Thank you all for your reviews and all the favorites. here the next chapter^^
Breakfast that morning, Saitou had kitchen duty, started out as normal as any day. Perhaps a bit quieter due to the late hour dinner finished the night before. As even the last yawing member of the Shinsengumi had taken his seat and started to sleepily shove rice into their mouths, Kondo-sama cleared his throat. It wasn't often the man announced something at breakfast, mainly because it was a hassle getting and holding his men attention that early in the day, but when he did, everyone was on alert in seconds.
"Well," he started, and seemed not to know how to proceed any further. "There is something that has come to my attention and I think, all of you should at least be informed of it. The final decision lays obviously with Chizuru, who is the primer affected by it, but I would say that such an important situation, should not be taken carelessly, or without our council."
Here he looked at the young woman sitting at Hijikatas side, as if asking for permission. She nodded with a soft smile and the commander continued.
"Before you all get into an uproar, just let me finish. It is apparent, that someone took his liberties with our dear Chizu..."
As was predictable Kondo Isami was not able to finish the sentence before loud cries of indignation filled the room. Sannan blinked disturbed and did not seem to know what to do exactly, but the vain pulsing on his head and the white knuckles of his fists told everyone that he was beyond pissed. Simpachi, Sanosuke, Okita and Heisuke were standing in the middle of the room, faces red like ripe grapes and screaming hell to anybody listening. Saitou just sat there, looked at Chizuru and promised death through his eyes, to the person who had laid their hands on her. Hijikata had not moved a muscle since the three of them sat down to start their breakfast nearly 20 minutes before. Stone faced he looked at the raging room.
Kondo had his hand risen patiently, waiting for the first storm to pass. But his men had forgotten about their leader in their anger and slowly the commander was reaching his own limit. Chizuru had been prepared for indignation, for loud cries and for threats, but not for this mayhem. She saw how her commanding officer was struggling not to loose his cool, took a deep breath and screamed the loudest she could.
"Stooooop!" Instantly all action ceased and all eyes were on her petite form. Somewhat out of breath she continued, quieter: "Would you all calm down. Kondo-sama has not finished yet. It would be prudent to hear him out, don't you think, before you start a war over something that can not be undone."
"But, but... Chizuru..." Heisuke started to protest. The young woman shook her head.
"Sit down, everyone," and she looked each of her friends in the eye. "And listen to the rest of the story."
Grumbling they did as they were told, and the leader of the Sinsengumi stared to speak again.
"Thank you Chizuru. Sometimes I think you know them better than I could ever try to understand."
He looked at his captains. "Now that you can listen to me again, I don't want any more interruptions, understood?"
No replies.
"It seems someone took his liberties with our dear Chizuru. And as a result, there is a small little blessing coming to us."
Everyone eyes opened wide, but no one dared comment.
"Chizuru, being her usual selfless her, has offered to leave the group as to not be a burden for us. I know your feelings, I share them for the most part, but I want you to be practical. Think of the troupe, of the community we are and then answer my question truthfully. What should we do with the mother and her child?"
Kondo looked at Sannan first.
The scientist and tactician was pale, weighting every argument he could come up and deciding.
Finally he said: "If she has already decided, I agree with her, that for the best of the troupe, she should leave. She will become a liability, more than she already is and the child will not only be our weakest point, it will cause chaos and unrest."
He closed his eyes, a sight on his lips. "None the less, this is not a decision I could make with my head. If you ask me, I would throw common sense over bored and welcome the new member with open arms."
Next was Heisuke, who crossed his arms in front of his chest. "Do you even have to ask, Kondo-sama?! You know I have no practical sense. Of course I would have Chizuru here, it's much easier to protect her and the child if they stay close." He looked to the side with an angry huff, without anything more to say.
Okita took his turn now. He had closed his eyes, vain pulsing on his forehead and fists pulled into his lap. All humour or jesting gone from his face.
"It's not that easy. We have our rules, our code of honour. Technically it...", he stopped midway, and pulled at his hair.
"Oh Chizuru-chan, why do you always complicate things so much. All I want to do right now, is gut that pig who touched you and not decided if it's more practical for you to stay or to leave." He finished whispering. "I would never want you to leave", and let his head hang low.
Sanosuke Harada didn't look any more happy than the younger man who spoke before him.
"I know how much work children are." He glared at the two boys at his side, and received twin glares back. "But we have kept them save ever since, we can do so now too."
It was obvious he did not wish for her to go either.
Shimpachi looked more sour than he could manage normally. "I agree with the last three", he said.
Saitou had grabbed his katana some time ago, his fingers white, holding on the the sheath. "Rules are rules. I'm not saying I wish for her to leave. But she is part of the group, she has to obey the rules we established. It is up to the commander if he wished to do an exception." His teeth clenched, he added under his breath: "I agree with Okita"
Chizuru who sat next to him looked at her companions with a fond smile on her lips. This was not her turn to speak, so she remained silent and waited out what the last of them had to say. Not that she had any doubts about Hijikata. The demon commander would take his role as the dark inquisitor in this case, he would be the advocate of their rules and demand that she leave the troupe to never return. She knew that it was his way of punishing himself for what he still viewed as a deplorable sin.
"There should be no room for discussion, Kondo. Chizuru is a member of the Shinsengumi, she has to follow its rules as much as the rest of us. They state it clearly, that in case of such a insubordination the penalty is death. I'm no demon, contrary to common believe. I would not ask a mother to commit suicide and leave her child behind, or take it with her. But I must insist, that she has to leave the troupe and never contact us again. She will, for all purpose, be dead to us."
No emotion crossed his stony face, no trembling in his voice could betray how much he regretted his words. He was the first who wanted Chizuru to stay, but it was not his place to say so, neither as second in command, nor as the father of that unborn child.
Kondo Isami cleared his thought again.
"Now that all of us have had their say, I'd like to clarify, that I will not turn my back on our only female member. But it is not my decision." Then he looked at the young woman. "It is yours. And after hearing them all, do you still wish to leave Chizuru? Or will you allow us to protect the two of you? To rise this child, as if it was our own?"
Kondo-sama had a way with words, silently worming into ones heart and soothing with a soft smile. He always got what he wanted, even thou the things he wanted were few and far between.
With tears in her eyes and trembling from her contained sobs, the brunet looked at everyone of her companions before she answered.
"If you wish to have me by your side, I'll gladly stay with all of you." A watery smile shining on her beautiful face.
The occupants of the room rejoiced loudly, their faces splitting into happy grins. Even the ones who mentioned the rules, where smiling contently. Only Hijikata was still emotionless staring at nothing in particular. The tense hold of his shoulders had lessen and the cold glint in his eyes has been replaces with a serenity that spoke of his satisfaction with the outcome of their discussion. Chizuru was very happy to know, that he too, would welcome her back.
Okita interrupted their celebration, his grin still present, but the underlying anger in his voice and eyes was palpable. "Now that Chizuru stays with us, we should find that bastard and show him how the Shinsengumi treat their enemy..." murder could be heard in his words. Most of the present males agreed. They were quick to draw their swords, and their tempers were rising again.
This time it was Kondo himself who stopped the upcoming storm.
"About that matter..." his loud voice let the group of ronin stop in their tracks. "I must confess, that I don't see eye to eye with Chizuru on it. But she does not wish to take repercussions on the father of her child." Loud indignation was the answer to this statement.
"I do not know who that person is, it is probably the best if I do not." He concluded and all eyes fell on the mother.
Chizuru felt uncomfortable. How could she tell them not to avenge her and not tell them who the father was.
"Chizuru-chan... that man should not go around harming more people, don't you think?" Okita knew how to press her bottoms.
"That is right, Chizuru-chan!" Heisuke agreed. "And he should pay for what he did to you, do you not agree?"
The brunet had a hard time struggling with words. Her cheeks were aflame and she was biting her lips into a messy plump.
"If things had been different, I would agree with you, boys. But that night, neither of us had any control of the things that happened."
She could hear the men huff in protest and she got angry. "Don't!" Her eyes sparkled with a fury they had seldom seen. "Do I have to remind you, that you know exactly what it is to have no control over oneself?"
The Shinsengumi captains looked embarrassed everywhere but at Chizuru. A quiet murmur started up again.
"No. The situation may have not been the same." She countered. "But neither of us had any control over the things that happened that night. I can assure you, that the father of this child will not hurt anyone else in this form again."
The silence was thick between the warriors. "Please, just let the matter drop for my sake."
She looked at Okita and Heisuke with her big pleading eyes. It would have been a lost cause, even for the stoic Saitou, to try and fight her that moment. They sat down again and tried to quench their murderous intent.
"Thank you", she surprised everyone. With a big smile Chizuru added: "You will all be fathers to this little one and my child will be the luckiest, for having such a big, wonderful family."
Kondo-sama applauded her decision, loosening the tension that had filled the room up until then.
"Well said, Chizuru-chan. From now on, we will all look out for you and the small bundle of joy."
"Ne Chizuru?" Heisuke interjected. "I don't know if I would be such a good father. Do you think I could be a big brother instead?" The boy asked somewhat embarrassed. Everyone started laughing, the breakfast had long been forgotten.