Sorry about the delay in updating; I have no excuse. I cannot promise frequent updates; I need to write in the spur of the moment so that my inspiration flows on paper.

Though I will always finish a story, it may still take me a while to tackle that accomplishment. For the moment, I also don't know how long this story might be, so thank you all for your patience.

I do not own any of the original characters nor the original plotline; those both belong to Nobuhiro Watsuki. I am creating my very own twist to this amazing story that has connected with me so much.

Many Thanks,

-Ami

Misao's POV:

When he lifted her into his arms, she clung to him. While he ran to what she assumed would be the Aoiya, she tilted her head into his neck and smelled him. Sighing happily at his scent, she whispered, "Aoshi-sama. You found me."

He held her a little tighter to his chest and grunted as a response. Misao's heart warmed at his shyness with expressing feelings verbally while also obviously being tormented that she was this injured.

Misao woke as they reached a doctor's office, and it felt like she was dying. She caught a couple of rushed and worried words here and there.

"Her wounds are quite extensive, and she seems to have bled for quite a while until you found her. She has lost a lot of blood, sir, so you probably should start praying now for her to survive this. She may not even make it." The doctor talked to someone she assumed to be Aoshi, for she felt his presence in the room.

When she felt the panic in his ki, Misao reached a hand out blindly, searching for Aoshi's. She found his hand and tugged on his hand sluggishly, with the intent of having him lean in to listen to her next words, "I will make it, but I will accept prayers for a speedy recovery."

A huff of breath left his lips and wafted across her left cheek. Misao gave a cheeky grin at finally almost pulling a laugh from the infamously stoic man beside her. She couldn't see him past the blur that veiled her eyes, but she could see his outline leaning near her on the left side of her aching body.

Misao startled, he propped his right arm by her left shoulder to lean in close to her face, and his left hand's thumb stroked her right cheek. This action was the most intimate he'd ever had with Misao, and she probably had a look of wonder on her face at the surprise of it. Misao couldn't help but wonder if he'd kiss her.

Well, it wasn't exactly where she had wanted him to kiss her, but him kissing her forehead was promising for their near future.

Her eyes closed at the feeling of protection his kiss had given her. Then suddenly, what felt like boiling water poured on her left thigh shocked her into a sudden scream, and then passing out from the sheer pain the wound cleanser caused.

In what felt like hours but may have been days, Misao awoke mid-night groaning in pain.

She couldn't see anything for a second, making herself panic as she feared she would be blind after this incident.

However, her eyes cleared after a minute or two. Misao breathed a sigh of relief and instantly regretted it as her ribs seized in pain.

Once the wave of pain left, she saw a movement towards her left and felt Aoshi's presence right then.

Aoshi had not noticed her awaken.

Aoshi shifted his position from leaning against the wall by the door to sitting with knees raised and his back resting on the wall. His head then turned towards her, and his eyes widened at her looking at him.

Aoshi's ki awoke as he realized she was awake, and then he seemed to materialize to her side as she rose to a sitting position on her cot. She shook off his hands gently, and she spoke, "I want to recover at home, not here. Here's not safe with one of us injured and those assassins still out there. We need all the numbers we can get. Once they find the bodies or figure out that their men haven't come back, they'll know that I'm still alive. Hell, this doctor might even become their next target."

He seemed to think about it for a moment, but she had already decided to go home, and so she proceeded to get to her knees before he started aiding her in getting up. Once she got to her feet and was stable, he moved to where the doctor's operating table was and proceeded to write a note and leave a bag of money there.

The doctor was Oniwaban, so he would know to burn the letter, get rid of any evidence of their stay here, and keep quiet about fixing up a heavily injured young woman should anyone come asking. It was then that they left for the Aoiya, under cover of the early morning darkness.

Misao was pleased that this doctor had previously agreed to move his clinic closer to the Aoiya once their partnership began two years ago.

In order to travel fast, Aoshi carried Misao in his arms while being careful not to rupture any of her stitches. Not one incident happened on their way back home, which was a blessing.

When they walked in the gates of the Aoiya, Aoshi stopped suddenly.

Misao looked at him questioningly, and he then gazed down at her and said, "It seems as if I did not think to tell the other of what happened."

He did not say sorry, but she knew he was; otherwise, he would never have stated anything.

Regardless, Misao groaned inside at all the questions that would soon be thrown at her by the others. Instead of rebuking him for not preparing the others for her injured state, she melted inside at the thought of him being so worried; he could not help but stay and wait for her to get seen by a doctor.

Misao shook her head and then nodded at the Aoiya doors in a silent command for him to take her inside.

-end of chapter 2-

Author's note:

Let me know what you think! I know I'm late, but I promise to finish this book. I'm excited to get to the Enishi part of the story. Beware, I think this story is going to be a long one.

I don't want to give too many spoilers, but this story will be the defeat of the Yaro Clan as well as edit the original Enishi plotline and wrap up the character relationships.

Many Thanks

-Ami XOXO