-----6-----

Hanna couldn't have been happier; watching her treasured son play outside with the dog was just too sweet for words. It was just like old times, her watchful eye trained on him as she did the dishes. The whole image set her formerly troubled mind at rest.

"Mal, honey, it's time to come inside. You need to wash up for dinner," she called out the open window, smiling as he obediently trundled inside despite the disappointed look on his face. "You can play outside tomorrow."

He nodded, flashing that brilliant smile at her for the millionth time that day. Nothing else mattered but that smile. "When are we going into town again? I want to get Kuro a new collar," he chattered happily, washing his hands underneath the rapidly flowing water. Of course, his smile hid the conflicting feelings that he was still trying to sort through, but he wouldn't dare let her see them. It would be unfair to take away her happiness.

However, he did notice that she visibly flinched at the mention of the trip into town. "I don't know, Mal. It may too soon for you after your injury for you to go running around such a crowded place," she replied vaguely, as though even she didn't believe the words she had just spoken. As she turned her back, he made a slight face, allowing it to disappear when she turned back towards him.

"Of course. I was just asking," he answered brightly, nervously scratching the top his head. That small action caused Hanna's attention to stray toward his forehead, noticing the golden coronet for the first time. Inwardly she panicked, knowing that the world she was slowly rebuilding could be shaken by such a thing. If she could just get rid of it.

"NO!" Malachai screeched forcibly, jerking almost painfully away from her when she reached for his head. He didn't understand why, but he knew that it was a very, very bad idea for her to touch it. "I mean, just don't. I-I don't know why, but you can't touch that. Don't make me take it off, please." His tone was low and pleading, sounding for all the world like a child whose very hopes could be shattered by her next words.

Hanna visibly softened, deciding that maybe it wasn't such a threat after all. "All right. I'm sorry, Mal. Please forgive me," she murmured, enveloping him in a secure hug to show that she meant it.

Malachai returned it full-force, ignoring the strange feeling that the action produced. He felt as if he was betraying something by allowing her to touch him so tenderly, flashes of gold and violet scattered across his closed eyelids. Green and crimson followed, until his head began to ache and forced him to open his eyes again. "Of course, Mama. Let's just eat dinner. Kuro looks so hungry he may eat us!"

Once again, that warm smile that she loved so much broke her from her darkness, letting go of him as they made their way to the set dinner table. You're mine, no matter what. I can't give you up, not now. Even if I have to fight to keep you, you'll be with me forever, Goku. You're Malachai forever and for always.

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Sanzo lit a cigarette, the tip glowing just as brightly as the small candle that lit the otherwise darkened room. He sat across from the owner of the bun shop, still glowering angrily at him. "Start talking. The sooner you start, the sooner we leave you alone. Don't make me repeat myself again," he deadpanned, the fire in his eyes more than making up for the lack of emotion in his voice.

The hefty man swallowed heavily, looking at the three surrounding faces. "The buns…Hanna gave them to me. I didn't look at them or anything, so I couldn't tell you what happened to them. She said to be on the lookout for men matching your descriptions, and to give you these particular buns. She's a nice woman, so naturally I trusted her. She told me she made them especially for you," he answered truthfully, dabbing at his brow with a handkerchief of sorts that he tucked into his pocket. He was a bundle of shaking nerves, not sure whether these men would be good on their word that they would leave once this was over.

The green-eyed man pulled out one of the buns from the bag he was clutching, handing it to the other man with that damnable polite look on his face. "Inspect this bun and tell me what you think," he commanded softly.

Thinking it a strange request, Maru did as he was told so not to engage in any more conflict than necessary. It took him a minute or two, but he finally noticed the ugly mark on the side of the pastry. "How…odd. Meat buns…well, any sort of buns actually, are not supposed to bruise like that. It looks like something you would find on a fruit," he noted, handing the item back to the man.

"So you are saying that you didn't tamper with the buns, that it was that crazy lady who did? God, can this get any more complicated!" the redhead shouted angrily, slamming his fist down on the table and startling the other three. A fierce glare from the blonde had him shrinking back in his seat. "Sorry," he muttered sheepishly.

The blonde rubbed his chin thoughtfully. Something about this whole mess was just not adding up, no matter how much he thought about it. "Apparently she just used you as a way to get them to us. So much for her being a trustworthy friend," he stated rather flatly.

"I still cannot seem to figure out why in the world someone would want to take Goku like that. Cute as he is, it just doesn't make sense," the brunette added, disregarding the blonde's statement entirely.

Suddenly, the tension in the room went from mild to chokingly thick in a matter of seconds. A slight cough caught the attention of the other three, bringing multi-colored gazes onto the heavy man at the end of the table. "This Goku of yours…had brown hair and gold eyes, eh?" he asked, feeling incredibly guilty now as he remembered the rumors that he had heard about the Sanzo party . She had been so convinced, so sincere, how could he have known that she was lying? But then again, the woman was not so much in her right mind half the time.

"Yes, yes he does. Why is that of any importance?" the green-eyed man asked, his tone a bit gentler now.

"Well…so did Hanna's kid, Malachai. I'm sure you saw her, so you see the resemblance. Hanna and her husband moved to this town about three years ago with their son. The kid was wildly energetic, but a nice kid nonetheless," Maru said, daring to look up in the faces of his guests and surprised to see the wealth of emotion held behind their masked expressions. Of course, that did nothing to ease how bad he felt about aiding in their pain.

"Now that you mention it…I do seem to remember her making a fuss about Goku being her child and all that," Hakkai mentioned, inwardly slapping himself at forgetting such an important detail. How could he not remember such a ruckus?

"He certainly sounds like a certain little monkey we all know," the redhead teased, a slight strain evident in his voice. The other two nodded in agreement, and then looked to the man to continue his story.

"Well, I'm sure you also know about the whole demon population going crazy. Well, Hanna's always been a little weird about her kid, almost too overprotective. She never really let him out of her sight or anything. Anyway, one day the kid's dad decided to take a trip with the boy, sort of like a father-son bonding thing…and…they were attacked. Both of them were killed instantly."

"How…awful. That…poor woman," the green-eyed man offered kindly, flinching when he noticed the questioning looks that his comment brought from his comrades. "Just because I pity her loss does not mean that it justifies taking Goku from us. Forgive me for having a heart."

The redhead reached for his hand, smiling crookedly at him when their eyes met. "It's cool, 'Kai. You really are too much, you know."

Maru cleared his throat again, slightly embarrassed at witness such a sentimental moment. He felt as though he was intruding by continuing his story. "Hanna sort of…lost her mind when she found out. She convinced herself that Malachai was still alive and lost, and managed to convince many of the townspeople too. I mean, you never want to accept that a kid died so cruelly, do you? The only thing I can think of is that she saw your friend and convinced herself that he was her son. How she did it, I don't know. I've told you all I know."

The three men stood at that, as the brunette bowed politely. "Thank you. I suppose we will just have to keep looking. Would you know where she is at the moment?" he asked kindly, making Maru glad that he could help. These guys weren't so bad when they weren't threatening your life.

"Honestly, no. She became rather reclusive when the accident occurred a couple of months ago, so there's no telling where she is now. Anyway, I wish you guys luck in your search and I hope I helped a little," he offered, bowing as well to show that he meant it. He watched them make their way out of his little shop, finding himself truly hoping that they got their friend back. "Sorry, Hanna. I can't help you this time."