Chapter 2
Thinking that Mrs. Fujita needed a little break the old woman next door had asked Eiji and Tsutomu to help her cook dinner for her family as well as Tokio's, Tokio was eternally grateful as she made herself comfortable, slowly nodding off, about half an hour later, Tokio's eyes snapped open as she heard something crash to the floor, jolted awake Tokio slowly tried to stand, amazingly she was able to get to her feet, peeking out in the hall.
Tokio held her breath as she saw three masked men, swords drawn looking within the rooms, "Get in there now..." one of the men whispered as they entered the kitchen to investigate the noise, Tokio silently wobbled over to the front door, thanking the gods that Max the neighbors cat had crashed in the pots as he always did whenever he was able to sneak into the kitchen, praying for a few more moments. Tokio quickly but silently walked down the steps of the engawa.
Tokio was able to make it to the gate until she heard laughter from behind, "There you are..." one of the men chuckled as he slowly made his way to her, sheathing his sword the man lunged forward Tokio's eyes widened a fraction, as she took a step back and leaned against the wall wrapping her arms around her stomach, Tokio's legs gave out as she crumpled to the ground the man a bit surprised at how quickly she had moved especially in her condition kneeled down to her level. "You know how hard it is to run our little enterprise with your asshole husband around, arresting our men and burning off our merchandise..." he chuckled as he looked her over, "It took us several tries and finally we where able to find you...you know you're a pretty little thing..." he continued as he gently brushed his hand across her cheek, "Too bad you're pregnant...we could have ourselves a little fun..." he smirked.
Tokio
glared at him wanting so much to hit and kick at him Tokio could very
well defend herself when she needed too, Saitou had made sure of that.
But in her condition it was like trying to fight back while you were
sinking in quicksand.
"Don't touch me..." she growled, as she jerked her head away from his touch.
"Ohhh attitude..." the man laughed. "You think your husband will back off when he sees your mangled body in the living room..."
Tokio scowled at the man showing him no fear, though she was definitely scared to death.
"Get up..." the man ordered. Tokio tried her best to stand, either her legs wouldn't cooperate, or she'd just stumble over. Getting impatient the man grabbed her arm and jerked her to her feet, Tokio yelped as he slammed her back against the gate, "I told you to get up not try to buy time..." he growled.
"You try to get up while you're nine months pregnant..." she growled back and spit in his face. The man only laughed as he nearly dragged her back to the house, hearing whistles blowing, the man smirked and pushed her to the floor of her and Saitou's room, unsheathing his sword he slowly made his way to her.
"What the hell are you doing, it's the police...we have to get out of here..." his companions panicked as they looked out the windows.
"Relax we found who we were looking for all we need to do is finish the job and be on our way..." he laughed. Raising his sword the man looked in her eyes again then his sword came down.
Saitou kicked open the gate, "Fujita-san..." Matsu being an extremely fast runner called out the officers running behind him a few moments later, Saitou ignored the man and unsheathed his katana, "Fujita-san..." Matsu called out again. Saitou glared at him and slowly opened the door to the house. Looking around Saitou smelling blood quickly inspected the rooms, his eyes went wide when he opened the door to his room Tokio lay on her right side blood was pooling at her neck, letting his katana slip out of his hand Saitou rushed over to her side.
"Tokio..." he whispered, then looked around the room, his eyes stopping at Matsu at the door, "Get a doctor...NOW..." he yelled, Matsu quickly turned to an officer and told him to get a doctor. "Tokio...Tokio...come on open your eyes..." Saitou whispered, Tokio only mumbled, "Where are Eiji and Tsutomu?" he asked.
Matsu listened carefully to the little conversation.
"Neigh...bors..." she whispered.
Looking to Matsu again, "Get an officer next door, to stay with my sons..." he ordered, Matsu nodded and turned to the other officer who had finished inspecting the house, the killers were long gone. Matsu stayed by the bedroom door, "There are towels down the hall in the cabinet, bring them here..." Matsu did as ordered, and hurried to his commanding officer's side.
"Is it bad?" Matsu asked.
Saitou carefully lifted his wife and looked at the wound in her shoulder, "Fuck..." he whispered, "She's lost a lot of blood..." he seethed as he pressed the towel against the wound, Matsu's eyes widened a bit as he noticed that Mrs.Fujita was pregnant.
"She's not going to lose the baby is she?"
"Shut the fuck up..." Saitou growled,
"Yes sir...I'm sorry sir..." Matsu apologized as he backed off a few steps.
"Tokio, you have to stay awake..." Saitou tried, "Open your eyes...Tokio..."
"Mmmm..." Tokio moaned and started to breathe heavily.
"Look at me..." he ordered,
Tokio slowly opened her eyes. "You're home early..." she gave him a small smile.
"How many where there?" Saitou asked trying to keep her talking.
"...Three..."
"Hn only three?"
"Well I am pregnant dear husband, I'm not as fast as I used to be..." she chuckled.
"Matsu?" hearing his name Matsu made his way to the front door.
Saitou kissed Tokio's lips lightly, "Don't you dare die on me..." he warned as he carefully lay her back down on the futon.
Tokio smiled again, "You're not getting rid of me that easily...Hajime..." she whispered.
"Fujita-san...the doctor is here..." Matsu announced as he led him in the room.
"Oh my..." the doctor kneeled down by her side and looked at the wound on her shoulder and neck. "I'll need clean hot water, and sake if you have it..."
Saitou nodded and left the room, Matsu at his heels, "Sir maybe you should let us do that..." as he watched Saitou put water to boil, and looked through a few cabinets for the sake.
'Where the hell does she keep the sake?' he growled to himself. Finding it he handed the jug to Matsu who quickly brought it to the doctors, closing the shoji to give the doctor some privacy to work, Matsu again entered the kitchen several men standing as they watched Saitou pour the hot water in two bowls, Matsu stepped forward and took the bowls to the doctor, Saitou then stepped outside and took out a cigarette.
The officers just looked at each other, "I guess the rumors were true he is coldhearted, he doesn't even care that his wife could be dying..." Saitou had heard enough.
Stepping off the engawa and seeing an officer outside with his sword unsheathed, Saitou took it out of the man's hand flipped the blade in the air and threw it towards the gawking officers that said he was heartless...ducking the officers threw themselves to the floor and looked at the blade that had imbedded itself in the doorframe "Don't assume what you know nothing about you morons..." Saitou growled, as he made his way next door.
Matsu looked at the retreating Fujita then at the sword, and followed the pissed off wolf. Saitou slammed the door open and searched the house for the boys, the two officers looked at him confused, "Tou-san..." Tsutomu waved as he wiggled out of Eiji's grasp, and ran to his father. Saitou kneeled down and picked up his son, looking him over carefully.
Eiji stepped forward, "What happened?" he whispered.
"Tokio's injured..." was all Saitou said as he turned to Mrs.Shino. "Would it be too much trouble to ask if Eiji and Tsutomu could spend the night here?"
"No of course not...stay as long as you like..." she answered Saitou reluctantly put his son in the old woman's arms and led Eiji out of the house, lit the cigarette he still held between his lips and explained Tokio's condition to the boy, Eiji's face paled a bit as he entered the house to gather clothes and a few toys for Tsutomu. While Saitou asked about his wife.
"Well she's lost a lot of blood, I managed to stop the bleeding. Thankfully the wounds weren't that bad, she'll be alright just as long as she doesn't go into labor..."
Saitou breathed a sigh of relief though his face didn't show it. Turning to Eiji who seemed extremely relieved Saitou told him to go back next door and to stay with Tsutomu, turning back to the doctor he asked. "Is she awake?"
"Yes but she won't stay that way long..." Saitou didn't need to hear anymore as he made his way to his room. Closing the shoji behind him Saitou slowly made his way to her brushing away the blood covered hair out of her face, she was already fast asleep, Saitou grimaced the futon was soaked in her blood. Spotting one of the bowls of water the doctor had asked for, that hadn't been touched, Saitou stood up and took out a spare futon, he then carefully took off Tokio's bloody kimono and cleaned her off, dressing her in a light blue yukata, Saitou then gently picked her up and laid her down on the clean futon, surrounding her with pillows he then covered her with a few blankets, kissing her forehead then her lips lightly, Saitou opened the shoji that led to the backyard, and threw the soiled futon outside, kicking the bloody towels and her kimono into a corner, Saitou sighed as he picked up his katana and sheathed it, leaning against the wall Saitou rested his sword against his shoulder, bowed his head and watched his wife as she breathed slowly in sleep.
The next morning Matsu still hadn't heard a word come out of the room, taking a chance Matsu slowly opened the shoji door. Before he could say a word a sheathed katana flew at his knees tripping him, Matsu fell face first to the floor, "Owww...Fujita-san?" he looked up, Saitou was glaring at the officer with cold amber eyes.
"What, you idiot..." Saitou asked, again resting his katana on his shoulder.
Matsu looked at Mrs.Fujita who seemed to be resting comfortably, "Will she be all right?" he asked, Saitou rolled his eyes and sighed.
"What do you want?" Saitou asked again.
"Oh...um are you...all right sir?" Matsu asked as he sat up, Saitou just looked at him with an annoyed look, "The doctor wants to come check her wounds..." he continued.
"Send him in..." Saitou drawled.
After the examination, the doctor found no infections, Tokio became rather annoyed, "Goro..." she called out Saitou looked at the doctor with an odd look that meant leave or be dragged out, taking the hint the doctor left rather quickly. Saitou then kneeled down beside her.
"Before you say anything think clearly who were they, why did they do this?" Saitou whispered as he ran his fingers through her hair.
Tokio closed her eyes for a moment as she remembered, "You know how hard it is to run our little enterprise..." Tokio looked at him with a smirk, "...with your asshole husband around..." Tokio smiled when Saitou quirked an eyebrow, "...arresting our men and burning off our merchandise..."
"Probably opium dealers with the Yakuza...Not much to work with, anything else?"
Tokio shook her head no, then looked at him rather drowsily, and in a clear calm voice, "I want my boys..." she ordered. Saitou smirked kissed her lips and stood up.
"Will you be able to stay awake until they get here?" he asked with a small smile.
"Go..." she ordered and glared at her husband. Chuckling Saitou left the room and went next door.
Eiji ran ahead of Saitou who was carrying Tsutomu, screeching to a halt as he slowly entered Tokio's room, Eiji quietly sat beside her she had her eyes closed, Eiji looked to Saitou who had closed the shoji behind him still holding onto a squirming Tsutomu, "Oka-san..." he called out.
"Shhh, Oka-san is resting you need to keep quiet alright?" Saitou looked at his son, the boy looked at his mother longingly then at his father and nodded, Saitou put him on his feet Tsutomu held on to his father's pant leg as Saitou walked and sat next to Eiji, Tsutomu crawled onto Saitou's lap.
"How come she survived when the others didn't?" Eiji asked.
Saitou smirked, "Tokio was well trained, she waited at the last possible moment to move when the sword came down, but being pregnant her movements slowed although it nicked her neck, the sword still pierced through her shoulder...blood quickly pooled and the killer thought her dead..."
Tokio hearing Saitou's voice slowly opened her eyes, "Took you long enough..." she quipped.
"Oka..." Tsutomu whispered and crawled to her left side, snuggling up to her Tokio smiled softly as she caressed his cheek and ran her left hand in his hair. Looking at Eiji, Tokio motioned him forward and laid her palm to his right cheek, satisfied that they were both safe Tokio closed her eyes, and let sleep take her.
Saitou waited a few moments before standing, "Stay with them..." he told Eiji who nodded, tying his katana to his side, Saitou opened the shoji.
"Where are you going?" Eiji asked.
"Track down the killers..." he answered plainly with a hint of a smile which didn't go unnoticed by Eiji.
Eiji turned back to Tokio, who now had a sleeping Tsutomu by her side, "I wouldn't want to be the guys that hurt you, auntie Tokio, I think Saitou-san is going to hurt them bad..."
Saitou made his way to the front door where he met with four officers, "You four stay here..."
"Fujita-san, where are you going?" Matsu asked.
"Out..." Saitou answered plainly as he closed the gate behind him.
"Your going after them aren't you?" Matsu followed behind the wolf.
Saitou turned, "Do you have trouble with taking orders, I told you to stay and guard my family..."
"Sir you can't go after them...not by yourself..."
Saitou laughed, "You think I'm new at this...I am going to find them and drag their asses back to the station...where they will be dealt with accordingly."
"But sir..." Matsu bit his lip then spoke up, "Are you crazy...are you trying to get yourself killed?" he growled, "You have two sons and a baby on the way as well as an injured wife that could give birth any day now...you should be with them...let us handle it...we're not idiots..."
"Really, then why haven't the killers been caught yet?"
"We'll get them..." Matsu assured.
Saitou smirked as he saw the determination in the man's eyes. "Hn...perhaps you're not such an idiot after all..." Turning Saitou made his way down the road, glancing behind him he saw Matsu following him and sighed. "And you're following me why?"
"Someone has to watch your back, your wife said that there were three of them you intend to drag all three to the station, they killed off two armed police officers, you can't possibly arrest all three without any help..."
Saitou laughed again, 'Ah if only he knew...' mused Saitou, Matsu would probably freak out if he'd ever find out that Fujita Goro was really Saitou Hajime 3rd Captain of the Shinsengumi...and that he'd just been on a mission with Battousai the manslayer...with that thought Saitou chuckled. Matsu looked at him oddly, and then shrugged as the two went down an alley.
"Where are we going?" Matsu asked as he looked around and stopped suddenly as he nearly crashed into his commanding officer. "Sir?"
Saitou entered a building, "Good Morning Gentlemen, how are you today?" Saitou plastered a fake smile on his face. Matsu looked at his Captain oddly, then looked at the two-dozen men surrounding them. "I would like to ask a few questions if I may..." Saitou continued. "I'm looking for the three men that have been killing off Police officers' families in the last couple days...you all wouldn't know who or where I could find them?" Saitou looked at all the men still a smile on his face.
"What's it to you?" one of the men chuckled as he played with a very sharp looking knife.
"Well you see those men happen to be searching for me..." Saitou opened his eyes and smirked. "And since I can tell you know something, you will tell me where I can find those men..."
The men all laughed, Saitou approached the first man with the knife, the man lunged at the wolf, Saitou sidestepped grabbed the man's arm grasped the knife and plunged it into the man's hand, the man screamed in pain as he tried to pull the knife out. "CAPTAIN..." Matsu yelled out.
Saitou ignored him, and held his gloved hand against the man's mouth to keep him quiet, leaning down to look at his eyes Saitou calmly spoke. "It's very simple you lie, you die...you tell the truth and I'll be lenient, I'll leave you the use of your legs..."
"The docks...The Jackals reside on the docks, said they were tired of some asshole cop, kept capturing their men and seizing their opium...burning down their crops..." he cried totally frightened of the wolf's piercing gaze.
"Well now that wasn't so hard now was it..." Saitou smirked as he stood up straight and turned for the door, "You should get that hand looked at, looks painful..." he continued as he tipped his cap and left the building. Matsu close to his heels.
"I can't believe you just did that...you're a police officer you can't just torture civilians like that to get answers."
"It worked didn't it, besides the man lunged at me with a knife, you expect I let him stab me?" Saitou drawled as he headed for the docks.
"No but you could have handled that better..."
Saitou sighed and rolled his eyes, "You have a problem with the way I do my job?"
"Well yeah, nobody deserves to be treated like that, you plunged the knife in his hand that guy didn't do anything..."
"Except lunged at me with a weapon...hence the reason why the knife ended up in his hand and not his head...I don't believe this...really now you're as bad as the Battousai..." Saitou chuckled.
"Who...what...the Battousai, you know the Battousai..." Matsu gawked at Saitou, stepping in front of him. "Thee Battousai the manslayer?"
Saitou shrugged and sighed, "Oh I'm sorry did I say Battousai?" he drawled.
"Yes you did..."
"Hn..." Saitou smirked and continued his way down to the docks.
To get to the docks they first had to pass by the police precinct, where a fellow officer was arguing with what looked like a broom. "Fujita-san..." an officer called out.
Saitou looked at the man, "What is it?"
"A Mister Chou has been assigned to our department under your command...sir..." the officer informed, motioning to the figure behind him.
"Well now officer Fujita was it..." Chou chuckled as he stepped forward. "I see ya got rid of that rooster head you traveled with..." he smirked.
Saitou chuckled, "And now I'm stuck with you...how unpleasant..." Saitou drawled.
"So where we heading...boss..." Chou quirked an eyebrow.
"The docks to apprehend three killers...you may join us if you behave yourself..." Saitou smirked.
"BE-HAVE MYSELF...your gonna kill off all da fun out of this job for me aren't ya?" Chou grumbled.
"Yes..." Saitou answered as he led the way to the docks, Matsu and a depressed Chou following at his heels.
"I heard that the killers attacked ya wife..." Chou smirked, "So how long ya gonna wait when we find them until they're in pieces?" he laughed.
"They're not going to be in pieces, we are going there to arrest them for nine counts of murder, and one attempted..." Matsu interrupted.
"Hey squirt mind ya business, and let us grown ups talk here..." Chou frowned.
"We are going to arrest them Chou..." Saitou assured then added, "If by chance they happen to start a fight, and fall to my sword, pity though it might be I'm not going to lose any sleep over it..." he drawled.
Chou laughed.
"Fuji..."
Saitou quickly cut him off, "Do not argue with me Matsu, they did attack my wife, and destroy several families it's the least they deserve...and if by some chance my wife dies, or if she loses the child, because of what they've done they will receive a very brief visit from me..." Saitou growled his amber eyes blazing.
Chou smirked, "Something tells me working for ya won't be so boring after all..."