(a/n: Hey guys, sorry for the long pause, but now I'm throwing in a new chapter. I know a few of you were a tad confused by the last chapter, but this should clear up that murky water. It's not that long and I wrote it kind of fast. Forgive me if it's not edited all that fantastically...or at all...I will get to that as soon as I can manage.)

Vol. 32 Patricidal Precedence

-Mugen-

couldn't believe we all didn't see it before. You had to give it to the chick though, she sure knew how to play a guy. Jin was about to do some stupid-ass shit; I guess we were stopping that. I had to admit, when it came to smarts and shit, four eyes had the high ground, but he was apparently enough of a dumb-fuck not to see this.

I had a hold of Fuu's hand as we ran through the streets toward the area where I found Jin. I think he lived around there somewhere. If not, then we had to go straight to the lyin bitch herself.

"Mugen, where is this place?" Fuu panted, trying to keep up. I kept forgettin that she was slow.

"Round the block," I growled.

We tore around the street to where I saw Jin last time. He wasn't around. Fuck. Fuu was lookin for him too. Her face was all concerned, like it always was when one of us got into somethin big. She kinda did have to put up with a lot of shit in that department.

"I don't think he's around." She sounded like our last chance was gone.

"We gotta go to the place where Shino is then," I told her. Fuu went bug-eyed. She thought I was nuts. "If we can't find Jin then we just gotta tell Shino. It's the only way and she's the only one we know can't move around."

Fuu looked like she wasn't so sure I was right. "Mugen…"

I grabbed a hold of her shoulders and looked her square in the face. "You wanna save him or not?"

-Jin-

Shino packed the remaining possessions of her room quickly and quietly. It was our time to get out and move into the new home. Once this was over, she would never have to worry about a thing ever again. We could start our lives together. For the first time in a very long while, I felt like things were going to be okay. My fortune was changing, and as a result I was optimistic.

"Jin, did you see where I left my hair comb? I can't seem to remember where I misplaced it."

I pointed to the bedroll, one of the few things left to pack, remembering that she had tossed it aside last night while she was preparing for bed.

She picked up the pillow and there it was. She smiled and scooped it up. Carefully, she folded it up into a piece of cloth before placing in her bag.

"Are you happy?" I asked her suddenly. I had been sitting quite silently in the corner up until this moment, but I liked to know how she was feeling about all of this.

"Yes. I wouldn't be happy with anyone but you."

"And you know that I will always be faithful and honest with you. I won't be like your first husband, I promise that."

She gave me a strange look. What was it? I let it go as she packed her bedroll. That was the last of the things, and that meant it was time to go. She took a last survey of the room to be certain everything she would need was in its place. At last she turned to me.

"I think that will be everything."

I walked to her and took the bag of her possessions so she wouldn't have to carry them in her delicate state. We went out to the hallway where I took a quick look to see if there were any people moving about to catch us. Luckily enough, no one was. I beckoned Shino out after me and we made our way at a quick but silent pace. We made it out onto the grounds and were well on our way to the wall when I heard a familiar shrill-pitched voice meshing into conversation with a low and feral one.

"Where are we even going to find them? How do you even know they're here?" Fuu.

"I just know is all, got it?" replied Mugen. "Jin's gotta be here."

They came out from behind a row of bushes and halted immediately. Mugen rounded on Fuu.

"Whadid I tell you?"

Fuu rolled her eyes and stepped forward. She shot a venomous glare at Shino which I didn't fully understand to be honest.

"What do you two think you are doing here?" I demanded, still keeping my control intact. "You two know the concequences if we get caught sneaking her out. What is the meaning of this?"

Mugen and Fuu looked at each other nervously, meaning that something was definitely amiss. Finally it was Mugen who jumped into the point. he dropped his hand from his head where he had been scratching it. "Yo Shino, we get the game you're tryin to pull, so why don't you just fess up?"

I was utterly and completely confused. Game?

"I-I don't know what you…" she sputtered, looking more than just a but nervous. I know that she wasn't afraid of Mugen, so what was it?

"Give it up, chick. Tell 'im, or I will."

"There's nothing…"

Fuu let out an indignant sound and crossed her arms in a quite hostile manner. "Jin, it's not your child in Shino, it's someone else's."

"What?" I questioned, a little more than perturbed by the suggestion. Surely they were joking. Either that or they made a terrible mistake.

Fuu turned to me, this time with an expression of sympathy. "Jin, we were here over eleven months ago. Mugen was the one who figured it out. You know what that means, right?" Her tone was saturated with sorrow. I knew what it meant.

I turned to Shino who was looking positively petrified.

"You lied to me."

She nodded slowly. "I didn't want to hurt you, I just needed a safe place for my child."

"So whose child is it then?"

"One of the local police, he came here to do an inspection on the night of a break in; after that, he visited me in secret. I don't love him, he just reminded me so much of you. I thought you weren't ever coming back."

"What bullshit!" Mugen scoffed. His timing was impeccable. He could kill any sort of moment, bad or good. He strolled forward, a grin plastered all over his face. "You just wanted a free ride and you knew that Jin could probably make more money than some stupid officer. Personal body guards make tons more money, 'specially if they have a kill count like fish-face."

"Shino," Fuu began. "I liked you, I really did. Then you had to go and do this to Jin. You're a bad person, and I hope that that baby of yours gets more love and loyalty than what you've shown Jin. He risked everything for you, and you…you just stepped all over him."

Shino didn't respond to either of them; I'm not sure she heard them at all. She was staring at me, waiting for me to weigh in on what my course of action would be. I was truly conflicted, but her betrayal was unforgivable. If there was one thing that I upheld, it was truth and honor. Shino was neither honest or honorable.

"You made your choice, it seems, a long time ago," I said bluntly. "I cannot stand here and be made a fool of, though it pains me to say this. I'm going to say goodbye to you Shino, and this time it will be forever."

A few tears had already began their slow descent down her pale cheeks. She didn't bother to wipe them away. "I suppose I deserve this. I know I've hurt you, but I don't want you to go…please."

"I left other things…people, behind for you. I shouldn't have done that. Now I have bridges to mend, if it isn't already too late."

"Jin, who?"

"A girl who risked everything for me, like I did for you, and I left her for what I thought was the right thing. I can only hope she can forgive me the way I am unable to forgive you."

She was shaking visibly. I set her things down at her feet and stepped away. I was hurt by this entire situation, but I had no time to waste if I was going to find Tsukiko and make things alright.

"Goodbye Shino, and good luck with the rest of your life."

I turned and began my walk away from the woman I loved, or at least who I loved and thought loved me in return. I had no idea where I was going to find Tsukiko, it had been so long since she'd gone and we had no trails to follow. Mugen and Fuu caught up, flanking me on either side. For an instant, I was sure that we would find her, because when the three of us we working together, everything seemed to fall haphazardly into place.