"We're home," Asuka called out as she and Shaun slipped their shoes off at the entrance. Shaun propped his rifle by the door and held dinner aloft. Alex poked her head from the front room and waved.

"Is Misa with you?" she asked as Asuka gave the girl a hug. Shaun smiled and gently clasped Alex's shoulder.

Asuka shook her head, "I thought she would be with you today, sweetie."

Alex frowned slightly. Shaun noticed this and turned his full attention to Alex. "What's wrong?"

"She said she was just going down the street to the middle school to get some books from their library, but that was this morning."

Asuka smiled. "You know how she gets when she is around reading material."

Alex let out a chuckle. "You're right. All the same, I'm going to go look for her."

Shaun handed the fish over to Asuka and was already putting his shoes on when Alex joined him a moment later. "I'll go with you," he volunteered.

"Please be careful?" Asuka requested.

"We'll be back in…" Shaun trailed off as he opened the door. His eyes were on Asuka, and hers were on whatever resided on the other side of that door.

Seeing the anguish that washed across her features, Shaun turned and grabbed his rifle, ready for combat if need be. However, what greeted them on the other side sent shivers down everyone's spine. Misa had - apparently - crawled her way up the walk, and collapsed outside the fence. Shaun ran out and scooped her into his arms while Asuka held Alex close.

"Don't look!" she shouted. "Don't look," she again insisted, this time softer.

Alex managed to catch a glimpse despite Asuka's precautions. Misa's face was swollen, a cut crossed her lower lip and a nasty shiner was developing on her right eye. She was desperately fighting back tears, but the all too apparent pain made that nigh impossible. Alex shook in anger seeing her friend, her lover in such a state. She managed to break from Asuka's grasp and followed Shaun into the great room.

"Who did this?" he whispered, out of earshot of Asuka and Alex. Shaun's combat training kicked over instantly. He had Misa's clothing removed to examine the extent of the injuries. Alex burst in, wailing all the while. Asuka did her best to calm Alex and held her hand.

Misa said nothing as Shaun gently brushed her face. "Can you tell me who did this?" Shaun repeated. "I have to let the Captain know so he can take appropriate measures."

"So-some men..." Misa stuttered. "From the...village."

Asuka felt Alex tense as her sobs stopped. "I knew it," she muttered, almost too low for Asuka to hear.

"Knew what?"

"I knew it," Alex said aloud, her voice sharp and clear. She stalked out of the room. Asuka followed close to heel as Alex walked into the room she shared with Misa. In deference to privacy, Asuka stood at the door and watched as Alex rummaged through the ACU pack from Lieutenant Colonel Franco. She stood, a long, thin object wrapped in leather in her hands. Alex then approached the door and retrieved her bokken.

"I would caution against what you are planning to do," Asuka said. Her words were stern, but non-threatening. "I don't want you to get into similar trouble."

Alex stood at the entrance, her mind racing a thousand miles an hour. She knew logically that revenge would solve nothing. Her pride, on the other hand, demanded retribution of the worst sort and would not countenance hesitation. Alex's grip tightened on her bokken as she slid the door open.

"Neither Shaun nor I will help you," Asuka warned, a hint of menace creeping into her voice this time. "If you walk out that door right now, you will not be welcomed back. We do not condone revenge."

Alex hung on the cusp of blind rage. Every fiber of her being screamed for revenge, counseling violence and death. Tears streamed down Alex's face as the bokken fell from her hand. On her knees, she begged for it all to go away. In an instant, Asuka was by her side, helping her to her feet and steering her back into the house.

Alex wailed into Asuka's chest as Shaun did his best to look after Misa. One of the neighbors, hearing all the commotion, announced her presence.

"What is going on here?" she asked.

"One my my girls has been hurt," Asuka said as she poked her head into the foyer from Alex and Misa's room. "Can you go and get the doctor from the Ark Royal?"

"I can do one better," the neighbor said. "I used to be nurse in Tokyo. I'll send Toshio over while I look after your child."

Asuka was on her feet bowing profusely. "Toshio!" the nurse called. An elementary aged boy Asuka immediately recognized from the extraction in Tokyo looked in through the door. "You run over to the big ship and call for the doctor. Tell him someone has been hurt. Do you remember where we live?"

"Yes!" Toshio stood ramrod straight. "I'll be back right away, Miss Yoshida." Toshio took off at a run toward the Ark Royal while Nurse Yoshida settled in at Misa's side. She immediately took over, sending Shaun to fetch hot water and towels.

"What happened?" She whispered while Shaun was away. "I am a nurse, dear. You can tell me."

"I-I was attacked," Misa said, the shame of it creeping into her voice. "At the middle school. some men...from the village."

Nurse Yoshida grimaced. "They couldn't leave well enough alone," she muttered. Yoshida began a thorough look over of the extent of the injuries. The black eye and cut lip were just the tip of the iceberg. Shaun returned shortly with a towel and a pan of hot water. These he placed within arm's reach of Nurse Yoshida then stepped aside to keep out of the way.

"May I have a bit of privacy? I want to check over the extent of all her injuries."

Shaun nodded and stepped out, closing the door in the process. He met Asuka in the hall. "How is Alex holding up?"

Asuka shook her head. "Not good. She is very angry and not thinking straight. She almost left the house planning to commit further violence."

Shaun frowned at this. "Can you stay with her tonight? I'll sleep in the hall outside the room just in case, but..."

Asuka nodded. No further words needed to be said on the matter. Shaun pulled his wife close as they both tried to hold back their tears.

An urgent knock on the door broke their embrace. Asuka opened the door to see a flustered Ship's Doctor Edwards, RM Private Sharpe and a very out of breath Toshio. She admitted the doctor and Sharpe while Toshio lingered. Dr Edwards removed his shoes hurriedly and rushed in to see Misa. There, he received the full run down from Nurse Yoshida.

"She has been raped," Yoshida confided soto voce in impeccable English . "That much is obvious. Multiple bruises, contusions and cuts. Nothing life threatening on the surface, but I would be honored if you would examine her."

Doctor Edwards checked his emotions. In situations like these, it was best not to lose sight of what needed to be done. Swallowing his bile, he nodded as he placed his stethoscope in his ears. Nurse Yoshida closed the door with a comforting smile. Shaun and Asuka then turned their attentions to Sharpe and Toshio.

"Wha happened?" Toshio said as he regained his stamina.

"One of the people living here got hurt," Asuka tried to explain. "The doctor is with her now."

"Uwah? Did she fall down or something?"

"Something," Asuka demurred, sparing the boy a conversation he would not understand. "Have you done your homework yet?"

Toshio jumped and excused himself. He ran out the door, nearly knocking Sharpe aside. Sharpe opted to remain in the foyer as it was too much trouble to remove his boots. He glanced out the door to ensure the coast was clear. "What did happen, Mrs. Phillips?"

"We don't know for sure," Shaun said. "All we know is that Misa came back beaten up."

Sharpe scowled darkly. He toggled his throat mic. "Sharpe to all patrols."

Shaun quickly waved him off. "We don't want to get the alarm up yet, not until we hear from Doctor Edwards."

"I understand your concern, Sergeant, but I have to call this in. Captain de Souza's orders."

Shaun's face fell. Sharpe was absolutely in the right. He was under orders as a member of the makeshift law enforcement in the village. Asuka nodded in Shaun's place as Sharpe toggled his mic once more. "I got an assault. No details yet...correct...at the home of Sgt and Mrs. Phillips...one moment." He turned to Shaun. "I really hate to ask, but I have to for the report. Who..."

"Misa," Shaun said. "Alex told us she had gone to the middle school up the lane, but had not returned when we got back."

Sharpe's eyes flashed anger as he relayed the info to the other end of the line. "Roger, copy all. Sharpe out."

"Captain de Souza will want to see everyone, Miss Kinoshta as well, once everyone is ready."

Shaun nodded. "I understand, Private. Let the Ark know my wife and I will be along shortly."

"And Miss Schweiger," Sharpe added. "The Captain will want her testimony as well."

"She is very upset right now and this will only push her over the edge," Asuka said.

Sharpe thought on this long and hard. "Will she be okay by herself?"

"Dearest, why don't you accompany Private Sharpe to the Ark," Shaun offered. "I'll pop 'round once you get back."

Asuka pecked Shaun on the cheek and stepped into her zori. Shaun slid the door closed behind her and Sharpe, then turned his attentions to Alex's room. "Do you mind if I come in," he asked with a knock on the door frame. He was met with silence before he heard a grunt. He took leave to assume it was consent and slid the door open.

Alex lay on her side, hugging a thin blanket to her chest and weeping silently. Shaun sat within arm's reach, but kept a respectable silence.

"Who fuckin' does that?" Alex sobbed in English. "Who fuckin' rapes a high school girl on school grounds?"

Shaun could only shake his head. "Captain de Souza will get to the bottom of this."

"Fuck that!" Alex shouted. "I wanna see the asshole twist in my grip! I wanna fucking kill the motherfucker with my own goddamn hands!"

Shaun sat scandalized. He had not heard such language from anyone so young. He chalked it up to the American school environment.

"And I couldn't do a thing, not fucking thing!" Alex raged. "I can't't even protect the ones I love most! Not my dad, not my mom, not my cousin, not even my girlfriend."

She devolved into incoherent rambling, alternating between English, German and Japanese. The little Russian she knew spiced her inner monologue.

"Is that all you know?" Captain de Souza asked.

Asuka nodded. She regarded de Souza, Sergeant Major Blake and another Marine she did not recognize as they sat opposite her at a table in the officer's galley. Blake scribbled the notes from Asuka's deposition while de Souza and the other Marine conducted the interview.

"All right, I guess we're done here," de Souza announced. "Mrs. Phillips. When Miss Kinoshita feels up to it, please have her come by and we may take her deposition as well."

"I will caution, it may be some time before she feels up to talking about it," Asuka averred, restraining her temper. "I don't wish to subject her to any more grief than she has already suffered."

"I understand, but without at least a description, there is very little we can do." de Souza said. He turned to the other Marine. "Leftenant Dwyer, please escort Mrs. Phillips home. Sharpe, return to your duty post."

Both Marines saluted. Sharpe left first as Dwyer held the door open for Asuka. De Souza stood from the table and moved to the door.

"Mrs. Phillips, perhaps there is another way."

"Another way?"

"With your kind permission, may I stop by tomorrow and see if Miss Kinoshita is up to talking about it. Perhaps the friendly surroundings will put her at ease."

Asuka held her chin in forefinger and thumb. "At the very least, you might stay a few minutes to enjoy tea."

De Souza smiled and nodded as Asuka stepped through the door.

Shaun met Asuka on the stoop and greeted his wife with a hug. "How did it go?"

"I'm afraid I wasn't much help," Asuka sighed. "More than that, how are the girls?"

"Doctor Edwards left a few minutes ago, but Nurse Yoshida is still attending Misa. Alex…"

Asuka let her face fall. The strain of keeping up appearances finally weighed on her mind as Shaun led her into the house. Alex was exactly as Shaun left her, crying and shaking. "I will stay with her tonight," Asuka volunteered. Shaun gently squeezed her hand as they made their way into the great room.

"Ah, you're back," Yoshida observed as the door slid open. "She is resting now."

"How are things, Nurse?" Shaun asked. Yoshida stood and politely ushered the couple back into the hall.

"Not as bad as I feared," Yoshida said. "No broken bones, mostly cosmetic injuries, bruises and minor scrapes and cuts. Doctor Edwards confirmed, whoever did this…there are definite signs of forced sexual activity."

At once, Shaun and Asuka's hearts broke for Misa. Asuka knew something of the girl's troubles while living in Osaka, but for it to happen again, when she was finally free of the monster in her house, might be simply too much pain for one person to bear alone. Alex would have to step up eventually and help with the weight.

"Doctor Edwards said he will return with a rape kit, but we both agree that would only triple confirm." Yoshida muttered. "With your permission, I will stop by tomorrow morning and look in on her."

"That would be greatly appreciated, Nurse Yoshida," Shaun said. "Thank you for everything you've done today."

Yoshida bowed as she excused herself from the house. Shaun settled in beside Misa as Asuka set to prepare dinner.