Author's Notes: Fuu & Mugen reach their destination and Fuu sees Jin for the first time in 10 years. Thanks to everyone who has left a review. Two quotes from Lord of the Rings in this chapter. There should be 2-3 more chapters after this one. Would love to hear comment/criticism on this story.

Fuu and Mugen argued the rest of the way to Jin's home, causing people to stop and stare. Fuu smiled sweetly at them and they turned away. Even thought she was 25 years old, she still looked like young girl. Fuu wondered how the Japanese ever got the reputation for being polite. Staring at people was just plain rude. She had to pull Mugen away from three different fights. Sometimes, Fuu wasn't sure why she put up with him. Then she remembered and it brought a smile to her face. He made up for the trouble he got into, in bed. She felt guilty for even thinking it, but it was true. Besides that Mugen had become a friend. Mugen would do anything for her if she asked and every once in awhile he did something nice without being asked.

They argued all the way to Jin's home. A young boy they passed pointed to the house when Fuu asked him were Jin lived. Fuu could feel the butterflies in her stomach forming. Why am I nervous? Fu wondered to herself.There was a beautiful woman standing in front of the home and she was staring at Fuu. It wasn't a bad stare but there was something about this lady. She looked so familiar to Fuu but she couldn't remember where she had seen her. She waved as she pulled Mugen by his arm and started to run up towards the house.

"Fuu! What in the hell are you doing?" Mugen protested, trying to pull away from her.

She stopped running and glared at him. "Mugen, please behave yourself."

Mugen grinned at her. "Who me? I always behave." He couldn't take his eyes off of the beautiful woman who had to be Jin's wife or lover. She was gorgeous. Damn, how did that samurai get so lucky?

Fuu called Mugen's name but he was mesmerized by their host. "Mugen."

"Welcome. I am Shino, a friend of Jin's. You must be Fuu. He has mentioned your name often." Shino smiled as Fuu blushed. "And you, I'm sure you must be Mugen. Jin has talked about you, too. Thank you for coming."

Fuu just stared at this woman, Shino. Could this be Jin's wife?

"Would you two like to come inside and have a cup of tea?" Shino asked. She waited for the two strangers to follow her inside. Shino poured a cup of sake for Mugen and tea for herself and Fuu. She knew now why Jin had not wanted Mugen to come. The man would not stop staring at her. Jin had remained protective of her even after she married.

Fuu could not wait any longer. "How is he? Is Jin---okay?" Fuu asked.

Shino smiled, the girl's worry was evident in her voice, her eyes, her body language. "Jin? He is resting. I know he'll be happy that you're both here. He is sick. He hides his illness from me so I don't know how sick he is. Jin has his good days and his bad days."

Mugen couldn't imagine his old rival sick or weak. "Are you two uhh---"

Shine giggled. "Married? No. My husband lives just outside of the village. Jin saved my life, not just once but twice. When I heard he was sick, I came. I owe him that much."

Fuu was filled with a sense of relief…but why? Did she really want Jin, like that? "Your husband, he let you come and care for Jin?"

"Yes, he trusts me. I'm not sure how much longer I can stay; you see, I have young children at home. My husband has been caring for them since I left with some help from one of my friends. I hope you can forgive me for not telling you everything in the note. I was afraid. Afraid you wouldn't come."

Shino held her head down, feeling ashamed of tricking the two strangers into coming. Jin would be angry if he knew.

Mugen grinned; the woman was as sly as a fox. "I see…you want to leave, go home to your husband, so you invited Fuu here to take care of Jin. Not a bad plan at all."

Fuu punched him hard in the arm. "Mugen," she warned him. She turned her attention to Shino. "I would have come anyway. I'm not sure about him." Fuu said as she glared at Mugen, "but I would have come. Jin saved my life too. There's nothing to be sorry for."

Shino sighed in relief. Fuu was everything Jin said she was. "Thank you. My home is not far. You can send for me if there's anything I can do. If it is okay, I'll leave in the morning."

"You've done a lot for Jin and you have your only family to care for. Tell me, how sick is Jin? What have you been doing for him?"

Mugen snickered at Fuu's question. Even he could guess what she did for him. His response was met with a hard kick from Fuu.

"What? I didn't say anything."

Shino couldn't help but smile at Mugen. He would certainly liven things up in this house. She almost wished she could stay to watch the fireworks. "Fuu, I don't do much for Jin. He doesn't like to be taken care of and he is so stubborn. For the most part, I do some of the things a wife would." Shino started to blush as she felt Mugen's eyes on her. "I cook his meals, clean, wash his clothes, go into to the village to buy food, remind him to take his medicine and eat. Then there is the vegetable garden. Jin takes care of it but I help him if he gets tired."

"That sounds like what I do when Mugen comes to visit and there is nothing wrong with him," Fuu remarked sarcastically. "We'll be fine. Thank you for taking such good care of him."

Shino nodded but did not agree. If Shino had taken good care of him when they had been together, he wouldn't be dying. "Let's fix beds for you two. I'll show you where everything is."

Fuu was relieved when Shino gave them separate beds but wished they could have slept in different rooms. She just wasn't in the mood for anything besides sleep. It was clear from the way Mugen was acting that he was. He was so restless; Fuu didn't think he would ever get to sleep and she had too much on her mind for sleep.

Fuu had to see him and didn't want to wait until morning. She wouldn't bother him or wake him up. Fuu just wanted to look at him and make sure he was okay. It had been ten years since their journey ended - the last time she saw him. She got up and left her room quietly. Fuu didn't want Mugen to wake up. She was sure he would make a big thing out of her wanting to see Jin and Fuu didn't want him to wake up Shino.

She tiptoed past Shino, who was sleeping in the main room, and walked towards Jin's room. Fuu could hear his labored breaths and wondered if she was ready for this. She bit her lip and slid open his door. "So it begins," she whispered under her breath.

He looked the same to her. He was skinnier then she remembered and his skin more pale, but still he was still Jin. His hair was not tied back and hung down past his shoulders. Even though he was not well, his beauty still took her breath away. She remembered the first time she saw him with his hair down. Fuu sat on the floor by his bed and watched him sleep for a few moments. She moved a stray hair from his eyes so she could see him better. His chest was the only part of his body that wasn't covered with a blanket. So many nights Fuu had fallen asleep in Mugen's arms and she had wondered what it would have been like if it had been Jin. She wondered what Jin would think if he woke up and she was there. Fuu giggled at the thought.

As if he was reading her mind, Fuu felt a hand in back of her should pull her towards him. She didn't fight it and laid her head lightly on Jin's chest. It felt even better then she expected. She smiled as Jin put his hand on the back of her head. Was he doing this in his sleep or was he awake?

Fuu nuzzled her body against his chest and sighed. "Jin? Are you awake?" She whispered. When he didn't reply but started to stroke her hair she decided that he was most definitely awake. "Go to sleep, Jin." Fuu told him.

Jin smiled, "I am asleep. This is a dream."

Fuu wondered if it was a dream. Everything seemed too perfect. "Then it's a good dream."

Jin didn't reply, he didn't ask why she was in his bed; afraid that words would destroy the moment. He continued to stroke Fuu's hair, enjoying how it felt between his fingers. It felt almost as good as her cheek on his chest. He wondered where Mugen was as he drifted off to sleep.

Mugen woke up about an hour after Fuu left the bedroom. It was not like the girl to wonder off in the middle of the night. When he saw the door cracked open, he understood why. Damn, bastard, he thought.

Mugen knew that he shouldn't go and look. No matter what he saw it would make him angry. He didn't want to be angry at Jin; he had a feeling that the man was dying. Still, the door seemed to call him. He crept towards it silently knowing it was wrong to spy on two of his friends but Fuu was his in some ways. Mugen looked through the crack of the door. Fuu was in Jin's bed but they were just sleeping. So why don't I feel relieved? Mugen wondered to himself. Maybe it was because their bodies fit together like pieces of a jigsaw puzzle or the peaceful look on both of their faces. Whatever the reason, all Mugen knew was that it made him mad as hell.