Disclaimer: I don't own Rurouni Kenshin

Ruri is based on the rumor that Okita had had a relationship with a physician's daughter. In information I looked up, Saito was married during the Bakumatsu, just not to Tokio.

Prologue:

July, 1870, Meiji Era third year

Ruri didn't know what was worse.

She had given her heart and soul to everything that she did and loving Okita had been the best and worst thing she ever had experienced. Crying was all she ever did when he was admitted to the Tuberculosis hospital in Edo after the Battle of Toba-Fushimiand she couldn't let that happen anymore. Smiling, she wondered why everything good to her ended in tragedy. My lover died of tuberculosis and all I have left of him are the many memories we shared, she thought. I don't want to remember the times he had been so weak and tired easily or the times that he was hunched over consumed with a cough that was slowly eating away from the inside. He was so strong and yet he devoted his life through his loyalty to the Shinsengumi and yet he didn't die in battle. He couldn't be beat by that but it was the disease that would eventually defeat him.

Ruri smiled grimly as she remembered the last time she saw him before he left to go to. She regretted seeing him off but she couldn't bear to see him wither away at the hospital in Edo where she knew he would die.

Flashback

"I just don't get it, Okita, why did this have to happen," Ruri asked rhetorically as she let the tears slip down her cheek.

It was winter, January in fact and he was in bed. He was pale looking and had lost several pounds, if that wasn't enough he was also coughing a lot more and bringing up much more blood. Her father gave him about two months at the most. She couldn't stand to believe this would happen. Her dad suspected something between them but she knew he was only guessing. He couldn't really believe something happened could he? She didn't speculate about that and her father never asked.

"Everybody dies sometime Ruri," Okita told her as he gave one of those sweet smiles.

"Why not twenty years from now," Ruri asked angrily.

Okita looked at her bemused but with that same sweet smile. Oh how she wished he wouldn't smile. It made him leaving ten times worse than it was going to be.

"Ah, but don't you think there's a reason for everything Ruri," Okita asked gently. "Don't even worry about it. Enjoy the endless summers, the fireflies, and the sky. Meet someone nice and marry him someday. Have children and don't have regrets. Maybe someday you could also visit, then we can reminisce together, okay?"

Ruri nodded, the words escaping her.

"I don't want to say good-bye. Goodbyes are something I suck at," Ruri told him truthfully.

"So say So long or I'll see you. And to make it easier, I'll depart without a good bye ," Okita told her.

"Okay, So long," she added letting out a few more tears.

It was painful as it was having to see him go, but would she truthfully ever see him again?

"I'll see you again someday," Okita replied to that.

Why'd he have to be so nice? If he was mean she'd at least wouldn't be as hurt. It was because he was compassionate even to the end that made it harder for her to leave him. Hell, she loved that side of him. The other side she found she loved too even though she like everybody else wondered how in the world could a nice boyish man be a wolf of Mibu.

"Yeah," she agreed.

She somehow had a feeling the next time she would see him wouldn't be in this world.

She exited the room and came face to face with Hajime Saito himself. Ruri could tell that even though he didn't show it, he cared for Okita greatly. Sometimes she wondered herself how Saito ended up with a friend like Okita. They were opposites and yet the love of her life was his only friend. It was somewhat also sad though because he would be losing the only friend he ever had just like she was going to lose the one person she came to love.

"I see you didn't tell him," Saito stated.

Ruri hung her head.

Okita didn't need to know.

Of course it pained her that he wouldn't ever get to see the pride and joy she would come to know. To be able to be a parent and raise a child brought back the memory of Okita playing with the children at the Mibu temple. He loved children but would never be able to see his own child, how ironic was that? She didn't tell him either for it would only upset him greatly.

"You didn't tell him about Honda or Hajikita (?)," she stated back.

Saito scowled.

"That would only bring pain to him after knowing them all those years," Saito told her taking out a cigarette.

"Your wife must hate your habit," Ruri acknowledged with a little pained smile.

Saito shot a look of annoyance to her before he threw to and stamped it out on the floor. Things were far too complicated now. The Shinsengumi were going to lose the war and now Okita was close to loosing his life.

"You should have told him about the baby you'll be having in four months. It does give hope if nothing else," he told her.

"And have him regret something for the first time? I couldn't but I know it wouldn't stop you from telling. Go ahead and tell," Ruri added solemnly.

Saito only grunted.

"It's not my place to tell. Besides he's going to be leaving soon and nobody wants him sour on a long journey," He added with one of his malicious grins.

Ruri hoped it'd be the last time she'd she that bloodthirsty wolf even if he was Okita's friend.

It looked like fate didn't make it that way.

Flashback ended

Smiling grimly, she made sure her two year old daughter was covered in the blanket, although it was thin, so she wouldn't catch whatever she had now. Panting, she made her way to the house she knew, the Mibu wolf was and knocked impatiently. She had heard that his marriage with the girl was falling apart and all because he didn't pay attention to her. She wondered how he'd fair with his best friend's daughter. She wanted desperately to raise the girl and see more than her first step and her first word. She wanted to teach her about life, about her father's ideals and see that she was treated right on her first date. It wasn't going to be this way, she knew.

"What in-Ruri," Saito took in her sight and Ruri was glad she made her decision.

"She's sleeping but I want you to take care of her. I don't want her in a *Hack* Orphange. Please don't let her go astray," She handed the child over before Saito had finished complaining and dropped down on the ground, never to get up again.

"Mama," the girl called out.

He kept her from Ruri wondering what had ailed the woman so. He knew it was bad to get her to come all the way here and hand her daughter to someone she didn't really care for. He'd have to deal with that later and moved the girl into the chair. He gave his trademark *Move and you die* glare knowing if she was like many children, she'd do as he said. He then grabbed a sheet and covered the body and took it out into the woods. It wasn't much he could do but bury her and put a stone, but later she'd get a proper burial and he made sure of it for Okita.

Moving back into the house, he saw that she was at the looking at him with a look that wasn't unlike Okita's. How much was this girl like his dead bestfriend, he thought.

"Bed," he ordered.

"No," she squeeched.

He covered his ears and didn't know whether to thank karma that he didn't have neighbors or whether he should leave again. He didn't understand children let alone female ones. Why did they leave this to him? He blamed it simply on bad omens, but on second thought, mabe it wasn't so bad. The girl was so much like Okita in every single way. Maybe he could see those qualities in time, he thought. And if that didn't work then he was screwed which was saying something because he already had a screwed up marriage.

"You have a name kid," he said after a pause of silence.

"Souja," she answered tilting her head.

"Mama is here, mama. Me go her now," She asked and Saito smirked.

She had the same happy go lucky personality and was smiling in the same exact way every time. No it wasn't so bad after all. He didn't know that much about children or else he would have reconsidered even taking the kid in.

A/N: With a child that age, she is already beginning the terrible two's. Souja never knew her dad and lost her mom due to pnemonia so it isn't uncommon when she starts to call him papa. Still, it gets worse before it gets better and Saito's in for a big committment as any mother or father with children would know.