Thanks to all of you we have made it to the final chapter! Your loyal reviews really made my day! It's what keeps me writing! I will be sure to go and read more of your work once I get some time. I've started a new job and I'm just exhausted. This last chapter was always a problem. This is ending #4. I'm not quite happy with it. I like the last few lines, but other than that it's a big wild mess. I don't like how I wrote Jin. I found it difficult to imagine how he would react in moments like these. Well, I'm sure you'll let me know what you think. Without further adieu here's the finale!

When Shiroko was sure they were out of sight she went to her room. She unpacked one of her knives that had been sharpened recently. She tested its blade by slicing her finger. Shiroko wrote a letter to her husband. When she finished she found some twine and clad herself in white. She brought a small table in front of her and tied her ankles together with the twine.

Jigai. Ritural suicide for women of the samurai class. She took a deep breath and placed herself in front of her chosen weapon. Shiroko closed her eyes and visualized plunging the dagger into her throat and slicing across. 'It is the least I can do. This way both of our debts will be paid. He will be free. I will be free.'

She closed her eyes listening to the wind chime, thinking of Jin and his shame, feeling pride for what she could offer, but sadness that this was necessary. She wished that life was not this cruel, for anyone. She was determined to give Jin joy.

Jin said his farewell to his friends and waved good bye. He returned to his home and found Shiroko slumped over the short table. Fresh blood splattered on the floor. White, red, shock. He looked away sharply and saw a letter placed on another small table. 'I never want to read another letter again' he thought.

He opened the seal. It read:

Most Honorable Husband,

I'm sorry to leave you without a wife, Jin-san, but I know you understand what I have done. It is for you. I have released you from your obligation. All of your obligations. I give my life up to pay your debts. Feel free, Jin, to follow your heart and live the life you love for we are now both free. Leave me here and follow your friends.

Shiroko

Jin slumped to the ground, but his face was still an unreadable mask. He noticed there was not as much blood as there should have been. He wondered if the blade she used was still stuck in her throat.

He closed his eyes and saw her as a child. He saw her pouty face and hopeful eyes.

His breath came heavily, he was holding something back. He took another deep breath. He didn't have enough air. He swallowed. 'Shiroko.'

In his mind the picture of her smile when they were reunited as waitress and patron came just as quickly as the image of her smile serving him breakfast.

'She was always smiling, searching for my approval…' His eyes shot open and he stood. With renewed strength he realized he was the only one around to clean up the body. His friends were not too far. 'I have left you too many times before, Shiroko. I will build a pyre for you then catch up with Fuu and Mugen. I know where they are headed.'

He swallowed and looked at her form slumped over the table. He took a few steps and kneeled down next to her. He patted the back of her head. Her hair was shiny and silky. He leaned over to smell her hair then gripped her shoulders hoping her eyes were closed.

He gingerly lifted her shoulders back drawing her away from the table. 'There certainly isn't as much blood—' Before he could finish his thought he saw a large gash on her hand, but not on her throat. Her head lolled back into his shoulder and she grunted.

Shiroko cracked open her eyes and blinked groggily. "Whaa?" she said.

"I don't know. You tell me" said Jin sternly.

"I remember, ow, my head!" she exclaimed and then brought up her gashed hand and flinched at the sight of it. Jin pulled out a cloth and placed it on her wound. She looked away. "I am so embarrassed. I couldn't even do this right for you. I was bringing the blade to my throat when a cat jumped in the window. It made me flinch and I cut my hand. I was so upset by the suddenness of it all and the sight of my own blood, I guess I must have fainted. I can't believe how weak I am."

"You are not weak. You were prepared to sacrifice yourself for both our sakes."

"I still am" she said pushing away from him. She took her seat in front of the table again and looked around for the knife.

Jin stood and held the knife in his hand. "This isn't a proper jigai dagger."

Shiroko saw him handling it and asked "Jin, please hand it to me."

"No" he said simply, wiping off the blade.

"Why not?" she asked with confusion.

"I am honored by your attempt today, but we were both given opportunities to pay our debts. Suicide is unnecessary."

"But if I do this you can return to—"

"Do not assume you know what I want. I want to stay here, for now at least."

Shiroko's eyes went wide and she struggled to keep her emotions under control. "Yes, Jin." He kneeled down next to her and reached for her hand.

"I am your husband, and thus your lord. Now, let me tend to the wound in your hand."

"But Fuu and Mugen?"

"If fate so decrees I will meet with them again. I think history has proved this much is true."

Jin sat, straight backed as always,at the table while Shiroko set their dishes down. She poured some stew into his bowel and poured him some hot tea. He watched her gingerly place the bowl in front of him and enjoyed her smooth movements. He thought about Fuu's words to him earlier that week. 'How do I tell Shiroko how I feel? How do I let her know?' "You look very pretty this evening."

Shiroko was taken by surprise and smiled. "Thank you. I'm glad a handsome man like you feels that way."

'She really loves you for you…not because you're really handsome... So I guess it doesn't truly matter if I think she's pretty either. It doesn't convey my meaning.' A few quiet moments passed and Jin decided to try to express himself again. "The house is very clean. I am very pleased with your efforts, Shiroko."

'Okay, what's going on with him?' was her first thought. "Thank you, Jin. This is such a lovely house you have, it would be a shame to let it fall into any kind of decline."

Jin mentally sighed and heard Fuu's words again '…or because you're a man with a nice house! She loves you for you!' "Shiroko"

She looked up from her bowl and rice. Jin was feeling frustrated with her that she didn't know his feelings, but he was unsure of how to say how he felt. "You're a good wife."

"Hm." she said "Thank you. You are...a good husband." 'What is he getting at?'

Jin blew air upwards and caused a few wayward strands of his to shift. He stood up and came to kneel down next to her. He looked deeply into her eyes and said "Piggy I'm trying to tell you something."

'Okay, really, what is going on?' Shiroko looked worried and put down her chopsticks and bowl. She turned to face him and asked "Yes, Jin? What is it?"

"Shino was a better cook, this dinner is awful. She, unlike you, knew how to get the grit out of the mats. You don't seem to do anything as well as her in those respects."

Shiroko's heart nearly burst. She was ready to just let go of her control and let her tears come. 'I bet Shino would know how to control herself. Bitch! Is there anything she left for me to be better at?'

"But still, she did not make me happy. She did not make me feel the way you do and did not understand what I needed like you do. You do not know this, but part of the reason I fled the dojo was because I was searching."

"Searching?" asked Shiroko, her voice quivering and confused.

"Yes. I wasn't sure what for, but I thought I found it on my travels. I thought she could give me all that I wanted."

"Why are you telling me this?" she asked cautiously.

"Because it wasn't her. She gave me all those things. Fine meals, a clean house, but that wasn't what I was looking for."

Shiroko was utterly baffled and asked "What were you looking for?"

"You, I left you behind. Even after I saw Yukimaru, and heard news about Mariko, I was not satisfied. I needed what only you could give me."

Shiroko was beginning to feel a bit of excitement and Jin saw a spark light in her eyes. "Me?"

"Yes. You'll have to thank Fuu for that. She helped me see that only I can share my true happiness with you."

"True happiness? I don't understand" confusion swept her face again.

"I looked back and thought of what happy moments I had. The ones where I was smiling, and light. It was in my early childhood and you were always there."

Shiroko laughed. "Yes, because you were always making fun of me and torturing me with Yukimaru!" She continued to laugh, but secretly wanted to cry.

"I know. I was a snot nosed brat, Piggy. But I was a happy snot nosed brat" he said.

She came back with "So your happiest when torturing me?" Jin's face contorted into a rarely seen smile and Shiroko returned it with one of her own.

She giggled and turned back to her rice bowl. Jin said "No, you help me live that effortless joy again. I love you."

She looked up at him with a bit of shock. He was back to his serious self, and feeling he had done and said what he wanted, then took his seat back on the other side of the small table. He picked up his bowl of stew and bravely downed another bite. "I love you too" she said.

He looked up with a full mouth and while slowly chewing the burnt flavored stew nodded an acknowledgement.

"No, Jin, I mean it. I love you too much to make you eat this crap. Maybe we should skip right to desert, hm?"

Jin began to eat his rice and nodded in agreement. "Mm."

THE END