Kazuma and Kyo were sitting at the table finishing up a late dinner. They had lost track of time while training. Kyo pushed his empty plate aside.

Kazuma took a sip of his tea. "You did very well today, Kyo." He complimented and smiled at his son." You've improved quite a bit."

Kyo smiled and grabbed his plate while standing up. Kazuma grabbed his plate and stood up with him. Kazuma was giving Kyo a few tips as they both walked over to the sink.

Kyo threw a dish towel over his shoulder as Kazuma ran the hot water. He put the dishes in and turned the water off. Just as he was getting ready to grab the first plate, there was a scream outside, very close by, a scream of pain.

Kazuma let out a gasp and they both jerked their heads up at the sound. Their eyes met and without a word they both hurried out the door. They rushed outside, past the dojo and headed straight for the woods.

Kazuma stopped when he saw a shadowy figure. He held his arm out placing his hand on Kyos chest and looked at him. Kyo stayed put.

Kazuma squinted as his eyes weren't adjusted to the dark yet. "Hello?" He said to what he made out to be a man. His eyes grew wide when he looked down and saw a woman lying on the ground at the man's feet.

"Get the hell away from here." The shadow responded "Just get the hell out of here!"

Kazumas eyes adjusted and he could see the man had a knife. Kazuma slowly walked toward the woman on the ground. His eyes grew wider as he got closer. He could see the woman was badly injured, blood leaking just below her shoulder.

The man walked toward Kazuma raising his knife. "Damn it I said………." Kazuma quickly grabbed the mans wrist and jerked it. The knife fell to the ground. He then took the mans fingers and turned them hand palm up and pushed his fingers so that they were pointing to the ground sending the man to his knees screaming.

Kazumas eyes looked back and met Kyos. "Kyo, I need you to stop her bleeding." Kyo nodded, ran over and kneeled next to the woman. He grabbed the dish towel that was still on his shoulder and used it to put pressure on her wound.

"Why are you helping that whore?" The man hissed through clenched teeth.

Kazuma looked over at the woman on the ground, his son attending to her wound. He then drew angry eyes back to the man. Kazuma pushed the mans fingers down just a little more. He then put his other hand on the mans neck and held the pressure point until he fell over.

Kazuma left the unconscious man on the ground and went over to Kyo. He shifted his eyes to the woman and knelt down next to his son. He lifted the towel off of her arm. He winched when he saw just how deep the wound was. "Kyo, we need to get her back to the house and call Hatori."

"What about him?" Kyo pointed to the man on the ground. "I don't believe he will be waking up for sometime" Kazuma replied.

Kyo stood up as Kazuma gently slid his left arm under her neck at the top of her shoulders and slid his right arm under the back of her knees slowly lifting her from the ground. They both turned and headed back toward the house.

Once through the door, Kyo headed to the phone to call the police and Hatori. Kazuma carried the woman into the living room and gently lowered her on the couch. He looked her over to see endless cuts and bruises. The biggest bruise was on her left cheek.

Kazuma noticed her cuts were starting to get red and needed to be cleaned right away. He looked over at Kyo, who was looking out the window watching the police carry the unconscious man away.

"Kyo, I need you to leave the room, please. Kazuma said gently.

"Uh…. what's……?" he stammered with a worried look.

Kazuma nodded "Its ok Kyo."

Reassured Kyo left the room and went to the kitchen waiting for Hatori.

Kazuma went into the bathroom and started running water. He took out a couple towels and went back into the living room. He gently undressed her and wrapped one of the towels around her. He then went back to the bathroom to shut the water off, undressed himself and wrapped a towel around his waist.

Kazuma returned to the living room and gently lifted the unconscious woman and took her to the tub. He slowly entered the tub and sat down positioning the woman across his lap, cradling her head in the crook of his left arm. He took the sponge that was floating and squeezed the water out of it.

Kazuma looked down at her while sponging the dirt off of her face. He carefully cleaned her cheek that was forming a bluish purple bruise. He continued to wash the dirt off her body.

He felt the woman's body begin to shake, as she let out a low moan. He was taken off guard when the woman's body suddenly jerked causing a splash. Kazuma dropped the sponge and held her firmly

Sayuri's eyes started to flicker open. She was weak and shaking uncontrollably. Her left arm was in so much pain. Her half open eyes shifted around the room. Everything was blurry. She had no idea where she was and had no idea someone was there with her.

Tears rolled down her cheeks, she started taking in short ragged breaths.

Kazuma looked at her and gently put his hand on her cheek below the bruise so he wouldn't hurt her. He turned her face so her eyes met his. She stared at the blurry face with wide eyes. "It's ok. You're safe." He comforted. After he said that, her eyes rolled back and her body went limp.

He slowly stood up still holding her and got out of the tub. He slipped her out of the wet towel and into a yukata. He laid her down and changed back into his kimono. He lifted her up again and took her to one of the extra rooms and laid her on the bed.

Kazuma sat on the bed after covering her up and brushed her red hair out of her face. Kazuma looked up to see Hatori standing in the doorway staring at the woman with wide eyes.

"Sayuri" Hatori said in a low, shocked voice as he dropped his bag on the floor causing a thud. "This is the woman you rescued in the woods?"

"You know this woman?" Kazuma asked as he stood up.

Hatori nodded and picked up his bag. He went over and sat on the bed and started to look her over. She had so many cuts and bruises. "What happened?" Hatori asked as he started pulling things out of his bag.

"A man attacked her in the woods" Kazuma answered with a sad expression on his face. "She was unconscious when we found her."

Hatori closed his eyes "Did he…….." Hatori couldn't finish the sentence.

"No I don't think so" Kazuma reassured him. "But she was stabbed"

Hatori lifted the sleeve of her yukata and saw the knife wound.

Sayuri could hear Hatoris voice and she slowly started blinking her eyes open. "H…..H……Ha…tori" She slowly turned her head towards Hatori.

Hatori shifted his eyes to Sayuri's. He gently placed his hand on her forehead. "Sayuri, I need to clean your arm and give you stitches." He said softly, knowing she didn't have a high pain tolerance.

Sayuri noticed handsome man standing behind Hatori. She stared at him for a moment and looked away as a boy with orange hair came in and stood next to him.

"Sayuri, this is Kazuma Sohma and his son, Kyo. They are the ones who saved you." Hatori began to swab her arm.

"Kazuma" Hatori looked back at him. "Please hold her while I put the stitches in."

Kazuma nodded and sat on the bed. He looked down at Sayuri and gave her his gentle smile. "It will be ok." He reassured. Kazuma positioned her so that she was facing him on her right side. Her head and upper body was resting in Kazumas lap as he held her arm still for Hatori.

She closed her eyes tight and jumped when Hatori put the first stitch in. She let out a low cry and grabbed onto Kazuma's kimono. He responded by lowering his head and whispered comforting things to her.

Kyo turned and went to his room. He couldn't bear to watch this.

Hatori finished wrapping the bandage around Sayuri's arm. Her face was still buried in Kazuma's leg.

"I'm going to move you now, Ok?" Kazuma gently placed her head on the pillow and covered her up.

Hatori closed his bag and stood up. "Is it ok that she stays with you?"

Kazumas stood up. "Yes, she is welcome here for as long as she wants."

"I'll see myself out, please take good care of her." Hatori went to the door and and slammed it shut. "I should have made her accept a ride home." He blamed himself.

Kazuma sat on the bed. "How are you feeling?" He looked her with worry.

Sayuri laid motionless staring out the window. Fresh tear streaks stained her cheeks.

Kazuma turned his back to her and prepared to stand.

Sayuri quickly grabbed his hand and Kazuma turned his head to look at her.

"Please…..please ….don't …go." She pleaded and looked at him as the tears continued to roll down her cheeks. "I'm ……so ….scared."

Kazuma placed his hand on her cheek. "I'm not going anywhere." He lay on his side next to her and pulled her to him.

She buried her face in his chest as he cradled her head with his arm and gently stroked her hair until she fell asleep.

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Miss Jade Onica: I forgot I wanted to thank a few people in the last chapter and forgot. Uma and Mina, Thank you for helping me with ideas and for being supportive.

I hope everyone enjoys my story. Let me know what you think.