When Sanosuke got home, Kaoru stormed outside to greet him, violently grabbing him over by the ear, “NE! GET YOUR ASS INTO THE HOUSE NOW!!”

After she dragged him inside, Sanosuke found out that Kenshin had told her and Megumi what was going on while he was gone. He painfully rubbed the side of his head and sat next to his nervous friend. “So, lovely wife you have there.”

“Gomen, Sano…” Kenshin sighed, dropping his head, “If I had known she’d react like this…”

“Kenshin!” Kaoru snapped, “Just what the hell do you think you’re doing?! Running off to fight yakuza without telling me!!”

“But I did tell you…”

“Like five minutes ago!!! And you’ve already made up your mind – you weren’t even going to consider what I thought!!” she cried, “It’s too dangerous! I don’t want you to go fight them!!”

“Kaoru,” he uttered, cautious of her clenched fists at her sides, “You don’t have to worry. I’ll be all right.”

“Baka! I’m always worried about you!”

At this he smiled. “Then, don’t worry too much. I’ll do my best to take of myself. I’m more worried about what’ll happen if I don’t do anything. This yakuza is dangerous de gozaru yo. They’re after Kenji and Sayo. I don’t want anyone hurt either.” She slowly nodded, staring at the floor, “But daijoubu. Everything will be fine.” he uttered, lifting her chin with his finger, “Trust me.”

“I do, but…” she sighed, “I’m scared.”

Megumi crossed her arms. “I have to agree with Kaoru-chan. This is incredibly insane. You know yakuza are like vermin and you just can’t get rid of them overnight. And it’s not like the old days where you’d just smack them about with your sakabatou or your super moves. It’s going to take more than that.”

Sanosuke pointed at himself, “That’s why he got me! There’s no way we’ll lose!” She simply smacked him out of the way. “TEME FOX!!!”

She ignored him and continued, “More importantly, Ken-san, I’ve told you over and again about your health; about how your body is slowly deteriorating because of all your past injuries. Please, I’m begging you, don’t do this!”

“Megumi-dono,” Kenshin folded his arms inside his gi, “I appreciate your concern as a friend and a doctor, however, I cannot allow limitations to get in the way of what I believe in. I can’t stand by and do nothing. I know the police won’t do any good against yakuza. That’s why it’s up to people like me and Sano. Please respect my decision. I don’t plan on changing my mind. Sano and I going to go to the base and close them down.”

The women both frowned and let out a sigh. “Stubborn men…” Megumi muttered, “It’s always about fighting…”

Kenshin suddenly bowed his head. “Sano, Megumi, I’m begging you… please take care of Kaoru and Kenji. If anything happens to me… Sano, I’m counting on you.”

Sanosuke nodded, dragging Megumi up with him towards the door, wanting to give them some space. Once they were alone, Kenshin pulled Kaoru over closer, her covering her face in her chest, “Kenshin, I hate it when you talk like that…”

“Sorry…” he whispered into her hair, “I can’t help it. You and Kenji mean everything to me… I have to do this, but I… I don’t know if I’ll make it this time…”

She lifted her blues eyes to his violet ones. “Kenshin, you can… I know you can. I believe in you.” She then put her hand on her stomach, “Demo Megumi-san said because of miscarriage, there might be difficulties again this time around. The baby might come early too. Kenshin, I don’t want to be away from you when it happens. If you fight these men… please be at my side afterwards.”

His hand overlapped hers hand. “I will. I promise. Nothing will go wrong this time. I’ll make sure of it.”

* * *
Outside in the hall, Sanosuke started heading for the kitchen. Megumi held him back by the arm, about to say something, but he cut her off. “I’ll protect you no matter what.” he murmured, pulling himself away.

She stared at the back of his head, unable to speak for a moment. A sly grin appeared on her face as she crossed her arms, “Of course if you don’t take good care of Ken-san, you’ve got yourself an instant wife and kid.” His eyes bulged at this statement, “But I think you can handle it…”

”YAMERO!” he cried, turning towards her, “Like hell!! There’s no way I’m going to take the tanuki and the brat in as my own just because he’s best friend!! I mean, if Kenshin wants me to mess with Jou-chan, that’s his own problem!!”

An arm wrapped around his neck from behind, strangling him. “ANATA NE!” Kaoru yelled as she choked him, “There’s no way I’m letting this happen!! You better protect Kenshin!!!”

“Oi, oi!! I’m dying!!” he gagged, prying her arm off. He turned around just as her feet were returning to the floor. “You know for a pregnant lady, you sure don’t act like one.”

“Don’t change the subject!!” she cried, “Remember, you promised me that you will!”

As Sanosuke sighed and rubbed his head, Megumi popped up with Fox ears, “What’s this about a promise?” They just both glared at her. She patted Kaoru on the back, “Well, there’s nothing to fear. Being the handsome swordsman that he is, Ken-san will be fine. Maybe just in case, I better make him my very ~special~ medicine… OHOHOHOHOHO!!”

“ME GU MI SAAAN!!!!”

Waken by all the ruckus, Kenji peered his head out of the door and looked towards them. “Oro, Mommy looks mad.” he stammered, knowing that face from when he dropped one of her favorite sandals into the well. While all the yelling continued, his father came over and put his arm around him. “What’s going on, Dad?”

“Eheheh, your mom’s just letting out some steam.” Kenshin sighed, rubbing his head, “She has a lot of it de gozaru yo.” Another outburst of anger shook the house. “Oro…”

* * *
The next couple of days, Sanosuke did his best to investigate the yakuza with help from his friends. According to Tsunan, they were pretty tough with connections that reach as far as Kyoto. “I don’t like this shit already.” he murmured, walking home.

The dojo was extra quiet. There wasn’t a class that day and no one was seen running out. He rubbed his chin and took another look around, but still didn’t see anyone. Just then, someone swatted him on the head from behind. “Okaeri nisai!” Megumi chimed.

“Waai!? Don’t do that, Fox! You scared the hell out of me!” he yelped, getting his heart beat back to a normal pace, “Where is everyone anyhow?”

“They went fishing for dinner.” she explained, leading him into the house where she had tea waiting, “Kaoru-chan went along even though I told her she should rest. I guess a family outing isn’t so bad though.”

Sanosuke chuckled into his tea, “But it’s funny how those two still haven’t gotten past their honeymoon stage. I’m surprised Jou-chan only has one kid at current.”

Megumi sighed, “Well, I did warn her she should think about ‘family planning’. With her health and Ken-san’s health, I can’t help but worry. The future is so uncertain…”

He nodded in agreement, going to pick up a rice cake. He paused to see someone outside the door. “Ano… sumimasen. Is anyone home?”

“Sayo?” he uttered, going to open the door wider, “What are you doing here?”

Sayo blushed slightly, seeing that Megumi and Sanosuke were together and that she might’ve interrupted something, “Well… I received a message that Kaoru-san was asking me to come here right away. She’s not home?”

“No, she isn’t. That’s strange. Why would you get a message like that?” Megumi replied, stopping to think, “Who exactly gave you this message?”

“Shouzo did. Why?”

Megumi and Sanosuke exchanged looks and nodded in agreement. Sanosuke then went to put on his shoes. “I’m going to them now! You explain everything to Sayo for me!” he said, running out the gate.

Sayo blinked. “Explain what?”

* * *
By the river, the late afternoon sky was a slight purple, a cool breeze swirling in the air. The sun seemed to be dipping into the mountains. Kenshin held up the fish Kenji had just caught. “Wow! It’s big!” Kaoru gasped, sitting on a blanket, next to her their basket and Kenshin’s shinai, “I can’t believe you caught it! That’s so wonderful!”

Kenji blushed. “Because Dad helped me.”

Putting the fish into the basket, Kenshin chuckled, “Iya, you’re doing great on your own. Much better than me de gozaru yo.”

Kenji blushed even harder. “Dad…” He then gave him a quick hug, before turning back towards the water. “Wai! I wanna catch another one!”

Kenshin was about to go stop him, but Kaoru held him back. “It’s okay. We’ll probably need more just to feed that Sanosuke. Besides, Kenji is having fun.”

“Sou de gozaru.” He stared towards the happy boy, getting his hook ready. “But, is it too cold for you?” he asked, smoothing out the shawl on her back. She cheerfully shook her head. He gazed at her, loving that smile and wanting to hold her close and kiss her all over. He fought off the urges and stumbled backwards, “Maa, I better go make sure he doesn’t go fall in the river again.”

She watched him walked down to the river towards their son. ‘Kenshin, you’re such a great father.’ She put her hand on her stomach again, ‘I hope nothing will go wrong.’ She bit her lip as images of blood came to mind. ‘Please…’

Kenshin laughed as some water splashed into his face as he knelt down to pick up the worm Kenji dropped. He turned towards Kaoru, sitting up on the bank, watching them. Her face looked troubled. While wondering what could be wrong, he saw a man coming up from behind. “KAORU!!”

“Ken --?!” she started, but was grabbed from behind, a gun put to her head. The man pulled her up on her feet, holding her wrists together behind her back. She stared straight ahead, completely frozen. “Who are you…?”

“Gomendesai.” Shouzo uttered over her shoulder, “It’s the only way…” He then yelled out to Kenshin, “Hand over the boy or else I’ll shoot her in the head!”

“MOMMY!!” Kenji cried, dropping his pole and breaking into a run.

“KENJI DON’T!” Kaoru yelled, making his stumble to a stop, “Go to your father now! Do as I say!!”

“Demo…” he gasped, tearfully as Kenshin pulled him over from behind, his eyes still fixated on Kaoru and her assaulter, his mind stilling working out on what to do. “Mommy…” Kenji sobbed in his father’s arm.

Shouzo looked down at her, “Do you know what you’re doing? Would you rather have me kill you?”

“Kenji is our son. We’re both going to protect him.” she replied, “Demo, if you had planned to do this, I don’t see why you bothered to save my life one year ago.” His eyes widened at this. “It’s strange how a person can change so drastically in such a short time.”

“I have to… to protect Sayo-san…”

“Does Sayo-san know about your dealings? Your actions? Do you think she’d accept what you’ve chosen to become…”

His hand started trembling. “Sayo-san…” Tears falling, he released her and pushed her down onto the ground, putting the gun to his own head, “WHAT HAVE I DONE?!”

“NO! DON’T!” Kaoru exclaimed, lifting her head.

“YAMERO!!!” Sanosuke’s punch sent the Shouzo to the ground, the gun dropping out of his hands. The angry fighter hissed at the fallen man, “Do the words ‘Trust me’ mean anything to you?!”

“I-I couldn’t. I’m sorry, but I had to do things their way. Otherwise they’d take Sayo away or they’d kill me… I didn’t know if I could…” Shouzo paused. He was as white as a sheet. “They’re here.”

The extra presence came into knowledge; a herd of yakuza with swords, axes, and other household things that could be used as weapons. Sanosuke kicked up the shinai with his foot, then threw it over to Kenshin, who caught it one-handed. “And so the fun begins.” Sanosuke grinned, cracking his knuckles.

Kaoru suddenly cried out. “Oh Kami-sama!! Not now!!” Everyone stared towards her. “My… my water just broke.”

“Sano,” Kenshin uttered, “Take Kaoru out of here.”

“But Kenshin! You against all these guys!? This is crazy!! I can’t leave you like this…”

“Please! I beg of you!! Go now!”

Sanosuke sighed and picked the girl up on his back, her sobs loud in his ear. He also grabbed the kid over by the collar and tucked him into his arm. Turning to go, he looked back at Kenshin, ready to stand his ground. “Be careful.” he whispered, before running off.

‘And so, that’s the story on how I got here… running in the grass with Jou-chan in labor and this kid crying for Kenshin… what’s going to happen now - I sure as hell don’t know either…’