Chapter Six: Peace at Last

It seemed as though ages had passed, since Sojiro could remember being conscious. Vaguely, he recalled a few occasions when his feverish mind had been partially aware, and the pain he'd felt during those fleeting moments...and yet, then again, he could also remember the sight of Saito Hajime's aquiline face appearing briefly as well, and the concern he had seen in those amber eyes of his. The only things he could really clearly remember were his fight against Kuroi, and then passing out.

"Where am I? Did Saito-san carry me here?" Sojiro wondered, as he slowly opened his eyes, and looked around. He was lying on a futon within what he felt certain was some sort of clinic; his wounds had been cleaned and bandaged, and a cold compress was on his forehead.

"Are you awake, Okita-san?" a woman's voice asked, gently, as the owner of it appeared before him. At first, the name didn't register in Sojiro's mind; then the recent memory of what was said during his battle against Kuroi returned, as did his declaration of his true name.

"Hai...Gomen for sleeping so long." Sojiro replied, softly, smiling warmly when the woman shook her head ruefully.

"You don't have to apologize, Okita-san. You needed the rest." the woman stated, gently, then asked, "How do you feel, by the way?"

"Much better, thank you. My fever seems to be gone now." Sojiro responded, letting the woman put a hand to his brow, just to be sure. She breathed a sigh of what seemed to be relief when she found this to be true.

"Thank goodness. We thought we were going to lose you there, on a few occasions. It's a good thing you had such a strong will to live." the woman stated, sounding as relieved as she now allowed herself to look.

"It's all thanks to Tou-san and Saito-san, really." Sojiro thought, yet smiling quietly, nonetheless.

"Good to see that you're finally conscious, Sojiro-kun." Saito's voice stated, as the tall cop strode confidently into the room; his stride almost completely unaffected by the wounds in his legs.

"Fujita-san! What are you doing up?.!" the nurse asked, as she gave the feral-eyed cop a startled look.

"Checking on my charge, of course." Saito replied, coolly; hiding his relief with his usual aloof manner.

"Ohayo, Saito-san. Going somewhere?" Sojiro asked, tilting his head to one side in curiosity; inadvertently giving himself the appearance of a curious puppy while doing so. He could see that the cop was once again dressed in a blue uniform, but this one was brand new; no sign of battle damage or bloodstains to be seen. Saito smirked.

"Aa. But I'm not going alone. You're going to be traveling with me back to Tokyo." Saito announced, surprising Sojiro with that.

"Why?" Sojiro and the nurse asked, in unison, before the nurse continued.

"You should know that he isn't really ready for travel, Fujita-san. His fever only just broke a short while ago!" the nurse said, with a touch of anger in her voice.

"Onna, it's not like I'm going to make him walk all the way there. We're going to be traveling by coach." Saito muttered, the last part of his comment an implied 'shut up or else' that made the irate woman fall silent.

"But Saito-san, why Tokyo?" Sojiro asked, confusedly.

"My wife will want to meet you." Saito said, with an air of impatience in his manner, as he turned a vaguely irritated gaze to the youth that sat before him.

"You wife? Why?" Sojiro questioned.

"She's your father's cousin...In other words, your only remaining blood-relative." Saito replied; hiding a genuine smile when realization dawned in the younger man's eyes.

"What's her name, Saito-san? Does she know about me? Were she and Tou-san close?" Sojiro asked, his questions coming out in a rush and his curiosity brimming.

"Feh. Come with me and see for yourself." Saito muttered, smirking as he turned and left the room. As quickly as he could, Sojiro gathered what he was going to need for the trip, hurriedly thanked and bowed to the nurse and doctor who ran the clinic, then rushed off after Saito. In no uncertain terms, Sojiro was being given a second chance at peace...and he was determined not to let it slip away.

vvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvvv(divider)

Tokio looked up from the sewing she was doing when a knock sounded at the door. It was fairly late in the evening, and the last of the neighbors that had agreed to keep her company (in other words, protect her) had just gone home.

"Come in. The door is open." she called, smiling in relief when her husband entered, yet frowning slightly (and a bit concernedly) when she saw that he now carried someone in his arms.

"Hajime? Who is this? Is he all right?" Tokio asked, as she stood and walked over to him; watching as he gently laid what appeared to be a young man down on a futon near her.

"He's fine. Just worn out." Saito murmured, his tone strangely subdued, yet also a bit tired as well.

"You look completely exhausted as well. Did you rush all the way from Kyoto to be here?" Tokio asked, getting a slight nod from Saito as he sat down on one of the mats, and leaned against the wall.

"Why? Am I in any danger?" Tokio questioned; unafraid for her own safety, yet concerned for her neighbors, and young Eiji. She didn't want them to get hurt because of her.

"No. Far from it." Saito replied, giving her an almost warm smile as he said that. Tokio could only manage a confused look.

"You don't normally rush home like this just to be with me, Hajime. And you usually don't bring guests, either...why did you do so this time?" Tokio questioned, somehow sensing that there was more to this than met the eye. After all, that was how they'd come to adopt Eiji, after all. The warmth in Saito's gaze didn't fade in the slightest.

"I found Okita-kun's son while I was in Kyoto." Saito replied, as realization emerged in Tokio's eyes, and as happy tears made their way down her face.

"Soshi's son! But how did your paths cross, Hajime?" Tokio asked, as she turned and looked closely at the young man that now slept there.

"I'll explain that later. All I can say, for right now, is that I am finally able to keep my promise to Okita-kun...And his spirit will finally be able to rest in peace." Saito murmured. Tokio nodded in agreement, as she happily brushed feather-soft fingers against Sojiro's face; seeing her long-dead cousin in his features.

"Welcome home, Okita Sojiro. You've come home at last." Tokio whispered, as a smile appeared on the sleeping teenager's face at that.

"Finally. I have a place to call home." Sojiro thought, as he allowed himself to drift into deeper slumber; secure in knowing that his long years of loneliness were over. And that was how it should be.

Owari

"Love waits for me 'round the bend, leads me endlessly on.

Surely sorrows shall find their end,

And all of our troubles will be gone

And I'll know what I've lost, and all that I've won,

When this road finally takes me home.

"Going Home" from 'Gods and Generals'