Disclaimer: Sadly, I know Santa will not be giving me the rights to Saiyuki this Christmas, so I'll have to settle for second best. Fanfiction. I do not own Saiyuki. I will never own Saiyuki. I do own Ana.

Reviews: Thanks to all those that have reviewed. DustBunnyQueen, Miorochi, White Fire Alchemist, cheeky half-demon, BadWolf-Phoenix, patriot16, beatit, bloodshadow, silver-eyed, AmY-DyLan-SoHiA-aNiKi, GundamGirlie456, Lady Nightlord, Wandering Hitokiri, BlueStocking, Demented Cloud, FcS, I-Eat-My-Vegetables, The Paranoia Kids, and Princesa de la Luna. I have to say, Princesa de la Luna, I've never received a longer review than you.

Points of Interest:

Clones: I've got a fair idea of what will happen. In fact, I've written most of it. Just have to finish it up.

Yakumo's Kids: I'm sorry to say, they have all died. That was why they sealed up the cave as a tomb.

Ana's Age: She turned eighteen not long after she came to Shangri-La. Now, it is a couple or three months until her birthday again. Her birthday is on January the twenty-seventh.

Goku & Gojyo: They love to fight. Boredom can factor in, but mostly they just enjoy doing the brotherly thing. And brothers fight. A lot. I sure as hell know sisters do. And sisters and brothers. So why not 'brothers'?

Gaiden: I am not sure if I will do that. Just that I'm not going to watch the anime at all and I have yet to read the manga. I've yet to find the manga translated into English. Besides, I'm having brain strain enough over trying to do this story alone.

What'd I'd really like!!! I've been in serious need of some art. I can't draw worth a damn and I'd love pictures of the guys and Ana all together. You've all got ideas of how she looks with the Latino heritage, dark brown hair, dark brown eyes, and slightly taller than Goku (only by an inch and that's not including the hair!). I've been meaning to ask for some time but never got around to it until now. You guys can e-mail me the pictures (there is my e-mail on my profile). I will find a way to put them up here so that you may all enjoy.

I APOLOGIZE! I APOLOGIZE! I'M SOOOOOO SOOOOORRRRRRIIIEEEEEEEEEEE!!!! This chapter is not as good as I wanted it to be. I will admit before-hand I fumbled the ball super bad. It picks up after a bit, I promise, with some humor and some goodness from between Ana and Hakkai. No luff-fluff between them. Oh, no! Sanzo would kill Hakkai! But there is humor due to the two. And there's a lot of movement in time. Again, many apologies not filling in all the nooks and crannies, but I just didn't have the imagination on this one.

Again, sorry for the lackluster chapter!!!!!

Chapter III: Interlude I

They had left the mountain over a week ago and for most of that week, Ana had been fairly quiet. She would speak when spoken to, but would rarely give more than one sentence at a time. It had shaken her badly… what had happened with Yakumo and his children. So normal and innocent one minute and the next… utter chaos.

The dawning of the tenth day had her back to normal, though, and she smiled at Hakkai when she passed him to do her business. It had understandably relieved him when she had done so, even though it seemed strained. It meant she had recovered somewhat.

During that day, she was far chattier than she had been and instantly Goku and Gojyo were all over her, trying to cheer her up further. They were delighted the old Ana was shining through again. Sanzo, on the other hand, did nothing more than the usual except when he brushed a thumb over her cheek. The simple gesture of affection was enough to elicit a thankful smile from her.

After the next day dawned, Ana pushed her experience into the memory closet and closed the door. She couldn't just yet lock it… so as a result, she knew she would remember something or other that would upset her though the pain would fade. It had happened many times before. What had gotten her so bad about it, though she couldn't admit it to the others, was that Yakumo looked a little like a scruffier version of Jake's dad… and Ryo looked quite a bit like a younger Jake only with pointy ears and nails. That was why it was so easy to fall in with them and interact with them.

And as she was thinking about Jake, a hand touched her shoulder. She turned to see Hakkai looking at her. He smiled softly, gently. "Hey," she smiled.

"And why are you out here? There's food in the inn you know," he said to her.

"Are you trying to turn me into Goku?" teased Ana. Hakkai couldn't help but laugh.

"No, no!" he chuckled. "Why are you…" He looked around the alley, his laughter fading. "…In the alley of all places?"

She nodded down to the other end, which opened out onto the next street. "Watching the people down there…" Ana then nodded to the street that she had been facing. "Watching the people moving up the street there."

"People watching, then?"

"Did it back home. There was a festival called the Renaissance Festival near a town called Magnolia and I'd always go and pay the ticket just to go and watch and listen and it was awesome."

"I hope I could see it sometime," Hakkai said, smiling at her own fond smile.

"Maybe you will. I don't know…"

"Don't be sad," he told her. "What happened is irreversible."

"What part of my life are you talking about?" Ana said bitterly.

"You're worrying Sanzo," Hakkai said softly. She had no reply to that. "You've drawn into yourself and though you act normal… you haven't been. You shouldn't shut him out."

There was a soft rumble overhead and she looked up reflexively so she didn't have to meet Hakkai's eyes. The sky was darkening slowly.

"Why are you doing this?" The words left her faster than she could stop them.

"I don't have the courage to make you angry so you can vent on me," Hakkai said to her. Ana's head snapped to look at him and he smiled a little sheepishly. "I don't…" He paused, unsure. "…And you helped me before. I wanted to help you."

"I'm not sure I want you to help…" Ana looked away as she said it.

"Then talk to Sanzo. He's allowed to help, right?"

"It's a little thing called pride," she admitted.

His hand gripped her shoulder again and then he left her be. Hakkai could not talk her into doing anything. She was stubborn. As stubborn as Sanzo, which is why they often butted heads as much as they kissed. The youkai knew that they had both the foundation of a very amazing relationship or a fairly abusive one. Which one they'd take was something of a mystery.

He walked back into the inn and mused quietly to himself on whether or not he should tell her about his upcoming birthday two weeks from now. The way she reacted when finding out Goku's on short notice was something he didn't want to repeat. And that was where he wondered if he should tell her or not. If he told her, she'd probably get him something via Sanzo's card. He honestly had nothing he wanted, though. So what if he didn't tell her? What would happen then? She'd be upset if she found out. After all, between him and Sanzo, she had been cared for.

Pushing all thoughts towards Ana aside for the time being, he focused on Goku, who was now whining to him about something Gojyo had done to him. And he focused on calming the situation.

Outside, Ana slid a hand through her hair. Absently, she noted that she needed to wash it as it felt a little oily. Her hair slid free of her fingers and fell around her face again. She sighed.

Hakkai had brought up a good point. Isolating herself was all well and good when she had no one that she could lean on. Now that she had Sanzo, she should confide in him.

But pride was the one thing that stuck in her craw. So much for being a good Christian as she couldn't humble herself to ask for help… She snorted derisively.

Considering her options, she knew what would be best. And now that she knew what she could do, her chest hurt… Crap… She'd better go humble herself fast or else she'd humiliate herself by crying like a fucking baby in front of a bunch of strangers and the guys.

Ana turned and darted into the inn, up the stairs, and into the room where Sanzo was currently sequestering himself with the current newspaper of the area. Before Sanzo could really register what was happening, he had had his newspaper shoved out of the way and Ana's arms around his neck. He realized after a moment she was soaking his robe with tears and saying over and over and over again, "I'm sorry, I'm sorry."

"What are you sorry for?" asked Sanzo, not understanding what the reason was for the tears.

"I'm sorry I shut you out!" she cried into his chest. His hand let go of the paper and he encircled her with his arms, pulling her close so that she could sob, releasing all the frustration she had kept bottled up for a while. He found that this was far better than the explosion she had had when her arm had been broken, but it was still very alarming.

A minute later, Goku and Gojyo burst into the room, having seen Ana go by in such a hurry. And they froze when they saw her crying on Sanzo. For a moment, Sanzo had a gentle look on his face – the kind that could be seen when he was asleep more often than when he was awake – and when he realized that they were there, erased the look to glare at them.

"Is she okay?" asked Goku. Hakkai came up behind them and saw that the young woman had finally let go.

"She's just been stressed, Goku," the green-eyed demon said, watching the younger one fidget.

Ana knew they were there, but her tears wouldn't stop. At least she wasn't wracked with sobs. As it was, she clung to Sanzo as if he were the last thing left on earth.

"Man…" grunted Gojyo. "Never did good with crying girls."

"Sorry," Ana said, twisting her head just enough so that it could project into the room.

"Nothin' to be sorry about," said the red-head before backing out of the room. He didn't do well with crying girls and this one didn't want him around. She wanted Sanzo instead of him. He could accept that. Hakkai was soon following after him, bringing a protesting and very worried Goku with him. Hakkai gently closed the door, but not before casting a long look at Sanzo. One that Sanzo interpreted as 'be kind and do your best to help her'.

When they were finally alone, Sanzo's eyes softened again. "Get up and get more comfortable," he said to her. Her fingers tightened for a brief moment before she shifted and slid down to rest in a kneeling position about thirty centimeters away from him, her eyes on the ground. "I said get up," he chided her. "Not fall on the floor."

She snorted in sour amusement as she looked up at him. Suddenly she blurted, "They looked like Jake and his dad." Sanzo's expression turned to one of confusion. "Scruffier versions, yeah… Youkai versions, I know. But they looked like Jacob and his dad."

"You mean Yakumo and one of the kids," Sanzo said in slow realization. Ana nodded.

"Him and Ryo," she told her boyfriend. "Jake's got hair just like Ryo had. And the same kind of face. I remember when the two of us would play all day at that age. Fairy tale type stuff. Army. Lost at sea. Indiana Jones. All we needed was a cardboard box pretty much. And the cat as the enemy." She snorted in amusement as she reminisced. "Though Bell Bell was hardly the type to stand up and act like a dragon or a Nazi. She'd flop over on her side and stare at us like… 'Are you nuts or something? What makes you think I'd degrade myself and play with you?'"

He felt a smile tug at his lips. It sounded something like a cat would say. And it gave him an insight into her life before she came into his. She spoke again and the smile left his lips as he heard what she said.

"It was hard when Bell Bell died. She got mauled by a dog down the street," whispered Ana, her eyes distant as she remembered. "I found her and I didn't realize it was her until I saw her collar." She bit her lip. "I screamed bloody murder and Tim found me screeching a bit of a ways from her body. He gagged and threw up just as Mom and Dad came, along with several neighbors and Jake. Mom picked up her body in an old rag and put it in a plastic bag. She couldn't let the trash just clean her up or have more dogs fighting over her corpse. We dug a grave and buried her in the back yard. We put a stone paver with her name painted on it over the grave. And Jake and I cried so much. It was like we had lost our keeper, our friend. And when I found out that Yakumo had been burying the children under those stones, and made the connection of his appearance and Ryo's appearance to those I loved… and then burying them… It brought back so much of that time during my childhood. Bits of it I had forgotten even."

She looked up at Sanzo, who looked at her. He remained silent for a long while and then gave her his hand. She took it in hers and he hauled her up. Now that she was standing, he was lower than her, and her legs tingled harshly from her crouched position.

And then he stood, making himself taller than her by a good bit, and proceeded to tuck her head under his chin and hug her close.

"Things happen for a reason," he told her. "Reasons we may not understand right then and there. Who knows if we'll ever understand them at all? Yakumo and Ryo are important to remember, not because of how they died but because of how they lived. Despite the fact they looked like those you know, they were not them. And remember, they still live in a respect that we do remember them."

"You are spouting so much bullshit, you've actually got me believing it," she laughed into his chest before hugging him around his middle.

"Good, because I don't want to have to spout this bullshit again," he told her a tad 'harshly', earning another laugh from her.

"Love you so much," she said to him.

"I know," he said after a moment, incapable of forming the words right then himself.

They stood like that for a while longer before letting go. It wasn't exactly the right time for them to start jumping each other's bones at the moment, though they were still incapable of bringing themselves to go that far.

The next morning came, bright and loud as the birds were singing in the tree just outside the window. Ana and Goku were almost in sync when they pulled their pillows over their heads from different parts of the room with equally almost in sync groans. Gojyo, who saw the display, grinned and decided it was time for them to wake up. Unfortunately, Sanzo and Hakkai were both out as Sanzo wanted a fresh paper and Hakkai had to shop. And Sanzo was apparently bored.

Gojyo decided to step over to Ana's bed first to rip the sheets off of her bed, which would cause any sane person to either shriek in shock, bolt upright, or curl up into the fetal position to fend off the cold. If they were less sane (say, if they were Goku) it would be easy to say that they would just lie there and still sleep. Which is why after a rude awakening on Ana's part, he'd shove Goku off the bed. Goku was a heavy sleeper, so therefore would be done second.

He carefully grabbed Ana's covers, made sure that his grip was good… and... A second later, the covers were on the floor, accompanied with a loud yelp. Ana's wild eyes fell on Gojyo after adjusting to the light. "You!" she snarled, rapidly waking up. He had the gall to grin. "Sonuvabitch!" she shrieked as she threw herself from the bed and Gojyo turned and ran from the raging mini thunder storm as light was arcing wildly down her form. The commotion woke Goku up even as Ana thundered after Gojyo with her bare feet pounding on the ground.

The kappa darted around the sharp corner and ran down the stairs, into the common room. He winced as there was a squeal of bare feet on waxed wood and a solid thump that came from upstairs. His thought of 'that had to hurt' was verified by a litany of swear words in three languages and a few unsteady footfalls.

"What did you do?" asked Hakkai with a sigh at the sound of the curses from the young woman upstairs, having just returned with Sanzo holding his brand new paper.

"They were sleeping in," offered Gojyo. "I had to wake them up." Sanzo gave a solid glare at the foolish half-youkai before going upstairs. "I don't think he appreciated my help."

"He was apparently not the only one," Hakkai said primly, walking past Gojyo. "And you'd best apologize before things get hard in the group, Gojyo."

"I will, just after she cools off."

"That, too, would probably be wise."

"Hey, Hakkai?"

"Yes?" queried the youkai.

"Did you tell her about your birthday?"

"I have nothing that I want or need, Gojyo. There's no need to inform her of it."

As the driver walked up the stairs, Gojyo hatched another plan under that mop of red hair. "Now there is," he said mischievously to himself and walked over to the nearest table to get himself started on the subject of breakfast.

Upstairs, Ana was being herded into the bedroom by Sanzo and was soon greeted by a befuddled Goku. After a while, Ana was bundled into the shower and Sanzo was ordering Goku to get dressed as Hakkai put the groceries onto the table, Hakuryuu fluttering off of his shoulder to settle on the back of the chair.

"Where's Ana-dono?" asked Hakkai.

"Shower," grouched Goku, still not quite awake.

"Are you okay, Goku?"

"M'fine," mumbled the monkey. "Breakfast…"

"Downstairs. I daresay that Gojyo is still down there, waiting until it is safe to go near Ana-dono again." As Goku groggily headed to the door, Hakkai called after him, "Remember we'll be leaving soon."

"Okay," replied the chimp as he left the room. It swung shut behind him and he started down the hall to the stairs.

Sanzo looked at the door to the bathroom.

"You haven't said much," commented Sanzo. The priest turned his head to gaze at Hakkai.

"They're not being completely obnoxious, so words have been reserved," he said blandly. Hakkai couldn't help but chuckle.

"I'll go mind those two." Hakkai turned and was soon matched by Sanzo. "I thought you'd be staying here?" he asked, surprised.

"I'm hungry and she's not an invalid," grunted Sanzo.

"Hmm…" mused the demon. "I cannot believe how much you've changed the moment you opened up your heart, Sanzo."

The priest gave him a look. "Excuse me?" he said flatly.

"You know what I mean. You care deeply for her and somehow show that without oppressing her. It's fairly unique of your personality, from what I can tell."

"Do not go 'Dr. Phil' on me," he grunted sourly, remembering a phrase that Ana had used once.

"Excuse me?" echoed Hakkai, confused.

"Some television show that apparently has a psychologist on it," the monk said blandly.

"Oh…"

It wasn't too long later that had the ikkou headed out of town. Ana had sat on the side nearest Sanzo, Goku was in the middle, and Gojyo was over next to Hakkai. Ana was majorly grumpy at Gojyo… make that majorly pissed, too… and she really didn't want to sit near enough to him for him to play yet another prank on her. She normally gave as good as she got, but this morning her ability for vengeance was impaired by the fact he had woken her and in a fit of rage, she had charged after him which resulted in her slamming square into a wall with her shoulder, hip, arm, and the corner of her head as she had not hit her side, but her front left. And as a result of the impact, she had been rather jarred. Hence the reason she hadn't quite gotten him back.

Gojyo, on the other hand, was plotting in his usual fiendish-yet-none-too-bright way. When would it be best to tell Ana? Hakkai's birthday was about two weeks away. More accurately, it was twelve days from now, if the inn's calendar was any indication.

He recognized the fact it would be dangerous to play a prank on Hakkai. But if he maneuvered it right, Ana-kun would have no chance to tell him who told her. Of course, if he could get Goku to tell her, then the blame would be off of him. Up until he thought of what would happen when Goku was questioned. He'd finger out Gojyo in a heartbeat. And both he and Goku would be in deep shit from the actual scariest of them all.

So, back to square one. Well, he already knew Sanzo would be no help…

Wait! He knew it! What if he went to her on the pretense of telling Ana about everyone's birthday, not just Hakkai's? That way, Ana wouldn't be so surprised when someone suddenly had a birthday and she wouldn't be so freaked out. And it would have the side benefit of her knowing when his birthday was. He already knew hers, so there was no problem, but she had to know Sanzo's too, yeah?

As he thought this plan out, he was staring out over the few farms before it turned into wild wilderness, Ana and Goku chattering beside him, Hakkai talking to Sanzo in the front seat.

For some reason, everything seemed unnaturally quiet.

And that set him on edge.

Of course, nothing could stay peaceful for long in their world. And never quiet for very long either.

Hakkai stepped (or was that stomped?) on the brakes, bringing them to a rapid stop. Everyone had released surprised and rather upset shouts at the sudden stop even as they regained their balance for the impending battle, for a small group of youkai had, naturally, just found them.

"It's the Sanzo gang!" crowed one of them, with a shaggy mane of blue-black hair and a seemingly permanent leer on his face. "Let's kill 'em!" An obvious leader, if his actions were any indication. Also a rather soon-to-be-dead one if the look on the Ikkou's faces were anything to go by.

Total of the group, there was fifteen. Three each. And that meant three deaths per Ikkou member. Sanzo got the honor of killing off the leader with one gunshot early on in the game. The corpse stood for a second, blood streaming from the hole between his once life-filled eyes and out the back of the fist sized hole came gray matter and blood. Not a pretty sight, truth be told. And after that moment had passed, he crumpled and hit the dirt, no longer capable of rising once again.

It set the others upon them, howling in rage. "Oh, great. Think we pissed them off?" asked Ana blandly as she created a full-blown fry-'em-all circuit in her body.

"Probably!" laughed Goku, shifting Nyoi-bo.

And then they set into it.

There were screams of pain, a couple on their side, mostly on the youkai's part. And everyone soon was piled back into the car, fifteen bleeding and/or fried corpses behind them. Everything was suddenly back as it was. There was an argument, a fight between the backseaters, a gunshot courtesy of Sanzo, settling down, and rinse… repeat.

That evening, when they stopped, Ana went to wash her hands in the creek about five meters away from the campsite. And Gojyo did the same. "Yo," he said, his usual grin in place.

Ana glanced up from the stream, her hands submerged. "Hey," she muttered before going back to washing her hands in the frigid water.

"I remember how you freaked when Goku's birthday came up without notice," he said with a remembering smirk.

"Yeah, why? Yours tomorrow or somethin'?"

"Nah. But Hakkai's is on the twenty-first." She started upright, her hands coming clean out of the water.

"It is?!" she said, astonished. Ana had thought that Hakkai would have told her. But it was so soon…

"Not so loud," he said softly. "He really didn't want to say, but I thought it'd be good to go ahead and get mine and Sanzo's out there, too, so you don't get surprised again… and you can maybe plan something naughty for dear ol' Sanzo-chan."

Ana turned a fetching shade of pink as said 'naughty' thoughts danced in her head. It didn't help when Gojyo chuckled and sent her from pink to red. "Gojyo!" she hissed.

"Aren't you just cute?" he asked her. "Anyways… Mine's on November ninth and Sanzo-chan's is on November twenty-ninth."

She looked at him. "You're planning something."

"I wanna surprise Hakkai with you knowing something he wasn't planning on you knowing."

"Is that the honest truth?"

"Hey, it gets me the side benefit of getting a present for me, too. On Sanzo's dime, no less!"

"I don't believe you."

"C'mon… please?" Her look was still disbelieving. "Pretty please?"

"Fine…" she sighed. "Let's get back to camp." The kappa grinned at her and hooked an arm around her shoulders. "Whaaat?"

"Heh… Aren't you a cutie?"

"I hope you aren't trying to seduce Ana-dono, are you, Gojyo?" asked Hakkai, looking at the two of them, Ana's dusky tan skin darker than Gojyo's sun-induced color. Sanzo glowered at the kappa. "Well?" asked Hakkai.

"Do you think I'd actually be so suicidal as to take Sanzo's girl?"

"And since when was I a possession?" Ana asked dryly right as Goku shot out, "No, you're just suicidal by pissing Sanzo off!" He jeered at the older man. Ana flushed and grabbed at Gojyo's arm.

"Off, kappa!" she said, pushing off his arm. After she had gotten free, she slipped over next to Sanzo. "I'd prefer not to be in the middle of a squabble, thank you very much," she said. "At least not without me instigating it first," she muttered. Even as she spoke, she was thinking furiously. What would Hakkai want? Would there be anything he would need? After all, all their needs were met by Sanzo's gold card, which was probably what she'd have to borrow (this time up front rather than sneakily-like) in order to get the green-eyed driver something. A book? A new monocle? Well, probably not the monocle because it was likely prescription. And it was a horror to fashion conscious people everywhere, no matter how good it happened to look on him. He'd look better in a pair of titanium frames, slightly square-ish. He had the face for them. She shook her head away from those thoughts. Sanzo had the face for those frames he wears when he reads. Away from those thoughts!!!

What would he want? A book? That sounded so lame to her. No doubt it would be the very lame thing that would make Hakkai happy. Gah…

"What's got you thinking so hard?" asked Goku, poking her knee.

"Hey!" she squeaked, swatting his hand away, making him grin. "And it's none of your business!"

"Aww… why?" he whined.

"Cuz it's my deal and not yours!"

"Stop thinking so hard and have some dinner," Hakkai said, serving up some food onto a tin plate before handing it to her.

"Aww!" Goku said again. "Why does she get the first plate?!"

"Because, I believe the saying goes 'ladies first'," Hakkai chided, serving up more food and handing the second plate to the monkey before giving food to the other two.

Ana waited until Hakkai had served himself before beginning to eat.

"What was in the paper?" asked Hakkai of Sanzo, who had read it from cover to cover earlier but had not really spoken about what was within its flimsy sheets.

"The usual," grunted Sanzo. "Flimsy bureaucrats and political bleating. Youkai attacks and obituaries."

"How about a crossword and the comics?" asked Ana, a little cheekily so she could lighten the mood.

He just gave her a look. "Despite what you may think, crosswords are slightly impossible as we do not have your alphabet."

"So… the comics?"

"We've got those!" laughed Goku.

"Sucks you don't have the New York Times crossword. I sometimes went online to do that. I preferred the Houston Chronicle's crossword in the paper cuz I could work it out on the sides. And I loved reading about Charlie Brown and Garfield."

They stared at her for a long moment. "You're babbling again," Sanzo said flatly.

"Sor-ry," she huffed, stuffing a bite into her mouth a second later. She glanced at her boyfriend out of the corner of her eye and noted that he was slowly chewing through the meal Hakkai had made. Ana was glad that it hadn't been stew again. It always heated her up so much, especially during this warm weather. She chewed slowly before swallowing. Ana considered for a long moment asking Hakkai straight up what he wanted, but it came to her that Gojyo had intended for her to keep it a surprise up until it was the day.

Which sucked, because how often could she drag Gojyo off to the side to find out what Hakkai wanted? Once in a very long while. As she tucked away the last of her meal, she relinquished her tin plate to Hakkai and stood. Brushing off her ass and walking away, she knew Sanzo would soon be following her to talk privately with her among other things. She always appreciated these private moments between them, knowing that he was scared to show his true self in public or even before their friends.

She was lucky if they would touch semi-intimately before Hakkai, Goku, and Gojyo.

But all that aside.

She turned to look back at camp and as a result at Sanzo who had just come up behind her. "Hey…" she murmured.

"Hn," he said in response.

"You've been quiet lately. What's on your mind?" she asked him, stepping forward. His hands encircled her waist and she made no move to reject his touch.

"I'd rather not talk about it," he said bluntly, moving in to kiss her.

"Ah," she said, shifting back and refusing the kiss. "Not until you talk."

He looked at her slightly hurt and confused. "Why?"

"Relationships are one part fun, one part work, and one part love. You have to have lots and lots and lots of patience and elbow grease to deal with all three parts at once. Can't let the love slip, can't let the work slide, and can't let the fun get shoved to the back burner. So… talk, please." She grinned innocently up at him. He looked away.

"I've been thinking…" he said honestly, but not at all open.

"I knew that," she said gently, reaching up to stroke his cheek with her thumb. "But what's been tearing you up? You've always thought. What you're thinking now is messing with you…"

"…"

"Please?"

"I still don't understand why you care for me," he said obliquely.

"I've told you why a bunch of times." She gave him a crooked grin. "You're handsome, kind—" He snorted. "And very insecure, I've noticed," she said blandly. He gave her a sharp look. "I'm not talking about the day-to-day stuff, Sanzo, that you're insecure about. It's about your connection with people. You hold people at arm's length and it's rough on you and on them. Especially when you care for them and they care for you."

"I don't care about anyone."

"Liar. Otherwise you'd walk away from this entire journey and say 'fuck you, world'. You're still working on saving the world and protecting a bunch of unknown people."

"You tell me not to lie to myself."

"Uh, huh."

"You want me to be friendly to others."

"Uh, no." He looked at her with a critical eye. "Why make you change so much? The lying thing's a big thing. The nicey-nice thing would be creepy. You are a sweetheart and the fact you care communicates itself to the others. You are who you are. And I should stop being such an Oprah wannabe."

"Do I even want to know?" he asked with a raised eyebrow.

"Not really because I don't like Oprah. Talk some for me. Tell me what you've got making a burr in your side."

He snorted in amusement. "You have some very strange phrases."

"It comes with being just north of the border and your mom being white," she snorted. "Talk, now…"

"I've never been good at talking…" When she didn't respond any further than looking at him expectantly, he continued. "Obviously you know that…" He sighed. "I'm no good for you but you still persist on being near me. I've got more blood on my hands than any human has in his or her body and I'll spill more."

"Pot and kettle."

"Stop saying that. It doesn't matter that you've killed because you had to or else you would die. I've killed even though I wasn't in danger."

"Was any one else in danger?" she queried, already knowing the truth.

He paused and changed the subject. "And it's only going to get worse the further we go. I'm worried that you'll die." She opened her mouth to protest and he cut her off, pulling away. "Everyone around me dies, Ana. That's just how it is. My master, the head of Kieun Temple… I don't want you added to that list." His voice was harsh as he spoke these words, rendering Ana silent for a long moment. But then she managed to gain her voice.

"Don't worry," she said softly, without sarcasm or humor. Her eyes were large and sad, gleaming as though she'd shed a few tears though she knew she wouldn't. Gripping her elbow, she said again, "Don't worry. I'll go home where youkai don't exist before they take my life. I won't leave you alone in that way."

He looked at her and she looked at him. Slowly, a smile crept onto her face. "Let's go back to the others," he murmured, feeling slightly relieved that he had talked about it. She nodded and flashed pearl white teeth at him, highlighted by the moon.

"Love you lots. Don't you get your boxers in a bunch trying to ensure every little detail, okay?"

He glared at her. "Do you have to ruin every single half-decent thing that comes out of your mouth with a snide remark?"

"Oh, how well you've come to know me!" she chirped. "Just like I've come to know you!"

He snorted as they left the private area for the campsite once again.

It was Hakkai's birthday in just two days. Ana had managed to find a three-book series that she thought Hakkai'd like, fiction with a touch of futuristic fantasy. She had also gotten a Sudoku book with a fun pencil with a bright yellow star-shaped eraser on the end. The shaft of the pencil was covered with multi-colored stars all the way down on a white background. And lastly she had gotten a cheap little pencil sharpener. Luckily, Sanzo had been a source of information as well as a willing source of the card. He had been surprised when she had asked him in the last town what exactly would Hakkai be interested in. When he had shrugged it off at first, she was rather annoyed. After all those years of having been with them, why didn't he know their tastes better? After a bit, he had offered up a nugget of information. What Hakkai would probably enjoy was actually what she had thought of. She had been told Hakkai had been interested in a book which had been second in a series that had come out right before they had left Chang-An to head west. Apparently the author had had enough time to publish a third while they had been on the move and apparently it was the last one. So she had bought all three in paperback. Luckily they were dirt cheap. As was the Sudoku book and pencil.

And she hid all purchases in her bag wrapped in the brown paper bag she had gotten them in and stuffed them under her underwear. There was no way Hakkai'd go into that bag without some major pushing. Hopefully it would be very much loved. Unfortunately, now she had ants in her pants for wanting to give it to him early.

Gojyo had kept her from giving in to her desire.

Goku had wanted to find out why she was so anxious.

And Hakkai was wondering why she seemed to glance at him every once in a while with more frequency the closer the day of his twenty-third birthday came. He approached Sanzo with his concern.

"Sanzo? Can I speak with you?" he asked, polite as usual.

Sanzo looked up over his glasses and grunted before turning back to his paper. "Sure," he said.

"Ana-dono has me worried. She seems…" He faltered. "Does she know it will be my birthday the day after tomorrow?"

"And if she does?" asked the priest.

"I hadn't wanted to worry her about it. There is nothing I really want or need." His shoulders sagged slightly, his frown present as he glanced at the floor. "She knows about my birthday, and she has gotten something for me, hasn't she?"

"Hn," grunted Sanzo.

"I should tell her to return it." Hakkai turned to leave, but Sanzo's sudden voice froze his hand on the door knob.

"We are several towns away from where she had discovered your birthday, Hakkai. I suggest you accept her present," Sanzo said softly. "Whether or not you like it is up to you." He glanced at Hakkai for a brief second and stayed focused on him as the youkai left the room, a silent air about him.

Hakkai walked down the stairs and discovered Ana with Goku and Gojyo chattering with some of the people in the common room of the inn. He thought about going over there and asking Ana if she had bought him something for his birthday and if she even knew of it, but he hesitated when he saw her laugh at something Goku had said. And he cast it aside. What was done was done, he supposed. But he wished she hadn't.

Sighing to himself, he went over to join them and was immediately brought into a chair to talk.

His birthday was here. He was twenty-four. Yesterday had been rough as there had been a battle with a large band of youkai and they all had a few large scratches. He couldn't even finish healing all of the wounds, so the bandages had to be broken out and hopefully he could finish healing them all today.

The birthday boy didn't have much chance to think on it as he opened his eyes to the vision of a brown paper bag sitting on the dash in front of him. On it were the words "Happy Birthday" and he knew immediately who it had come from. Ana.

He sighed, picking up the package, surprised by the weight. It had looked slightly bulky but he had assumed it would be some kind of box to fool him of its shape. Opening it, he discovered a pencil with stars all over it and a star-shaped eraser, a cheap pencil sharpener, and a book of Sudoku puzzles of varying difficulties. He lifted the objects out, curious as to what was beneath them and sucked in a small gasp. Somehow, she had gotten him the book he had enjoyed reading at Gojyo's before he had left on his journey and… the ones following it. The final one had come out? When? It was great that he had it. He had the feeling of eyes on him and looked to Sanzo, who was watching him out of the corner of his eye. But the priest wasn't the one whose eyes he had felt.

He looked over his shoulder and found that Ana had awoken and was watching him from her sleeping position on Gojyo's shoulder. She grinned.

"Ana-dono… you shouldn't have."

"I wouldn't have if several someones hadn't spoken up," she said softly. "Gojyo told me with ulterior motives so he could get something when his rolls around. And Sanzo had to tell me what you would like."

Hakkai looked in shock at the priest. He had told Ana what to get? That was a shock in and of itself.

"She wouldn't leave me alone about it," the priest said sourly.

"Don't lie. I only had to ask you twice," Ana pouted. "Hakkai? Do you wanna let me fix breakfast for your birthday?"

"That would be wonderful, though you have done more than enough," Hakkai agreed.

After a few minutes, Ana had wriggled out of the back and helping Hakkai fix breakfast. Powdered eggs weren't exactly her favoritest thing but at least they tasted sorta like the real thing and didn't require refrigeration. The percolating coffee pot was heating with Sanzo's preferred beverage in the early morning hours. He was more awake than usual as he had been woken by Ana in order to place the present on the dash. She couldn't exactly get up at the time as Goku, the world's hardest sleeper, had slumped onto her slightly. And she would have to move too much otherwise to do it as she was scared of waking everyone up just to give him a present.

Even as they worked, the guys in the back began to stir. Hakkai left the food to the newest cook, her face scrunched up with concentration. Hakkai went to get some water to boil it clean for drinking uses as Gojyo and Goku stumbled off to relieve themselves. She watched the toast and looked at it often to see if it was burning in its pan. For some reason, Hakkai wanted a more western breakfast with bacon, eggs, and toast. She didn't know why, but at least it was semi-familiar.

"Stop screwing with it or it won't ever cook," Sanzo said blandly from his perch in the car for the time being. She huffed at him before looking over at the eggs to check them again. Pushing them around, she saw they were still a bit too runny and she wasn't one for gooey eggs. Unfortunately, no one ever told her to remove the eggs a little underdone or else they overcook and that powdered eggs cook differently than regular eggs, so when Hakkai returned, he came back to a mess and a very distraught Ana.

It didn't help that when he had gone to get water, he had slid on the bank of the stream, landing on one knee, coating the front of his shin and the top of his shoe. Consequently, he had had to get more water as he had soaked the ground in front of him, making the mud worse.

"What happened to you?" asked Goku, looking at him as they wound up coming back more or less together. Before Hakkai could answer, his attention shifted. "And what's that smell?"

Faintly, they could hear Ana swearing a blue streak in the air and came upon a very upsetting sight. The toast had burn in Ana's attempt to save the eggs and the eggs were a nasty over-cooked mess. The only thing semi-salvageable was the bacon and it had been crisped a little too much but apparently Ana had managed to get it off the fire and handed it over to, of all people, Sanzo to keep safe from the hungry flames that had apparently reduced the rest of the food to near-inedible proportions.

"Hakkai!" she yelped, seeing him. "I'm so sorry tha—" She froze before asking warily, "What happened?"

"It was a rather slippery bank," said an exasperated Hakkai, setting down the stainless collapsible water bucket nearby before trying to salvage the breakfast… by first removing the cooling slightly-burnt bacon and its pan from Sanzo's hands. He observed the ruins of the powdered eggs.

"I'm sorry," she whimpered, looking up at him before looking down at the eggs in the pan that she held. "I didn't… I think I messed up because they were different from regular eggs. I know how to cook them. I guess I didn't know how to cook these."

"It's okay," he told her, gripping her shoulder before taking her pan as well and setting about making something that was a bit more edible. First, he dumped the contents of the pan out on the edge of the campsite, knowing that something would eat it, even if it was only insects. He added the burnt toast to it as well. The bacon he kept and went to Jeep to rummage about in the food packs. Soon, he was sorting out an easier breakfast as Goku was complaining a bit loudly about being hungry and Ana was looking remarkably shame-faced, muttering apologies as she sulked.

"Oh, Gojyo?" Hakkai said, with an eerie grin, remembering that Ana had said Gojyo had been the one to tell her what day his birthday was on. "You'll be helping me." The kappa eyeballed him and chose not to object. He knew that look was a scary one and one that he shouldn't refuse or else. And that was a big 'or else'.

"Uh… sure," he grunted.

What resulted were more powdered eggs, properly cooked this time. Gojyo had been told to clean the pans that had been messed up by the over-cooked wannabe-eggs. And the kappa complied quickly.

Soon, everything was taken care of and they were eating, even with diced tomatoes and some cilantro and onions on top of the eggs that had been bought special in the last town. They had to be eaten quickly or else they'd go bad almost as quick.

After all the dishes had been cleaned up, Ana apologized once again and Hakkai told her straight up to not worry about it. Accidents, as he was kind to tell her, happened and therefore it wasn't a big deal.

And soon afterwards, they had packed up yet again to go onwards to the west.

MANGA CHAPTERS COMPLETED:

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