Disclaimer: Pot doesn't belong to me. Too sad, isn't it?

Rating: T

A/N: English is not my first language; feel free to point out the mistakes I made.

Feel free to review…

DAY 17 (Tuesday)

Sanada drove his nephews to school. The little girl was tired; she had puffy eyes because she cried herself to sleep. The little boy was pouting and didn't say a single word to his uncle. Any other day Sanada would have slapped his nephew because of his lack of politeness. He walked them to their classroom and explained the situation to their teacher. She nodded and told him she would phone him if anything happened.

Now Sanada was home reading the papers while his neighbor was taking a bath. He intended to tell her the truth just after her appointment with her doctor. He had decided to drive her there but before he went to her place to water her flowers and to bring her her mail. When he came back he saw her waiting in front of the gate. She had her bus pass in her hand. Sanada ran to her.

"Good morning Kagome-san. I watered your flowers and picked up your mail. So if you are ready we can go to the hospital."

"I don't want to bother you. I can take the bus."

"No I will drive you. I also have something to tell you and it is really important. If I do not do it this morning I will not find the strength to talk about it later."

Saruwatari-san sighed and nodded. Sanada went back inside to take his jacket and his keys and they left. They didn't talk during the whole drive. The old lady tried to talk but Sanada was even more silent than a tombstone. He walked her to her doctor's office and sat in the waiting room. He tried to read one of the numerous magazines but he couldn't. It was just impossible for him to focus on something as trivial as the newest color of nail polish or the latest affair of an actor. Of course there weren't any sports magazines.

So he thought about the way to tell her what was bothering him. He was so deep in his thoughts that he didn't notice that a little child began to cry because of the scary face he was making. If the child's mother hadn't come to make him stop it would have gone on and on until his neighbor's return.

To solve this little problem Sanada went out and ran some laps around the hospital. When he came back she was waiting for him front of the building. She looked at him with a puzzled expression on her face. Sanada said nothing he only walked back to his car and waited for the old lady to join him. Silent drive again. They stopped in front of a pastry shop. He invited her to follow him inside.

Marui greeted them and took their order. They sat in a corner.

"Is something bothering you?"

"Indeed but before explaining everything I would like to know how your meeting with the cardiologist went."

"Pretty well. It seems that I have the heart of a young woman. I can move back to my place."

"Is that so?"

"As long as I don't do stupid things everything should be alright. So what is bothering you?"

At that moment Marui's wife came to bring them their green tea and a slice of apple cake. Sanada waited for her to leave.

"My brother phoned me yesterday morning. They are coming home tomorrow."

"It's a good news."

"Indeed. They are coming home only to leave again on Saturday. My brother and his wife have decided to live in China. They already bought a house and he found a job there in the same factory is working for. The twins will go with them."

"Oh my God! Poor little lambs. It will be difficult for them. Do they know?"

"Yes I explained them everything yesterday."

They chatted about the children's departure and Saruwatari-san said she would go to China to visit them from time to time. After all she had the money and it had to be used. She also decided she would be the one to pick them up after school so that she could talk with them. She wanted them to understand that they could write her letters or even phone her and that they would always be in her heart.

Sanada drove her home and then left to work with some friends in the library. When he came home late in the evening the table was set and the brats were playing together on the living room's carpet. They ate together and played Monopoly before going to bed.

When the house was silent Sanada went to the dojo to practice. He slashed several straw dummies before collapsing and crying. He didn't want to admit it but he loved Kuan Ti and Kagami. It would be difficult for him not see them every day. Oh he was happy that his life would be normal again but he felt it would no longer be the same without them. After all if they hadn't been here maybe he wouldn't be with Yukimura….

A/N:Kind of short. Didn't have many time to write because I had plenty of things to do this week. I think there will be 2 chapters and an epilog and it will be the end…