Ruroni-chan: *Hyper* Hello everybody!!! I'm finally posting the 22nd chapter! Aren't you all so happy? I know you've all been waiting with batted breath to find out what happens to our heroine!

Twilight-kun: Are you just going to chatter or let the readers read?

Gerry-sama: *Hits Twilight-kun* Shut it! You want her becoming depressed again? She's happy now that she's finally seeing her mother, and you don't need to be making her depressed with your rudeness!"

Ruroni-chan: You two need to learn to get along, seriously.

Twilight-kun: And you need to stop being depressed so easily.

*Both Ruroni-chan and Gerry-sama hit him over the back of the head*

Ruroni-chan: A Writer has to be sensitive in order to create!!

Gerry-sama: Just do your job as the fact checker and keep your mouth shut!!!

Twilight-kun: Before I get hit again, I'm going to go ahead and let you readers get to the story, so read, review and enjoy, because if you don't our sensitive writer will cry again… *Thunk*

Ruroni-chan and Gerry-sama: SHUT UP TWILIGHT!!!!

Hiraru had been asleep in the clinic for two days, her wounds could have been worse, but not by much. She was suffering from four cracked ribs, a broken arm, her wrists had been rubbed raw by the leather ropes that had to be cut to be removed. It had taken three hours to remove the glass and metal shards from her feet. And those were just the physical wounds that could be treated. Whatever damage to her mind, would have to be taken care of after she woke up. Katsu had been at the clinic since Kenshin and Sano had brought Hiraru there. He'd been waiting at the manor when they'd left and followed the carriage to the clinic. He seemed to know were Hiraru was and despite the others' attempt to take him back to the dojo, he refused to leave. It was after visiting hours, when Megumi was making the evening rounds. She entered Hiraru's room and found her awake staring at the ceiling. Megumi held a hand to her mouth, surprised by this sudden change, until she gained the courage to try and speak. "Hiraru," She started.

"I'm in the Oguro Clinic?" She asked, her voice amazingly calm.

"Yes," Megumi told her, "How are you…"

"How long have I been asleep?" She interrupted, her voice still that expressionless tone.

"You've been here two days," Megumi waited, knowing there would be more questions.

"How long was I in that cage?"

"A young lady came by to see you the other day, said she waited three days after receiving your letter to send out the others. Saito thinks you were in there two and a half days total. Kenshin agrees, but does that matter?" Megumi asked.

"Saito?"

"Yes, he went to save you," She explained.

"What happened to Ikeda?"

"He's been arrested for kidnapping you, and holding you against your will," Megumi tucked a strand of hair behind her ear.

"My things? My father's swords?"

"Kenshin took your things back to the dojo when he and Sanosuke brought you in," Megumi said carefully, not wanting her to worry about them, "He had two swords with him."

"Good…" The relief was audible in her voice. She paused, "Sanosuke… Kenshin…." Hiraru sighed, "Have they come to visit me?"

"Yes, in fact everyone at the dojo has been waiting to hear you've woken up…" Megumi started, intending to continue about how Sano had come in every day to stare at her for an hour, and how even her employers had come around asking about Hiraru.

"I don't want to see them."

"What?" Megumi did a double take. "But they've been so worried about you!"

"No," Hiraru said calmly, "You're wrong. Kaoru will be confused, so will Yahiko, Kenshin already knew, but Sano… Sano will be very angry with me. He'll want to know why I didn't tell him from the start, and he'll think I was a fool."

"You were," Megumi harrumphed. Then she paused, thinking about something carefully, "You like him don't you?"

"He knew my father, I'm jealous of him, and yes, I think he's a good person," Hiraru said.

"That and a fool. I wonder if you both get that from Sagara Sozo…" Megumi mused.

"Takani-san…" Hiraru was looking at Megumi, "Please, I can't handle having Sano and the other's hate me right now."

"Hiraru-san, I don't think they hate you," Megumi tried to comfort her.

"Please, Takani-san." Megumi could hear and see the tears Hiraru was fighting to keep out of her actions.

"Alright, Hiraru-san," Megumi relented, "I'll tell them you need quiet for a while longer." She stood and walked to the door, closing it gently behind her.

"Thank you," Hiraru whisper, before she let the flood of tears overtake her.

Saito came on police business two days later. Hiraru was able to sit up, but she still stared into the distance rather than look at someone. Saito sat on a stool that was near her bed, "How have you been feeling, Hiraru-chan?"

"I'm not a little girl," Hiraru didn't look at him, but rather watched the window on her other side.

"You may not be, but you don't want me to confuse others when I talk about you, your mother, and your grandmother in the same breath do you?" Saito quirked his eyebrow, trying to get some response.

Hiraru didn't bat an eye, "Do the others know that the name Hiraru is given to someone in my family every generation?"

"If they don't I could always explain it to them," Saito grinned.

"Might as well, that's not my worst lie," Hiraru was still unresponsive, at least in the way Saito wanted.

He snorted, "This is a police visit, you understand."

That got a twitch in her mouth, "But we were having such pleasantries…"

Saito snorted again, the Akatas always knew how to ruffle his fur, "I need your account on what happened in the manor."

Hiraru sighed, the bandages around her rib cage reminding her of what had happened. "I entered the manor pretending to be a guest, I was hoping to find out which of them had my father's swords…"

Sano listened carefully, writing down a few things every now and then. He was patient when it came to things Hiraru had difficulty talking about, and suppressed his silent anger when she described what the guards had done to her. He asked questions only after she'd finished, after all, the vixen woman had warned him about upsetting Hiraru, but she handled it very well. "Is that all?"

"Everything I can remember, right up until Kenshin cut my wrists free." Hiraru said emotionlessly.

"Ikeda-san, had a head wound, he claims you hit him." Saito said softly, needing her reaction on this.

"I DIDN'T HURT HIM!!!" Hiraru shouted, trying to sit up.

"Easy," Saito ordered, using very little pressure to push her back into the pillows, "I'm just getting the details." That shout would surely bring the vixen running.

Hiraru glared, "I swore I would not hurt them, and I didn't. Ikeda attacked me! He charged at me with my father's katana! I merely knocked it out of his hand. Then I held the katana under his throat, and my weapon on the back of his neck, if I had hurt him, the wounds would have been there."

Saito sighed, Hiraru's weren't the type to lie about oaths, nor were they the kind of people that would break an oath they had made, much as he hated to admit it. "Then how do you suggest he got hurt?"

"He probably did it to himself," She spat.

Saito believed that, none of Hiraru's weapons, even her father's swords, could have cause the wound on Ikeda's head. "Fine, what about the son?"

"What about him? He's an ugly, little bastard that can't dance." Hiraru glared at the window.

Saito rubbed his temples, "Vixen, this is a private matter, if your going to stand at the door you might ask me if I'd like something to drink."

Megumi opened the door angrily, "Alright, wolf-man," She said hotly, "Would you like something to drink?"

"Tea would be nice, if you've got anything worth drinking in this dump." Saito said, causing Megumi to fume even more.

"Hiraru-san," She said through clinched teeth, "Would you like anything to drink?"

"No," Hiraru said, emotion gone from her voice again.

"Alright, I'll just bring some water in case you get thirsty," Megumi sounded worried. She walked out, closing the door behind her.

Saito put his attention back on Hiraru, "We haven't been able to locate Ikeda's son, Takashie."

"His father told me he'd gone out drinking with friends," Hiraru said, "Have you checked the most expensive bars and brothels?"

Saito rubbed his temples again, "Oh, thank you, that's so helpful."

Hiraru looked at him, "I don't know where he is. I didn't see him after the party, and I haven't seen him since."

Saito sighed, "Alright, the vixen will have my head if I stay any longer. I'm having a police officer posted outside your room, for your protection. Don't make things too difficult for him."

He stood to leave, "Saito-san?" Hiraru's weak voice stopped him.

"What?" He said sharply.

"How much do I owe, for you coming to save me?"

He sighed again, "Let's just say your grandfather did me more favors then he wanted to cash in on. I'll keep you and your family out of the courts, we'll consider that even."

"Thank you, Uncle Saito." He turned to look at her, surprised by the nickname. She was watching the window, "Mother said you were like her brother, and referred to you as our uncle. I just wanted you to know, she did care about you."

Saito let out a growl, "Just don't call me that in front of anyone else." He opened the door and left, passing the vixen on the way out.

"Saito! Wait! Your tea!" Megumi said as he passed her.

"Make Hiraru drink it, she's not taking in enough nourishment as it is," He said with a wave.

Ruroni-chan: Whatever will happen to Hiraru? Will she ever speak to Sano again? Was Saito just blushing? *Ruroni-chan's jaw drops*

Twilight-kun: Are you going to act like an adult or continue to be a complete nerd. *Thunk* You know I've almost stopped feeling it when you two hit me?

*Ruroni-chan and Gerry-sama exchange glances*

Gerry-sama: I'll get the straight jacket, you grab the club in the corner. *Walks away*

Ruroni-chan: Excuse us ladies and gentlemen while we tie and gag one of the editors.

Twilight-kun: You're GOING TO WHAT!?!?

Ruroni-chan: Please remember to review.

Gerry-sama: Now Twilight-kun, We aren't going to hurt you, this time, we're just going to tie you up, gag you, and throw you in a sensitivity training class. Now just give in and you won't get hurt…

Twilight-kun: NEVER!!!!! *Runs away laughing like a crazy person*