CHAPTER 17- REFUGE

All of a sudden, there was Hotaru. She jumped in from out of nowhere, ducked under Tokaji, and swung up hard with her sword. "HAH!"

KAK!!! The blow was so powerful, it nearly knocked the sword out of Okita's hands!

His eyes shrunk up in astonishment. "What?"

Saitoh and his men were also a little stunned. Where did this young woman in hakama come from?

"Hotaru!" Tokaji gasped.

Hotaru drew back her sword, turned it so the point of the blade faced her and shot forward. POW!

"ACK!" Okita was just barely able to bring up his sword in time to block the enemy hilt. But the shock delayed his reaction as the newcomer girl whirled, grabbed Tokaji's hand, and jerked him away down the alley.

"TOKAJI! RUN!"

Saitoh brandished his sword. 'Now it is time to provide back-up!' "Get them!"

Okita was still a little shaken. "Who was that girl?"

Down the maze of backways and alleys dashed the two assassins, their breath leaving a steam trail.

"Hotaru, why did you---

She cut off his question. "Never mind that! We have to hide!"

Tokaji relented, thought for a moment, then glanced around. They were entering his old territory, the part of the city that he executed most of his killings. So he knew pretty much everything about it, including temporary refuges.

"Hotaru, there's an old building up ahead that no one lives in." He now took the lead, pulling her after him. "Come on!"

They could sense their pursuers trailing them in the morning light.

Tokaji inwardly cursed. He should have known she was going to follow him. Now he was running out of options by the second. But no, he couldn't think to tell her now, as they ran for their lives. First, they needed shelter, for at least a few minutes. They needed to get away from the Shinsengumi.

True to Tokaji's word, there was indeed an abandoned lot on the far side of town. As the Shinsen warriors ran down the still-dark alleyways, Tokaji and Hotaru locked the door behind them in the attic.

Tokaji fell back against the door, huffing and groaning. Hotaru saw the blood soaking from his torn gi and took a step closer. "Tokaji-san, are you?"

WHAP! He slapped her gentle hand away, much to her shock.

"Stupid!" he growled, eyes icy. "Stupid girl! You weren't supposed to come back!"

"Tokaji-san..."

The anger quickly washed away, but was replaced with anguish. "Hotaru, you were so happy there. I didn't want you to come back and throw that all away."

Now it was her turn to show anger. "Tokaji-san, it wasn't the fresh air, or the sakura trees, or the children, or Ami who brought me happiness! It was you."

There was silence as he took in her words. By now, her eyes were filling up with tears.

"You were the first person who ever treated me like a human! You bought my freedom and gave me a life worth living! You hear me? YOU gave me something to live for!" She lowered her head and began to cry. His harsh words, as well as her own weighed down on her heart. "I couldn't be happy if you were gone! I want to be with you, Tokaji-san! No matter if it's here, there, or anywhere else!"

"Hotaru..."

"Please...let's leave here..." she whispered. "You were happy too, weren't you? Let's get out of here and go home."

A gentle hand reached out and cupped her chin. Hotaru's eyes rose to meet his eyes. They were now ocean blue.

He smiled. "Hotaru...you are no longer a child. I see that now."

She gazed up at him questioningly, but before any more words could be exchanged, he was kissing her.

It wasn't a peck, but it wasn't heavy. It was a soft, loving gesture that made Hotaru's heart pound. What was this feeling? What was he doing? Still, despite her confusion, she didn't pull away.

Meanwhile, the Shinsengumi swarmed the abandoned building.

Saitoh smirked. "They're in there all right. I can smell them."

Finally, Tokaji pulled away. "That was the first step, Hotaru."

She was dumbstruck. "To-Tokaji?"

CRASH! Downstairs, the door was smashed open by the eager wolves of the Shinsengumi.

Tokaji rose to his feet but continued to smile down at her. "When we meet again, we shall continue from there."

Before she could say, do, or think anything more, something hard hit her behind the head. Wind jarred from her body, she began to fall. The last thing she felt before darkness took hold was his arms catching her.

Tokaji held her unconscious form in his arms for a little longer. But the drumming of enemy footsteps told him to hurry. He would have to lead them all away from her before he could fight. He had to save her no matter what.

Placing her down on the ground and covering her with a nearby blanket, he headed for the door. "We will meet again. I promise." With that, he was gone. And when Hotaru woke up hours later, she was all alone.

Sitting up, she glanced around the room. "Huh? Tokaji?"

Silence.

Hazy images of memory wisped into her mind. 'He kissed me...and told me that we would meet again...'

Just then, she was on her feet, running down the dusty stairs, darting past the dead warriors, and running outside. "TOKAJI!!"

It was sleeting, creating gray and red puddles of slush all over the roads and around buildings. A cold wind chilled the young girl down to the bones as she began to run again. She ran blindly through the city, calling and calling. She stumbled over food stands and dead bodies alike, searching, hoping, praying.

'Where are you? Where did you go?'

At long last, her strength faded away. Collapsing in a puddle of melted water, she looked up hopelessly at the skies. He was gone.

"TOOOOOKAAAAAAJIIIIIIIII!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!"