Chapter 24

By Crystal

Author's Notes: I've been having a MAJOR writer's block for this story.  And I apologize fully.  There might be another writer's block after this chapter.  Hopefully, there won't be.  And also hopefully, my writing style hasn't changed due to that one month of no writing on this fic =p

Warnings: Language, definitely the language.

*Screw the disclaimers ^^;;*

"Who the heck is that girl?"  Chou asked Kamatari, who was as clueless as him.

"No idea."  He replied back to him.  "Hey, Tenken..."

Soujiro was still glaring at the two of them, "Bastard..." He hissed so quietly they could barely hear it.  "God damn son of a bitch."

Toshiko suddenly recognized the white haired man as her brother and her eyes widened, then her eyes turned over to Soujiro.  No one would ever know how much she had wanted to run over to him and embrace him tightly until he suffocated, but if she did that...  The they would all be doomed.  Instead, she tried hiding all her emotions once again and gathered a glare to glare at Soujiro.  "Bastard.  You kidnapped me, you bastard."  She bit her lips, knowing that those words had hurt him more than she ever wanted to.

Soujiro saw Uedo amused from the corner of his eyes.  He was truly pained by those hurtful words, but when he turned around again to see Toshiko, he could see the pain underneath the glare.  Pain, but no betrayal...  which meant, Himura-san had told him, or she had either figured it out by herself.  He composed himself again, then smiled his Tenken smile, "Nice to see you too, Toshiko."

He could feel the sudden hatred radiate from Enishi's body, but ignored it, "It's so nice you can join us."

"Aa...  It's so nice Yukishiro-san here can join us," Uedo signalled to Toshiko, "I'm sure her brother misses her, don't you think, Tenken?"

"I think so too, Uedo-sama."  Kamatari looked at the angry Enishi to the calm Soujiro.  What had made Soujiro turn from angry to calm and Enishi from shock to anger all of a sudden?  He didn't understand this at all.

Uedo suddenly walked up to Toshiko, "Such a pretty thing too.  But you're for threatening the Battousai..."  He looked at Enishi now, clearly stating that Toshiko would die if he made a wrong move.  "I want her, what do you say, Tenken?"  Toshiko's eyes widened with raw fear.

The former Tenken saw the fear in her eyes, but for some reason, managed to stay calm.  He shook his head, "Uedo-sama, I would like her, if you don't mind."  He could hear Enishi's knuckles cracking, wanting to crack his nose any minute now.  He also saw a look of trust in Uedo.

"Of course not, Tenken.  If you want her that much, that is."  With that, he grinned evilly at Toshiko.

Toshiko glared at him, "BASTARD!"  But got slapped by him.  Soujiro almost winced, but did nothing but smile.

"Learn how to talk to the leader of Juppon Gatana."  He grabbed Toshiko from Mokaku and threw her to Soujiro who caught her.  (A/N: Man, I don't like this.  Toshiko's being treated like an object!)  "Tenken, lead her to your room.  I will find a room for the other three tonight."

"Hai, Uedo-sama."  With that, he dragged Toshiko roughly, trying not to hurt her, but at the same time, trying to make it look believable.  Toshiko, was 'attempting' to run away.  With a slam, he slid closed the shoji and turned around to see her, "Are you all right?"  He whispered quietly.

She nodded, "I...  I miss you..."  She looked up to him quietly, tears threatening to fall.

"Shh..."  Soujiro embraced her and rocked her back and forth, "Don't cry...  Please?"

"Why didn't you tell me?"  Toshiko asked quietly, her voice muffled against his chest.

"Because I didn't want something like this to happen, but I guess it was unavoidable..."  Soujiro said quietly.

Toshiko shook her head, "You could have told me...  Then I wouldn't have been so worried about you!"  Soujiro raised his finger against his lips.

"Shh...  Don't be too loud.  We're suppose to be...  Ugh, you know."  Soujiro blushed along with Toshiko.

"What are we going to do?"

Soujiro shrugged, "Well, for the next few hours, I guess we'll have to talk quietly, don't you think?"  Soujiro sat down on his futon.

Toshiko nodded, "I guess..."  She sat down on Soujiro's lap, "But we have to make it look believable...  I need some blood."

His eyes were knotted in confusion, "Blood?  What do you need blood for?"

"You didn't know?"  He shook his head, and Toshiko blushed, not wanting to be the one to tell him this, "Well...  Umm...  Er...  I...  Well..."

"It's okay if you're not comfortable with it, to be truthful...  I don't think I am either."  Soujiro replied.

"Thanks..."  She said quietly.

Soujiro was quiet as he just sat there, rocking Toshiko back and forth in comfort, his head in her hair, smelling her heavenly scent.  "I missed you a lot, you know?  All I could do was wonder if you were mad at me, especially after that market encounter..."

"Did you know what I did afterwards when I got back to the dojo?  I couldn't believe I was that stupid..."  Toshiko trailed off, regretting what she just said.

"Yeah, I know what you did.  I was there when you did that."  He whispered quietly.

Toshiko looked up in shock, "You were?"  He nodded.  "Oh."  She looked back down, suddenly finding her fingers very interesting.

Minutes passed in silence until Soujiro opened his mouth, "So how are you doing?"

"Not exactly well...  But it could be worst."  She said quietly.

"I wouldn't let anything happen to you, you know that, don't you?"  Toshiko nodded her head slowly.  Soujiro caressed her check, tilting it upwards and placed his lips on top of hers.  His heart was beating a hundred thousand miles per hour the second his lips touched hers and he felt...  For the first time in a long while.  Very contented.

He wrapped his arms around her waist even tighter and pulled her down along in the futon and kissed her gently, making her shiver slightly.  "Aishiteru, Soujiro."  She said quietly.

"Aishiteru, Toshiko."

Her stomach fluttered as she kissed him back and then, they got lost in each other's arms...  Completely.

Author's Notes: Too mushy for my liking...  But...  Eh.  Anyways, yupperz.  Hopefully, I won't have another writer's block or I'm screwed.

Sorry I missed ConfuseD's review on chapter 22!

ConfuseD – Sorry I missed your review, for some reason...  Not that it's surprising, my brain never works well anymore.  Anyways, thanks for your compliments and I still don't know when I'm starting my "Dying Leaves" and I still haven't decided whether it be Soujiro/Misao or Aoshi/Misao.  I'll see for myself and what the reviewers think once I start writing it, which might be after this fic ends, or some other ones.  Might not be even after this one since there's a sequel to this.  Whoa, long reply.  Anyways, I guess it's to make up for not replying you last chapter.  See ya!

Chiki – Kenshin damn dense is right!  Lol...  More Kenshin next chapter, I'm pretty sure.  And yes, it does mean Toshiko and Sou-chan will be reunited ^^  Whee!

Naomi – Evil?  I think so ^^  I like writing cliff-hangers, as long as I don't get threatened =p

Takato the Wolf Taikashi – LoL...  Definitely.  I'm going to get him tortured...  Well, not exactly =p  But you know what I mean.

XenoMark – Family reunion, I'm hoping it's either next chapter or the chapter after that.  Thanks!

DiaBLo – Arigatou!

Swordsong (Dreamdancer) – Thanks a lot!

Phoe-chan – Lol...  I wanna be in Toshiko's place too *grins*  Worst than Kenshin, probably.  Since he was an assassin AND abused by his family and Kenshin was only an assassin, but then again, he lost his wife and had to travel around Japan for ten years before meeting with Kaoru.  Lol with the Kiya smacking ^^

HnH – Arigatou!