Chapter Six: Lovely Lady – Grieving Tears

Perched upon an over-stuffed blue sofa, legs crossed at the knee, goblet of red wine in hand, a purring ball of black fluff in his lap, Naoe sat staring off into the distance. The sounds of running water could be heard through the tiny apartment as he gazed out the window at the falling snow. It drifted gently to earth illuminated by the bright streetlights of downtown.

He took a sip of wine and tried to focus his scattered thoughts. Helena stretched as he petted her. His long fingers running down her spine to the point of her white tipped tail before drawing up again to the top of her head.

Hanairo was alive.

The very thought sent jolts of pure joy through his soul.

But that thought also sent a million and one questions straight to his brain.

How was it she survived? Why had she avoided them for sixty some odd years? What had made her suddenly appear now after all this time? And why was she not showering faster?

Sighing he shifted his position, disturbing the feline on his lap. She blinked up at him and yawned. "Tell her to hurry up."

"Meow."

Sighing again he took another drink when he heard the shower turn off. A combination of relief and anxiety shot through him. He would finally have all the answers his question logged brain needed to know and yet it did not seem real. Why did he feel like he was walking through a dream and that any second now he would wake and Hanairo would still be dead?

He tapped his index finger impatiently against the bowl of his glass. His ears picked up the sounds of doors opening and closing as well as the faint rustle of material.

Finally she appeared walking elegantly into the room like the lady she was born to be. Her hair was slightly damp and wild, curling and twisting about her face like that of a lover. She wore a dress shirt – white – that fell to mid thigh. He could make out a pair of pale pink panties through the sheer material. She was barefoot and smelled strongly of lemons.

He watched her every move as she poured herself a glass of wine. Helena vacated her seat on his lap and prowled over to her master brushing up against her ankles and mewing.

A soft smile graced her lips as she pulled a can of tuna from the cupboard and opened it placing it on the floor for the feline. She stroked her dark fur, grabbed her glass, and walked over to him. Sending him a soft smile she made her way to the coffee table that was pulled out several feet from the couch. She took a sip, setting the glass down with a gentle clink. Finally she sat and folded her hands in front of her chest.

Drawing her eyes up to his she smirked. "So… ask."

He knew he let his face betray his momentary surprise. She was to calm and her composure unnerved him.

"How?"

"A tiny little line."

He blinked at her. She sighed drawing small circles with her finger on the smooth wood of the table. "One little line… he missed it. Without that line the seal was incomplete and he was unable to send me to hell like he wanted. One little line near the far corner… just above my eyebrow." She placed her finger there and rubbed.

Obviously she was not as apathetic about her near escape from eternal damnation as she led him to believe.

"When you guys were invading the grounds he must have started to panic and rushed through the seal missing that tiny line. And with the amount of blood caused from etching an evil seal on someone's forehead, he must not have noticed, some insignificant, little line," she said her voice laced with bitterness and anger.

She clenched her hands together fighting off the slight tremors coursing through her body. But he saw and knew that even though she was pretending to be indifferent to the brutal torture that took her life and nearly cast her soul into hell some sixty years ago, she was still dreadfully frightened.

"So my body died and I was able to repossess. But it took some time due to the weakness of my soul from… well, what happened," she said flippantly.

He scowled at her, annoyed by her attitude, and asked, "But why didn't you come back to us? We were so worried."

"Oh yes," she snorted, "I'm sure."

"We were," he snapped not liking her sarcastic tone.

A slight smirk crossed her lovely features. "I'm sure, I said. I can imagine how concerned you guys were, too."

He could not tell if she was mocking him or not. Her gaze and tone were too straight, too calm, and too neutral. Did she think they did not mourn her loss? If only she knew the truth.

She took a drink of wine and said, "I was not ready to come back. After what happened I needed some space – some time to think things through. I did not want to be a possessor anymore. I wanted to be free and not feel like I was being hunted. I wanted to leave all the clans, all the war and all the supernatural crap behind me. So… I traveled the world. I lived in Spain, France, England, and different parts of the Americas… India, Egypt, and Africa. I went all over."

She looked at him and smiled. "I got to cook. I learned so much. I never wanted to come back I was having such a good time! I mean… haven't you ever wanted to be free, Naoe? Free from all this bullshit. You wouldn't have to worry about possessors and evil chants and exorcisms and afterlife wars and stupid men who don't love you but won't let you go." She got his attention with that comment and he held her gaze. "Haven't you ever wanted that?"

"Yes," he murmured. It was true, too. Sometimes he did want to leave. Get away from all the people and all the things that were driving him insane. To finally, after four hundred years, live his own life – was that truly too much to ask?

Obviously Hanairo had the same desire to be "free" as he did. She always did have more courage than any of the other members of the Uesugi clan. She even had more courage than her own brother.

"Then don't you see why I took the opportunity offered to me? That may have been the worst experience of my life, but… I turned it into something positive."

"But why didn't you contact us? You should have told us you were alive and ended our grief."

She paused and broke her gaze. "Yeah. Maybe. But I never wanted to come back."

"Then why did you?" he asked his tone harsh. "You, the most powerful aura tracker in the nether realm could have easily avoided us until the end of time. But you showed yourself to me. Why - if you never wanted to come back?"

She stared down at the beige carpet sighing deeply.

"Where you lonely?"

He saw her flinch and knew that he had found part of the reason. "Were you tired of your freedom?"

"No. Neither of those things." She drew those ice blue eyes back up to him and glared. "I did not grow tired of my freedom. And I am not lonely. I was… concerned."

"Concerned?" he echoed.

"Yes, concerned. I may have been roaming the world, but I still kept track of what the hell was going on. I know what happened thirty years ago."

Naoe blanched all color draining from his face as she scrutinized him with her icy gaze. "H-how do you know about that?"

"I have my sources… and everytime you guys repossess I know. I can feel the shift in the spirit aura. I felt Minako's aura leave this plane and Kagetora was the one driving it out. But it wasn't my brother who powered that… it was you. Then I felt my brother's aura leave this world. I thought that for sure he was gone. I mourned his loss like no other."

"But well, last spring I was in France and felt this huge burst of energy. I knew it was my brother. I could sense his aura anywhere. I was so relieved I nearly fainted. I made arrangements not long after that to return to Japan. When I arrived near the end of summer I started to casually snoop around and see just what was going on with all the clans."

"That was when I heard the rumors that Lord Kagetora was back and that he had no memories of his former lives. Curious of this I came out of hiding to investigate. It was very casual at first. I'd talk with lessor spirits… mostly dwellers and just see what they knew. Eventually I worked my way up to higher possessing spirits. That was how I learned all I needed to know."

"I finally decided, right after you guys returned from Kyoto, to see if he remembered me. I walked past him on the street with some of his friends. There was no response other than him looking at me strangely. I think he felt something, but not what I wanted him to feel. Then," she snorted, "one of his stupid friends made a comment about him checking me out and wanting to fuck me. Yuck! That makes me want to vomit."

He could not hide his snicker and she smiled. "So I then sent him something to jog his memory."

"Helena."

"Yes. I wanted to see if he would remember who she was and her owner. I think he knows she's familiar but not why."

"And you saw him in school, too, didn't you?"

"Of course I did. When Helena was not provoking the memories that I wanted him to have, I went myself. That surly did the trick. I'm quite sure he felt my aura even outside the school 'cause he came in real guarded. I then walked past him and he flipped. He even said my name."

"Yes, he told me. He saw your body and called out your name."

She nodded. "I didn't want him to remember that, but I'm not able to control what parts of his memories about me come back. I wanted him to remember when we first met or horseback riding. Going to festivals, skipping our daily lessons, sneaking down into the kitchen to cook us late night snacks, those were the things I wanted him to remember. Not that… not what happened all those years ago…" Her voice drifted as she gazed out the window at the falling snow.

He sighed to himself and smiled softly at her. In his wildest dreams he never thought they would meet again. And yet, by some twist of fate she was able to survive that nightmarish incident and return to the clan.

Their paths crossed and connected much like they did four-hundred years ago when she was askinny, frightened child and he was very young, naïve and softhearted; he just wanted to make her smile.

She was all legs then, like a newborn colt not sure of it's footing. Skinny with wild hair and huge blue eyes that consumed her face she was hardly what one would call beautiful.

He was not 'in love' with her per say, but he certainly did love her. Being an Uesugi servant meant loving and protecting every member of the clan.

All of the servants knew the gossip about her and how she could judge a person's character by simple contact or how she could see and feel one's misdeeds by even the most basic of touches. But they never seemed to take that into account when they called her "cold", "heartless", "emotionless", "difficult", and "a bitch".

He was never able to see those things, however.

He pitied her.

To be so young and so tormented it just was not right. Fate had dealt her a terrible hand and she was trying to survive. So he went out of his way to be kind to her even if their paths hardly crossed.

One day though, just before her twelfth birthday he saw her strolling in the gardens, as she often liked to do.

"My lady," he bowed respectfully.

She bowed at him in turn, but did not speak just stared at him with those haunted eyes. So blue and cold like a frozen pond; so full of life underneath its ice.

He could not think of anything to say to her. He figured he could talk of the weather or the upcoming fall festival or even her birthday. But he figured they would all sound ridiculous coming from him a near stranger to her even if he had sworn to give his life to not only her, but also any member of her family.

She bowed again and turned to continue her walk.

"Wait, M'lady…"

She paused and stared at him over her shoulder. He could see the torrent of emotions beating at the thin lay of ice in her eyes. His heart reached out to her. "May I accompany you on your stroll?"

There was a slight nod of her head as she continued walking and he fell into step along side of her. "I've heard your mother was a great cook."

She stopped and blinked at him. "Pardon?"

"Well, everyone knows about Lord Kenshin and your mother…" Perhaps this was not the best choice of topic, he thought to himself. Why did I even bring it up!

"Yes, she was," she said curtly and started walking again. "She use to make me sweets all the time."

He could not help but notice that her voice was oddly wispy and she suddenly seemed happy. Some strange ray of hope filled his chest. Smiling he reached into the small leather satchel hanging on his belt. "Try this, M'lady. You might like it." From it he pulled out a tiny gold tin. Popping open the box he removed one piece of powder covered sugar.

She held up her hand and he dropped the shard into her palm. She examined it closely and then popped the treat into her mouth.

He knew when her eyes widened in delight, that a strong peppermint-sweetness was hitting her. "This is… delicious."

He nodded as the corners of her mouth kicked up. She was about to smile; he could feel it. But before she did she must have realized and quickly excused herself. "Thank you for the candy. I must be going." At that she departed.

He never did coax that smile out of her in that life. In the next she smiled and laughed all the time having a greater understanding of her powers and how to control them. He did, however, give her a new love of peppermint.

It was a happy memory amongst the many sad ones that tied them together.

He gazed at her. "I'm glad you have come back, Hanairo," he said softly raising his glass and downing the final contents. He set the cup on the table with a soft clink.

"Yeah…" she whispered laying her head against her arm. Her hair fell against the limb and pooled on the table like spilt ink.

She always chose beautiful bodies, he noted. Young and innocent with dark hair much like how she had looked four hundred years ago. She looked like a goddess and yet – his eyes wondered to her slender fingers tapping against the base of her wineglass. The short, broken nails and the healing cuts and gnarled scars and burns made her look more human.

"I'm guessing you still have not had my brother?"

Slightly startled he shook his head. "No. He denies me."

She tipped her head, gazing at him with sultry eyes through the slight veil of her hair. "Prude. He always has been and he always will be."

He opened his mouth to say something when she slowly stood. Her shirt slipped down to reveal one creamy shoulder. "So why don't you go ahead and try for another Uesugi family member. I promise you can be as sadistic as you want."

"Hanairo…"

Slowly she walked around the coffee table and filled the large gap between them. "You can tie me up, if you like. Whip me… sodomize me… whatever you want. I promise I'll be better than my brother."

His body reacted all on it's own from her breathy words; the mental images danced in his brain like sugar plum fairies. His blood started humming through his veins causing him to feel dizzy and lightheaded. But this was wrong and he knew it. Why was she throwing herself at him? They had always had a sibling type of relationship. He found her beautiful, of course, but in a more unearthly creature way.

"Hanairo… stop this. Why are you…"

"C'mon, Naoe-kun… you know you want me. I understand you. I know your needs and your wants. I'm willing to satisfy them all."

She stood above him, their knees touching. She tipped her head, cocked her hip then smirked, licking her lips. His blood thundered in his ears blocking out all sound besides the faint rustling of her body.

Slowly she leaned down, bracing her hands on his thighs and gazed into his eyes her face scant inches from his own. "I know you better than he does, right, Nobutsuna?" she whispered.

He could taste the wine on her breath as she leaned forward, her lips parted ever so slightly. His head still sounded like white noise as he felt her fingers creep against his inner thigh.

"Won't you kiss me?" she murmured in the whiniest tone he had ever heard her use. Her fingers finally made contact with his groin sending jolts of alarm into his foggy brain. But he could not push her away. She had him trapped, pinned against the cushions of the sofa.

She breathed against his mouth again and exhaled deeply. "Hopeless." She pulled away from him and straightened breaking all contact. Naoe finally felt as if he move, and breathe for that matter.

"You are so ridiculously hopeless, Nobutsuna Naoe. Here I am offering you a way to get back at my brother more than that stupid Minako woman and you… you won't even take it!"

Blinking he asked, "What? Hanairo why would you want to…"

"Gods!" she shouted throwing her hands in the air. Suddenly she straddled his lap her hands on his face, her knees digging into his hips painfully. She pulled his face close to her own and gazed into his golden eyes. "Don't you want to fuck me, Naoe-kun? You'd finally have an Uesugi. It would be so good, you know? This body is still a virgin. C'mon… don't you want too?" She licked his cheek and rolled her hips trying to entice him.

"Hanairo…" he grabbed her waist trying to push her away when his body suddenly froze. "Release me," he ordered.

"No. Not until you help me hurt him."

"Why would you, of all people, want to do that to Lord Kagetora. He is your brother. You love him."

"I'd really like to know how you define all of that. You have the most fucked up sense of love of anyone I've ever met. I don't need you to get on a soapbox and start preaching to me about causing him pain when all you've ever done is hurt him because you 'love' him. I think I am allowed to do so at least once in this lifetime. Especially after what he did to me."

"Lord Kagetora never did anything to wrong you."

A long, thick silence suddenly settled between them. Her eyes narrowed into tiny slits, her whole face darkening. "He never did anything to me?" she murmured. Slowly she slid off his lap and stood, gazing down at him with murderous intent. "Never did anything to me."

Leaning forward she placed her hand on his chest. "He…" she paused and Naoe let out a startled gasp his heart constricting in his chest as if being squeezed.

"LEFT ME TO DIE!" she screamed at the top of her lungs clenching her fist against his chest.

His eyes widened as he lost all ability to breathe. Gasping for air he gripped her wrist digging his fingers into it. Her own twitched as she suddenly relaxed her fist and jumped away from him. Violently he sucked in air clenching his chest and doubling over.

His eyes focused on her fire engine red toenails as he brought his breathing back under control. Slowly he sat up and gazed into her eyes. There was no remorse for her actions.

On shaky legs he stood then backhanded her with all his might.

She fell to the ground in a heap. "Naoe!" she shrieked clutching her cheek eyes brimming with tears.

"How dare you say that he left you to die!" Quickly he grabbed her arm and hurled her to her feet. Shaking her he said, "We tried to get to you! We were all bloody and beaten by the time we finally reached you and… when we did… Lord Kagetora let out such a huge burst of energy that he leveled the building."

She blinked, wide-eyed, up at him.

"Nagahide killed himself right then and there. He took a sword to his heart. He did not repossess for twenty years after that. Haruie was hysterical. Crying so hard, she clawed at her face putting deep scars on it. And Lord Kagetora… he cut off all of his hair and one of his hands. He then worked tirelessly for hours to bring your soul back. It's not an easy task, if you remember, and died two days later. He repossessed eight times and killed all of those bodies just trying to bring you back. Finally he had to give up. We all did. And to think as we suffered in our grief you were alive the whole time gallivanting around the world just because you wanted 'your own life'. You selfish little bitch!"

He shook her again and harder this time making her teeth rattle. "I don't ever, ever, want to hear you say that Lord Kagetora just left you to die." He grabbed her face roughly and gazed into her eyes. "Or I will kill you."

Nodding in agreement, she started to cry. "I… I had… no…" she sobbed.

Quickly he pulled her into his arms cradling her like a child. He felt her tears soak through his sweater. Her small scarred fingers pawing at handfuls of the lien. He held her and let her cry, one arm on the small of her back the other behind her head.

"N-Naoe-kun… I'm s-sorry…" she sobbed burying her face deeper into the folds of his sweater. Suddenly she pushed away from him wiping furiously at her eyes and nose with the back of her hand. "Call Haruie." She started walking towards the bedroom. "Tell her to meet you at your home by one o'clock tomorrow afternoon." At that she disappeared.

He gazed after her and shook his head reaching into his pocket for his cell phone to do her bidding.

She returned several minutes later wearing a pair of dark jeans and a heavy green sweatshirt over her blouse. There was a gym bag slung over her shoulder as well as a pillow in her hand.

"Where are you going?" he asked blinking down at her choice of socks – lime green with cartoon, magenta, lobsters.

"Did you do as I asked?" she demanded in her most commanding tone.

Locking eyes with her he nodded. "Yes."

"Good," she smiled. "And we're having a sleep over."

She walked to the door and slipped on her coat, scarf and hat. She then grabbed her knife roll and put on her chef shoes. She handed him his coat then "whispered" for her cat.

Helena crawled out of her cat-house and stalked over to her brushing up against his ankles as she did so. She handed him her pillow and he blinked down at the sultry, angst ridden eyes of one Sasuke Uchiha, as she pulled the feline into her arms.

"Shall we," he suddenly said stepping past her, Sasuke tucked securely under his arm, and opening the door.

She smiled up at him, her eyes still watery, and nodded. "Yes, please." Suddenly she grabbed the sleeve of his coat and tugged. "Thank you," she breathed and then went out the door.

"You're welcome, my lady."

A/N: Now… a few words from our author! Wow… it's been awhile. A lot has been going on that has made me have to put this thing on the back burner. But don't worry… she's not abandoned.

Um… about the lil flash back. I didn't want it to sound, er, pedophile-ish. I really hope it doesn't. She's 11 almost 12 and I'm making Naoe about, erm, I dunno… 15 or 16. He's young and naïve. I have no clue as to when he started working with the Uesugi if he started at birth or what. I just wanted him to feel sorry for her. To want to try and help her in a brotherly sorta way. I hope that came across.

This chpt was difficult for me to write because it was so emotional. I can sit there for hours playing with words to try and figure out which one makes it sound even more emotional. I really hope you all enjoyed it and Hanairo since this really was where you are introduced to her. But don't judge her by your first impression. She's kind of a little whacked in the head in this chpt. Hahaha! It'll get better, I swear.

Moving right along I figured out that there will be 21 chpts + an Epilog. Damn that's a lot, I know, but lets pray it is worth it. Haha!

Feed back ALWAYS wanted and appreciated. I'm ½ way through chpt 7 so hopefully that will be out soon, too.

Ana

Next Chapter: Seven - Hello Brother...

Next Chapter: Chapter Seven – Hello Brother…