Written by Miyu, Vampire Princess

AUTHOR'S NOTE:
AU to the furuba universe...well only a little I think. I wish I could say when the idea for this came to me. All I do know is that it's going to take me an eternity to write the whole piece. *sigh* This story focuses on an original character and is told from her point of view. Almost finished Year One! YAY! Just two more chapters to go...maybe three depending on my muses. ^^ 

Chapter 6 - Rolling with the Tide

It was nine o'clock in the morning.

I was officially sixteen. The big 1 6. My life as a teen was halfway gone. Happy birthday to me.

And I was all alone. No one to share my special moment with.

Perhaps...I should start at the beginning.

Summer had just started. School was out for a four-week vacation. Of course, I use the term "vacation" loosely, as most of my teachers happily passed out assignments to the class. UGH!

It was that night at dinner that my uncle announced his intention to take us to one of the Sohma beach houses. "I think it would be nice to spend some quality time with my family," he told us. "Just...get away from it all."

Yeah, right. 'Get away from his editor' is more like it. Bastard. He always teased that woman mercilessly. It's a wonder he had an editor at all!

Still, it sounded like a good idea. My family owned a house along Santa Monica beach. We spent weeks there every summer. This would be just like old times -- only it would be a new beach and with my 'new' family.

Tohru clapped happily. She'd never been to the beach house, either. "Oh, I'm going to need a new swimsuit."

Both Kyo and Yuki nearly choked on their food while Shigure beamed happily.

"Ah, I can just visualize our precious flower in a beautiful bikini--!"

I just shook my head as my two cousins converged on my uncle. I felt no shame. No pity. My uncle deserved the beating he got, even if Tohru never realized it. She tried to calm both boys down, but it was useless.

You are a louse Shigure Sohma...and I know you're damn proud of it.

My mother had just sent my summer wardrobe over from California. Complete with a new bathing suit. Still, the white and lilac two-piece didn't suit me. The lilac was fine but really...WHITE?! I thought my mother knew me better.

I just felt badly because I knew she designed it.

"We can go shopping together. I need one too," I spoke up.

My uncle began to smile again, and Yuki and Kyo glared. If he was really thinking what I think he was thinking, I would've joined in the beating the second time around. But he said nothing, therefore only received nasty little glance from my two cousins.

Tohru was thrilled. "We'll go shopping tomorrow," she announced happily, then frowned. "Ano...Shigure-san...when are we leaving?"

"Day after tomorrow," he stated, nodding. "That reminds me. I have to call Hatori."

"What for?" Kyo asked.

"Because he'll have to drive us."

A unanimous groan was heard around the table.

The day before we were supposed to leave for the beach, Tohru and I went shopping for our bathing suits. Uo-chan and Hana-chan were invited to come with us, but both had plans that day. Uo-chan had to work and Hana-chan had already agreed to spend the day with her younger brother, Megumi. She didn't think he'd be interested in shopping, although she didn't ask him.

Momiji offered to tag along, but I think Tohru was more embarrassed about it than I was. Tohru muttered, "I don't know" and turned beet red. Of course, Haru chimed in with him and I knew MY face was bright red when I muttered an apology and dragged Tohru off in the opposite direction.

Neither Yuki nor Kyo volunteered to shop with us, which was just as well. I had expected Shigure to insist on going with us (the perv) but he only suggested that we visit Ayame's shop and buy our swimsuits there. Kyo and Yuki were up in arms immediately. At the time, I had no idea why they were so objectionable.

Then, after three hours of shopping and two swimsuits later, we passed by the store on our way to get something to eat. I stopped in the middle of the sidewalk, staring at the sign. I was never told the name of his shop, but something told me this was it.

"Ah! Ayame-san's shop," Tohru confirmed. She looked at me with a smile. "Would you like to go inside, Sierra-san?"

"Is it all right," I asked, turning to look at her curiously. "I mean...it looks kind of...I don't know. Odd?"

"Ayame-san makes very beautiful clothing," Tohru said, her smile growing brighter. "We should stop in and say hello while we're here."

I returned her smile and nodded emphatically. "All right."

A bell sounded our arrival and a young woman's voice cried out, "I'll be with you in a moment."

Tohru leaned over and said, "That's Mine, Ayame's assistant. She's very sweet."

I nodded and followed her over to a rack of dresses and gowns. They were very stunning indeed. Most of them were formal, floor length gowns with high slits up the sides. A few were more moderate, shorter and in styles I clearly recognized from social functions my mother attended in the States. Most of the fabrics were either soft, silky or shimmery. The designs varied from classical to modern. There was one in particular that had the bell sleeves I so loved, but there wasn't one in my size.

What did I need a formal gown for anyway?

"Ah! Tohru-chan! Welcome back to the shop. How have you been? Who's your friend?"

The young woman we'd heard earlier finally appeared. She seemed very cheerful, wearing a maid's uniform of some sort. She took Tohru's hand and smiled happily. Then she looked at me waiting for an introduction.

"Mine-san, this is Sierra-san. Shigure-san's niece."

The young women, Mine, released Tohru's hands and grasped mine. Not very tightly, but securely. She bowed slightly and replied, "It's a pleasure to meet you, Sierra-san. Tensho told me his family was large, but I had no idea that Shigure-san had a brother, let alone a niece."

It's a well-kept family secret, I thought to myself. Aloud I said, "The pleasure's mine, Mine-san."

"Wai! Kawaii!" And in no time I found myself enveloped in a bear hug. "Ah! I must show you the newest design tensho is working on. I think you will love it, Tohru-san."

"Mine! Some help please!"

"Coming, tensho." Mine release me and stepped back. She bowed again quickly. "Excuse me. I'll be right back."

"Hai," Tohru said and she pulled me towards another rack of clothing.

Out of the corner of my eye I could see Ayame come out of a room with a blushing middle-aged woman. He gushed and praised, and the woman's blush got redder and redder. Apparently the man at the counter was the woman's husband. If he thought Ayame was hitting on his wife, he didn't say anything. But the look he gave his wife said lots.

That's when I noticed what she was wearing. Or rather...wasn't wearing! Was it legal for her to be seen in public in something like that? And all that leather! Wouldn't that feel...icky...after a while?

And it dawned on me just what kind of shop Ayame ran. Yuki and Kyo minded us coming here because they were being gentlemanly. And of course Shigure would insist we shop there because...well because he's a hentai.

I suddenly felt very uncomfortable. My face was redder than Ayame's overcoat, and I practically buried myself in a rack of clothing. Thankfully it was a rack of more gowns and dresses. One more step to my right and it would've been highly more embarrassing.

It wasn't until Ayame finally left the customers at the counter to walk over to us that I felt a bit of ease. Tohru continued to look at the clothing. I was no longer interested.

"Ah! Tohru-kun and Sei-chan have come to my humble place of business. Welcome. WELCOME!"

Tohru turned away from the rack she had been approaching and smiled at Ayame. "Konnichiwa, Ayame-san." Then the smile turned into a frown. "We're not interrupting your work are we?"

"Ma ma, it's no bother." Ayame smiled broadly. "What are you two lovely young ladies doing out and about today?"

"We were shopping," I answered with a modest smile.

"Sierra-san and I need bathing suits for the beach," Tohru added.

"Show me, what have you girls bought, hm? Oh how I LOVE shopping!"

I looked at Tohru who looked back at me. I shrugged and reached down to pick up my bag first. I had purchased a bathing suit more suiting to my tastes (gomen nasai okasan!) as well as a sundress to wear over top of it. Ayame seemed to approve of my choice of a one-piece suit, although it was lower cut at the top and higher cut around the legs than I would've preferred. At least it was blue and green, and not white.

Tohru showed him her bathing suit next. She'd tried on only two, although she said she loved half of what the store had in stock. I had convinced her -- with the help of the saleswoman -- to purchase a modest one piece, pink and yellow in color, with a bow both in the front and in the back. It looked cute on her. Really, it did.

Ayame nodded and smiled when we were done. "How wonderful! New bathing suits. You're going to the beach then over your school break?"

We both nodded.

"Ah! I could use a vacation," Ayame said somewhat seriously. It took me by surprise. "And the beach sounds very...peaceful."

"I'm sure Shigure-san wouldn't mind if you joined us, Ayame-san," Tohru replied.

Ayame only looked slightly skeptical. Actually, he looked downright excited. "You don't think so, Tohru-kun?"

She shook her head. When he looked in my direction, I shrugged. "It WAS his idea to go." A pause. "And I don't think Shigure would mind." Actually, after a bit more thought, it was probably better for us if Ayame did come along. Yuki's reaction, however, could be predicted. "On second thought...."

"I'm going to call Gure-san right now!" And Ayame practically bounced -- wait, that's a Momiji thing, but he did bounce -- over to the counter and picked up the phone.

And after a short five-minute conversation, Ayame was added to our beach house roster.

We left Ayame's shop after getting a grand tour, a look at his latest designs and, of course, modeling a little something. I have to admit, I liked the dress he asked me to model. It seemed very...American.

We stopped at the market to pick up a few things we might need for the beach house...and a few things we didn't, including ice cream and pocky. Kami but I love the stuff! Then it was back to Shigure's house to help pack up the supplies and my own bag as well.

I went to sleep that night, not knowing what the next few days would bring. I had packed my schoolwork to do over the course of the holiday trip. It was nothing difficult, and thankfully I had no papers to write. There were also two books for reading and some stationary so I could write my parents and friends. My clothes were packed very neatly, although I knew the bag wouldn't be all that neat when I came home. It never is.

The next morning came too early. Groggily I got out of bed and headed for the bathroom. I paid no attention to the fact that the door was closed. It was unlocked and opened easily. I did, however, pay close attention to the voice that spoke.

"Oh, ohayo, Sei-chan."

Only one person called me Sei-chan in this house.

And there he was, by the sink, his hair dripping from a recent shower and a towel wrapped around his waist.

"Ohayo, Shigure-oji."

Without another word, I turned and walked out of the bathroom, closing the door behind me.

"Oy! If you're finished in the bathroom, then leave the door open."

My foggy mind finally registered Kyo...about two seconds before he opened the door to the bathroom. "Ch-chotto matte!'

Shigure's voice was sing-songy as he greeted, "Ohayo, Kyo-kun!"

Kyo closed the door, slamming it loudly then turned and looked at me.

"You...saw?"

I nodded.

"He...didn't--?"

I shook my head.

He sighed, obviously relieved. "I'm going back to bed."

Marvelous idea. That's what I did too. Only I had no intention of falling asleep. But I did. And I was having the strangest of dreams too. But Tohru woke me before it was over. I was somewhat disappointed. I hadn't actually dreamed of Haru in a while.

Oh, and I'll bet you're wondering about my relationship with Haru...or rather, the non-existent relationship between us. You read correctly. There was no romantic relationship between us, although we had grown closer as friends in the past month. Even Rin, I think, considered me a friend.

Then she disappeared.

Haru became frighteningly distant. Even Tohru and Momiji couldn't help cheer him up. They both became as worried as me.

And I was left to wonder if this is what Rin had meant by her words. Did she plan this?

"Sierra-san, we're going to be late," Tohru said. "You'll need to hurry."

I scrubbed myself in a quick shower, dressed in a pair of denim shorts and a black t-shirt with an interesting cross-shaped design on the front, grabbed my bag and rushed downstairs to join the others. I was surprised to learn that Hatori would not be driving us. Instead we were going by mini-van. I'll admit, it was probably more comfortable than squeezing all of us into Hatori's car.

"Ha-san had to arrange another ride for us," Shigure explained as we loaded into the mini-van. "He'll be joining us later, though."

The ride through the city and surrounding countryside was quiet. Occasionally Kyo would say something like, "You're arm's on my shoulder you damn rat." Yuki would respond with, "So what?" Kyo would get angry and start swearing under his breath. Tohru looked perplexed. I only giggled.

The driver must've been a family member or a friend of the family. He and Shigure seemed to know each other well. He was somewhere in his late forties I'd say...the driver I mean. He smiled a lot and spoke rather rapidly. He asked Shigure how his latest novel was coming and about Tohru and me. Apparently he knew about us, but not much. I sort of lost interest in their conversation after a rather lude comment Shigure made.

It took nearly three hours to reach our destination. I think I fell asleep sometime after we left the city because I remembered little of the scenery. Still, Tohru was happy to see the beach house, gawking at the beach and the ocean. Even Kyo and Yuki stopped arguing long enough to appreciate the view. I smiled, just thinking how good it felt to be in a familiar environment.

We unloaded the minivan and bid the driver farewell. The beach house itself was huge, at least on the outside. Still, Tohru and I decided to share a room. Kyo and Yuki took rooms for themselves. Shigure opted for an open room on the first floor, just like at home. He said it was rather inspirational.

I think it had an inappropriately placed peephole into the bathroom next door.

Tohru had packed enough food to make us lunch and supper. Amazing how much food five people can through without really trying. After dinner, Tohru, Yuki, Kyo and I walked to the nearest town (about two miles away) to pick up more provisions, hoping they'd last us a few days at least.

Most of the afternoon between meals was spent on the beach. I had "stolen" a novel from my Uncle's study without his knowledge. I laid on my stomach, a bright green beach towel beneath me, and read. Kyo sat beside me reading a book for class, although I don't think he was reading much. His attention was focused on the water...or rather, on Tohru.

Tohru was off in the water...somewhere. I could hear her calling to us on the beach and occasionally I'd wave out to her. Yuki spent most of his time on the shoreline just watching Tohru. He did dive into the surf once, at Tohru's behest, only to get washed back onto shore. It was actually humorous...or at least Kyo thought so.

The day ended rather quietly. We had all settled in around eight o'clock. I was amazed at how much energy the day had actually zapped out of me. Actually, judging from the sunburn I had, it was probably too much time in the sun. I remembered my sun block too late. Ugh! But I also brought a bottle of Solercane and aloe vera. My mother may have picked a bad bathing suit, but she did remember my horrible tanning habits. Poster girl for the Red Lobster anyone? Arigato okasan!

Needless to say, I passed out as soon as my head hit the pillow.

And awoke to the first rays of the sun the next morning. *groan*

I laid in bed for a while until I heard what sounded like a car pull up. Slamming doors only confirmed my suspicions. Shigure's voice was clearly discernable as well. Couldn't tell who he was talking too though. Crawling out of bed with a groan I wondered over to the bedroom door and opened it.

"OHAYO!"

I nearly stumbled back as a blonde blur jumped before me. In my still tired state, it took a few moments for Momiji's presence to be registered. But by that time I was already engrossed in a bear hug. My sunburn! OUCH!

"Ah! Momiji-kun!"

POOF!

By the time the smoke cleared, I was sitting on the floor, my butt throbbing in pain from having fallen. And there was a little yellow rabbit in my lap, bouncing up and down. I sighed and shook my head. Momiji's never been shy, I'll give him that.

"Ohayo, Mo-mi-ji-ku-n." I emphasized each syllable with a light poke to his nose. He twitched it cutely and giggled.

"Ohayo, Momiji-kun." Tohru must've woken in the commotion. She kneeled beside us and patted Momiji on the head. "How did you get here?"

"Hari," Momiji said, bouncing into Tohru's waiting arms. "He drove us down."

"Us?"

Momiji's rabbit head bobbed up and down. "Hai. Me, Haru and Ayame."

After Momiji transformed back into his human form and Tohru and I had a chance to bathe, we joined the others. Yuki and Kyo were already sitting at the dining table with Haru and Momiji, snacking on what looked like donuts.

And there was a chocolate one with my name on it! Yosha!

"Yo," Haru said, raising his hand in greeting. The smile he gave was faint, but it was the most I'd seen since Rin had disappeared.

"Ohayo," I said to everyone, but it was mostly directed to Haru. I sat down beside him on purpose and gazed at the box of donuts. "Who brought the donuts?"

"Ayame," Yuki responded with a sigh.

Haru reached for the chocolate donut I had eyed earlier. To my surprise he handed it to me. "You're favorite, ne?"

"Hai," I said, taking it from him gently. Then in a matter of seconds I devoured it. I was hungry.

Shigure, Ayame and Hatori chose that moment to walk inside. We all said our good mornings and turned our conversation to the events of the day. Hatori had to return home for a short time. Momiji had already told Tohru and I that much. Shigure had planned on taking it easy at the beach house. Ayame said the same.

Hatori said I should consider it, but I shook my head. Red Lobster poster girl or not, I was still going to spend some time on the beach. I'd only be sporting a nice long sleeved cover-up instead of my new bathing suit. I was used to it. Besides, I had plenty of SPF 50 left in my bag.

Hatori then said his good-byes until that evening. Shigure and Ayame excused themselves and disappeared into Shigure's room. Momiji was practically pulling Tohru out the door and down to the beach. Yuki and Kyo followed.

That left me and Haru to clean up. There wasn't much of a mess to clean up really. Two small plates and the left over donuts. We could've followed the others quickly.

But neither of us moved a muscle.

I dared a glance over at Haru. His eyes were downcast, focused on some particular spot on the table. He looked sad, but deep in thought. His fingers moved carelessly as he folded, unfolded, and re-folded his hands on the tabletop.

"Still no word, huh?"

Very slowly he shook his head. That was about the only answer anyone got when they asked about Rin. I really do wish I knew what she was thinking. Sure, Haru's not always a miserable wretch, but I guess today is one of his days.

Standing from the table, I changed the subject. "Do you have any tough assignments to complete before the end of break?"

I saw him, very slowly, look up as I walked around the table and picked up the plates Yuki and Kyo had used. His eyes were unfocused really, but a small smile curved on his lips. "I have a paper to do for English."

I feigned a laugh, walking over to the sink. I placed the two plates in the metal basin, rinsing them off. After a few moments of staring at them I decided to wash them. Turning on the water, I reached for the washcloth. "Perhaps I should trade you," I finally replied. "My book report for your paper."

"I thought your reading skills were improving," he asked curiously.

"They are. The book just doesn't look interesting to me."

"Oh." A pause. "I'd still end up with the better grade."

I shrugged, smiling to myself. "Probably."

I washed the dishes carefully, probably taking more time with them than needed. I placed the first one on a towel on the counter to dry and reached for the second one. It was then that I felt hands on my shoulders. Then, that I felt something bump against the top of my head. I finished washing the second plate and sat it on the towel as well.

"Haru?"

"Hmm?"

"What are you doing?"

Another pause. "I don't know."

"You don't know?" I could feel him shake his head. Sighing I turned the water off. "You're pouting."

"Am I?"

"Hai."

He lifted his forehead -- or was it his chin -- from the top of my head. "I miss her."

"I know you do." My voice was a bit strained emotionally. I hated these conversations. I knew Haru confided in me a lot. I did the same with him. But where Rin was concerned, there was this little sign in my head that read "Jealousy" and it flashed green every once in a while. I cared for him, but she, too, was a close friend. Killer.

I started to turn and his hands released my shoulders, only to return there as I faced him. "Pouting won't bring her back."

He nodded slowly. "I know."

"Then why do you do it?"

"Because I have nothing better to do."

That made me chuckle. "You're kidding, right?"

"Nope."

"What about your homework?"

"What about this?"

I was totally unprepared as he leaned forward, pulling me away from the sink. His face was suddenly so close to mine. I gasped as realization set in. It was the last breath I took before his lips covered mine.

This kiss was different from the one he gave me months ago. There was nothing brutal about it. No silent demand. It was all gentle and soft. All giving. My surprise melted away quickly, my hands grasping onto his t-shirt...I'm not sure where. All I know is I held on tightly to the cotton cloth until the kiss ended.

As we parted, memories of what he told me before whispered in the back of my mind. 'You should've fought back,' he'd said. Should I have fought back this time, I wondered. Would he tell me so again? Our eyes met and he smiled.

"What was that," was all I was able to manage in my semi-confused and flustered state.

"A kiss."

"What FOR?" I restated, releasing his t-shirt.

"A thank you. For being a friend."

I know I looked skeptical at his explanation. Geez, if this was how he thanked his friends, I'd love to see how he thanked his girlfriends! I blushed at the thought, and turned a deeper red when I noticed Ayame watching us from the hallway. He waved to me with a gigantic smile, then disappeared into a room.

Haru turned and looked when he heard a door close. He backed away, offering me a small smile. "Maybe we should head for the beach."

I nodded. "I'll go upstairs and get my stuff."

We joined the others on the beach, where there was a water war already in progress...at least between Momiji and Tohru. Yuki was silently lounging on the beach and Kyo was watching them with something akin to longing in his eyes. Did being the cat make him innately afraid of the water? I still wasn't sure, even as Haru goaded him into taking a swim by practically dragging him to the water's edge and tossing him into the tide.

Yuki and I sat on the beach, just chatting about everything and nothing. I noticed this longing look in his eyes as well. I really wanted to ask what it meant, but he asked me to go swimming instead. I smiled, grateful for the chance to quit thinking and have some fun.

By lunchtime, we'd had the biggest water fight in history. Kyo was mad at me because I dunked him under the water and wouldn't let him up for air. It's only fair since he did the same to me. Of course, I had help from Haru and Yuki.

We went back to the beach house, just after noon. We found some bread and luncheon meat in the refrigerator. Sandwiches sounded really good to my stomach. Shigure and Ayame joined us for the mid-day meal, and the events of the morning were related to them, much to Kyo's dismay. Now Shigure really did have a reason to pick on him.

Clean up was finished quickly with everyone's help. Then it was back to the beach we went. This time, Yuki, Haru and Tohru enjoyed the water while Momiji, Kyo and I built a sandcastle. It was HUGE! Well, at least the towers were anyway. Kyo surprised me by being very meticulous. He carved all the windows and doors, carefully paying attention to each detail. Momiji too was really creative, digging a ring around the castle to fill up with water. Too bad the water didn't stay very long before sinking into the sand.

There was a swimming race as well. Kyo claimed a victory, only because Momiji accidentally bumped into Yuki. Haru finished a close second, myself third. I don't think Tohru was really trying. She's a great swimmer, just not fast.

After floating on some rafts and just hanging out in the sun to dry, we walked back to the beach house. We played Rich Man, Poor Man for a little while, until the guys got tired of losing to me. I won four games straight before Yuki called it quits. Six before Haru said he was done. I think Kyo and I were the only ones still playing when the sun set and a car pulled up to the beach house.

Shigure and Ayame were the first to greet Hatori upon his return. They stood out on the porch, talking and smoking (does Ayame smoke?) before Tohru called them inside for supper. They hurried inside, but Hatori said that he couldn't stay long. He did, however, stay long enough to have some of Tohru's homemade dinner.

"Why are you leaving so soon?" It was Momiji who asked.

The older man sighed, pulling a cigarette out of his pocket. "I have to get back to Akito."

"But that's such a long drive from here," Tohru answered.

Hatori shook his head. "It's five minutes from here."

There was a heavy silence looming before Yuki said, "He's at the villa, isn't he?"

I looked at Yuki, then at Hatori. The doctor slowly nodded.

The silence turned into a loud ruckus. Shigure was the one to calm every one down long enough for Hatori to explain. I wasn't sure what all the fuss was about, although I was somewhat uncomfortable at the thought of Akito being close by. I hadn't seen or talked to him since the night I learned of the family curse.

"Akito heard everyone was coming to the beach and thought it would make for a nice holiday," Hatori said, running a hand through his short, black hair. "He doesn't get out of the house often and this is a good time of year for him to be out and about. As a doctor, I couldn't argue with him."

"When will he want to see us," Shigure asked.

I was confused. Want to see us? "Us" as in everyone? What was going on?

"Tomorrow morning," Hatori replied with a sigh. He looked at Tohru, then me, then back at Shigure. "He would like the jyuunishi to join him for breakfast. About nine."

So there was a catch. Well it wouldn't be so bad. Tohru and I could handle ourselves for one morning.

"I don't suppose he'll eat with me around," Kyo replied, disgusted. Hatori shook his head.

Okay then...Tohru, Kyo and myself. We could make the most of the morning, I thought.

"When will you return," Tohru asked. "I can have a meal waiting and--"

"It's best if you plan on just the three of you until late tomorrow," Hatori said. If I wasn't mistaken, there was a hint of sadness in his voice.

"All right," Tohru replied, although the smile on her face was a bit forced.

So it was the three of us for a day. It couldn't be that bad. Could it?

The next morning I awoke to some ruckus out in the hall. I opened the door to find Yuki, Haru and Momiji piling into the hallway. They apologized for being loud, but I waved them off. I'm generally a heavy sleeper, but I hadn't slept well that night for some reason.

"You should go back to bed," Haru told me.

I shook my head. "Can't sleep. You guys are up early. It's only...." What time was it?

"Seven," Yuki finished for me. He smiled. "We'll need to be there early."

"But didn't Hatori say the villa was only five minutes away?"

"By car," Momiji answered. "It's about a fifteen minute walk."

"But it's still early."

"You have to understand Akito," Yuki said. "He's somewhat strange about these things."

"He's strange about everything," Haru commented.

"The norm for this family," Momiji said jokingly. Haru bopped him on the head lightly with his fist. "Mou!"

"Then I guess we'll see you guys later tonight," I said, managing a small smile in my tired state.

"Don't wait up," Haru said.

"Yeah, right," I replied.

"Will you and Tohru be all right here by yourselves?" Yuki sounded very concerned.

"Sure. And we'll have Kyo to protect us." I had said it as a joke, but Yuki and Haru seemed to take me seriously.

"If he does ANYTHING to hurt either of you--!" Yuki said.

"We'll hurt him," Haru finished, shaking a fist in the air.

I smiled a bit more confidently. "I'm sure we'll be just fine."

I followed them downstairs. Shigure and Ayame were already waiting. They seemed surprised to see me, but said nothing but happy good mornings to me. Ayame asked the same question Yuki had before. And surprisingly he had the same reaction when I told him that Kyo would be here to protect us. Did anybody realize I was joking? I WAS joking. Honest!

They left, waving to me as they stepped out onto the porch. Only Shigure stopped and turned to me. "We should be home before nightfall, but if we're not, there's a number on the counter you can call if you need anything."

I let out a little laugh. "You sound as if you may never come back." Even as the words left me, it felt like a great realization had dawned and I felt my heart plummet into my stomach. I remembered all the things that I had heard. The things that Akito had done to the jyuunishi before. I looked down at the floor, unsure of what else to say.

"We'll be back," he said. Then I felt a light pressure on the top of my head. I looked up in time to see him walk through the door, but I was certain that he had kissed the top of my head. It was strange, only because he'd never shown such emotion towards me before. I felt odd for the rest of the day. For that...and other reasons.

Man did my sunburn ITCH! OUCH!!

Kyo and Tohru seemed a little at ease with the situation. I wasn't sure why until we sat down to eat lunch. Kyo looked at Tohru, then at me. After taking a bite out of his sandwich, he explained:

"This happened last summer too. We dealt with it."

"What do they do over at the villa?" I asked curiously.

"Visit with Akito," Tohru said.

"And that takes an entire day?" I was still trying to understand what was going on.

Kyo shrugged. "You have to understand Akito."

"Why aren't you allowed to go, Kyo-kun?"

He looked at me, sighed, and then looked down.

"The cat is forbidden to join the jyuunishi." It was Tohru who answered, her voice very sad.

In my head I recalled the story of the zodiac. I frowned as I remembered and mumbled an apology to Kyo.

"Don't worry about it," he replied, managing a wry smile. "Besides, we'll have more fun."

I'm not sure if that was true, but we did have fun. Just the three of us. Right down to the butt-kicking Kyo gave me in Rich Man, Poor Man. Yes, he won. Three times in a row.

Then I came back to win four games.

"No fair!"

"What do you mean, no fair?! That's a legal move, isn't it Tohru-san?"

"Hai. Hana-chan uses it all the time."

"*pout* I still say it isn't fair."

Dinner came and went. Together we watched the sun set from the porch, then headed inside. I sat on my bed, reading a book as Tohru showered and Kyo fell asleep in his room. I heard a door open and close. Tired voices came up the stairs and floated down the hallway.

"Do you think they're asleep?"

"The light is on. Why don't you knock?"

"Kyo's out cold."

KNOCK! KNOCK! KNOCK!

Dropping my book on the bed I went for the door. I opened it slowly at first. My eyes registered Momiji's blonde hair first. Then Yuki came into view. Haru disappeared into the room next door as my door opened wide.

"What time is it?" I asked.

"Just after ten," Momiji answered, smiling. "Did you have a good time today?"

I nodded emphatically, smiling like an idiot. "I had a great time. How about you?"

"It was all right," Momiji answered honestly, but his smile never wavered.

"We've been requested to return tomorrow," Yuki spoke up.

And return they did. Tohru, Kyo and I spent the day alone together. Sick of the beach, we went into the nearest town for lunch and little shopping. I bought the neatest trinkets to send mom and dad.

It was dark when we returned to the beach house, just after six. I taught Tohru and Kyo how to play Rummy and about nine we settled into bed. I fell asleep almost instantly, exhausted from all the walking and sunlight. At least my sunburn was improving. Another few days and I'd actually have a tan.

I awoke the next morning, stretching my arms over my head. With a yawn, I sat up and noticed that Tohru's bed was empty and neatly made. Did I wake up late? Why didn't she wake me?

I checked Kyo's room. Maybe he'd know where Tohru went. Surely she wouldn't walk into town alone.

But his bed was empty too.

On my way down the hall, I noticed that the beach house was quiet. Too quiet. Running down the stairs, I checked Shigure's room. No one was there. Maybe they were all on the beach.

There was nothing but sand and water.

After examining a few more rooms, I realized there was a note on the kitchen table. It was from Tohru. She had gone into town with Kyo to pick up some more groceries. They would be back before lunchtime.

On the back was a quickly scrawled note from Yuki. They had gone back to see Akito, but they would be home for dinner. No wonder Tohru had to go into town. There was hardly anything left to cook in the cabinets and the fridge was half empty, save for all the peach water I purchased the day before.

Which brings this story back to the beginning, doesn't it? Funny, I didn't realize it was my birthday until I checked the date on Yuki's side of the note. July 15th. I was sixteen today. Sweet Sixteen.

Although I had no clue what was so sweet about it.

But, I wish it were the end of this story. Nope. There's more.

Just before eleven, I heard a knock at the front door. Placing my book on the couch where I was sitting, I walked over and opened it. I have to admit, even now, seeing the person on the other side was quite the surprise.

"Akito-san?"

"Ohayo, Sierra-san."

I opened the door quickly and he entered, followed by another young man. Was he also a Sohma? I closed the door behind them and followed as they walked into the living room.

"Are you here alone?" Akito asked.

"Hai," I answered with a nod. "Kyo-kun and Tohru-san have gone into town until lunchtime."

He flinched as I mentioned their names, but he said nothing. Instead he turned to look at me. "And the others are at my villa. Does that make you sad?"

I shrugged, unwilling to admit it. "A little. Why do you ask?"

He smiled at me. "Curiosity," he replied. He waved a hand towards the other man with him. "This is Kureno. He is the rooster of the zodiac, and my personal attendant. He also takes care of family business matters."

I bowed to him. My cousin. This was turning into quite a large family, I had to admit. There were still two other jyuunishi I hadn't met yet. He bowed slightly in return, his soft, brown hair falling into his face as he did so. He was definitely older than myself, but not much older than Akito I wagered. And he was cute. I had yet to meet an ugly duckling in the Sohma family.

"That must be a lot of work, the family business I mean," I said to Kureno. He shrugged in response.

"The Sohma family owns a number of buildings in town and runs a number of businesses. Mostly commercial and real estate. We're looking to establish an office in America." He looked sideways at Kureno. "Isn't that right?"

The young man nodded.

"Still sounds like a lot of work I think," I commented.

"Well, I can't stay long," Akito said, turning to Kureno. The other man handed him a small package. He turned back to me, holding a small box in his left hand. "I just wanted to drop this off."

I took it cautiously. It was a tiny box, wrapped in fine paper with a decorative bow on top. "Who's it for?"

Akito chuckled. "Why don't you guess?"

I shook my head. "I...have no clue. It's...very pretty though. The wrapping I mean."

"Yes, the woman at the store was very meticulous," Akito said.

"There's no name tag," I told him after examining the box.

"That's because it's a surprise."

"A...surprise?" I was totally confused.

"A birthday present," Akito replied, obviously pleased with himself. "It's your birthday today, is it not?"

"It is," I confirmed, staring at the box.

"I remember my sixteenth birthday," he said with a sigh. "Just another day really, although some of the kids at school were happy for me. Mom cooked me a special dinner that night, too." He paused in thought. "But then, I had been so ill that I'd been having special dinners for almost a week."

I finally managed to look up from the box in my hands. "How did you--?"

"Cope?" He shrugged. "I was used to it."

"No, no." I shook my head. "I mean, how did you know...that today is my birthday?"

"That's easy," he replied with a smile. He leaned in closer to me and whispered, "I'm a god."

I knew my look was skeptical because he laughed at me. Sure, I'd heard the others refer to him as the "god" of the old Chinese zodiac fables, but I had never considered that to be true. He was flesh and blood just like me. Even if his heart was as black as coal. Even if his smile wasn't quite genuine. He could be hurt. He could feel pain. And did gods ever really get sick? I thought that'd be a perk to being immortal.

Little did I know then, that immortality comes in more than one form.

"I know more about you than you know about yourself, dear Sierra." He nodded to the box. "Go on, open it."

I did as I was told. I was careful at first, but a sigh from Akito urged me to rip open the paper as fast as I could. The box was a bit larger than it appeared in the wrapping. I opened the lid, carefully placing it on the bottom. My eyes widened as I saw what was inside.

"It's...." I couldn't think of the right work to describe it.

"I picked it out myself," he said in that all too pleased tone.

Inside was a sterling silver - or silver at any rate - chain. I lifted the chain out of the box to take a better look. On the end was a small rose pendant. In the center of the rose was a tiny, clear stone. I thought it was just embellishment, but Akito confirmed that it was a small diamond.

"Kureno, help her put it on," Akito instructed.

The other man nodded, stepping up beside me. Carefully I handed him the chain. Then I turned around. I lifted my hair away from my neck so he could see better. The chain was lowered in front of me before I felt him clasp it together behind my neck.

"Arigato gozaimasu," I said to both of them.

Akito waved a hand at me. "Come Kureno, we need to get back before lunch. By now I'm sure the others are wondering where we are."

"Hai," Kureno answered. The tone of his voice was so quiet, so soothing, that it took me by surprise. I watched, still in shock, as they walked towards the front door. Only when the door closed did I snap out of my stupor.

"Oy! What are you just standing there for?" It was Kyo. Had I been out of it that long? "We could use a little help."

"I picked up more than we could both carry. Perhaps we should've woke you up and took you with us," Tohru said, entering the house and walking towards the kitchen table. She sat several heavy bags on the tabletop.

"Ah! Here let me help," I said to Kyo as he carried several bags in by hand, not to mention the ones already hanging on his arms.

"Arigato," he said as I took three of the bags from his arms and placed them on the table.

"You certainly bought a lot, Tohru-san," I remarked.

"Hey," Kyo said, pointing to my neck. "Where'd you get that?"

I looked down at my necklace then back up at my cousin. "What? This? It was a present."

"Did your parents buy it for you," Tohru asked, unloading some of the bags in the kitchen.

"Iie," I replied. "I just got it today."

They both turned to look at me.

"Today?" Kyo asked.

"Hai."

"What for?" Kyo continued.

"My birthday," I answered, my voice a little lower than normal.

They both froze again.

"You should've told us today was your birthday, Sierra-san. I could've bought you a gift while we were in town," Tohru said, all flustered.

"I don't think Kyo would've been able to carry much more back from town, Tohru-san," I said with a giggle.

"Shigure could've told us, you know," Kyo said.

"I don't know if he knows, really," I answered.

"It's a very pretty necklace," Tohru said. She walked over to me and gave me a hug. "Happy Birthday, Sierra-san."

"Yeah, happy birthday," Kyo chimed in.

"What," I asked jokingly. "No hug from you, Kyo-kun?"

He looked at me, wide-eyed and frightened. It was the first time I'd laughed all day. The darkness that had been in the beach house vanished and the day suddenly looked a little brighter.

The others returned that night, each of them wishing me a happy birthday and apologizing for not having a present. Akito must've told them when he returned to the villa. I wasn't sure how I felt about them knowing he was there while I was alone, but then, did they know Kyo and Tohru weren't here?

We settled into dinner like it was old habit. They told me about their time at the villa, and Kyo and Tohru relayed their morning trip to town to the others. I thought it was rather relaxing to have everyone back together again.

But I kept getting the oddest of glances from my uncle.

Was something the matter?

I told myself it was nothing and went back to my meal.

If it was important I'd find out sooner or later, right?

~TO BE CONTINUED~