A.N.- Wasn't able to review due to my project for school. Though the video commercial looks more like a secquence from Jackass. Oh well, it is extra credit.

Qui-ti- Thanks. Although I still don't think I've had any good chapters since chapter 15... hmm. Kinda like my other fics, I always thought that they were horible, but everyone tells me otherwise. I'll only be satisfied myself when I make a fic and never get a flame for more than a year. Heh, glad my work is appreciated. Oh, and back to Hayabusa's voce actor doing Shwartz Broder's voice, that's only in the Japanese version. Same with Hayate's voice actor (Midorikawa Hikaru) doing Heero Yuy's voice only in Japanese version of Gundam Wing.

Forevermore- Thanks for reveiwing. It's just... I'll probably never like my own writing.

Wein uth Korrel- Hmm. Thanks, I really aprecciate the review. The thing is, is that I'm living in the shadows of a few great... no elite fan fiction writers, and I won't settle until I'm as good as they are. But maybe you're right, the only reason that I'm not as good as them is probably because I think I'm not. Again, thanks.



Hayate woke up as his cell phone rang, he fumbled around on the night stand for it. When he picked it up he heard Hayabusa's voice on the other end, "Ryu?"

"Hayate. There's trouble again. The Shinobi haven't followed any of Kasumi's orders. We think that they might rebel sometime. They keep talking among themselves and Kasumi thinks she overheard that they'd only obey you... or your eldest son if you had one because that's how it always was. At least as far back as the remaining records go, and that's about two millenia."

"You don't have to explain it to me, I know that already. I'll see if I can come back sometime soon. Just make sure nothing happens until I get there, okay?"

"Okay, I'll do my best," he replied. Hayate hung up the phone just as Hitomi walked in, "Hitomi, I gotta leave again. Trouble back home."

"Can I come, please? I told you I wanted to see Japan."

"First you have to ask your parents because I might not be able to come back. And knowing you, you'll probably want to stay too," he replied.

"I'm old enough to live on my own, I don't need to ask them." stated Hitomi as she sat down next to where Hayate was lying down, "Still, you should call your parents and tell them where you're going."

"Okay," Hitomi walked off to call her parents. Hayate called after her, "I think we'll leave next week. That should give you time to pack and to give the keyes back to the landlord. I still have to buy the tickets."

Hayate picked up his cell phone again, this time to call the airport. After reserving two tickets he hung up and overheard Hitomi yelling from the other room, "But daddy, I want to go. I'm not gonna let Ein walk out on me again like he did before."

Hayate sighed. Hitomi's parents still didn't know who he was, they thought that he was still Ein, "I don't care, I'm going whether you say I can or not! I'm eighteen now... ninteen in a few months, and I'm old enough to make my own decisions!"

He heard Hitomi slam the phone down on the reciever. Then a few seconds later, Hitomi came back out, "Okay, as soon as I'm done packing we'll go."

"Hitomi, your dad said..."

"I don't care what he said, I'm going anyways, whether he likes it or not," Hitomi stated as she walked back into her room to pack. Hayate thought that he should hurry packing and leave without her, but he decided not to because it would probably completely ruin their relationship.

About a half hour later, Hayate was done packing when he heard someone knocking on the door. When he opened it he found that it was Hitomi's father. He walked in, seemingly furious, "Where's Hitomi?"

"Umm... she's taking a shower... so you can't reall talk to her right now," replied Hayate. Hitomi's father sat down at the couch, "I thought you were leaving, how come all the stuff is still here?"

"The landlord said that he'd get it shipped to my friend's house," said Hayate. Suddenly they heard the shower turn off and a few minutes later, Hitomi emerged from her room. Seeing her father there she frowned and took out the keyes to the apartment and threw them to Hayate, "Can you turn them into the landlord for me?"

Once Hayate was out of the room, Hitomi looked back at her father who motioned for her to sit down, "Hitomi, why are you doing this?"

"Because I want to go to Japan and Hayate has already walked out on me three times. Once to regain his memory, once at the end of the tournament, and once before he had to deal with a family crisis. I'm not gonna let him leave me again," she replied.

"Hayate? Who's Hayate?" he asked.

"He's Ein," replied Hitomi. Seeing the confused look on his face, she continued, "It's a long story. He regained his memory."

"Okay. But why do you have to leave. At least finish college first. Complete your education," pleaded her father.

"I can go to a college in Japan."

"What about your training?"

"Hayate's gonna help me continue my karate training and teach me ninjutsu."

"What about your friends, your mother, me?" he asked. He knew that it was probably selfish, but he was desperate. Hitomi looked guilty now, "I'll stay in contact with you all. But I need to be with Hayate right now."

"Okay... but if you ever want to come home, don't hesitate to call," he replied. Just stop by on your way to the airport to say goodbye to your mother. And make sure Ein... er... Hayate takes takes good care of you."

"I can take care of myself," Hitomi hugged her father and he walked out the door, "Thanks dad."

Hayate walked back in a few minutes later, "So, can you come?"

"My dad said yes. As long as I attend college there and I continue training," she replied, then she smiled mischevously, "and that you take good care of me."

"Do you still wanna leave now?" asked Hayate. Hitomi looked around the room, "Yes."

Hayate went downstairs to put the luggage in the cab, making three trips in total. Hitomi followed him down as he took down the last few peices of luggage into the trunk. Then the two got into the cab.



They had already been on the plane for three hours and Hitomi couldn't sleep. Hayate watched as she kept moving around to get comfortable. Then she spoke up, half asleep, "Ughh... I hate planes..."

Hayate moved over one seat that no one had purchased, "Here," Hayate took her pillow and put it on his lap, Hitomi instantly collapsed onto it, "Thanks..."

Within minutes Hitomi was asleep as Hayate ran his hand through her hair. He turned his attention to the back of the seat in front of him, there was a screen showing the flight's progress. They still had some time left to go.

Hayate thought that all the problems with the Shinobi were over. That he would never have to go back. Unfortuantely fate was trying to kill him and destiny was no longer at his side. He was linked to the Shinobi and he wouldn't be able to live without it. It was as if his uncles were still there, making trouble everytime Hayate left. Washi and Raidou were Shinden's brothers but they wanted the worst for them. And again he had to go back to deal with the hell the two of them had created.

Bringing Hitomi into this was probably a big mistake. One that he'd regret. She never knew the way things went on there, and he hoped she never would. If it wasn't for his great love for Hitomi, she'd still think he's Ein and that he was just going away for a little while. On the other hand it might have ruined their relationship.

Hayate looked down at Hitomi who was silenty sleeping, holding onto the bottom of his shirt as if wanting to keep a grasp onto reality. She looked so peaceful. He always dreamt of waking up to that face, but after this it'd seem unlikely that the two of them would ever have an uninterrupted relationship.

When he was injured he was scared to be alone, fearing that once again he'd black out and never come back to reality, Hitomi was there for him. Sometimes she stayed up watching him, thinking that he was asleep. Little did she know that he watched her every move, wishing that he could be closer to her.

When they had started training together, his feelings for her began to grow from just a simple physical attraction to a growing love which was still, at this point, growing. Then all of it somewhat faded when Hayate had been brought back to conciousness. Family honor had to be placed over personal feelings, love had to be stripped of all feeling that would get in the way, memorys disappeared and were soon replaced with the horrors of reality.

Hayate looked out the window which was three seats away, the sun had just began to fall. He remembered one night when he, or Ein rather, and Hitomi were alone because her parents went to visit a friend. They had stayed up together at first watching the sun set, similar to the one in the present. Then just sat there staring at the night sky, occasionally glancing at the other while they weren't looking. They were so close, both loved eachother with all their heart yet neither of them knew it. Now they both knew that they were in love, but not at peace. Not until he could break away from the Shinobi.

But he couldn't, they were his family's legacy. Ever since his his earliest ancestor that he could recall of. Kumo was his name, he had started to rule over a group of farmers and samurai who had favored over the release of the reigning emperor of Japan. Since then the Shinobi had turned into somewhat of a family, the same way the present day mafias and gangs have formed. The only difference were that the Shinobi were formed over religion and politics.

Hayate just couldn't leave like that. The bond had grown too close. Hayate thought of making Hitomi one of the Shinobi. But no, that wouldn't work. What if she wanted to leave? She wouldn't be able to. Something would have to be done, just... something.

Hitomi woke up and glanced out the window, then checked her watch. It was 1:00am. Hayate had been deep in thought about the same subject for over six hours. Hitomi sensed his worry, "Hayate, what's wrong?"

"Nothing Hitomi, just go back to sleep," answered Hayate. Hitomi sat up and looked back at him with sympathy in her eyes, "C'mon, you can tell me."

Hayate smiled remembering how he always gave in to her, "Fine, I don't know if I'll be able to come back with you."

"Then I'll stay with you there, like I thought. I'll go to a college there, you'll teach me ninjutstu, everything will be alright," she replied.

"Hitomi, the life there... It's hard to get used to," stated Hayate. After a few minutes Hitomi spoke up again, "I'll get used to it. Anything for you."

"So, why are we going to Japan again?" she asked.

"Trouble at home," he replied. Hitomi pressed on, "Ryu and Kasumi are afraid that the Shinobi are going to rebel again. That's why I might not be able to come back. They only go by tradition so they will only obey me or my eldest son. And seeing how I don't have one, I might have to stay. Maybe if we have a..."

Hayate cut off his scentence, figuring that it might be a little to forward, saying that they might have kids someday. Hitomi smiled, knowing what he was going to say, "Don't worry, I was thinking the same thing. But... anyways. I'm staying, wheter you like it or not."

Hayate smirked, "There's no changing your mind, is there?"

"Nope."

"Okay then, just keep yourself out of trouble there. Oh, and you're staying with my sister, Ayane. That way, you'll be far away if there's a rebellion."

"Ayane?"

"Yeah, she was at the tournament also. You know her," replied Hayate, "I think she's staying with Ryu though. I'll have to check there first."

"Hmm... Do you know what time we might get to Japan?"

"Tomorrow morning. Around 1:00. So we'll be out really early. If I know Ryu though, he'd still be up trying to get his clan back into good condition," he answered. Hitomi nodded then glanced out the window, "I've never been away from home before. At least, not this far away."

"I thought you said you were willing to stay in Japan with me."

"I... I am. I just need to get used to being away from home," Hayate pulled her closer to him, he didn't know what to say here. Sure and 'It'll be alright' would work. But he wasn't so sure.



A.N.- Okay. Next chapter up soon I guess. I can't wait for the Cowboy Bebop movie! I wanna see it soooooooooo badly...