Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Basket

Chapter One

For PeaceLightVictory

Rosalie slept on the plane for the entire time. Or most of the time anyway. It was either that or she had to talk to Erik for the entire time there. She would rather sleep even if she could've spent valuable time looking over the prospectus for the music course she was about to go on. Then again that would involve having Erik constantly blabbering into her ear and every time she conversed with him she wanted to punch him square in the face. No one really blamed her, there seemed to be a mutual agreement over how everyone felt towards Erik in the family. She couldn't wait to go live with her Japanese relatives again, with Erik sitting next to her she couldn't wait to get off the plane. She was about to lose her patience and she was afraid, along with everyone else that she might end up being detained in the Pilot's cabin. So she constantly focused her thoughts on the fact that she was seeing her relatives again. Her mother had come from a wealthy Japanese family and they were more than happy to accommodate her for the duration of her studies. She hadn't seen them since she was a small child and she needed to get away from Venice. She needed to get away from Yuri. She could've gone to a music college closer to home, probably a better one than the one than the one she was going to but she didn't want to have to spend any more time near that place. She had had enough.

She needed time away from the family. Well, from her father's side anyway. The truth of the matter was she needed to get away from Yuri, otherwise she feared she would become Yuri's slave. Being imprisoned forever in Yuri's grasp was the thing that she feared most. Every time she was close to her she felt like she couldn't breathe. Even when she thought of her she felt he body heat up. She leaned forward and calmed herself down before leaning back in her seat. She, no doubt, earned herself a look of curiosity mixed with concern from Erik but she avoided any eye-contact with him so that she wouldn't have to engage in a conversation with him. When he was a young businessman her father, Josef Laurent was in Japan making a new business deal between two companies. He was the son of a German businessman who had died in his late fifties due to a heart attack. Josef was only eleven at the time so was raised by his mother up until he was old enough to care for himself. Due to this upbringing, he kept himself healthy. Never indulging and always running at least for 20 miles everyday. Also due to being the only male in the family, with a mother and younger sister he had not grown as hard and firm as his peers at his boarding schools or company. In fact, it made him a more empathetic, gentle person.

While he was in Japan he had spent sometime with their families. One day he was out on a mountain walk when he came across a Japanese woman. He had never seen anything like her. She was tall, slender and had straight black hair. She was nothing like his mother or sister, but he felt like there was something familiar about her, as if there was a part of him that had been lost from him for years and had finally found it in her. It was like she was from another world. However he didn't have the courage to say anything to her other than 'hello', when he passed her by, but fate had other plans for him. On his last night in Japan, he was still thinking about her. He went to a concert with the new company he made a deal with to celebrate. He found most of it to be boring until the very end when the same Japanese woman he passed on the mountain path get up on the stage and played a piece on the piano. He had never heard something so beautiful in all his life. As soon as it was finished he rushed backstage and requested to see the woman. He had been told that she was at the after party. He searched for her relentlessly through the crowds of people. Some people hindering his pursuits by shaking his hand and congratulating him on his deal.

Before he gave up hope on finding her he found her talking to the founders. She smiled at him, telling him without any words that she knew who he was. That she remembered him. One of the businessman spotted his, more kind than the others and introduced them to each other. That night he talked to no one but her and discovered the name of the woman who would soon become his future wife as well as being the daughter of one of the partners at the company. Yoshiko Sohma.

"ROSALIE!" Someone bellowed in her ear. She woke up with a start and glared at the person responsible, not to add the most likely suspect.

Erik shrunk in his chair. "Please don't hurt me." He replied in a weedy voice when she glared at him ferociously.

"Then try not to wake me up when I'm trying to sleep dammit!" She growled.

"But I was bored." He whined. "You're not talking to me..."

"When people don't try to talk to you, Erik." She began steadily. "It means that they don't want to talk to you so it is best not to engage in a conversation with them. So it is always best if you keep you big fat mouth shut!"

"AHHHHHH! ROSALIE'S BEING MEAN!" Erik cried melodramatically.

"IF YOU WANT TO HARASS SOMEONE WHY DON'T YOU GO FLIRT WITH SOME AIR HOSTESS LIKE YOU USUALLY DO?" She screamed.

"They told me I had to stay in my seat or the pilots would intervene!" He sobbed.

Erik Laurent was the notorious Casanova in the family along with the one who everyone hated and dreaded as much as Yuri but for different reasons. Always trying to flirt with every woman he sees in sight, even close relatives or school girls he passes in the street. Genetics and laws of the land have never seemed to apply to him. She just hoped, God knows why, that he never took it further than flirting. Then again what she would call his form of flirting would be closer to sexual harassment.

"Are you two fighting now, even when we're 20 minutes from landing?" Said a solemn voice from across the aisle. Rosalie glared at the serious faced man from across from her who was reading a newspaper he was unlikely to have looked up from at any point during the flight.

"For your information I've done quite to not have had an outburst sitting next to this idiot for six hours."

William turned a page. "That's no excuse." Before she could shout at him as well he held up a hand. "And I advice you not to say another word you're already attracting enough unwanted attention and one of you may cause a scene if you continue to increase your stress levels any further."

Rosalie pouted and got back in her seat. She hated to admit it but William was right, most of the time he was right as he had an abundance of common sense as well as intelligence. He was the serious one in the family as Erik was the melodramatic one. There was something cold and mysterious about William which seemed to be unspoken of throughout the family. He reminded her for her own father after her mother died. He completely shut himself off from everyone else, throwing himself into his work. There would always be a ghost of a smile when he saw Rosalie but it never became more than that. She almost felt as if it was her fault her mother had died.

"So Rosalie." William began brightly, interrupting her thoughts. "Are you looking forward to studying music?"

She moaned, knowing that she would have to comply unless she wanted another lecture from William she had a feeling he was only here to make sure she didn't kill Erik.

"I'm looking forward to having an excuse to not have to talk to you." She hissed, holding onto the arms of her seat. Erik leaned his elbow on the arm and leaned forward.

"Now, now that is not how you talk to your cousin."

"Not to one you don't want to punch in the face." She retorted through clenched teeth.

"Now what have you always had against me, Rosalie? Tell me and let us resolve it and be the the loving cousins we were destined to be!"

"How hurt would you feel if I said I'd rather eat a cockroach?" She snapped.

"Rather hurt actually, but since this is a hypothetical question I'll let it slide this one time." He replied carelessly.

"It isn't hypothetical I assure you!" She replied angrily.

"Rosalie." He chided. "That's disgusting. Besides where am I going to find a cockroach on this plane in order for you to carry out this deed?"

~ (***) ~

Momiji waited with Nana Sohma for European relatives to arrive. The family had been told that the daughter of Yoshiko Sohma was going to be coming to Japan to study music at the same place as Momiji. He had to admit he was pretty excited to meet her. Especially when he heard that she was half-German, half-Japanese like him and was also into music. Now that was something. The day before he begged Nana to show him a picture of her if she had one. In the end she showed him all the pictures she had of Rosalie Laurent. The first as a plump, pretty baby with violet coloured eyes. Then to a toddler with dark auburn ringlets, her face troubled and serious. Then as a 7-year old. She seemed even sadder in this one. Apparently this was around the age her mother died so he could understand the unspeakable sadness of losing a parent. Then as a 10-year-old when she is playing a piano. She had a small smile on her face, there was sunlight beaming through the window and Momiji almost mistook her for a angel. The last one was her as a 15-year-old in a purple, floral dress. There was a mountain range behind her with her now long, curly auburn hair flying in the wind.

"Nana? Do you think she'll like me?" He asked thoughtfully.

The elderly woman looked at her great-nephew and smiled knowing the tune of his words. "I think she would love you, Momiji."

"Huh? I wasn't asking that." He protested, blushing.

The old woman chuckled. "No child. I meant that even though she distances herself and doesn't seem like she gets along with others. I believe she would really come to love you, you're very much like her mother you see and they were very close."

Momiji blinked at this. He had only met his aunt a few times but never really thought himself as similar to her. She seemed so quiet, so wise. He on the other hand thought differently from other, had some wisdom in him but still not as much as her and was no where near quiet. No, he was now where near to being like this woman. She certainly was a much better musician than he was. He could remember the recitals she would play and was completely enthralled by them. He couldn't wait to hear Rosalie's. He could imagine that she had her mother's talent as well as her beauty. The one thing that drew him to her was her eyes. She had the same eyes as her mother. Usual and allusive but they drew you in. Tempting you with the secrets that hid behind them. He could imagine her to be a very wise person.

"Ah there she is."

Momiji looked up as saw the same girl, only was now a woman dressed in a pair of knee length, torn shorts and a baggy jumper that went off the shoulder. She looked angry, then he saw a young man not much older than her trying to engage her in a conversation but she wasn't having any of it. Another man, who looked a bit older than the other two following them close behind, with a serious, monotone expression which mirrored that of Hatori. When Rosalie caught sight of her Grandmother she came running.

"Nana! I'm so glad to see you."

"Ah, child. It's been too long since I last laid eyes on you. You're looking more like you're mother every time I see you."

At the mention of her mother she had a sad but thoughtful expression in her eyes. Her bright smile cooled slightly. Her Nana quickly turned to Momiji.

"This Momiji Sohma a cousin of yours, he's going to the same college as you to study music also. I thought I should introduce you both. He also wanted to meet you anyway."

Rosalie turned to the young man with blonde hair and stared at him for more than a few moments. She would definitely say he was handsome. There was also something in him that awaken something within her that she hadn't felt before. It was something that was there but was waiting for the right moment to arise. He held out a hand graciously and smiled.

"Hi, I'm Momiji. It's wonderful to finally meet you, Rosalie. I have to say that's a beautiful name."

She resisted from giggling slightly. "Thank you. It's nice to meet you too. It's nice to know they're be some I know already on the course. I was kind of afraid of having to make new friends."

"Don't worry. I just wanted to say I actually admire your mother's talent. She kind of made me pursue music in a way."

"Really? You heard her play?" She asked in a surprised voice.

He blinked. "Well yes. Surely you heard her play at some point."

She nodded. "Yes, of course I have. It's just I-I just found it surprising."

A voice whispered in her ear menacingly, trying to make her more uncomfortable. "Looks like someone finally fell head over heels-" Erik didn't finish the sentence as Rosalie bashed him over the head. She turned to Momiji who gave her a look which made her panic.

He's going to think I'm some sort of crazy girl with anger management now.

Suddenly he erupted into laughter. "Well I sure hope you don't do that to the piano."

"Oh heaven forbid." She replied.

"Hello, I'm William Laurent. We're grateful that you're taking in these troublesome children during their studied here." William interjected.

Nana waved it off. "It's no trouble. I'm just glad to see my granddaughter again. It's no trouble at all."

He nodded. "I'm glad. Unfortunately I have some business here which I have to attend to. I hope you'll be alright for transportation."

She nodded. "Yes. Thank you."

He nodded to Nana Sohma and then finally turned to Erik and Rosalie. "Please don't bring this woman any grief and try to kill each other."

"Yeah alright." She replied grudgingly. Erik gave her a look of panic.

"Why do you sound so reluctant to promise that?"

"Because I am."

William had already walked off into the crowds to make a retort. So now they were both in the hands of Nana. Poor Nana.

"Now, we've both been invited to the House of Sohma for a welcoming dinner. So I'll you back to my home first to drop off your things and for you to get changed. I hope you're hungry, the cook warned me it's going to be the biggest feast he's mustered in many years."