SPECIAL THANKS TO CHAOS WHO, AS ALWAYS, HELPED ME UP WITH THE PREREADING OF THIS FIC (MY MISTAKES ARE NOT HERS) AND CONVINCE ME TO WRITE SOME EXTRA CHAPTERS.

THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO TOOK THE TIME FOR REVIEWING. YOU'RE SO GREAT!

I would also like to dedicate this chapter to a very special person in my life: My grandfather, who recently passed away.

Disclaimer: Rurouni Kenshin does not belong to me but to Nobouhiro Watsuki. I am merely borrowing it for entertainment purposes. I am not getting any money or any other profit from this.

Chapter 5

Day zero

"Could I have some more tea, Shinomori-san?"

Aoshi shifted uncomfortably on the tatami, that smile was driving him to the edge of his sanity

"Why do you ask me, Seta-san? I am not the one who is..." the flow of his words was broken by his blue eyed companion.

"Oh no!" Soujiro smiled sheepishly and apparently embarrassed "By 'Shinomori-san' I meant your wife" he corrected

"I see..." his eyes perceived from a corner the image of a sitting Misao with a proud expression. She wasn't planning on fulfilling the Tekken's request; then fixing his gaze back on the tea cup he added "I'll have someone else do it. Omasu, please, could you please serve Seta-san some more tea?"

The quiet sound of a shoji door filled the room as Omasu appeared to pour some tea into the guest's empty cup, she motioned to do the same thing with her Okashira's cup but he prevented her from doing so. She wondered why but didn't mention anything.

"It must be complicated ne, Shinomori-san?" Soujiro started casually, his smile growing by the second as he saw Aoshi lift his left eyebrow as an unspoken inquire "I mean, it's complicated for me since I have to address you both as 'Shinomori-san'" Aoshi shifted again, this conversation was leading them nowhere "nevertheless, I think I might have come to a solution... 'Shinomori-san' will be Shinomori Aoshi, and as for Shinomori Misao, I think I will address her as 'Misao-san', less confusing, ne?"

The stone silence was suddenly broke by the sound of Misao's fist crashing against the small table "I won't allow that! How dare you be so disrespectful! I will be Makimachi-san for you from now on if it is so hard for you"

"But it was you who told me that Makimachi-san wasn't appropriated since you were married to Shinomori Aoshi, Misao-san"

"I haven't given you my permission to call me by my first name; this is my house and I will not tolerate this behavior, I do not care if it is confusing for you I will not stand it. Is that clear, Seta-san?"

"Crystal..." he smiled sardonically "Misao-san"

"Seta-san, would you follow me to the main room?" Aoshi spoke ceremoniously, mentally restraining himself from reaching for one of his kodachi and slicing the youngster's throat "I believe there are certain maters that we must discuss without further delay"

"Of course, Shinomori-san" his interlocutor smiled "Nevertheless I believe I would rather have this matters spoke somewhere a little bit more private if such thing does not represent a bother for you" he bowed deeply and whispered almost in silence "All of this should remain as secret as possible... for everyone's sake"

Aoshi frowned annoyed and let out a weird sound similar to a bark "Very well then. In that case, we'll meet in the temple in half an hour. Okon will accompany you when you are ready... I need to meditate all of this" He muttered.

Soujiro Seta moved his gaze up and down at the entrance of one of the most discrete Buddhists temples ever built in Kyoto. The place was definitely quiet and it smelled like bamboo and green tea, so peaceful, so sad, it evoked the tranquility that a sinner would achieve after regret. "So like you, Shinomori-san." He removed his left geta as slowly as he could "Good for me..." he removed the right one "... that I have learned to forget".

The youngster made his way inside with soft steps into the darkest part of them room. He could barely see anything but he knew Shinomori Aoshi would be waiting… and he wasn't wrong.

Did you call for me, Shinomori-san?

Seta-san – a couple of words and the Okashira was already suffering from a headache. He hated these kind of interactions – I would very much like you to tell me the reason why you have come to my house and decided to make yourself comfortable in it.

Quite simple, Shinomori-san – he smiled – I need protection, you can provide it – Soujiro accompanied this last phrase with a tilt of his head.

Very well… And I believe this has very much to do with the deaths of Anji-san and Kamatari-san, or am I being mistaken? – He received another tilt of the Tenken's head as an answer – You should take into account that those could be completely isolated events – Lie. Big lie. But he had to test him.

You know better than that.

That is true – Aoshi muttered to himself – Listen to me Seta-san, you shall stay in my home and we will get you as much information as we can on this and only on this matter – The Okashira made sure to specially emphasize the word "only" – In exchange, I will ask you to present to me any information that you obtain on your own. I believe is pointless to remind you that you will have a member of the Onniwabanshuu accompanying you at all times.

I agree to your conditions Shinomori-san. Although… - Soujiro twisted his lips lightly. His smile never abandoning his face – I am not too comfortable about the companion.

As long as you live under my protection, you will respect my conditions – The boy nodded – And now allow me to make something very clear for you: I am not doing this for you, Tenken, I do this because if what we suspect is true, they will come for me, and I don't want the Oniwabanshuu involved in anything that has to do with Shishio and the Juppongatana again. Have I made myself perfectly understandable?

Of course… Okashira.

Misao fixed her eyes on the branch of the old tree in front of her window. The sun was shyly sleeping behind a set of clouds and trees so far away she wished she could know where it actually hid so that she could join him. The day had started roughly, yes, with Aoshi gone and an empty space on the other side of the futon, but she never pictured it to become so terribly worse… otherwise she would have never awaken.

"Loneliness sucks… " she thought "I don't know how Himura could handle it all those years… maybe that's what got him so crazy…" She smiled bitterly. It was the night after her wedding and there she was: thinking about loneliness and Himura Kenshin, the former Hitokiri who had helped her get Aoshi back to the Aoiya, from Shishio's hideaway… the place where Soujiro Seta had taken him… the place where he had lived in.

Funny thing, now that she thought about it, she had been with Himura the first time she saw the Tenken. Who would have imagined he would reappear making her life a living hell once again? Good thing she had Aoshi by her side now… and this time she would be stronger than his wish to redeem the memory of his former partners; their deaths hurt them still but they had finally come to accept them, especially Aoshi... His demons were gone and Soujiro Seta would not bring them back.

She shifted her gaze from the window to the shoji door. What was taking so long? She knew he had gone to the temple accompanied by the Tenken but she was certain he had agreed to meet with him for only one purpose; perhaps it took time to explain to someone like Soujiro – not in the kindest of ways, most likely – why he was not welcome in the Onniwabanshuu state.

Her mind had started to imagine all sorts of tortures in very different and unpleasant scenarios with Soujiro as main character when the shoji door opened. Aoshi looked tired –oh, yes, it had taken him time – strangely he looked like he had no intentions of speaking to her – maybe he was still uncomfortable with the fact of telling his wife he had killed someone, even if she was an omnitsu as well.

Aoshi sighed and simply passed through Misao making his way to the futon. He lay down facing the window and whispered more to himself than to her:

"The Tenken is staying…"

End of chapter 5

May 5, 2004 ; 03:55 AM

May 10, 2005; 12:23 AM

June 27, 2005; 10:51 PM

AUTHOR'S NOTES

I know it has taken me forever to update but, seriously, things have been rough around here, anyway, THANKS for sticking to this story. I am doing my best to write as best as I can so, normally it takes a lot of time, besides, college is getting really tough.

Oh! And for those who asked. Yes, this will be a Soujiro+Misao, just give it some time. Misao just can't fall out of love with Aoshi THAT fast.

Love it? Hate it, Let me know! Push the Review button

Abue: Sé que me estás viendo justo ahora desde donde sea que estén tú y mis demás abuelitos: Nena y Enrique. En fin, también sé que te dará gusto que me dedique a escribir aunque sea como pasatiempo. A ti te dedico este capítulo con mucho cariño esperando que la eternidad venga para ti llena de cafés, partidas de dominó e historias mitad verdad, mitad fruto de tu muy prolífica imaginación que quedó marcada en los corazones de todos tus nietos.