Chapter Four.

Two weeks later…

She was close. He could feel it.

New York was one of the biggest cities he has ever been in. Large skyscrapers plagued the skies with no trees insight unless you exclude Central Park. Ryu had to admit, he couldn't picture her living as a civilian. He had clues on where Kasumi could have gone and he wasted no time getting there. It would take some time to pick up Kasumi's scent. Her sweet scent was being polluted by the stench of many. Ryu closed his eyes while his arms crossed over her built chest with his pitch black scarf blowing in the wind. It had gotten colder in the last few days, but he still had little discomfort from it. Hardly any. Ryu stood on top of an abandoned apartment complex as he waited for "her" to appear.

In a mist of violet leaves, a cloaked figured had abruptly appeared behind him. Their entire body had been concealed from head to toe, making it troublesome to see who is underneath. But Ryu didn't need to see. He knew who she was just by the butterfly imprinted on her covered chest. Her aura also gave her away.

"Ayane, what are you doing here?" Ryu said in a monotone voice.

A pair of purple gloved hands reached over the rim of the hood and pushed it back, revealing a teenage girl. Her eyes stood out just like her hair against her pale peach skin. They were bright red while her hair was a shiny light purple with a matching bandanna.

"It's been awhile, Master Ryu." Ayane said, not answering Ryu's question.

Ryu did not return the greeting. Instead, he decided to get straight to the point. The less time he spent waiting, the sooner he would find Kasumi.

"You've been following her, as well. Haven't you?" He asked as he opened his eyes but did not bother to look back at her.

Ayane sighed as she stepped closer to Ryu. "Master Hayate said you were looking for Kasumi."

"I am." He simply said. Ryu turned his head slightly, seeking her from the corner of his eye. "You know where she is?"

"Yes." She said.

His eyes softened. It's been so long since Ryu had heard Ayane speak so calmly. No hint of anger for her half-sister. Maybe she too has decided to end her hunt for Kasumi, or she was planning something else. Whatever was her reason, Ayane would have no choice but to follow Hayate's orders if she wanted to remain within the Mugen Tenshin.

"Where is she?"

~.~.~.~.~

Hitomi's mind was too focused on other things to notice the waving hand in front of her face. She was startled when she finally came out of it, rapidly, blinking her blue eyes.

"Hey, Hitomi! Are you listening to me?!" Leifang shouted. It was late in the afternoon, she and Hitomi were making their way home after another exhausting day of hitting the gym.

"Oh, sorry, no." Hitomi admitted. "What were you saying?"

Leifang groaned. "Ugh. I was saying that we should take a little vacation. Get out of here and see the world."

"Can Kasumi come?" Hitomi said automatically.

"Sure...if she doesn't bail on us for the seventh time. Seriously Hitomi. Seven times in the last two weeks." Leifang said. "What's up with that girl anyways?"

"Hey!" Hitomi exclaimed. Hitomi knew Leifang had her moments. This was one of them.

"I'm sorry, Hitomi. You know I like Kasumi. She is my friend too, but she hasn't wanted to hang with us for weeks. Something is wrong with her. All she does is sulk around throughout the day. It's kind of depressing."

In all honesty, Leifang had a point. Kasumi hasn't been herself. Really, since Kasumi came back from that one night, Kasumi hasn't been the same. Kasumi was a roller coaster of a mess. She would be happy one moment and sad the next. Hitomi blamed it on Kasumi's guardian, Ryu Hayabusa. Yet, she can't find a reason why suddenly Kasumi's mood had begun to go downhill even though it's been weeks since she had last seen Hayabusa. Kasumi began to leave her cell phone in her room while she left the apartment for a few hours. She no longer wore stunning dresses of her favorite color. They've been replaced with baggy workout clothes. Most times she would even wear an over-sized t-shirt or jacket while she lunged around their home. She looked like she even cried herself to sleep.

Hitomi frowned. Seeing Kasumi pout was a depressing sight. She missed "Happy" Kasumi and she wants to do whatever it takes to bring her back.

"Let me talk to her, okay? I know Kasumi hasn't been herself but maybe being here is making her feel that way. I'm sure she will lighten up if we do go on vacation just the three of us."

"I hope you are right."

The two girls continue on their way unaware that they were being followed by a hooded figure since they had left the gym.

~.~.~.~.~

Kasumi whipped the fogginess off the mirror. She stared at her reflection as she stood naked, fresh out of a warm bath. She turned to view herself from the side. There was a very little dump but not enough to be notice as pregnancy. She clearly had the symptoms of pregnancy but tried so hard to shield it from everyone. She tried to resist the urge to vomit when she was around Hitomi and Leifang. Luckily for her, as soon as they left for the gym earlier that day, she ran straight to the bathroom and emptied her stomach. The other times she would just lie in bed all day after felling sick. She feared this would become a routine and that Hitomi will soon catch on and confront her.

She didn't want to think about it. Kasumi had grown too terrified about the outcome if that spat were to occur. It will eventually happen. Paranoia set in her mind thinking that Hitomi might kick her out on the street. She would have nowhere to go. Thinking about it gave her constant headaches and made her even more exhausted than she normally was.

Kasumi wasn't entirely sure what she was going to do. The only thing she did was pretend that everything was fine. But it wasn't. She had not made any appointments with any doctors to see how far along she was. Given the time, she knew she was ten to eleven weeks along. Kasumi wasn't really sure. The days began to blur together since she discovered she was pregnant.

Kasumi placed an over-size cotton t-shirt over herself and slip into some panties. She was careful to avoid her breasts. They have grown a bit larger and were highly sensitive because of her pregnancy. Kasumi then slipped into her favorite pair of pajama bottoms that had a flower pattern all over them, making sure she loosened the rim of her pajamas. Though she wasn't showing much with her loose clothing yet, Kasumi felt her dump growing.

The feeling had begun to overwhelm her.

She was only nineteen years old. She had no job or job experience for that matter other than those required for fighting. She lived with a friend who let her live with her free of charge because she earned a hefty amount of money from the Dead or Alive Tournament. She wasn't married. How was she to care for a child? It was too much to bear. Kasumi whipped the tears that were flowing down her cheeks using the towel she had used to dry her hair. Disposing of the damp towel in the dirty laundry basket, Kasumi began to brush her teeth, feeling she still had a bile taste in her mouth from her nausea just an hour ago. Tears continue to flow down. She just couldn't stop.

"Kasumi?"

Kasumi flinched at the sound of her name. It was Hitomi.

"Hey, Kasumi! Are you here?"

"I'm in here!" Kasumi yelled, quickly whipping the remaining tears with the back of her hand.

Hitomi skipped though the hall leading to the bathroom. Through a crack on the door, Hitomi could see Kasumi's hazel eyes had a tint of red. She had been crying...again. Not wanting to confront her directly, Hitomi opened the door and just smiled, trying to give Kasumi the benefit of doubt.

"Hey, just got back from a little workout with Leifang." Hitomi said. "You want to order something to eat or would you like go out."

A small smile appeared on Kasumi's lips as she opened the door, trying her best to appear alright. "I don't mind. Whatever you want."

Hitomi sighed. "Let me guess...you want to stay in tonight?"

'Yes.' Kasumi thought.

"I'll be fine with whatever you decided." Kasumi insisted.

Hitomi was getting a little frustrated. She didn't want to see Kasumi so sad any more.

"Kasumi, are you okay?" Hitomi asked. "You haven't been yourself...again. Come on, you can tell me anything. I am here for you. We are friends."

Kasumi began to feel guilty. 'I should tell her. I'm just overreacting. She won't kick me out.'

"Hitomi." Kasumi startled, "I...I…"

'Coward.' Kasumi yelled to herself in her mind.

"I…I...am...just feeling under the weather."

Kasumi began to start havoc in her mind. She was so close to tell Hitomi she was pregnant but the fear had taken over her. Hitomi could tell that there was a different reason for Kasumi's odd behavior. At least she told her some truth: finally admitting that she was sick. Hitomi figured it was best to help her friend gain her confidence back by going on with her mood swings.

Hitomi placed her hand over Kasumi's forehead. "You don't seem to have a fever. Flu season is coming so maybe you are just going to catch a cold. You will get better soon. Just get plenty of rest and drink lots of fluids. I didn't want to mention this but…"

"What is it?" Kasumi said, suddenly becoming in total panic mode.

'Does she know?' Kasumi thought. 'Oh no!'

"Leifang had this great idea. We should get the heck out of here?" Hitomi said with a smile on her lips.

"Get out? And go where?" Kasumi questioned.

"Anywhere. We can go to Rome or Paris. Oh, and Hong Kong or just go to a random place." Hitomi said, excitedly, "What do you say? You, me, and Leifang."

Kasumi was taken back. She didn't know what to say. "That sounds..."

"Come on, Kasumi." Hitomi pleaded, grabbing Kasumi's hands in her own. "Please come with us. I will feel really guilty if you stay here all by yourself. It will be fun. I promise."

She wasn't sure how the vacation would affect her pregnancy. Maybe in a more relaxed environment, she will finally be able to tell Hitomi she is expecting if she doesn't start showing by then.

"Alright." Kasumi said, "I will go."

Hitomi jumped with glee. "Yay! Thanks Kasumi. We are going to have so much fun. Maybe we can find some new people to fight with or maybe…some cute guys to flirt with."

Hitomi laughed at the last part. She wasn't the type of person to flirt with random guys especially since she had only eyes for one person but Hitomi will do anything for Kasumi. Hitomi continue to laugh as Kasumi's face turned a shade of pink. Kasumi doubt she would do any flirting. She also doubts any guy will look at her once she starts showing.

"Hitomi…."

"I'm just teasing. Come on get ready. Let's go grab a bite to eat. I'm starving."

~.~.~.~.~

He was able to spot them leave their apartment from the next building over. His emerald eyes easily set on the auburn haired beauty. She was dressed in some clothes that appear to be too big for her physique. He could see the sorrow in her eyes even if she displayed a smile on her pink lips. He slowly traced a finger alongside the outline of his lips as he vividly remembered hers on his. She tasted so sweet. What did he do to her?

Ryu did not move from his position. He couldn't believe Ayane when she had told him that Kasumi was living with the German girl, Hitomi, Hayate's friend. Apparently Ayane had nearly ran into both Hitomi and Leifang when she was on vacation and had overheard them talking about Kasumi. He had to thank Ayane for the information.

Ryu was not going to follow the girls. He knew where they lived. He wanted to wait until Kasumi was alone to speak to her without having Hitomi get in the way. As he sat at the edge of the apartment to meditate, something down below caught his attention. A blacked hooded man emerged from a nearby alley and headed in the same direction as Kasumi and Hitomi. He watched the man leave and disappear as he turned the corner. Ryu shrugged it off. It probably had nothing to do with Kasumi. He relaxed a bit before he began to meditate as he waited for her return.

~.~.~.~.~

"Oh man. I'm so stuffed." Hitomi said as she opened the door to the apartment.

They've been gone for more than two hours. Kasumi followed behind quietly. She had fun hanging out with Hitomi. It reminded her of the fun times she just started to have before she decided to go see her brother and made the biggest mistake of her life. There was hope. Hope that things will turn out well if she told Hitomi that she was pregnant.

"I still had room for more deserts." Kasumi laughed. "That piece of cake was delicious."

"Really? You ate more than I did and I feel like I am going to explode from all the yummy goodness. I think you have a bottomless gut. The good thing that restaurant was an all you can eat buffet. We are definitely gonna go back for sushi again but with Leifang next time," Hitomi laughed.

Kasumi grew quite. She was hoping that Hitomi didn't notice. She couldn't help it. She was eating for two now. That and she really was hungry.

"Well I don't know about you but I'm gonna slip into some pjs and go to sleep early tonight, but not before I call my dad. Good night Kasumi." Hitomi said as she made way toward her room.

"Good night, Hitomi."

Kasumi slumped down on the nearest chair. She had fun. Her full belly showed a slight dump from her meal. She placed a hand over it. She began to imagine what it would look like when she was in full term. She will probably be as big as all those women from the village who were expecting that were barely able walk, let alone care for their other children.

Kasumi sighed. A sudden chill overwhelmed her. She noticed the curtains blowing. Raising a brow, Kasumi doesn't remember opening the window. She doubt Hitomi did. Winter was coming. Who would open the window during this time of the year? Kasumi jolted out of her seat when she felt someone stand right behind her. It wasn't Hitomi. Her chair was facing down the hallway that led to Hitomi's room. There was someone else in the apartment with her. Kasumi slowly turned. Her heart began to beat faster and faster at each inch she rotated her body. Her eyes then pierced into a familiar hue of emerald eyes.

"Hello, Kasumi."

"Ha-Hayabusa?" she shuttered.

Kasumi was in a state of shock. She couldn't believe that he was here. She couldn't believe that he found her. Kasumi wanted to pounce in his arms and tell him how happy she was to see him. She decided to go against it. She was actually terrified. Why was he there after all that time? Did he know?

"How long have you've been in here?" Kasumi asked, timidly.

"Not long." He said. Simple and short...like always. "You seem to settle in this life."

He turned his gaze elsewhere. Ryu began to examine the pictures that Hitomi had placed around the apartment to make it livelier. Ryu didn't look back once to her. He was more focus on the photos of her smiling amongst her friends being happy.

Kasumi took a deep breath. She was even more terrified now then she was only a few seconds ago. It had to do with the fact that he wasn't even bother to look at her. "I have to adapt to survive…Are you going to tell me why you are here?"

Ryu slowly walked through the apartment with her following him his every move. The tension grew when she reached for his arm. He flinched away just in time as her fingertips were just feathers touch away from the skin of his arm. Time to get it over with.

"I'm here to tell you that I am your guardian...no longer."

Kasumi wasn't sure she heard him right. "What?"

"Hayate has removed your death sentence. You are no longer being hunted. My task is complete."

Kasumi felt a sense of relief being lifted. "You mean…I am free?"

He gave her a simple nod.

Tears began to flow down her face. For so long, she wanted her brother, Hayate, to stop chasing her. She did what she thought was right at the time to avenge him when he fell ill. She had succeeded but it was cause her life to go into turmoil. It broke her spirit every time she faced both Hayate and Ayane in battle. Now, she would no longer have to do so. Ryu mention the removal of her death sentence but not of her return to the village.

"Thank you." Kasumi whispered.

"You should thank Hayate." Ryu said as he made his way back towards the window he entered from.

Kasumi whipped the tears away. She wanted to stop him from leaving. Now that he was here, she needed to tell him. She had given it a lot of thought and she wanted to tell him that she was pregnant and that she didn't know what he would want to do with a child. Considering that he was next in line to his own clan, Ryu might want to accept her child as his heir, but what would become of her? Will he accept her too?

"Hayabusa wait," Kasumi pleaded, grasping his arm. "Please, I need to tell you something."

Ryu stiffen at her soft touch. Images of that night started to cloud his mind. She was so beautiful. He violently shook his head to rid him of those thoughts.

'Not going to happen.'

"It never happened…" He said, still not facing her.

"What?" Kasumi murmured.

"There is no reason for me to protect you anymore. It's done." He said.

"What? No, Hayabusa. It's not about protecting me. It's about what happened that-"

Kasumi was suddenly interrupted by Ryu hauling his arm away from her. His cold act startled Kasumi. With his eyes still looking away from her, Ryu felt his body tense. He wasn't expecting for it to be this hard. To say…good bye.

"We both have different paths that we follow." He said softly.

"Hayabusa," more tears began to flow from her hazel eyes as her voice crack.

"Kasumi, let's just leave it at that. You and I know better than to push this further. It was a mistake."

'Hayabusa…you can't even look me straight into my eyes and tell me?' Kasumi thought.

"You are here to say good-bye. Aren't you?" Kasumi said, softly.

'It shouldn't be this hard.' Ryu thought.

"Yes." He finally said after a long pause. "I must go now. I'm sorry."

He didn't expect to apologize. He was sorry though. He was sorry for using her. He was sorry…for leaving her. He didn't look back at her when he felt her grasp his arm again.

"Ryu...please...I need to...tell you..." Kasumi pleaded, now in a full rage of tears.

'I know he doesn't love me but can he give our baby a chance?' She thought.

After fighting the urge to push her away, he glanced down at her. She was broken. Tears falling from her eyes. Grasping on his arm for hope. Practically kneeling on the floor begging him not to go. What did he do to her?

"Kasumi…" Ryu began.

"Kasumi? Is everything okay out there?"

Kasumi and Ryu flinched at the sound of Hitomi's voice down the hall. The commotion they were making had alerted Hitomi. Using the opportunity to escape her grasp as she looked away, Ryu made his exit, leaving a shattered Kasumi on her knees. Kasumi kneeled in shock. She didn't expect Ryu to be so heartless. Now he will never know of the child growing inside of her.

"What am I supposed to do with this baby?" Kasumi whispered.

Kasumi lay herself on the ground, not caring who sees her. Hitomi, who had made her way back into the living room, saw Kasumi lying on the ground. She panicked and ran towards her fallen friend.

"Kasumi? What happened? Kasumi? What's going on?"

Hitomi pulled Kasumi into a sitting position. Kasumi was weeping hysterically. Hitomi wrapped her arms around Kasumi's trembling form.

"Shhhh. Everything is going to be okay."

~.~.~.~.~

Despite being in the next building over, Ryu could hear Kasumi's cries. He didn't expect for things to turn out as they did. It was the first time he had ever seen Kasumi react that way. The window that led him inside was still open. He could hear Hitomi cradling Kasumi and telling her it would be alright. He shouldn't have just taken off, but he needed to.

"Farwell Kasumi."

As Ryu left he could see a shadow move around the alley leading into Kasumi's apartment. He noticed it was the same man that left shortly after Hitomi and Kasumi went out to eat. At first he thought nothing of it. He might live in the area until he noticed that he was trying to get closer into the girls' apartment by the fire escape. Rage indulged Ryu as he was soon grasping the man by the hood and shoved him against the wall.

"Ugh don't hurt me." He pleaded.

"Who are you?" Ryu asked, fists ready to give him a pounding.

"Nobody. I'm just trying to make my way home." He kept pleading.

Anger arouses Ryu. He was obviously lying through his teeth. "Get the hell out of here." Ryu said, tossing the man into a pit of trash bags before he vanished into a pile of green leaves.

The man emerged from the pit unharmed. Retrieving a cell phone from his pocket, he quickly dialed a number and held it to his ear. A short while he waited for the line to get through when he hears a voice on the other end.

"Hello. Yes. We have confirmation that she is still in the area. How? The Dragon Ninja was just here."

~.~.~.~.~