The next couple days was a string of trips to the airport. Duncan flew Kede and Kouta to Preswick to get an internatinal flight to begin their honeymoon. The next day, Emiko and her family were ready to leave.

Ready to see their Aunt Emiko off, Mayu and Nana were surprised to see Yuka packed to leave also.

"Yuka, you're leaving us?" Mayu asked, shocked that Yuka would do that.

Yuka cast Mayu a gentle smile. "Mayu, Nana, this is something I have to do. I need to return to school. I'm sure you'll be fine here with everyone."

"But ... we thought you were our Mama," Nana said, looking confused.

"Do you have to go?" Mayu asked in a pleading tone.

"I'm sorry, I do," Yuka offered.

Mayu stared at nothing briefly, then asked, "What did I do? Am I a bother?" Mayu's face reddened and tears welled in her eyes.

"You are not a bother," Yuka told Mayu firmly. "It's just that I need to do this. You and Nana are wonderful kids, Mayu,
I would stay if I could, but I can't. I'll see you again, take care of yourselves," Yuka said, picked up her suitcase, and walked out the door.

"Yuka?" Mayu asked weakly.

Seeing her friend upset, Nana grabbed Mayu's hand. "Hey Mayu? Nana doesn't think Yuka is happy either. Don't worry,
Yuka will come back."

Inari came up on the other side of Mayu and put an arm around her. "Are you OK?" she asked.

Mayu scrunched her face up as whe watched the car leave out the gate. "How? How can Yuka leave us?" Mayu turned into Inari and cried, "How can she leave us?" Then burst into tears. Inari held Mayu, Nana petted Mayu's hair as she cried.

Inari shut the door with an arm. "Sometimes, people do what they have to do," she said absently. Inari was glad Yuka was gone. After making these kids cry, Inari was ready to bounce Yuka off a few walls. Still, it was probably for the best that Yuka left.

"Let's go make some cinamon toast, I'll show you how," Inari offered.

Nana perked up with a happy look. "ReallY?"

Inari nodded and said, "You have to watch the bread carefully. Want to try?"

"Nana does! Mayu, let's make cinamon toast," Nana coaxed.

Mayu nodded reluctantly. As they headed for the kitchen, Mayu stayed deep in her thoughts. She watched Inari tell Nana how to set the bread frame up, and watched carefully as she did. Inari was attentive of Nana. Mayu knew Inari was attentive of her too. In that respect, she was just like Yuka, patiently showing them how to do things.

"Inari, are you the mama now?" Mayu asked.

Inari looked up from watching the bread cook with Nana. "I am Kaede's Mother, yes," Inari said.

"But will you be Mama to, Nana and I," Mayu said cautiously.

Inari grinned and shook her head. "I'm only Kaede's mother. From what I understand, Kouta is your father, right?"

Mayu nodded. "He adopted me and Nana."

"Then Kaede will be your Mama."

"But, Kaede is more like our sister," Nana said as she watched the bread closely. Jumping up, she turned it over. "Now, right?"

"That's right, you did good, Nana," Inari praised.

Mayu had to smile at how happy it made Nana just to make toast. Her smile dimmed as she got back to her thougths. "Who's going to teach us things? Except for the wedding, Kaede is usually busy working," she asked Inari.

"Duncan or Amanda, I suppose," Inari said with a shrug. "Mayu, if nothing else we will learn and teach each other, help each other out. That is what families do."

Mayu knew she was right, that is what families did, especially this one. She needed time to think about Yuka. "Can I go in and get wood and the dirt stuff for a fire so the dinning room is nice and warm when everyone gets home?"

Inari eyed her and said, "Yes, but don't light a fire until we bring you toast after Nana makes it. We don't want any accidents."

"OK," Mayu said with a nod.

Tap Tap Tap

Charlie Desalvo looked up from the monthly bills to see a bright smiling face in the window. At first, he didn't know who the girl was. Staring a her pink hair and wool Cap as she waved heartily at him, he remembered her. "Kaede?" he asked with a grin on his face as she raced round into his office door.

"CHarlie!" She chirped, and ran into him to give him a hug.

"Kaede," Charile said, stunned as he returned her hug. "How are you? Where have you been? DUncan isn't the best at saying what's up with you."

Pulling back, Kaede grabbed Kouta and pulled him over. "CHarlie, this is my Husband, Kouta."

Charlie shook Kouta's hand. "Good to meet you, Kouta," he said and swept Kaede with his eyes. "Look at you! So little Kaede has grown up.
You two have plans?"

"Honeymoon, then back to Glen Finnen," Kouta said

"You're living in Scotland?" Charlie asked.

"The Campbell castle," Kaede told him.

Charlie let out a snort of a laugh. "You're living in a castle?"

Kaede nodded. "Kouta helps Dad with repairs, and runs his own trucking buisiness. I do most of the stone work and help Rachel down at the Inn."

"Sounds like you are keeping busy. You going to stay in the loft upstairs?"

Kaede nodded. "I want to show Kouta around town before we go travelling," she explained. "Oh, CHarlie, why don't you come to dinner tonight? Bring a girlfriend!"

Charlie shook his head. "Girlfriend, me? Where am I gonna get a girlfiend?"

"You don't know any girls?" Kouta asked.

"A couple."

"Then ask one," Kaede said. "How hard can it be?"

Charlie laughed. "I'll see who I can find. I take it you're going sight seeing?"

"Yup, after we go see Uzuki," Kaede agreed.

Charlie nodded. "Well you tell Uzuki hi, and we still think about her," he said sincerly.

"Will do. We're going to take our bags up and head out. See ya later Charlie," Kaede said. Kouta got a wave at him before Kaede towed him over to the elevator.

Charlie went back to his bills. Amazingly, the bills never exceeded incoming for the month. Some of the accounts were owned by people he'd never heard of or long as they paid the bills.

Kaede tapped on the window again on her way out. Charlie waved. He tried to remember the other girl. He remembered her name, but it had been so long ago, he could no longer put a face to the name. All he remembered about her was she's gotten killed when those men had kidnapped Kaede. As always, the happenings around Duncan were steeped in secrecy and blood. Charlie had all but given up on Kaede when she'd come back.

Customers were going home for the day. Charlie perked up to see a young Japanese woman come into the Do-jo. He got up as she walked over and cam in the office.

"Mister Mac Cloud?" she asked haltingly.

"Charlie Desalvo," CHarlie said with a smile. "Please, have a seat." He sat down with her and said, "Mr. McLeod is overseas is there something I can help you with?"

In a meek voice, she said, "I am Nakamura Azusa. My sister, Midori, told me the McLeods have a promise to assist our family. I have a request that is unusual, but I need help with."

"If it's important I can call, or maybe you can talk to his daughter, she's in town," Charlie offered.

"Thank you," the woman said meekly.

"You know what?" Charlie asked. "Tonight, Duncan's daughter invited me to dinner and wanted me to bring a friend. You could come with me, and discuss this over dinner."

Azusa sat back. "That is so foreward, I don't know if I could."

"Sure you can! I've known Kaede since she was this high," he said, indicating her heigth from the floor when she was seven. Her and Kouta are on their honeymoon, but I'm pretty sure if you're in a tight spot, they will help you out."

Azusa looked down at her lap then said, "If I am not intruding..."

"Of course not," Charlie assured her. "Come back around six, I'll introduce you to them."

Azusa nodded. "Yes, thank you, Sir."

"Charlie."

"Charlie," Azusa said, correcting herself as she bowed. She went to leave, then paused and asked, "Charlie, can McLeods defeat yokai?"

"What are those?" Charlie asked eyeing her.

"Monsters. Can they defeat monsters."

Charlie chuckled. "From the things I've seen, I'd have to say yes."

Azusa nodded thankfully. Finally, in all her searching, someone who could rid the world of her husband's killer. Someone to stop that monster named Lucy.

.

Kaede noted Uzuki's headstone was dirty, so she brushed it off with her Arms as she talked to her sister.

"This is Kouta, we just got married a couple days ago. I don't know if you remmber me teling you about him. He's the boy who was nice to me when I was little. We've been living in Glen Finnen, in Scotland. It's real nice there, and Dad has most of his family there. It's a real shame you can't see it. The only thing you have to watch out for is walking on flat fields. They may not be fields, but peat bogs. Although the ground on a bog looks solid, it may not be, and it'll swallow ya up."

Kouta listened to Kaede as she talked to her dead sister and the headstone cleaned itself. As he did, it dawned on him hoe caring Kade really was. Just like when she had to fight, it was all-out-war, when she loved, she loved with everything she had. Kouta had pictures of his little sister Kanae that he looked at, but he'd never talked to her. Even though the headtone infrnt of him read Uzuki McLeod, he began thinkng about Kanae.

Scrutinizing the stone, Kaede deternined it was clean. "Cleaned your stone up a bit. I know it don't matter, but I don't like it getting dirty. I wish ya could have made our wedding. It was nice, everyone had a great time at the reception." Glancing at Kouta, she said, "That's pretty much all for now. I just wanted to show Kouta where you were, and let you know I'll never forget you."

Kouta put his arm around Kaede. Teary eyed, Kaede snuggled into him.

When they rose to leave, Kaede said, "We have to have at least two girls."

"Two girls?" Kouta asked.

Kaede nodded. "I know we can't bring them back, but ... we have to honor our sisters who never got a chance to live their lives."

"We do," Kouta said thoughtfully. "Kanae and Uzuki will be their names," he said.

"Yes," Kaede said in a sniffle.

It was a wonderful thought, but another thought hit Kouta. "What if we have boys?"

"I'm sure we'll have girls eventually," Kaede assured him.

Kouta had seen families with three and four boys. He swallowed. If they kept having children until they had two girls ... he decided not to think about that too much. Kaede was right, they would have to have at least two girls. He only hoped they didn't have that many boys.

.

Kouta and Kaede had lunch up in the Space Needle, and took picures to show Nana. After lunch they stopped by a museum, then Kaede took them to Joe's. Mike, the bartender was still there. They chatted a bit with Mike then headed out to get some groceries before going back to the appartment above the Do-jo.

At first, Kaede had to remember how to use modern appliances. "Kouta, look a REAL STOVE!" she exclaimed in an exagerated wave. "And a sink, all ya got ta do is turn the faucet on fer hot water!"

Kouta chuckled with her. "But, where's the cistern?" he asked, looking up.

"An the bucket to toss out the dirty water," Kaede said with a flail of her arms.

"What about the the big tongs and the stoker for the fire?"

Chuckling, Kaede said, "I never thought I'd be so happy to see a normal stove. I don't even need wood or peat, all I have to do is turn a knob."

"Does that mean I can help?" Kouta asked.

"If ye like," Kaede said, casting him a sly grin. A pot floated up from the cupboard under the sink. "Fill this?"

.

Charlie had come back to the Do-jo in a tutleneck and slacks to wait for Asuza. Entering he found she was already here,
waiting for him on a bench.

"And I thought I was early," Charlie said as he came in.

Azusa got up. Meekly, she said, "I just arrived a short time ago. I did not want to miss you."

"I would have waited." Charlie assured her. Extending an arm to her, he asked, "Shall we?"

Asuza hooked her hand under his arm. He led her to the elevator and they went up to hear laughter. Stepping into the loft, they saw Kaede holding up a wooden spoon, "Nay git yer lamplighters, we got lectric switches!" she announced. Seeing Charlie and Azusa, she waved the spoon at them. "Greetin's, honored guests, Yer kin cop a squat side's Kouta there!"

"What did she say?" Azusa asked quietly.

Charlie laughed and guided Azusa to a seat at the kitchen island. "I take it Duncan's been teaching you how to speak Scot?" he asked.

"Aye, Laddie!" Kaede said, and cast him a wink. "Been servin the locals at Rachel's Inn. If ya doan git the dialect, ya git lost real quck, ya know."

"I can imagine," Charlie said, pleased to see Kaede was in a good mood. "This is Azusa Nakamura. Azusa, Kaede McLeod and Kouta..."

"Kikumura," Kaede said, Correcting him. "Kouta's family name is Kikumura, mine is also since I'm his missus. And when addressing people of Japanese descent, you say the family name first, so it's Nakamura Azusa, and Kikumura Kouta," she explained.

"Yes, sorry," Charlie offered. He still held a smile, even though Kaede was correcting himm, she was doing it light heartedly.

"Would you like some assistance, Mrs. Kikumura?" Azusa asked.

Kaede waved in a 'no no' gesture. "I've got it. Actually, this is the easiest I've had it in months! When I need fire,
I just turn a knob!" she said and giggled.

"And we have cold AND hot running water," Kouta beamed.

Puzzled, Charlie asked, "Have you been camping?"

"Almost as bad," Kaede agreed. "Connor had never updated the castle's kitchen. I mean never! We're using the same stuff they used back in the 1500's! No such thing as making a quick snack."

"I guess not," Charlie agreed.

"We do all right, and Mom's getting real good at cooking with that stuff, but it is alot of work," Kaede told him.

Charlie began to nod, then eyed her. "Hold on, did you say Mom? You've got a mom? Like, Duncan has a wife?" he asked.

"Yeah, kinda. They aren't officially married, but they are still my Mom and Dad."

"I never thought I'd see the day," Charlie said. "Make sure Duncan brings her back, I've got to see this woman."

A they talked, Kouta asked Azusa in Japanese, "How did you come to know Charlie?"

"I came looking for Duncan McLeod. He helped my sister, Midrori. I was hoping he would assist me," Azusa said in her meek tone.

"I take it you have a problem?"

Azusa nodded. "My husband worked at a research station. He was killed by a ... Yokai that looked like a person. Her name was Lucy."

"I'm sorry to hear that," Kouta offered.

"This lucy has gotten away, she must be stopped," Azusa said firmly.

Kouta glanced at Kaede. She had heard, but was pretending not to pay attention. "How do you know who it was?" Kouta asked

"One of the survivors told me," Azusa said seriously. "He said Lucy can be identified by the horns on her head."

"This happeded where?" Kouta asked, pretending he didn't know.

"In Kamakura, do you know where I mean?"

"Yes we've been to Kamakura," Kouta said. "Surely, the police must know of this."

Azusa shook her head. "No. The police cannot and will not find Lucy. She is a yokai, she can disapprear, she can strike unseend from the shadows. Only one who knows yokai can hope to defeat such."

"Did you say, Lucy?" Kaede asked in Japanese.

Azusa nodded. "Yes, do you know anything about that monster named Lucy?"

Kaede made a weird face, then said, "There is no Lucy. The monster was destroyed in that facility on that Island off the shore of Kamakua," she stated.

"How do you know?"

"I Killed it with a rocket. Shot it close up and it blew apart, nothing but bits left," Kaede stated.

"Scared the hell out of me when you did that too," Kouta told her.

Azusa looked at Kouta, then back to Kaede. "Wait, if you did that, how did you survive?"

Kaede pulled her cap off. "I am one also. I am no psycho killer, however. I just want to live with my husband Kouta here, and be with my family. You have nothing more to fear, Azusa."

Charlie leaned closer, eyeing Kaede's horns. "Dayum Kaede, have you always had those?" he asked.

"I have. Dad told me to hide them when I was growing up so other kids wouldn't pick on me," Kaede explained.

Charlie laughed and asked, "Just another McLeod secret, huh?"

"Just one more," Kaede agreed with a smirk. "Now, red wine or white with dinner?"

"What do you usually have?"

"Shot-o-single malt in me water," Kaede replied, useing her best Scottish accent. She got the Glen Livet bottle out from the lower shelf and showed it to Charlie. "It's nay Glen Finnen, but good'an drinkable, lad."

Charlie laughed at the way she said it. Kaede was really getting into the 'Scotish' life.

.

Duncan enrolled Nana and Mayu in school. It was easier than he thought it was going to be. Since Yuka and Amanda had been working with them, they did know enough English to get by. They were put in a special class together, and had to be driven to school, but Duncan was glad they were going, as was both girls. Like Kaede, Nana had to wear hats when at school.

Leaving the girls off for their first day of school, Duncan and Inari hovered by their Land Rover outside the school, watching more children pour in.

"They will be all right," Inari assured Duncan.

Duncan cast her a quick grin. "I know. This feels very ... domestic," he said.

"So, is that a good thing?" Inari asked with a raised eyebrow.

Duncan cast her a soft smile. "Absolutly wonderful." Wrapping an arm around her he added, "Now, it's time for ya to start yer drivin lessons, Lass."