WRITER'S NOTE:  Yay!  Thank you for all the people that actually read it and gave me positive reviews!  You have no idea how refreshing it is to have people honestly enjoy something!

            Well, the hardest thing with writing this has been making sure that Tokio STAYS the mysterious, demur, and gentle woman that she is.  I keep having the urge to change that, but then she'll become exactly what I can't stand in other fics…annoying.  I'm also finding atmosphere a little difficult to create, but then again, why worry?  This is only my first fic.  It's not like it needs to be a work of art or anything.  Hope you like!

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The Wolf's Mission

"Behind Closed Doors"

by Leila Winters

            "How is she, Megumi-dono?"  Kenshin fixed the doctor with an inquiring gaze.

            "She'll be fine.  Her body couldn't take the strain that was put on it.  She needs to rest.  I wouldn't recommend moving her at all tonight."

            Kenshin closed his eyes in relief.  "Thank you."

            "She asked to speak with you, if it wasn't too much trouble."

            The samurai looked to Saitou for approval.

            "Go ahead, Battousai.  She won't attack you."

            Sanosuke growled.  That bastard!  Doesn't he even care that his wife can't move for the rest of the night??  This is all his fault!  If I were Tokio's husband, I'd give her the respect that woman deserves!

            Saitou sat on the floor, his legs curled up, and the cigarette that was lovingly placed in his breast pocket was already half gone.  He took another long drag.  "It's best not to keep Tokio waiting, Battousai."

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            "Himura-dono, I'm pleased you came," Tokio was lying on her back on top of a soft roll.  An elaborately embroidered quilt lay on top of her small form.

            Kenshin smiled.  "I'm pleased that you are going to get better, Tokio-dono, that I am.  You gave us quite a scare back there.  You could have been very seriously injured.  One thing I couldn't figure out…" Kenshin's eyes became serious.  "How is it that you gathered up enough speed to come between Saitou and myself and manage to take his katana from him—a difficult task, I can imagine."

            Tokio smiled kindly and stared aimlessly at the ceiling.  "Sometimes, Himura-dono, you have to do what it takes to keep those around you from making terrible mistakes.  He will be angry with me for some time, but I could not allow him to fight you under such circumstances.  It wouldn't seem right."

            "You and Saitou seem to have an interesting relationship.  He does not particularly warm up to you.  Is it hard, living with him?"

            Tokio chuckled.  "No relationship is easy, Himura-san.  My husband and I get along.  That is all one can hope for in a marriage."

            Kenshin's mind absorbed this information like candy.  There must be more to this, I know it.  Saitou would not agree to a marriage that would hinder his career.  Tokio-dono must be a very special woman, to marry a man like Hajime Saitou.

            "Don't be angry with my husband, Himura-san."

            "Why would I be angry?"

            "He wasn't himself tonight.  The curry was cooked in brandy.  Megumi-dono didn't know…"

            The swordsman leaned forward.  "Megumi-san?  …Didn't know what?"

            "During the Revolution, when my husband was a member of the Shinsengumi, he and the others used to throw wild parties after successful missions.  Because of the residual adrenaline after the kills, they would still be consumed with blood lust…Since the beginning of the Meiji Era, my husband refuses to imbibe alcohol for fear that the associated feelings with alcohol would kick in again."

            Kenshin's face showed his uncertainty.  "Fear?"

            Tokio gave the man a direct look.  "He is afraid of becoming a cold-blooded murderer again, Himura-dono.  Much like yourself, only my husband is not afraid to kill out of necessity or according to his moral code."

            The swordsman sat in thoughtful silence.  How he had wanted to learn more of the Wolf of Mibu.  The enigma that was Hajime Saitou.  He wasn't so sure he wanted to know more now.  It might have been easier to stay rivals.

            The woman interrupted Kenshin's reverie.  "Don't think that this excuses his behavior.  My husband attacked you not only from blood lust, but also from desperation."

            The wanderer's eyes imperceptibly widened.

            "He really had no one else to go to.  I must ask you to reconsider his proposal.  Please, Mr. Himura."  Though neither her voice nor her eyes conveyed her desperation, Kenshin felt the hair on the back of his neck prick up.

            "…But why?"

            At this, Tokio sat up, ignoring the swordsman's attempts to lay her back down.  Her luminous eyes looked thoughtful and haunted at the same time.  "The truth is, Himura-san…my husband has no allies.  He has been fighting alone for so long, he forgot what it is to fight as a team," with a final look of helplessness, "He has forgotten how to ask for help."

            "Forgive me for being presumptuous, but wouldn't your husband rather see me dead?"

            Tokio smiled at the man kneeling beside her.  "It is true that my husband holds a personal grudge against you…however, both of you also have a mutual respect for one another.  To him, you are his peer and whether either of you will admit it or not, he's grown quite fond of you, Himura-san."  At that, her gentle voice gave way to an equally gentle smile.

            Kenshin was so enraptured by her eyes that he had nearly missed her words.  A peer?  Saitou saw him on an equal level?  It all seemed so unreal.

            Kenshin opened his mouth, but before he could reply, Hajime Saitou appeared in the doorway.  "I would like a few moments with my wife."

            The small man respectively bowed to the woman next to him, "Of course," and let the screen slide behind him.

            Hajime's amber eyes seemed to glow in the dark room.  His confident gait faltered slightly as he stopped next to his wife and crouched uncomfortably to meet her at eye level.  "You're not getting yourself into more trouble, now are you?"

            She gave him a coy look.  "Who, me?  Why, Hajime, are you jealous?"  She gave him one of her serene smiles.

            Saitou was silent for some time, merely staring at her.  After a long pause, he gathered his wife close, his lips lovingly on her forehead.  Tokio's eyes closed at the rare moment of stolen intimacy.  A soft sigh escaped her lips.

            "Are you all right?"  The man murmured against her skin.

            Tokio raised a hand and caressed his cheek.  "I am ready for anything."

            It was the policeman's turn to close his eyes at the flood of emotions that assailed him.  His Tokio…

           

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            "Kenshin, is she going to be okay?"  Kaoru's hopeful eyes made the swordsman smile.

            "She will be fine.  Miss Megumi is a very fine doctor, that she is."

            At that, the doctor gave an embarrassed laugh.  "Ho ho ho, I'm just doing my job!"

            A low growl was heard at the other end of the room.  Sano rose unsteadily to his feet.  "How can you guys be so lighthearted about this?? There is a woman in there that nearly got killed by that psychotic husband of hers!"

            Kenshin looked appalled.  "Sano!"

            "All of you are so stupid!  Can't you see that he's KILLING her??"

            Yahiko, who'd been surprisingly quiet the past few minutes, spoke up.  "Now wait a minute.  I don't like Saitou as much as the next guy, but he seems pretty decent.  He's got his little code thing and if he were going to kill Tokio, he'd just do it outright and not go through the trouble to do it slowly."

            "But—"

            "Yahiko is right," Kenshin chimed in.  "Whatever kind of man Hajime Saitou is, I do not believe he would ever willingly harm his wife."

            "ARE YOU ALL CRAZY??  I don't care what you people say, Saitou is—"

            Sano's tirade was interrupted with the door sliding abruptly open.  Hajime Saitou stood calmly in the doorway, his wife partially hidden behind him.

            "Are you going to finish that thought, or are you just going to grind your teeth some more?"  Narrow amber eyes glittered dangerously at the young man.

            Before Sano could open his mouth, Saitou was already halfway to the door with his wife trailing after him.

            Megumi stormed over, pulling on the fabric at the policeman's back.  "Wait just a minute!  Where do you think you're going??"

            He turned around and barely gave her a glance.  "We are going out for a bit.  We will be back to hear the Battousai's answer."

            "Wait!  You can't just take her out of here!  She is MY patient, and she needs rest!"

            "I believe my wife can take care of herself."  At that, he raised a rather sardonic eyebrow.  "Hmm?"

            The doctor's eyes narrowed.  "Listen, you—"

            "I am feeling much better now, Miss Megumi.  You needn't worry about me.  Hajime will take good care of me, I assure you."  The woman's trusting smile had everyone holding their breaths, waiting to see what her husband would with that trust.

            Saitou smiled at his wife, an amused smirk that chased the shadows from his face.

            Kenshin watched silently, fascinated.  He is indeed a lucky man to have found such a woman.  A woman who accepts him as he is.

            The policeman took his wife's cloak and his hands casually brushed against her collar.  For an instant, dark bruises appeared on her neck.  Saitou barely missed a beat before settling the garment on his wife's shoulders and placing his heavy hands on them.  Tokio looked up and an unspoken understanding reached both of their eyes.

            The only other person aware of what had happened continued to watch in shock.  Images flashed through Kenshin's mind.

            The tear on her sleeve.

            The mud on the hem of her cloak.

            "I ran into a little trouble at the market…"

            The—

            "Tokio," Kenshin said suddenly.  "you went to the market today?"

            A little embarrassed at being directly addressed, she smiled and looked curiously at him.  "Why, yes I did."

            "Excuse me for asking, but why is it that you do not have any packages with you?"

            Tokio paused for a bit, unsure.  "I didn't find anything I liked, I'm afraid."

            "Ah.  I see.  Come back to us safely."

            "Indeed, I will, Himura-san."

            With that, the couple left unhindered.  The snow had stopped falling, leaving a peaceful feeling over the quiet town.

            "Kenshin?  Are you okay?"  Kaoru took an uncertain step towards the swordsman.

            "I'm fine," Kenshin replied, looking rather wistfully at her.  "I need to think things through for a while."

            "Yeah, me too," Sano said sullenly.

            "I better get going.  There may be other patients that need treating," Megumi made her way toward to door behind Kenshin and Sano.

            "I'll walk you, Fox."

            "Kaoru, I'm going with the big idiot.  He might get in trouble," Yahiko whispered none-too-discreetly.

            "I heard that, Brat!"

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^_^  Hope you enjoyed it as much as the first chapter!  The stuff after this will take a little bit longer, since a lot of it still needs to be written, but hopefully, it'll all come naturally.  Thanks again for those of you that reviewed and took time to let me know what you thought!  *muah*

FEEDBACK TIMEFujifunmum – Impressed or not, it's still a work in progress and it will all be meaningless if I never finish it.  *sniff*  WHY IS IT SO HARD???

Takatome – Damn!  If only I as clever enough to have thought of that!  *takes out a pad and pencil to jot it down.*

Claudia – What is it about that policeman that draws so many women?  I've observed that his most avid fans tend to be female.  My brother calls me a moron because Saitou happens to be my favorite character.  (Actually my favorite character is Tokio, but since she never shows up, I'm left with him as an alternative.)

Sai – See, I battled with that very issue.  I was wondering what the hell Tokio should call her husband.  It wouldn't be proper if she called him –sama or –san, but then I thought about how much the guy's gotta hate public displays of affection and I opted for formality of some kind.  Especially since her life could be in danger because of who her husband is.  But I WILL keep that in mind as I continue to write.  THANKS!

Mara - *giggles with girlish glee* I am a big fan of your work and I appreciate you taking the time to write a review despite a failed first try.  Sometimes I just give up.

Tenshineko – If ONLY we could get Saitou to a party of ours.  ^_^ You really think Tokio is clumsy?  Is that because of the whole thing with the mud and torn sleeve?  Hee…that'll explain itself later on.  And actually, I knew that SOMEONE would take that cigarette line that way.  When I wrote it, I assumed she meant it in a puppy dog way.  "Good job, boy.  You can have this later if you stay good."  (But then again, sometimes the characters take on a life of their own (^_^)