Constructive criticism is always accepted, and it humbles me that people care enough about Running Backwards to tell me that I'm screwing it up. I am much happier with the new chapter 20, Nao gets some history, Natsuki gets to look heroic and Eiji gets his time in the spotlight.

On a side note, how many cried for Yuuki Eiji? His last words are my favorite line in this story so far.

The Captain's Wife

While Natsuki was enjoying herself in Edo, Yukino and Haruka had made their way to Nagasaki. Haruka immediately returned to the military base, who were surprised but happy to see her return. "Lodgings will be procured for you immediately, Captain Armitage." Haruka shifted uncomfortably, "I require lodgings for two, if possible." General Kimikura then noticed the mousy woman standing with Haruka, Haruka introduced her, "This is Kikukawa Yukino, describing our situation would be taxing. Needless to say, she will be staying with me."

The general nodded towards them, "Very well, there have been some developments I believe you will find interesting, but you must be tired so Mr. Ishigami here will show you to your new home. I expect you to report for duty at reveille. Dismissed." Ishigami led the two women to a house in the city that had been procured for them, a modest house with a small yard. Haruka opened the door for Yukino and found two rooms, one for each of them.

Yukino cooked for both of them and they ate, afterwards Yukino cleaned up and Haruka sat in their living room and relaxed. She felt small hands on her shoulders and flinched, but settled down when she realized they belonged to Yukino, "What are you doing, Yukino?" Yukino stopped, "I'm sorry, is it unpleasant? I'll stop." Haruka put a hand on hers, "No, it feels good I just wasn't expecting it."

Yukino massaged Haruka's shoulders, Haruka lay her head back and her breathing evened. Before long Haruka was asleep, and Yukino put her arms around her. She ran her hands through Haruka's shoulder length hair, untangling it as she went. You need to bathe, Haruka. She gently let Haruka lie down, getting up and running some bath water. When she was done she gently woke her, who groaned and protested. "Haruka, I ran a bath for you." Haruka grunted and shook her head, Yukino giggled, "Haruka, you'll feel better if you take a bath." Haruka sat up and rubbed her eyes, "I don't want to." Yukino waggled a finger at her, "If you don't get in that bath, then I'm going to make you." Haruka laughed and Yukino got angry, "I'm serious, I will make you." She pouted and folded her arms, Haruka gave in, "Okay, you win."

She ruffled Yukino's hair as she walked past, annoying the woman, then made her way to the bath. She lowered herself into the warm water and let it relax her. Her thoughts drifted to her fight with the Kuga woman, she ran her finger along the scar on her thigh. If she was speaking the truth then Renzo died with my mother, but who ordered their death and why? I will get to the bottom of this.

After longer than she intended to bathe, Haruka got out to find that Yukino had moved both of the futons to the same room. Yukino lay curled up in one when Haruka entered the room, "Why did you move the other futon?" Yukino didn't look up, "Because I'll feel safer if you're close to me." Haruka kicked the other futon away and lay next to Yukino, wrapping her arms around her. Yukino buried her face in Haruka's chest. "Then you should feel extra safe, now." Yukino nodded, "I do." Haruka closed her eyes, "Good night, Yukino." Yukino sighed, "Good night, Haruka."

-RB-

Haruka awoke the next morning to an empty bed and the smell of food cooking. She got up slowly and stumbled into the living room to find that Yukino had prepared breakfast for the both of them. "It's not much, but I'll go shopping today. Is there anything in particular that you like, Haruka?" Haruka tore into her breakfast, "If you make it, Yukino, I'll love it." Yukino blushed and when she poured Haruka a cup of tea, gave her a gentle kiss on the cheek. "What was that for?" Yukino smiled, "For being sweet. Now you should eat quickly or you'll be late."

Haruka ate, put on her military blue uniform and left the house, arriving just in time for reveille. As she walked passed, one of the men muttered sarcastically, "Hey Captain, how's your wife?" She immediately spun on him, "She's fine, yours still imaginary?" The man balled his fists, ready to swing at Haruka who wanted him to, "Are you angry now? What are you going to do about it?" He swung at Haruka who caught his fist in mid-air and held him fast. He struggled against her but she held him, laughing the whole time. She used her free hand to grab him by the face and shove him to the ground, holding his face to the dirt, "If you say anything about Yukino again, I'll bury you under this dirt. Understand."

Over the din she heard a loud voice shout, "Enough." What struck her as odd was that the voice spoke the word in English, followed by a translation in Japanese. Haruka stood and faced the pale skinned woman who approached, "You must be Captain Armitage. Captain Miyu Grear, United States military." She offered her hand to Haruka, who shook it and spoke awkwardly, "Captain Haruka Armitage, it's a pleasure to meet you." Miyu let a smile crack her face, and spoke with a light drawl, "You're not used to speaking English, are you?" Haruka shook her head, "No ma'am, I've lived in Japan now for many years. To be honest, I'm surprised I remember English at all." Miyu slapped her on the shoulder, "Well let's see if I can't help you remember."

They walked together, occasionally Miyu would shout at some soldier who was slacking or shout at an officer if his lines weren't right. A little Japanese man followed behind her, translating her hateful and sometimes racist shouting for the Japanese soldiers to understand. "So what is the American military doing here?" Miyu walked straight backed, her bearing stern, "We were contracted to train your Imperial Army in modern military affairs. We are working with your general, Kimikura if I'm not mistaken, so that the incident at Edo does not happen again."

She shouted at another man, they continued walking, "We have supplied arms to you, some dozens of artillery pieces and firearms. I see you carry a Winchester repeating rifle, I've never seen another like it." Haruka ran her fingers down Diana's stock, "This rifle was my father's, it's a custom made piece. No other rifle like it exists." Miyu nodded approvingly, "You won't find any better in the armory, though you should look for a sidearm. There's a nice collection of Colt pistols that might suit you." Haruka nodded, "When I have some free time, I might do that."

General Kimikura approached them, "Captain Armitage, I see you've met Captain Grear, she will be assisting us with our new equipment and she will help us devise strategies to stop the Samurai. I would like you to work closely with her, help her get the lay of the land. Hopefully teach her some Japanese." Haruka bowed, "I have something I would like to ask you, in private." The General walked passed her, "I'm just too busy right now. Come find me later and we'll talk."

Miyu walked towards the mess tent, Haruka followed, "Have you eaten, Armitage?" Haruka nodded, "Yes, my...housemate cooked for me this morning." Miyu smirked at her, "You really have forgotten English, in the States we call that a wife." Haruka muttered, "It's not like that." Miyu held the door open for her, "It's nothing to be ashamed of, Armitage. What's her name?" Haruka grabbed a tray, but didn't put much food on it, "Yukino. I saved her from a shitty husband at the behest of her father, who asked me to bring her here and look after her. She's great, beautiful and a hell of a cook." Miyu found a seat and Haruka sat across from her, "Sounds like you're living the dream, Armitage, but I'm curious as to what brought you to Japan in the first place." Haruka shrugged, "I'll tell you, but don't blame me if you're bored to death."

-RB-

When I was ten I lived in Virginia with my father, Leo Armitage, and my mother Rachel. They were never happy together but we lived well, running a modest sized farm just outside of Salem. Then the war happened and my father was called to serve under the Confederate flag. He survived dozens of battles thanks to his skill and his trusty rifle, which he named Diana after his mother, Diana Grace Armitage. The Confederacy would go on to lose the war and surrender at Appomattox courthouse.

After the south surrendered at Appomattox, my father returned a changed man. He ignored my mother and poured himself into his work. He taught me to fight, do work around the farm, all the things a father would teach his son. My mother was furious, though I was never sure why. Was it because he ignored her and only paid attention to me? Was it because she didn't want her only daughter to be a tomboy? Or did she just realize that they didn't belong together?

Either way, my mother left one day. She was offered a position here in Japan and jumped at the chance to be free of us. My father didn't seem to mind, he just kept working and working until he couldn't anymore and, eventually, he died of tuberculosis. I cried by his bed for days, but the farm needed tending and my father had taught me to put my work above myself. I tended the farm until I was sixteen, old enough to join the army and leave a place that held no happiness for me.

I joined the Army and rose quickly through the ranks, it gave me a sense of purpose and belonging, but I always thought after my mother. Where was she? Why did she leave? I received word through some official channels that my mother had moved to Japan and was working in the ambassador's office, so I left the US and tracked my mother down.

I was twenty-five years old when I found her in Osaka, she had built herself a new life here and wanted nothing to do with anything from America, including me. She turned me out, without a penny to my name and no way to get back home. I didn't speak a word of the language and it was some time before I was able to speak enough to get a job. Afterwards I joined the Japanese Army that was being created at the time by some bigwig who thought that Japan needed a modern army if it wanted to stay in power. I've been here ever since.

-RB-

"Though I can't recall the name of the man who created the army. He was the General before Kimikura took over, he only recently came into his position. The man before him, what was his name? I can't remember, I'm really bad with names." Miyu had finished her lunch and was patiently listening to Haruka's story, "That's a fascinating story, Armitage. What ever happened to your mother?" Haruka lowered her head, "She was killed. Up until recently it was told to me that a man named Kuga Renzo was responsible for her death, but after fighting his daughter on the battlefields in Edo I'm not so sure anymore." Miyu stood up as did Haruka, "They say you can't lie on the battlefield, Armitage, and I believe that. What's say we get to work, show these Japs how we kill each other in America."

After running drills with Miyu all day, Haruka caught up to General Kimikura in his office. The sunlight filtered through the room and showed papers strewn across his desk, "Captain, how did it go with the American Captain today?" Haruka sat down in the only other chair in the room, "It went well, Miyu is a great soldier." The General shuffled some papers around, "That's good, what is it that you wanted to ask me, Captain?"

Haruka exhaled slowly, "It's concerning my mother, Rachel Armitage. Official documents say she was killed by Kuga Renzo after he was caught committing treason, but my encounter with his daughter in Edo has made me doubt that story. Can you share any more information with me?" Kimikura shook his head, "I don't know any more than you do, Haruka. I know that there were a lot of people, myself included, who lamented the death of Rachel. She was a special woman, and I'm sure she cared about you in her own way."

Haruka nodded, "No she didn't, don't try to glorify the woman after she abandoned my father and me. She wasn't even there when he died. She hated me, but she was my mother and it has taken me years, but I've forgiven her. Now I just want the man responsible for her death." Haruka and Kimikura both stood and bowed, "I'm sorry I can't be of more help to you, Haruka." Haruka turned to leave when a thought occurred, "General, what was the name of the man you replaced?" He sat down behind the desk, "I'm really busy, you're dismissed Captain." Haruka tried to ask again but Kimikura raised his voice, "Dismissed, Captain."

She left the office and was walking home when she overheard a conversation amongst some soldiers, "...that American woman. The old General would never have allowed them in here." She stopped and the men saluted her, "The old General, I've been trying to remember his name all day. What is it?" The man struggled to think, "I think it was something Renzo." Her jaw hit the floor, "Kuga Renzo?" He snapped his fingers, "That's it, Kuga Renzo. A good man." Haruka thanked the man and walked away lost in thought.

-RB-

Haruka entered her house to find dinner on the table and Yukino waiting for her. She noticed Haruka's blank expression, "What's wrong?" Haruka sat down at the table, "Nothing, just trying to piece this thing together." Yukino sat across from her and ate, Haruka remarked, "This is really good." Yukino smiled at her across the table, "Thank you." Haruka returned her smile, "You know, you have an infectious smile. When I see you smile, it makes me want to smile, like I know that everything's going to be okay." Yukino leaned across the table and kissed Haruka on the lips, who returned it. She sat back down, practically beaming, "I've been wanting to do that, but I didn't know how you would react." Haruka continued eating, "It's nice to have someone to come home to, I've never had anything stable in my life before. I told your father I'd look after you, but I'm starting to wonder if you're not looking after me." Yukino touched Haruka's hand that rested on the table, "I'm happier when you smile, too, so I do whatever I can to make you happy."

After dinner Haruka sat in their living room and thought hard about what she had learned while cleaning the Colt pistol she had taken from the armory. Yukino sat next to her with a book, pulling out a pair of reading glasses. Haruka stopped what she was doing, "You wear glasses?" Yukino opened her book, "When I read, yes. Don't they make me look distinguished?" Haruka chuckled, "They make you look old." Yukino lowered the book and glared at Haruka, "You're one to talk, you're older than me." Haruka smirked, "How many years older am I than you?" Yukino returned to her book, "Wouldn't you like to know." Haruka sighed, "I will find out." Yukino kissed her on the cheek, then lay her head on her shoulder, "No, sweetheart, you won't."

The sun went down and they went to bed, Haruka held Yukino in her arms and was able to forget all about the Kugas and her mother and just sleep.