Battle Front: Chapter Ten

"You know, I could be court-marshaled for this," Sano pointed out to the woman lounging beside him.

Megumi tossed him a mischievous smirk as she brushed out the tangles in her long hair with her fingers. "Don't you think it would be worth it?" she teased. She turned around and ran her fingers from his lean waist to his muscular shoulders, letting them linger there. "Too bad you weren't man enough to tell me how you felt ages ago, Captain Sagara."

Sano grasped her fingers within his hands and trapped them against his shoulders as he kissed her forehead, then her nose, and finally her lips. "I think I proved to you plenty last night how much of a man I am."

"You rooster-headed idiot, I hate that I have been dating your best friend all this time. What must you think of me? I mean…," Megumi trailed off when Sano interrupted her with another kiss to the lips.

"Forget about it. He's a good friend and a real lady's man. I can't blame you for noticing him first." Sano kissed her again. "It's more important who makes the lasting impression as far as I'm concerned."

Megumi reached up and ran her fingers through Sano's unruly, dark hair. "Just so you know, the only reason I slept with you is because you gave me that sob story about how you're going off to war and tonight might be your last night, et cetera."

"Whatever works," Sano replied with a broad smile bringing his hands to her breasts and giving them a firm squeeze. He was rewarded by Megumi biting down on his lower lip.

"I have to get back to check on Kaoru. I couldn't tell her that you were back, so I told her I was seeing Katsu again."

Sanosuke's expression darkened. "I wish I could check on missy myself, I mean not only is she responsible for us getting together, but she's probably one of the best friends I've ever had. You're sure she's all right?"

"Yes, it was a bit of a shock, but surprisingly Captain Yukishiro has been a somewhat supportive friend to her lately." Megumi gave Sano's hair one last playful tug before she climbed out of bed. "You need to get back now; we don't need you getting court-marshaled when you could be earning some nice, shiny medals."

Sano heaved a heavy sigh before he too rose from bed and began to dress. "I had best be off then, you know how Saitou hates anyone to be late."

"Shouldn't you be addressing him by his rank?"

"What that wolf don't know won't hurt him," Sano answered with a chuckle making one last attempt to grab at Megumi. She evaded him easily and knocked him upside the head as a parting gift.

Sanosuke watched as Megumi left before he also left for his meeting. Luckily, he wasn't late, though the wolf did give him a suspicious scowl when he entered the room. He couldn't possibly know, could he? Of course he knew, the old pervert probably had cameras everywhere and was watching and…

"Glad you could join us Captain Sagara," Saitou greeted interrupting Sanosuke's theories. He lit a cigarette and gestured towards the other occupants of the room. Sano resisted the urge to cover his lips; there must be some evidence of the fox's teeth marks from when she bit him. Sano noticed several familiar faces from the crew he'd been working with for the past couple of weeks. However, there was one new face, though he had seen it somewhere before.

"Now General Saitou, there remains ten minutes before the meeting begins," Kenshin interjected coming to Sano's defense. It had seemed that since the two had met Kenshin had taken Sanosuke under his wing and treated him more like a little brother than a subordinate. "Sano, I'd like you to meet Aoshi Shinomori," Kenshin introduced the two men. "He will be the final member on the special operations team."

Sano extended his hand towards the doctor and worked hard to mask the millions of questions running through his mind. The first and foremost being, whether or not Kaoru knew that the man in her life was in the same building as her. Shinomori shook his hand with a firm grip and Sano couldn't help but be confused that the stoic, icicle before him could possibly be the same man that caused Kaoru so much joy whenever a letter came for her bearing his signature.

"Since we're all here we might as well get started," Kenshin began. "I have personally selected each and every one of you men based upon your military records, your aptitude scores, and your various favorable reports from previous commanding officers."

"Himura, we don't have so much time as to waste with idle chit-chat. If you would get to the business at hand," Saitou instructed.

"The General and I have been in close contact with the President planning this maneuver. I actually came out of retirement to see that the terrorist Shishio Makoto is removed. He is responsible for countless crimes against humanity as well as the terrible attack that provoked this war in the first place." Kenshin eyed each of his men, one at a time. "You men are all part of a team of the most select individuals in all the armed forces for our country. We have Army Rangers and Navy Seals. You are the best of the best."

Saitou tossed his cigarette to the ground and crushed it under his heavy boot. "In other words after Himura gives you the details on the operation you'll be immediately sent out to fulfill your orders."

As Sanosuke listened to the carefully planned out operation he began to wonder if his words to Megumi spoken in jest would come back to haunt him. He hadn't actually thought this mission could be his last. Now he wasn't so sure. He glanced to his side to see that Shinomori looked as calm and focused as the wolf. Soujiro looked perfectly at ease as well.

Well hell. Was he the only one that was the least bit nervous?

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

To say it had been a busy day would have been an understatement. Only a few hours before, Aoshi had made his decision to join Himura's team to carry out this special operation. This was the reason he joined the Army, to help protect his country.

With his medical training he was a crucial member on the team if they wanted to ensure everyone made it back out alive. He could remember the stories his father and grandfather both told of their time in the service when they served as the medic in their troops.

Of course, they conveniently left out the part about being international spies working within the military. He scanned the meeting room, observing the men he would be working beside. These men were entrusting their lives to him and he to them. His gaze lingered on Soujiro, a man he knew very well. A man that could have been his brother-in-law if he'd asked one simple question.

His mind began to drift towards the fact that Kaoru was nearby. It would be so easy to see her now that he was at the Gamma base. Of course, that wasn't allowed, this was a top secret operation and he would not compromise it for selfish reasons. He was selected because he was unattached. He had to remind himself of that.

Aoshi focused back on the words Himura was saying. The man sitting next to him, Sagara, was squirming in his seat. If he were to pass judgment he'd deem the man to be more of a thug than a hero.

"Any questions?" Himura asked unexpectly breaking into Aoshi's musings. Was he finished with the operation details already? No one spoke up. Finally, Sano raised his hand. "Captain Sagara?"

"What is the estimated time table on this operation?"

"Until it's accomplished," Saitou answered.

OOOOOoooooOOOOO

Megumi left the man she loved like she had never loved before, behind and reluctantly returned to the apartment she shared with Kaoru. She frowned at the front door—it was unlocked. "You'd think that girl would have learned to exercise a little more caution," she muttered closing the door behind her with a resounding thud.

She expected to hear Kaoru yell at her for coming in so late and for slamming the door. What she did not expect was to hear a pair of curses coming from her roommate's bedroom. Much less did she expect one of those curses to belong to Captain Yukishiro.

"Oh don't let me interrupt," Megumi called out teasingly. She wasn't sure if she should be happy that Kaoru was finally getting some action or distressed to know that she was interrupting.

"It's not what you think!" Kaoru rushed to her door, hair in disarray, clothes askew. Megumi's eyebrow rose in amusement. Kaoru straightened her clothing and stood up straight with as much dignity as possible. "You're home late."

"And a little too soon at that," Megumi answered, dark eyes looking past Kaoru to see a shirtless Enishi, white hair looking very similar to a certain rooster-head. "Good morning, Captain Yukishiro."

"Megumi," Enishi greeted, voice quiet and relaxed, nothing at all like the revved up Tanuki standing in front of him. He moved to join Kaoru in the doorframe. He slid his arm around her shoulders, as casually as if it were something he did everyday, and leaned down to kiss the crown of her dark head. "I must be going," he excused himself.

He walked smoothly towards the door, like a tiger who had just consumed his latest prey. "I'll see you for dinner Kaoru," he called out as he left.

Kaoru stared after him, her eyes swinging from the closed door to Megumi's bemused face. "What?"

Megumi only chuckled. "Nothing, nothing at all. I'm glad that the event from yesterday hasn't affected you too severely is all."

Kaoru's blue eyes narrowed in annoyance. "What's that supposed to mean?"

Megumi gestured for Kaoru to join her in the kitchen. She pulled out two cereal bowls, Special K, and a jug of skim milk. "Any woman alone with Yukishiro would have to be clinically insane to not be charmed." She poured the cereal and grinned at Kaoru. "I'm glad I don't have to commit you to the psychiatric department."

"Whatever," Kaoru mumbled taking the milk jug and drenching her breakfast. "I don't want to be hearing relationship advice from the woman who finds out that someone is in love with her and then goes off to restart her relationship with his best friend."

Megumi bit her tongue to keep from correcting Kaoru. It was a matter of national security and Sanosuke's job that she keep quiet about their last couple of nights together. "He's not Yukishiro, but Katsu is also the sort of man that you'd have to be crazy not to be attracted to."

"I like chocolate, but if I eat it all the time it will make me sick," Kaoru argued.

"And it will give you bad acne," Megumi added.

"That wasn't my point!"

"I know," Megumi conceded with a patronizing pat on Kaoru's hand.

Kaoru took one bite of her cereal and then began to twirl her spoon through the milky concoction in her bowl. Her appetite had vanished the moment Megumi had slammed the front door open and interrupted whatever might have happened with Enishi. "I have to tell Aoshi."

"Why?"

Kaoru blinked at the question, bewildered, not because of the question but because she didn't know the answer. "Because, I just have to tell him, that's why!" she yelled defensively.

Megumi raised her finger to her ear and rubbed. "You don't have to yell, my hearing is just fine, thank you very much."

Kaoru dropped her spoon, sending milk sloshing out of her bowl. "Oh Megumi, what am I going to do?"

"Life is short, do what you can," Megumi advised finishing off her cereal and depositing the bowl into the sink.

"Oh I should do it now," Kaoru fretted. She reached for the phone and the calling card she had stuck to the refrigerator. The line rang and rang. "He's not answering."

"Of course not, he's probably at work."

Kaoru sat back down heavily in her chair. "Megumi, what am I going to do? If you hadn't come in who knows what would have happened with Enishi. And I don't even like him!"

Megumi put down her spoon with a sharp slap of silver against the wooden tabletop. "Don't lie to yourself, Kaoru Kamiya," she warned. "The reason you and Enishi had so many clashes in the beginning was because you were attracted to one another."

"Right, and that's why you and Sano were always at each other's throats, right?" Kaoru snorted in annoyance. "I'm sure that's what Katsu will say if I were to ask him."

"Kaoru," Megumi began, her patience wearing thin. "I will only say this once. I was not with Katsu last night. He and I are not back together. Don't ask me where I was, or who I was with, just know that you don't know everything."

"Sorry," Kaoru apologized feeling chastised. Now that she knew Megumi wasn't with Katsu the possibilities were running through her mind of where she could have been. Surely she wasn't having an affair with General Saitou! "Maybe I should call my sister."

"That would be more wise," Megumi agreed. She carried her cereal bowl to the sink and dumped the contents in the disposal having lost her appetite.

Kaoru waited until Megumi had gone to her bedroom before using her calling card once more, but this time in calling Misao at work. The phone only rang a few times before Misao's familiar voice came through half a world away. "Hello?"

"Misao! I'm so glad to hear your voice," Kaoru rushed on her end.

"Kaoru! How are you? Have you seen Sou? Any news from Aoshi? Met any cute men while on base?"

Kaoru couldn't help but laugh at her sister's enthusiastic bombardment of questions. "My aren't you the curious one? First off, I have seen Soujiro, but he's off on some top secret mission now. Last time I spoke with Aoshi he called to ask me a medical question. And as far as the cute men on base go, that's why I'm calling."

"Oh this should be good."

"There's this pilot, and he was a complete jerk when we first met, but now I'm not sure. We started running together in the mornings and," she paused. Should she tell Misao about her close call with death? No. "And this morning we were going to go running again, but somehow we ended up kissing in bed and if my roommate hadn't come home at that time there's no telling what would have happened between myself and Enishi."

"Enishi Yukishiro?" an unfamiliar voice asked.

Kaoru froze. "Misao, who is that?"

Misao laughed uncomfortably. "Um, well you see Kaoru I'm working with Tomoe right now, remember the patient I told you was starting to make excellent progress lately? So I put you on speaker phone."

Just great. "Hello Tomoe, yes, his name is Enishi Yukishiro," Kaoru answered. "How do you know him?"

"He's my younger brother," the solemn voice answered. "It is truly a small world. If you are anything like your sweet sister here then I couldn't wish for anything but happiness between you and Enishi. He is a good man."

"Um, yes he is," Kaoru agreed. This was awkward, her face was flaming hot. One does not want the sister of the man she almost slept with to hear about it! Time to change the subject and fast. "Tomoe, I've heard a great deal about you from my sister. She speaks highly of you, as does Enishi. He once told me about how dear you are to him. He must be excited to know of your progress."

There was a long pause before Misao answered, "I'm so sorry Kaoru. I took you off speaker phone and changed rooms. Neither Enishi nor Tomoe's husband know of her progress. She wanted it to be kept a secret since Kenshin, that's her husband, went out of the country for work. I had no idea you were about to proclaim you almost slept with her brother!" Misao started giggling. "If I knew that my oh-so-serious big sister was calling to talk about her sex life I'd have taken the call privately!"

"This is not funny Misao," Kaoru objected in annoyance.

"Sure it is. What are the odds? But if you want my advice, you should give this Enishi guy a chance. Seriously, you snooze, you lose, right? Aoshi should have secured the deal with you. Did you know that he and Soujiro had actually discussed whether or not he was going to propose to you after you two graduated?"

This was certainly news. "What do you mean?"

"Well Soujiro was out with Aoshi a few weeks before the ceremony and they were looking at rings. Of course Sou told me, but I couldn't tell you, and it was killing me. We were both pretty shocked when instead of hearing the news of your engagement it was that the two of you were breaking up."

"That is interesting," Kaoru said quietly.

"I'm sorry, but I'm just looking out for what's best for you. And I think you should give this pilot a chance. Tomoe showed me a picture of him once, and boy is he hot! Why, if I wasn't a taken woman…"

"Oh shut up," Kaoru laughed. "Fine, it was nice talking with you. Next time don't have me on speaker phone though!"

"Maybe you shouldn't start talking away until you find out whether or not you're being broadcasted," Misao suggested.

Kaoru hung up and walked into the living room and flung herself on the couch. Megumi came out of her room and peered down at Kaoru. "Tired?" she asked.

"Bad idea calling my sister. She had me on speaker phone and you'll never guess in a million years who was listening in as I was talking about how I almost slept with Enishi."

"His mother?"

"Nope. His sister."

"Oh. That certainly is embarrassing," Megumi agreed. She couldn't help but feel a little smug at seeing her roommate so obviously mortified. "Oh stop moping. We need to get to the clinic." She reached down to force Kaoru to her feet.

"What am I going to do?"

"I don't know, but I don't think it would be a good idea to let Enishi know you're already calling up his sister to get the dirt on him."

Kaoru's jaw slackened. "What? That's not what happened!"

Megumi ignored her. "Yeah, when he finds out you've been hunting for those naked baby pictures of him he's going to think you're a total nutcase."