a/n: Okay, here's where it gets a little weird/supernatural/spaghetti. I believe in an afterlife and this kinda says that.

Chapter 5

I was floating.

I looked down to see Uncle beheading the ninja that had stabbed me. Taki had taken the moment of chaos following to kill the three that had been holding her down.

All this I saw as I was being pulled away by a gentle hand. Under the body of the ninja, I saw. . .my body. Wait a minute—was I dead?!

I can't be dead, I'm only 24!! I'm not ready! I shouted to no one in particular.

Taki rushed over to Mitsurugi while Takeshi knelt down besides me. He put his hands on my neck, checking for a pulse—I saw a stream of blood trail out of my mouth to puddle on the ground as he lifted my head into his lap. ". . .my student. . .you have regained your honor."

NO!! I can't be dead! I'm right here! Do you see me?! Look up, dammit, look up! I'm right here!

Taki helped Mitsurugi sit up; he groaned something about too much sake. He shook his head and regained his senses. He was badly injured as well, but still able to move. He remembered where he was and looked around frantically for something.

He looked up and saw me in my uncle's arms and hung his head. Shinjiro ran over to ME and shook my shoulder. "Mommy?"

Dammit, kid; I'm NOT your mom! But I'll try to be if I can just wake UP!

Mitsurugi, with Taki's aide, came over to Takeshi and placed his hand on my forehead. "Damn it, Miyuki. . ."

Oh. My. God. He. Is. Touching. Me. Wake up, dammit, WAKE UP!

The doors slid open on one side and the rest of the samurai from my clan came out, minus one. ". . .the hell?! Matsudaira--?!"

All explanations ceased when the leader of the group saw me in Uncle's arms. The oldest one, Tsunemoto, limped over to Takeshi and knelt down besides him. Takeshi gently lowered me to the ground and pinned me down while Tsunemoto eased the ninjatou from my chest. I felt a sting in my incorporeal form in that spot. . .[It is not your time.]

Huh? What do you mean it's not my time? There's no way I could survive that. My incorporeal vision started fading. . .I was actually dying.

"Daibutsu, she's still alive--!" I glanced downward to see Mitsurugi removing his hand from my neck and placing both over my wound. Taki jumped then and ripped off strips of my yukata while Uncle and Tsunemoto sat me up and wrapped them around my side.

[Daibutsu works in mysterious ways. . .You will wake in six weeks; then the journey of your life will take place. Fare thee well, Mitsurugi Miyuki.]

The HELL?!? That's not my--

Suddenly, everything went black.