Standard disclaimers:
I don't own Rurouni Kenshin. Watsuki and some big name companies do.

I'm down to the grounds, the very dregs
Ah, here she comes, blocking the sun
Blood running down the inside her legs
The moon in the sky is battered and mangled
And the bells from the chapel go jingle-jangle

Do you love me? Do you love me? Do you love me?
Do you love me like I love you?

words by Nick Cave ('Do you love me?)

CHAPTER 12: BATTLEFIELDS 1

We didn't have one day, we had only a few hours left. And all Hajime was doing, was to comfort me and trying to calm me. Never before and never again in my life I had been so scared and had cried so much. Hajime must have thought that I was a little whining and wailing crybaby in a time we needed to make urgent preparations.

Above all Kondou was not in Kyoto, we weren't able to speak with him and ask him for help. Not that Hajime had seriously considered this possibility.

In the evening Hajime was scheduled with patrolling along with some others. The house would be empty, except for a few wives, and we decided it would be the best for me going with him. Some females wouldn't stop Yoshinori from entering the house. Hajime's first duty was to serve his Daimyo, caring for security in Kyoto, and not to protect his wife from being kidnapped by an obsessed ninja.

I dressed as a Shinsengumi to be less suspicious and took my wakizashi, shuriken, kunai and dagger with me. With all the weapons I could equip an army, but I still didn't feel secure. Only as Hajime stepped beside me, my irrational feeling of fear vanished instantly.

It was dusk, only a few people were on the street, some shops were still opened.

An old woman was selling fish.
"He, you two! Over there! Want some fresh fish?"

ALARM! An old woman was addressing us? Two Miburo on the streets? Ok, I admit, I didn't count. But I instinctively moved closer to Hajime.

Nothing happened, we passed her.

In the next street there stood two men, discussing. The discussion got more emotional, the voices got louder, one was giving the other a smack on his shoulder, the other gave it back, the situation escalated.

A trap? I stayed close to Hajime as he approached the two men, his sheer appearance made them shut up and leave the place in complete harmony.

Nothing happened.

One hour passed without an incident, the shops were closed by now, less people were left on the street and some cats started to roam around.

"WUMM."
We both turned around alarmed, what was that? Frantically we scanned the surroundings, but noticed nothing suspicious, only a cat crossing the street. It cast an annoyed glance at us and vanished between two houses.

Another hour passed without happening anything, the streets were empty, only a few passerbys here and there. They hurried home, not casting a glance right and left, obviously afraid of the dark and threatening atmosphere.

Hours later we were both tired, you can't stay alarmed and be on guard twenty-four hours a day. It was then, I didn't pay attention when passing a dark entrance, and Hajime was a few steps ahead.

It was too late when a hand clamped over my mouth and an arm encircled my waist and arms. His grip was tight, I wasn't able to move as much as I fought against him, but my resistance caused some noise and Hajime turned, realising something was wrong.

They were staring at each other, face to face to each other. The one man who would stop at nothing to be my husband and the other man who was indifferent at most times and actually was my husband. The atmosphere was threatening, hostile. Fighting spirits rose and blood-thirstiness filled the air. I would have to do something, before the situation escalated, perhaps there was a slight chance to calm Yoshinori. Hajime needed more time.

If Hajime trusted me, I could pretend to go with Yoshinori, he would focus on Hajime, trying to kill him. I could use this and attack him from behind.

"Leave her!"
Hajime was standing in front of us, facing us. He wasn't able to judge Yoshinori, to predict his actions, movements, he didn't know him. There was not a chance for him to attack with me in Yoshinori's arms.

Yoshinori was blind concerning me, he wouldn't realise I was lying and betraying him, I was sure. He lowered the hand on my mouth.

Would Hajime recognise that I only pretended to stay with Yoshinori? Would he trust me?

"Hajime, please calm down. He is an old friend of mine. Yoshinori Masahiro-san. Saitou Hajime-san, leader of shinsengumi squad three and my husband." I tried to introduce them, but they continued to stare at each other, none of them made an effort to bow. My Gods, I knew this wouldn't work! They both wanted to draw blood.

"Tokio-san, are you trying to tell me that this is your husband? I thought you had a better taste."
It was a low blow trying to provoke Hajime, but this wouldn't work with him.

"Yoshinori is a famous name."
Hajime made a threatening move, which wouldn't work with Yoshinori, too obvious. He was a skilled Ninja after all.

"Saitou-kun stay quiet. You don't belong into the same class as Tokio-san and I."
This was rude and hitting the nail on the head, and not one muscle in Hajime's face twitched. But I started to feel offended, Hajime made up for it with his spirit by far.

"Stop talking, Yoshinori and leave her."
Hajime remained concentrated and cool. He didn't mind to be the son of a low class samurai and a farmers daughter, and I felt relieved. Hajime didn't seem to have a weak spot Yoshinori was able to find.

"By the way, what about the book I gave you, Tokio? The book about ken-jutsu?"

He knew about this? This book had been my parent's, but he must have revealed that we had a brawl about it and that Hajime knew that it was important for me. He would think it is important, because Yoshinori gave it to me. Would Hajime trust me? "I still have it, Masahiro. Thank you for the wonderful present."

Hajime remained calm, he realised I wasn't serious. Would Yoshinori be able to find a weak point in this short time?

Yoshinori registered that it didn't work, too, and shot a intense glance at me.
"You really like this man? You allowed him to touch you? What an honour, Saitou-kun! She's quite skilled with her hands, isn't she?"

MY GODS, he tried to use THIS?

Hajime tightened his grip on the hilt, he had drawn the right conclusions. NO! Yoshinori must have seen it too. Please, this couldn't be true! I could almost see Yoshinori's wolfish grin behind my back and felt his muscles tightening once he had found what he had been looking for.

"Stay there or I'll break some of her bones!"
He would never do that, but Hajime couldn't know that. I wasn't able to say something yet, I didn't want to show him my intention too early.

"It is time for you, Saitou, to hand me back what is mine."
I almost felt Yoshinori's barefaced grin, which never failed to enrage me, even Hajime needed effort to remain calm as I noticed.

"Leave her!"

Yoshinori ignored him completely, playing the indifferent, cool ninja.
"I can't believe, what you did, Tokio. You are even carrying his child."

He tightened his grip around me, pressing me against him, there was no possibility to move my arms. Every muscle in my body was aching, there had to be a chance to get out of his grip. I tried to fight against him as I suddenly noticed Hajime's eyes widen in shock while he witnessed Yoshinori's next moves. What was going on? What was Yoshinori planning? I couldn't see his moves, I could only feel him. And I heard his next words.
"I'm sorry, Tokio, I have to hurt you. But, you know, I only want the best for you."

I felt Yoshinori raising his hand -what was going on?- and with one fluid movement he punched his fist into the region of my belly using one of his ninja techniques. *OUCH*

Hajime wasn't able to help me, though he wanted as I noticed by his impatient fumbling with the hilt of his sword. But I hanging limply in Yoshinori's arms, andhe still wasn't able to predict his actions or movements. The risk of hurting me was too high.

MY GODS, that hurt! I felt a warm liquid running down my legs, blood! 'This can't be true! Don't show Hajime, he has to concentrate on Yoshinori. I was afraid that Yoshinori really had killed our child. The flow of blood didn't stop, I could smell it already.

Yoshinori's impertinent grin deepened as he turned to Hajime.
"Oh, I'm sorry, Tokio. You had been carrying his child. But I can't allow my woman to carry the child of another man. It must been horrible enough for you that you had to allow him to touch you and to be your first man. But there are limits, Tokio, and a child is something I can't tolerate. But I told you, I'd help you out, my darling. Always."

He caressed my check, all the while watching Hajime furtively. I had to do something, I had to get in a position to be able to use my weapons! Hajime was pissed off, now he was slowly losing control. He wanted to kill Yoshinori, he wanted to fight him immediately, but he had to wait until I was out of reach.

All I was able to, was to whisper, the pain was taking control over my body.
"Thank you, Masahiro."

"I promised you, I would help you out."

He took the wakizashi out of my hakama before he dropped me carelessly to the ground, and concentrated on Hajime. A true ninja, using the weapons around him. I was struggling with the pain in my belly, trying to get on my feet, trying to hide the blood.

"Now I'm rid of this brad, all I have to do is finish this weakling there. Just a minute, my love. Then we can start living together." He was underestimating Hajime, wasn't he? He was pissing him off more with every second, that was sure.

Yoshinori challenged Hajime with Soushi's and mine wakizashi, and he was carrying some shuriken, some kunai with him for sure. How many?

Hajime drew his katana. Both focused at each other, both aware of my presence. Would they both trust me, both turn their backs to me?

They were staring at each other, minutes passed silently. I was sure Hajime would attack first, he was more offensive, furthermore he was annoyed about what Yoshinori had done. But he had problems judging Yoshinori.

There he came, announcing the first attack, a test to see how fast Yoshinori was. Hajime was quick, trying to land a blow, but Yoshinori put it away with one sword and used the other one trying to land a hit on Hajime's back as he passed him. Hajime was fast enough to evade him while turning around.

Yoshinori re-sheathed one wakizashi, Soushi's, preparing for Hajime's second attack. What was he doing?

Hajime started his second attack, he was wise enough not to use his special attack, it would be to early. Again, Yoshinori blocked his attack and I knew what he was up to, revealing kunai behind his back, only visible for me and throwing them at Hajime as he passed him.

One kunai hit the aim, Hajime's left side, it was unguarded for a short was not deadly, but it hurt and distracted. Yoshinori attacked instantly, using this as his advantage, before Hajime was able to pull the kunai out of his side. He jumped up, pretended to slam the sword down while trying to kick him into the face. It was the move Hajime had already seen me using, he evaded it, pulling out
the kunai.

The left side of the kimono was bloodied now, seeing his own blood seemed to make him even more annoyed, his eyes narrowing, but he re-gained control and attacked again.

This time Yoshinori jumped high in the air, throwing shuriken which he had been hiding behind his back, none hit, his lips twisted in a frustrated smile. He was really looking freaking with this grin, standing on a roof of a nearby house, watching us from above.

What was he thinking off? He was preparing the next shuriken while concentrating on Hajime, throwing them,... they were flying... IN MY DIRECTION?

HE WAS AIMING AT ME? I dodged them in the last moment, one scratched my right temple.

Hajime was surprised and distracted, Yoshinori used it, jumping down while preparing the next attack.

He threw three kunai at Hajime, who was able to evade two of them, the third dug into his shoulder, he pulled it out at instant and threw it away. Good luck it was the right shoulder, not the left one.

Yoshinori showed no emotion, but I knew he enjoyed his success, he thought victory was near. Maybe he wouldn't register what I was doing now, concentrated on his little success and his slight chance of winning this fight.

I was in his back, taking out two shuriken, giving them the right speed and rotation on my fingers, releasing them,... but he stepped aside without even turning in my direction.

Damn it, he still sensed what I was doing, only one shuriken scratched him. And now he knew my true intention and would fight us both recklessly. He wasn't turning, he was still focused on Hajime. "Tokio, you have to improve your skills, you missed him."

WHAT? What did he think was I doing? Did he think I would be THIS bad? What an idiot! How stupid could one human being be? I felt anger rising, blurting out my feeling.
"I HATE YOU, MASAHIRO!"

THAT distracted him for a second, Hajime used the second to jump forward and slash his katana through Yoshinori's abdomen. I smelled the content of guts, saw blood dropping to the ground.

Yoshinori might have realised his mistake and my 'betrayal' by now. Hajime raised his katana for a final blow. Didn't Yoshinori kill my parents? As if in trance I felt myself jumping up and reaching out for them both. "Please, stop it , Hajime!"

Surprisingly he stopped the sword in mid-air, his self-control was abmirable and Yoshinori broke down on his knees in the street, dropping my wakizashi.

I stood my ground before Yoshinori.
"Please let me do that."

I didn't wait for Hajime's reply, and turned to Yoshinori.

I took two kunai, pushed him on his back, and sat down on his stomach. With
the kunai I pinned his wrists to the ground, he was too shocked to move, and he
was weakened by the gash in his abdomen which would finish him.

Hatefully I spit into his face.
"Do you remember what you did to my mother?"

Irritated he stared at me, trying to find out what was wrong with me.
"I did it for you, my love. Why don't you understand?"

He was the most stubborn man I had ever met.
"FOR ME? You hurt me, Masahiro! You betrayed me! Can't you SEE this?"

I took out a third kunai, stabbing it a few centimetres in his right eye, pulled it out, he screamed, some blood came out of the wound were his eye had been. A pool of blood now.

He tried to turn and throw me away, but I was sitting on the gash in his abdomen, his hands were pinned to the ground, he was already too weak.

"This is for WATCHING my parents die."
Stabbing the kunai in his second eye, leaving a second bloody pool in his face behind. He twitched from pain.

"Why don't you love me, Tokio?"
Why was this idiot still not realising the truth?

"You can't force someone to love you, Masahiro. You will never understand."

He tried to say something.

"This is for my parents SUFFERING."
I lead the kunai across his face, from his right cheek, though his nose over the left bloody pool, where his eye had been. He tried to turn his face away, too late.

"Why, Tokio? Why don't you love me?" He was still able to speak?

"This is for BETRAYING the ninja, my parents and me."
I opened his mouth by using the joint of his jaw and cut his tongue. His mouth filled with blood quickly, he chocked on his own blood which was running down his throat. He wasn't able to breath, the blood started to reach his lungs.

"And this is for HURTING Hajime and me."
I took the dagger and stabbed it right into his heart. It contracted a few more times, the blood around it shivered with every weakening beat before it stopped completely.

Breathing heavily, I suddenly felt a hand on my shoulder, looking up into Hajime's face.
"It is enough, Tokio. He is dead."

How long had I knelt here? What had I done? I was bathed in blood, in Yoshinori's blood, and Hajime had a severe expression on his features.

I stood up, with shaking knees and leaned my head against his chest, his shoulder was still bleeding, his blood was running into my hair. He embraced me, pulled me close, comforting me. My abdomen hurt!

"I'm sorry, Tokio." What? I was the one whose fault this whole mess was!

"Why Hajime, that was not your fault."

"I wasn't able to protect you." That was his only problem?

"I'm sorry, it was MY fault. This whole incident happened because of me."

"That is not of importance now."

I looked questioningly at him, now the pain in my abdomen got stronger, I winced, my legs gave in, he picked me up.

"I'll bring you to the doctor."

The pain was getting too strong, I lost consciousness, the world went black.