Author's Notes: Bad me. Bad delays. In short though, enjoy the chapter, I even got a little bit of Kouga/Ayame in here, so yay!

Aussie guide:

"Gone troppo": a sense of madness after spending too much time in the tropics, ie. "gone crazy"

"Fair suck of the sav": Exclamation of wonder, ie. "well I'll be damned"

"squizz": Look, ie. "take a squizz at this."

"gone walkabout" : gotten lost

"pozzy" : position

"heaps": a lot, ie "thanks heaps"

As always- please, read, review and enjoy :)

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Chapter 9: A Place to Go Home To

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The helicopter continued on its path, headed for the home of the outback doctor and with all passengers hoping that it wasn't flooded severely like the rest of the area was. Outside, the storm beneath them was raging, and every once in a while, the pilots would have to take the helicopter up to a higher altitude to avoid more of the thunderclouds.

Moving slightly in his arms, Kikyou found herself looking up at the man who'd just told her more than she would have ever asked of him.

"He's probably never even told the children or his friends about that…so why did he…"

"Mr. Suikotsu?"

"Yes, Miss Kikyou?" He asked softly, his arms loose about her waist.

"You've not told anyone else about that have you?"

Biting his lip, Suikotsu looked away without a word.

"I assumed as much," She continued, "Why me then?"

"Because I…" He paused, working up the nerve to look at her, "Because… I… I trust you."

Her eyes widened at that, "Mr. Suikotsu…"

Swallowing down his inhibitions, he reached down and gently brushed the damp bangs from her face. Without a word, he leaned in and left a chaste kiss on her forehead.

Kikyou blinked once, allowing a very slight smile to tug at her lips.

Thinking back on her previous kind words towards him, he tipped her face up towards himself and took a deep breath.

"And… because, Miss Kikyou- you are a wonderful woman. And I am grateful to have known you."

She caught the slight hint of disappointment in his voice, as if he was purposely holding himself back since he knew she had to return to the city.

"Mr. Suikotsu, I hate to impose…but…"

"What…what is it Miss Kikyou?" He questioned, hoping his words and actions weren't too much.

"Given this weather, I doubt they'll be able to send out a helicopter to get me unless they trouble the people with the weather service again. So perhaps, if it isn't a bother…"

"You can stay," Suikotsu cut her off, his face alight with a smile.

Kikyou withheld a slight laugh at his eagerness, and rested her head against his chest, "Thank you for the offer. I'd hate to have to look into a hotel since they are probably suffering from the flood as well."

"No, it's no trouble at all. The children and I will be glad to have you," He replied.

"I can help cook or…"

Gently, Suikotsu placed a finger over her mouth, "Consider it in gratitude for helping me with Manten and my own troubles."

"His own troubles…" She paused, regarding his face,"But still, he shows no sign or recollection of that other personality. Was that just a circumstantial incident?"

Kikyou's thoughts paused as she noticed Suikotsu pulling the blanket closure about them both. Then noticing him leaning back against some of the cargo, she continued to ponder, her hand clutching the cloth of the blanket against her chilled skin.

---"Kikyou, you'll get cold sitting up all night."

"No worries, Tsubaki. I'll be fine."

"You're watching over him again, aren't you?"---

Jolting up slightly, the black-haired woman narrowed her eyes.

"Why did I…No matter. That is the past and I will not repeat those mistakes."

"Miss Kikyou, are you all right?" Suikotsu's voice cut into her thoughts.

She turned towards him slowly, her eyes finally locking with his.

"Just…a bit cold that's all."

Without a word, he gently pulled her closer. On catching the strange look she held, Suikotsu finally spoke up.

"I'm sorry Miss Kikyou; this is the best I can do. We'll be home soon and then I'll get you right under some warm blankets."

"Mr. Suikotsu…"

"If I wasn't such a bother, things wouldn't have turned this way on us… but, I plan on trying my hardest to make it up to you, Miss Kikyou."

"There it is again, that unadulterated kindness. The purest of good, yet…"

Her mind paused its thoughts for a second as she felt herself slowly leaning further against the man behind her. Exhausted from the ordeal, her body was slowly giving in to the strong urge for rest.

"Mr. Suikotsu," She murmured, her voice growing heavy with sleep.

"Yes?"

Her eyes fell closed as a few words passed from her lips, "I want to….

"Want to...?"

"…trust…you…" The final word slipped from her lips as she closed her eyes; her fatigued mind not registering that she'd said such things aloud.

Looking down at the woman laid up against him, Suikotsu's blinked before fully registering what had been said, "Well, I'll be…"

Shifting her gently in his arms, he pushed the bangs from her face as a light smile played upon his features.

"She's right. It is quite strange how easily I've opened up to her. But there's something about being around her… it's like…like I've gone troppo…"

Once again pulling the blanket closer to their chilled forms, his mind continued to wander.

"Miss Kikyou, is there something in your past too? I can see it in your eyes- there's such sadness there at times. Like someone hurt you. And… well, as long as you're here with us, I want to change that."

Yawning, his mind allowed one more thought before sleep claimed him.

"I want you to be happy, Miss Kikyou."

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With the two doctors both falling prey to the draw of sleep, the helicopter fell silent for awhile. Finally, on seeing that their passengers were indeed asleep, the pilot whispered to the red-headed woman beside him.

"What were they getting all worked up about back there anyways?"

Ayame frowned and smacked him on the arm, "They were just in a serious life-or-death situation. Of course that would make any normal person emotional, Kouga."

"Hmph! Are you saying I'm not normal?"

At that, she narrowed her eyes on him, "Kouga! Don't tell me that if I fell into raging flood waters and didn't surface after a few minutes that you wouldn't come to save me."

"But…can't you swim?" He asked, obviously not following her line of thought.

"You- are hopeless."

"But Ayame…"

"Don't you 'but Ayame' me," She retorted, "First you keep forgetting that you asked to marry me and now you're saying that you wouldn't save me if I was drowning."

"I didn't say that!" He shot back, "I just…"

"Just what, Kouga?" Ayame asked sharply.

"I would- okay?" The soft mutter was barely heard over the helicopter's engine.

"Would…?"

"Get…well…" He frowned, hoping the dark night masked his flustered state, "I wouldn't let you drown. Sheesh. I'm not heartless."

"Kouga…"

He blinked at the strange expression on her face, "Wha…what? You're my fiancée. Like I'd just let you drown!"

At that, her face broke into a wide smile as she leaned over and embraced him.

"You do remember your promise!"

"Huh?"

She pulled back, "You just said it. I'm your fiancée."

"No I didn't."

"Yes. You did. Stop denying it."

"You probably misheard me."

"Kouga," Ayame began, leveling him with a stern gaze, "Just admit it."

"Admit what?"

Sighing, she resigned and wrote it off as a lost cause. Adjusting her headset, a slight smile found itself back onto her face, "Never mind. I know."

"Know?"

"Just fly the helicopter, Kouga. We'll discuss it later."

"Uh…okay."

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The farmhouse had fallen silent; save the thunder outside, as all its occupants had finally fallen asleep. That is, all save the two ranchers who were currently using the kitchen table in place of a proper bed.

"Oh….Bankotsu…" The taller of the two men murmured; his voice a hushed whisper, "Bankotsu…"

"…What Jakotsu?"

"I'm still bored…" He pouted

"Well you saying my name repeatedly isn't going to change that…"

"Mou…but, if I can pretend that we're doing more than just sitting here then…"

"Jakotsu!" The braided-man snapped, "Don't say that while I'm laying on top of you!"

"Why not? It's not like you're always on the bottom when we…"

"Jakotsu…" He hissed, "It's been a long day, I've not gotten any sleep and the last thing I need is for you to be acting like a…."

He paused as he felt the light touch of a finger on his lips, "Now now, no need to get all tiffy with me. I'm equally zonked, so no worries there, mate."

"Good because I just want to…" Bankotsu paused mid-sentence, a sound reaching his ears.

Jakotsu blinked as the table began to slowly shake. Smirking, he tugged lightly on his companion's braid, "Neh, Bankotsu…why didn't you tell me you had a vibrator with you?"

"What?!" The braided-man exclaimed, flailing to climb off the table.

"Well why else is the table shaking?" He said casually as he pulled himself up.

The two fell silent for a moment, both of their eyes looking up towards the sky above the house.

"Sounds like a 'copter is out in this weather," Bankotsu remarked.

"You think they're trying to land since it's not flooded here?"

"Could be. We got anything to flag them down with?"

"You could always strip naked…"

"Jakotsu. I'm serious."

He smirked, "So am I."

And with that, Jakotsu proceeded to try and literally strip the shirt off Bankotsu's back.

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"What in the bloody hell?" Kouga muttered to himself as he hovered over the farmhouse.

"Ah, those mates must be some of his friends. No worries Kouga, they're just trying to help ya land."

The black-haired man shrugged, "Hmph. Since when does flagging a 'copter down mean you have to flash the pilot?"

"Kouga."

"I'm just saying…"

"Just land the helicopter, Kouga."

He snorted to himself in irritation before looking back down to the two men who were waving their shirts about to help direct him in for a landing.

As the helicopter finally touched down on the damp ground, the two ranchers quickly made their way over to see who it was.

"G'day mates, got your two doctors back for ya," Ayame said, climbing out and gesturing to the two sleeping forms.

"Well ain't that the fair suck of the sav…" Jakotsu muttered, pulling his shirt back on, "Bankotsu, come here. Take a squizz at this."

Walking over, he blinked on noting what his friend had pointed out, "And here we thought they'd merely gone walkabout on us…"

"That's quite the pozzy they're in. Ah well, we'd best get them inside. They might be grateful for a bed about now."

Walking over to where they laid, Ayame gently nudged Suikotsu's shoulder, "We've got ya back home now."

Slowly opening his eyes, he slowly processed where he was.

"Oh, thanks heaps Miss. I don't know what we would have done had you not come."

"No worries mate, just be careful next time," She said with a smile.

"We shall. Thanks again," Suikotsu replied, beginning to reach for his shirt when his eyes caught sight of two familiar faces from the doorway.

"So I see we've been having a bit of fun, eh?" Jakotsu questioned.

He looked between Kikyou and his own state of attire, or lack there of, before protesting.

"It's not what it looks like."

"I hate to say it, but I believe ya mate. Nothing much can be said of catching you with your pants on, right?"

Suikotsu blinked, not registering Jakotsu's comment right away.

Shaking his head at the innocent doctor, Bankotsu piped up, "Don't mind him. Come on now; let's get you inside where it's dry."

Nodding, he gently lifted up their things and cradled Kikyou in his arms.

"We're safe at now, Miss Kikyou. We're…" He paused as he stepped out from the helicopter and he glanced down at the woman in his arms, "We're home."

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Preview for Chapter 10:

Now back in the safety of the farmhouse, Kikyou finds herself slowly allowing Suikotsu further into her closed life.