A/N: I was struck by inspiration when I was shopping with my sisters in the mall. Here's a short story that will hopefully entertain those for Halloween, and for those who don't celebrate it. This takes place roughly a week after the epilogue in Matchmaker Misao. Hopefully, it'll give everyone more insight on Aoshi and Megumi's relationship BEFORE the events in Realizations, as well as more insight to Aoshi and Misao's relationship.

Terminology:

CO - Commanding Officer, most senior officer in charge of a ship, unit, division, region, etc in the Navy

XO - Executive Officer, works directly under the CO, often acts as a CO when the CO is indisposed

Part 1: Misao's Secret

October 29, 2003

            "You mean to tell me that you haven't told him yet?" Dr. Megumi Takani gave an incredulous look to the teenager who was her patient, friend, and daughter of the man she loved.

            Misao Makimachi scrunched up her nose before sipping her cream soda. It was a tradition that she and her older female friends, Megumi and Kaoru Kamiya had. When it was time to vent, gossip, or provide advice, the three women went to a dessert shop in Waikiki, reminiscent of a fifties' diner. Kaoru had a kendo class to teach, and had complained about not being able to go, but she said she'd catch up later, if she could. "It's a… 'sensitive' topic…"

            "It'll become even more sensitive the longer you delay in telling him," Megumi pointed out.

            "But I'm preparing. It won't make sense to him, you know that," Misao argued.

            "It's two days before Halloween. Unless something's changed, you have a date that night. That's not a lot of preparation time…"

            "But who the heck gets a date on a school retreat?" Misao wailed.

            Megumi shook her head, smiling. "You went away for the weekend to have fun and meet other high school students. It's not surprising you have a date. Those several days really do give you the time to get to know others…"

            "He's from Kamehameha High," Misao supplied.

            "Hmm. My old high school. I seem to remember the male selection there was the best on Oahu…" Megumi recalled.

            "Yes!" Misao exclaimed. "Oh my gosh, Megs…the guys from there are so nice…they excuse themselves when they want to pass you, if they bump into you…they hold doors open for you, let you cut in line in front of them…And I just knew they were all from Kamehameha High because all the schools had to wear these T-shirts with our mascot on them. All of the boys who were nice all were wearing shirts from there. You know how hard it is these days to find a guy who isn't so focused on himself?"

            Megumi laughed.

            "Oh, wait…look who I'm talking to…" Misao mused aloud.

            Megumi's eyes rounded. "What's that supposed to mean?"

            "I just realized that I'm asking you for an opinion, when you already know the answer. You're older than me, with more life experience, so of course you'd know how to answer that," Misao grinned.

            Megumi tossed her straw wrapper at her. "Very smooth save…"

            "Hey, Aoshi got in trouble plenty of times for the both of us…"

            That he did… "Do you really think Aoshi will get upset if you go on one date? It's just a date."

            Misao shot her a look. "Megs…He plans on asking my date where he would least like to be shot."

            "Better he ask than not."

            "Maybe you could talk to him…"

            "Misao…I'm not going to be a mediator between you two," Megumi replied gently. "Aoshi's just going to have to accept that you're growing up."

            "He never will," Misao replied. "I'll always be a little girl to him."

            Megumi grimaced, recalling her own words. "Actually…most fathers have a difficult time accepting that their daughters grow up…"

            "But if you talk to him…let him know what you went through-"

            "Misao," Megumi cut in lightly. "Remember what I promised you and Aoshi once he and I got involved?"

            Misao frowned, shaking her head.

            "I said that I would never interfere in your relationship. This definitely counts as that." Megumi took a long sip of her soda.

            "Think of this as practice. If you guys ever get married, that's going to happen regardless."

            Megumi coughed on her drink, causing Misao to grin.

            "I said 'if'," Misao emphasized.

            Waving her hand in dismissal, Megumi nodded. "I shouldn't be keeping this from him as it is…"

            "See? You're already getting involved. It's that patient-doctor confidentiality thing. I tell you something personal and unless it greatly affects my health, you aren't supposed to say anything to my guardian about it."

            Megumi wrinkled her nose. "I wish you hadn't mentioned the date in my office. Especially when you told the receptionist that you wanted to see me for some health advice…that visit counted as an official one."

            "I asked about good eating habits and exercise. It wasn't just about the date."

            "You're as tricky as your father," Megumi pointed out.

            "No, I think he's just picking up a few things from his girlfriend," Misao grinned cheekily. 

            The lady doctor smiled back. "You're going to have to tell him soon. Better sooner than when your date arrives…"

            "I think I'll tell him after the date."

            "What? Why?"

            "Because what if I'm doing all this worrying over nothing? What if the date sucks? Do I want to make a big deal out of it if the date sucks?"

            "You plan to sneak out?" Megumi demanded. "Misao-"

            The teen grabbed her arm. "Please, promise me you won't tell him…"

            "Misao-!" Megumi exclaimed.

            "Please, Megs?" Misao pleaded.

            "Don't bring me into this," Megumi replied. "I won't-"

            "Please?"

            "Aoshi's going to murder us both when he finds out," the older woman muttered.

            "I'm sure you can convince him not to. You've got your ways," Misao said cheerfully.

            Megumi sighed. "This is exactly why I sat you and Aoshi down after I started dating him…" she glanced at the teen's expression. "I…I promise not to say anything. But only if you agree to tell him immediately after," she added, waving her index finger.

            "You're the best, Megs!" Misao threw her arms around the doctor. "Besides, you and Aoshi are going to that Halloween party that night! Why spoil the fun?" Misao beamed. "Did I mention that you're the best?"

            "I'll remember that the moment Aoshi fires at me," the lady doctor murmured grudgingly. "Maybe if I'm lucky, he won't snipe me…he'll be merciful and let me at least see him pull the trigger…"

October 30, 2003

            "Is everything ready for tomorrow?" Aoshi Shinomori relaxed as his girlfriend proceeded to wet his hair before giving him a haircut. She was the only non-military barber…or stylist…he would let touch his hair. Not because he didn't trust people…he just didn't trust them to do it correctly.

            Megumi paused as she adjusted the spray of the handheld shower. "Everything's set. I finished the last minute touches on my costume and my aunts have the banquet hall decorated."

            He leaned back against the edge of the tub, the back of his neck supported by a folded towel as she began to massage his scalp. Aoshi closed his eyes. Very rarely one was able to relax like this and not pay a substantial fee.

            While he sat, Megumi was on her knees, leaning over him. He could detect every movement of her well-toned arms and slender hands…the way she shifted her weight from right to left…hear the rise and fall of her chest…almost taste the flavor of her lip gloss. He released a quiet sound of contentment as all the tension of the day drained from him, her ministrations slowly lulling him to sleep.

            "Water temperature okay?" she asked, threading her fingers through the black strands.

            "It's fine." He opened his eyes, the ridge of her collarbone being in his direct line of vision.

            "Sit up," she instructed. When he obliged, she towel-dried his hair before directing him to a chair that she had dragged into his bathroom. Then she wrapped a plastic sheet around him so that as little hair as possible would catch onto him.

            "Good thing your hair is already short," Megumi commented. "Just barely regulation…" She stood in front of him, critically examining his head as she tapped a black comb against the thigh of her mint green halter dress.

            He smiled slightly at her mannerism. Megumi was as intelligent as she was beautiful. But there was an obvious warmth in her demeanor as well. The combination of all the elements in her personality, in essence, made her a very appealing woman.

            "Something funny?" she asked, combing his hair slightly to one side. Her brown eyes twinkled with delight, obviously pleased that something about her amused him.

            "Not really," he responded in a vague tone.

            Megumi started from the back, combing his hair then catching it with her index and middle fingers, before snipping with scissors. "How was work today?"

            He grimaced slightly. "Tiring. I spent nearly half the day watching the war exercise, the remaining explaining to the crew why they lost."

            "Hmm. That's longer than usual…" she mused, working diligently.

            "Got into an argument with the CO. Then the XO joined in."

            "It sounds tiring." Megumi paused for a moment, before cutting again. "Well…it's not easy telling a group of men that they don't have the capabilities to do what they signed up for."

            "Definitely not."

            "Do you ever miss your old life?" she asked softly. "Working for NIS…working on ships overseas?"

            "Didn't you ask me that several months ago?" He smiled wryly at her reflection in the mirror.

            "You danced around the question," she responded, smiling back.

            He was quiet for a moment. She continued to work. "A part of me does," he admitted.

            "That's probably why you didn't quit the service," she murmured.

            She worked quietly as he sat. He enjoyed the fact that she could be in his company and say nothing. Silence spoke volumes. It meant that she didn't feel the need to speak all the time.

            "What do you think?" she asked after ten minutes.

            He looked over her work in the mirror. Nodding his approval, he removed the plastic sheet while she plugged a hair dryer into the wall socket. With a flick of her thumb, the unit roared to life, and she dusted off loose strands from his bare shoulders, running her fingers through his hair.

            "There you go…" she turned the dryer off and set it on the counter by the sink.

            Just before she turned away to unplug the unit, he grasped her hips and pulled her into his lap. The action caught her by surprise, the expression in her eyes giving it away, causing him to smile inwardly before he kissed her. Slowly, gently, he savored the feeling of hearing her breath catch, her hands wrapping around his back, her body shifting to lean towards him.

            When he lifted his head, she asked breathlessly, "What was that for?"

            He was feeling a little breathless himself.

            "That was a thank you," he answered. Kissing her cheek lightly, noticing that the action made her smile, he then added, "And to say that I consider myself a very lucky man."

            "That's funny, I think that, too," she quipped.

            He frowned. "Modesty is something you might want to try."

            "With you? There are a lot of things I'd like to try…"

            He rolled his eyes and gently moved her off him as she laughed.

            "Go shower," she ordered, her eyes still sparkling with amusement. "I'll clean up here…"          

            Where's Aoshi and Megs? Misao wondered for a moment before drinking out of the juice carton. She saw Megumi's car parked in the driveway, and Aoshi's in the garage, as soon as she got home, so where'd they go? Misao moved over to the white dry erase board to look at the notes before drinking again. Just as a figure in light green came into her peripheral line of sight. She gulped before setting the carton down, a sheepish expression on her face. "Oops."

            The older woman arched a brow before shaking her head, slightly amused.

            "What's going on, Megs?"

            "Nothing, really," Megumi responded with a smile. "I was going to start dinner."

            Megumi came over once or twice a week to cook dinner. Other times, she and Aoshi would go to Megumi's. It was a routine she had gotten used to. And liked.

            "Cool." Misao put the carton back. She watched as Megumi began to pull items out of the fridge, some cutting utensils and plates, placing them all on the counter. "Where's Aoshi?"

            "He's in the shower."

            Ookay. "Oh man. Do you want me to come back later?" Misao asked.

            Megumi blinked, "No, that's-"

            "Hey, does he know about tomorrow?" Misao interrupted.

            "If he does, he didn't hear it from me," Megumi answered sincerely.

            "Hear what?"

            Both women looked up to see Aoshi standing several feet away, wearing blue jeans and a pale blue button down shirt. He was running a hand towel through his short hair.

            "About the Halloween dance," Misao replied. "Stella's picking me up. I forgot if I mentioned it to you, cuz I mentioned it to like a million other people."

            Megumi bit her lip as she began to slice cheese for the salad. Misao hoped that her immediate response wasn't too obvious. But judging from Aoshi's expression, he believed her.

            "I don't think so," he responded, before ruffling her hair. "But have fun."

            Misao released a breath, relieved.

            "So what is on the menu for tonight?" Aoshi moved behind Megumi, watching her actions.

            "Salad...chicken wrapped in bacon...rice..." Megumi glanced at him. "Vanilla ice cream with pistachio sauce."

            "She's trying to get us fat," Misao stated.

            "You two shouldn't even be worrying about that," Megumi responded. She jabbed Aoshi in the solar plexus with her elbow. "Especially you, who gets up early to run at dawn."

            "I don't know, he's getting old…he might have to start watching his diet…" Misao said doubtfully.

            Aoshi shot her a look before saying dryly, "If being thirty-two is old, then Megumi doesn't have much time left."

            "Watch it," Megumi shook her head.

            "Oh, she's got a long way off," Misao flapped her hand. "You're only what, Megs…twenty-eight?"

            "Twenty-nine in two months," Aoshi added.

            "And still unmarried," Misao continued. "Isn't there some universal guide that says you should be married by now and have your first kid by thirty?"

            "No," Megumi declared firmly. "Plenty of women are getting married later in life and starting families late as well."

            "But you don't want to get married for a loooong time," Misao stressed. "By that time, aren't your eggs going to be ancient?"

            "Can we stop the double-teaming?" Megumi glanced between Aoshi and Misao. Misao could tell that she hadn't taken offense to it. When someone had known Megumi long enough, they could easily pick up on her mood.

            "I didn't say anything insulting," Aoshi responded lightly.

            "You hardly said anything period," Megumi corrected.

            Misao smiled slightly, watching the two. Ever since the incident last year…Aoshi had become a little more affectionate. And when he and Megumi started dating…he seemed…different. In a good way. Misao was glad to know that her original intuition was right. Aoshi did need someone in his life. She wasn't sure where Aoshi and Megumi planned to take their relationship, but it was nice to see him happy.

            "Did you still need help with your makeup?" Megumi asked Misao.

            "No…I think I got it," Misao assured.

            Aoshi arched a brow. "Halloween makeup or makeup to impress boys?"

            "What do you think?" Misao challenged, grinning. "It's a Halloween dance."

            "I'll assume Halloween, then," Aoshi moved to assist Megumi.

            "Assume away," Misao propped her chin in her fists. "Are you guys looking forward to the party tomorrow?"

            "Of course," Megumi smiled. "How often do we get to dress up?"

            "It doesn't seem like Aoshi's thing...dressing up in capes and fangs for a party..."

            "I'm only going to keep her out of trouble," Aoshi corrected mildly, gesturing to Megumi. "And I was instructed I had to be in costume or face her two aunts..." 

            Megumi laughed. "I found out that Tokio's going...as Little Red Riding Hood."

            Misao's jaw dropped. "So who's Commander Saitou going as?"

            "The Big Bad Wolf," Megumi laughed.

            "No way!"

            "Tokio showed me the costume online...he is going to be very uncomfortable..." Megumi grinned.

            "He must love her a lot to do that for her..." Misao mused, shaking her head. She still didn't get why a guy like him was married. "Speaking of couples...did you two have fun last weekend while I was gone?"

            Megumi glanced at Aoshi, who responded, "Yes. We had breakfast with the Himuras."

            "And you spent the weekend at Megs' place," Misao stated, watching them carefully.

            "What makes you say that?" Aoshi asked casually as he retrieved a spice from the cupboard.

            "Don't play dumb." Misao wondered why the two had to hide the fact that they were lovers. She knew Megs wasn't a virgin...and she knew Aoshi wasn't a virgin...and for a couple that had been together as long as they have, sleeping with each other was bound to happen. She respected that they were trying to be good role models. But really... "It's not like I don't know you guys are having sex."

            Megumi coughed while a flush of color began to appear on Aoshi's cheeks.

            "Megumi...would you excuse us?" Aoshi set his food preparation down.

            "Of course..." Megumi wiped her hands on a towel before disappearing into the den.

            Misao watched gleefully as Aoshi washed his hands before sitting on the stool next to her.

            "I suppose there's no easy way to say this..." Aoshi began. "When she and I...decided to take that step in our relationship, we wanted to make sure that we set an example for you. She's your physician and I am your father." He drew in a breath. "I have no say in how you will carry yourself in your relationships." He smiled slightly. "If I had my way, you'd never see anyone...because no one deserves you."

            Misao frowned.

            "But I know that when the time comes for you...you'll make the right decision...And that it's someone that you have discussed this with. And someone you care about who also cares for you," he continued.

            "You mean have sex with someone I really love, not think I love, and who loves me back."

            He winced. "Basically..."

            It must be painful for him to say that. He probably didn't want to imagine her being deflowered.

            "Aoshi, you don't have to explain your reasons on why you and Megs...do...what...you...do. If you two weren't getting it on, I'd be really worried," Misao replied. She nearly laughed at the look in his eyes. "It's the twenty-first century, and I'm old enough to know about that kind of stuff. Neither of you are really religious, so it's not a 'before marriage' type of issue. So don't worry about it. And you don't have to worry about me, either. You and Jiya taught me well." Reaching out, Misao squeezed his hand.

            He smiled with relief. "Good. I'm glad you know now. How did you find out?"

            "Well...I already figured you guys were...but Kaoru definitely made it positive when I saw her on Sunday. She said something and caught herself after it was too late..."

            Aoshi grimaced. "Himura's wife talks too much." His expression softened, turning to curiosity. "But how would she know unless...?" he glanced in the direction of the den.

            But Misao waved her hand. "Megs is pretty good at keeping things private. Kaoru couldn't get any details, just that you spent the weekend together."

            "Why would she even want details?" Aoshi asked incredulously.

            Misao gagged. "She and her husband need to spice up their love lives, she said. She said that Megumi was glowing, so she wanted to know what kind of techniques you guys use..."

            Aoshi's blue-gray eyes rounded.

            "Scary, huh?" Misao prompted, grinning after Aoshi's brief nod.

            Her cell phone rang, interrupting their conversation. When she saw who the caller was, Misao retreated to her room, quickly explaining to Aoshi that she had girl stuff to talk about. So he called Megumi back in and continued preparing dinner.

            In reality, Misao's caller was her secret date. If she could just get through it, then she'd tell Aoshi what happened. She appreciated that he was honest with her about Megumi...even though it was after the fact. She could do the same, right? That was fair, right?

A/N: Next part is the continuation and conclusion. Megumi and Aoshi attend the party, Misao sneaks out on her date but gets more than she bargained for...