Not to keep you in the dark, I'm going to give some hints as to who the character of Kogoro really is.

Chapter Eighteen

"Lord Kogoro, the groups are in the cities and waiting for your signal."

"Good. Send a messenger to them. Tell them they have three days to relax."

"Yes, my lord."

Kogoro stared out the window. People travelled back and forth along the market road below.

//He watched them from the doorway. His sister seemed to adore the new girl. He wondered if she had forgotten him now that this girl was around.

"Brother, why don't you come join us?" She said, brushing the girl's hair. The girl looked up at his sister then toward the door. Her eyes were big and expressive.

"Bro-ther?" She seemed to not know the word.

His sister smiled at her. "Yes, he's my brother, a part of my family."

"Family." The girl said slowly. "Can I be...family?"

"No!" He yelled, backing away from the door before running through the halls.//

/To be a part of the family./ Kogoro sneered. /I'll show her what it means to be a part of a family; my family./

September 1874

Shinta, two years old, was brought into the room by Iwao. Lina laid in the bed with a brand new baby in her arms. "She's beautiful." Iwao sat down on the edge next to them.

Shinta reached his hands out, babbling. "Ma."

Lina held the baby closer to him. "Say hi Shinta. This is your baby sister, Lila."

"Li." He touched her face. She squirmed. He squealed in delight.

Iwao chuckled. "I think he just found a new playmate."

Lina smiled, looking down. "Iwao they'll be safe won't they?" She held Lila tighter. "I mean knowing who I am, being their mother," She looked up at him. "They'll be okay, right?"

He gave a soft laugh and patted her on the head. "I don't know what your talking about. You are Lina Eto."

Her heart eased. He always knew exactly what to say.

present day 1878 - dawn

Iwao and Lina sat, leaning on one another on the porch outside their room. The sky was a dull midnight blue.

Lina's eyes were closed as she spoke. "You were wrong, to an extent."

"Oh?" Iwao murmured. "I didn't know I was right."

"Shinta and Lila. I know they're safe but as Phoenix, no as their mother, I've hurt them badly."

Iwao sighed, "Lina."

"Because of me, their home, everyone's home, was destroyed. Innocent people were injured or killed. I've put..."

Iwao sat up to face her. "That's enough Lina." He took her hands. "Listen to me. You are not Phoenix, not anymore. You left that name behind. You left Hinageshi behind. You are and will forever be Lina Eto."

She gazed into his eyes for a while before lowering her head onto his chest. "I hope you're right Iwao."

"So you couldn't sleep either?" Kenshin asked Sano innocently.

Sano shrugged, chewing on a thin stick. "How could I?"

"You don't believe what she said?"

Sano glanced up. "I just find it hard to believe that someone like her would be satisfied with just suddenly giving up."

Kenshin gazed down the hall. "Didn't you not like the government?"

"My reasons are completely different."

/Kenshin./ Those eyes, to him, didn't belong to a killer. In fact he had seen them only once before.

//Just as she was pulling her double edge katana from it's sheath he pulled forcefully away, dragging his own katana from her side. Her swing and his action caused them both to loose their footing. But what he didn't notice until just before she fell was the pool of blood from her wound, which is what caused her to slip. What changed most about her for him was the look in her eyes as she reached out to him and yet to nothing.//

/Those were the same eyes tonight./

Lina stared up at the ceiling. Quietly getting up she left the room. She walked down the hall and stopped at the second door. Sliding it open to a crack she peeked inside. Shinta and Lila were sleeping soundly. She stepped in and knelt before them. She pressed a hand to Lila's face.

"Mama?" The young child murmured sleepily.

"Shh. Go back to sleep."

Lila mumbled. As she readjusted in her futon she reached for Lina's hand. Lina, watching her for a while, rested next to her.

Shinta listened to them. He smiled, happy to have his mother back.