A/N: While one of you didn't want an epilogue (cough, Erica, cough), the majority of you did. So therefore, here is an epilogue! This will expound on some details.
Disclaimer: No, I don't own Fruits Basket, but I DO own a copy of all the manga volumes that are in English. Hells yeah! March '09 baby! Volume 22!
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Ch.9
Brief Recap of chapter 9:
"Do not touch her; don't you ever lay one of your filthy hands on her ever again. I will not hesitate to kill you."
A tiny smile curled onto Tohru's lips as she saw the face of her savior. "Yuki." she murmured as she blissfully shifted out of reality and into a kinder, gentler, and much less painful place otherwise known as unconsciousness.
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All she could see was darkness. She tried to open her mouth to speak but she couldn't. She tried to open her eyes to see where she was and what happened to her. She searched her mind for any helpful memory that could tell her where she might be. It was futile. She was lost, alone and scared and had no idea what to do. Tears of despair slowly fell down her cheeks; that's when she heard it.
"Dammit! You selfish rat, this is entirely your fault! If it weren't for you, Tohru would be okay right now!"
At the sound of Kyou's voice, Tohru's heart leaped into her chest. So she was alive! But why wouldn't her body respond to anything?
"Shut up. Shut up you wretched excuse of a life. She will be fine, now leave." Yuki said firmly, trying to maintain his façade of confidence. In reality, he knew no such thing. All he knew was that Tohru was not awake right now and that she might not wake up, ever. He couldn't even bear to think about it, so he didn't.
"Hell no! I won't leave and you can't make me! I'm just as worried about her as you are you rat; and I'm not even the one who endangered her life! If anyone should leave, you should."
Yuki looked at the floor and didn't respond. For once in his life, Kyou had a point. It was his fault. He shouldn't have let Tohru see Akito. He should have done everything in his power to stop her. Instead, he led her to Akito and just watched him attack her as the cowardly rat he was. I don't deserve Tohru at all.
At that moment, Hatori walked in. "Kyou, we know you're worried about her, but I'm going to have to make you leave. Your yelling is not only disturbing the others in the hospital but it is also hindering Tohru's ability to wake up."
Yuki glowered at his hot-tempered cousin. "Leave now or I will not hesitate to throw you out." Kyou grumbled and walked out without a fight. It pained him to do so, but he'd rather give up a fight for one day than have Tohru unconscious for a day.
As soon as the cat was out of hearing range Hatori's lips quirked upwards as he looked at Yuki. "It wasn't really affecting Tohru, but I knew that you'd want to be alone with her when she wakes up. The doctors are anticipating her coming back to us within the next hour and a half or so."
Yuki's shoulders sagged in utmost relief. "Thank you, Hatori."
About an hour later, Tohru's eyes slowly opened and adjusted to her surroundings. It seemed to her that she was in a hospital room: there were at least half a dozen machines hooked up to her steadily beeping away and she noticed that there were bandages all over her body.
She looked along her bed and smiled. Yuki was sitting in an uncomfortable chair at her bedside. His head was leaning on the frame of her bed and his hand gently held one of hers, the one that wasn't completely covered in bandages. She tried to squeeze it slightly. To her surprise, and to Yuki's, she succeeded. At the light squeeze of his hand, Yuki's eyes snapped open and he looked at Tohru who had a small little smile on her face.
"Hey Yuki."
"Tohru!" He gasped. "Oh thank goodness you're okay; I was so worried about you. I thought—I thought that I had lost you."
"It would take more than Akito for me to ever leave you. I can't have been in here for too long. I mean, this must be the first day, right?"
Yuki shook his head. "Tohru, you've been in a coma for three days!" Her eyes widened and she immediately started to apologize profusely.
"Oh no! I'm so sorry, hospitals are expensive! You can take me out now and I can finish getting better back at home. I can't pay for this." She coughed from trying to talk so much after her vocal cords hadn't been used for so long and grimaced at the dryness of her throat. She tried to hide it; after all, she didn't want Yuki to see her in pain and worry about her.
"Absolutely not. You must stay at the hospital as long as necessary. I am paying for your treatments. Anything that is helping you could never be a waste of money. You'll stay right here until Hatori and the doctor here say that it's okay for you leave. Not a minute sooner." He glanced at her lovingly, "And please, don't talk too much. You'll hurt yourself."
Tohru weakly smiled and gave an almost imperceptible nod. The door suddenly banged open and in stormed Arisa, Hana, and a disgruntled-looking Kyou behind them. At first, they didn't see that Tohru was awake. They just saw that was Yuki holding her hand and leaning close to their supposedly unconscious friend, murmuring something. That wasn't anything new. Yuki had been in that position for the past three days. If Tohru hadn't tried to sit up, then they probably wouldn't have even noticed she was awake.
"I still don't see why you dragged me in here, Yankee! She's not even..." Kyou trailed off when he saw Tohru try to sit up only to have Yuki ease her back down. Arisa and Hana gasped and they swiftly made their way to Tohru, pushing Kyou to the ground.
"She's awake!" The Yankee breathed in astonishment. "Oh, I'm so glad that you are okay! We've all been so worried! Orangey almost wet himself with worry!"
"WHAT THE HELL!? I did no such thing!" Kyou glared at Arisa and Tohru let out a small laugh followed by a cough.
"Now see what you did? You made her cough. Maybe you should just leave!"
"Hell no! I won't leave and you can't make me!" Yuki rubbed his temples. Déjà vu. That cat needed a sedative.
"I bet I could make you."
"Go on, I'd like to see you try!"
Hana radiated dark amusement and spoke to all in the room and yet didn't address any one person directly. "Their waves are like those of an old married couple." Both Kyou and Arisa froze after hearing that, their argument momentarily forgotten. "It's very selfish of them to focus on each other when Tohru is not well." Hana walked up to Tohru and smiled down at her. Choosing to ignore the "married couple" comment, Arisa too walked up to Tohru's bedside and ruffled her hair.
"So, Tohru, who should we go after: the Prince, or Orangey over here? Hana and I think that Orangey," She jerked a thumb at Kyou, "is to blame. He has a bad temper and probably lashed out at you in a rage and caused you to be here."
"What the f—" Yuki clamped a hand over his cousin's mouth. "Don't be vulgar."
Kyou looked outraged. "Do you hear what they are saying? They are blaming me for what you—"
The cat found himself shoved to the ground for the second time that day.
"Don't."
"Are you two done fighting yet?!" Arisa blurted. "We want to know who to pummel dammit!"
"It was Akito." Yuki stated solemnly.
"Are you familiar with him?" Hana probed.
"Vaguely." He looked uncomfortable now, but Hana on the other hand smiled dangerously.
"The Prince will lead us to this Akito, and then we shall take him by surprise. Arisa, make sure to bring your pipe. I'll bring Megumi along for backup."
"Awesome!" Arisa exclaimed. "So when is a good day for you?"
Hana had to think for a moment. "Saturday?"
"No, that's not good; I have to work that day. How about Sunday?"
"Perfect. Around three?"
The boys sweat-dropped. They aren't kidding.
"Maybe it's not the best idea to talk about this now, especially in front of..." Kyou nodded in Tohru's direction.
"Yes, of course. How rude of us. I doubt that she wants to hear how we will get revenge on Akito. Tohru never was one for that kind of stuff. Let's continue planning outside." Hana waved to Tohru and walked out the door.
"We'll be back, don't worry." Arisa followed behind and dragged Kyou along by the ear. He did not appreciate that at all.
"I can walk by myself, Yankee!" The door closed and Yuki and Tohru were in silence.
"How are you feeling?" Yuki asked once the noisy trio had finally left the room. The injured flashed a bright smile at her soon-to-be husband. "I've been better."
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I LOVE MESSING WITH KYOU AND ARISA!!!!! XD
A/N2: Okay then, this story is done! One day I will most likely go back and re-do it, but that day is not today! So please review. Thanks for sticking by my bad updating habits for this story. Hope it was worth the wait!
Look for future Fruits Basket stories from me; I have my first Kyrou in the works!
lovelove, Amanda