((An: Yup here we go again. I update when I can. Your reviews encourage me to write more. Nobody's gotten the number yet and I've got the fanart all drawn up and prettified! WOOT for me I'm sort of ahead of schedule! Check out my bio to see updates and junk. I fixed it.

Is anybody else annoyed by Saitou's lack of acknowledgement for his growing attachment of Itachi? I just went back and read my story and even I feel like hitting the baka for being such a baka. But on the other hand you can't rush a wolf. They do mate for life ne? Makes for a great story though, don't cha think? ))

Green eyes flickered, drowsily, as she felt someone touching her. Misao shot up, grabbing the arm, eyes wide with alarm.

She was met with brown eyes that merely glared back at her.

"Baka Itachi girl. I'm trying to help you" Megumi shot, snapping her arm back.

Misao frowned, blinking, seeing Megumi for the first time. The sun wasn't quite bright. It was early morning.

"Megumi? I'm at the dojo aren't I?" Misao asked, confused and blinking to clear her eyes. She was on a bed, the wood floor and tatami mats a comfort in comparison to the forest.

"I wouldn't be here caring for you if you weren't. Now stay still. I've already treated your head wound as best as I can, but you got various other bumps and bruises on you."

Misao felt the back of her head. Megumi slapped her hand

"Don't touch! Your hands are dirty, it'll get infected. I put salve on it. Unfortunately without shaving your hair, there's no real way to get to it. Which means you have to be extra careful. No training for a few days, otherwise you'll upset the wound and it'll start bleeding again. Drink lots of water." Megumi ordered, rubbing a pungent smelling salve onto her arm.

Misao grimaced. It smelled so bad! It was quite overwhelming. So somehow through the night she had been dumped at the dojo. But where was Saitou? And what about Soujiro? Misao couldn't verbalize her questions without giving away the entire operation. And Megumi was as sly as a fox about anything. If Misao said a word, Megumi would weasel it out of her. Misao grimaced. No pun intended....

"There" Megumi finished wrapping her arm.

"Take it easy the next few days. And I meant No training" Megumi told her harshly, packing up her things, and throwing her hair over her shoulder she left the room.

Misao sat up, tucking her legs in, indian style, and sat. She contemplated. How was she going to explain all of this without lying to her dear friends? and without giving away any information? She couldn't mention Saitou. Being Himura's archenemy, they would all object to her mission, and instantly offer her a home here.

But Misao didn't WANT to stay here. She loved her friends dearly, but if she stayed here, she would learn nothing. She would sit and be idle. To do the same thing day after day, routine after routine. Misao couldn't live like that. Himura already did most of the housework. All she would do would be free loader. Exactly like Sanosuke. She could take up swordsmanship, but she found the thought of learning from Kaoru or even Himura saddening. They would smile and nod and tell her how good she was doing. She'd never get an honest opinion from them because they loved her too much to tell her the truth.

"Misao dono?" Kenshin's voice rang through Misao's head.

"Hmm?" Misao asked looking up.

"Gomen nasai, Misao dono, but breakfast is ready that it is" Kenshin told her smiling. Misao returned the smile and got up.

Saitou breathed heavily. Accessing the damage, he had a ton of small cuts. A slice through the shoulder that was prominently bleeding. Given the skill of his attackers, and accounting for his exhaustion, he had about an hour and a half to find somewhere safe and stay hidden. Joy. His life was never dull enough was it?

"Damn," He muttered staring at his ripped uniform. Third one he'd gone through this month. Grunting and knowing he'd be kicking himself in the morning for overextending himself, He forced himself up. He needed to move and quickly.

Making his way through the forests he eyed for a good spot. He kept his feet to the rocks and kept his trail scattered. Green eyes flashed through his mind. Coral lips pressed intimately against his replayed itself through his memories. He could almost taste her. Closing his eyes he rested against a tree, wiping his brow with his arm. He needed to find a safe place and quick. He couldn't afford to be distracted. Briefly he wondered if Soujiro had betrayed him and taken the girl. That would certainly be within his luck. But Misao would never let herself be taken without a fight.

Smirking, Saitou pulled out a cigarette. Lighting up he took a deep puff, hoping that the nicotine would give him an extra burst of adrenaline. She'd fight him tooth and nail...a loosing battle the entire way. He'd be forced to knock her out and take her if anything.

Briefly he thought of her the first night she'd been thrown in his house. He'd nearly walked in on her bathing, and he remembered achingly well how her Yukata had clung to her like a second skin and just how badly he longed to run his fingers through her hair. He scoffed at his lack of discipline. He had too little time to be thinking hentai thoughts about a girl far too young for him. Continuing on, He smirked thinking of Soujiro's expression if he had indeed took the girl.

Still, he mused, he wondered how she would look if he took her hair out of the braid. She had long silky tresses of green black hair. He could only shiver to imagine pulling it apart from the braid, running his fingers through it. And suddenly the thought of Itachi with her hair sprawled out and beneath him in a very compromising position didn't seem so bad. Saitou grimaced. He had come to the realization that he wanted to feel her. Which only served to irritate him further.

Shaking his head he scoffed at himself. What are you thinking? You're twice her age. She belongs to Shinomori, not you. Besides that she's your partner. Why would you jeopardize everything at stake in this mission just to have a romp with a child?

then why did she leave with you? If she truly belonged to Shinomori then where is he? Is his name on her?

She was still far too young for him. Saitou took a deeper drag of his cigarette. Oh gods...his mind was getting the better of him.

She's far too curvy to be a child....you've run your hands along her body...you would know....she's certainly been forward enough with you about her desires....

Flicking the cigarette, crushing it beneath his boot and burying it, Saitou tried to regain his composure. He wouldn't do this. He wouldn't do this. He had more important things to be doing. He needed to find shelter and quick.

Misao sat, idly using her chopsticks to play with her rice while the others ate. Sanosuke and Yahiko were practically stuffing their faces, while Kaoru yelled at the two threatening boken them back to the streets.

Kenshin's eyes however focused on the genki ninja girl. She sat, picking at her food and looking through the window. Why had Soujiro dropped her off at the dojo? Why had she been with Soujiro in the first place? Why wasn't she with the Oniwabanshuu and wearing their insignia? Kenshin frowned.

"Koishi your food is getting cold" Kaoru told him frowning, and she followed his eyesight.

"ORO!" Kenshin exclaimed, realizing his food was indeed cold.

Misao blinked eyeing the purple-eyed rurouni strangely, and then peals of laughter came from her. The others couldn't help but laugh. Misao's laughter was contagious. The laughter died down eventually, and Misao felt better after the awkward silence that had seemed to pervade the room was broken. She had missed her friends so dearly.

"Misao will you come with me to the market?" Kaoru asked her.

"Um....sure?" Misao replied, wondering what was going on and the tight knot of stress in her stomach churning once more at the thought of lying to her dear friends.

"Koneko, if we need more food I will go into town to get it that I will, and we have enough tofu-"Kenshin started

"Nonsense! I'll simply go pick up the things I need with Misao and we'll be done" Kaoru told him firmly.

"Demo-"

"Im going" Kaoru replied swiftly, taking Misao's arm and dragging her out the shoji door.

"Clean up while I'm gone Koishi!" Kaoru told him, exiting the gate, still pulling Misao along.

Misao wasn't surprised by Kaoru's actions. She knew poor Kenshin let himself be bossed around by the rather intimidating "Tanuki"girl. Kaoru had left Kenshin to clean up the mess from the meal. But they loved each other.

atleast she has someone to love and boss around. You haven't even gotten that far yet have you?

"Sooo......How's Aoshi?" Kaoru asked slyly, elbowing Misao.

"W-w-hat?" Misao asked startled, stumbling in her shock.

"You know what I mean. After all I'm a married woman now, I need to live vicariously through someone else now" Kaoru told her, smirking, a hand covering her mouth.

Misao frowned. The lying begins....

"He's um-"Misao started, fiddling with her kunai beneath her gloves, feeling her cheeks heat. Well, in retrospect of her lie, the embarrassment of her obvious failure with Shinomori hadn't faded yet so at least she was being honest....

"Have you groped him?" Kaoru asked bluntly.

"WHAT?" Misao asked, kunai launching with a thunk into the trees. She knew her face was beat red. The words kept echoing in her mind.

"Come on? Tell me you've fondled him, run your hands down his chest, rubbed his shoulders, given him a feel or two or something? What is underneath those temple robes anyways?" Kaoru smirked evilly.

Misao was beet red. "K-kaoru..."

"Well? Have you kissed him yet? Tell me you've done SOMETHING to change the situation!!!"Kaoru demanded stomping her foot, glaring at the beet red Itachi ninja girl.

"Well... UM..." Misao started. Technically she'd done something to change her situation. Her thoughts flickered to those shimmery golden depths that seemed to pierce into her very core. Technically she'd done a lot of something's to change her situation. These thoughts didn't help her rosy disposition.

"Misao....You mean he still just SITS there every day at the temple and you just give him tea?"

"Well...I..."Misao couldn't finish. She was not only lying to one of her best friends but now she was ashamed. She had pushed Aoshi so far from her mind. Now it was like Kaoru was lifting up the dirty rug. She felt exposed. The pain in her heart constricted tightly, bringing tears that Misao fought to hide by hanging her head.

Kaoru said nothing for a while.

"Have you tried putting something in his tea?"

Misao fought to control the tears, knowing that if she broke for an instant with Kaoru that she would be forced to tell her all. Aoshi, her dearest friends, had to be pushed aside for the mission. Saitou would do no less and he would've done it with ease. She was a ninja, the alleged Okashira of the Oniwabanshuu. Even if they didn't acknowledge her, she would persevere.

Misao shook her head.

"Misao? Are you crying?" Kaoru asked her frowning and reaching out swiftly to hug her friend.

Misao said nothing but tensed under her touch.

"Awww! I'm sorry! It's nothing to be ashamed of Misao. It took me a few years to finally wear Kenshin down. Aoshi Shinomori! Ughh! What a jerk! To think that he'd still not be throwing himself at you on his knees by now. It's alright" Kaoru told her hugging her tighter.

Misao whipped the tears from her eyes. Let her think Shinomori was the reason for her tears. She was tired of crying for him. She was done with him. The pain would not overcome her. Returning the hug of her friend, Misao flashed a brief smile and took a deep breath. The pain of lie didn't leave though.

"I'm sorry Misao, I was just teasing....I won't bring it up again. OH! I didn't tell you yet!? Promise to keep it a secret from Yahiko and Sanosuke?" Kaoru told her, changing the subject, her aqua marine eyes widening with the excitement of her news.

Misao eyed her. "Yea sure, what's up?"

"I'm pregnant!"

This was too much. Between the lie, Kaoru's shocking inquiries, and her "good news" Misao's eyes started to blur. How long had they been walking anyways? The world was spinning. Misao fainted.

Saitou wiped his face clear with the back of his glove. The rain came down in sheets, washing away the blood. The sounds of the forest were gone, the raindrops echoing like a thousand drums on the ancient stone. The rain couldn't take away the smell of death, instead intensified it to the sensitive nostrils of the Mibu Wolf. Saitou closed his eyes, taking a deep ragged breath and set his sword down, crouching.

The battle had been bloody, and far too prolonged. Saitou had to stand and fight. He'd picked a good spot. Kami Sama curse him, he'd picked a damn good spot. His shoulder was cut, deep enough to be an irritating. His attackers were dead, in the midst of an abandoned shrine in the middle of the forest. The blood spread in pools across the open courtyard, the rain slowly washing away the puddles. It was all rain.

Running his hands up his face and through his hair, Saitou rested, contemplating his next move. He'd gotten what he needed to confirm his suspicions. Nagoya needed to be taken care of. It would require much more than he had originally figured. The mission had just become ten times more complicated than it needed to be. Muttering a curse, Saitou ripped his sleeve off, dipping it in a puddle and setting it on the shoulder.

Hissing and further exclamations later, Saitou was bandaging it the best he could and planning his next set of actions. Itachi was either with the others at the dojo or stuck with Soujiro and whoever he was working for. Whatever the option, things needed to be dealt with here, and now, before he could leave. Hopefully she was at the dojo. Perhaps she was doing her own reconnaissance in the mean time to try and figure out what was going on.

One thing was certain. He'd need to take out whatever underground operations were going on in Nagoya. That was where the answers seemed to point. From there he could send out a few letters, call in a few favors and even try and get a message to headquarters so that they were informed of what was going on. With a feeling of ill tidings to come Saitou watched the gray sky and retreated to the inner temples for warmth.

((AN: Short updates! Gomen nasai for the shortness of it, I'll double the length Christmas or Thanksgiving break. Stay tuned because it's about to get good quick.))