Fruits Basket Fan Fiction ❯ Wish for you on a Shooting Star ❯ Tests of the Heart ( Chapter 23 )

Disclaimer: I do not own Fruits Baskets or any of the characters involved in it. I merely wish to portray my own ideas through the characters. Meaning: I no own, so you no sue.

Author's Notes: After getting a review saying I was more telling what was going on then what the people were feeling and such I reread it and agreed. I guess I was in such a rush to get it out I rushed through and just told what was happening. I've had as few reviews saying they liked the chapter but I think I could have done better so even thought I've had a hell of a work week with days with 12 hour shifts and such I finally revised this chapter and it looks like I won't get the story done before school, but I will finish it! I just don't know how long it may take because of my school schedule and such. But I hope you enjoy this chapter and look for the last chapter and Epilogue. Thanks for reading! Ja!

Wish for you on a shooting star

Chapter 23: Tests of the Heart

Tohru stood before the large building she had not seen in weeks before looking down to the papers in her hand and took a deep breath. 'I have my notes, I studied like heck these last three days, I got a good nights sleep last night, and I ate a good breakfast. I can do this!' She got ready to walk up to the building when voices caught her attention.

"Tohru!" She looked over at her friends Uo and Hana as they jogged up from the side of the building to meet her with Kyo following behind them.

"Uo, Hana, Kyo," she greeted them surprised as they ran up to her. "What are you doing here, aren't you supposed to be in class?"

"Yeah but Hana here went to the bathroom and faked a sprained ankle so Kyo and I could get out too to meet you here. We had to wish you good luck before the exams."

"Yeah but I don't want to get you guys in trouble!"

"Don't worry," said Uo reassuring her distressed friend. "We'll head to the nurses right after, they won't even know we took a little detour."

"Just make sure to do your best in there," Kyo said giving her a reassuring smile. Tohru nodded enthusiastically.

"You can count on me. Oh and your exam is right after school isn't it Kyo?"

"Yep, where am I meeting you?"

"Meeting? Oh my god I forgot!" Tohru got her swirly eyes back and looked about ready to pass out.

"Tohru," Kyo said holding her at arms length. "What's wrong? Get a hold of yourself."

"I forgot to tell you. They didn't want me getting distracted so they had me come in after class started. But they also didn't want to stress me out so they gave me breaks in between exams. So I won't be out until after school. I can't believe I forgot to tell you. I am soo sorry," she said getting teary eyed.

"It's ok Tohru, really it's fine. Take a deep breath, come on calm down," Kyo said trying to reassure her. He finally got her to take a few deep breaths and calm down.

"Listen, it's ok if you're a bit late. It'll probably take a while anyway and you won't even be able to see me take it so it's ok."

"Really? Are you sure?"

"Yeah," he said giving her a soft smile.

"Good luck then, I'll be cheering for you on the inside." Tohru turned to say goodbye to her two friends when she noticed they were already gone.

"Good luck Tohru, and I love you." Kyo leaned down to place a soft kiss on her lips. Just as Tohru started to respond he pulled back. "You don't wanna be late." She looked down at her watch and saw she had five minutes until the test.

"Ahh! Thanks, I love you too." She turned to run into the school, but not before looking back to see Kyo still standing there watching her leave. 'I can do this!'

217. The Kidneys are located:

A. On the left side below the rib cage

B. The lower frontal abdomen

C. The lower backside abdomen

D. The middle of the abdomen below the rib cage

'C, the lower backside.' Tohru breathed a sigh of relief as she filled in the last answer and sat back in her chair. Her hand ached and her back wasn't doing any better. She took her test up to the monitor in the room.

"Finished?" The monitor checked her watch, her wavy black hair falling in her face.

"Yes, what time is it," asked Tohru trying to be polite but having trouble holding back the ache in her back.

"It is 1:45, you get a half hour to use the rest room, eat, or just sit back and relax. The last test, your math test, should start promptly at 2:15. Remember, please don't disturb the other classrooms, and I'll be back at about 2:05 - 2:10. If you need me I'll be in the teachers lounge." With that she got up and walked out of the room trying to tie her hair back in the process.

"Thank you," she said as she watched the woman walk out of the room. Tohru happily took the cushioned seat the teacher had been given and sat back in it trying to get the kink out of her back. With a loud crack she sat back in the chair enjoying the nice breeze blowing through the stifling humid room, her hair already plastered to her forehead with sweat. She looked over at the now stilled fan that had gotten her through her first three tests before crapping out. With another sigh she tried to encourage herself. "Almost done. One more and I'll be done. Mom, you would be proud of me, I kept my promise. Thank you for making me go to high school, if it wasn't for you I wouldn't be as happy as I am." She let a few stray tears fall from her eyes. 'I'm supposed to be encouraging myself not making myself cry.' But she couldn't help it as her mind took her farther and farther from the test and the tears flowed more freely. "I miss you mom, more and more everyday. I'm going to be a mom too soon, I'm scared but then I think of you and it goes away. I really think you would have liked Kyo mom, if you'd met him, he reminds me a lot of you. Thank you mom, for everything…I love you." She let the last few tears slip from her eyes as the exhaustion of holding it all in, the worrying from the tests, missing her mom, the baby, all flow out of her like her tears. She closed her eyes one last time as the remaining tears fell and started drying on her cheek before she fell into blissful darkness.

"Honda-san, Honda-san, please wake up." Tohru blinked away the sleep in her eyes as she stared up into the face of her teacher. "Honda-san, it's about time to start the next exam."

"Oh! What time is it?"

"It's about 2:05. Maybe you should go to the bathroom and wake yourself up a bit more before starting," she said but said it more because of the apparent tear marks staining her cheeks.

"Oh, thank you!" Tohru rushed out of the room wiping her face a bit and feeling the sticky treks left by her tears from earlier. As soon as she was out of the room the woman happily sat back in her chair with her hair now pinned up.

"I have to wake up, I only have one more test, I just have to get through this!" She finished splashing water on her face and made sure to clear any traces of the tears from her face. 'I feel much better now that I got all of that out, but I still have to concentrate on this last test! I can do this!' She then had a sudden urge to use the bathroom. She quickly took care of the problem and came out of the stall fixing her shirt, trying to get it over her enlarged stomach when she felt a sudden pain shoot through her body. Tohru held the wall for support her body shacking leaving her hand numb as she gripped the wall until the pain passed. "What was that?"
She made her way over to the sink and splashed some more water on her face. 'That couldn't have been labor. Could it?' She splashed more water on her face, trying to clear her mind. 'It couldn't have been, you're not due yet. It was probably just stress or something trying to get out, like when I cried earlier…But what if it isn't?' She sat looking at herself in the mirror struggling with her internal conflict. She looked herself over with her sweat-drenched hair, her still pink tinged face and her disheveled appearance both from the heat and from crying. 'Yeah just stress. Calm down.' She started to leave but as she reached her hand up to grab the door handle she felt pain in her hand from gripping the wall so tightly. Or maybe I am. What do I do? If I'm in labor I should go to the hospital! But I have to finish this test, but I need to have the baby. But if it's a false alarm I'll miss my test for nothing. But if I'm in labor I need to be there!' Tohru sank to the floor as she began getting swirly eyes again. 'Ok calm down, this isn't going to help the baby or me. Ok if I feel the pain again then it's labor. But until then I'll just go take my test. It's only 45 minutes.' She nodded with determination as her mind was made up. "All right, let's go!"

"I wonder how Tohru is doing," asked Uo as she stretched her cramped arms. "Maybe we should peak in on her."

"No, we'd probably just distract her," said Hana.

"You two coming," asked Kyo suddenly butting in. More to get his mind off of peaking in on Tohru like the blond said.

"Where, your match," asked Uo looking at him quizzically.

"Yeah, my match," he said getting irritated but glad for the distraction.

"And why would we want to come there," asked Uo getting equally irritated.

"Because you follow Tohru around like you're stuck to her whenever you get a chance and you know she'll be there." When Kyo didn't get an answer he turned to look back at the blond who was in thinking mode.

"You know, you might just have some brains after all. I wasn't planning on going, but now you've convinced me," she said after a moment of deliberation.

"What!?" Kyo wanted to yell at her but couldn't because he was the one who gave her the idea. 'God damnit! Why did I have to say anything at all!' But inside he was glad he'd have the two of them to distract him from going back to see Tohru. He looked back at the school one more time before turning to go to his own test.

Tohru read the question over again. She was satisfied that she had gotten almost all the way through the test with no other pains and had only a few more questions to go. 'I guess it was just a false alarm, nothing to worry about. Ah no! I have to concentrate!' As she looked back down at her test she began reading the next problem to herself silently when she felt pain once again shoot through her body. She grabbed the side of her desk and tried to suppress the moan of pain by taking a deep breath and holding it. This caught the monitor's attention.

"Honda-san, are you all right," she asked looking up from the book she was reading. When Tohru didn't answer she looked more carefully at the situation. 'Pregnant girl who looks like she's in a lot of pain.' "Honda-san should I call an ambulance?" Tohru was finally able to suck in a quick breath to respond.

"No, I'm fine." 'Come on think of something!' "Umm…it was just a…a…back spasm, yeah!" She finally let go of the desk to rub her back for emphasis. 'Why did I just lie to the monitor? I should tell her I'm in labor! But, I'm almost done with the tests, what should I do?' She took a deep breath trying to decide when she looked down at her watch and saw how late it was getting. 'I'm almost out of time anyway; I might as well try and finish! I just hope I'm doing the right thing…'

Almost ten more minutes passed as Tohru finished up the test. She was just finishing the last answer when the monitor called time. 'Made it.' She got up from her desk still a bit shaken from the event but made it to the desk and handed her the paper. 'I need to get to a hospital, now, I don't know if I can make it walking if I have another contraction, if that's what the hell this is.'

"Ummm, excuse me," Tohru said getting the attention of the monitor, as she was packing up to leave.

"Yes Honda-san," she asked but as Tohru was about to answer she felt a sudden pressure and felt water trickling down her leg as her discomfort and aches and pains were just magnified. She gripped the side of the desk for a second taking in another sharp breath. "Honda-san?"

"Ma'am, can you please call an ambulance? I think my water just broke."

Kyo wiped the sweat from his forehead as he sat. The breeze from earlier wiped some of the sweat from his face and cooled him, the cool grass helping the heat radiating from his body. He had made it through the test and sat in front of his master waiting his decision. The breeze being the only thing currently passing between the two. His master's voice rang out in the empty silence. "Kyo, you still have much to learn, you may never completely finish your training." Kyo looked down in defeat as the words stung him. 'It's just like Kagura said!' "But that is the true way of a martial artist, and from what I have observed you know enough to show others the same."

"So I…," he asked his voice catching.

"You pass," Kazuma finished with a smile. Kyo couldn't hold it in anymore. He quickly bowed in respect before getting to his feet and whooping in the air. His heart was racing as he made his way passed his master to the doors.

"Thank you master I won't let you down."

"I know you won't, son," Kazuma said getting to his feet with a smile.

Kyo went out the doors with a permanent smile plastered on his face. 'Wow, wait until I tell Tohru. I wonder how she did on her tests?' He was walking on sir until he found Uo and Hana sitting there looking rather gloomy. He then also noticed an absent person who was probably the cause for this gloomy atmosphere. "Hey, where's Tohru?"

"She never came," said Uo, her voice strained and her face showing her worry.

"We wanted to wait until your test was over, hoping she'd show up."

"She never showed up?" 'Tohru…' Kyo felt like he had fallen from the air and hit the ground knocking the wind out of him. His face went from a smile to worry and he felt his heart grow heavy. "Something must be wrong, she would have called if she were going to be late."

"So you think we should backtrack to the school?"

"Sure, come on I can change later," said Kyo grabbing his gym bag with his school cloths in it and started at a job towards the front door in his ragged gi. He looked a bit intimidating jogging towards the door, a look of determination written on his face, sweat covering his well toned body and grass stains covering his gi. That would probably be why Hojo was a bit afraid to stop him but he felt it was his duty.

"Kyo sama! Kyo-sama! Please wait, I-I have a message," he stuttered as Kyo came to a stop in front of him, easily being a head taller then him once again didn't help Hojo get over his intimidation.

"Y-yes, from a Honda-san."

"Tohru! What did she say," he said snapping to attention as her name was mentioned.

"S-she called about twenty minutes ago from Tokyo central hospital to tell you she was there and not to worry." That didn't look like it was a good idea, as Kyo seemed to bristle with anger.

"She called and you didn't tell me?!"

"N-no, she just said everything was fine. I-I didn't think-"

"That's right you didn't think! She's probably in labor!"

"L-labor?" But Hojo's question went unanswered as he conversed with the two women and all three of them left in a hurry. "I'm never answering the phone again!"

The heart monitor continued beeping at a steady pace, as Tohru's breathing became a rhythmic procedure. Sweat pouring off of her face as she gripped the nurse's hand for support and strained against the pain inside of her.

"And one two three and it's over. You're doing well Honda-san." Tohru nodded as she lay back against the bed getting her breathing under control. She took a few pieces of ice from the bucket next to the bed and popped them in her mouth to chew on. She didn't under stand why they had given the ice to her when she first came in, but now she didn't know what she'd do without it to help.

"Thanks. But I don't know if I can keep this up, I'm so tired," she said after she finally finished chewing on the ice. She looked over at the nurse who was studying the many monitors before she asked Tohru to open her legs again. Tohru couldn't ever really get used to people putting their hands…well people besides Kyo having their hands in that area. Even now as she was in labor she felt a blush creep across her face.

"It's ok I don't think it will be much longer, you're dilated about eight cm, and you're contractions are about ten minutes apart," she said as she let Tohru relax and pulled her hands back. I'll be back in five minutes to tell your doctor. If you need anything use your call button." With that the nurse left Tohru in the room alone.

"Kyo, where are you? Your test should have been over by now. I know I'm strong enough to do this alone, but I don't want to be alone." Tohru pushed the tears back as they threatened to fall. The stress coming back tenfold along with the discomfort and pain she was feeling at the moment threatened to overwhelm her. 'No I have to be strong.' She looked back over at the fetal heart monitor to reassure herself she'd be fine. 'I'll be ok, I can do this on my own if I need to. But…I don't want to do this on my own. I don't want to be alone, oh Kyo, where are you?' Tohru looked up as her hospital door suddenly swung open and a panting Kyo stood in the doorway.

"Kyo!"

"Tohru!" He was at her side in a second and noticed the few tears that had gotten through Tohru's defense and wiped them away. "Are you ok? How is the baby," he said while trying to catch his breath. Before she had a chance to respond he kissed her but quickly pulled away again. "Why the hell didn't you tell them to come get me when you went into labor? How could you," The angriness apparent in his voice as he looked ready to kill but he once again kissed her before she could respond smashing his lips to hers. While this was taking Tohru by surprise it was somewhat comforting. "I told you that you could be selfish sometimes. I could have taken the test later, it's just a test, but I don't know what I would have done if I had missed this. I love you Tohru," He said this time sadness was apparent in his voice as his last few words wavered. He kissed her once again but didn't pull back right away, his lips covering hers in a breath-taking kiss. And that's exactly how the nurse found them. She waited a moment but after another minute went by she cleared her throat.

"What the hell do you want," Kyo fumed turning to the nurse.

"Who are you," she asked a bit agitated.

"Who am I? Haven't you read the charts, I'm the father!" The nurse still looked ticked off but tried to stay calm.

"I've been watching over Tohru's labor and was coming back to check on her. She really needs to relax and save her strength not listen to you yelling at her!"

"You don't know a damn thing about what's going on," Kyo yelled still trying to blow off some of his steam.

"Please, it's ok," Tohru tried cutting in to assure the nurse this was just how Kyo was but se continued like she didn't hear her.

"I know more about this then-" They were both cut off as Tohru groaned in pain and held onto the bar for support as another contraction ripped through her sore body. Kyo was quickly at her side and grabbed her other hand trying to help her while the nurse helped count her through it. Tohru gripped Kyo's hand and tried to remember the breathing techniques as the pain threatened to overwhelm her. But somehow Kyo's presence seemed to ease the pain a bit, which was all she needed at the moment. "And one two and three and the worst is over." She looked down at her watch before looking Tohru over again. "That one was only six minutes," she said more to herself then the other two in the room a bit astonished. Without another word she opened Tohru's legs and began doing things Kyo would rather not have seen her doing to Tohru and Tohru felt even more uncomfortable with her doing it in front of Kyo. He bit back a remark as he noticed Tohru was still breathing heavily.

"You'll be ok, we'll get through this," he said trying to comfort her and saw her look over at the ice bucket. He took the hint and handed her a few cubes.

"You're fully dilated, we need to get the doctor and to the other room now." She left the room quickly leaving Tohru a bit nervous and on the verge of panicking.

"Kyo," Tohru said looking up at him with a look of alarm on her face.

"It's ok, you can do this. Just like we practiced ok? I'll be right there with you the whole time," Tohru nodded but tightened her grip on his hand. They came in soon after to put her on a portable stretcher and started wheeling her into the hall. The lights from the ceiling passing by quicker and quicker as they continued wheeling her down the hall. The nurse from before stopped him though and Kyo looked ready to fight then and there, until she handed him a green outfit.

"If you're going to be with her you need to put these on." And with that she turned and followed Tohru. Tohru looked around in a panic when she felt Kyo's hand slip from hers.

"Kyo?"

"It's ok," said the nurse from before. "He just had to put on a smock." Tohru nodded in understanding but it still didn't help ease her fear. They finally hit a door and wheeled Tohru inside propping her up on a seat that put her in a slanted squatting position with the stirrups to help hold her legs. Tohru again felt a bit embarrassed but all thoughts left her as another contraction hit even harder. She bit back a scream as she looked for a hand to hold onto, to help her, but she found none and held onto the bed/seat. The doctor quickly came out of nowhere and quickly observed her…lower regions, but at this point Tohru was beyond caring as her pain worsened. The doctor suddenly looked up alarmed panicking Tohru.

"It's a breech, we have to turn it around!" Tohru wasn't sure what was going on as the seat she was in fell back and she was lying on her back, feet still in the stirrups and the doctor began doing things she couldn't see, but could feel. She felt desperately alone as a swarm of nurses tried to tell her everything would be all right. She didn't want them to tell her she'd be all right, she wanted Kyo to tell her. "Kyo," she called in an attempt that from somewhere in the hospital he would hear her. 'I'll be right there with you the whole time.' She sucked in a breath as the pain hit again. 'Kyo.'

Kyo quickly put on the ugly green outfit and followed the path Tohru had went down and finally found the room in which most of the rest of his family was situated. He was about to enter the room when the nurse from before pushed him back out.

"I'm sorry you can't go in there," she said with worry written across her face.

"What the hell?! I have your stupid outfit on! Did I forget to put the stupid footies on or what?!" Kyo was more then pissed off, Tohru was in there and in pain, he had to help her!

"She's having a breach birth," she said in a very serious tone.

"A…what?"

"The baby is trying to come feet first not head first, the doctor is going to have to try and turn it around or she may need a C-Section. I'm sorry but you'll have to wait out here." With that she turned and reentered the room leaving a stunned Kyo standing in the doorway.

"Tohru..." He felt tears threatening to fall and didn't even try to hold them back as he heard her call for him from the door.

Uo looked over at the wreck that was Kyo. She sipped on her cup of water as she observed him. After he was told to wait outside he took the seat closest to the door and sat there staring at it for what was now almost an hour and a half now. She wasn't sure how something like this could break a guy like that. Everyone else tried to stay calm, as they didn't want to set Kyo off like Momiji had when he arrived with Hatori and started crying about Tohru. She shuddered trying to forget the fight that nearly erupted and put Momiji in the hospital and focus on her friend. Uo wouldn't show it but she was scared to death, she was hit hard when Kyoko died, she was like her own mother. But if Tohru ever died… She shook her head to clear her thoughts. 'Can't be thinking like that. She's going to be fine.' But she was sure Tohru had to be scared to death, the last time she had been to a real hospital she nearly died, and before that she had been there for her own mother's death. Death and hospitals went hand in hand in her family. She quickly shook her head to clear the unwanted thoughts. She looked around at the crowded room everyone was there. Kyo, Yuki, Kagura, Shigure, Hatori, Momiji, and her and Hana. 'Please Tohru, you have to be all right.' All eyes fell upon the door as a nurse slowly walked out and over to Kyo whispering something to him as he quickly went in the room.

I don't know what to expect as she calls me in the room. I go in there and am surprised to find Tohru sitting up in the bed with sweat glistening on her forehead and her breathing still erratic. In the light from above her in the room she looks like an angel. The next thing I notice is her stomach, which is much flatter now then when I last saw her. How did things go? Is it ok? I realize she's been staring at me since I enter the room and haven't said a thing; in fact I'm frozen in front of the door until her voice breaks the spell held over me. "Kyo?"

"Tohru!" I quickly go to her side and hug her close to me. I didn't care if I would turn into a cat. Just to feel her warm body pressed against mine and to know this isn't some dream. "I was so scared, I'm sorry I wasn't here!"

"Kyo," she says softly, almost like a whisper. She takes me in her arms and holds me to her. I can hear her heart beating against her soft chest. But then it hits me I didn't change. I look down at myself and I'm still human, I feel like I'm in shock but my mouth still seems to work. "It worked." I feel happier then I've ever felt I think. I am finally able to hug the one I love, to be able to hug others, to not live in fear of transforming. A soft noise me back to the nurse as I finally take my eyes away from Tohru and look to the nurse holding something in a white blanket. Could that be…? She hands it to Tohru and I look down at a small wrinkled bundle squirming in her arms. I think its just blood I'm seeing but as I run my hands over the child's head I find it's hair is actually red. I smile to myself knowing that came from me. That this is a part of both Tohru and I, and no one can take this feeling away from me, from us.

"Kyo, meet Kyoko Sohma, your daughter." I feel myself want to cry and yell at the same time. I was wrong; this is the happiest moment in my life. I look down at the little bundle in her arms and slowly reach my hand out to touch her soft face. 'I'm a father.' I've known it for a long time, but it never fully hit me, not until this moment, here with Tohru and her. She slowly shifts the bundle in her arms and holds her out towards me. I silently take her in my arms looking down at this little thing I helped create. She's so small and light I'm afraid I'll crush her. But for being so small she's so warm, I can feel the heat radiating through the blanket.

"Hi. You know me right, I'm your dad." She turns her head in my general direction with her eyes still closed and her little hands reach out to me. I feel my heart about to burst with joy. I can't believe this is real. "I'm going to take care of you. Both of you, I promise."

All of us are sitting in the waiting room waiting to see what's going on. They called Kyo in a minute ago but we haven't heard a sound; I'm actually pretty worried. Kagura squeezes my hand reassuringly. I can't help but worry, we all heard about the child being breech and I was worried it might take too long and they may actually have to go for a C-Section. "It's going to be ok Yuki." I nod gripping her hand as well. The curse and the cure have all been forgotten as we all concentrate on Tohru and the baby. At this point I don't care if the curse is broken. Yes I know that's selfish, just because I can be with the woman I love. But I just want Tohru and the baby to be all right. The nurse finally comes back into the waiting area.

"Sohma," she calls and all of us stand up. Shigure closest to her asks how it went.

"It's a healthy eight pound girl." The tension leaves the room as we rejoice. I feel a great tension leave me as I smile and wait to congradulate the parents. But then before anyone knows what is going on Shigure reaches forward to hug the nurse. We all hold our breaths as he hugs her and we wait. A huge sigh of relief is felt as nothing happens and he lets go of her. I yell something at him about being a pervert but I was yelling at him more for trying a stunt like that. The I smile and I feel my spirit lift a bit more as I look over at Kagura and feel hope as I think of the question I've been wanting to ask her for the last month. With the curse gone and Akito getting back to health like he should soon, I don't think I'll have any problems with asking her, I just hope she accepts.

Author's Note: Thanks to the reviewer who I'm sorry to say I don't remember the name of right now, but you know who you are who made me see this chapter was a bit hollow and needed to be fixed up a bit. I hope this was a bit more what you were looking for. And thanks to all of you who still said it was good before I hope it was better the second time around. Thanks to all who read and to those who review! I hope you enjoyed! Ja!