Disclaimer: I do not own Samurai 7 or any characters affiliated therewith. I only own Miyuki.

Chapter dedicated to Kathy and her fiancée. Congratulations.

Miyuki looked down at her hands and clasped them together.

"Heihachi…" she thought, " If only you knew how I feel about you… I wish this war were over…" Just then, Heihachi came through the screen and sat next to her. His eyes told her that he had talked to Kambei and Miyuki knew he didn't like being told what to do. Wordlessly, she moved over next to him and he put his arms around her.

"Kambei-sama… He…?" Miyuki began.

"Yes… I didn't like hearing it from him either… And Kambei-sama said that we're going to war tomorrow… so… I guess maybe it's time I told you." Miyuki looked up into his eyes with a confused look on her face. Heihachi looked into your eyes with something you were surprised to find.

"Heihachi?" she whispered, uncertain. She could see his eyes shining and just like their first meeting, he kissed her. Miyuki wrapped her arms around his neck, and he pulled her closer. Heihachi pushed her against the wall and continued to kiss her. They stayed like that for a long time and when they finally broke apart for air, Heihachi was the first to speak.

"Miyuki… I love you…" he said breathlessly, " I've loved you ever since you gave me that rice ball… And when we would talk at night…you seemed so lonely… I couldn't bear it… But… if you don't love me… I guess I'll understand…" He looked away and loosened his hold around her waist. Miyuki couldn't stand seeing him in doubt about her feelings so she placed her hand on his cheek and made him look at her.

"Heihachi… I do love you… I've loved you since I first saw you too… But… what about Kambei's warning?" She asked. Heihachi looked at her sadly.

"Then we won't let our relationship go that far. At least not until this war is over."

Miyuki looked up at him with tears in her eyes. She pressed her face into his chest and cried silently.

"Heihachi… I want to be with you forever… I don't ever want to leave your side… But … what'll happen if… if you get killed…? I wouldn't be able to live with myself if you did…" she sobbed.

"If I do, know that I'll always love you no matter what…" he whispered into her ear.

"No… if you die, I won't let you go alone… I'll help you fight in the war. With this." Miyuki pulled away from Heihachi and crawled to the corner of her house with the Honor scroll hanging on the wall. She pried open a floorboard and revealed a black case. Heihachi gave a start as he recognized what it was.

"This is my greatest treasure. But also my greatest secret. I…" Miyuki took a deep breath, " I'm a samurai as well. But no one in the village knows it except Kirara's grandmother and the elder. Not even Kirara and Akiko know. Although I was going to tell them sooner or later…"

Miyuki opened the case and inside was a katana sword in a dark blue scabbard. She drew the sword and the blade seemed to have a faint red shimmer all along it, like the metal had been mixed with blood when it was forged. She turned to face Heihachi and placed sword and scabbard in front of him to look at.

"This sword was my father's when he came to the village. He was a samurai too. I was only 8 when the Nobuseri attacked our village, so I didn't know much about sword fighting or anything like that. But before my father ran out the door with my mom to see what was wrong, he suddenly gave this to me, saying that I would know when to use it. Now I know that the time to use it is now," she said. Heihachi sat there still stunned. But finally he managed to say something.

"But you can't go to war… do you even know how to fight? … And I won't let you... You mean too much to me and… I can't bear to think about it if I lost you…" he trailed off.

"Heihachi… it is my choice to help you on the battlefield. At least give me a chance to prove myself to you… please… I can fight with a sword and knife and I know martial arts. Don't worry… and if we die… at least we'll die together… right?" Miyuki asked. She scooted next to him and put her head on his shoulder. It took a while, and a lot of convincing, but finally Heihachi gave in reluctantly. Miyuki put the sword away and just as she replaced the floorboard, he embraced her from behind.

"Please don't move. Don't… don't do anything. I just want to hold you one last time… before we go to war… I just want to spend this last peaceful night with you, alone…" he said, burying his face in the back of her neck. She turned around in his arms and put her head on his chest. Being with him alone made her feel calmer and safer than she had ever felt before.

"Miyuki… No matter what happens tomorrow or in the days to come, know that I will always love you… even if I die…" she heard him say.

"Heihachi. Promise me one thing," she said

" What?"

"If we die, and eventually we will if not tomorrow," Heihachi tightened his hold around her, " promise me that we'll die together," she whispered.

"Yes… I promise," he replied. Miyuki nodded. Tears flowed down her cheeks as Heihachi lay down with her in his arms. She curled up against his chest, hearing the calming sound of his heart beating and her tears stopped.

"Please… let me be with her…" Heihachi thought, " Just for this last night… I just want to hold her close to me… breathe her sweet scent… Even if it means I can never be with her again after this war… I just want her with me now…"

"Heihachi… please… I don't want you to die…" Miyuki thought as she silently wept, " I just want to spend this last night with you… To have you close to me… possibly for the last time…"

Almost on cue, Miyuki and Heihachi whispered to each other, "I love you…"

Soon after, they both fell asleep.

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Sorry this story is taking so long to come out. I will post the chapters faster if more people review. So, please review! (The following is a random request) If anyone likes rice, onigiri, rice cakes, mochi, etc. please message me!