a/n Wow I got some pretty good guesses as to who the little girl is. No one got it right though. I'm pretty sure only those who know the manga pretty well might know who this girl is. If you do know…no giving it away to the others lol. Sorry this chapter was a bit late, all my fault. Hehe

Special thanks to Meet.A.L.E.X Who has graciously gave some time to become beta reader for this story. Many bows for you. :) Can't wait to read your thoughts on the chapter. Y'all can thank this person for no longer having to endure my dyslexic ramblings lol

Disclaimer, I don't own RK or the works of Feehan.

I give this chapter a PG rating.


Chapter 7

Sano got to his feet so fast, Megumi nearly tumbled off the sofa. "Who is that?!" The little girl darted back behind Kaoru's legs.

"Sano, you scared her!" Megumi grabbed Sano by the corner of his jacket and tried to jerk him back down on the sofa as both Kenshin and Kaoru laughed.

"This is Tokio." Kaoru urged the little girl from behind her. She had long straight hair like her mother. The hair was such a deep red that the thick locks were almost black. Her eyes matched those of her brother, between the softest of lavenders and the softest of blues. She had Kaoru's large expressive eyes and Kenshin's delicate features. "I had twins." Kaoru said sheepishly.

"Twins?!" Sano was overwhelmed. Not only did Kaoru give Kenshin a son… but bore him a precious female as well. He felt his legs start to give out, and he forced himself to sit by his startled lifemate. "Why didn't you say anything?" Sano wondered out loud. No wonder Kaoru looked so far along at only 7 months. This was a complete miracle.

'Is it rare in your people?' Megumi whispered to Sano.

'No. Actually, twins are more common in Carpathians than in humans. But it is very common for one twin to die in the womb or at birth. Having both twins alive and still alive after the first year… it's amazing.' Sano answered.

"I was so afraid I would miscarry. I didn't pay much attention to the life inside me to protect myself from the grief. There was a large chance I would lose the baby again." Kaoru replied. Kenshin nodded.

"Aoshi let it slip when he was giving Kaoru a checkup, but you had already disappeared." Kenshin added as he urged the little girl towards the new couple. "Uncle Sano and Aunt Megumi are here. Go greet them."

Megumi felt as if the room was suddenly devoid of air. Aunt Megumi? Now she was an Aunt as well as a Lifemate? She was not part of this family. She had never been a part of any family. She was unsure how she should act. She only knew Sano for a day.

'Being bonded to a Carpathian is as good as any human marriage. In their eyes, you are already my wife, and that would make me your husband.' Sano said matter-of-factly, his eyes glued to the toddler.

'Oh, I don't think so. I have a say about what I do with my life. Not you.' Megumi snapped back. Panic rose from some unknown place deep inside. Sanosuke, her husband? She looked over at the man. Though excited about the children, he held himself with an almost lazy casualness. His eyes glittered with life, yet his mouth and jaw held a hint of cruelty. He was confident in himself, arrogant, and everything Megumi was sure she didn't want in a husband. But there was a little thrill in the thought that a man such as Sano could be for her. But still, such a thing should have been her choice, at least he should have asked first.

'Your life is my life now. We are one. There is no turning back once the words have been said.' He knew she was upset. She wanted to be like most human females. To be wooed over time with many dates and outings. To have a chance to get to know one another and fall in love. But it didn't work that way for Carpathians. Once they find their lifemate, they fall hard and fast. He loved Megumi for hundreds of years; he just had to find her. She loved him too, she just didn't know it yet, she didn't understand. But she would understand in time.

'Well, unsay them!' Megumi seethed, bringing Sano out of his thoughts.

'Don't frighten the child.' Sano scolded gently.

The lady doctor turned to watch Tokio pad barefoot over to her first, lifting her arms in obvious request. Megumi, though nervous about this whole thing, felt her heart melt and the anger flow out of her. She scooped up the child and set her in her lap.

"Hello, Tokio." Megumi couldn't help herself; she curled her fingers around the silky fine locks. "You have the most beautiful hair I've ever seen." She kept her voice soft and gentle, as the little girl was watching her like a startled kitten. Like her brother, Tokio had large knowing eyes. She was aware. The child knew them to be strangers, but trusted her father when he said that they were family, she understood what family was.

"Hey, Tokio," Sanosuke lifted the child from Megumi's lap and set her on his knee. "I'm your Uncle Sano. You need anything, just ask me, alright?" Sano felt the tears prickle behind his eyes as he was rewarded with a toothy smile as she climbed up on her feet and grabbed Sanosuke's red headband, making his hair fall in his face. Instantly something was awakening in Sano, an urge that he didn't even try to hide away. He wanted to be a father. He wanted what Kenshin had, a loving mate and children. It was a need as old as their species.

Tokio giggled as she played, as did the other females in the room.

"I like her; she has a sense of humor." Megumi laughed as she pushed away Sano's bangs. Deep, burning eyes greeted her from behind the locks.

… . .

Kenshin smiled softly as he watched his daughter and best friend together. He saw the look he gave his lifemate. Kenshin gave Kaoru that same look when he found out he was to be a father, a look of such deep loving and gratitude. His children were the most wonderful gifts Kaoru gave him, other than her love. Now Sano had this wonderful gift. Kenshin would be forever grateful to Megumi, just as Sano was to Kaoru. Megumi saved his best friend, his brother, and Gods willing, would give him a family as well. Kaoru curled up beside him and he wrapped an arm around her.

'I can't believe it. He just shows up out of nowhere with a lifemate. No matter how much I look at him, it's still hard to believe.' Kaoru said. 'He's changed so much, he's so thin. And look at his hair, soon it will be as long as yours, Kenshin.'

'Mm-hm, no doubt he was starved the whole two years he was in captivity. But don't worry, Firecracker, as soon as he starts to feed regularly, he will return to his regular weight. As for his hair…' Kenshin turned his bright eyes to Kaoru and gave her a teasing smile. 'You shouldn't notice such things about other males.' Kaoru chuckled and elbowed him softly.

'What do you think of Megumi? She is beautiful and smart. And I can already tell by the tension between her and Sano that she is very stubborn.'

'Yes. All these years Sano teased me that you made me soft. Now he will get a taste of his own medicine. It isn't easy to say no to one's lifemate.' Kenshin also knew that having a lifemate would make Sano all the more dangerous. Kenshin knew he was a dangerous man, but when Kaoru came into his life, then his babies… well, he knew now that if anyone got between him and his family, be they human, vampire, or Carpathian, he would kill without hesitation. Whatever it took to protect his family. Sano had a short and very hot temper, it was going to be interesting to see how the man would handle such strong emotions.

'Megumi is something special. Aoshi can feel it too.' Kenshin added.

'What do you mean?'

'Sano has confided in me that he believes Megumi to be a healer. We've never had a female healer. At least never in the time I've been alive. Now that I have had a chance to study her ki and aura, I agree, there is something special about her.'

'Kenshin Himura, you shouldn't study the ki of any female other than your mate.' Kaoru laughed out loud as she petted Kenshin's hair.

Kenshin suddenly grew still and turned his eyes to the foyer. "We have company."

… . .

There was a knock on the door, but there was no answer. The knocks turned into hard banging, but again, there wasn't an answer. The knocking stopped and the brass door knob rattled softly as the lock pins clicked into place. The solid door popped open just an inch and for a moment all was still and silent in the little apartment.

Suddenly the door was shoved open and half a dozen men in dressed in black and armed scattered through the apartment and quickly spread out to every corner. A seventh unarmed man quickly followed.

"Megumi?! Is she here?" Hisao called out. A soldier approached him and removed his helmet and night vision goggles.

"No, sir, we searched the place. No one is here."

"Damn." Where could Megumi Baby be? Had she escaped from the vampire, home was where they were sure she would go. "Well, continue your mission." Hisao waved the gun-carrying man away.

"Yes, sir." The soldier turned on his heel and left.

Hisao sighed as the men routed through Megumi's tiny apartment. Even though nothing had really been said, the doctor knew that she was suspected in aiding the vampire. Any evidence that they found here that confirmed it would put Megumi up there with the vampire on the wanted list.

But Hisao was sure Megumi had nothing to do with the vampire. She was too much a professional to get herself caught up with a vampire. Then again, Vampires have all sorts of strange powers. Perhaps she was hypnotized? Forced unknowingly into this. His poor Baby. That vampire better not turn her into part of his unholy army. Just the thought of his Megumi being turned into a vampire, having that thing sucking on her neck, it was a horrible thought.

Hisao wandered into Megumi's room as two other men searched her closet and under her bed, even looking between the mattresses. Megumi's room was relatively clean. The bed was made and a nightgown was on the bed, it was the only thing out of place in the room. Everything else looked just fine. Hisao scooped up the sheer scrap of material. The nightgown felt cold in his hand. Megumi wore this hardly a dozen hours ago. Strange, he could almost feel her.

No plants, no pictures, no little girly things that women like to keep around them. Just a few bits of make-up on her dresser and papers stacked everywhere. Her research. Hisao wandered up to the bedside table where the one and only picture rested. It was of Megumi when she was younger. Perhaps seventeen or eighteen. She was sitting between two other girls. The three stood in front of a university. The medical college Megumi attended as a teen. She sure was a babe, even back then.

Hisao sighed and set the picture back down. Megumi was going to be his. He didn't care if she got mixed up with vampires. He could fix all of this if he could just find her before it was too late.

… . .

"Company?" Sano lifted an eyebrow as he turned to the doorway which Kenshin was headed. He had a sudden sinking feeling. He knew who was there. Why else would Kenshin confuse him as another Carpathian and just swing the door open wide? The couple had been expecting someone else.

A moment later Sanosuke's fears were confirmed when Kenshin returned with a tall, lean, narrow-eyed Carpathian following.

"Saitou." Sano exclaimed, resting a hand on the back of Megumi's neck instinctively. He should have known that the one person he didn't much care for was going to show up. It was just his luck; he could only hope Megumi wasn't going to become overwhelmed. Saitou looked the very same as before. His hair wasn't cut as short as it was two years ago, but it was still painfully short compared to the rest of the males. He wore a deep blue jacket with a white shirt peeking out under it, black pants and glossy black boots. And as always, a cigarette was tucked behind his ear. He was the same irritating Carpathian Sano remembered.

The older Carpathian looked down at Sanosuke without the slightest surprise. "Where the hell have you been?" He drawled almost lazily. "It is about time you got back to your duties." His lips pulled into a sneer. Apparently, Saitou's feelings about him didn't change much in the two years as well.

Megumi felt her mouth drop open. She was more upset than she realized. This man…creature…Carpathian or whatever, didn't even welcome him home after being gone for two years. What was his problem, everyone else was happy to see him. Even Aoshi, who had the same reaction as a houseplant, said he was glad to see him. Before she could stop herself, Megumi shot to her feet.

"It wasn't like he went away on purpose! He was kidnapped and kept under tranquilizers! You could at least act happy to see him."

The room had gone deathly still. Saitou focused his yellow eyes, now wide in surprise and contempt on the woman. Megumi felt glued to the floor as he glared at her. He was near as tall as Sano, but where Sano was well-muscled, Saitou was whip thin and long limbed. His lack of body size did nothing to diminish the power that he portrayed and Megumi felt it coming off of him in waves. She shouldn't of assumed all the Carpathians were alike.

"It would be a fruitless act, for the man would know I was dishonest if I said I was happy he had come back." The Carpathian snapped his white teeth at her.

"Saitou!" Kaoru protested.

Sano, female infant in his arms, jumped up from the sofa. "Speak to my lifemate like that again Saitou and see what happens."

"What? You'll vanish again?" Saitou threw back. "I expect that you are brushing off your absence as trivial."

Megumi stood back as Sano bared his sharp teeth and growled. "I know it's not trivial, Saitou!"

Sensing the hostility between the males, Tokio let out an ear piercing wail. A moment later, Kenji followed his twin sister and also began to fuss. Megumi's first instinct was to take the child and calm her down. However, Saitou was much faster. He scooped the screaming girl from Sano's arms before she could blink. Sano was forced to let go of the girl, lest Saitou harm her.

Surprisingly, Tokio's cries instantly subsided as her tiny arms wrapped around Saitou's neck. "Making small children cry now, Sanosuke? I didn't realize you would stoop so low."

Sano didn't know what to think. He wasn't surprised at the lack of a warm welcome from Saitou, but to snap at a female, even though she was not yet of the family… well, that didn't seem like Saitou.

What also didn't seem like Saitou was the way he defused the ever rising hostility. He took the child from his arms. Even now, Sano couldn't help but watch with wide eyes as Saitou gently bounced Tokio in his arms and rubbed her back as she whimpered and rested her head on his shoulder, thumb in her mouth.

When did heartless Saitou take to small children? When did Saitou have anything to do with children, human, or Carpathian? The surprising sight took all the fight out of Sano. He literally felt deflated and horrible at allowing himself to let Saitou rile him up and upset the children; whom were so sensitive to the moods of their elders.

Saitou made soft shushing sounds as he calmed the child. "It's a bit late for them to be up, isn't it, Kenshin?" He eyed Sanosuke accusingly.

"The fault is mine." Aoshi said in a soft voice as he petted Kenji's baby fine red hair. The action combined with the soft voice instantly calmed Kenji. The boy stopped his fussing and all but collapsed against Aoshi. It seemed all the strength had been drained from the boy. "I asked to see the boy and examine his health. As always with twin siblings, Tokio wanted to be with her brother."

Saitou gently deposited Tokio in Kaoru's waiting arms. "Well, how is the boy?" He asked, arms folded across his chest.

"Not completely better, but his strength seems to be growing and he is gaining weight. I suspect his health will quickly recover." He turned to Kaoru as he set the boy on the floor. Kenji quietly made his way to his mother's side. "Limit his time in the sunlight."

"Yes, of course, Aoshi." Kaoru set a hand on her son's head and gently lead him back up the stairs. "Back to bed, you two." She said, and Kenji bolted back up the stairs with the same ruckus as when he came down. "Be right back." She shot the room a bright smile over her shoulder as she followed Kenji.

… . .

Megumi felt like she was trying to breathe in a smoke-filled room. The tension was so tangible; too deep a breath would have choked her. Saitou folded his lean body into a nearby chair. The hostility between Saitou and Sanosuke was enough that Megumi wondered if they would start shooting sparks at each other with their eyes. Though Saitou acted calm, Megumi, much to her surprise, could see through the act to how he really felt. He twirled his unlit cigarette between his fingers. It was such a simple act, but for a creature who would be happy to hold still as the night, the small act of fidgeting spoke volumes to Megumi. The man also flatly refused to meet her eyes.

… . .

Sano didn't like the turn of events. Nothing major had happened, yet he could tell Megumi was uncomfortable with Saitou being there. No doubt it was his feelings that caused her unease. He wasn't at all upset that Megumi didn't much care for the other male. He wanted to be the only male she would care for. But the bonds between family needed to be strong to help each other survive. Even though no one here was blood-related, they were as close as a family. They needed to be. There were not many Carpathians in Japan, and it is very difficult to have a mate and children with just one male around to protect them from the evil they would attract.

'Sanosuke.'

Sano jumped earning him a confused look from Megumi. The unexpected voice in his head belonged to Hiko, Prince of their people.

'My Prince, it is good to hear you again.'

'I could hardly believe my idiot brother-in-law when he told me of your return. I'm happy to hear your voice again, Sanosuke.'

Sano glanced over at Kenshin. The redhead smiled at him over Kaoru's head. She and Megumi were chatting away, oblivious to his mental communication. So Kenshin told Hiko he had returned.

'Forgive me for not coming to see your first. I admit my first thought was to see Kenshin.'

'Kenshin is like your brother, I am not surprised or upset that you went to see him first. Tomoe and I are just happy that you are alive and well, with a lifemate no less. We both send our congratulations. Itsuko will be beside herself when we tell her you've returned.'

'How are the females in your life?'

'Tomoe is doing just fine, and Itsuko is sprouting up like a weed. We never got to thank you properly for saving her life that night.'

Sano shook his head. 'It was my duty, an honor.'

'We wish to go see you. But Kenshin tells me that your lifemate is looking a bit frazzled.'

Sano glanced over at Megumi as she nodded to Kaoru's enthusiastic talks of outings together. 'I think she is a bit overwhelmed. We came here to see Kenshin and Kaoru, then found out about the twins and Aoshi and Saitou stopped by… it's almost too much for me, much less her. I feel she's getting tired, it's been a very long, hectic day for her.'

'Understood, my friend. Take her home and care for her. We'll talk later.'

Sano felt Hiko close their connection.

Returning his full attention to the conversation, he caught Megumi yawning and jumped at the opportunity. "I think it's about time we go."

"Oh." Kaoru said, disappointment in her eyes. It was early for her, but for Megumi, it was very, very late. "We'll get together again soon, Megumi." The women helped each other to their feet. "Don't let Sano push you around."

"Don't worry, I never let anyone push me around." Megumi said with all seriousness, watching Sano for a reaction.

It was all Sano could do to keep from laughing as he clasped hands with Kenshin and Aoshi one more time.

"Be aware." Aoshi said as he took Sano's hand, moving to grab him just under the elbow in a hunter's grasp. "A Carpathian couple from the home country will be arriving here at any time. They have an ailing infant with them, and wish for me to treat the baby."

"Why didn't you just go to them?" Sano gripped Aoshi in the same manor. The grasp was quick, nothing warm like between him and Kenshin.

Aoshi narrowed his eyes. "I would have, but they were already on their way when they informed me. Seems it's not very safe in Romania right now. They felt safer coming here."

Aoshi didn't have to say that Vampires were starting to gather together in ranks. Hiko was needed back in his home country, but he had a young child. His people knew he could not…would not travel unless his lifemate and child were safe. With Sano's kidnapping, he was sure everyone was on high alert.

"Keep a sharp eye out for them. I've let them know of the Carpathians in the area if they are in need before they reach me."

"Don't worry, Aoshi." Kaoru said. Sano nodded in agreement.

"Yeah, let them know we're here for them too."

… . .

Megumi knew she couldn't hold out much longer. Sitting in the silence of the car, her mind trying to wrap around everything she had learned today; it felt as if her mind was going to explode. She needed sleep...lots of sleep. She suspected the only thing that was keeping her from having a mental meltdown was Sano. He was always in her mind, calming her down, holding her together. He was just a shadow in her mind… if she wasn't paying attention, she wouldn't have noticed him. But her psychic abilities made it impossible for her to ignore him. She would have been furious. Megumi didn't need anyone to help her. She never needed and never had anyone to help her. She didn't need him now.

"I'm offering my help, Kitsune. I want to help. It's impossible for me to sit here and know you are suffering and not do anything about it." It made him uncomfortable just knowing that she wasn't feeling good. He knew he pushed her too far. The fault was his.

Megumi turned her eyes away from the passenger window and focused on the glow of the dashboard. She noticed the glowing clock read two in the morning. She had been awake for almost twenty hours. It felt like it had been days ago that she pulled the IV's from Sano. No wonder things started to feel like a dream. "I'm not thankful that you want to help…" She just wasn't used to it.

"You don't have to explain." Sano said gently. He felt so bad for exposing her to so much. There was nothing he could do now but care for her. "I'm sorry, Megumi, we could have stayed home."

"No… no, I'm okay." She gave him a weak smile. She was stronger than this, she knew she was. "It was a lot to take in... especially that Saitou character. What's up with him?" Megumi felt her anger flare anew. He had such an attitude. Megumi could see that it was an effort for him to be so nasty. He was full of anger, but he didn't like it.

"He's just being Saitou." Wait, was Sano sticking up for Saitou?

"But he's so rude." Megumi protested. "Why is he so different from the rest of you? I mean the others were painfully polite. Saitou almost had to go out of his way to be so rude."

Sano actually smiled even though his eyes were full of conflicting emotions. "He wasn't always like that." He said softly, glancing over at Megumi before returning his eyes to the road.

"No?" Megumi prompted when he didn't say anything right away. She felt his reluctance and wondered if she should push him. But he answered before she tried.

"Believe it or not, there was a time when we were actually civil to each other." Sano smiled then, as if he had a private joke. Megumi couldn't believe how mesmerized she was by the purity of his emotions. She knew just what he was feeling from the slightest change in his eyes or expression.

"Well, what happened to change that?" Megumi watched as the smile faded from his face, emotion still swirling in his eyes.

His voice dropped, eyes gazing off into the past. "I misunderstood… overreacted and said some pretty horrible things," he cleared his throat. Things he wanted to forget. In a way he was still angry at Saitou. But now that he had emotions… he could understand… a little.

"I know that's not you, Sano. Why would you do something like that?"

Sano sighed. "I was upset at something I thought at the time was his fault," a haunted look came across his face. Memories of shouts and accusations. He felt Megumi's eyes on him.

"What?" Megumi asked, almost too afraid to hear what could be so bad as to upset these people.

"The death of his wife."


A/n 0.o egads I hope no one tries to strangle the next chapter out of me. I know, it seems the more secrets I answer, the more secrets I create. Alas. Well at least know some of you know who the little girl is. Remember…no giving it away! lol

Thanks for reading! Please review!