Disclaimer: I do not own Naruto (either manga or anime!); the wonderful Masashi Kishimoto-sensei owns all rights. However, the plot and Namiko Uzumaki are mine!

Content Warning: This chapter contains a vivid description of a type of obligatory seppuku at the end.

Chapter 44: Trial By Fire

Namiko's emotions finally calmed down by the time she and Sasuke returned to the apartment. As they walked through the door and removed their sandals, Sasuke watched her every move, scanning her body up and down.

"I know you're staring. I'm not blind, Uchiha, and you're being obvious."

"What's got you so upset?"

"I'm sorry, I shouldn't have snapped." Namiko sighed and stood up to put her shoes away. "I just don't like being separated from Naruto for who knows how long."

"He'll be back sooner than you think, but…" he said as he stepped behind her and snaked his arm around her waist. "This means we finally get some true time alone." He bent his head next to hers and kissed her cheek and down her neck slowly.

Namiko felt a shiver of excitement run through her. She had missed these moments with Sasuke—the ones where it was just the two of them with no threats, no responsibilities, and no one interrupting them. She turned to him, a playful smile tugging at her lips. "Are you trying to continue where we left off this morning?"

"Maybe." He turned her around to face him and kissed her. The kiss quickly deepened as Sasuke wrapped his arms around her slim waist, pulling her close. Namiko melted into his embrace, her arms slipping around his neck as she passionately returned the kiss.

They stumbled slightly as Sasuke walked her backward until her back hit the wall of the entryway. His hands slid down her lower back, gripping her backside, and hoisting her against the wall. Namiko gasped softly as Sasuke lifted her, the sudden shift making her head spin. Her legs instinctively wrapped around his waist as he pressed her firmly against the wall, his kisses growing more intense.

Sasuke's lips never left hers, his hands gripping her tightly as if he never wanted to let go. Namiko responded in kind, her fingers tangling in his hair as she pulled him even closer. Every touch, every kiss, ignited a fire within her, a fire that only Sasuke could stoke.

"Sasuke…" she whispered breathlessly as he trailed kisses down her neck, his teeth grazing her sensitive skin. Her body trembled with anticipation; her mind clouded with desire. She could feel the tension between them building, an electric current that made her pulse race. "Just take me already."

His response was a deep, passionate kiss that left her breathless. Sasuke's hands roamed her body, exploring every curve, every inch of her as if committing it all to memory. Namiko's hands traced the contours of his back, feeling the strength of his muscles beneath his shirt, and she pulled it off him before he carried her off to her bedroom.

Time seemed to blur as they lost themselves in their lovemaking. All that mattered was the feel of Sasuke's lips on hers, his hands on her body, and the intense connection between them that only seemed to grow stronger with each passing moment.

Finally, when they were both breathless and their hearts were pounding in sync, Sasuke pulled back slightly, resting his forehead against hers. His dark eyes gazed into hers, filled with a mix of desire, love, and something deeper—something that made Namiko's heart swell.

He captured her lips in one last searing kiss before pulling the blankets over their naked bodies. They lay wrapped in each other, their breaths mingling in the quiet of the apartment. In that moment, everything else faded away and it was just them, together, and that was all they needed.

Three weeks later, Hinata and Namiko walked through the unusually cold streets of Konoha. Snow had yet to fall, but the thin veil of clouds covering the sky seemed to promise it was only a matter of time.

"I can't believe Christmas is only ten days away!" exclaimed Namiko as she pulled her jacket tighter around her to try and keep the biting wind at bay.

Hinata nodded as they ducked inside a small bakery. "I feel like I haven't seen you much at all lately since Otou-sama has had Hanabi and me working on clan things for the last couple of weeks."

"I know, that's why I asked you to hang out with me today. Plus, Kakashi-sensei wanted to train with Sasuke today for some reason, so I wouldn't have to force him to tag along," Namiko said with a giggle.

The two ordered and sat down at a quiet table with their treats, Hinata with a cinnamon roll and Namiko with hot chocolate. Hinata took a delicate bite of her pastry and sighed happily. "So, how is that going by the way?"

"How is what going?" asked Namiko as she took a sip of her hot chocolate.

"You being alone with Sasuke. I mean, I know you two were alone with each other for six months when you were gone." She leaned toward Namiko slightly and whispered, "I know you told me you two kissed, but have you two done anything…else? You two shared a room for six months, didn't you?"

Namiko immediately choked on her hot chocolate, sending her into a coughing fit and struggling to catch her breath. "Hinata!" she hissed, her cheeks flushing a deep crimson. "What kind of question is that?!" She forced a laugh, but the nervous edge to it was unmistakable.

Hinata's pale eyes widened, her face mirroring Namiko's embarrassment. "I'm sorry! I didn't mean to pry; I was just curious since you two have been together a while…" Her voice trailed off as she fiddled with her fingers, looking down at her cinnamon roll.

Namiko's heart pounded in her chest and looked around to see if anyone in the bakery could hear. "I'm surprised you'd ask something like that out of nowhere," she retorted, a bit too quickly and decided to change the subject. "I think Naruto must be rubbing off on you. Hey, why don't we go shopping? I still need to get Naruto something." At Hinata's nod, Namiko continued, "You know, Tsunade-ba-chan said he should be back sometime in the next few days. Maybe you two can go to Ino's Christmas party together?"

Now it was Hinata's turn to blush. "I'd like to but he hasn't asked me and I definitely can't ask him."

Namiko chuckled at her friend. "You know, I can always put the idea in his head…"

"You don't have to do that! I don't want to pressure him. I don't even know how he really feels about me."

"Hinata, if he didn't care for you, he wouldn't have kissed you!"

The two girls finished their treats, chatting about lighter topics as they planned their shopping trip. The festive decorations around Konoha added a cheerful backdrop to their conversation as they walked. However, the evening lights and noises quickly became overwhelming to Namiko, and a pain shot through her head.

"Namiko? Are you okay?" Hinata's soft voice broke through her thoughts, and Namiko realized she'd stopped dead in the middle of the street, gripping the side of her head.

"Huh? Oh, yeah, I'm fine," Namiko replied quickly, forcing a smile. "Just thinking about what to get Naruto. Maybe something practical, like a new kunai set?"

Hinata tilted her head slightly, concern flickering in her eyes, but she didn't press further. "That's a great idea. He's always losing them."

They went into a nearby weapons shop and Namiko felt a bit of relief as they stepped inside, away from the noise and lights. She quickly found the kunai for Naruto and the pair soon stepped back into the street.

Pain shot through Namiko's head again and she visibly winced. She pointed to a nearby clothing store. "Why don't we check this out?"

They entered the small shop but this time Hinata wouldn't stay silent. "Namiko, what is going on?"

"My head just hurts with all the extra lights and sounds outside. It's overwhelming…" Namiko rubbed her head gently.

"Have you felt like this before?"

Namiko thought for a moment. "Back when I first learned to channel my chakra sensing."

"Try turning it off for a bit, or at least cutting back your range." Hinata smiled sympathetically. "I even have to do that with my Byakugan. I can't keep it on indefinitely. You're back in a very populated area compared to Orochimaru's bases. It's probably just overloading your senses. Plus, it's not like you need it inside Konoha's walls."

Namiko turned off her chakra sensing and breathed a sigh of relief. The dull ache that had been in her head since they entered the store finally disappeared. "It feels weird without feeling everyone around me, but at least my headache is gone."

"There you go! You just needed the break after all. There's no shame in taking a break, Namiko."

"You're right, it just feels like I'm blind without using it." Namiko walked over to a clothing rack and saw a light purple dress. She pulled it out and held it up in front of Hinata. "Oh please try this on! It would look so good on you!"

Hinata backed away and looked at the dress and her friend warily. "I don't know…it's out of my comfort zone."

Namiko pouted. "Please? At least just try it on?"

Hinata let a small groan pass through her lips as she took the hanger. "Fine…I'll try it on, but I'm not buying it."

She went inside the dressing room and came out a few minutes later and Namiko burst into a bright smile. "Oh, Hinata! That is perfect for you!"

Hinata walked over to the floor-length mirror and took a good look at herself. The dress was a beautiful, creamy lavender that matched her eyes. The A-line skirt of the dress was just below her knees, flowing out seamlessly from the ribbon that accentuated her narrow waist. The sleeves were short and ruffled the slightest bit to give the dress extra movement, and the scoop neckline showed the tiniest amount of cleavage but remained conservative.

Hinata hesitated before a delicate smile showed off her increasing confidence in the way the dress looked on her. "I like it."

"See? I knew it would look great on you! It fits your body perfectly. Naruto won't be able to take his eyes off of you." Namiko's grin mimicked her brother's. "You need to get it and wear it to the party!"

Hinata bit her lip nervously before sighing in surrender. "Okay, I'm getting it."

As they left the boutique, Hinata carrying her new outfit, Namiko couldn't help but feel a sense of pride in her friend. Hinata's confidence seemed to have increased so much since Namiko had left the village. Not that it had been a bad thing.

"Hinata, I'm really glad we did this," Namiko said, linking her arm with Hinata's as they walked out into the street. "It's nice to take a break from training and just…enjoy each other's company."

Hinata nodded, her eyes sparkling with shared warmth. "It is. I've missed spending time with you like this, Namiko."

As they walked through the streets, snow finally started to fall, dusting the world around them in white. Namiko looked up at the sky, letting the cold flakes melt on her skin. "The first snowfall of the season…it looks so peaceful," she murmured, a soft smile playing on her lips.

Namiko's smile faded as they continued walking. 'So why do I feel so unsettled?'

Sasuke was wary when Kakashi showed up at the apartment saying he was going to "take him off Namiko's hands" for the evening. Kakashi always seemed to have a hidden reason for everything he did. While he appreciated being able to work on using his Mangekyo Sharingan, Sasuke kept waiting for Kakashi's true agenda to reveal itself.

"It seems like you really expanded your abilities and I'm glad you don't feel the need to hold back against me, but maybe next time hold back a little. I'd rather not have to go visit Sakura at the hospital," said Kakashi as he rubbed his shoulder while they walked back to the apartment.

Sasuke smirked in satisfaction and Kakashi cleared his throat. "There's something I've been meaning to talk to you about."

'Here we go,' thought Sasuke. 'I knew it…'

"It's about Namiko," began Kakashi and Sasuke tensed. "A blind person could see you two have feelings for each other. Naruto must be blind and deaf to miss whatever is going on with you two right under his nose."

Sasuke scoffed. "Too bad he's not mute."

Kakashi chose to ignore Sasuke's comment. "As your former sensei, I feel like I need to impart some wisdom to you about relationships since you've never exactly been great with expressing your emotions."

"Speak for yourself, Kakashi, at least I'm in a relationship," Sasuke began, his tone edged with annoyance, "and I don't need any advice on my relationship with Namiko. We're doing just fine without anyone's input."

"You see, relationships can be…complicated. Especially at your age. And since I'm, uh, more experienced in these matters, I thought I could—"

Sasuke's mind instantly tuned out the next few sentences. If Kakashi thought he could offer any useful insights about his relationship with Namiko, he was sorely mistaken. He knew Kakashi's so-called "experience" consisted mainly of reading those questionable Icha Icha books. However, he and Namiko had certainly had a good time reenacting several scenes from those books over the last couple of weeks.

"…and when it comes to, well, intimacy," Kakashi was saying, now visibly uncomfortable, "it's important to be…communicative. Respectful. And, uh…careful."

Sasuke almost rolled his eyes, but he couldn't stop a smirk from creeping across his face. 'Is he seriously trying to give me the sex talk?' The thought of taking advice from someone whose most notable relationship of any kind was with an overexcitable man in a green jumpsuit was beyond absurd.

"I'm serious, Sasuke," Kakashi pressed on, noticing the smirk. "It's important to treat her well, you know. Be honest with her. Communicate. Trust is the foundation of any good relationship."

"Kakashi," Sasuke cut him off, his voice dripping with barely concealed mockery, "I think I'll manage without the lecture. We trust each other completely. I've got it under control."

Kakashi looked at Sasuke, his expression unreadable. "I know you think you have it all under control, Sasuke, but I want you to take this seriously. Namiko cares about you. And you must remember to care for her too by…protecting you both. That includes during…well, you know."

"And you know that we covered safe sex in the academy. Not that it's any of your business what we do or don't do in that area." Sasuke crossed his arms as they stopped in front of the apartment building, clearly done with the conversation. "Are we finished?"

"Go on." Kakashi waved dismissively and sighed, realizing his advice was falling on deaf ears. "Just… be careful, Sasuke. Namiko's important to all of us. Don't mess this up."

Sasuke started to walk away before turning his head to say one last thing to his old sensei, "I'm not going to mess this up because despite what you think, I do care for her. She's the most important person in my life."

Before Kakashi could respond, Sasuke ran up the apartment building stairs and was out of sight. Kakashi sighed before turning and walking away. 'If that's true, maybe there's hope for him yet.'

When Sasuke called out "I'm home" and heard no familiar "welcome home" in response, he decided to shower and relax until Namiko got back from her time with Hinata. When he was finished showering, he could tell by the noises and smells coming from the kitchen that Namiko was home.

Sasuke quietly entered the kitchen, his footsteps barely making a sound on the wooden floor. He watched Namiko for a moment, a small smile tugging at the corner of his lips. She stood at the stove, humming softly to herself as she stirred a pot of curry. She wore a simple, red t-shirt and a short black skirt that he hadn't seen her wear before.

Without a word, he stepped up behind her and wrapped his arms around her waist, pulling her back against his chest. Namiko gasped in surprise, the spoon slipping from her hand and clattering against the pot.

"Sasuke…" she murmured, leaning back into his embrace as she relaxed.

He buried his face in her neck, breathing in the scent of her hair. "Since when do you startle? Reminds me of the time you fell in the pond." He chuckled against her neck.

"Of course it would." She giggled softly, her cheeks flushing pink as his breath ruffled her hair, tickling her. "I got overstimulated earlier and so Hinata suggested I take a break from chakra sensing for a while."

He smirked against her skin, pressing a trail of light kisses along her neck. "Maybe you should take a break from cooking too…"

Namiko knew exactly what he was insinuating and unconsciously tilted her head, giving him better access as her breath hitched. "But the curry—"

"Can wait," Sasuke interrupted, spinning her around to face him and lifting her to sit on the counter, earning a squeak of surprise from her.

Before she could protest further, he captured her lips in a passionate kiss. Her hands found their way to his chest, fingers curling into the fabric of his shirt as she kissed him back, matching his intensity. The heat between them quickly escalated, the world outside fading into nothing as they lost themselves in each other.

Sasuke's hands roamed down her back, pulling her to the edge of the counter as their kisses grew more fervent. Namiko's heart raced, a wave of warmth flooding her entire body at his touch as Sasuke's lips moved from her mouth to the sensitive skin of her pulse to leave a mark.

Just as Sasuke slid his hand under her skirt to caress her upper thigh, about to kiss her again, the sound of the front door opening shattered their intimate moment. "Imouto, I'm home!"

Namiko and Sasuke froze, their lips still a hairsbreadth apart, before springing apart as if they'd been struck by lightning. Namiko's face flushed a deep red as she turned back to the stove, frantically pulling her skirt back down. Sasuke let out an annoyed groan, running a hand through his disheveled hair in an attempt to smooth it down.

Naruto burst into the kitchen, oblivious to the tension in the air. "What's going on in here?" he asked, looking around suspiciously.

"Just…cooking dinner," Namiko stammered, trying to steady her voice and giving her brother a cautious smile.

Naruto looked into the pot she was stirring and pouted. "Aww, curry? I was kinda hoping we could go to Ichiraku."

"Well, if I knew when you were coming back, I wouldn't have cooked," grumbled Namiko as she turned away from him.

He gave her a side hug. "I did miss you though!"

Namiko rolled her eyes playfully. "I missed you too, but next time respect my cooking!"

"Sorry." Naruto let go of her when he noticed something on her neck and put his face right next to it, narrowing his eyes in concentration. "Man, imouto, you've got one nasty bruise there! How'd that happen?"

Realization hit her like a ton of bricks and she clamped her hand over the mark. "Oh, uh…um…Hinata and I were training earlier and I must've missed healing that spot."

"That makes sense." Naruto belted out a laugh. "I was going to say, it almost looks like a hickey, but only Sasuke is here and he definitely wouldn't do that."

Namiko's face turned an even deeper shade of red, and she threw the nearest towel at Naruto. "Just go sit down, you idiot!"

Naruto laughed harder, catching the towel with ease and tossing it back onto the counter. "Alright, alright! I'll set the table."

As Naruto busied himself with plates and chopsticks and walked out of the kitchen, Sasuke leaned in close to Namiko, his voice a low whisper meant only for her. "We'll continue this later."

Sasuke smirked as he saw her shiver, brushing a quick kiss against her temple before stepping back, his expression returning to its usual stoic mask as he grabbed the rice to put on the table. But the glint in his eyes told her that he was already planning how to steal another moment with her—without interruptions this time.

Sasuke joined Naruto and set the food down. His voice laced with irritation as he sat down, "So what are you doing back early, idiot?"

"Tsunade-baa-chan called me back because she said she's sentencing Danzo tomorrow. I just got back from her office before coming home."

Namiko came around the corner, setting down the curry. "Wait, why are we just now hearing about this?"

Naruto shrugged. "She said something about T&I finally got all the information they could out of him and they were sentencing him tomorrow night. She told me to pass the info on to you both. We're all supposed to be there at eight o'clock."

"Did she say what his sentence would be?" asked Sasuke.

Naruto's face went completely emotionless. "Obligatory seppuku."

Namiko drew in a sharp breath causing her to sneeze. She got up to grab a tissue and wipe her nose. Sasuke raised an eyebrow at her. "You're not getting sick after you went out with Hinata, are you?"

Namiko shook her head. "I'm sure it's nothing. I'll be fine. It's just a sneeze."

"Hey, did you ever figure out the meaning behind that code Ero-sennin left?"

Namiko shook her head. "I even tried helping Shikamaru on it these last three weeks, but I only gave myself a massive headache."

Naruto gave her a teasing grin. "Gee, imouto, you need to give your brain a break sometimes."

Namiko rolled her eyes. "Well, I'll let that happen when yours comes back from vacation because we need a functioning brain between the two of us."

"Vacation? I'm pretty sure his brain quit its job before we even entered the academy," snickered Sasuke as Namiko gave him a half-hearted look of disapproval and Naruto flipped him off in response.

The next day, Namiko felt worse but did her best to hide it from Naruto and Sasuke. Her nose was stuffy, and her head still hurt every time she tried to activate her chakra sensing, so she chose to leave it off for the rest of the day.

Just before eight in the evening, they arrived at Torture & Interrogation on the base floor of the prison. The atmosphere inside the prison was tense, a thick silence hanging in the air as they entered the dimly lit corridors. The walls, cold and unforgiving, seemed to close in on them with each step they took.

Namiko suppressed another sneeze, but Sasuke caught the slight hitch in her breath and shot her a worried glance. She shook her head slightly, giving him a reassuring smile. This was too important to miss being there for him, no matter how she felt.

As they approached the chamber where Danzo would face his sentence, they could hear the low murmur of voices from within. Naruto was leading the way, his usual energetic demeanor replaced by a somber seriousness that was far out of place. Sasuke walked beside him, his expression unreadable, but Namiko could sense the storm of emotions roiling beneath his calm exterior.

When they entered the room, Tsunade was already there, her face set in a stern expression with Sakura and Shizune both standing near her. 'Probably to confirm his death,' Namiko mused as she continued scanning the room, standing between Naruto and Sasuke.

A few ANBU members stood at the ready around the room, their masks obscuring any emotions they might have. Danzo was seated in the center of the room, his wrists bound, and flanked by two guards. He looked as defiant as ever, but there was a flicker of something else in his eyes—perhaps resignation or fear.

Tsunade glanced at the trio as they entered, her gaze lingering on Namiko for a moment before she returned her focus to Danzo. "You all made it," she said, her voice steady but laced with an underlying tension. "We're ready to begin now."

Tsunade turned to Danzo, her voice taking on the authoritative tone of a Hokage. "Shimura Danzo, you have been found guilty of revealing classified information within Konoha, continuing to command an organization after Sandaime had ordered it be disbanded, stealing multiple kekkei genkai, and conspiracy to commit genocide. Your actions have endangered the very village you claimed to protect. As per the sentence, you are to perform seppuku, as befits a shinobi of your rank and status. Do you have any final words?"

Danzo's eyes flickered over the gathered shinobi, landing briefly on Sasuke before returning to Tsunade. His voice was low, filled with contempt. "Everything I did was for the sake of the village. You're all too blind to see it."

Sasuke's hand clenched into a fist at his side, his Sharingan flaring in anger. "You call slaughtering my clan protecting the village?" he spat, the words dripping with venom. "You're nothing but a coward hiding behind twisted ideals."

Namiko, sensing Sasuke's rising anger about to bubble out of control, reached out and gently placed a hand on his arm. He glanced at her, and the touch seemed to ground him if only a little. Naruto stood silently, his eyes cold as he watched the exchange.

Tsunade didn't respond to Danzo's words or attempt to berate Sasuke for speaking out of turn. Instead, she nodded to the ANBU, who stepped forward, placing a tanto in front of Danzo. The room was deathly quiet as Danzo looked down at the blade, his face unreadable.

For a moment, it seemed as though Danzo might refuse, but then he reached for the blade. His movements were slow and deliberate as if trying to draw out the inevitable. He positioned the blade against his abdomen, his hands trembling nearly imperceptibly.

Namiko's heart pounded in her chest and sour taste in her mouth as she watched, but she forced herself to remain steady. 'This is justice,' she told herself. 'Justice for Sasuke, for Naruto and myself, for all those who have suffered because of Danzo's twisted sense of duty.'

Danzo took a deep breath, and with one swift movement, he drove the blade into his abdomen. He dragged the blade from left to right, but instead of keeping the blade in and dragging it up as would be traditional, he pulled the blade from his stomach. He plunged the blade back into his lower stomach and moved it upwards with slow, controlled movement.

The sound of the blade cutting through flesh was sickening, and Namiko felt a strong wave of nausea wash over her. She couldn't stand to watch any longer and instinctively tucked her head into Sasuke's side. He wrapped an arm around her shoulders, placing his hand on the back of her head protectively to keep her from watching. She glanced up at Sasuke, his face was a mask of indifference, but Namiko could feel the turmoil raging within him.

Naruto glanced over at Sasuke and Namiko, surprised to see Sasuke holding her, and said nothing, but his mind was racing. 'What…? Since when does Sasuke allow physical contact? And since when does he initiate physical contact? Somethin' weird is going on with him…'

The room remained silent as Danzo's life ebbed away, blood pooling all over the floor. When it was over, Shizune moved in and confirmed his death, and Tsunade finally let out a slow breath, her shoulders relaxing slightly. "He's dead," she said quietly, her voice heavy with the weight of the decision.

Sasuke's eyes flashed with his Mangekyo Sharingan, blood streaking from his eye, and setting the body on fire with Amaterasu. He dropped his arm from Namiko's body and looked at Tsunade. "Don't worry, the flames won't spread and they disappear when the target has turned to ash."

Namiko pulled away from Sasuke and he made a subtle motion for them to leave. She let go of him entirely before making the mistake of turning to look back at Danzo's burning body. At the horrific sight and smell, her stomach lurched, and she pressed her lips in a firm line as she headed straight for the trash can in the hall to vomit.

Sasuke, Naruto, and Sakura followed her quickly. Both boys were by Namiko's side in an instant, neither touching her. After a moment, she hung her head and groaned, "Sorry about that…"

Sakura gave her a small sympathetic smile as she crouched next to her. "Don't be embarrassed. It left a sour taste in my mouth and I've seen some pretty horrific things as a medical shinobi."

"Imouto, why don't we just go home?" Naruto asked as he held out his hand for her to take. She accepted it and followed the boys back home. Their home.

That evening after Naruto fell asleep, Sasuke joined Namiko in bed, holding her close to his chest, gripping her a little firmer than he normally did. Namiko's heart ached for him. "Sasuke…" she began softly, not sure what to say.

He opened his eyes and looked at her, the pain evident in his dark gaze. "It doesn't change anything," he said quietly. "It doesn't bring them back."

Namiko nodded, reaching out to take his hand in hers and interlocking their fingers. "I know," she whispered, her voice trembling slightly. "But you're not alone anymore. You have me. You have Naruto."

Sasuke looked down at their joined hands, his expression softening just a fraction as he kissed her forehead. "I know," he murmured against her hair, his voice barely audible, "I have family now."

A/N: Despite the horrifying scene at the end, this was actually one of my favorite chapters to write! Mainly because of that whole "talk" between Kakashi and Sasuke. Finally, Naruto is starting to get suspicious, which will be interesting next chapter for sure! Next chapter is called "Holiday Secrets", so do with that information what you will. (Make sure to check out the new picture of Namiko on the links in my profile!)
Thank you to all of you who left comments; it means so much to read each one. Extra thank you to those of you who checked on me and wished me well; by a miracle of God, I was able to get over whatever cold that was quickly. (And no, my cold wasn't the inspiration for Namiko's symptoms.)
See you next chapter!
Love, Eriisu

PS: Comments are my tip jar!