Prologue –

Mugen watched Fuu while she slept. He watched the dim firelight cast dancing shadows on her smooth, pale skin, noted how her kimono had become some-what loose, and how her lips were half-open. The fingers of one hand lay open, palms facing up, her other hand lay across her stomach. Her chest moved slowly up and then back down, pausing once, then starting again. She was dreaming, he figured, probably a sweet dream. His eyes fell away from her gradually and to the bottle of sake in his hand. Was this the reason why he was so curious about his female companion? He set the bottle down, accidently a little hastily, and watched as it fell to its side, spilling the rest of the liquid.

Mugen looked back at Fuu, still sleeping, still clueless that she was being watched. Her lips moved and a sigh escaped, and he recognized the sound. She had said his name. Softly, pleadingly, just as she did when she was in danger and Mugen could not leave her plea unanswered. He never could, no matter how hard he tried.

Hesitantly he crawled away from the tree, forgetting about the spilled bottle of sake, forgetting that Jin lay sleeping only a few feet away, and to Fuu. Rough, cold fingertips touched the softness of her cheeks, and he knelt down, now smelling the sake on his own breath, and kissed her.

Swiftly his head jerked up, a reaction to the feel of his unworthy lips on her innocent ones, and then he remembered the reason that the three of them were together again in the first place. His job was to keep her safe while she looked for her…

Fiancé.

A/N: If you want more. You must Review! ^.^ I cannot wait to continue this!