Disclaimer: Usual disclaimers apply.

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Chapter Two: Transferred to Tokyo

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Kenshin stared at Saitou. The former Shinsengumi captain merely waved the handcuffs in his face, looking smug.

He was clearly enjoying this now, no doubt about it. He might not have gotten his rematch with Kenshin, due to the fact that he figured there was no point fighting him if he wasn't going to be Battousai, but arresting him seemed second best thing. Yes, sometimes being a police officer can be very rewarding, Saitou mused.

"Excuse me?" Kenshin sputtered finally. "I'm under arrest? For what exactly?"

"Awest?" Kenji wondered aloud, swivelling his head around to face his father. "Touchan awest by pleese-man?" he questioned, face scrunched up with both confusion and concern.

Saitou smirked while his rival groaned internally. That was not something he wanted his child to get the wrong idea about. He, Kenshin Himura, had done nothing wrong to get the law against him. Sure, he carried a sword around, but he stopped doing that a year ago, and okay, he used to be an assassin, but mostly the police force respected him these days.

Saitou was the obvious exception though. Heck, he figured Saitou was always going to be the obvious exception.

"Well then. Are you going to come along and have me discuss it with you at the station, or would you like me to enlighten you now?"

"Wait a minute," Kenshin said, suddenly remembering something of vital importance. "What are you doing here in Tokyo? I thought you were stationed in Hokkaido, that I did. And I am sure you wouldn't come all the way to Tokyo just to arrest me."

On the other hand, who knows what lengths he'd be willing to go to, just to see me suffer.

Saitou laughed.

"Don't flatter yourself," he commented wryly. "Actually, I am stationed in Tokyo now. I just got transferred here two days ago. It looks like I'll be working here from now on."

He crossed his arms over his chest, studying Kenshin closely to see what his reaction would be. But the man's face was suddenly expressionless. The only thing that gave it away was that his left eye was twitching.

'I'll be keeping a close eye on you to be sure. You know, for the safety of Tokyo's citizens. You understand, of course.'

Saitou's lip curled with satisfaction. Yes. Definitely a twitch.

'Touchan?' Kenji asked anxiously. He patted his father's face with sudden concern.

Kenshin looked like he had entered a catatonic state. His mind swirled with the news he had just been given. He's going to be here? In Tokyo? Oh dear gods. That complicates things more than I would like, that it does. What have I done to deserve such ill fortune? Am I doing something wrong with my atonement? Why me?

Then suddenly, a blinding white pain streaked through his head.

"Owwwwww!"

Kenji clapped his hands together. "Tousan okay now!" he declared happily.

Kenshin winced as he gently removed the chubby fingers from his hair, praying desperately that he had not been ripped bald. After tentatively making sure his hair was still intact, he straightened and faced Saitou as though nothing at all had happened. Well, as if daring him to state something had happened.

Saitou snorted, studying the child as if he was some sort of demon in disguise, something not to be taken lightly. It was clear though, that the child was certainly smarter than he let on. He had sensed the boy's ki, and it had only disappointed him to find out it was very strong.

He will probably be trained in swordsmanship, Saitou thought. Most likely another future delinquient for my children to deal with.

He grinned a wolfish grin. Somehow the thought of future generations of Saitous arresting and putting away future generations of Himuras was very pleasant.

"Kenji-chan, please don't pull Tousan's hair," Kenshin whispered, wishing Saitou couldn't hear him, but knowing he had to talk to his son, for fear of the incident being repeated in the future. (Like it usually was.) "It's not nice, that it isn't."

"Not nice," Kenji repeated, a little unsurely.

"Exactly Kenji-chan."

"Not nice pulling Touchans hair!"

"I'm glad you understand, that I am."

"Not nice, not nice, not nice!" Kenji happily repeated like a mantra, kicking his legs in sync with the words. Kenshin sighed, then quickly turned back to Saitou, who was clearing his throat loudly.

"I'd hate to interrupt your whelp's training," Saitou commented smoothly. "Especially since he so obviously needs it. But I also happen to need you arrested and down at the station, and my needs happen to come first. So, shall we proceed?"

'"Now, just wait a minute Saitou..."

Kenshin was about to demand an explanation again, when he realised his son's presence might pose a problem. He decided he didn't want Saitou to explain whatever it was they had decided to arrest him for in front of Kenji.

"...Let me take my son back to the house first," he finished quickly.

"Hmmpff," Saitou answered. Kenshin took that as a yes.

"Would you like to come inside while you're waiting?" he offered politely, his manners taking over.

"Here is fine."

So much for being friendly, Kenshin grumbled as he tried to sneak back into the house without Kaoru noticing, and withou Saitou realising.

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"There. You're all done now Kenji chan!"

"All done!" Kenji repeated with a huge grin, patting his fresh clothing with satisfaction.

Kenshin's smile broadened, and he gently manoevored the boy into a sitting position so he could retie his ponytail more neatly. When he was finally satisfied that he looked presentable enough, he picked him up again, and started to head towards the dojo.

He was sure his wife and Yahiko would be having their lunch break about now, so he would hand Kenji over to them. As they proceeded down the hall however, the boy suddenly realised where they were going and started to squirm. Going to Kaasan and Yaako...no, not want Kaasan now!

Kenshin stopped abruptly. "What's wrong?" he asked with concern, his voice muffled by Kenji's hair, which stuck out in all directions even after Kenshin brushed it.

Something Kaoru actually liked, come to think of it. Kenshin had always had a vague suspicion that Kaoru enjoyed making their son look like a mini him, to the point where even their outfits were colour coordinated occasionally. ( "Women!" Sanosuke had stated, shaking his head knowingly.)

"Wanna stay with Tousan." Kenji's tone was pleading, as if he already knew the answer was no. And only a few weeks ago, he practically hated me. Couldn't go anywhere without his Kaasan. And Tousan's arms just weren't good enough for holding him. He sighed. Why did this have to happen after Kenji decided he liked his dad?

"Kenji chan, Touchan has to go into town for a while. You need to stay here. I promise I'll play with you when I come back, that I will."

"No!" the toddler shouted, arms and legs flailing everywhere. "No, no, no!"

Oh for Kami's sake, I can't deal with a tantrum right now...

"What's going on?"

Kaoru was walking towards them. Kenshin felt somewhat relieved but then a little guilty. His wife looked very tired, she had obviously been doing harder work than he had been. Kenshin almost didn't want to leave Kenji with her, but it looked like he had no other choice.

"Kaoru, I'm afraid I'll have to leave Kenji chan with you for a little while until I came back from town. How was the renovating? If you still need help, I'd be glad to lend a hand after I return." His wife smiled at him as she reached for Kenji.

"Thanks. We're nearly done though. We've only got one wall left, so it should be finished after lunch. Well Kenji, looks like you're back from Aunt Megu-"

She stopped, frowning.

"No!" Kenji shouted, desperately clinging to his father's shirt with an incredible death grip. "No, not going with Kaasan! Wanna stay with Tousan!"

He reached out and fisted Kenshin's hair for support in his efforts. Although his father had told him it was not nice, surely there had to be exceptions. It did make him feel safe after all. Kenji wondered if maybe he should explain this to his father later, so he wouldn't get the wrong idea.

"Owwwwwwww!" poor Kenshin cried, not for the first time that day.

"Kenji, what's gotten into you today, let go of your father's hair!" Kaoru scolded as she struggled to take him, without ripping Kenshin bald in the process. "You're being a bad boy! You have to come eat your lunch now before Uncle Sano eats it all, and you can play with your father later, he has to go somewhere..."

Her frown deepened and she let go of her son. The toddler realised he had been granted a sort of intermission, so he leaned back into Kenshin's arms, panting and trying to gather his strength for the next round of struggles.

"Wait Kenshin, I forgot to ask you where you were going. I thought you were going to have lunch with us?"

Kenshin sighed. "IhavetogodowntothepolicestationwithSaitou," he mumbled really fast.

Kaoru giggled, putting her hand to her mouth. "I must be really tired from working so hard." she commented, smiling broadly. " For a moment I thought you said you were going down to the police station with Saitou!"

Kenji stared at his parents with big eyes, his newfound fears had been realised. Tousan going with pleeseman...no! Pleeseman not nice!

"Unfortunately, it's true."

"How is that?" Kaoru looked surprised, wondering if this was some sort of joke.

"You see, he's not in Hokkaido anymore."

"WHAT?"

"My thoughts exactly. And he has turned up at the gates declaring my arrest, that he has. I didn't ask him to explain because...certain persons were with me."

He indicated Kenji with his eyes."So I'm just going to go with him to see what all the fuss is about. It could just be about my carrying a sword for all those years. Knowing Saitou though, he has probably stretched it out for his own enjoyment."

Kaoru tapped her foot against the floor, looking thoughtful. To Kenshin's utter bewilderment and surprise, a huge smile appeared on her face.

"If Saitou's moved here, that means his family's moved here as well! Now... I can finally see Tokio, his wife that you mentioned! I wonder if I can somehow invite her over for tea..."

Kenshin looked like he was going to faint. He teetered, and reached for the wall to support himself. Kaoru looked puzzled. Was it something I said? she wondered. Maybe he's just tired...

"Tousan?" Kenji asked cautiously.

For the second time that day, his father was acting very strange. The little boy had a feeling it had something to do with the pleecman at the gates. But Pleeseman were supposed to take bad people and put them in jail... Kenji's mind boggled as this thought went round and round in his small head. Did that mean the pleeseman was going to take Tousan away? And he would never come back? But Tosan was good, not bad!

He patted his father's hair as if to make sure. Kenshin was jolted out of his self pitying thoughts, alarmed to see his son lovingly patting his bangs. He took this as a sign that Kenji was about to pull on them again, so with god like speed, he quickly deposited him into Kaoru's arms.

"Bye Koishii, bye Kenji-chan, I'll be back later!" he called from behind him as he raced down the hall. He heard Kenji begin to scream and wail and felt his guilt rise a couple of notches. But he couldn't take Kenji with him, so the boy would have to wait.

Saitou better have a good explanation for this. Kenshin thought irritably as he made his way back.My son's upset because of him...

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