"Oh for goodness sake! You are so childish! I'll wake him!" She screams, pushing past me and thundering up the stairs. 
                          
Ai nervously scuffles after her. Tohru and I follow. (What? I gotta know all this fuss is about.) 
                          
"Yuki! I have to talk to you!" Hisako cries, opening the curtains. Yuki is thankfully wearing pyjamas and groans as the light hits his face. 
                          
"Hisako-san... what.... the..." he mumbles, his purplish grey hair in a mess. 
                          
"Yuki. Akito is going to kill Tohru. I don't know how. But he is going to kill Tohru today." Hisako whispers. 
                          
The room goes deadly silent. 
                          
What? Akito... what?!
                          
"What do you mean, 'He's going to kill Honda-san?!'" Yuki cries. 
                          
"I mean he's going to kill Tohru. Ai and I overheard him talking to his servant." Hisako says. 
                          
"He's mad. Completely crazy." Ai adds. 
                          
"Why would he want to kill me?" Tohru asks, her blue eyes wide with worry. 
                          
"He hates you. Kureno-san said that Akito thought you knew too much." Yuki explains, now wide wake. 
                          
Hisako takes Tohru's hand. 
                          
"Don't worry. He's not going to hurt you." Hisako comforts. 
                          
"How can you be so sure?" Yuki asks, "You know what he's like." 
                          
"He's not going to hurt Tohru. Because I won't let him." I say firmly. 
                          
I will protect Tohru is it's the last thing I do. 
                          
I love her and she is my everything. 
                          
Dammit; why don't I have the guts to tell her that? 
                          
"This is all my fault." Hisako whimpers, her eyes watering. 
                          
Yuki takes her hand. 
                          
"It's not anyone's fault. Right now, we have to focus in protecting Honda-san. We can't let him hurt her." Yuki says, taking Tohru's hand as well. 
                          
RRRRRIIIINNGGGG! 
                          
No. 
                          
Shit, no. 
                          
I hear the door unlock. So Akito has keys. That's... dangerous. Why the hell would Shigure give him keys?! 
                          
We all run to the top off the stairs and peer down to see...
                          
Shigure! 
                          
As we all breath a sigh of relief, I take Tohru's hand. She smiles at me sweetly and holds it back. 
                          
It may be the worst time ever but... I need to tell her how I feel. 
                          
"Hello, teenagers. Ah, Hisako! What brings you here on this fine morning?" Shigure asks cheerfully. 
                          
"Um..." Hisako and Ai begin in unison. 
                          
"Tohru, I need to talk to you. In private." I tell her. 
                          
"Okay..." she says, following me into the garden. 
                          
"Tohru... I know this is the worst time ever. I mean ever. And Akito still may try to kill you. But... well... dammit... I'm just gonna say this...  I love you. Tohru Honda, I've loved you since the day I first met you. You're kind and strong and that goofy smile of your's always brightens up my day. I'll be with you every step of your cancer, for better or for worse. Tohru, I love you." I tell her. Man, I'm glad I got that out. But what if she doesn't feel the same way? I mean, why would she? 
                          
"Kyo-kun! I love you too!" Tohru cries, tears streaming down her cheeks. 
                          
I lean in and kiss her. I don't hug her, of course. (Me transforming into a cat would really spoil the perfect moment.) To make up for it, I hold her hands. 
                          
Her lips are soft against mine. I hear her gently sobbing, so I whisper, "It's okay, I'm hear." Without thinking, I hold her against me and...
                          
I don't transform?! 
                          
For a split second, we stand there, utterly gobsmacked. 
                          
Then I see a thin, dark figure standing behind the bed sheet hanging out to dry on the washing line. I pull the sheet back to uncover someone I really don't want to see. 
                          
Akito stands there, grinning and brandishing a threatening, silver knife. 
                          
"Hello, Kyo..." he whispers. 
                          
TO 
                          
BE 
                          
CONTINUED