Nornal text = the present (See chapter one)
Bold = written articles: letters, newspaper clippings, etc.
Italic = the stuff that happened leading up to the stuff in normal text. (flash back)
Bold/italic = Setsunas past (flash back)
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Sano stood there shocked. He couldn't believe the words that came out of her mouth. It never occurred to him that the man that gave her that comb may possibly be dead. He muttered a inaudible, "I'm sorry", and left the room. He collapsed against the wall outside of the room. If she didn't hate me before, I'm sure she never wants to see me ever again now...
Kenshin showed up in the hallway with a worried look on his beaten face. "Sano..." Kenshin walked over to his friend who just pushed him away violently and ran out of the clinic. He fought through the crowds and found himself standing on the road in front of the river.
I've done it now. I can't go back on anything I said to her. I might as well have walked her over to her husbands grave and had made her watch me piss all over it... He walked over to a near by tree and punched it, his fist going through the other side. He pulled it back out and it was covered in blood; splinters sticking out of his skin. He wasn't phased by the throbbing that ensued and he mad his way into the direction of his one room apartment.
~~~~~
Kenshin stood there stunned watching his friend run out of the hallway. He walked over to Setsunas room and looked in at her. She was looking at a hair comb and crying. He had heard Sano screaming at her about some guy but by the looks of it, Sano had gotten an answer he never expected out of her. Megumi rushed into the room, wrapping her arms around Setsuna to comfort her.
"Ken-san, please...," she looked up at Kenshin not even having to ask him with words to leave the room. He nodded at Megumi and shut the door as he left.
~~~~~
Samanosuke dodged the throwing knife that nearly got him right in the shoulder and punched the man who threw it at him in the nose, breaking it badly. Blood gushed from the wound, spotting the floor with large drops of red.
Setsuna stood there watching her husband as the battle broke out. She didn't marry him because she was weak, she didn't run from that ass hole because she was scared. She put herself into a fighting stance and challenged one of the men trying to beat her husband to death. He accepted by rushing at her. She blocked a few blows but, her balance was thrown off by the extra weight she carried and fell to the floor. Her husbands attention was taken off his battle and onto his wife long enough for him to be tackled to the ground by the three men. They neatly tied his hands behind his back and forced him into a kneeling position on the floor.
"Payback for my broken nose will be much worse then just giving you only that." The masked ninja with blood all over his face took the mask off and threw it to the floor. There was a sickening crunching noise as he reset the broken bone. He turned to Samanosuke and kicked him in the ribs hard enough to break the ones his foot meet. Samanosuke didn't give the man any pleasure in hearing him scream of even wincing in pain.
The ninja smiled at him, then looked over to his wife. She was pinned to the floor by the fourth man. Tears streamed down her face as she helplessly watched her husband being beaten.
The man that had her pinned to the floor was thrown some rope and he tied Setsunas hands behind her, just as they did to her husband. He then took out a knife and cut her obi off right by the bow and slide that off of her.
Samanosuke struggled despite his position and broken bones, to try and go to his wifes side. He was only met with a kick to the face breaking his nose and blurring his vision. The man threw the obi over to one of the three other ninjas and they cut a thin strip off, gaging Samanosuke with it.
The man pinning Setsuna to the floor then proceeded in cutting off her blue outer kimono, tossing the pieces to the other men, who foreced Samanosuke to look at, and smell the perfume on it.
The man proceeded in cutting off her under robe and her underwear. She lay there naked in front of everyone, tears streaming down her face. The man in the western attire looked up from the newspaper, seeing Setsunas naked, pregnant body laying tied up on the floor.
"Oh, I see you've had more happiness in your life then I can allow for. Well my boys, if you intend to do anything to her to relive your sexual tensions, I must excuse myself for a cigarette." He stood up, tucked the newspaper under his arm, and made his way out of the house.
~~~~~
Megumi hugged Setsuna trying to get her to calm down to no avail. She became hysterical after Kenshin left the room. Megumi tried to the best of her ability, but, couldn't get Setsuna to calm down.
"I...want........to talk to Sano....," she finally said to Megumi. She calmed down a bit more and Megumi took her arms from around her. She had said that once before, but, was she serious this time?
Megumi nodded at her and left the room closing the door behind herself. She made her way to the clinics front porch and saw Kenshin sitting there by himself. "Ken-san, you need to go find Sano. She wants to talk to him."
~~~~~
"No way in fucking hell are you getting me to go there and talk to her," Sano screamed at Kenshin standing outside his apartment. A few people had walked outside to see what was going on. Cold stared were exchanged and Sano led his friend out to the other side of the street.
"Maa maa...Sano..."
"Kenshin, I know what she's going to say already and I don't want to hear it from...from her..." He calmed down some and looked away from Kenshin embarrassed about everything. He couldn't help himself though. He really didn't want to see Setsuna like this if she had some one who could really confort her. No, I'm just going soft. I can't go back or she'll think something is up with me...
"Damn it Kenshin! I'm not fucking going." He stormed off to his apartment leaving a poor excuse for a Kenshin standing at the side of the road. Kenshin sighed, he had done his best. If Setsuna wanted to talk to him, she would just have to stop by after she had been released from the clinic.