Disclaimer: I don't own Dead or Alive, Tecmo and Team Ninja do.

A.N.- In case you were wondering where I got the DOA2 videos, I got them at doa.tenkoku.com.  Also, this is a pick-up right from the last chapter so there would be no "+++" between the last paragraph of the last chapter and the first paragraph of this chapter.  But I'll recap the setting.  Nice place to divide it, huh?

I also know that there are more than 4 matches in story mode, but I only know about the ones that I wrote, and will write.

Forevermore- I had to make Ayane lose for a reason.  So don't worry about it, she'll beat Kasumi sooner or later.  Hope you like this chapter, you probably will.  So please r/r.

The rest of you- r/r!!!

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Chapter 7

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Ayane was sitting near the waterfall, her last match against Kasumi was held there as would be her next match against Ein.  She hadn't met Ein yet, but the stats sheet said that he was undefeated.

She watched as Ein walked into the area.  As Ein prepared for the match, Ayane noticed something, "Aren't you Hayate?"

There was no response; Ein was tired of people asking him who he was.  Ein started off with his most powerful kick, Fudo-Fujin.  Ayane tried to block it, but the sheer force still inflicted some damage.

Ayane used a throw on Ein, Tsurana-Otoshi.  Ein was able to get up quickly from this attack, but on his way up he mat with Ayane's fist during a Yoko-To attack which sent him back down to the ground. 

Ein got up a few seconds later and used Hokage to throw Ayane back a few feet.  Ayane got up and tried a Renjin-Ryugaku-Sen combo but Ein countered the first blow with Namioi.

Ayane again attacked using a punch combo, Renjin-Koeiso.  Ein again countered on the first blow with a Namioi. Ayane attacked with Ryubi-Ressen which Ein countered with Suibo.  Ein finished her off with a throw called Guren.

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Ayane woke up and sunlight shined into her eyes, "I must have been out for a long time."

The match with Ein took place at night.  Ein had already left.  One more loss and Ayane would be eliminated from the tournament.  She checked the voice mail on her cell phone for messages about where the next match was to be held; the next match was against Zack, self-taught Thai Boxer.

Ayane would have to win this match or else she would be ejected from the tournament.

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Ein sat down, the last match was supposed to take place tomorrow.  Kasumi would be his opponent.

Ein set down his duffel bag and took out a bottle of water.  He was tired, the past few weeks he had been traveling around and fighting.  He couldn't wait until the end of the tournament, even if he didn't find out his past. 

Ein thought of all the clues to his identity, Hayabusa thought that he had recognized him, so did Ayane.  Then there was Helena, she knew all about it.  For all Ein knew, she was probably behind it all.  Ein thought that if she wasn't, then she knew a lot about it.  If he would ever find out, he had to ask Helena, "Maybe after this is over."

Ein's cell-phone rang and he took out a piece of paper.  When he picked it up a voice on the other side told him where to go for the next match.  Ein wrote the time and the place down on the paper. 

Ein got up and left for the airport.

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Hitomi got on the internet to look up the status for the Dead or Alive tournament.  She had been checking every day since the tournament began.  She smiled when she saw that Ein was still undefeated. 

"Only three more weeks until the tournament's over.  Hopefully he comes back to the dojo," thought Hitomi. 

She remembered him telling her why he entered.  Now it seemed unlikely that he would.  He left to find his past, if he did find it he would want to live it.  Hitomi thought that if he did, he would at least visit once.  If he did she would tell him how she felt.

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Ayane had won the match against Zack, causing him to be disqualified from the tournament.  Ayane easily beat him; he didn't lay a hit on her.  Ayane now needed two more losses to be disqualified.

Since it was her last match, she would have to wait for all of the matches to end to find out if she was going to face the champion or not.  The only way for that to happen though would be if Ein lost his next match because everyone else was either eliminated or had at least one loss.

Ayane remembered her mission.  She didn't have another chance at it, when she would tell the Shinobi they would be furious.  Tears came to her eyes when she remembered all the hard times when she was younger.  Everyone would always tease her, make her mess up in her training, there had been millions of times when she would have killed herself.  Hayate and Hayabusa were the only one who ever helped her, their kindness was what kept her from doing so.

Now Hayate was missing, and Hayabusa was guarding Hayate's sister, her step-sister.  She couldn't go near him because he knew that she was hunting Kasumi, and he would always keep his word to Hayate.

Tears were now soaking her sleeve.  She heard someone behind her, "Who's there?"

Hayabusa approached her, Ayane backed up, fearing that he might know what her job was, even though there was no possible way to find out.

"I'm not going to hurt you," he said.

"Then why are you here?" asked Ayane, still worried.

"I came for my final match," replied Hayabusa.

"Am I you're opponent?" she asked.

"No, I think you're in the wrong place," replied Hayabusa.  He noticed the tear stains on her face, "What's wrong?"

"Nothing," answered Ayane.

"Something's wrong," he replied.

"Fine, I was just thinking about how everyone treated me," she left out one thing, her assignment.  She couldn't let Hayabusa know, he would probably try to kill her where she stood. 

"I know you're trying to kill Kasumi.  Remember, I still know what goes on with the Shinobi, Hayate's father still stays in touch.

Ayane was scared, she backed up.  Hayabusa was much stronger than she was, she wouldn't be able to defend herself, much less come out alive.

"Don't worry, I told you I wasn't going to hurt you," comforted Hayabusa.

"But my job is to kill Kasumi, yours it to protect her," argued Ayane.

"I couldn't hurt you," Hayabusa walked towards Ayane.  By the end of his sentence they were inches apart, "I love you too much."

At that Hayabusa wrapped his arms around her and let his lips fall on hers.  Ayane had waited for this ever since she met Hayabusa, now her dreams were coming true.

The two parted a few minutes later, "If they find out………"

"Don't worry about them.  Here we are just normal people, not an assassin and a body guard, not free Shinobi, two people.  Besides, they shouldn't have any say in this," interrupted Hayabusa.

"So……… when's your opponent going to arrive?" she asked.

Hayabusa walked away, "I lied, there is no match here.  My next match is tomorrow, so I'd better get ready for it."

Ayane watched as he walked away.  She had loved Hayabusa for a long time, now she knew that he loved her back.

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A.N.- tons of mushyness here.  Okay, for those of you who plan on flaming, I did a Ayane/Hayabusa paring as a request.  Now I actually like that paring (not as much as Hitomi/Ein though) so if you have a problem with that, go cry to mommy.