A/N: Hahaha... hello?

Yea... it's been a while. And let me tell you... my life turned for the absolute worst in the last year and a half. So much so that I hated writing this story, and moved onto darker, more mature writing to cope with my sadness (hence the other two stories on my account). However... I'm going to give this another go. Hopefully I don't disconnect too much from the plot.

Here goes nothing!

Hatori's name kept replaying inside of Tohru's clouded head, as she struggled to fall asleep. Looking to her left, Kagura was sound asleep. It made sense for her, though - she'd spent the better part of the day chasing after Kyo, and Kyo spent the better part of his day running away from her. Although Tohru found it sweet that Kagura's devotion to Kyo was so strong, she couldn't help but feel sorry for Kyo as he constantly kept getting beaten up for 'love'.

After a good hour of tossing and turning, Tohru quietly and gently got out of the bed, trying her best to not wake Kagura from her somber. Gently closing the door behind her, Tohru tip-toed away from her room, and made her way downstairs to the kitchen. The confusion in her head was barely tolerable, and Tohru felt the urge to scream.

Why would Hatori do such a thing? Tohru just couldn't understand. Was this all his idea?

Getting a glass of water for herself, Tohru felt a chill coming from the living room. She noticed that the door had been left partially open, and the outside breeze had been getting into the house. Thinking someone forgot to close it properly while coming back to the house, Tohru made her way over to the door to close it, when she noticed a figure standing on the other side. Sliding the door open to see who was outside, she was greeted with Yuki's presence, sitting out on the patio.

"Yuki!" Tohru exclaimed, surprised to see Yuki up so late at night.

Yuki turned around to greet Tohru back with a smile. "Couldn't sleep wither?"

Returning the smile, Tohru sat herself beside Yuki, admiring the bright stars in the sky. Although the Moon wasn't shining that night, the little stars put together were able to light the night sky - no Moon needed. Taking a minute to soak in the light being emitted from the bodies in space, Tohru turned towards Yuki. "It's beautiful, isn't it?"

Nodding his head in agreement, Yuki drew his eyes towards the stars as well. "Each one has it's own story. We may never truly know how old they are, but they've seen our universe in most of it's trying times.

Placing his hands behind him for support as he continued to gaze into the sky, Tohru's eyes averted towards him. Although Yuki didn't notice, Tohru was captivated with how each of Yuki's features were illuminated with the light reflecting off of the surface. His amethyst eyes glimmered like stars themselves, and this silver hair ruffled in the wind, parting at one side of his face. Completely unaware as to hoe enamored she was, she almost left Yuki's preceding question unanswered. "Huh?"

Smiling gently, Yuki reached for Tohru's face, pushing a strand of hair away from her face, and tucking it behind her ear. The warmth of Yuki's fingertips brushing against her cheeks sent chills all over her body, as she gazed into his perfect, piercing eyes. "I asked you... how did you do it?"

"Do what?"

Noticing Tohru had no idea what Yuki was talking about, Yuki took his gaze off of her, and soon became lost in his own dimension. 'I was thinking about what you told me about your mom the other day... and I can't help but wonder how you're so positive, despite all the horrible things that happened to you."

True to her nature, Tohru was tempted to raise her finger to reassure him that there was nothing to worry about, and she was dealing with everything just fine Whether it be her mom's death, working as much as she could to save up money and pay her tuition, or with the loss of her best friend in the entire world... she wanted to tell him that everything was fine, and that she'll make it through as she was a fighter... but for some reason, her heart just didn't allow her to say any of that.

Instead, it forced her to spit out the truth. 'It's hard... it really is."

Feeling a tear trickle down the side of her face, Tohru tried her best to wipe it without Yuki noticing she was crying. She didn't want him to see her in any pain - no matter how minor, or major. But even with her seemingly brave face being splattered on, her tears didn't stop there, and she tried her best to cry as quietly as she could. "Sometimes... I wish I was taken with her... because after my mom passed away, I truly felt like I had no one that loved, or care about me anymore."

Stunned by the revelation, Yuki darted his eyes towards a crying Tohru, who at this point, didn't try to hide her tears from him. He could feel the trembling sadness coming out of Tohru, as if it had been trapped inside for years, suppressed with a fake sense of happiness and security. "Losing all the people I loved, and who loved me too... I didn't have anyone's shoulder to lean my head on, anyone's hands to hold in my own, or anyone's laughs to share. I was all alone, and sometimes... I don't understand why I'm still here."

Moments can't be measured on a finite scale, but for just one, small, finite moment, silence polluted the air. The next thing Tohru noticed were arms wrapping around her, and a poof of smoke following suit - clothes flying all over the porch.

Looking down, Tohru noticed a tiny, gray nezumi in her palms, with small streams of tears running down its face. "Tohru... don't ever say that again."

Tohru couldn't help seeing Yuki crying alongside her, and her tear streams flew heavier and faster. Her voiced was muffled and broken, as she struggled to find her words. "I'm so sorry you had to hear all of that... but I just had to tell someone..."

Such a feeling of intense loneliness could never truly be compensated for. Feeling her mother's presence in her day to day life just wasn't enough for Tohru, even if she could pretend long and hard enough to convince every one else. She wanted Kyoko by her side - she needed Kyoko by her side. But... that was just not a possibility... not not, or ever.

However, before Tohru could wallow in the dark thoughts that had captured her brain, she felt two tiny arms wrapping around one of her thumbs. Looking down, she noticed Yuki - even in rat form - was doing what he could to comfort her. The tears in his eyes didn't stop, but continued to swell, and as Tohru looked closer, she could see Yuki's small, mouse lips quiver. "Whoever told you that you're alone? You have us, don't you?"

Tohru's eyes widened, which made Yuki's quivering grin wider. "Tohru... I don't care if an earthquake comes in and destroys our homes and separates us. I don't care if a tsunami hits, and the crashing waves make us drift away from each other. Hell, I don't even care if I wake up the next day and forget all about you. I promise that you'll always have me, no matter what it is that we go through." He squeezes her thumb a little harder, kneeling his head against it. "I promise you... I'll always find you."

Her eyes glistening, Tohru stared at the nezumi with disbelief. The pain that she had felt in her heart began to melt, as her mind began to wander.

What if we stop being friends, and you forget all about me?

It was as if she had asked this to Yuki just yesterday.

What would ever make you think that? We're best friends! I'll never leave you!

The promise was too good to hold...

Hmmmmm... but how can you be extra sure about that?

... or was it?

No matter what happens... I'll always find you.

No it wasn't.

Promise you're not lying?

He didn't have to.

Pinky promise.

Because he never once lied.

Haha, good!

Ever.

...

Tohru had been sitting by Yuki's bed, fifteen minutes after he had transformed back, and was sleeping. Yuki asked her to stay in his room, and to cover him if he changed back after he had fallen asleep, as he was so tired, he could barely keep his eyes open. Although Tohru already had done what was asked of her, she couldn't help but stay by his side a little longer. The tears the nezumi had shed were still implanted on Yuki's face, and the stars reflected off of their transparency. Stroking his cheek, Tohru made her way out of the room, trying her best not to make any noise behind her.

As she went to find her own room, she noticed Kyo walking in the hallways. He had been up on the roof, trying his best to avoid Kagura, but Tohru didn't think he'd be up for that long. "Hey Kyo! I didn't know you were still up."

Chuckling, Kyo patted Tohru's head once he approached her. "Best believe I wasn't gonna come back down here until I knew for sure Kagura was sound asleep." After the both of them shared a laugh, Kyo let out a sigh. "You really should be heading to bed. It's really late for you to still be up."

Nodding her head, she watched Kyo turn around to head to his room... but before he could get any far, Tohru's voice creeped out of her throat. "Wait, Kyo!"

Noting the urgency in her voice, Kyo turned his head towards her, concern painting his face. "Yea...?"

Dwindling her thumbs, Tohru glanced at the floor, unable to look into Kyo's crimson flashing eyes as she was about to ask him the very thing he had warned her against doing. "I need to see Hatori."

Sorry this chapter was so short... I wanted to focus on substance over quantity, and I think this came out really well! It's been a while since this story was updated, but if you're curious as to what happened to me in the year and a half I was gone for, be sure to read my story 'Rewrite the Chapters'. No, this isn't just a cheap marketing technique - that story is really based on my life, and the mental health problems I endured. I posted Chapter 2 on that story, so be sure to check it out to keep up with my life. I love you so much! :)