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Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2	By : hawker748 Category: +G to L > Love Hina Views: 23124 -:- Recommendations : 0 -:- Currently Reading : 0
Disclaimer: I do not own Love Hina, nor any of the characters from it. I do not make any money from the writing of this story.

Chapter List
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Disclaimer: See Chapter Two

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�X� Spoken words

�X� Thoughts

Love Hina

Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2

Chapter Four: Coping, Rumination, and the
Coming of Trouble

By: hawker_748

The sounds of explosions reverberated through the air,
shaking Naru where she sat. The thundering faded away, along with the smoke and
dust, revealing Tsuruko. She looked none the worse for wear, in spite of having
been hit with a case of Su�s special grenades.

�Ho ho ho� Now it�s actually
beginning to get interesting!� Tsuruko chortled.

�How high is that lady�s hit
point level?!� Keitaro shrieked in disbelief.

Motoko and Tsuruko resumed their
battle, as Keitaro, Naru, and Tama-chan watched from the sidelines. Keitaro was
focused intently on the sibling duel, while Naru simmered, jealousy flowing
through her. She remembered how she felt when Keitaro had hobbled onto the
battlefield, cast and all, plucked Motoko from Tsuruko�s grasp and let fly with
an arm-load of ordinance. The sight of Motoko in Keitaro�s grasp stirred
feelings of envy she would die before admitting to.

With a mixture of frustration and
jealousy, Naru regarded Keitaro. For someone with a broken leg, he was
certainly trying hard to help Motoko. Something had to have happened between
the two of them, she was sure of it. She confronted him with this, and he�d
simply tried to brush her off.

Her frustration reaching the
breaking point, Naru leapt to her feet and went to grab the sword Keitaro was
wearing on his back. She wasn�t sure what she was going to do with it, but she
believed she might just shove it down Keitaro�s throat.

At the last second, Keitaro saw
her reach for the sword, and he swiftly moved it out of her reach. �Don�t touch
that!� he warned.

Naru stopped cold. �What?� she
asked softly, in a voice dripping with danger.

�Motoko says it�s cursed, don�t
touch it!� Keitaro re-iterated.

Naru couldn�t believe what she
was hearing. �You aren�t using it because of a goddamn CURSE?!� she bellowed.

�Hey, Motoko says it�s dangerous,
and I believe her,� Keitaro replied hotly.

Naru�s temper flared up
spectacularly. �Fine! Marry her if you trust her so much!�

Keitaro looked like he was about
to shout back, when they both suddenly realized that it had just gone dead
quiet; the sounds of battle had ceased. With a stricken look, Keitaro turned
back around and saw Motoko, her head down in supplication, with Tsuruko
standing triumphantly over her.

�You are defeated Motoko,�
declared Tsuruko, a sense of finality in her words. �You are hereby banished
from this dojo, and you will now marry Urashima. Come Keitaro, your bride
awaits.�

Keitaro stood there in abject
shock, completely frozen. He glanced at Naru, a desperate look in his eyes,
hoping to see her object, react, to do anything. She just stood there frozen
and silent, not saying a word. His last hope seemingly gone, he turned around
and slowly hobbled towards Motoko, having no option but to pay the price for
his attempt at deception.

XXX

Naru awoke with a start. She
hadn�t dreamt about the apocalyptic duel since�since�well, never. She shook her
head ruefully. �Figures. I only dream about that after they come back.�

Naru didn�t want to dream about
that; the memory was too painful even now, without having to relive it again in
her sleep. These nocturnal revisitations didn�t make moving on with her life
any easier. �Wish I could stop thinking about that. And if wishes were horses��

With a short, humourless bark of
a laugh, the love-lorne young woman got out of bed and tried to put aside the
memories that sleep had dredged up. �Put it behind you, dammit! Reminiscing
isn�t going to help, or change anything now.� She gathered up her things for
the hot springs, and had one last thought as she opened her door.

�What would have happened if I�d
grabbed that sword anyway?� Naru pondered. �Probably nothing. Cursed. Right.
Like it would have made much of a difference.�

XXX

Morning came far, far too early
for Mitsune Konno. She opened her eyes and immediately slammed them shut,
wishing that she hadn�t. She felt like there were ten thousand howler monkeys
inside her skull performing an opera. Or perhaps all the jackhammers in the
world working in her brain was a more accurate description. Either way, her
head was throbbing in perfect time with her heartbeat, and Kitsune would have
been willing to cut out her own heart to put an end to that agonizing pounding.

The sake she had consumed the
night before had left her with a couple of souvenirs; a five-alarm hangover,
plus her mouth was as dry as cotton and felt absolutely vile. The sour
aftertaste of sake made her want to gag. Along with the dizziness and nausea,
these feelings were threatening to make her vomit. A hot, flushed feeling had
her perspiring profusely, soaking the blankets and the clothes she was wearing
with cold sweat.

�Wait,� thought Kitsune, her
mental properties, hampered by the misery she was experiencing, were finally
rebooting. �Where�d these blankets come from?� she wondered. The answer came to
her after a few moments, when a few more of her neurons managed to fire
correctly. �Naru. Had to be Naru. Who else woulda helped me?� Her conclusion
reinforced her feelings of depression and self pity, the same feelings that had
started her on her binge the day before.

Kitsune didn�t really want to get
up, but since she was unable to sleep on a futon in such disreputable
condition, the self proclaimed slacker reluctantly got to her feet, stripped
out of her soaked clothes and slipped into a robe. She debated on whether or
not to use a little �hair of the dog� to make herself feel better, before
deciding on simply recharging herself in the hot spring.

Kitsune gathered up her bathing
supplies and headed through the hallways towards the woman�s bath, years of
practice at concealing how awful she felt allowing her to walk with a steady
gait. Upon reaching the changing area she found the other Hinata House regulars
already there, and to her relief, there were no signs of an Aoyama anywhere.
Nodding an unspoken thanks to Naru, she quickly headed out to the bath, missing
the concerned look Naru had given her. Naru had wanted to talk to her earlier
about her drinking, but had decided that this sort of issue was best discussed
in private.

After hanging up her robe and
grabbing a towel, Kitsune walked outside and made her way to the bath. She
braced herself for the initial heat and slipped into the water, ready to let
its liquid warmth ease her troubles and provide her with some relief. But as
she sat there, she realized that something wasn�t quite right.

�What the hell�s wrong with this
bath?!� she bellowed, in no mood to be subtle or discrete.

Drawn by the force of the
fox-eyed girl�s blast, the other residents rushed outside. �What�s wrong?�
asked a concerned Naru.

�The water�s absolutely frigid!�
Kitsune snarled, her nerves frayed, pissed off, and in no mood to mince words.

Curious, Shinobu walked up to the
water�s edge and dipped her foot into the bath. �It�s�warm.�

�So why isn�t it hot like
normal?!� snapped Kitsune, her hangover killing all traces of good humour.
�Somebody go tell that useless landlord of ours that he forgot to turn up the
heat!�

�Kei-kun didn�t do this, I turned
it down,� Mutsumi interjected sweetly, immune to Kitsune�s hostility.

Kitsune sat there nonplussed, a
puzzled look on her face. �What the hell�d you do that for?� she asked after a
moment�s contemplation.

�So Motoko-chan can use it,�
replied Mutsumi.

�So why�d you have to turn it
into an ice-bath?� growled Kitsune.

�Don�t be silly Kitsune, it�s not
that cold,� responded Naru, who had moved down to the bath to check the
temperature. �It�s still nice and warm.�

As if to prove Naru�s point,
Tama-chan alighted off of Shinobu�s head and landed in the water. The turtle
seemed to contemplate the reduced temperature of the water it was soaking in,
before it shrugged it�s flippers in acceptance and began to relax.

�What�s with you Kitsune?� Naru
wondered silently, as she absently watched Tama-chan floating contentedly. �Why
are you so irritable?�

�Naru-san is correct; the water is
just under 100 degrees, a safe temperature for an unborn baby,� Mutsumi
continued.

�Safe temperature?� inquired
Sarah.

�A bath or shower over 100
degrees can hurt a baby�s development,� lectured Mutsumi. While Keitaro and
Motoko had been on their date, she had given the pregnancy book a through read,
and had learned why Motoko couldn�t use the hot springs. After deciding that no
woman enduring pregnancy should be without a hot spring, she had concluded that
the appropriate course of action was to lower the thermostat.

�Really?� asked Shinobu.

�Yes,� answered Mutsumi. �It
wouldn�t be fair for Motoko to have to use Keitaro�s little bathroom now, would
it?�

The other residents mentally
considered this and started nodding to themselves in agreement. With one clear
exception.

�What good is a hot spring that
isn�t hot?� groused Kitsune.

�Kitsune, I think we can all put
up with this. Motoko�s the one who�s going through a lot right now.� Naru gave
her friend a look of disapproval, with a little bit of disappointment mixed in
as well.

Kitsune didn�t miss the look, and
was hurt that her best friend seemed to be siding against her. From the looks
of the others, she was on her own. She�d expected that, but she�d figured that
Naru would�ve at least made a token effort to back her up. �You�re siding with
HER against ME? But I thought friends were supposed to be there for each
other.�

Feeling a sense of betrayal,
Kitsune acknowledged the will of the majority and muttered a half-hearted
approval of the temperature reduction. She slunk over to a more secluded area
of the bath and sulked, causing her feelings of resentment towards the Aoyamas
to increase slowly, like a locomotive gradually building up a head of steam.

The remaining residents waded
into the pool and concluded that while it wasn�t as nice as it was when the
water was near the scalding point, it wasn�t too bad either. If it would help
Motoko and her baby, then it was an acceptable sacrifice. Consequently, the
level of chatter in the bath was soon up to its usual norms.

Mutsumi surveyed her handiwork,
and was pleased with the results. Now Motoko-chan and Naru-san would have more
opportunity to talk to each other, and maybe they�d be able to work things out
between them. She was so pleased with how well it had been accepted, that she
didn�t notice the aura of resentment that Kitsune was now emitting.

XXX

Almost unwillingly, Motoko opened
her bleary eyes and rejoined the waking world. Her appreciation of her
situation was further hampered by the nausea that she was experiencing. She
closed her eyes and remained motionless, hoping that she wouldn�t have to run
like hell for the toilet this morning.

To her great relief, on this
particular morning the nausea eased up without her having to get up and vomit,
which meant she could stay where she was most comfortable, in Keitaro�s warm
embrace. Motoko rolled slightly, allowing her chin to rest on his chest, and
she tightened her hold on him, smiling to herself when she felt him
unconsciously increase his own embrace. She contented herself with laying
there, her head rising and falling with his every breath, feeling his
heartbeat, and gazing at the smile upon his face.

�You should be smiling Kei-kun,
especially after last night,� Motoko thought to herself with a placid and
contented smile. �Then again, you always seem to smile in your sleep.� On
occasions when she wasn�t able to sleep, Motoko enjoyed watching Keitaro while
he slept. Throughout most of their marriage, Keitaro had slept the sleep of the
righteous, usually untroubled and unburdened by anything that life threw at
him. Unlike his time as landlord of Hinata House, in which all of the problems
and experiences he had gone through rested heavily upon his troubled brow,
their life together, forced marriage not withstanding, had been relatively
care-free.

True, there�d been some
difficulties, but nothing that they couldn�t handle together. This life of no
real worries or concerns had allowed Keitaro to regularly sleep with a smile.
And the mornings after nights that they had made love, such as this one, his
smile was even wider. �Kei-kun seems to have that smile an awful lot of
mornings,� Motoko mused internally. Not that she minded. On some occasions,
when she couldn�t fall back asleep, she�d wake Keitaro. The first time she had
roused him from a well-earned slumber, after a particularly difficult day of
training, he�d bemoaned the loss of sleep.

But only that first time, and
only for a few moments.

Thinking about that caused
Motoko�s smile to widen as well. But she wondered yet again if it was normal
for a married couple to be so sexually active. �Why do we make love so often?�
she asked herself yet again. She didn�t mind it at all, far from it. She and
Keitaro enjoyed their couplings, but she was just a little curious.

In the past, she�d theorized that
she was just trying to keep Keitaro happy, so that he wouldn�t stray, but she�d
later rejected that idea as ludicrous. After what they�d been through to be
together, infidelity wasn�t in either of their vocabularies. Besides, it wasn�t
as if sex with Keitaro was some tedious chore she had to do, she genuinely
loved and relished every moment of the experience. It wasn�t uncommon for her
to initiate intimacy, and Keitaro wasn�t one to turn her down if she asked. �Who
knew I was so hot-blooded, given what I believed before?�

In the end, Motoko had come to
understand that the primary reason for their frequency in lovemaking was simply
that they deeply loved each other, and they wanted to express it as much and as
often as possible. As for her, she was an active participant for the additional
reason that it was the only time that she could cast aside the role in life and
society that she�d chosen. When people saw her, they usually saw a strong,
regal, independent swordswoman, which she would acknowledge being with pride.
But Keitaro, and only Keitaro, saw her as a woman, his soul mate, the love of
his life.

When the two of them were in bed,
Motoko was a woman, first, last, and always. She could lower all of the facades
and emotional barriers she created for the world to see, and simply be Motoko
Aoyama, beloved wife of Keitaro Aoyama. She played this part with all the
passion and zeal that she put into being a swordswoman, so perhaps it wasn�t so
surprising that Keitaro had, on more than one occasion, referred to her as a
tigress in bed. The first time he�d said that, she�d laughed, then later
secretly purchased a pair of tiger striped bra and panties, and worn them to
bed that night. Keitaro took one look at them and bolted from the bedroom. For
a moment, Motoko was stunned and hurt that Keitaro had rejected her idea.
However, these thoughts vanished seconds later when Keitaro ran back into the
room, somehow managing to have scrounged up a pith helmet, hiking boots and a
hoop net, and this had resulted in a game of �Wild Kingdom� which�

Motoko�s thoughts and trip down
memory lane were interrupted when she felt Keitaro stir beneath her. He blinked
his eyes clear, smacked his lips a few times, and then focused his gaze upon
her. �Good morning Mo-chan. Are you feeling better this morning, my love?�

�It wasn�t too bad, I didn�t have
to throw up,� she replied. Motoko then snuggled tighter against Keitaro. �Do we
have to get out of bed today Kei-kun?� she purred. �This is so nice, I don�t
want to leave.�

�Yes, it is,� Mr. Aoyama agreed.
�But we have to get up.� Keitaro didn�t sound too enthusiastic about that
prospect either.

Sighing in resignation, Motoko
reluctantly released Keitaro and stood up, eliciting a wolf whistle from her
husband, who admired her stately and beautifully nude figure, before she was
able to wrap a sheet around herself. �Pervert,� she scolded, with no small
amount of amusement.

�Hm-mm,� Keitaro acknowledged.

Chuckling softly to herself,
Motoko slipped on a robe and headed for the bathroom.

XXX

Down in the dining room, the
other residents were already eating when Keitaro and Motoko entered, greeted
everyone, and sat down to eat. Su was the first to talk to the late arrivals.
�Hey Motoko, how come ya didn�t puke today?� With the exception of Mutsumi,
everyone grimaced at the reminder of the morning before.

�Just lucky this morning, I
guess,� Motoko replied, clearly not happy at the subject being discussed.

�Well, I�m glad you�re feeling
better this morning,� said Naru.

Motoko nodded gratefully in
response. She then turned to Shinobu and asked, �Do we have any chamomile tea?�

�Um, no, I don�t think so,�
Shinobu replied. �Why?�

�It�s supposed to ease morning
sickness. I guess I�ll pick some up later today.�

�How�s that supposed to help?�
queried Naru.

�No idea, that�s just what the
doctor told us, that and spearmint aromatherapy.�

�Spearmint?� Naru asked
sceptically.

Keitaro shrugged in response.
�Ask the doctor, she�s the one who recommended it.�

The residents considered that
amongst themselves, as Keitaro and Motoko continued to eat.

�You must be happy this morning,�
Kitsune spoke up for the first time that morning. �I didn�t hear the
�pitter-patter� of little feet today.� A malicious grin came over her face as
she continued. �Of course, yesterday you sounded like a hippo during a
stampede.� She felt some satisfaction at the embarrassed look that came over
Motoko.

�Don�t worry about that Mo-chan,�
Keitaro reassured her. �This is normal during pregnancy.� A far-off look came
into his eyes. �Soon, there will be the real �pitter-patter� of little feet
here.�

�Along with crying, Two AM
feedings, diapers�� Mutsumi added.

�You�re not helping here,�
growled Naru.

�Hey Motoko,� called out Sarah.
�Speaking of little feet, what are you going to call the rugrat?�

Motoko blinked in response. �I, I
hadn�t really thought about that yet, it�s still quite early. But I think that
I�d like to call her Kimiko, or perhaps Natsuko.�

�I don�t know, Mo-chan,� interjected
Keitaro. �I was thinking of Akira, or maybe Ryu.�

�Those are boys names, Kei-kun,�
Motoko stated. �Our daughter wouldn�t like being called by a boy�s name.�

�True, but our son wouldn�t like
Kimiko either.�

�I thought we settled his
yesterday, Kei-kun,� Motoko chided.

�Best of three?� Keitaro asked
weakly.

�Kei-kun, you know I can�t duel
with you anymore,� Motoko reminded him.

�Why not?� inquired Su.

Motoko sighed. �Strenuous
exercise isn�t good for pregnant women,� she answered.

�Which means I might actually win
one, Mo-chan,� Keitaro quipped.

�You�ve always done pretty good
Kei-kun. After all, you�ve defeated me a couple of times.�

�Only when you made a mistake,�
Keitaro pointed out. �Even then, three times at the most.�

�That�s still pretty good. You�ve
done well in only a year.�

�Only because I had a great
teacher.�

�Why thank you, Kei-kun,� Motoko
replied sweetly, smiling at her life mate.

�You�re welcome, Mo-chan,�
Keitaro returned, in an even more affectionate tone.

�Ugh, must�have�insulin,�
muttered Kitsune, sticking her finger in her mouth and making gagging motions.

�I beg your pardon?� asked
Keitaro.

�All that sweetness is making my
teeth ache,� Kitsune grumbled. �You two keep that up and we�ll all get
diabetes.�

�Maybe we are going a bit
overboard,� Keitaro admitted.

�It�s no big deal Keitaro,�
replied Naru, giving Kitsune a funny look, which the older woman ignored.

�Perhaps,� he responded. Nothing
further was said as the Aoyamas continued to eat breakfast. Motoko�s food
intake, while not as significant as Su�s, was noticeably higher than what she�d
eaten before she�d become pregnant.

As Motoko finished her plate,
Sarah asked her, �So what are you gonna do if you can�t beat up the dork
anymore?�

�I suppose we�ll concentrate more
on katas and running,� Motoko replied.

�Just a run this morning,
Mo-chan?� queried Keitaro.

�Yes Kei-kun. You think you can
handle two miles?�

�Piece of cake.�

�I know,� Motoko replied sweetly.
�That�s why you�ll be doing five miles. I shouldn�t do more than two, but you
can keep doing five.�

�Yes sensei,� Keitaro grumped.
�We start now?�

�Of course,� stated Motoko.
�Thank you for breakfast Shinobu. We�ll see you all later.�

�Wait Motoko-chan!� called out
Mutsumi. �When you get back, you can use the hot springs.�

A confused look came over
Motoko�s features. �Didn�t I tell you that I can�t use it?�

�Yes, but now you can, it�s safe
now,� Mutsumi replied.

�Yeah, she turned the heat down,�
growled Kitsune. �She just went and did it.�

�Th, thank you Mutsumi,� Motoko
responded gratefully. She�d all but resigned herself to using Keitaro�s small
tub, and the prospect of being able to keep using the hot springs was a source
of considerable relief to the expectant mother.

�It�s nothing,� Mutsumi answered.

After giving Mutsumi a thankful
look that indicated that it was much more than nothing, Motoko turned to her
husband and asked, �You ready now Kei-kun?�

�Lead on, Mo-chan,� he said,
ready to hit the road.

The young couple walked out of
the dining room and made their way to the front door. Once there, they put on
their running shoes, went outside, stretched for a minute or so, and then began
their morning jog.

Back in the living room, everyone
else finished up their meal, thanked Shinobu, and went their own ways. But Naru
made a point of following Kitsune into her room, where she confronted her over
her rude behaviour the previous evening and in the bath that morning. �Is
something bothering you Kitsune?� she began without any preamble.

�Why would you think that Naru?�
Kitsune responded, laying on the sarcasm thick enough to cut with a katana.

Naru ignored the jibe, not
wanting to get into an argument with her best friend. She decided to try a
different tack; keeping her voice calm and reasonable, she asked, �Why were you
so upset in the hot springs? Warm water isn�t that big of a deal. Even
Tama-chan wasn�t that upset about it.�

�But why do we have to go out of
our way to accommodate them?� asked Kitsune. �They show up out of nowhere,
without warning, and start acting like they own the place.�

�Kitsune, Keitaro does own it,
remember?�

�That still shouldn�t give them
the right to order us around.�

�Kitsune, they didn�t lower the
thermostat, it was Mutsumi,� Naru pointed out. �For what it�s worth, I think
it�s the right thing to do. The hot springs aren�t that important, Motoko�s
baby is. You don�t want anything to happen to her now, do you?�

�No, but why make it easier for
her? I thought you were upset at her.�

Naru found herself unwillingly
replaying the argument she�d had with Tsuruko the previous day. She�d had to
come to terms with the fact that she was as responsible for Keitaro and Motoko
ending up together as Tsuruko had been. �I, I am a little upset with her,� she
admitted reluctantly, �but I�m more upset at Tsuruko. Besides, even if I was
pissed at Motoko, which I�m not, I don�t wish her any harm. I want to make up
with them, and being flexible is a good start.�

�Why aren�t you pissed at her?�
asked Kitsune, standing up and facing her friend a foot away. �She took Keitaro
from you.�

Naru closed her eyes and sighed
deeply. She still didn�t like having to admit to what she was about to tell
Kitsune. �No, Kitsune, I let my anger and mistrust� If�if I�d been smarter, I
wouldn�t have lost him. If I�d been truthful with my feelings, telling him how
I felt, he wouldn�t be with Motoko now. Yes, he ended up with her, but I didn�t
exactly do anything to keep him.�

Kitsune stared at Naru
incredulously; she couldn�t believe what she was hearing. �You were just
scared, if you�d had more time-�

�I had nearly a year,� Naru
interrupted. �I had plenty of time, I just wasted it away.�

Kitsune could only respond to
that with silence.

�I wanted to talk to you
yesterday Kitsune,� Naru continued, changing the subject to something she
thought was more pressing. �But you were out like a light.�

The fox-eyed girl didn�t miss the
hint of accusation in Naru�s tone. She quickly threw up a light-hearted front
and attempted to brush off any concerns. �I just had a hard day, I needed a few
drinks to unwind, that�s all.�

�You call five full bottles of
Sake a �few drinks�?�

�It wasn�t really five bottles
Naru,� Kitsune replied defensively. �I just finished up some nearly empty ones,
that�s all.�

Naru found herself being swayed
by Kitsune�s argument, and it was difficult to stay upset in the face of her
friends upbeat, cheerful demeanour, even if it did seem a little forced.

�Besides,� Kitsune added with a
grin. �It�s not like anything bad happened. I didn�t drive or anything, and I
didn�t fall down the stairs, I just went to bed early.�

Kitsune�s logic seemed to make
sense to Naru. Maybe she was getting concerned over nothing. Who knew how many
times she would have liked a little help falling asleep herself. Besides,
Kitsune was a responsible person, right? She knew her own limits, and she never
did anything stupid when she was drunk.

�Yeah, I guess you�re right
Kitsune,� agreed Naru. �Those two coming back have stressed everyone out. I�m
over-reacting.�

�Probably,� agreed Kitsune. �But
I don�t mind.�

Naru smiled in spite of herself.
�Okay. You just take care of yourself Kitsune. I�ll see you later.� She then
turned around and walked out of the room, feeling better about things in
general.

But Naru was bothered by the
voice in the back of her head, which sounded like the one she�d ignored a year
earlier, accusing her of not trying hard enough.

Trying to put that little voice
out of her mind, Naru was lost in thought when she almost literally bumped into
Keitaro, who had finished his run. His thoughts also appeared to be elsewhere.
�Kei�Keitaro,� she breathed.

�Naru,� he replied, an
uncomfortable feeling coming over him as he looked at her.

For a few seconds neither one
spoke, a truly deafening silence. Idly Naru noticed that Keitaro�s hair and
shirt were soaked with sweat, and she unconsciously wrinkled her nose when she
caught wind of him.

�Naru, have you seen Mo-chan?� he
asked.

�I think she�s in the bath.� Naru
had to suppress a pang of envy for Motoko.

�Really? Thanks Naru.� Keitaro
then made to enter the changing area, his intentions obvious.

�Keitaro,� Naru called out.

�Yes?�

There were so many things that
Naru needed to say, wanted to say, so many questions and admissions. But as she
stood there, she realized that now wasn�t the time. She turned and walked away,
not even looking back when she called out, �Make sure you put up the sign.�

Keitaro stood there perplexed,
not certain what to make of Naru�s behaviour, before he insured that the sign
was posted, and proceeded into the changing area.

XXX

After finishing her two mile run,
and cheerfully reminding Keitaro that he still had another three miles to go,
Motoko walked up the stairs to Hinata House, cooling off and letting her heart
rate get back down to normal. She�d enjoyed the run, and while it couldn�t
compare to sparring with Keitaro, at least she could stay active during her
pregnancy. Until she was too big to run, that is. Now it was time to relax in
the hot spring.

�Or is that �warm� spring now?�
wondered Motoko, with a touch of amusement. She went into her room to retrieve
a change of clothes and her bathing supplies. She proceeded into the changing
area, disposed of her running outfit, wrapped her herself in a towel and walked
outside to the springs.

After checking the thermostat to
ensure that the water was in fact at a safe temperature, she slipped into the
water, the luxury of the surroundings more than making up for the reduced
temperature. Motoko was thrilled to be able to use the outdoor bath again, as
Keitaro�s old bath was just too small. �Although it was nice and cozy, with
just the two of us�� She smiled to herself as she remembered Keitaro washing
her back, and everything else they did, fondly.

Motoko closed her eyes and tried
to let the water ease away all of her cares and worries. A warm soak wasn�t as
effective as a hot soak, but it was better than nothing. She lounged there,
thinking about what she was going to have to do over the next couple of weeks.
Her contemplation was interrupted when she heard the sound of someone else
entering the bath. �Who�s there?�

�It�s me Mo-chan.�

�Kei-kun!� Motoko�s face lit up
like a Christmas tree upon hearing her husband�s voice.

Keitaro smiled broadly and
proceeded into the bath. A few minutes went by, and the Aoyamas simply lounged
in the warm waters, attempting to forget all of their stresses, relaxing
themselves in each other�s company.

�So where were you Kei-kun?�
asked Motoko, after a few minutes of comfortable silence.

�I�m sorry?�

�You only had to run another
three miles, you should have been back sooner, unless you weren�t trying.�

�I made a few stops after the run
to pick up a few things.�

�Oh? Like what?�

�I bought some camomile tea, and
some spearmint aromatherapy thingys. Sorry, but I�m not sure how to use them,
the salesgirl didn�t seem to want to help me very much.�

A mental image of Keitaro in a
small aromatherapy specialty shop, sweaty and dishevelled after his run, nearly
caused Motoko to laugh out loud. As it was, a brief snicker escaped her lips,
and she found it difficult to get the smile off of her face. �You could have
come home and gotten cleaned up first Kei-kun.� There was no small amount of
humour in Motoko�s tone.

�Eh, why bother?� replied Keitaro
dismissively. �It�s not like I need to impress her or anything.�

�True,� murmured Motoko. �So,
what shall we do today?�

�Why not go look at some baby
things?�

�Good idea,� Motoko replied,
after a few seconds consideration. �We can look for some toys for our daughter.�

�Son.�

�Daughter, Kei-kun. Remember, I
won the duel.�

�As usual,� grumped Keitaro.

Motoko chuckled softly at that.
�Okay then, we�ll go window shopping. Later.�

�Yes. Later.�

No other words were spoken, or
necessary.

XXX

Over the next month or so, the
residents of Hinata House fell back into a routine. Despite the presence of the
spearmint aromatherapy, Motoko usually felt miserable in the morning, and
needed to make a frantic run for the bathroom about once every three days. The
other residents became inured to this activity, no longer even grimacing in
disgust. When Motoko�s heavy footfalls were heard, any conversation would cease
until the unpleasant sounds of her vomiting passed, after which all talking
resumed as if nothing had happened.

Motoko made every effort to
control the morning sickness; drinking camomile tea in the morning, switching
to simpler meals when possible, and using the spearmint aromatherapy essential
oils and candles. The aromatherapy did seem to help some, and the pleasant
scent also served to mask less pleasant odours that resulted from the increase
in intestinal gas that Motoko was experiencing, or on mornings after they�d
made love. An unexpected side effect of the spearmint aromatherapy was Su
constantly asking the two of them where they�d hidden the candy canes.

Motoko�s strange cravings
continued unabated, and although she was usually able to resist them, or
substitute something more sensible than what she craved, she developed a real
sweet tooth. One morning, as all of the
other residents watched in fascinated horror, Motoko poured herself a large
bowl of Froot Loops. No one knew where they�d come from, and no one admitted to
buying them, but they were there. The sight of the expectant mother eating a
bowl of vaguely fruit flavoured sugar wouldn�t have been so upsetting, but
instead of milk, Motoko had topped it with cola. She then proceeded to consume
the sickly sweet meal, oblivious to the aghast looks that the other residents
wore. Even Su, hardly an opponent of sweet things, had her gag reflex put to
the test as Motoko plowed through the bowl of cereal.

On the relationship front, the
Aoyamas were becoming more accepted by the other Hinata House residents,
Kitsune being the sole exception. She never lashed out, or was overtly hostile,
but she would go out of her way to be inconvenient, and her behaviour could
easily be considered rude. Keitaro and Motoko didn�t understand her reasoning;
Kitsune herself wasn�t sure why she couldn�t bring herself to get along with
them, but she didn�t bother expending much effort to figure out why. Whenever
Naru tried to confront her about it, she�d dismiss her concerns as not being
that big of a deal and change the subject. Since Kitsune was still behaving
properly around the other residents, there wasn�t an overwhelming pressure for
her to change her behaviour.

Through all of this, Motoko�s
pregnancy marched on relentlessly, and all of the residents found themselves
drawn into it. Whether it was helping to cook meals that would be good for
Motoko, or simply making suggestions on baby names, just about everyone took
part in some way, shape, or form. It seemed as though the child would have one
mother, one father, and five doting aunts. Whatever problems the baby might
have, lack of attention wasn�t going to be one of them. Even with Kitsune�s
petulant streak, there were no real disturbances, until one day, about three
months into the pregnancy.

XXX

Black: The absence of any colour.

Black clothing, in addition to
radiating away heat, can make the wearer appear intimidating. For others,
wearing black clothing can make the wearer appear more alluring. But few people
can appear to be both alluring and intimidating at the same time.

Kanako Urashima was one of those
people. An attractive young woman, her natural beauty was complemented by the
black outfits that she favoured; she possessed a �goth-chic� that black only
emphasized. It also increased her natural intimidation factor, as many men
would readily attest to. Many men had noticed her from afar, and were drawn by
the �bad-girl� aura she radiated. However, when they got close enough to see
her face, the look in her eyes, and the sternness of her features caused any
would-be suitors to realize that instead of �bad�, the word that came to mind
was �pain�.

This suited Kanako just fine.

As far as she was concerned,
there was only one man that she would open herself up to, her older brother
Keitaro. Kanako knew that she and her brother weren�t related by blood, and she
didn�t feel any inherent creepiness at the idea of wanting her adoptive
sibling. He�d always been there for her, and now she would be there for him.

She had learned where he was
living through some family connections, and she had decided that it was time to
make her move. She stood in the bushes, regarding the impressive fa�ade of the
Hinata House. She was proud that Keitaro was able to handle the responsibility
of taking care of such a large building, even more because he was doing it
alone.

Thinking about seeing Keitaro
again made it difficult to resist simply running up to the house, but she held
herself back, reassuring herself that infiltration and reconnaissance were the
best way to achieve her goals.

There! An opportunity was
presenting itself. An attractive young woman, perhaps a little older that she
was, was walking out of the residence. The woman had long brown hair, was
wearing glasses, and was cute, in an ordinary sort of way, Kanako decided. She
was also of similar height and build. She would do perfectly.

Kanako observed the woman
unknowingly walking by her, carefully making note of her facial features,
clothing, walking style, and other important details. When the woman passed out
of sight on her way down the stairs, Kanako began the second phase of her plan.
She quickly and skilfully crafted a mask and wig that were all but
indistinguishable from the real person. She pulled it over her head and then
pulled on clothes that were identical to what the person she had observed had
been wearing.

Kanako took a look at herself in
her compact, smiled sinisterly at the results of her labours, and then walked
out of the bushes towards Hinata House. She was now an almost perfect facsimile
of Naru Narusegawa, and the only detectable difference was in the predatory gleam
of her smile.

�Soon, oniichan, soon,� she
thought to herself, as she opened the front door and walked inside.

End Chapter Four

Special thanks go out to
crosseyedbutterfly, dennisud, and Kylaran Aeldin for serving as pre-readers.
Without their input, I�d probably be screwed. Drinks are on me, once again.

I would welcome all feedback on
this story, both positive and negative. Don�t be afraid to let me have it if
you think I�ve buggered this up. I�ve got a thick skin and I won�t take
negative feedback personally.

Hope to have the next chapter out
soon, but I had to beat back writer�s block for this one. I only hope I�ve
beaten it back enough to continue promptly.
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Aftermath: Loss and Redemption 2