Disclaimer: Nothing of Watsuki-sensei's work is mine, so I lay no claim to it!

This chapter's a little longer, but that's a good thing, eh?

Enjoy!

Keiko woke and found it was almost morning. She got up and dusted herself off. "I guess it's time to get back to the dojo. I'd better hurry or Kenshin-nii will be worried by my absence."

She ran to the dojo and went into her room, setting the sword in its proper place. She bowed to the picture and smiled a little. "Seijuro, thank you for this gift that you've left me. I'll bear it well."

When her prayers were done, she got up, dressed and did her hair. When she slid open her door, she saw how bright and beautiful it was. "Wow, it's so beautiful today. I feel like I could do almost anything today. Oh, good morning, Kenshin-nii."

Kenshin opened his door and smiled. "You always seem to be the first one up these days, Keiko-ne. Would you mind if this one asked why you're getting up so early?"

Keiko shook her head. "I'm just getting used to being here and getting up with everyone else. I don't need to burden everyone by sleeping in, now can I?"

"This one sees, you were getting up and walking around earlier this month at night. May this one ask why you did?"

"I just went for a walk around the courtyard and sat, looking at how beautiful the sky was at night. That's all."

"Yes. Here it's very peaceful and there isn't much trouble except the minor scuffle here and there. This one sees that you've been feeling much better lately, Keiko-ne. Why is that?"

"I'm just making peace with myself. I can see him smiling at me from the other side. I can't mourn forever, and if I did, it would consume me. I don't want to cry anymore. It hurts both me and the baby now." She turned to him and smiled. "Oh, and how is the training going? Have you been able to put the stick back together?"

"Only sometimes. This one has yet to master this one's power."

"That's good. You're progressing well. I suppose in a month or two you'll be able to start on live objects when they're hurt. Like…say…if you pluck a piece of grass. You'll be able to put it back together and it'll be as if it was never torn in two. Then we'll go on to animals. Then you'll be able to test your powers on an injured person. Then we can see if your powers are as great as I expect them to be. We are siblings, aren't we?"

"Yes we are, Keiko-ne."

She then turned away, a guilty look sweeping through her features because she had to lie to her brother. Her only sibling. Until her suppressed memories had risen, she didn't know that the man she'd cared most about save her husband had actually been related to her, even though everyone pointed out the obvious. Kenshin-nii, I'm so sorry.

Hmmm...so she's not telling Kenshin anything...and who was that person spying on her at the end of the last chapter?

Any guesses?

Please review!