Summery; Warning; Disclaimer: See First Chapter.
I know this is short, but it's longer than the ending of the first one! I was hoping to make at least one more chapter, to tie with "Heart to Haru" but it didn't work out that way. NO SEQUEL for a while! I'm trying to catch up on other stories, but I'll consider a sequel to this if enough people ask. I may even do two seperate sequels- one for Chloe/Haru, and one for Chloe/Kyo. So be sure to let me know if you want one, and which one you want it for, but don't expect it soon!
Please review if you read. Comments, ideas, suggestions, and helpful criticism is welcome.
"Akito, are you all right?" Kureno asked worriedly, as the head of the Sohma house suddenly collapsed to the ground. "Akito!"
"Fetch…Hatori…" he managed, before sinking into unconsciousness.
"Didn't you hear him? Go get Hatori!" the Rooster shouted at a passing maid, who quickly ran off.
"Haru? Chloe!" Shigure called, approaching the house. "Oh, there are you!" he sighed in relief, as they popped their heads out of a window upstairs. "I finally managed to get over here."
"How'd your house do?" Chloe asked, as they met him downstairs. He scratched the back of his head momentarily, and laughed sheepishly.
"Well…it survived until Kagura arrived this morning," he told them. "She was so ecstatic to see that Kyo was all right, she just…you know."
"I see," Haru nodded understandingly. "What about the main house, Shigure?"
"Oh, that's intact," he said breezily, once more his usual self. "I'm sorry to see your house didn't hold up that well, Chloe."
"Eh," she shrugged. "Luckily I've got a basement, so we've been staying there until someone came by."
"What made you finally get here?" Haru asked suspiciously, as Chloe strode off momentarily. Shigure blinked innocently, and then sighed.
"Akito collapsed sometime early this morning," the Dog told him quietly. Haru's twitch didn't escape his sharp eyes. "I'm to bring you all to the main house. Hatori said he doesn't have long. His energy suddenly just left him."
"Why should we go see him?" Haru objected, and Shigure frowned at the Ox. "Fine," he grumbled, and turned as Chloe approached them.
"Is everything okay?" she asked hesitantly, and Haru nodded.
"I need to go to the main house for a bit," he told her, and Shigure picked up the underlying tone in the Ox's voice.
"Tohru is staying at the house – would you like to stay with her, Chloe, and we'll bring you back home once we're done?" Shigure asked. She looked around with a worried look on her face, and he guessed her concerns. "The police are patrolling the streets, so I wouldn't worry too much about thieves."
"In that case, let me just get a jacket," she nodded, and rushed off once more.
"What happened between you two last night?" Shigure asked, guessing the answer but needing to hear it directly.
"What's that supposed to mean?"
"Hatori said Akito's collapse is directly linked to the curse somehow," Shigure said quietly. "Something to do with a loss of control over the core of it."
Haru reluctantly mumbled something in the Dog's ear. Shigure's eyes widened in slight surprise, and he smirked at the Ox.
"I see," he began, but stopped when Chloe reappeared.
"I'm ready," she said cheerfully, and Shigure nodded.
"All right, let's go then," he agreed, and led the way down the street. Behind him followed the two teens, who linked their fingers together after a few moments.
"Chloe, it's so good to see you again!" Tohru exclaimed, and hugged the other teenage girl tightly.
"We should be back before nightfall," Shigure broke in. Yuki gave Tohru a quick kiss on the cheek before moving to Haru, smiling at the girl's blush. Kyo stood with Kagura, looking both reluctant and confused, but somehow giving the impression of contentment, while the Boar was obviously ecstatic. "If we'll be longer, we'll send someone to let you know," the Dog continued, glancing at the cluster of cursed Sohmas behind him. "Behave!"
"We will! Have fun!" Tohru called back, waving eagerly. When the Sohmas were out of sight, Tohru turned to Chloe with a slightly-dimmed smile. "Would you like something to eat?"
"Please!" Chloe exclaimed, following Tohru into the house. "I've been eating out of a can for almost three straight days now!"
"Tohru, is something wrong?" Chloe asked over lunch. The usually-cheerful girl was rather quiet, and a strange look was on her face.
"No, not wrong exactly," she stammered. "But Shigure told me that Akito is very sick. And this morning…I tripped and fell on Yuki, but he didn't transform. And Kagura accidentally ran into a boy on her way here, but she stayed the same as well."
"Do you think it's connected?" Chloe wondered, after telling Tohru her own experience with Hatsuharu. "I mean, Haru stopped transforming two nights ago after all."
"Maybe it was a reaction to something," Tohru said thoughtfully. "And when you faced your fear, and he his fear of rejection…the curse stopped existing. He's no longer dependent on Akito, in a way…"
"Hm…"
The two girls remained silent in the room for a while, pondering the question and curse, and wondering what had happened.
"Akito wishes to see Hatsuharu now," Hatori said emotionlessly, after the head of the house was through with Yuki, who had followed Kyo.
"Good luck," Momiji whispered, and Haru nodded. Ignoring Rin, who was watching him intently, he strode into the dimly-lit room, and sat near Akito's futon.
"So…the dumb Ox…thought he could break the curse."
"From the looks of things, I think I did," Haru stated, completely unmoved by his tormentor's plight.
"So you're not cursed…that doesn't mean you're not still the same stupid Hatsuharu you always were," Akito snapped, gathering his energy in one last effort to reestablish his hold on the Zodiac members.
"Maybe not – but at least I have someone who loves me now," Haru said calmly, the old insult having no sting now. "Face it, Akito – you don't control us anymore."
"Get out!" he ordered angrily, and Kureno shoved the Ox outside of the room within minutes. Shigure silently entered the room with Hatori, and gazed emotionlessly at Akito.
"It started with Tohru," the Dog said suddenly, breaking the heavy silence. "And Chloe completed it. You're finished, Akito. The curse is broken, and the core of it is shattered. You're no longer our god."
Akito remained silent with rage, and Hatori glanced briefly at the Dog before lowering his eyes once more.
"Haru!" Chloe cried, running up to the Ox as he strode up the house. Throwing her arms around him, unheeding of the rain soaking them, she held him tightly, feeling his arms around her hold her close.
"Akito's dead," he said softly in her ear, before leaning back to look her in the eye. "He's dead. The curse is broken. We're all free now."
"Haru…" Chloe began, before he embraced her once more.
He's dead.
I'm free.
It's gone.
No more curse.
No more Akito.
No more.
"Kazuma is thinking of taking the position of head of the clan, since Hatori refused," Shigure told them the next day. "Akito is being cremated this afternoon – no burial."
"Can't say I'd go if there was," Kyo commented, and Shigure nodded understandingly before turning to Chloe. "Chloe, can I speak to you for a moment?"
"Uh…sure," she nodded, and followed him outside, to avoid any eves-dropping. "What is it?"
"Your aunt phoned earlier this afternoon," he told her. "Mr. Reilly was arrested upon their arrival in the States for sexual abuse, and is pending trial as of now."
Chloe's jaw dropped, and her eyes watered with tears of relief.
"Shigure! What'd you do now?" Haru demanded in annoyance, coming out and seeing her crying. "Stupid Dog," he muttered, embracing her. Shigure merely smiled and slipped away.
During the trial, the truth of Chloe's parentage came out, much to her shock. Derek was convicted and sent to jail, and Tomiko decided to remain in the States with her older daughter. Chloe was offered a place to stay by the Sohmas, which she gladly accepted.
During their second year of college, Kyo and Kagura announced their engagement – to the surprise of many, but not too much so. Haru and Chloe followed their example shortly afterward, but decided to post the marriage until after college.
And this is where I'll let the matter rest. There's much more to tell, but I'll let you fill in what you think the Sohmas decided to do with their curse-free lives.
I'm not a huge fan of Kyo/Kagura, but I thought "What the hell?" I hope this was worth the wait! Merry Christmas to all my loyal readers and reviewers alike!