to get it. She'd turned all three locks and the key only unlocked one.

"Why did you lock all of them?" He asked, setting grocery bags on the floor and taking off his jacket.

"Safety." She muttered softly relocking the locks.

"Since hwen are you afraid to stay home by yourself?" He asked.

"I'm not." Haruhi said unloading grocery bags. And going to the kitchen.

"Well you should ask someone from the Host Club to stay with you after school. I'm sure they wouldn't mind." He replied. Tell him, Haruhi. Ann said firmly.

"How was your day?" Haruhi asked. Her father sighed, as he often did before telling a long story.

"Well! Someone stole my eyeshadow. Not the old cracked ones, but the ones I just bought last Tuesday! And then when I asked him about he denied it, of course. He even kept denying it after someone admitted seeing him do it and I was completely appalled because, for one thing, he was wearing it and the other thing was that I thought we were friends, so naturally…" He paused. "How did you get hom from the hospital, Haruhi?" He asked suddenly. So he didn't forget she was there after all.

"I walked." She said nonchalantly, resisting adding a "duh". He dropped the pakage of meat he was holding on the counter.

"Why didn't you call me? I would've gotten you!" He yelled.

"I'm sorry. You didn't answer your phone, so I just figured I'd-"

"Why didn't you just wait? You should be sorry! Not telling anyone where you're going and walking all aroind town the way you did!" He looked so angry, Haruhi thought he might slap her with the meat.

What do you have to be sorry for? Reiko asked smugly. He didn't answer his phone, so its his fault. It's not like he ever visited you in the hospital. Haruhi waited for Ann to disagree

"What do you have to say for yourself?" Or for Ann to say anything at all. How can he be angry about something he didn't know was happening? It's a little late for worrying. Reiko said.

"Haruhi, are you even listening?" Where's your little angel now, huh? Ever notice how she never seems to be around when you think you need her? Surely, Ann would block Reiko soon.

"Haruhi!" Well, I guess you have permission to answer now, bimbo. Reiko say with a chuckle.

"Haruhi? What the hell are you doing?" He asked, yanking her wrist.

"You didn't asnwer your phone, so I didn't know what to do! You would've known that if you'd come to see me or called while I was in the hospital!" Haruhi yelled.

"Well it was your fault you were there in the first place!" Haruhi felt like someone had tied a sandbag to her bottom jaw. She was having trouble keeping it up. How could he say that? She had to keep the tears that were pounding to be let through her eyelids under control. His face relaxed into a smile that didn't reach his eyes.

"Would you rather have hamburgers or something else?" He asked opening the fridge.

"That's it?" Haruhi asked, her voice trembling. "You won't even tell me why?"

He sighed. "I don't want to fight with you Haruhi." He said. And he was right, for stopping. They rarely fought and it was never serious. Maybe about who should've been voted off a reality show.

"Fine then." Haruhi said. The problem wasn't solved yet, of course. Problems didn't get solved by simply changing the subject. Problems kept coming back until they were solved in a way that suited their fancy.

888

Kyoya called seven times. At the advice of Reiko, Haruhi pressed ignore. Seven times. After she'd finished eating, Mori called.

"Hello?" Haruhi answered.

"Haruhi." But it was Kyoya not Mori, which caused irritation among other feelings that were associated with his voice. Why did he feel the need to say her name into the phone? He knew it was her number. It was the ninth time he'd called today. She didn't answer, deciding whether to hang up or not. "Answer the door." He said hanging up. Subsequently, she heard a knock at the door. Her dad was already up to answer it.

"Dad!" She yelled.

"Hold on Haruhi." He said. When he opened the door, she expected to see whole host club, but it was just Kyoya. How did he call from Mori's phone then? And if he was just going to knock, why would he call and announce his arrival? What other reason was there besides to terrorize her?