Well, that took longer than I thought it would. Between my vacation to Alaska and my work trips, the last two months have flown by. Sorry about the delay!

Ravyn

"Sano, I do not understand why you continue to bother me with this." Kaoru growled as she wiped down a corner of the bar. Someone had spilled a vile of blood and she didn't like the way the table of vampires in a back booth were swaying.

"Because it's important," Sano returned lowly. "You won't talk about it when you're at my place because…"

"As your son's godmother I am enjoying myself," Kaoru sniped. "This conversation is over. Again."

"Kaoru…"

She had already turned her back, moving away from him to start taking drink orders. Sano had no right telling her what she needed to do. She knew he was worried about her, but she was determined to make this work. Her way. It could work. It would work. Some nights were cold and lonely, but for the most part, she was enjoying the freedom that it gave her. Yes it was dangerous. But so was pack life. They were just different and Sano had a baby to think about.

It had been two years since they had fled Chicago. He should have known by now she wouldn't change her mind. Huffing, she slapped her rag against a shelf and glared at the wet spot. Two years wasn't nearly enough time for things to settle but it was close. Sano was edgy because he had grown up in a pack; she had spent most of her life on the edges. Sano had been in training to be the next beta – she had been one step away from rogue.

But he was the best friend she had ever had and she would never let something to him or his family. The fact that he had fallen in love with a human had meant little to her. When Megumi had found out she was pregnant, they knew they were going to have to move and fast. The pack would never have tolerated the relationship much less the child. Megumi had been a blessing, helping Kaoru teach Sano the necessaries of living outside of a pack life; there were some things that pack members just didn't understand about real life. It had been exasperating and amusing experience, one that she would hold over her friend's head for many years. They even had pictures.

The city they had finally settled into had been as close to perfect as they could manage. Megumi managed to get into a med school, there was a solid other kind community and the alpha male of the local pack tolerated rouges, along with other/human relationships and offspring. When they had arrived, a tall man with cold eyes had met them at the train station, accepting their ID's and their exhausted explanations. Kaoru suspected someone had already told him the problem. A situation like theirs didn't stay quiet and they knew they were being tracked. Over the years, werewolves had become something of the policemen of the night world; each pack kept careful track of other kind and rogues in their territory, keeping the numbers at an even balance with the humans.

They had been escorted to a hotel and two weeks later, received a note giving them permission to stay for another six months on probation. Once they proved they weren't going to cause problems, they were allowed to stay permanently. Sano and Megumi had chosen to stay in pack care, but Kaoru had moved out of the three bedroom apartment into her own place as soon as she could afford it. They needed the room for the baby and she needed her sanity. A nine month heavy Megumi was a woman only Sano should have to deal with.

She had found a neat, clean little studio apartment not so far from where she worked. It was only a ten minute walk from a park, allowing her to stretch her muscles. She didn't change except in the privacy of her own home and even then, rarely. She didn't have that sort of permission.

Her job provided Sano and Megumi with an income they needed. There was only so much Sano could do with Megumi so pregnant and risking complications. The baby wasn't completely human and it drained Megumi to carry him.

Taking a deep breath, shaking off the memories, she plastered a smile that wasn't quite a bearing of fangs and got to work. Sano hung around for half an hour before giving up. He was talking on his cell phone, giving her one last glare and heading for the exit. She had promised to stop by and see Yori tomorrow, so she supposed she was going to get an absolute earful then. Oh well, that was tomorrow.

Sano wanted to try to join the pack that ran the city. Kaoru had gone out of her way not to know their names, faces, or even the name of the pack. After growing up with the tight structure of the Chicago pack, she was learning to get the feel for life outside of it and she enjoyed it. There was something liberating at not having to keep careful track of all your actions to report back to the alpha.

It wasn't always fun, but it was hers. While there seemed to be a huge difference between the pack here and the pack she had grown up with, a loosening of rules and requirements, she wasn't interested. Sano had to be. He had a child to protect. A child that might be the first of many who was half-were. He would need to the packs protection. Especially if Megumi did agree to the change once she graduated from medical school, she wasn't willing to take another break from her classes.

Looking at the clock she grinned and lifted a hand to rub the back of her neck. "I'm on break," she hollered at the manager, who looked up from where he was missing drinks and nodded.

Kamatari was vampire, and extremely odd for it, but nice enough as a boss. He gave breaks when they needed it, not according to any system. It was hard to pick exactly when an other was going to need a few moments. Vampire bartenders only took breaks to suck down blood, but were had tempers and needing breaks from the customers themselves. Kaoru just wanted a moment to enjoy semi-silence. Her ears would ring for half an hour after she left work.

The air outside didn't smell better, but it at least wasn't so recycled or filled with cigarette smoke. Just the faint scent of common garbage that wafted from the garbage cans a little further down the alley. Sighing, and continuing her impromptu neck massage, she listened to the sounds of city life.

Tilting her head to the shadows near the entrance of the alleyway, she snorted. "If you're attempting to hide, you are doing a horrible job."

"If I was hiding, you wouldn't know I was here." The voice returned. "A mutual friend asked me to step in and check on you."

Kaoru frowned as the figure stepped out of the shadows. In front of her was a man only a hands breadth taller than she was. He had long red hair that had been pulled into a high tail. His stance was casual, hands in his pockets, feet spread apart; yet there was something about the intensity of his blue-violet eyes that caught and held her.

"The only friend I have that would be considered mutual for anyone knows better." Kaoru informed him, lifting a brow at his expression. This man was wolf and he was pack. She just had to figure out how high in the hierarchy he was. Her position as rogue wasn't automatically a bad thing when dealing with pack, but she couldn't insult him to his face.

"He worries about you."

"I'll put that on his grave," she returned with a sharp smile. "Now that you know I haven't managed to spontaneously combust, you can leave."

He gave a low chuckle. "Sano was forthcoming about your attitude." His smile was slightly crooked. "Around the time he was biting out that you continue to refuse to discuss additional protector or possible probation membership. Why?"

"I have my reasons, you haven't earned them." Kaoru returned, narrowing her gaze.

His thin mouth curved. "You have no idea who I am." His tone was colored with laughter as his eyes moved over her features. "I won't hold it against you."

Kaoru looked at her watch. There went any chance of not losing her temper. "I don't care who you are." She met his eyes squarely, refusing to show submission. The intensity of his gaze hadn't eased, and the odd colored eyes were almost lighter somehow. "My refusal to be pack is my choice. I don't know or care what Sano has been saying about me."

He lifted a brow. "So you prefer to be alone and unprotected."

"I prefer to make my own choices." She returned. "I have to get back to work. My respects to the alpha," turning on her heel, and trusting him not to attack her when she had her back turned, Kaoru went back inside the bar to finish up her shift.

Tomorrow, Sano was going to get an earful.

X

Kaoru watched as Sano attempted to feed the stubborn baby some cream of wheat. Yori wasn't having any of it, his little face scrunched up and his brown colored eyes were looking anywhere but at the spoon in front of him. "You know, when your aunt Kaoru does this, it isn't nearly as difficult."

"Sugar," Kaoru told him, her voice colored in laughter.

"Sugar?"

"I put sugar in it when Megumi isn't looking."

Sano made a noise that had Yori looking at him with big eyes, his little mouth parting in a large smile gummy smile.

"You're a spoiled little brat," Sano told the baby with a sigh, scooping some sugar into the little bowl. "You would have cried and cried until daddy figured it out, wouldn't you?" Yori shoved a fist in his mouth and smiled widely, drooling.

"He is just like his mother," she said with a laugh. "You should be a mind reader by now."

"His mother wants to know how long you are going to be working at that shady bar. It's dangerous."

"I smell like wolf," Kaoru reminded him. "Not many other kind are going to want to tangle with me. I'm perfectly safe. And Megumi doesn't want to know, you do."

"You're rogue. We're both rogue. There isn't pack scent to protect you and you don't smell like me any more either, not since I married Meg." Sano replied, picking the baby from the highchair when he refused to eat the last few bites, carrying him over to the sink to clean him up. "Megumi very understanding for a human, but there are things she can't begin to fathom. A single, female wolf out there alone with the big baddies isn't good."

"Did you just say 'big baddies'?" Kaoru questioned, the corner of her lips curving in laughter.

Sano sighed and looked down at the baby. "Your Aunt Kaoru is making fun of me again."

Kaoru snorted. "Give him enough time and I imagine Yori will be making fun of you as well."

Sano gave her a mock glare. "Don't think I am not onto your game. I have been talking to Kenshin lately."

Kaoru's lifted a brow, "Who?"

Sano turned, bouncing Yori a little. "Kenshin. I know you met him." At Kaoru's continued blank stare he sighed. "Redhair?"

"The idiot from the alley?"

"That idiot," Sano said with an amused expression, "is alpha."

Kaoru bit her lip. "Oh."

"You smarted off to him, didn't you?" He put the baby in the play pen, handing him his favorite soft toy to chew on. "Kaoru…"

"He deserved it," Kaoru said faintly. "I'm not pack and he can't order me around."

Sano sighed. "I would never have thought you were such a mouthy female."

"It's part of my charm."

Sano rubbed his temples. "You know, I don't even want to know. I just don't want to know. You already give me gray hairs."

"You don't have gray hairs."

"If I could have gray hairs, I would. Because of you," he pointed a finger at her.

"You give me too much credit."

Sano snapped his teeth in frustration and Yori let out a baby chuckle, amused at the faces his father was making. "Sure, laugh at me," he grumped at his little boy, making another face just to see that gummy smile. "Well, we will just show your auntie Kaoru, won't we?"

Kaoru lifted a brow. "Do what?"

"We're going to discuss joining the pack today and you are going to sit down and listen."

She settled her hands on her hips. "You are in trouble already for setting the alpha on me last night."

Sano looked surprised. "I didn't set him on you." His eyes slid over her shoulder

"Then why did he show up at my work place?" Kaoru demanded, her eyes flickering with unease.

"Hey, I don't question alpha leaders!" Sano spluttered. "Not when I need to get on his good side." He groaned. "Okay, so maybe I called to um… vent.'

Kaoru flopped onto the couch and frowned at him. "I don't like that he cornered me like that. I don't even want to know why you're close enough friends to have his number."

"I imagine he is used to doing what he wants. Because Megumi is interested in making the change and I am interested in finding us a pack, I've been looking at this group. I like them. They're strict about a few things, I'm going to have to go back to school, but they are fair and there is no prejudice against those who are made and those who are born pack." He told her. "It's just the place we're looking for."

Kaoru bit her lip. It did sound good. Except she had insulted the alpha last night… "Is there any sign that our old pack is close to finding us? Are they even looking?"

"Kenshin is looking into that. Even if we decide to stay as rogue, he wants to know what to expect. Does it matter? We both know that they will eventually decide to look and when they do, we're going to need to the help. Especially if the alpha decides that he needs to make an example out of us."

"Yeah," Kaoru sighed. "That is what I get for running away with the next in line to be the beta." She rubbed her face with both hands. "It's been over year; there should have been some sign of them by now."

"I know." Yori made a faint growling noise, chewing on his toy, as if he was sensing they were talking about him. "But all we can do is be prepared for if something does happen. I need this pack Kaoru. The first place they are going to strike is going to be at Megumi and Yori."

"I know," Kaoru replied. "I just… are you asking or ordering me, Sano?"

"Asking," Sano returned. "I don't want to go into a pack without having you to watch my back in the capacity as pack, but if it is something you are completely against, I understand and I won't force you. Hell, I don't think I could force you."

"Look, I can't make any promises, but I won't completely reject the chance to get to know the pack outside of my work place." She sighed and looked at the wide brown eyes staring up at her as he growled and chewed on his toy. "I owe Yori, that at least."

Sano grinned. "I told them you would say that."

Kaoru picked up a pillow and threw it at him. Part of her was relieved Sano had been so determined to force her into getting to know the pack. While she needed to know if she could make it on her own, away from the pack and away from those rules, part of her really missed having pack mates.

She would see how things turned out.

"For that, I am feeding your son a Popsicle and letting you deal with his mother when she finds out about his sugar intake." Her smirk was vicious.

"Hey! Kaoru! You're joking right... Hey... Really... back away from the freezer!"